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where should we strengthen?



big nuts

Well-known member
Jan 15, 2011
4,864
Hove
Is Michael McGovern in there? The save Stockers made to nudge the header on to the bar v Villa was pretty special imho.

That's another of his strengths on top of distribution, reflexes where shots or headers are close to him. It's his footwork that appears all at sea. His trigger movements and weight distribution seem wrong to me hence being beaten too easily by distance headers.

Hopefully Ben Roberts who was a superb keeper can iron out these flaws.
 




Finchley Seagull

New member
Feb 25, 2004
6,916
North London
I'm not anti Stockdale per se. A lack of pre season hasn't helped, he's looked a bit overweight albeit I accept he's a big bloke.

The Wigan save absolutely gained us at least a couple of points but outside of that I'm struggling to think where he has really excelled. And his averaging a mistake every five games at present, which is far too much.

I don't think we desperately need to replace him but my opinion is his at best a decent championship keeper and not a title winning or promotion winning one. I could name no fewer than 6 better keepers in this years championship.

Does that mean you've seen 6 or more Championship keepers regularly this season? Or are you just judging on one game

This myth that he's done nothing this season is rubbish. He made a couple of very good early saves at Derby to keep it 0-0, at Sheffield Wednesday he made a couple of important saves (including one that was going in the top corner), against Norwich (at 2-0) he made a good save to deny Jerome and finally on Friday, you can blame him for the goal if you want, but he made an important interception at the striker's feet which started the move for our goal before making a couple of good saves in the second half. That, along with the Wigan save, is quite an impact for a keeper when you consider his defence is very good. I find the criticism very odd. To say he is decent at best suggests you are anti Stockdale. At best, he is the best keeper in this league and, so far this season, he has been one of the best (in by far the best defence in the league).
 


Marshy

Well-known member
Jul 6, 2003
19,718
FRUIT OF THE BLOOM
You only have to look at the numerous clangers of other keepers in the division to know stockers is an excellent keeper

Our best in the Amex era for me.
 


big nuts

Well-known member
Jan 15, 2011
4,864
Hove
You only have to look at the numerous clangers of other keepers in the division to know stockers is an excellent keeper

Our best in the Amex era for me.

I personally felt more secure with Kusczack, you could count his errors on one hand. Away at Birmingham & Forest but very little else. Of course his kicking wasn't to Stockdale's level but I still would take the Pole.
 


Finchley Seagull

New member
Feb 25, 2004
6,916
North London
I personally felt more secure with Kusczack, you could count his errors on one hand. Away at Birmingham & Forest but very little else. Of course his kicking wasn't to Stockdale's level but I still would take the Pole.

The comparison is interesting. I would say that what you are talking about are major errors. He would still make mistakes. I'm sure he conceded goals like the one on Friday but nobody remembers those three years (especially if they want to criticise anyone else). To me, the only goal that Stockdale has conceded that comes close to that was the one at Reading (Preston was mainly Bruno's fault) and that might have taken a deflection.
 






Machiavelli

Well-known member
Oct 11, 2013
16,641
Fiveways
I personally felt more secure with Kusczack, you could count his errors on one hand. Away at Birmingham & Forest but very little else. Of course his kicking wasn't to Stockdale's level but I still would take the Pole.

Good gawd, I'd take Stockdale any day above Kusczak. Yes his reflex saves were marginally better than Stockdale, but his distribution was utterly woeful, and he was hopeless with back passes. He was a goalkeeper, and had no footballing qualities, which coaches increasingly prize in a goalkeeper.
 


Exile

Objective but passionate
Aug 10, 2014
2,367
Does that mean you've seen 6 or more Championship keepers regularly this season? Or are you just judging on one game

This myth that he's done nothing this season is rubbish. He made a couple of very good early saves at Derby to keep it 0-0, at Sheffield Wednesday he made a couple of important saves (including one that was going in the top corner), against Norwich (at 2-0) he made a good save to deny Jerome and finally on Friday, you can blame him for the goal if you want, but he made an important interception at the striker's feet which started the move for our goal before making a couple of good saves in the second half. That, along with the Wigan save, is quite an impact for a keeper when you consider his defence is very good. I find the criticism very odd. To say he is decent at best suggests you are anti Stockdale. At best, he is the best keeper in this league and, so far this season, he has been one of the best (in by far the best defence in the league).

