Jack Walton has been a big plus

On our return. I think he's looked far more assured than his two more experienced challengers for the goalkeeper's jersey. Keep up the good work, young 'un.
I take full responsibility if he drops his high standards from now on.

 

Couldn`t agree more.

 

Looks the part and as never let us down.

 

I don't think he was tested a great deal today and the one effort I can remember them having on goal, I thought it was going to loop over him. But against QPR he made some very good saves and in both games he's looked assured and confident. His clean sheet record must be good?

Hopefully he'll keep it up as I'm expecting it to be him and Brad next season.

 

He looks confident and assured and his added quiff gives him that extra height!

 

He looks a fair bit different I think. Weird how it's only a bit of extra hair.

 

Maybe he's like Samson. Don't let him near a barbers!!

 

Agree, he needs to keep the quiff!

 

It's more of a case that he's not done anything much wrong - the other two have.

Today Walton's kicking often went straight in the stand (better than straight to the other side i agree). On another occasion he nearly punched it in his own net. So it's early doors.

Last season he was brilliant at one away game. He deserved his chance after that performance but didn't seem to get it.

I'm happy with him being selected cos he seems to be aware of what to do as a sweeper - we've had a fair few keepers in recent times who are glued to the line, or rush out when they shouldn't.

He's kept two clean sheets and should be first on the next team sheet

 

Doesn’t look too assured on corners. Noticed Millwall stuck 3 players around him today. Needs to get in the refs hear abit more with stuff like that. The team needs to knock this playing out from the back. We can’t do it.

 

Commentator mentioned clean sheets during the game and I think he said it was 3 in 7 first team games. In which case 4 from 8 now which ain't bad at all.

 

Number 1 for me now going forward 2 great games for him

 

I wouldn’t say he had a great game today to be honest.

We didn’t give them too many chances, and he did what he needed to. He didn’t make any hugely notable saves though - and in fact, whilst no doubt he will have at some point, I don’t really recall him pulling off any big saves in any appearance made. But he’s been solid enough in the main.

But today he looked very shaky with the ball at his feet. Always looking for a short pass and then invariably kicking it out barely halfway to the halfway line, off both feet, when there wasn’t one on.

To be fair the manager insisting on always playing out from the back when they were closing us down and it was blowing a gale didn’t help him... but he and the back line need to be strong enough to make the decision when it’s not on.

Though that said, as the manager will presumably be here and as he will want us to play out, that might mean Jack isn’t first choice next season, whatever league we find ourselves in. He shouldn’t be dropped whilst on a run of clean sheets this season though.

 

A young un with a good future, played very well for the first hour.

 

Bit harsh IMO. The looping one that nearly caught him out was caused by the swirling wind I believe but he reacted well as it could easily have found the net. He also reacted well when the free kick bounced off the crossbar and hit him in the back and he bravely smothered the ball (and got caught by the attacker who went for the loose ball) The main one though was when the scramble for a loose ball came off a Barnsley player at point blank range and was heading for the bottom right hand corner. The replays showed he got down well and tipped it round the post and, again, his awareness, positioning and reactions made it look very routine when, IMO if any of those had been missing the ball may well have ended up in the net. I thought he and the defence, between them coped admirably with a couple of great inswinging crosses close to the goal line in spite of rain and wind in his face and a very congested goal line. I past games I have seen us concede many goals from exactly those dead ball situations. For me, the lack of the 'spectacular' with good keepers is their spacial awareness and anticipation which means they make 'routine saves' more often than average ones.

My one criticism was his distribution and the blind 'I was only following orders' approach. Yes Jack, I know you have been told to play the ball out from the back but when Millwall players are only several yards in front of our two or three defenders there is little point in rolling it out to them only for them to have to pass it back to you to hoof it up field. At least launching it after having it in your hands gives you a chance of targeting a player in a Red shirt up field whereas having to hoof it whilst being closed down by the opposition seemed to result in slicing it out of play on several occasions. We seem to cause ourselves problems overusing that tactic. A bit more decision making required in that area I believe.

Certainly think he is worth his place after those two showings and wonder if he gives the back two extra confidence, Mads seemed very assured.

 

The one he tipped round the post low down was a good save yes, you’re right. I thought it may have gone wide anyway, maybe not but he wasn’t to know that either way. Good stop.

The high looper, yes the wind got it but I thought he made an easy save hard by misjudging it. But he kept it out and held on. He also took a couple of high crosses.

As I say, I’ve no complaints on his goalkeeping ability but I haven’t seen enough to conclude he’s as good or better than Collins at that facet.

He’s nervy and limited with the ball at his feet though, and lacks the confidence to make the decision to get rid when all the short outlet balls are closely marked.

But he can work on that, and he will. I saw the Pilkington video the other day, it highlights how hard he works and how brilliant his attitude is. I’ve no concerns if he’s long term number one, we’d just have to tweak things tactically maybe.

I also think after a run of a few games as first choice his confidence generally would grow and he’d perhaps be more comfortable in following the gaffer’s tactics but varying it as the need arises such as yesterday.

I do think his limitations on the ball may lead Struber to select Collins over him next season, not that Collins was particularly brilliant in that area either.

 

another big plus! ​

 

Hard to judge when Millwall had 1 shot on target from 9 efforts, but he was confident to come off his line and get the ball.

 

The most pleasing thing for me in the last two games is that our keeper hasn't had a lot to do. That must mean the rest of the team are doing a lot right in defending well and protecting him. Jack hasn't had to pull off any great saves. Long may that continue.