Your Number One!

There's no point doing this article as a poll because spoilers from outside can influence the vote but I'm intersted in City fans thoughts on who,barring injuries, should be the priority keeper for the rest of the season.


Marshall or Heaton?


For me it's Heaton based upon the fact he doesn't choose route one the majority of the time and seems to consider the strengths and height of opposition defences.Plus his confidence seems higher at the moment and he's less hesitant in his decision to leave his line.


As an aside.What was the point in signing Parrish?

 

to replace Heaton as his contract is ending.

Not much between them. Great save by Marsh yesterday 1 on 1 with Maynard, but he was slow a couple of times to react to balls over the top causing pressure.

I don't think there's much between them and for me the most important thing at the club is to have a number 1. End up with 2 nervey keepers if you swap and change when one has a bad game. Marsh is obviously MM's number 1, can't see Heaton signing if he's offered a new contract.

 

3rd keeper needed and I suspect either Heaton (as rumoured in the rubbish press) or Marshall will leave at the end of this season.

I find it hard to chose between Marshall and Heaton. Both good shot stoppers, both poor coming for crosses although Marshall should be better with his height advantage and neither great in communicating with his defenders. Agreed Heaton's distribution is better and we build from the back more when he plays - as we should have done yesterday.

Can't blame Marshall for the first goal yesterday but he was guilty with the rest of the defence for the total balls up in McCartney's goal. In saying that how was he allowed to get so far? He skipped past Mason on the halfway line and galloped the rest of the way virtually unchallenged. He was as surprised as their supporters when he scored. He has only scored twice before in 330+ club and international appearances. he is usually as threatening on gaol as McNuggs.

Anyway, Heats probably now deserves a chance in the league if only to freshen things up a little.

 

I don't think there is an awful lot between Marshall and Heaton. Slightly different strengths and weaknesses but not much in it in the round. Would giving Heaton a few games weaken us and would the freshness of Heaton help? Given our recent run of results a couple of changes just for the hell of it may be something that's needed, not that we have that many options in the positions we really need change.

Isn't Parrish the longer term prospect? Aged 21 he's probably a few years off first choice. Gives you a bigger gap between 1st and 2nd choice keeper and happier to be on the bench / in the development squad. It suggests Santiago doesn't have a long term future unless Heaton IS likley to move on in the summer as per an earlier thread. Most teams usually have 3 keepers at different stage of their careers.

I always find it strange that most clubs buy in their first choice keeper. You don't find many coming through the ranks. Where do they appear from? They must come through the ranks at some club. Is there a magical cavern somewhere that produces 25 year old keepers out of thin air?

 

We all know now that Malky is not afraid to blood youngsters in the side.What's happened to the young Canadian keeper Santiago and why is he not a consideration?

 

Heaton for me every time.

Marshall is a big lump and should command his box but he flaps at crosses, punches the ball when he should be catching it and his distribution is below average, he is however a good shot stopper.
I think that Heaton’s positional play is better than Marshall too.

 

Overall for me it's Heaton, mainly for his distribution as I think they're both good shot stoppers

 

As mentioned above there is little to choose between either. Personally, I've always liked Heaton and I think he deserves his chance although there are a few others I'd 'rest' before Marshall.
My only concern is how Marshall would take being dropped? Would he look at is as a 'finger pointing' move by Malky or make him work a bit harder to get back into the team? I'd like to think the latter but you never know.

 

H!
I don't think he would see spending time on the bench as finger pointing but if he did he should take a leaf out of Heaton's book and realise that modern football is a squad game and he must fight for the shirt otherwise he would be viewed by me as no better than the bruised egos that left us last season.This isn't an attack on Marshy by the way as I also see little between the two but I think Heaton's confidence is high at the moment.

 

Not a lot to choose, but sorry Rhondda, can't agree with you about Heat's positional play. He seriously worries me with his "spacial awareness" sometimes, and can go walk about between the sticks. He seems to forget where his centre line is on occasions and leaves one side too open. Good shot stopper though, and appears a bit more mobile than Marsh.

As good as Heats can be, Marsh is still the better shot stopper, but being a bigger guy, does seem slow to go down sometimes (no double entendres here please). The criticism of his legendary flapping at crosses is sometimes overdone. He was very suspect at one time but seems to have improved this season.

All in all, I've favoured Marsh over Heats up till now and will stick to it for the moment. I't's getting pretty close betwen them now though, and wouldn't have any problem if Malky thought Heaton could do the job in the run down as those nerves start jangling.

 

i'm no expert on keepers, but what i do know is that there must be a number 1 and a number 2, you cant experiment and chop and change like you can with other positions, at the moment thats marshall. if you drop him and put in heaton and then he has a few poor games then what? no-one benefits. i'd stick with marshall personally.

heaton had the game of his life at wembley, but was at fault for the palace goal in the first leg. its unfair to pin the blame with the keeper for the second goal yesterday as mcnaughton made a cock up in the lead up to the goal...it seemed a remarkably easy goal for the hammers player though... no challenge, no-one throwing bodies on the line to block it..poor defending all round...

 

Swamp, I'm no expert either but give me Marshall or Heaton...(or my gran) over Bywater any day

...yet was the hero in the second leg?

We can all pick out individual mistakes from both keepers. I'm not knocking Marshall, far from it, but to me, Heaton just seems to have that little extra bit of confidence at the moment.

All in all though, it's good to see positive discussion on here . The Samaritans have got their hands full elsewhere

 

I totally agree with that.

Slightly off topic, but you've sort of brought it up, i though Kev was very poor yesterday. Both goals down his side, he went to win a ball (and failed) that lead to the first goal and his attempted 'tackle' for the second was powder puff. Think Darcy should start at RB.

 

Marshall (from my limited exposure to games) seems to have cured his flapping at crosses but as alluded to above his distribution is not as good as Heatons.
I'm a fan of Heaton and my decision is in favour of him. He's been on the bench and stepped up been counted when called upon time and again and deserves his chance. Marshall has been good this season but a little competition is always good. Today they are so close in the level of their abilities it is extremely close call. Who'd be a manager heh?

 

Did you notice that Marshy rolled it out to his back 4 far more on Sunday, rather than lumping it upfield every time? I mentioned about this "hit and hope" distribution of his about a fortnight back on here, and asked why didn't Malky bloody well tell him!!!

I reckon Malky (or Marshy) reads this forum. I wonder what we should tell him next - any suggestions?

 

For ****s sake stop flapping

 

I meant what should we tell Malky - or are you suggesting it's him that's flapping? ........

 

Tell him FFS we need a Winger with pace capable of putting the ball on Gestede's head, not to much to ask is it

 

Perhams MM is flapping about Marshalls flapping!

Perhaps we should suggest he go back to his 451, especially when we are losing the second balls in the middle of the park.

He obviously doesn't read what I write Sparkey or we'd have signed a couple of ferking wide men by now.

 

"spoilers from outside can influence the vote " Who do you mean?

Not seen much of you lot this season but when I have Heaton's been playing. Looks decent to me for what it's worth. I remember Marshall from last season and seemed gaff-prone at times.