Indeed.

Some incredible comments in this thread. Stockdale has been quality for two seasons, and some of the goals that the naysayers try to mark up as 'mistakes' are embarrassing.

The Villa goal, he himself will have regarded as saveable, albeit it would have been a very good save if he'd pulled it off. Anyone putting that down as a 'howler' and at the same time ignoring the world class save from Kodjia's header, is either irredeemably prejudiced or simply a bit thick.
 






hans kraay fan club

The voice of reason.
Helpful Moderator
Mar 16, 2005
61,273
Chandlers Ford
Central midfield and striker. norwood offers **** all. slows game down and soft in the challenge.

Norwood did an EXCELLENT job when he came on against Villa. We retained the ball far more effectively from then on.

In fact even Gary Gardner looked good on Friday.

Now you are being utterly ridiculous. Gardner, as we should expect from his time here, had absolutely zero influence on the game. He is the reason that Villa failed to dominate the centre of midfield, despite having an extra player.
 


Normski1989

Well-known member
Apr 15, 2015
751
Hove
Norwood did an EXCELLENT job when he came on against Villa. We retained the ball far more effectively from then on.

Agreed. I think by that point, Hughton was more than happy to settle for a point. Norwood came on and did his job brilliantly. He retained the ball and momentarily relieved the pressure on the back four.
 




tigertim68

Well-known member
Sep 3, 2012
2,321
Indeed.

Some incredible comments in this thread. Stockdale has been quality for two seasons, and some of the goals that the naysayers try to mark up as 'mistakes' are embarrassing.

The Villa goal, he himself will have regarded as saveable, albeit it would have been a very good save if he'd pulled it off. Anyone putting that down as a 'howler' and at the same time ignoring the world class save from Kodjia's header, is either irredeemably prejudiced or simply a bit thick.

A really good keeper would of saved the Villa goal ,Stockdale is not a really good keeper , he is average at best , makes too many mistakes that are costly , I saw no world class save on Friday night , what I did see is a keeper who does not come off his line and tip a straight forward header onto the top of the bar .
 


hans kraay fan club

The voice of reason.
Helpful Moderator
Mar 16, 2005
61,273
Chandlers Ford
A really good keeper would of saved the Villa goal ,Stockdale is not a really good keeper , he is average at best , makes too many mistakes that are costly.

Well statistically, in terms of total goals conceded, and number of clean sheets, he is the best keeper in the football league. In terms of number of saves made per goals conceded, he's also right up at the top. By your reckoning then, there is not a single 'really good keeper' in the entire three divisions, so we should be grateful for what we have.

I saw no world class save on Friday night , what I did see is a keeper who does not come off his line and tip a straight forward header onto the top of the bar .

Ah, I see. You're just a pathetic troll. I'll stop wasting my time.
 






Machiavelli

Well-known member
Oct 11, 2013
16,641
Fiveways
Interesting. That backs up the long held moan about Kusczack's distribution. I have Kusczack down as the marginally the better pure keeper but Stockdale's distribution has always made him the better player of the two for me.

Those distribution stats should be taken together. Al-Habsi is way out in-front in terms of accuracy, but the distance of his releases is far more limited. Irrespective of the stats, we know that Stockdale is quite fantastic, because he mixes it up far more, including two (?: from memory, one to Baldock, the other to Knockaert) brilliant long balls down near the opposition corner against Villa. His decision-making is largely excellent in terms of dealing with back passes and distribution, even though he can sometimes cause hearts to flutter.
 


Cowfold Seagull

Fan of the 17 bus
Apr 22, 2009
21,618
Cowfold
You only have to look at the numerous clangers of other keepers in the division to know stockers is an excellent keeper

Our best in the Amex era for me.

Well we have only been at the Amex for five seasons, so there aren't many to choose from! Just Casper the Clown and the Pole in Goal really.

