I think today finally convinced me we need a new keeper. I wanted MB to succeed but his distribution, flapping at crosses and lack of communication with the defence are costing us. I got really irritated with the number of times he sat on the ball and failed to get us on the attack. Its as if he has been coached to time waste so much that he can't change his mindset when we need to get a move on to get back into the game. We need a new first choice keeper as part of rebuilding the spine for next year.
10
Comments
To me, I just really don’t see anything in his game that puts him apart from anyone else we have had in goal in the last few seasons or so.
Watching the warm up routine pre match i think the GK coaching staff are not too demanding.
Also needs to take the Zorro mask off, must be distracting.
Like most of our current crop of Academy youngsters, they have been blooded a little too early into L1 football and they are learning their trade on the job. Most of them, including AMB, could have done with half/full season in L2 before they are where they are now. He's been in and out of the side, plus part of a notably weak defense that has more holes in it than Swiss cheese. Young players will make mistakes and, if they are our only option, they will make them in L1 games.
Today, vs. Orient, his distribution was poor - for some odd, odd reason, he was trying to hit May/CB-T/Kanu with long kicks all day. I dunno what the lad was thinking, but I certainly hope that this was asked for and it was not something he was trying to do. It wasn't working and he/the coaching team need to sort that. However, I've lost count of the amount of saves he has made at key times this season, and I certainly attribute our GA being a tad better for some of those saves. There are weaknesses to his game and he's part of the 5 that make up our defense, but if you had to rank which of those players have contributed more to our poor defensive record, AMB would not be top of my list.
Isted was looking better before he got injured, and in a perfect world, AMB would be getting L2 experience. He's not because of injuries and a lack of a better option. In the grand scheme of our problems right now, he's not the top one. You can certainly poke more holes in his game - but for where we are and the injuries we have, it is what it is and signing another keeper in January is incredibly unlikely.
Appleton bears some of the responsibility.
MB does not have this luxury.
Distribution is so so, could be better, not really a huge issue at our level though. If you’re relaying on your ‘keeper to be playmaker you have much bigger issues.
Silly penalty concession at Pompey aside, I wouldn’t hold him directly responsible for any goals conceded but he has played his part in one or two collective fuck ups.
I’d like to see him do well here but my gut tells me we will need to bring someone in eventually if we want to get promoted. He is borderline though, he’s one of 4 or 5 who I suspect might look better with better players around him.
Obviously not the best way to compare them, but do find it funny that considering they have what I think we would all consider to be similar weaknesses to there game - that AMB seems to barely get much said about him - where as CM was getting the full treatment.
A goalie isn't the number 1 priority, but it's hard to even make a case as Ash as a decent keeper in this league. I don't think many teams above us or below us would want to stop swap.
3 clean sheets the whole season, doesn't tell the whole story but sometimes a keeper can win you a clean sheet on his own, Isted proved that at Shrewsbury away.
Clean sheet table:
He's a decent shot stopper, but that's only one part of his job and he seems to be lacking in all other aspects. True, the defence isn't the greatest, but that's all the more reason for having a commanding man behind them, not a lost boy.