My Concerns about Blackman

[ekke287]

As I've prefixed "MY" to this thread title I'm hoping for an honest discussion about our number 1. This isn't a dig at him and I'm not saying he should be dropped / given back etc, just some observations about him that are a little concerning.

Please refer to this points should anything be unclear:

1 - I think he's done a great job for us so far
2 - He's still learning his trade and needs time to develop the necessary experience

Now, for me, there have been a few examples in the past three matches where I've felt his efforts could've been better.

At home to Fulham, there were two shots at him where his attempts to stop it where relatively weak. The Birmingham goal was there only shot, and although he had a hand to it he should've been readier considering the distance it came from. Millwall's first and especially the second seemed also to have been relatively weak shots. The second he was going the wrong way granted, but to me, it made their shots look more powerful. When broken down however, it's relatively clear that more could've been done especially as there seemed to be more time for him to position himself in preparation.

I know hindsight and replays of the situations go far in our post-match analysis, but our 11 players have to react in real time, no more so the the keeper. For me, Blackman often works in reverse to most keepers in he'll wait to see what happens before reacting. By which point recently it's been too late.

Further analysis of the shots he's stopped in the past three (of note here are the tip away from Fulham and the stop at Millwall) show that these balls have been played into a good position for him to react (towards his area and arm / hand space), meaning his slower reaction time isn't as required due to the proximity of the threat.

Now with all this in mind, I understand he's learning and he's young. He is also not completely at fault for all our goals conceded, but I do feel nervous at times when shots go in to him. It's not a great position to be in, but at times I feel like there's almost an open goal and wonder if he may need more time on the training field to hone his stopping and communication.

With Bristol coming this weekend who are doing well away we need a commanding presence to stand up and take control of our defence because Bristol WILL shoot at us, much like Fulham did. To me, it's an issue that needs addressing as we can't just expect to score more goals and accept that we'll leak at the back.

He may need a rest, he may not, it's not for me to decide obviously. These are just my observations of his current form.

Do you agree? Disagree? Discuss!

 

[Booker4]

As I've prefixed "MY" to this thread title I'm hoping for an honest discussion about our number 1. This isn't a dig at him and I'm not saying he should be dropped / given back etc, just some observations about him that are a little concerning.

Please refer to this points should anything be unclear:

1 - I think he's done a great job for us so far
2 - He's still learning his trade and needs time to develop the necessary experience

Now, for me, there have been a few examples in the past three matches where I've felt his efforts could've been better.

At home to Fulham, there were two shots at him where his attempts to stop it where relatively weak. The Birmingham goal was there only shot, and although he had a hand to it he should've been readier considering the distance it came from. Millwall's first and especially the second seemed also to have been relatively weak shots. The second he was going the wrong way granted, but to me, it made their shots look more powerful. When broken down however, it's relatively clear that more could've been done especially as there seemed to be more time for him to position himself in preparation.

I know hindsight and replays of the situations go far in our post-match analysis, but our 11 players have to react in real time, no more so the the keeper. For me, Blackman often works in reverse to most keepers in he'll wait to see what happens before reacting. By which point recently it's been too late.

Further analysis of the shots he's stopped in the past three (of note here are the tip away from Fulham and the stop at Millwall) show that these balls have been played into a good position for him to react (towards his area and arm / hand space), meaning his slower reaction time isn't as required due to the proximity of the threat.

Now with all this in mind, I understand he's learning and he's young. He is also not completely at fault for all our goals conceded, but I do feel nervous at times when shots go in to him. It's not a great position to be in, but at times I feel like there's almost an open goal and wonder if he may need more time on the training field to hone his stopping and communication.

With Bristol coming this weekend who are doing well away we need a commanding presence to stand up and take control of our defence because Bristol WILL shoot at us, much like Fulham did. To me, it's an issue that needs addressing as we can't just expect to score more goals and accept that we'll leak at the back.

He may need a rest, he may not, it's not for me to decide obviously. These are just my observations of his current form.

