When you watch a player like a goalie, week in week out: you see all there is to see. The like of Gordon and Westwood we are likely to see only the highlights. True this may also show massive blunders as well as brilliant saves. What we are not seeing week in/week out is how he handles the routine saves, pass-backs, does he control the area well, does he organise the defence well. You virtually have to be behind the goals every other week for a season to judge that. Many of us feel we can judge our present goalie as minutely as that. But I don't think we can make the same judgement on the other two. That could be why two of our better managers Jock and Martin could not sign a good keeper. I think our present keeper, whom we can sign up to the end of the season, is to my mind maybe a better bet than either of the other two.
I agree sh - I can understand some fans thinking that Fraser Forster looks a bit robotic and lacking agility at times but as far as I'm concerned, I don't think he has done much wrong and seems increasingly to be growing in confidence and command of his area. If there is someone better out there, fair enough, lets get him if possible but I'm not sure that Craig Gordon would be much of an improvement and we certainly can do without carrying another injury-prone player on the payroll.
He's well over 6ft and isn't really confident at coming for cross balls. His kicking is pish and often puts the defence and midfield under pressure. He's not agile enough and can go down a little slow. 3 attributes you need to be a good keeper along with being a good shot stopper...
Forster is decent, not made too many absolute howlers, but probably no better than most other SPL keepers tbh. We should be looking for better if possible. Mind you, he's young (for a keeper) and has been improving I reckon...playing behind an unsettled back four (especially one that contains bombscare centre halfs) can't be good for your confidence
The thing with coming for crossed balls is to be consistent. With that fat **** Goram, he never came for anything. They knew he didn't come and could manage accordingly. You'd expect a giant like Lurch, he'd come for everything. But he doesn't and that is the problem. He is improving and I am sure he will continue to do so......but he is not ours. We can't limit our search just because he is right here, right now.
The faults that are mentioned about Forster are seen because we see him in nearly every match. I am not saying he is perfect but not too many players who are perfect in their position will strut their ability in the SPL. I am not sure that many of us has put Westwood or Gordon under intense inspection over 30 or more games. In doing that maybe we would see kicks not always perfect, not always taking cross balls cleanly. We could spend money and get worse. The problem with goalie we need to know what the man at the back is capable. I think I would prefer Forster for rest of season at least, if we are going to get someone new, get him in for pre-season and have a few matches to try him out.
