Grbic

[jono_t2000]

For a long time, we never signed anyone from foreign clubs. In recent seasons, we’ve signed these players directly from foreign clubs who we hadn’t seen play in English leagues:

Grbic, Souza, Slimane, Larouci, Traore, Anel, Olsen, Uremovic, Berge, Retsos, Verrips, Zivkovic.

Two names stand out from that list; one player looks like a decent ‘find’ at a very good price. Have I missed any others?

It’s clearly a lot harder to recruit from across the continent, but should we just keep trying until we get better at it, or be more wary of trying to bring players in from these foreign clubs? Or have we done OK overall …

We can't just stop. That's just handing an advantage to other clubs who are competent at it.

We do need to obviously change our approach to overseas scouting tho and find a way to get better at it.

 

[brownblade]

Grbic has looked pretty crap, but being a keeper is so hard and you need to be at your peak confidence. Unlikely anyone in net for us at the moment is going to feel top notch, unfortunately. New to the country etc as well

Logically it seems unlikely to me that Atletico Madrid AND Croatia have actively used him as their second choice keeper, if he's awful.

 

[The Crab]

Being super critical here but I had seen enough of him after his very first match.

I was sat behind the goal on the kop for that game mainly becuase I wanted to see the new keeper in action. "Ooooh he came from Madrid, he must be alright" and all that.

Brighton scored within the opening minutes but it was ruled offside. I knew then at that point he was shit. His positioning was just plain wrong.

OK OK give him a chance...
Concedes 5...

Then carries on the trend for a few more games.

Gifts Liverpool probably the easiest goal they've scored this season.

Then shows us he cannot use his feet and body against Chelsea. To go along with his arms.

I don't get how anybody can possibly think Olsen (or even Ramsdale) were worse. They had a least some redeeming skills to back them up. This guy offers nothing of note. I have seen lower, much lower league keepers way better than him.

Anyone who thinks Ramsdale is worse than this guy, well they’re just plain wrong. England keeper, apparently chased by Chelsea and Dortmund. I wouldn’t start Grbic for my team on a Sunday

 

[The Crab]

He's had zero preseason with us, he's not had much playing time at Atlético due to one of the world's best keepers being number 1, he's in a team described by many as one of the worst Premier league clubs ever - odds very much stacked against him

I think it's slightly unfair to write him off just yet, he's hasn't played for the Croatian national team for no reason.

Olsen plays for Sweden, he’s shit too

 

[sportinguista]

ermmm ok then..................

how the fuck do u get beaten at ur near post from there?!?!

View attachment 181772

Ask the Chelsea keeper. He hardly covered himself in glory at his near post

 

[Mag-83]

He's had zero preseason with us, he's not had much playing time at Atlético due to one of the world's best keepers being number 1, he's in a team described by many as one of the worst Premier league clubs ever - odds very much stacked against him

I think it's slightly unfair to write him off just yet, he's hasn't played for the Croatian national team for no reason.

The only logical reason that he has played for Croatia is that Croatia don’t have strength in depth in the GK position. They may have had world class outfield players but poor goalkeepers. You have what you have at international level. A bit like when when we had Robin Olsen. He was Swedens number one but Swedens number two was at Doncaster Rovers.

 

[Klaatu Barada Nikto]

He's had zero preseason with us, he's not had much playing time at Atlético due to one of the world's best keepers being number 1, he's in a team described by many as one of the worst Premier league clubs ever - odds very much stacked against him

I think it's slightly unfair to write him off just yet, he's hasn't played for the Croatian national team for no reason.

These are reasons not to have him the first choice, yet he is. And on current form he isn't good enough. Might come good, but he should be benched for the rest of the season.

 

[Suomi_Blade]

These are reasons not to have him the first choice, yet he is. And on current form he isn't good enough. Might come good, but he should be benched for the rest of the season.

Can't argue with that, i do prefer Wes anyway, still wouldn't write him off

 

[bakeblade]

It hammers home how annoyed/ dissatisfied he was with Wes, he could NEVER have imagined how inept Grbic is, I would think he regrets what he said now

Put Davies or Amissah in then, anyone rather than this clown.

 

[Ndiayewillalwaysloveyou]

The only logical reason that he has played for Croatia is that Croatia don’t have strength in depth in the GK position. They may have had world class outfield players but poor goalkeepers. You have what you have at international level. A bit like when when we had Robin Olsen. He was Swedens number one but Swedens number two was at Doncaster Rovers.

