[Archived] Goalkeeper - Time For An Upgrade

[Stuart]

Any reasonably successful Rovers side has alway had an excellent, experienced goalkeeper between the sticks. We now have, in effect, two number twos (without a hint of irony) and a number three battling it out for a first team place. All three of whom are in their early/mid-twenties, and none of them really look as though they are going places - except for the bench.

Steele (25) - simply not good enough. Can stop a shot but little else. Doesn't command his box, has no presence and and his kicking is regularly woeful.

Eastwood (26) - a numbe three standard keeper who could come in during an injury crisis and help out. Nothing more at this stage.

Raya (20) - far too young, and too early to say. Going out on loan and doing well seems to have gone to his head. Signed a new contract - on the back of what is looking like a guaranteed run of games as number one. At the end of that possible apprenticeship he was dropped back to the ranks. Needs to go back out on loan.

Lambert simply has to be be looking for a proper number 1 of some pedigree. Experience is absolutely key. Barring the odd exception, there is a definite correlation between successful teams and the age/experience of their goalkeeper. A second captain at the back organising people is also a must.

Some "ideas" or musings, some dafter than others but tried to think all could be within reason (one in bold sticks out for me - might be worth a wedge):

Mark Schwarzer (40) - Leicester
Given (39) - Stoke
Konstantopoulos (37) - Boro (if they upgrade)
Howard (36) - Everton (highly unlikely)
de Vries (35) - Forest
Kuszczak (33) - Birmingham (?)
Myhill (33) - West Brom (if they look to upgrade)

Vorm (32) - Spurs
Foster (32) - West Brom
Lonergan (32) - Fulham
Camp (31) - Rotherham
Bunn (31) - Villa
Westwood (31) - Sheff Weds
Jakupović (31) - Hull
Carson (30) - Derby
Kuciak (30) - Hull
Marshall (30) - Cardiff (fellow weegie)

Bogdan (28) - Liverpool
Forster (27) - Southampton (loan?)
Fielding (27) - Bristol City

Smithies (23) - QPR (loan?)
Steer (23) - Huddersfield (too young but fits the Lambert ex-Norwich mould)

Btw, HTF have The Nobbers got Lindegaard (31) and Kirkland (35)?!

Any thoughts?

[roverandout]

How about a punt on peter shilton? Still more agile and quicker than Steele

[VinjayV4]

Yes it was definitely time to create this thread. Steele is clearly the weakest link in the defence (for the usual lineups) and that's still evident with a consistently solid backline. As we know Rovers haven't conceded loads of goals this season but that's certainly more thanks to others than Steele. I preferred that other name as well...Walkersteel or something like that

If there's any position on the pitch where mistakes are most highlighted its for goalkeepers. Could see Steele isn't good enough the first time I saw him play which is exceptionally damning. Rovers will probably be ok with him for the rest of this season (hardly much choice) but not for one second after.

I haven't really seen Eastwood but if people think he's weaker than Steele then there's clearly no point retaining. These 2 have to be the worst since Fettis (though nobody could be that bad!)

Rovers might have been successful thanks to steel but won't be successful with Steele!

[cesus]

Whilst it may sound harsh I find Steele to be rather cowardly. Today showed two good examples that we see lots one was a cross about 4 yards from his line, he chose to punch which went from being an easy catch to putting us back under pressure I think he does this to not make a mistake and have fingers pointed and also not to get clattered.

Also the other thing that annoyed me was when he went for the ball with his feet rather than hands and they should really have scored with that chance. Another example of him not wanting to stand up and be counted.

[chaddyrovers]

Isn't Fraser Forster playing for Southampton and didnt he keep 5 clean sheets in a row in PL. So don't think he is available for transfer or loan.

Smithies is first choice at QPR so would they loan him out?

[jim mk2]

Futile just to highlight Steele alone - there's an absence of quality all through the team. Yes, Steele is fairly average, but then so are all of them, unless the club stumbles on a cheap gem Very good players cost money, so unless the owners are prepared to stump up another great wad of cash this summer, we're stuck with mediocre players like Steele for the foreseeable future.

[Amo]

Sandomierski!

[Stuart]

Isn't Fraser Forster playing for Southampton and didnt he keep 5 clean sheets in a row in PL. So don't think he is available for transfer or loan.

Smithies is first choice at QPR so would they loan him out?

I'm sure there will be some oddball ones - please feel free to contribute better alternatives, instead of nitpicking.

[Reedy You're A Star]

Mark Bunn

[Stuart]

Futile just to highlight Steele alone - there's an absence of quality all through the team. Yes, Steele is fairly average, but then so are all of them, unless the club stumbles on a cheap gem Very good players cost money, so unless the owners are prepared to stump up another great wad of cash this summer, we're stuck with mediocre players like Steele for the foreseeable future.

