Better to put an outfield player in goal then and teach him to keep if two thirds of the role is that of an outfield player
I expect a team will try it. But its better to buy a player for the style the team is intending to play. This surely applies to Keepers! It is not if, it is. Two thirds of a Keepers role is played with the feet and has been since the back pass rule changed in 92/93.
Even outfield players are not expected to make a high percentage of long diffiicult passes , often that's what we are expecting Frankie to do, and get annoyed when he fails, & using your argument of playing the ball from the back we should be giving him options to play the ball to the defence , rather than constantly asking him to kick it out to Flint put on the flank.
It may be that the keeper has the ball at his feet for two thirds of the time, that is different to saying that the ability to distribute the ball is the most important role of a goal keeper, the ability to keep the ball out of the net is , and always will be the main objective of a goal keeper, Glenn Hoodle for example could find his man with a 40 yard pass , but personally ide still prefer Peter Shilton in goal any day of the week.
Distribution, being able to intervene outside of the box, becoming an option for players under pressure, possession is keeping the ball out of the net. The role of the Keeper is still specialist but it has had to evolve. Peter Shilton would have to evolve too to play at a top club now. The old English mentality of stop shot, then kick it as high and far as possible is outdated.
Of course you are correct , the game has evolved and I appreciate what you are saying , I'm just making the point that the main role is still the ability to keep the ball out of the net . Top keepers will be able to do it all, at our level at present I think it's better to have someone with goal keeping skills that we can work on improving the other aspects than the other way around.
And in Bristol City's case a means of improvement can be to go beyond a Keeper whose specialist skill is shot stopping and? That is not doing it all. I have not stated he should be 6.4, brilliant at shot stopping, dominant in the box, great at communicating, all things, I have said that the Keeper should fit Bristol City style of play (at any level). If this style of play is focussed on possession. The Keeper has to be involved.
We obviously disagree, I think he's more than good enough at this level , you obviously don't , we've had many others that were going to take the number 1 jersey , he's seen them all off . He's also kept his position through several different managers that see him in training everyday , so he must have something going for him. I realise he had his limitations , but to be honest I've not seen many better in the championship and I for one would much rather spend any transfer money we may have other aspects of the team.
Not one poster has said Frank Fielding is good at distributing the ball yourself included. Others do not matter. lt is now that is important. It is now that will progress the team. The football Bristol City are now intending to play is of importance. A point others are making is that a role as important as the goal keeper has seen the least investment in it. You have not indicated how you would progress the team with the limitations Frank Fielding has beyond vaguely saying doing more to show (?) for it ... I agree but that is an attempt to cover that limitation. If you think the intent is to become a fluid passing team, playing high lines etc have a real think about how that can be achieved with Frank Fielding in goal. The Keeper will not have to be an Ederson, Valdes, Neuer but in a role that is multi faceted the Keeper has to be more than bang average and good at a couple of elements of their game.
I think you're both 'right' here, it just seems that while 66% of the keepers game is played with the ball, that doesn't mean it's necessarily 66% of the importance. I know I'd rather have FF in goal than David Beckham, put it that way, though I'm not doubting the sentiment - if we're going to play a certain type of football, we'd be better off getting a keeper who fits that mould.
I understand your point Rob , but feel there are other areas that need addressing with limited funds available . It's also my view that we often exaggerate Frankie' s weak areas & ignore his strengths . I know it's fashionable to do so , but at times I feel we exaggerate the need for keepers to be good at distributing the ball , especially at our level . I accept it's only my opinion and others may feel differently .
My point is Clifton I don't feel at this point in our journey there is a need to progress the team from a goalkeeping perspective, with the funds available there are other areas of the team that need to be addressed,
I don't accept your point that he's the weakest link. RR , I realise it's your view , on this point I believe you are wrong
We disagree on that one,just interested where you think more important is. Good play starts from the back,apart from his shot stopping,the rest of his game is extremely poor.
i realise your opinion RR, there is no need to reiterate it , We are all aware of your well considered and balanced views on all things Bristol City, on this one I happen to disagree with you.
Football is a team game, there is more to having a good team than having good individuals, you need balance and chemistry also , which is far more difficult to quantify . The defence as a whole seems more settled with Frankie behind them, I'm not sure this would be the case if your claims about his all round claims were correct.