He's not made any recent Croatian squads and they call up 4 GKs.. (who I haven't a clue about)

He's had 2 caps at 28 years old. David Nugent and Bobby Zamora played for England, not impossible to get a couple of caps. (Injuries/big squads/bit of form)

 

[G.H. Lawrence]

These are reasons not to have him the first choice, yet he is. And on current form he isn't good enough. Might come good, but he should be benched for the rest of the season.

Agreed. As already mentioned, he has only 2 caps for Croatia. I've no idea which games these were, if they were competitive or friendlies, or the standard of the oppo.
He played for Hajduk Split, where his dad in the hierarchy at the club. He then 'progressed' to Hajduk Split Reserves. He then got a move to Lokomotiva, which again is a drop from HS.
How he then got a move to Atletico Madrid I don't know. I can only find out that it might have been as Lokomotiva gained 2nd place in the Croation League 1 the previous year. (I'm thinking if they did, maybe he didn't see much of the ball!?!?!?.)
Anyway, he signed a 4 year deal (good-agenting!?), but was loaned out to Lille in the second year! He played in 13 games for AM the next season.
Having just looked back at Roy's list of AM fans views. It seems that, generally, they thought he was ok. Nothing of the sort of impression he's given me so far.

 

[Bladeloyal]

That's like excusing a bricklayer for this because he's not been working for Barratt for long.
View attachment 181842

I remember when walls like these were all the rage in tut and shive pubs

 

[Bladesthorpe]

Grbic has looked pretty crap, but being a keeper is so hard and you need to be at your peak confidence. Unlikely anyone in net for us at the moment is going to feel top notch, unfortunately. New to the country etc as well

Logically it seems unlikely to me that Atletico Madrid AND Croatia have actively used him as their second choice keeper, if he's awful.

Might be a new country and culture but if I was a plumber and went to Croatia I wouldn't forget how to fit a toilet.

 

[ancientblade]

Hi Stegosaurus here,

I don't know why people don't rate him. I think Grbic looks to be an excellent keeper. He's made one or two mistakes, but so does every keeper in the league. Most of the goals he has let in, no keeper in the league would have stopped.

Good keeper. Just seems because one poster says he's crap, everybody else jumps on the band wagon. I will stick my neck and say, once he leaves us, he will go to a bigger club.

i would concentrate on replacing jeremy beadle if i were you hes garbage

 

[Demon Blade]

At least when Graeme Sounness got hoodwinked to Southampton it was only for one match. We’re still running with it!

Is Grbic George Weah's cousin too?

 

[brownblade]

Might be a new country and culture but if I was a plumber and went to Croatia I wouldn't forget how to fit a toilet.

Would you understand everything that was being said to you? Feel even slightly unsettled/uncomfortable etc? Pretty much everyone in the world is apprehensive at some point at a new job.

I'm just hoping he comes good. There are certainly factors that could be influencing his performance. The biggest of which probably that he has little faith in his outfield teammates.

 

[Ndiayewillalwaysloveyou]

Would you understand everything that was being said to you? Feel even slightly unsettled/uncomfortable etc? Pretty much everyone in the world is apprehensive at some point at a new job.

I'm just hoping he comes good. There are certainly factors that could be influencing his performance. The biggest of which probably that he has little faith in his outfield teammates.

Usually when someone might come good you see little tiny bits of quality. I have not seen anything to suggest he will improve, i can't tell you anything he's remotely good at.

Oh he's a big lad.

Adam Davies isn't rated much but he made two pen saves last season, I'd be stunned to see Grbic make one.

 

[Bergen Blade]

The only defence i can come up with for Grbic is that he was wrong footed and expected the shot to be sent to the far corner.....

Yes, I think he was expecting a far post shot. Not only that, I don't think he even expected the shot to come in as soon as it did. He was probably in the process of positioning himself a tad more to his right and was caught by surprise that Madueke hammered in his shot so quickly after his prior touch.

Trusty and certainly Robinson were also unable to read what Madueke did:


Robinson is the security, the one responsible for backing Trusty up in this situation. He gets too close to Trusty and can't do anything to help Grbic either.

