Our goalkeeping situation

[pterrier]

Genuine question, what on earth are we going to do here? And what is the current thinking?

Never seen a keeper as weak as Schofield since the days of Phil Senior (always had a mini- heart attack whenever the opposition were within 49 yards of our goal!)

But Ryan, must be one of the most unnerving keepers to have graced our goal in recent years - and that’s coming off the back of Hamer! He looks completely incapable of coming for a cross and his positioning is all over the place. Falling into his net, hesitating coming for balls, awful distribution, flapping and the occasional wonder into no man’s land.

If the other two keepers can’t displace him then it raises the question: how bad must they be? Or is it that we are hoping Ryan ‘comes good’; if it is the latter then we need to wake up and realise now is not the time for blind optimism and actually select a keeper who can do the basics.*

*not much faith the back ups can either based on reviews from their previous clubs - but surely they can’t be worse? Can they?!

[ColchTerrier]

Said it on a previous thread. An experienced been there done that keeper is what we need! Not only to command his area but install confidence in the defence. See if John Ruddy fancies a season not collecting splinters from the bench at Wolves. Would be perfect, especially for the young’ens.

[wigster]

When I read that we'd got a Man U reserve keeper I was fairly pleased - until I read what nearly everybody - literally - including the supporters of his previous loan team said about Pereira, then I was worried.

Then I heard people from the club crowing, on more than one occasion, about how we'd managed to get Hamer's big wages off our books. I was worried - we've seen the absolutely disastrous effects of getting rid/replacing cheap at the other end - the striking department. It seemed/now seems we have adopted the same policy with goalkeeping.

Then I listened to the interview with Jayson Leutwiler and he sounded confident. I then read his career stats and listened to what supporters who know him said. Then I was worried.

But I would play Leutwiler - surely he cannot be as timid as Schofield - but with massive reservations.

It really does seem that my club is/is becoming amateurish and weak at every level. Look at the players that represented us last night, look at our league position/look at our financial position, look at where the tens and tens of millions have gone, and somebody tell me how we've got into this position. Genuinely, if someone had set out to deliberately ruin this club I don't see how they could have done so more effectively. The goalkeeping situation sums the club up perfectly.

I can't see a way out, unless several clubs DO go under pretty soon.

[willo]

Not bringing in another experienced keeper last summer to replace Hamer was even more baffling than bringing back Ward. Unforgivable really. Schofield may or may not come good but his time is not here and not now.

[overtonterrierspirit]

It’s clear that the clubs intention at the last summer transfer window was to get rid of as many high earning players as possible and replace with low cost replacements.
In addition to this the policy was obviously that we were going to bolster our thin squad with inexperienced youth and B team players.
PH would not have used the “5 strikers” comment if this wasn’t the case.
I agree that you have to cut your cloth etc, but you have to get the balance right and this is where the club has failed and failed miserably.

It’s obvious to very many of us that Schofield is not ready for senior Championship football, from what I can see, I’d personally doubt whether he could ever be ready to play at this level.
Main Striker and Goalkeeper are obviously two very key components of a team and making such a mess of these two positions is a major reason for our struggles in my opinion.

[willo]

Feb 24, 2021 1:44:54 GMT 1 overtonterrierspirit said:

It’s clear that the clubs intention at the last summer transfer window was to get rid of as many high earning players as possible and replace with low cost replacements.
In addition to this the policy was obviously that we were going to bolster our thin squad with inexperienced youth and B team players.
PH would not have used the “5 strikers” comment if this wasn’t the case.
I agree that you have to cut your cloth etc, but you have to get the balance right and this is where the club has failed and failed miserably.

It’s obvious to very many of us that Schofield is not ready for senior Championship football, from what I can see, I’d personally doubt whether he could ever be ready to play at this level.
Main Striker and Goalkeeper are obviously two very key components of a team and making such a mess of these two positions is a major reason for our struggles in my opinion.

Think you & I have been singing from the same hymn sheet for several weeks now, shame the club doesn’t see it like us.

[Deleted]

Shame for the lad after some game saving performances (or in reality, game saving saves...the other stuff hasn’t really changed that much throughout) and he’s obviously keen to do well as a local, but he seems to be becoming more of a Simon Eastwood type keeper with every passing game.

He’s going backwards, contributed to a nervy defence, and is nowhere near good enough with the ball at his feet if we’re going to insist on this system. When I see him take a step or three back to get his feet in order it gives me palpitations.

Doing his best, but in reality he’s never going to get a regular gig anywhere else above League 1 🤷‍♂️

[FloridaTerrier]

Alex Smithies - Have back in a heartbeat. Pay whatever he wants.

[golcarexile]

Feb 24, 2021 4:28:34 GMT 1 FloridaTerrier said:

Alex Smithies - Have back in a heartbeat. Pay whatever he wants.

We can't pay whatever he wants, even if that's tuppence ha'penny and therein lies the problem. John Ruddy, as mentioned earlier in the thread, would be lovely but I'm sure he's getting well compensated for those splinters he's getting at Wolves. We wanted Hamer off the books because he was on Premier League wages. We are well and truly snookered.

