One thing I've noticed the last few games is the fact that when he was with us... People would constantly moan that the ball would bounce right off him and that a better Striker would take advantage of it.
Havent seen that happen once to him over the last few games, has really gathered the ball well
Physically he looks a different person, has filled out massively, has a presence about him he never had before. Working with Heaton has rubbed off on his handling
Physically he looks a different person, has filled out massively, has a presence about him he never had before. Working with Heaton has rubbed off on his handling
Surprised he's stepped up - seemed to lose confidence at Charlton. Pleased for him.
The problem for too many is quite simply his body language.
For all his undoubted ability and excellent performances he does not exude animated confidence but let us be clear he is now playing at one of the most competitive and talented levels of the game on the planet. You do not get there and perform without having confidence in your own ability. He just does not show it to the level some people want to see. It is not his style.
Every goalkeeper makes mistakes. Such is the pace and quality of movement at that level it is a game of very fine margins. Just look at the Liverpool goal yesterday. A compelling strike but even there some suggest Robbie Elliott should have done better. He did instinctively make a couple of small adjustments to his left and was beaten. It occurs a thousand times a game across the pitch it just happens to be highlighted when it results in a goal.
Pope is playing behind an amazingly well drilled defensive unit where Tarkowski and Mee have excelled. In the manner Burnley play it has been and will be an on going weekly battle for the entire side. There are no stars and it could be argued all are playing above themselves. Pope, as with the rest of the side, has performed in doing all that has been asked of him.
If there was side epitomising the team ethic of delivering more than the sum of their parts - Burnley are it - 6th in the PL ain't too shabby.
Pope will have his challenges as and when he makes a mistake or two which result in conceding goals but he is still only 25 with potentially a decade of playing at the top of the game in front of him. He still has made less than 40 league appearances above League 2.
Nobody can be sure how it will pan out but right now he is in a very good place. I could not be more pleased for the lad.
He wasn't great at times at Charlton as I think the fans started getting to him - did very well out on loan.
Any young keeper suffers from the stupid argument that it's too much of a risk to put a young keeper in goal. They often get cut very little slack.
Pope was given grief by some of our fans at Charlton and the same argument has been trotted out for Phillips.
I did hate his ability to drop shots straight at him... something Phillips also does.
I think Phillips needs that loan to get some regular game time, with a recall clause of course.
I would prefer Phillips to be playing at Charlton - he's good enough to be playing at L1 level and Amos doesn't appear to be any better to me. Phillips needs to play if he is to develop.
He wasn't great at times at Charlton as I think the fans started getting to him - did very well out on loan.
Any young keeper suffers from the stupid argument that it's too much of a risk to put a young keeper in goal. They often get cut very little slack.
Pope was given grief by some of our fans at Charlton and the same argument has been trotted out for Phillips.
He was very good before he left, not perfect, but if he had struggled, there's no way a PL side would have signed a keeper in a team just relegated to L1!
He wasn't great at times at Charlton as I think the fans started getting to him - did very well out on loan.
Any young keeper suffers from the stupid argument that it's too much of a risk to put a young keeper in goal. They often get cut very little slack.
Pope was given grief by some of our fans at Charlton and the same argument has been trotted out for Phillips.
He was very good before he left, not perfect, but if he had struggled, there's no way a PL side would have signed a keeper in a team just relegated to L1!
Burnley saw for themselves how good he was when we played them in the final match of that season - despite our losing 3-0, Pope played very well indeed making some terrific saves. Maybe their decision to sign him was made by that performance, in that game?
The right place at the right time. Heaton has a good injury record, so could easily have gone another season playing every PL fixture, but Nick has been given a chance and grabbed it.
Good for him. When players leave in the right way - and he did - I wish them all the success in the world.
That said, just another reason to get rid of our toxic management asap so we can enjoy players like Pope for a bit longer instead of just having to watch any promising player sold off as soon as he breaks into the first team.
Glad he’s showing the promise he had when he was on loan at York where he looked absolutely unbeatable at times. Shame the boo boys never gave him a chance
He wasn't great at times at Charlton as I think the fans started getting to him - did very well out on loan.
Any young keeper suffers from the stupid argument that it's too much of a risk to put a young keeper in goal. They often get cut very little slack.
Pope was given grief by some of our fans at Charlton and the same argument has been trotted out for Phillips.
He was very good before he left, not perfect, but if he had struggled, there's no way a PL side would have signed a keeper in a team just relegated to L1!
Burnley saw for themselves how good he was when we played them in the final match of that season - despite our losing 3-0, Pope played very well indeed making some terrific saves. Maybe their decision to sign him was made by that performance, in that game?
Indeed, I don't recall anyone else being linked to Pope, so that must have been a major factor. For that matter, was anyone else linked with JBG?
One thing I've noticed the last few games is the fact that when he was with us... People would constantly moan that the ball would bounce right off him and that a better Striker would take advantage of it.
Havent seen that happen once to him over the last few games, has really gathered the ball well
Comments
Havent seen that happen once to him over the last few games, has really gathered the ball well
That includes Amos & Phillips.
Any young keeper suffers from the stupid argument that it's too much of a risk to put a young keeper in goal. They often get cut very little slack.
Pope was given grief by some of our fans at Charlton and the same argument has been trotted out for Phillips.
For all his undoubted ability and excellent performances he does not exude animated confidence but let us be clear he is now playing at one of the most competitive and talented levels of the game on the planet. You do not get there and perform without having confidence in your own ability. He just does not show it to the level some people want to see. It is not his style.
Every goalkeeper makes mistakes. Such is the pace and quality of movement at that level it is a game of very fine margins. Just look at the Liverpool goal yesterday. A compelling strike but even there some suggest Robbie Elliott should have done better. He did instinctively make a couple of small adjustments to his left and was beaten. It occurs a thousand times a game across the pitch it just happens to be highlighted when it results in a goal.
Pope is playing behind an amazingly well drilled defensive unit where Tarkowski and Mee have excelled. In the manner Burnley play it has been and will be an on going weekly battle for the entire side. There are no stars and it could be argued all are playing above themselves. Pope, as with the rest of the side, has performed in doing all that has been asked of him.
If there was side epitomising the team ethic of delivering more than the sum of their parts - Burnley are it - 6th in the PL ain't too shabby.
Pope will have his challenges as and when he makes a mistake or two which result in conceding goals but he is still only 25 with potentially a decade of playing at the top of the game in front of him. He still has made less than 40 league appearances above League 2.
Nobody can be sure how it will pan out but right now he is in a very good place. I could not be more pleased for the lad.
I think Phillips needs that loan to get some regular game time, with a recall clause of course.
Some of Pope's saves in his York montage are quite superb.
Such a gentle and unassuming guy I really really hope he continues to do what he is doing. Fair play to him - talk about take an opportunity so far
That said, just another reason to get rid of our toxic management asap so we can enjoy players like Pope for a bit longer instead of just having to watch any promising player sold off as soon as he breaks into the first team.
We didn't know how good he was, I really did rate him.....other than those bounce backs.
Looked class today, 25 yrs old, he will go far hopefully.
Premier stars of the future and all that....