Goal Keepers and us.

[RHB]

We have Oxley and the Smiths, or Smith and Oxley, or Oxley and Smith, dependent on your preferences. None of them are up to the standards that we have come to expect with Daniel Bentley so whoever becomes the regular custodian of our goal is going to require a lot of patience from fans and players alike.

I'll start off by dismissing Paul Smith from the selection process, which leaves us with Smith the younger and Oxley. Oxley looks more like what I expect a keeper to look like in terms of shape and size, and Smith doesn't. That shouldn't be a criteria for Oxley and both have made mistakes that we can do without at FL1 level. I assume that Smith will get better with experience and maybe Oxley has developed as far as he is going to. So what to do, who to choose?

I'd love to think that the Southend home crowd will give either of them time, love and patience to improve but I don't feel that that is likely unfortunately. So I'm going for the one that has most crowd love and that is Smith. I also think that this will only be necessary until the January window at which point, if I was Phil, I would move heaven and earth to get an experienced GK in to ease our problems.

What do you think people?

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

Both goalkepers fill me with no confidence at all. Both let in soft goals. One is easily pushed off the ball. The goalkeeping position is now the weakest link in the team in my opinion.

 

[fbm]

Fair points but I don't think Paul Smith is even with us any more, is he?

Anyhow, there's no way PB is going to sign another keeper unless one of them goes long term injured. Oxley is the experienced GK you refer to. It will be interesting to see how he performs in the formation we have had for the last 2 matches.

 

[rigsby]

Lots of our fans won't be fussed they will happily slag either keeper. The moment Bentley was going we knew there would be theses sort of threads this season.

 

[South Bank Hank]

I think the trick we missed was in not sending Smith Jr out on loan while we had Bentley doing so well. For me, yesterday's shortcoming on the goal is exactly the sort of thing that experience prevents. That said, it's also difficult as an outsider to say how much of a role Dan will have played in Smith's development.

What seems obvious is that neither can be an adequate replacement for Dan, at least in the short term. Ted may evolve of course...

I do want to believe that Ted is the future so, in the absence of Oxley showing that he's a safer bet, I want to see Ted in there learning from his mistakes and improving. I feel Ted will also get more support from our 'patient and understanding fans'.

And much as he's liable for the first goal yesterday, from what I could tell he made up for that later on with some great saves?

 

[Fairport]

I think the trick we missed was in not sending Smith Jr out on loan while we had Bentley doing so well. For me, yesterday's shortcoming on the goal is exactly the sort of thing that experience prevents. That said, it's also difficult as an outsider to say how much of a role Dan will have played in Smith's development.

What seems obvious is that neither can be an adequate replacement for Dan, at least in the short term. Ted may evolve of course...

I do want to believe that Ted is the future so, in the absence of Oxley showing that he's a safer bet, I want to see Ted in there learning from his mistakes and improving. I feel Ted will also get more support from our 'patient and understanding fans'.

And much as he's liable for the first goal yesterday, from what I could tell he made up for that later on with some great saves?

Fully agree that Ted should have been loaned out last season. Twenty or thirty games with a non league club would have been a great learning curve. For a keeper it doesn't matter what level you play when learning your trade. Shots and crosses come in at all angles irrespective of what level you are playing. He would have been far more ready for us this season.

 

[rigsby]

Sorry Boys, Not all young players need to be loaned out. Ted was far better off staying as Bentley's understudy for the last year, for so many reasons. Besides we needed a sub keeper for each game and it was good for Ted to be part of the squad in L1.

Easy to find fault for yesterdays goal, but he recovered well. I was impressed with Ted's positioning for their numerous and generous free kicks they got in dangerous area's.

He stands more central than Bentley did, so the kicker can't just scoop it over the wall (remember Crew and Bradford last season). What this means is they try and put more pace on the ball, so some flew over and the one that was going in was a great save by Ted.

The main thing is we defended really well and Ted was a big part of that so lets take that positive on to Scunny.

 

[OldBlueLady]

Ted has spent time in the gym over the summer, and he has bulked up - but he just isn't the same physique as Dan was. Let's not forget that Dan made mistakes when he first came in.....and was making them last season too, to be fair.

Oxley has the right physique but just doesn't seem to have the decision making ability and looks suspect as a result.

Ted definitely suffered for not having gone out on loan last year, but the trouble was we'd have been left with no cover because Paul Smith was rarely able to fill that space. He is still about, by the way, just no longer listed under playing staff. He's part of the GK coaching team and can usually be seen on matchdays sitting in the East Blues.

Bit of a dilemma for Phil. Personally, I'd play Ted, he's only going to improve with more match experience and he was thought to be a better prospect than Dan. Oh, and incidentally, I'd be looking to get Josh Bexon out on loan as he's the next one to follow through.

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

Lots of our fans won't be fussed they will happily slag either keeper. The moment Bentley was going we knew there would be theses sort of threads this season.

Maybe, but some of us like to tell it how it is. I've seen more of Ted Smith than most and have said all along that he's not ready. I would love nothing more than for him to be an outstanding keeper with Southend. If that happens I will be very happy to heap loads of praise on him. The reason Rootshallbloke started this unusual thread is because he can also see we have a goalkeeping problem.

 

[WESTY_SUFC]

He stands more central than Bentley did,
.

You clearly have zero understanding on how a goalkeeper is trained to position himself. Much like wage budgets your making things up out of nothing.

