I get the impression the lad cannot win with some & the first goal we concede, the usual critics will be out in force . I made the original post with the intention of highlighting the fact that his confidence might be on the mend but alas I fear that some are just wanting him out no matter how well he does .. I also think that his much maligned distribution wasn"t that bad yesterday & I am surprised by some of the comments on this thread .
The comments come in direct response to your wild claim that he had proved everyone wrong in 270 minutes. I certainly don't want him to fail, I want nothing more than for him to finish the season with 46 clean sheets and us top of the league but if somebody comes on claiming that 270 minutes into the season a keeper who has had relatively little to do has proven everyone wrong then of course I'm going to respond. That doesn't mean I have an Adam Davies voodoo doll behind the sofa or that I want him to fail
So it wasn`t reight to doubt Davies but we are allowed to doubt Walton. Both have looked poor at certain times of their careers so far and doubts will appear.
Can you please point out where I have said that he has proved everyone wrong , I suggest you read my contributions on this thread & no way do I say anything like that .
He hasn’t had a great deal to do so far this season thanks to our defence being solid but what he has had to do, he’s done well. Regardless of that, to get to 50 clean sheets for us is a great achievement. Well done Adam.
I sit exactly behind the goal and those two shots were entirely different. Thiam hit his with the outside of the foot with lots of bend on it. It started off outside the post and came back in. The Wimbledon players was a crisp strike which went bang straight.
By picking out certain players and slagging them off. A bizarre way to offer support. Still people use to do it to Nicky Eaden and Andy Liddell so now much changes.
I said last season that I wanted to keep Adam Davies for this season. I've said all along that he's a good keeper who was out of form and needed dropping and that I hoped he would rediscover his form after a rest period. My hope for this season was that we would bring in a new keeper to compete with him for his place, not to replace him. If that is picking out a certain players, sagging him off and hoping he fails to you then you would hate what I said about Moore yesterday
Yes some people take it too far but it's hardly worth having a discussion if you can point out negatives. If I were rating Davies yesterday I'd say 6. Made a good save from the only shot he faced. Kicked the ball out of play repeatedly when it looked easier to keep it in. Mixed bag. Made a excellent stop at Bradford to prevent a own goal. Kicking awful. Made a save against Oxford that he was lucky to get away with it not dropping in the net. Still he kept it out. It's very early days yet. He is our best keeper of that I have no doubt. I like him seems like a honest lad who is trying his best. I always applaud him over to the ponty. Never shout out and get on his back in the game.
Seems a fair enough appraisal. No player yesterday deserved more than a 6. He did what he had to do. Played well against Bradford. Did what he had to do against Oxford. Kicking isn’t going to improve ( it never did for Luke Steele). Stopping goals is his main job. He’s young for a keeper but has reached 50 clean sheets quicker than any keeper other than Baker. He showed last time we were in L1 that he is a top quality L1 keeper ( if we go back up it would clearly be a position to strengthen). We have managed him poorly. Last season when he needed resting due to a lack of form and confidence we continued to play him until he hit rock bottom. He plays in a pivotal position which once again we have no real cover for given that on average Walton let’s 3 a game in. We need to show him our support because if he dips again with no cover we are screwed. Some people ( not yourself clearly have an agenda and want him to fail) As you say seems a good lad who gives what he has got and our best keeper by some distance.
Maybe the kicking won't improve., I think what we could work on is him releasing the ball quicker when he as it in his arms. Too often yesterday he held it and allowed Wimbledon to all get back. We needed to up the tempo, now that's not all on him sometimes it was because the full backs weren't showing for the ball. I think work on the training ground is needed in this area if we are to face teams parking the bus at Oakwell this season.
Think you are right , there were occasions when he wanted to throw the ball out yesterday but no one made their self available & he is left hanging on to it . In the game against Oxford , he threw the ball quickly which led to a goal & in the first half yesterday he did exactly the same & we nearly scored from the resulting move but for him do it more often it requires quicker movement from the outfield players to provide the outlet .