Early Days - but GoalCooper is Back

[ucandomagic]

Obviously, it's too early for anything definite, but having watched the Rotherham game and yesterday's match I felt that the real Michael Cooper was back.

People have different views of stats, but I think goals prevented stats are very telling for keepers.

2024/25 Coops was the 5th rated keeper in the Championship with a good positive +5.7 stat - we earned 92 points
2025/26 Coops was the 21st rated keeper in the Championship with a poor negative -6.8 stat - we earned 60 points
After the Birmingham game Coops is the 3rd rated keeper in the Championship with +0.3 in that game.

So, the stats suggest exactly what the eye is seeing - GoalCooper is back.

If this turns out to be true then we will certainly at least make the playoffs.

UTB & Slava Ukraini!

 

[ThirdGenBlade]

Let’s face it, Cooper’s poor form last season cost us at least 10 points if he’d been just average - and as much as 18 points if he’d been 2024/5! Cooper. He clearly needed his injury dealing with.

So, if he’d been himself we would have been in the playoffs.

Yesterday we were back to 2024/5 - both Cooper and the rest - not great as a team but tight at the back and just missing a scrambled goal to pinch the points.

Defence was solid - so start playing wingers on the side where their feet know they belong and we can be Top 6 - comfortably Top 8.

UTB & FTP

 

[Bladesman]

Let’s face it, Cooper’s poor form last season cost us at least 10 points if he’d been just average - and as much as 18 points if he’d been 2024/5! Cooper. He clearly needed his injury dealing with.

So, if he’d been himself we would have been in the playoffs.

Yesterday we were back to 2024/5 - both Cooper and the rest - not great as a team but tight at the back and just missing a scrambled goal to pinch the points.

Defence was solid - so start playing wingers on the side where their feet know they belong and we can be Top 6 - comfortably Top 8.

UTB & FTP

I was very impressed with Cooper.

Quality save, claimed a lot of crosses into the box, his distribution was 100 times better.

 

[jimmymuir]

Clearly carrying an injury for all of last season, only explanation for his huge drop off from 24/25. A brilliant save against Mansfield, and whilst didn't have much to do on Saturday, he looked commanding when taking aerial crosses. For me, there's no doubt he's the best goalkeeper in the division and one of our highest priorities should be tying him down to a new contract as soon as possible.

 

[ThirdGenBlade]

Clearly carrying an injury for all of last season, only explanation for his huge drop off from 24/25. A brilliant save against Mansfield, and whilst didn't have much to do on Saturday, he looked commanding when taking aerial crosses. For me, there's no doubt he's the best goalkeeper in the division and one of our highest priorities should be tying him down to a new contract as soon as possible.

With Cooper in this form and a solid back 4 in front of him we can concede around a goal a game and still make the playoffs without being great further forwards.

Another CB and Femi & Sam staying fit and we will have a great season, built on our back 5.

 

[Weasel]

If he starts to look the keeper of old and not the one from last season, then we absolutely should be looking to get him to sign a new long term contract this Autumn. Lets give it more than 2 games though in order that he can prove he's back to the old Coops.

 

[Kenilworth]

Obviously, it's too early for anything definite, but having watched the Rotherham game and yesterday's match I felt that the real Michael Cooper was back.

People have different views of stats, but I think goals prevented stats are very telling for keepers.

2024/25 Coops was the 5th rated keeper in the Championship with a good positive +5.7 stat - we earned 92 points
2025/26 Coops was the 21st rated keeper in the Championship with a poor negative -6.8 stat - we earned 60 points
After the Birmingham game Coops is the 3rd rated keeper in the Championship with +0.3 in that game.

So, the stats suggest exactly what the eye is seeing - GoalCooper is back.

If this turns out to be true then we will certainly at least make the playoffs.

UTB & Slava Ukraini!

agree. I said that after the Brum game.
Game changer.