[positive plus + pompous]

Goalkeeper and striker are the two most important positions in the team, how we have managed the goalkeeping situation since Lossl left for Everton has been nothing short of a disgrace.

Embarrassing.

[Skint Terriers]

Didn't Alex Smithies start playing regularly at a similar age? He looked miles ahead of how Schofield is currently playing and even he had a lot of flaws in his early days.

Schofield has no confidence at all. He needs sending to a lower league club on loan next season to try and get some of his confidence back. He is not good enough to be number 1 or back up at this moment in time

[k1man999]

Unfortunately Schofield has gone from a young promising keeper to one a Sunday league team calls up out of bed after a night on the lash just to make numbers up.
We may have promising youngsters but they are being ruined having to carry the burden of the club struggling in every possible way.

[KiwiPom]

My disappointment isn't just with Schofiled but rather more with those in managment who thought he was good enough to play in the Championship - and then signed two more keepers who are, apparently, even less able. .

[kennyk2]

I am one of his biggest fans. Some of the saves he made when he first came into the team were outstanding - he saved us a number of points, but now he is costing us points. He has a great career ahead, but he needs time away on loan next season and he needs the technical issues sorting (e.g. coming for crosses).

Yes, we need people in all positions in the summer, but the most important position will be a competent goalkeeper.

[kennyk2]

Feb 24, 2021 9:06:50 GMT 1 KiwiPom said:

My disappointment isn't just with Schofiled but rather more with those in managment who thought he was good enough to play in the Championship - and then signed two more keepers who are, apparently, even less able. .

The guy from Man U! was that all about?

[colnevalleyblue]

Feb 24, 2021 8:37:42 GMT 1 Skint Terriers said:

Didn't Alex Smithies start playing regularly at a similar age? He looked miles ahead of how Schofield is currently playing and even he had a lot of flaws in his early days.

Schofield has no confidence at all. He needs sending to a lower league club on loan next season to try and get some of his confidence back. He is not good enough to be number 1 or back up at this moment in time

Think Smithies had 3 seasons of experience by the time he was 21 and was all at a lower level, in defence of Ryan Schofield.

But I do agree with regards to his confidence and needing some more experience. I feel like we are hanging the young lad out to dry and potentially threatening his career at this point.

[thrice]

Leutwiler didn't even make our bench last Saturday.

Maybe we have broken him...

[alexdire]

Feb 24, 2021 1:44:54 GMT 1 overtonterrierspirit said:

It’s clear that the clubs intention at the last summer transfer window was to get rid of as many high earning players as possible and replace with low cost replacements.
In addition to this the policy was obviously that we were going to bolster our thin squad with inexperienced youth and B team players.
PH would not have used the “5 strikers” comment if this wasn’t the case.
I agree that you have to cut your cloth etc, but you have to get the balance right and this is where the club has failed and failed miserably.

It’s obvious to very many of us that Schofield is not ready for senior Championship football, from what I can see, I’d personally doubt whether he could ever be ready to play at this level.
Main Striker and Goalkeeper are obviously two very key components of a team and making such a mess of these two positions is a major reason for our struggles in my opinion.

This season has been a free hit. All those clubs going under with points deductions. All those free agents that were released that we've been able to select from. That's why we didn't need to spend money and we were right, oh......

[alexdire]

When he first came in to the team Schofield's positioning was awful, which I pointed out and it's not improved. Too deep and when he sets himself he takes a step backwards. Some of the early great saves he pulled off were on the goal line, which didn't leave a margin for error.

I think that's one of the issues with the crosses and corners he's a yard too deep, then steps back. So either the defence comes back a yard bringing the forwards closer to goal. Or it leaves a larger danger zone between the keeper and the defence for the opposition to place the ball. He also has further to come to get the ball which is why he doesn't get there. Plus the lack of positional awareness is why when he does come he frequently gets it wrong and doesn't get the ball or anywhere near it.

[alexdire]

Feb 24, 2021 9:10:16 GMT 1 kennyk2 said:

I am one of his biggest fans. Some of the saves he made when he first came into the team were outstanding - he saved us a number of points, but now he is costing us points. He has a great career ahead, but he needs time away on loan next season and he needs the technical issues sorting (e.g. coming for crosses).

Yes, we need people in all positions in the summer, but the most important position will be a competent goalkeeper.

A lot of those saves were on the goal line and he'd started off with his feet behind the goal line.

[kennyk2]

Feb 24, 2021 9:47:18 GMT 1 alexdire said:

Feb 24, 2021 9:10:16 GMT 1 kennyk2 said:

I am one of his biggest fans. Some of the saves he made when he first came into the team were outstanding - he saved us a number of points, but now he is costing us points. He has a great career ahead, but he needs time away on loan next season and he needs the technical issues sorting (e.g. coming for crosses).

Yes, we need people in all positions in the summer, but the most important position will be a competent goalkeeper.

A lot of those saves were on the goal line and he'd started off with his feet behind the goal line.

I don't think where his feet were is relevant. What is relevant is that he saved us a number of points then and he's costing us points now.