It's not simply about highlighting Steele, it's highlighting a lack of a single number one out of three poor goalkeepers.

We have £9m (or part thereof) knocking about and we need to invest this in a goalkeeper (as well as a CM) in my view. If we have already spent the £9m then we can forget any ambition and need to look on our club as a stepping stone for Lambert or any other managers of his standing.

[VinjayV4]

Futile just to highlight Steele alone - there's an absence of quality all through the team. Yes, Steele is fairly average, but then so are all of them, unless the club stumbles on a cheap gem Very good players cost money, so unless the owners are prepared to stump up another great wad of cash this summer, we're stuck with mediocre players like Steele for the foreseeable future.

Yes but he's an average goalkeeper and nothing is more conspicuous than that. So yes we do have to highlight him as the weakest defensive link. Its different to singling out players in other positions as scapegoats. Loads of goalkeepers out there too might be easier getting someone good and cheap than in most positions.

[Leonard Venkhater]

The really scary thing is that Steele is an upgrade!

[chaddyrovers]

I'm sure there will be some oddball ones - please feel free to contribute better alternatives, instead of nitpicking.

Give me a hour I will come few suggestions.

Also I'm not saying I would get rid of Steele tbh.

[cesus]

How many times has Steele been man of the match, how many times have people come away from a game and thought he kept us in that game. I can actually remember those words coming out in a few FA cup games last year with Eastwood and actually in a Boro game when Steele couldn't play. You need your keeper to have a worldie every now and again, I can't remember Steele ever being that guy.

[G Somerset Rover]

Mark Bunn

He'd be the one for me too.

[roversoutsider]

Steele is a steady Eddie. As another poster said, even Eastwood had blinders now and then when he played. Steele is a good reflex stopper but pretty pants at everything else. Even today, he made two outstanding reflex saves but had a poor game overall.

And those of you suggesting Mark Bunn, might want to watch the highlights of the Villa-Liverpool game.

[jim mk2]

I doubt we would have won the game anyway but Steele's mistake was unforgiveable really (the failure of the midfield to track Moses notwithstanding) because it gave West Ham a goal they didn't deserve at that stage and took all the momentum out of our game. I just don't understand how a professional keeper can dive over the top of the ball - it was the sort of mistake that schoolboys make and you rarely even see in parks football. He deserves an almighty bollocking from the manager for it - and dropping from the team.

[davulsukur]

Definitely need a decent keeler in the summer. Steele isn't good enough. When we signed him, a boro fan told me he's OK but has a clanger in him every game.

When Karanka took over I think one of the first things he did was bin Steele off.

[LDRover]

Agree with the thread, Steele is nowhere near good enough if we want to compete at the right end of the table.

Pantillimon is out of favour at Sunderland? Who does the u21 keeper McCarthy play for? Craig Gordon always impressed me, is he 1st choice at Celtic?

[arbitro]

The real measure for me is how many points a keeper can earn a club over a season. It was once estimated that Friedel's performances earned us twelve points a season. I can't really recall many games where I have thought Steele saved us points but in truth he has cost us.

For me there are far better keepers and in my opinion Raga deserves a shot at Derby on Wednesday.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

The real measure for me is how many points a keeper can earn a club over a season. It was once estimated that Friedel's performances earned us twelve points a season. I can't really recall many games where I have thought Steele saved us points but in truth he has cost us.

For me there are far better keepers and in my opinion Raga deserves a shot at Derby on Wednesday.

Nobody can lose you a game quicker than your goalkeeper. It's the key position for me. Freidel was worth a goal start in most games.

[jim mk2]

I'll never forget our League Cup tie against Brian Clough's Nottingham Forest circa 1982. Rovers played Forest off the pitch yet we just couldn't get the ball past Shilton, who was awesome in his all white kit, a real colossus.. Garner had at least 3 good chances saved. Then Justin Fashanu popped to score with one of the few goals he scored for Forest and we lost the match 1-0. So yes, all good teams have a top-class keeper and I don't think Steele can be trusted anymore. He cost us big time today.

[philipl]

The entire squad needs a comprehensive upgrade.

Yes Steele was at fault for numbers 1 and 2 but what was going on in front of him (or not going on) was pretty shocking. He did make at least three very decent stops.

[Mr. E]

The 1st goal was incredible though, I am finding it a difficult time trying to remember a keeper letting in a poorer shot in recent memory.

[A cup of beans]

Give me a hour I will come few suggestions.

Also I'm not saying I would get rid of Steele tbh.

Can't wait.

Anyone happy with Steele is short - sighted.

He's never commanding, awful kicking techniques, and he's always liable to drop a clanger.

Where's Eastwood gone? Narnia?

IEastwood shone in a few games last season. I can't remember Steele ever excelling.