Do you agree? Disagree? Discuss!

Decent post, I'd not have reinstated Blackman in the first place, when Moore did ok v Hull. Moore is a far better communicator to the defence and obviously has experience on his side. I don't actually see any saves from Blackman that I wouldn't expect Moore not to save either, but obviously we'll never know. Blackman is a decent keeper, don't get me wrong, but no better then Moore, who is also of course our player. Moore's kicking is also better and he managed to set up Leon's 4th goal with a superb accurate kick.

 

[trav164]

Neither Moore or Blackman fill me with confidence at the back.

Maybe that's just from being a blade for so many years.

 

[GodricBlade]

Tough one this - as you say he’s not dropped any real clangers (QPR for me was really unlucky), made some cracking saves and is still learning his craft.
And that learning process shows in the ways you mention - some shot stopping from distance, commanding his box & communication with the defence.
The QPR thing may have knocked his confidence in a few ways especially coming off his line & if he stays closer to the line, he’s maybe more susceptible to long shots. That said, some of the long shots would have beaten most keepers.
At times though he looks slow to react or slow to commit and that again might be confidence.
Is it time to drop him? Don’t see the point really as he’s not having bad games & it’d only knock his confidence further.
Focus on improving him through coaching & encouragement will get the best out of him.
Well, they’re my thoughts anyhow.

 

[CarlingBlade]

Nothing between them, both have pro's and con's.

Moore had a blinding season last season, give him the nod for me, why are we developing Chelsea's youth team players for them?

Moore is ours, get him in.

 

[originaltrueblade]

I’ve made my feeling known before. everytime a shot comes in I now expect it nine times out of ten to end in the back of our net. I’ve seen so many now I expect it. Half hearted attempts at stopping the ball as it seems to either go right through his hand or he taps it as it carries on into the back of the net. No command of his six yard box with a dead silence from him. No organising his defenders. Just watch the next time the opposition get a free kick no instructing the wall. I know people say he is learning well my answer to that is let him learn but not at our expense. Get Moore in ASAP with East wood on the bench (be our first choice in the not too distant future) and just say to Blackman he’s being rested from the first team for some additional training or say sorry Son your going back to London

 

[bromtom]

Blackman on crosses puts him ahead of Moore for me, can't underestimate how many chances that nips in the bud. Everyone says that Moore is a better communicator but I certainly didn't see any evidence of that in the games he's played this season. Numerous miscommunications, going for balls his defenders were clearing etc.

Blackman isn't perfect and definitely needs to improve some aspects, his awareness of his own body and where bits of it are could be better, sometimes goes for things with the wrong hand, or feet when he should go hands, I'd still blame our defence for the majority of the goals we've let in recently though.

In the long run I think if we're going to be really successful we'll need someone else entirely though.

Last season we averaged just over 1 goal conceded per match and we're on for about the same this season so far. In a higher division that's not bad, but could still be less.

 

[Tyler Durden]

I always reserve judgement on a goalkeeper until I assess the defence he's working with.

And we don't have one.

 

[ekke287]

I've wondered previously if our attacking style has masked his inexperience, and I think when teams come at us like Fulham did it starts to shine through.

Fulham won't score 5 away from home again this season, and if we'd have equalised in that game no-one would say it was down to Blackman, rather the work rate of this pushing forward.

It's a tricky one to call, but as Originaltrueblade says above, I'm not keen on him making mistakes at our expense so that Chelsea can reap the rewards. On the other hand though this is completely the point of sending out young players on loan.

 

[boo radley]

As I've prefixed "MY" to this thread title I'm hoping for an honest discussion about our number 1. This isn't a dig at him and I'm not saying he should be dropped / given back etc, just some observations about him that are a little concerning.

Please refer to this points should anything be unclear:

1 - I think he's done a great job for us so far
2 - He's still learning his trade and needs time to develop the necessary experience

Now, for me, there have been a few examples in the past three matches where I've felt his efforts could've been better.