 

[MobileBlade]

Yes, I think he was expecting a far post shot. Not only that, I don't think he even expected the shot to come in as soon as it did. He was probably in the process of positioning himself a tad more to his right and was caught by surprise that Madueke hammered in his shot so quickly after his prior touch.

Trusty and certainly Robinson were also unable to read what Madueke did:

View attachment 181918
Robinson is the security, the one responsible for backing Trusty up in this situation. He gets too close to Trusty and can't do anything to help Grbic either.

Robinson was also the one who backed off 20 yards initially giving them a clear run at goal.

 

[Torrix1889]

Yes, I think he was expecting a far post shot. Not only that, I don't think he even expected the shot to come in as soon as it did. He was probably in the process of positioning himself a tad more to his right and was caught by surprise that Madueke hammered in his shot so quickly after his prior touch.

Trusty and certainly Robinson were also unable to read what Madueke did:

View attachment 181918
Robinson is the security, the one responsible for backing Trusty up in this situation. He gets too close to Trusty and can't do anything to help Grbic either.

I think everyone in the ground knew Madueke was going to come inside....obviously apart from Trusty and JLT that is!

 

[brownblade]

Yes, I think he was expecting a far post shot. Not only that, I don't think he even expected the shot to come in as soon as it did. He was probably in the process of positioning himself a tad more to his right and was caught by surprise that Madueke hammered in his shot so quickly after his prior touch.

Trusty and certainly Robinson were also unable to read what Madueke did:

View attachment 181918
Robinson is the security, the one responsible for backing Trusty up in this situation. He gets too close to Trusty and can't do anything to help Grbic either.

It was appalling defending. If Madueke had gone far post he'd have scored anyway. Most Premier League players will score if you let them stroll into the box and give them space to shoot. Was screaming at them to show him wide.

Grbic looked pretty pathetic as well, admittedly

 

[brownblade]

I think there's a reasonable chance a rich club overseas take him in the summer for the price we paid, as a cheap no2 or no3.

I'd feel more comfortable with another keeper. But if Grbic starts next season you'd expect it's because he's proven himself capable on the training pitch at least.

 

[spikeachu]

 

[Jon Bon II]

Still dives without stretching his arms out. OK, so he couldn't have done anything about their second but any keeper worth his salt saves both the first and the one they had disallowed. You don't suppose he has his gloves attached through his shirt arms by a piece of string, do you? Would explain a lot.

 

[Champagneblade]

Still dives without stretching his arms out. OK, so he couldn't have done anything about their second but any keeper worth his salt saves both the first and the one they had disallowed. You don't suppose he has his gloves attached through his shirt arms by a piece of string, do you? Would explain a lot.

I think you're being harsh.

It won't change my overall feelings that he's not good enough, but the completely unexpected deflection into the far corner would have taken most keepers offguard.

He didn't cost us a goal today in my opinion anyway.

 

[Keen Blade]

Whatever your opinion of CW is, £4m or not, he clearly knows players and which ones are miles off. Anyone not up to scratch is binned off pretty quickly - Holmes, Leonard etc. Even Souza is now getting dropped.

He’s obviously been told to play Grbic and is simply doing what he’s told. He knows.

I hope you're correct but if so , the summer transfer window will bring a huge test of whether Wilder can decide on recruitment & retention - I'm neutral about Wilders appointment but we definitely need to have a football man in charge , not a contracts executive.

 

[Bladey_blade]

I think you're being harsh.

It won't change my overall feelings that he's not good enough, but the completely unexpected deflection into the far corner would have taken most keepers offguard.

He didn't cost us a goal today in my opinion anyway.

Plus bailed Anel out first half by making the correct decision with maupay bearing down on him

 

[bakeblade]

Still dives without stretching his arms out. OK, so he couldn't have done anything about their second but any keeper worth his salt saves both the first and the one they had disallowed. You don't suppose he has his gloves attached through his shirt arms by a piece of string, do you? Would explain a lot.

The second goal doesn't happen, if he saves the first. Yet again he's cost us points, Wilders continued selection of him is bizarre, irresponsible and maddening

 

[Bladezz]

He’s rubbish but wasn’t his fault today.

 

[Jon Bon II]

The ball went an inch past his tiny Tyrannosaurus Rex arm as he crumpled to the floor. Any decent stretch and he pushes it out. I would bet any money that Wes saves that. He's the least athletic goalkeeper I've seen at any level. I wouldn't hesitate putting The Crab in goal over this useless oaf.