Although capable of the odd brilliant save, Stockdale is just too inconsistent for my liking. And in my view at least, just an average Championship keeper.
 


hans kraay fan club

The voice of reason.
Helpful Moderator
Mar 16, 2005
61,273
Chandlers Ford
Well we have only been at the Amex for five seasons, so there aren't many to choose from! Just Casper the Clown and the Pole in Goal really.

Although capable of the odd brilliant save, Stockdale is just too inconsistent for my liking. And in my view at least, just an average Championship keeper.

Seriously - this is ridiculous. Stockdale has conceded TEN goals in SIXTEEN games. What on earth would a keeper need to do to be considered 'consistent'? (Graeme Smith was CONSISTENT btw.)

Like the comment above about the 'many costly errors' that he supposedly makes. There can't be THAT many can there, if we've only let ten goals in, even if ALL ten were somehow his fault (they weren't).

Derby - 0
Forest - 0
Reading - 2, one of which he WAS culpable for - the free kick.
Newcastle - 2. I actually have him partially at fault for both. the header was from a long way out, and he was flat footed. The wall was poorly positioned for the (pretty good) free kick.
Brentford - 2. Two good finishes. If you were harsh, you could look at his angles for the first.
Huddersfield - 0
Burton - 0
Barnsley - 0
Ipswich - 0
Wednesday - 1. Scored on the follow up after a great save. No blame.
Preston - 2. Shares the blame with Bruno for the first. Blameless for the second, where Duffy lost the header.
Wolves - 0
Wigan - 0
Norwich - 0
Bristol - 0
Villa - 1. Almost made a decent save, but having got down would have expected to keep it out.

If you conducted the same kind of analysis for every other club, their keepers would suffer by comparison. McGovern made as many clear errors in one game at the Amex as Stockdale has made this season.

Every supporter of just about every Championship club, would bite your hand off if offered a swap with their first choice. Only Reading and Newcastle would even stop to think about it.
 


Finchley Seagull

New member
Feb 25, 2004
6,916
North London
Seriously - this is ridiculous. Stockdale has conceded TEN goals in SIXTEEN games. What on earth would a keeper need to do to be considered 'consistent'? (Graeme Smith was CONSISTENT btw.)

Like the comment above about the 'many costly errors' that he supposedly makes. There can't be THAT many can there, if we've only let ten goals in, even if ALL ten were somehow his fault (they weren't).

Derby - 0
Forest - 0
Reading - 2, one of which he WAS culpable for - the free kick.
Newcastle - 2. I actually have him partially at fault for both. the header was from a long way out, and he was flat footed. The wall was poorly positioned for the (pretty good) free kick.
Brentford - 2. Two good finishes. If you were harsh, you could look at his angles for the first.
Huddersfield - 0
Burton - 0
Barnsley - 0
Ipswich - 0
Wednesday - 1. Scored on the follow up after a great save. No blame.
Preston - 2. Shares the blame with Bruno for the first. Blameless for the second, where Duffy lost the header.
Wolves - 0
Wigan - 0
Norwich - 0
Bristol - 0
Villa - 1. Almost made a decent save, but having got down would have expected to keep it out.

If you conducted the same kind of analysis for every other club, their keepers would suffer by comparison. McGovern made as many clear errors in one game at the Amex as Stockdale has made this season.

Every supporter of just about every Championship club, would bite your hand off if offered a swap with their first choice. Only Reading and Newcastle would even stop to think about it.

Completely agree with this. I really don't understand the attitude of some on here towards Stockdale. For me, he's an excellent Championship keeper and is part of the best defence in the league yet every time we concede a goal some on here seem to want to criticise him. It makes no sense.

There also seems to be no difference on here between a glaring error and being partially at fault for a goal. It is very odd.

I wonder what people expect from our players sometimes. Stockdale is an excellent shot stopper and his distribution is very good too. If he was brilliant off his line, he would be playing for a top Premier League team. He's not alone in that too. Some criticise Skalak's pace and other qualities saying all he has is a brilliant right foot. If he was two footed and had more pace, again he probably wouldn't be playing for us.
 




b.w.2.

Well-known member
Jan 8, 2004
5,182
We only need a second striker. That's it. If we are there or thereabouts on Jan 1st, then I expect uncle Tony to buy us a late Christmas prezzie.

Sent from my E2303 using Tapatalk
 




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