At home to Fulham, there were two shots at him where his attempts to stop it where relatively weak. The Birmingham goal was there only shot, and although he had a hand to it he should've been readier considering the distance it came from. Millwall's first and especially the second seemed also to have been relatively weak shots. The second he was going the wrong way granted, but to me, it made their shots look more powerful. When broken down however, it's relatively clear that more could've been done especially as there seemed to be more time for him to position himself in preparation.

I know hindsight and replays of the situations go far in our post-match analysis, but our 11 players have to react in real time, no more so the the keeper. For me, Blackman often works in reverse to most keepers in he'll wait to see what happens before reacting. By which point recently it's been too late.

Further analysis of the shots he's stopped in the past three (of note here are the tip away from Fulham and the stop at Millwall) show that these balls have been played into a good position for him to react (towards his area and arm / hand space), meaning his slower reaction time isn't as required due to the proximity of the threat.

Now with all this in mind, I understand he's learning and he's young. He is also not completely at fault for all our goals conceded, but I do feel nervous at times when shots go in to him. It's not a great position to be in, but at times I feel like there's almost an open goal and wonder if he may need more time on the training field to hone his stopping and communication.

With Bristol coming this weekend who are doing well away we need a commanding presence to stand up and take control of our defence because Bristol WILL shoot at us, much like Fulham did. To me, it's an issue that needs addressing as we can't just expect to score more goals and accept that we'll leak at the back.

He may need a rest, he may not, it's not for me to decide obviously. These are just my observations of his current form.

Do you agree? Disagree? Discuss!

Disagree.

 

[Slim Man]

Moore seems to be getting better with every game he doesn’t play.
He was at fault for the goal against Hull and seemed very unsure nearly costing us another. If that’s him doing ok I’d hate to see a bad game.

Blackman is the better of the 2. He needs a settled defence back infront of him.

 

[Esablade]

I think he's done a great job for us so far

End of thread then surely?

 

[stringer]

Moore seems to be getting better with every game he doesn’t play.
He was at fault for the goal against Hull and seemed very unsure nearly costing us another. If that’s him doing ok I’d hate to see a bad game.

Blackman is the better of the 2. He needs a settled defence back infront of him.

Bang on.

 

[ekke287]

End of thread then surely?

No, because it's a discussion raising concerns that I have regarding his performance. As I've stated I take nothing away from his role and contribution to our current position, but the issues I've raised I feel are valid to the point of debate.

 

[itsinyerblood]

Putting aside for one moment the players in question, the fact that we are now able to loan players from the likes of Chelsea and Spurs reflects how we're viewed by established Premiership clubs. It wasn't that long ago when we'd consider a Championship loan as an achievement. I like Blackman, period. Arriving at a new club club carries with it a few fundamental challenges for the loanee. In the main I think Blackman's done well. His height means he can master most aerial challenges, something that any defence would welcome. As for the other aspects of his game, well we do revert to a predictable low tolerance of any mistakes made by a loanee. I've no problem with constructive criticism, but sometimes criticism becomes a mantra for it's own sweet sake. I'm no different to any other Blade in that I want us to perform to a standard that Wilder has enabled our players to produce consistently. It was inevitable that achieving promotion we'd be faced with different problems that meant our players would have to adjust to. I'm pleasantly surprised at how well we've done, and Blackman, and CCV, have been a part of this success.

I wish that some of us would remember that there's a collective responsibility at all times, and that a problem sometimes begins further up the pitch when a forward or midfielder might lose possession. I'm not suggesting that it's ok to forget, let alone forgive, an individual for a mistake, but isn't that what promotion brings with it? Players, no matter how good or accomplished, make errors. Imagine what life will be like when we eventually get to the Premiership? Do we then, in familiar knee-jerk fashion, call for a player's head, or do we assess what's happened and allow Wilder and Knill to improve these mistakes?

