Long

[Highbury_Blade]

I've not seen any of the games where Long has featured.

How has he looked? What kind of threats has he faced? Does he deserve to keep the shirt once Howard gets back?

 

[sheffielder]

Needs to command his box better but he is doing more than I expected of him, he is going to be great. Needs to be quicker with his distribution

 

[blade too long]

2 games 2 clean sheets, thats all a goalie needs to post

 

[S64 Blade]

He's looked good in terms of handling when I've seen him (tonight being the only time I haven't). In these games he's also made a number of excellent saves. His room for improvement for me would be his distributions (kicking).

Overall though, I'd keep him in the side. Why change a winning team?

It also proves the point somewhat, in that if you're good enough, you're old enough.

 

[blade too long]

that and the fact hes the only option

 

[stannyblade]

Fantastic save tonight. Slow off his line but we dont need to bring anyone in so that's a bonus

 

[JohnDenver]

It's virtually unheard of for 18 year olds to be first choice keepers. But Long has done nothing wrong so far and he's made a few really outstanding saves.

That said, he's had great protection from his defence so we've a lot more left to learn about him. There will be ups and downs, but we've already seen why he's so highly rated.

 

[Latters]

He's looked very assured to me. You do have to worry that, with finances as they are and January fast approaching, if he does keep his good form up, we might struggle to keep hold of him.

I seem to remember Man U were linked with him around the time of the Youth Cup run.

 

[CopenhagenBlade]

He's looked very assured to me. You do have to worry that, with finances as they are and January fast approaching, if he does keep his good form up, we might struggle to keep hold of him.

I seem to remember Man U were linked with him around the time of the Youth Cup run.

If we did sell him in the near future to a 'big' club then I imagine that he would be loaned back to us to gain the experience. However good he is there is no way that a Premier League club would risk such a young goalkeeper. It is good to be talking positively about gk's at Bramall Lane again. We have been blessed in the time that I have supported United and it sounds like with Long & Willis we are about to be blessed again in the way that we were with Kelly & Tracey competing. I think Long will be first choice for the next 3 years and then we might see him moving on if he continues to develop.

 

[Ollessendro]

Long has looked assured so far. He looks pretty confident and like he has been playing professional football for years. He saved us twice last night. The main one was an excellent save, after Williams got skinned down their left and the striker was put it on a plate. He shot low and hard and Long had no right to save it. Long also bailed out K Mac after a shocking back pass. I thought young George was going to be 2nd to it, but he reacted quickly and won the ball (again saving a certain goal).

There was one moment last night where he looked a tad jittery. He did not come when Williams was sheparding a ball back to him and it ended up with Williams having to clear the ball.

On the whole though I think Long has looked good. He is light years ahead of whne he played against Exeter last season. His shot stopping has been excelllent and in each of his games he has made crucial saves. The defence has been pretty solid recently, but it says it all that he has kept 3 clean sheets in 5 games he has started.

The shirt is his to lose in my opinion. Rather worryingly though, I was speaking to some lads on the kop who were saying Man U had dibs on Long and also saying that pretty much every goalkeeping scout from Premiership and Championship clubs are closely monitoring him.

 

[CopenhagenBlade]

There was one moment last night where he looked a tad jittery. He did not come when Williams was sheparding a ball back to him and it ended up with Williams having to clear the ball.

Wasn't this like the goal he let in last year against Exeter, which shot his confidence Olle?

 

[Grecian2000]

How has he looked?

Tall (at least a full Shawcross I reckon) and blonde. Bergs has already bought a new photo album.

 

[super_pig]

There was one moment last night where he looked a tad jittery. He did not come when Williams was sheparding a ball back to him and it ended up with Williams having to clear the ball.

Wasn't this like the goal he let in last year against Exeter, which shot his confidence Olle?

yeah Williams has previous.. no wonder Longy looked apprehensive
all he ever needed was a run in the team

 

[CopenhagenBlade]

yeah Williams has previous.. no wonder Longy looked apprehensive
all he ever needed was a run in the team

I was thinking that it was more Long's fault last season

 

[super_pig]

I was thinking that it was more Long's fault last season

previous 'misunderstandings and misdemeanours'.. heh.. i thought he kicked the ball out of Longys hands .. can't remember.. Darren will know

 

[Balham]

super_pig

Last season v Exeter Williams tried to shepherd the ball back to Long. It was a ridiculous decision for an experienced defender who should have cleared it into touch before it had even bounced but several on here placed the blame at the young keeper's feet.

Long then got beaten at his near post from a very narrow angle for their fourth - he got his positioning totally wrong - but I do wonder whether that would have happened had the Williams error not cost us a goal earlier in the game.

 

[Kenilworth]

super_pig
Long then got beaten at his near post from a very narrow angle for their fourth - he got his positioning totally wrong - but I do wonder whether that would have happened had the Williams error not cost us a goal earlier in the game.

We might have been promoted as that would have given us the extra two points we needed to be out of sight of the piggy part of the city

 

[muttsnuts]

I've not seen any of the games where Long has featured.

How has he looked? What kind of threats has he faced? Does he deserve to keep the shirt once Howard gets back?

From what I have seen he looks to be a good shot stopper, but is nowhere near when it comes to commanding his area and reading the game. Coming out to collect throughballs takes the pressure off the defenders and gives them more confidence. He needs to be more vocal and confident.

 

[Foxy]

I seem to remember Man U were linked with him around the time of the Youth Cup run.

The big clubs have been looking at him and Willis for a long while.

 

[Latters]

The big clubs have been looking at him and Willis for a long while.

Thought so. Good, English keepers are something of a scarce resource at the moment. That Butland's inclusion in the England squad suggests as much.

I just hope we stick with Long and keep hold of him.

 

[Foxy]

I just hope we stick with Long and keep hold of him.

Without pulling Long down, as he's undoubtedly a talent... I think there is more to come from Willis.

What good times we'd have with two young, home grown keepers battling it out for a first team place week in, week out.

Sadly, the way football is, it's more likely that the vultures will circle before we reach that stage.

 

[super_pig]

transfer window could be nerve wracking then.. again
we'll probably sell them both to spurs and get simmo back

 

[Bergen Blade]

Long's first half save against Walsall was top class.