Our defenders have taken some stick on here and on social media but I'm not sure they should take all the stick. They have made some poor decisions but they look terrified of anything in behind where they are unsure if the keeper is coming or not and on crosses where without Pines winning most the keeper is planted on his line or flapping at the ball as we saw against Northampton. I think he has the makings of a decent keeper but right now he's not organising his defence or giving them any confidence he will sweep up when needed or collect crosses coming in to the box.
Shoudn't be loaning another clubs young goalie, may as well give our lads the experience. Chelsea paid $15m for him, bloody hell. Reminds me of when we signed Mannone years ago on loan from Arsenal. 'However Mannone's time at Barnsley was ultimately not a happy one. Making his league debut in an away game to Preston North End on 22 September, he came on as a substitute after Colgan was sent off. He punched a cross onto Patrick Agyemang's head and the ball bounced in for the winning goal to Preston. In his next match, starting in place of the suspended Colgan, against Luton Town he dropped a cross late on and Ahmet Brković scored the winner'
He was at fault for the flap against Northampton. He didn't cover himself in glory against Bristol Rovers when Pines took the blame. He was at fault again yesterday. I expected much more from a ten million pound Premier League keeper with international experience, who's dropped two leagues.
Buck stops with him but his shot stopping is excepttional. If we get to pens at OT he could be the hero!
Aside from his penalty heroics v Wigan I’m not impressed with him at all. Why can’t we just identify a decent experienced keeper, there are plenty about every summer as most clubs have two or three and only one can play. That way we might just keep the same one for a while and build up a bit of an understanding. It’s not rocket science.
Slonina worries me. He’ll play, I imagine that’s part of the deal. Equally as worrying for me is that he was brought in at all. Smacks to me of a bit of a desperate one after they realised Jackson Smith wasn’t the answer. The question is who identified Smith, who agreed to his signing and what exactly was the point if he’s not even good enough to usurp Ben Killip? Bizarre in the extreme. Slonina looks like he’s got all the attributes and the physical size to be a strong dominant keeper. Unfortunately it also looks like he’s a bit scared of physical contact and so reluctant to engage at close quarters, and is terrible with his feet. Not a good recipe. But as I say, the confusion is why we’re bothering paying Jackson Smith a wage. I don’t understand the summer dealings at goalkeeper whatsoever.
He reminds me of a young Dave Watson. No consistency, which is what you tend to get with an inexperienced 'keeper.
Brilliant shot stopper but the rest of his game needs work which is probably why we’ve got him. We need him to learn quick as he’s making too many mistakes right now.
This is the thing mate. When like us you’re mostly in the market for potential rather than experience, it can be very unpredictable.
Soft as. Only one contact sport in the US of A and even then they wear a suit of armour. At some point it must make sense to British clubs to invest in blokes who have played full contact British footy, in 5h1te British weather. Since primary school
Very early days to be getting on his back, He's obviously a talented keeper and will go on to have a career above our level, we just need to get behind him and give him support while we have him.
Smith was always one for the future, with potential to develop. That's why he was given a 4-5 year contract. I understand signing him, but I don't understand him not being the second choice, or being loaned out for experience.
From the goals I’ve seen him concede, he worries me. Shot stopping is his best attribute, though his showreel showed he spilled a lot into dangerous areas, but the rest of his game I’d class as underwhelming. As another poster commented, the transfer window dealings relating to keepers was strange. I don’t know why we need 3 with how many supposedly talented kids we have coming through in that position. Signing a kid in on loan and a kid who looks like he’s not going to play any proper football is odd enough. As is keeping Killip and giving him a new contract who doesn’t seem to be rated. Odd all round. I think Slonina has potential. But he has a very steep learning curve.
I don't think he was at fault for any of yesturdays goals and in fairness he has 3 mom performances to his credit so far.On the showing at Stevenage it appears the goalies worrying whats in front of him and not the other way round.Losing Pines was a big problem knowing the way Stevenage play.
Can't agree with you on that. Last week Pines is waiting for him to come and he's nowhere then too late. Flapped at one against Northampton that should have been bread and butter. Lincoln away got away with one when he ran out with no communication and defender headed it past him. His kicking is dreadful and defenders are having to second guess him constantly it's all very edgy at the back where he should be barking orders and assuring defenders where he is and when he is coming to clear or claim the ball. I'm not writing him off but he needs to improve his kicking and communication quick.