 

[Deadbat]

I am not sure the keeper is the issue. Blackman has made a few mistakes but Moore made as many in one game as he has in several and deserves to keep his place for me. The issue is the defence in front. Too many mistakes, not closing down shots and poor marking. The three goals on Saturday saw him badly exposed. The second he might have got a firmer hand to it but it was a one on one. He was left exposed and he had no chance on the other two. Too easy and quite lazy just to say we have let a lot of goals in; it must be the keeper. The reality is mistakes like Carter Vickers, O'Connell etc have made have been costly. O'Connell had made a few mistakes in recent weeks but do not hear anyone saying he should be dropped. It seems the keeper is an easy target.

 

[Esablade]

No, because it's a discussion raising concerns that I have regarding his performance. As I've stated I take nothing away from his role and contribution to our current position, but the issues I've raised I feel are valid to the point of debate.

Do you think Wilder has done ‘a great job’ also?

 

[Weasel]

I am unconvinced about both Blackman ad Moore.

Both relatively young with potential and they are definately a step up on recent keepers we've had. They are both ok.

But I have to say that I think theres an element of the fans telling each other how good these keepers are, because we want them to be top keepers but maybe neither are as good as we would like them to be.

Wages aside (which is very relevant I admit) I would take either of Hull Citys keepers (McGregor and Marshall - thr latter being the one who kept Moore out at Cardiff) over both of ours.

Both Blackman and Moore have strengths over the other but both definately have their faults. Moore, good communicator, decent at moving the ball, not a bad shot stopper, Blackman better in the air (provided he's not having a stuck on his line game) and fulls the goal more. On the downside for Blackman I have noticed a few times when he has been slightly out of position for a starting position when the shots have come in and it's cost him (brum being an example where I thought he was a little too far off his line and if he had been a step or two further back he might have got across to the shot and kept it out - he did get a hand to that one to be fair).

Both can be a lot better but both have potential. Having a more solid defence in front of them wouldn't hurt either though that is for sure.

 

[Pedro's Winger]

Blackman's performances over the last three matches are in the spotlight?
Defence not as good? Midfield lacking penetration? Team overall lacking a bit of confidence?
Did something happen three matches ago that really hit the team hard?

 

[Sheffsteel]

Moore is at best average Championship standard.
Blackman is probably average Championship standard
But as pointed out, both are young, have great potential (especially Blackman) and are likely to improve.

They are both OK and will do a decent job at this level, so either are fine with me.
But if we’re ambitious then we should be looking for better in the long term.

 

[Weasel]

I am not sure the keeper is the issue. Blackman has made a few mistakes but Moore made as many in one game as he has in several and deserves to keep his place for me. The issue is the defence in front. Too many mistakes, not closing down shots and poor marking. The three goals on Saturday saw him badly exposed. The second he might have got a firmer hand to it but it was a one on one. He was left exposed and he had no chance on the other two. Too easy and quite lazy just to say we have let a lot of goals in; it must be the keeper. The reality is mistakes like Carter Vickers, O'Connell etc have made have been costly. O'Connell had made a few mistakes in recent weeks but do not hear anyone saying he should be dropped. It seems the keeper is an easy target.

The problem on Saturday was that we played like the home side - having most of the possession and trying to force the issue at 1-1, allowing Millwall to play like the away side and hit us on the break. We push forward, lose possession cheaply and before you know it we are picking the ball out of the net after having 65pc possession and trying t thread the ball through the eye of a needle.

Once we got to 1 - 1 we should have stopped chasing the game and played like a traditional away side, and tried to hit Miwall on the break (this worked well at Pigsborough) . This would have given a more solid base and given a lot more protection to Blackman. Nothing wrong with trying to win all the games, but there are times when we need to stop trying to force the issue and let others do the work and attack us leaving us with room to counter attack.

 

[ekke287]

Do you think Wilder has done ‘a great job’ also?

I do. Is that relevant?

If I had concerns regarding his management I'd address it for discussion as I have with this thread.

 

[GrayBlade]

Can we recall George Long?

 

[ekke287]

Blackman's performances over the last three matches are in the spotlight?
Defence not as good? Midfield lacking penetration? Team overall lacking a bit of confidence?
Did something happen three matches ago that really hit the team hard?

