I think that an injection of confidence may be what it takes. Maybe an hour with Derren Brown might do the job... Vin
I agree to some extent about the crowd reactions but crowd reactions are part of the game and players have to learn to deal with them. Gazza isn't a good shot stopper. Look at today. Cardiff had 4 shots on target. The first two were pretty routine saves - shots hit at or close to him - and he made both look far more difficult than they were. I think he almost let the second one past but I'd have to see a replay to be sure. To be fair the goal was unstoppable and he did well against Zaha but one save doesn't make you a good shot stopper. The stats support my assessment as well - in his first spell in the side this season his save percentage was something like 38% (most Premier League keepers are around 70%) and I'm pretty sure he's still conceded more goals in the league this season than he's made saves. Personally I don't think he'll improve without playing games. A while ago I was bored and did a breakdown of what other Premier League keepers were doing at age 21-22. Almost all of them were first choice somewhere or had played a season or two of regular games for someone, even if it was in the lower leagues or the Finnish league. Gazza hasn't and he's 22 now so it's time. We should bring in another keeper over the summer, have Davis as 3rd choice, send Gazza out on loan next season (at least from August until January if not for the full season) and see if he improves.
Indeed. As I've said, I'm not sure he's curable. In defence of the shot-stopping, I'm not working from stats, I'm working from seeing him, so I'm counting ones where he's in the right position. When he is, he can get down quickly and make some great saves. I think his over reliance on punches today was a confidence issue. Anyway, time will tell and I'll be first in line to say we need good backup for Artur. I'm sure it's on the list. INteresting fact about goalkeepers; it's been shown that, in cash per team point affected by them (how that's measured is a very long story) they are the cheapest players by far. Vin
When asked if Boruc was close to a return, MP said he'd be assessed this week. Obviously we would like Boruc back, but could give Gazza a run of games. I would like to think that it might show us that he can improve, but more likely just show that we need another keeper. I really think he needs to go where he can get some games...real match time will help him at this point in his career.
If he ever is going to be any good he has to go on loan and play week in, week out. Not sure he will ever be a good enough number 1 at pl level but he can be a decent enough number two if he learns his trade
The worse thing about Gazzaniga is his positioning. Hopefully unlike Fox he will learn where to be etc.
To be fair to Redboyce, its a bit of a harsh assessment but not entirely wrong. Having said that it was easily his best game for us today. What worries me now is how even when making routine saves he's doing it with clenched fists. Clearly that gives him no chance of catching the ball and lessens his reach by an inch to two, but also how the ball deflects off a fist is unpredictable therefore always giving the possibility that it will fall to an on-coming forward. But I was actually slightly encouraged by his performance today.
Okay to do that to the opposition keeper, but never your own. Upsetting a keeper is never a good idea. And I'm willing to concede that Gazza may actually know more about keeping than me.