[Mastercracker]

Literally all his best moments in a Town shirt have been outstanding reflex saves, going as far back as v Boro at home last season. The other more basic aspects of goalkeeping like positioning, decision making and kicking, he's poor at best.

Plenty of time yet but he's nowhere near Championship standard and should not be number 1. He should have been out on loan all season at whatever level someone would play him every week, probably L2. Agree that we are currently doing him more harm than good.

[runner76]

Feb 24, 2021 8:01:39 GMT 1 positive plus + pompous said:

Goalkeeper and striker are the two most important positions in the team, how we have managed the goalkeeping situation since Lossl left for Everton has been nothing short of a disgrace.

Embarrassing.

I think the defenders and midfielders might disagree

[tepidterrier]

He's having a dodgy run for sure. The club managed the situation so badly though and that's not on him.

Hamer, despite being the worst I've ever seen before this season, was solid 90% of the time while in goal this season. Schofield did very well while he was on the bench or injured, and now not so well since he was sold.

Hamer wanted to leave because he wasn't starting when told he'd be number 1, and knew he wouldn't get a contract extension, so decided to sit on the bench for Swansea instead.

That strikes me as such crap management from our end, wait to drop him til after January so he can't go anywhere and when the just-turned-21 reserve keeper has a wobbly run, he can come in to take the pressure of him and the defenders.

But no! Getting another wage off the books is always priority, and if the team suffers, the team suffers. The story of the last 2 seasons.

Leutweiler has played 10 games in 5 years at this level, and Pereira is dogshit, so I'd rather we persist I'm afraid.

[Terry Jacko]

Goalkeeping coach needs to start earning his money, he looked suspect at crosses in that Middlesbrough game which was Oct 2019. Not sure he would be that in demand by lower league clubs for a loan spell on current form.

[belvoirterrier15]

Replacing the very weak goalkeeping situation should be a one of the top priorities next year whatever department we are in. Schofield is simply not good enough. Until this key position is addressed Town will continue to struggle. As a sc holder living in the Nottingham area I saw enough of Schofield at Notts County when he was on loan to see he was not good enough for the Town First team.

[crux]

Feb 24, 2021 10:27:36 GMT 1 Terry Jacko said:

Goalkeeping coach needs to start earning his money, he looked suspect at crosses in that Middlesbrough game which was Oct 2019. Not sure he would be that in demand by lower league clubs for a loan spell on current form.

I think that's the big problem now, no-one in league one or two will want him as their goalkeeper unless they are in real financial difficulties and we pay them. I'm hoping he improves over the rest of the season, but at the moment he's going backwards. He's stuck on his line in open play as well as for crosses, which gives him no leeway for mistakes with back passes.

I'm desperate for him to succeed as that will either mean we've got the goalkeeping position sorted for years, or we can make big money in the transfer market. However, it isn't looking good at the moment and if we choose to stick with him for the rest of the season there's a danger we could destroy his confidence.

[Wingman]

Has no-one ever considered it could be poor coaching by Paul Clements?

Lossl had detractors, Hamer, Schofield and Perreira all had gaffes. The one constant has been Clements.

Thoughts?

[Deleted]

Feb 24, 2021 9:17:14 GMT 1 colnevalleyblue said:

Feb 24, 2021 8:37:42 GMT 1 Skint Terriers said:

Didn't Alex Smithies start playing regularly at a similar age? He looked miles ahead of how Schofield is currently playing and even he had a lot of flaws in his early days.

Schofield has no confidence at all. He needs sending to a lower league club on loan next season to try and get some of his confidence back. He is not good enough to be number 1 or back up at this moment in time

Think Smithies had 3 seasons of experience by the time he was 21 and was all at a lower level, in defence of Ryan Schofield.

But I do agree with regards to his confidence and needing some more experience. I feel like we are hanging the young lad out to dry and potentially threatening his career at this point.

Plus the style of play that Smithies had to fit into introduced nothing like the kind of pressure that is now on keepers the way things have developed (not just under CC, but from our point of view dating back to Wagner time and through Siewert and Cowleys too).

Schofield has nothing close to the technical ability at his feet that Smithies had and has (did he play outfield originally?), but there's an ever increasing reliance on that part of a keepers game at this level.

[tepidterrier]

Feb 24, 2021 11:45:17 GMT 1 @ennius said:

Feb 24, 2021 9:17:14 GMT 1 colnevalleyblue said:

Think Smithies had 3 seasons of experience by the time he was 21 and was all at a lower level, in defence of Ryan Schofield.

But I do agree with regards to his confidence and needing some more experience. I feel like we are hanging the young lad out to dry and potentially threatening his career at this point.

Plus the style of play that Smithies had to fit into introduced nothing like the kind of pressure that is now on keepers the way things have developed (not just under CC, but from our point of view dating back to Wagner time and through Siewert and Cowleys too).

Schofield has nothing close to the technical ability at his feet that Smithies had and has (did he play outfield originally?), but there's an ever increasing reliance on that part of a keepers game at this level.

I remember when Smithies first broke through there was this video of him cutting about Linthwaite doing freestyle keepie uppie stuff, he was pretty good. couldn't imagine Schofield doing that!