Hopefully it'll get sorted out soon but I don't think the centre backs are always to blame. When I was playing at youth level we had the privilege of a true quality goalkeeper and he would claim anything in that area and you'd have so much trust in him to claim those crosses. I think it is a goalkeeper's job to take pressure off the defence and Kenny isn't good enough imo, I've never thought he was good enough despite the fact he is a decent enough shot stopper and saved us against Brighton
I agree with you 100% on that Josh, I don't see why he couldn't have been out and collected that cross, it travelled a long way across his goal before reaching their player. He has proved again that he is an excellent shot stopper, but teams will keep exploiting this weakness and it puts us on the back foot from set pieces straight away
His starting position is too far back, he shoulda been in a better area as soon as the ball went out wide
Kennys not the tallest for a GK which tends to keep him on his line more. I'm still more than happy with Kenny, one of the best in the league no doubt
I disagree, I think he makes good saves admittedly but then I think he lets in goals that he coulda saved. His positioning has never been the best and as far as collecting crosses (which imo is one of the most important departments considering how many goals can be let in that way) he is diabolical. His kicking is poor and barely reaches the half way line, and not to mention his age so we are gonna have to replace him probably next season if not the season after anyway. One of the best in the league he is not
Have faith in Sully - he'll sort him out. He was never slow to smash people out of the way to clear a ball.
I was a big fan of Sully but I think he has been brought in to help the younger goalkeepers more than someone like the 35 year old Paddy Kenny
Its time Kenny came for crosses on his 6 yard line making it clear in the process that one of the CBs needs to get on the goal line just in case. Kenny can then clear everything out of the way - opposition players, CBs who get in his way.... & preferably the ball as well. Can't help but feel that if he doesn't Ashdown should come in and show him how its done, rather than just play a bit part in cup matches.
Kenny is a thousand times the keeper Ashdown is, and I dont think Kennys games going to change now, although dominating the 6 yard area like you've said above would be ideal
Not sure I agree with you Bucks. At his age, Kenny should know that he is responsible for clearing his area. Ashdown's sheer presence (6ft plenty 14 to 16 stone) is enough to guarantee he will clear the space. I'd like Kenny to fracture an eyelash or break a toenail and for Ashdown to come in for a while, especially after having been trained by Sully.
I enjoyed the careful way Lees watched the cross.... go over his head, off the opponents head, into the net. He never lost sight of it for a moment
Whilst Ashdowns looked good in the cups I've seen enough of him at Pompey to say IMO Kenny is a much, much better keeper. You dont need to be big to clear areas when your a keeper, you just need bollocks! Keepers are so protected now a striker can barely challenge them. Kenny doesnt come of his line as much as he maybe should as at 5,11 theres plenty of scope to be lobbed, hence he plays the angles very well
Nah Bucks, he is a good shot stopper at times but other than that his all round game is actually quite poor imo. Doesn't do anywhere near enough to justify a guaranteed place in the team. Im not saying Ashdown is the answer because I doubt we have had this keeper just warming the bench for over a season that would all of a sudden be the answer to all our problems but for a keeper, and an experienced one at that not be able to collect crosses inside his 6 yard area. Well that is jsut poor and I don't think its defendable.
The most important thing to note from this game was the atmosphere. Feel good factor is definitely back. Crowd didn't lose faith when we went behind or even when we were on the back foot. Always confident our lads could do it and stuck by them till the final whistle