 

[AndyT]

Myself and a mate have discussed this several times.

In the past, we'd be cheering our keeper to the goal net as they jogged out before the start of the game "There's only one Mervyn Cawston" or "England's number one" and during the game we'd give the opposite stick to the oppo keeper "The world's worst keeper" and so on.

Nowadays, we're all armchair analysts, pausing goal after goal on the gogglebox to find something wrong somewhere, everytime there's a goal conceded. Call it Hansen's disease, if you like.

About time we encouraged our keepers, both of them.

Even Dan was constantly being picked at last season. Now suddenly, everyone isn't fit to lace his boots!

Ted has played 180 minutes and let one goal in. Pulled off a couple of really good saves, into the bargain.

Jeez, do we have to find fault with everybody!

 

[rigsby]

You clearly have zero understanding on how a goalkeeper is trained to position himself. Much like wage budgets your making things up out of nothing.

So, don't be shy tell us all about your experiance then.

I thought we had settled the budget argument, but as you have brought it up again......You claim PB had a budget of £3m for 2014...... Now I'll wager £100 that is was less than £2m......Have you got the minerals or will you hide behind your key board.

 

[Jedi Shrimper]

Dan Bentley only became the excellent keeper we remember by playing. Ted Smith needs the same opportunity, he's not going to suddenly 'be ready' sitting on the bench, he's got as good as he's going to get doing that, to kick on he needs to play. Unlike Dan, Ted has represented England at 3 age levels now and is the same age Bentley was when he became a regular. Time for our supporters who claim to want our youth team products to come into the first team to put their money where their mouth is.

 

[WESTY_SUFC]

So, don't be shy tell us all about your experiance then.

I thought we had settled the budget argument, but as you have brought it up again......You claim PB had a budget of £3m for 2014...... Now I'll wager £100 that is was less than £2m......Have you got the minerals or will you hide behind your key board.

Its in the public made accounts. Its a fact that PB's budget was higher than Tilsons. Are you saying the published accounts are wrong :hilarious::hilarious::hilarious::hilarious::hilarious::hilarious::hilarious::hilarious::hilarious:

On the other point its pretty much common knowledge a goalkeeper should not be standing central on all free kicks. I'd expect someone with minor football knowledge to know that, ask any Sunday league keeper.

 

[rigsby]

Its in the public made accounts. Its a fact that PB's budget was higher than Tilsons. Are you saying the published accounts are wrong :hilarious::hilarious::hilarious::hilarious::hilarious::hilarious::hilarious::hilarious::hilarious:

On the other point its pretty much common knowledge a goalkeeper should not be standing central on all free kicks. I'd expect someone with minor football knowledge to know that, ask any Sunday league keeper.

I said more central, not that he stands in the middle of the goal. Anyone who has played in Goal or taken a free kick will know what I'm talking about.


Still not prepared to back up your claims. If your right get your £100 out.

 

[RHB]

Lots of our fans won't be fussed they will happily slag either keeper. The moment Bentley was going we knew there would be theses sort of threads this season.

The last part of your post is a bit confusing Rigsby. I started the thread because I'm undecided on our two goalkeepers at the moment. I gave an opinion that we should press on with Smith and suggested that we would need another keeper come January. What, in that lot, makes it 'one of those threads'?

 

[rigsby]

The last part of your post is a bit confusing Rigsby. I started the thread because I'm undecided on our two goalkeepers at the moment. I gave an opinion that we should press on with Smith and suggested that we would need another keeper come January. What, in that lot, makes it 'on of those threads'?

I am not having a dig at you for starting the thread. After all you have only responded to the fact that both our keepers have now been slagged.

The simple fact is who ever signed for us as a keeper, was never going to be good enough to replace Bentley. Remember there was plenty of people on here who slagged Bentley so what chance do Ted or Oxley have.

 

[geoffmundo]

Irrespective of who is in goal, the keeper will do a lot better if we are all supportive rather than openly critical/abusive (the latter either directly or indirectly), after all we all want the same thing, don't we?

 

[Angell Delight]

Sorry Boys, Not all young players need to be loaned out. Ted was far better off staying as Bentley's understudy for the last year, for so many reasons. Besides we needed a sub keeper for each game and it was good for Ted to be part of the squad in L1.

Easy to find fault for yesterdays goal, but he recovered well. I was impressed with Ted's positioning for their numerous and generous free kicks they got in dangerous area's.

He stands more central than Bentley did, so the kicker can't just scoop it over the wall (remember Crew and Bradford last season). What this means is they try and put more pace on the ball, so some flew over and the one that was going in was a great save by Ted.

The main thing is we defended really well and Ted was a big part of that so lets take that positive on to Scunny.

Disagree with that, it was a big mistake not loaning Ted out when we knew Bentley was going. But then I suppose Brown knew he'd be signing a new number 1 to replace Dan. The major issue here is therefore that the number 1 he signed isn't good enough and could now become number 2 behind Ted (who isn't anywhere near ready and the window is shut). Big problem for us.

 

[WESTY_SUFC]

Still not prepared to back up your claims. If your right get your £100 out.

You assume everything without the knowledge to back it up.

It's not a claim. Its fact that accounts show a £1.7m wage outgoings during Tilson promotion from league 2 year and Brown's league 2 promotion year show's £3m.

Do you not check anything before you class it as 'fact'?