Gabriel slonina

There's a thread title calling him a bellend.

 

There’s always one Jay. I don’t make a habit of criticising individual players, and certainly wouldn’t dream of using abusive language, but this goalkeeping situation has really annoyed me. I totally accept that goalkeeping mistakes tend to be more obvious, and costly, than for outfield players, but using my club to allow such mistakes to build experience in a player who ultimately will not be ours, seems to me to be very unfair on those of us who shell out good money in order to watch professional football, and so expect a certain level of competence. I hope he ends up having a great career, but I equally fear that he will cost us a lot more this season if he can’t simply do the basics of playing league one football (where high balls into the box are an integral part of the action).

 

I can't argue with that. And I have no problem with opinions and fair criticism. I just don't like the name calling.

I do think it's a coaching problem rather than a lack of talent problem though. He looks to have all the attributes to me. I know he misjudged a couple in the first few games, all keepers do, but he's really settled down since then and produced many a fine save. All the 'errors', I believe, are him doing what he has been coached to do. He won't catch it, he punches it out, palms it away, and it comes right back at us. But I don't think it's because he can't catch it or he's making the wrong decision on when to catch, when to parry. I think he's been told to always punch/push it away.

 

Perhaps you are right Jay. There’s certainly one way we’ll find out, because I suspect he’s on a ‘must play if fit’ deal.

 

Yes, he punched/pushed it out last night, right into the path of Luke Berry, who gratefully returned it.

Result 1-2.