You make good points, as others do regarding the whole team / defence in front of Blackman. As mentioned I'm not saying we should get rid of him, but simply highlighting areas where he could improve, such as commanding his box and potentially being in a better position to handle one on ones.

I know the defence are shaky as they're responsible for these exposures, but i personally feel like if the defence is breached it's likely to end in a goal.

 

[Weasel]

Blackman's performances over the last three matches are in the spotlight?
Defence not as good? Midfield lacking penetration? Team overall lacking a bit of confidence?
Did something happen three matches ago that really hit the team hard?

Yes Coutts got injured. What's you point? Are we not able to debate the merits, positives and weaknesses of our keepers because of that ? Coutts injury was a blow but not a season ender for the side.

Maybe the last few games have seen Utds defence / keeper come under more pressure than previously and therefore any mistakes or rough edges are now being highlighted.

Utd need to start being solid again and not going gung ho chasing games. That will help the keepers.

 

[Esablade]

I do. Is that relevant?

If I had concerns regarding his management I'd address it for discussion as I have with this thread.

I’m just trying to establish how you believe Blackman has done ‘a great job’ but appear to have a lot of ‘concerns’ about the lad...whilst having no concerns about Wilder, whom you also think has done ‘a great job’.

We’ve had an awful lot of negative Blackman threads/comments and I’m not sure they’re altogether warranted tbh.

 

[8lade]

Each player has positives and negatives, Moore having only played one game is perhaps a little rusty. I would as previously stated rather develop our player than one who will be over priced should we ever consider buying him. (Our defence needs more speed and to close players down more quickly in the 20 to 30 yard from goal area).

 

[ekke287]

I’m just trying to establish how you believe Blackman has done ‘a great job’ but appear to have a lot of ‘concerns’ about the lad...whilst having no concerns about Wilder, whom you also think has done ‘a great job’.

We’ve had an awful lot of negative Blackman threads/comments and I’m not sure they’re altogether warranted tbh.

Blackmans contribution to the team is evident in our position so far, but this doesn't mean he's immune to criticism for every performance he makes be it positive or negative. I feel I have thoroughly explained my "concerns" and also strongly conveyed that I feel he's still a valuable part of the team who will continue to grow the more he trains / plays.

I have no concerns over Wilder because he is choosing the squad every week after training, back room meetings etc and everything off the field we don't see. Blackman is one player, and I trust Wilder to see where his improvements are and focus on that.

If Wilder was getting it wrong, I would say so but he has warranted our faith in him so far. Blackman, while not getting it wrong per se, has some factors that need improvement and focus to get him the confidence he needs to yell at the defence when they mess up.

 

[mancunianblade]

I saw Moore wearing girls trainers last week if this has any bearing or not

 

[Esablade]

Blackmans contribution to the team is evident in our position so far, but this doesn't mean he's immune to criticism for every performance he makes be it positive or negative. I feel I have thoroughly explained my "concerns" and also strongly conveyed that I feel he's still a valuable part of the team who will continue to grow the more he trains / plays.

I have no concerns over Wilder because he is choosing the squad every week after training, back room meetings etc and everything off the field we don't see. Blackman is one player, and I trust Wilder to see where his improvements are and focus on that.

If Wilder was getting it wrong, I would say so but he has warranted our faith in him so far. Blackman, while not getting it wrong per se, has some factors that need improvement and focus to get him the confidence he needs to yell at the defence when they mess up.

Of course, no one is immune from criticism, which is why I mentioned Wilder. I just feel the Blackman criticism is a bit OTT.

They have been far worse performers than him in the last three games.

This is the bit I’m not really getting with all the criticism though:

‘Blackman, while not getting it wrong per se,’

If he’s ‘not getting it wrong’ where do the concerns arise from? Just a gut feeling?? Looks dodgy???

and as for:

‘has some factors that need improvement’

You can apply that to the whole squad, including Wilder.