Keeper in JTW anyone?

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Jon Bon

Jon Bon

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Anyone else think that we should be looking for a decent experienced keeper in the JTW? I know that saying this sort of thing is akin to heresy in some minds but Long just puts the wind up me whenever he goes near the ball. He dropped two simple catches on Boxing Day that could have cost us and today his poor decision making nearly gifted them an equaliser when he took two of our players out and let Lowe in on goal. If that wasn't enough, minutes later he started pissing about with the ball on the edge of the area trying to jink past their striker! You couldn't make it up. You would have thought that he would have learned his lesson by now. He's a half decent shot stopper but is too prone to making stupid mistakes IMO. Let the hate mail commence....
 

Howard would be fine if needed at this level and we also have another young George who is quality.

More important areas to concentrate on for me and Long will come on with more experience.
 
His best performances seem to happen away from home. His faults seem mostly psychological at the moment.
 
When Clough was interviewed recently he said that he was looking to add a player in each department - apart from goalkeeping, as he's happy with the three options we have. Not a priority in my view either.
 
Long is very young and also very talented.

He's our no.1 and should remain so if he is ever to reach his full potential. Howard is also fine.
 
The youngters seem to get more grief at home than any others. I think he lacks in concentration at times but he's not costing us games so let him play. We will benefit from it.
 
Young players, and especially keepers, will have bad games. They will make mistakes. However they yield larger benefits in the long term if you stick by them. It's unfortunate that, as a keeper, mistakes are more noticeable and often more costly. Long has kept us in a few games this season and saved us a few points. We need a lot of new players, but a keeper is nowhere near a priority.
 
He`s learning his trade,leave him be.
I think we are blessed to have produced a keeper with potential to be Englands number 1 in half a dozen years.
Signing another keeper would knock his confidence,and pschycologically be a bit of a bummer for the young lad.
 
Jon Bon said:
Anyone else think that we should be looking for a decent experienced keeper in the JTW? I know that saying this sort of thing is akin to heresy in some minds but Long just puts the wind up me whenever he goes near the ball. He dropped two simple catches on Boxing Day that could have cost us and today his poor decision making nearly gifted them an equaliser when he took two of our players out and let Lowe in on goal. If that wasn't enough, minutes later he started pissing about with the ball on the edge of the area trying to jink past their striker! You couldn't make it up. You would have thought that he would have learned his lesson by now. He's a half decent shot stopper but is too prone to making stupid mistakes IMO. Let the hate mail commence....
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I think howard is a decent alternative. however like with joe hart I think dropping long to show him he has competition might be a good thing.
 
Wouldn't be surprised at all if Howard is shipped out and Cloughy brings in a keeper he had at Burton and signed for Derby so he must like something about him Adam Legzdins to replace Long for a short stint
 
Foxy said:
Howard would be fine if needed at this level and we also have another young George who is quality.

More important areas to concentrate on for me and Long will come on with more experience.
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Over a year in I'd hoped for more development in terms of commanding the area. Right now he's going backwards.

UTB
 
alcoblade said:
Over a year in I'd hoped for more development in terms of commanding the area. Right now he's going backwards.
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He was more so in Orient and a couple of games around it, looked to have grown in confidence and stature, but with a couple of mistakes in the last two combined with the reaction of the fans I think he's lost a bit of that.
 
Foxy said:
He was more so in Orient and a couple of games around it, looked to have grown in confidence and stature, but with a couple of mistakes in the last two combined with the reaction of the fans I think he's lost a bit of that.
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Apparently the fans are much more patient with local youth. Not around me, they aren't.

:)

UTB
 

The main errors Long is making - poor kicking, trying to dribble too much, poor choices as to what balls to come for - can, and should, be coached out of him. That is something I would have an eye on if I were Clough.
 
Long makes mistakes, but being replaced by the king of mistakes Mark Mistake Howard, would be stupid.

I thought after the mess of the Gillingham game Long has been brilliant, until Boxing day, where he seems to have slipped into the habit of making costly mistakes every game.

As others have said, least of our worries.
 
I think we do need an experienced keeper. Long has been poor at home and at the very least needs a better alternative to keep him on his toes. He nearly cost us again today - if they had capitalised on his error at 1-0 it could have been very different. The defence also saved his blushes numerous times against Oldham too. He doesn't command his area at all, struggles from crosses and his kicking is woeful - all fairly basic skills for a keeper. I know he is young but he has played a lot of games and needs to start showing that he can address his weaknesses.
 
Seem to remember George was much better at commanding his area and taking crosses at academy level. Don't know who the current goalkeeping coach is (if we've still got one) but they don't seem to be doing a great job. But then I remember being amazed that Jordan Slew had progressed to the first team squad as a centre forward but still didn't have a clue about heading a ball.
 
If you drop Long now and bring in a journeyman you'll destroy him .

If he logged on to this forum and he well could it will do his confidence a world of good:(
 
He does seem to have dropped back a bit after a really good spell, but so far he's getting away with it.
Maybe it's a good thing for him to make his blunders at this level, if he learns from them and get them out of his system, because if/when we get promotion he may not get the chance in the Championship ..
 
We seem to have forgotten our club record number of clean sheets last season (I know hard to believe with the mess at the end of the season).

The club already knows George Long is an excellent keeper. I think Howard is a waste of a wage. George Willis is also a very good keeper, I would love to see him promoted to the bench.

And yes I know GL has had a couple of shaky games but he's not conceding many. We've got the 9th best defence in the league which is remarkable given where we are
 
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As a goal keeper you are damned if you do and and damned if you don't!

I have exactly the same feeling with a George Long performance now as I did with a certain Patrick Kenny when he first went between the sticks.

As I read it Long is being much more committed to crosses and high balls where once he would have stood and let the defenders try and deal with it. Let me tell you, it takes some courage in your conviction to do that as when it goes wrong you look silly, but that's goalkeeping isn't it? (Thats rhetorical by the way, you don't have to answer that).

The more he comes for the high balls, the better he will get, however on occasion it will go wrong so please do give him some breathing space and let him build that confidence. Alternatively would we prefer a John Burridge or an Andy Goram who can't move from the line? (You can answer that if you like)

You don't get into the England set up by being crap..........probably.
 
I don't understand the divide on Long, I think he's a superb keeper and only 20 years old which fans tend to forget. If we can hang onto him we've got a hugely talented player for years to come.
 
Gibbo89 said:
Seem to remember George was much better at commanding his area and taking crosses at academy level. Don't know who the current goalkeeping coach is (if we've still got one) but they don't seem to be doing a great job. But then I remember being amazed that Jordan Slew had progressed to the first team squad as a centre forward but still didn't have a clue about heading a ball.
Click to expand...

I see Walcott scored his first ever headed premier league goal at the weekend, amazing isn't it.
 
CarlingBlade said:
I don't understand the divide on Long, I think he's a superb keeper and only 20 years old which fans tend to forget. If we can hang onto him we've got a hugely talented player for years to come.
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Understanding depends if you have ever been a goalkeeper.

I took the view he was too young and was chucked in the deep end because we didn't have and couldn't afford anybody else. He is regrettably still the best of what we have and will hopefully go onto make a good keeper. I have been pleasantly surprised by some aspects of his development, but his reading of the game and ability to react to a developing situation isn't there yet and that only comes with experience. (Hence ricks that occur due to lack of timing)

In response to OP, Ideally yes, but it's not the top priority.
 

Lets be right - we aren't getting promoted this year bar some sort of miracle. Nor are we getting relegated. Perfect opportunity to get Long the experience he needs in my opinion.
 
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