Will our keepers cost us promotion?

Millsy · by **Millsy** » 20 Sep 2015 17:14

Came on just to see what the keeper talk was and surprised not to see an active thread dedicated to it. From what I've seen and heard both Bond and Al Habsi are liabilities. Yes Bond is young and nervous and will come good etc (I hope he does and am sure he will) and yes the good defence hasn't given him much to do but is it not a concern that given the fairly good squad we now have we're playing a developing mistake-prone future player in goal, with a clown as a backup?

He's already cost us points and all he needs is to cost us a couple more this season and it'll be the difference between promotion or not.

Discuss.

LWJ · by **LWJ** » 20 Sep 2015 17:21

No they won't, Bond is comfortably good enough for a strong promotion push this year.

SCIAG · by **SCIAG** » 20 Sep 2015 17:23

None of the answers really work for me.

I'm yet to be convinced by any of the goalkeepers, but so far this season we've been so good that it hasn't mattered. If we keep this up, it won't be an issue.

The trouble could come if a defender gets injured and we start leaking shots, but as long as we're restricting the opposition to a single good chance a match whilst making loads of our own, we'll be fine.

Plenty of teams have been promoted with weak goalkeepers - Swansea, for example, or Southampton.

Jack Celliers · by **Jack Celliers** » 20 Sep 2015 17:52

No keeper is perfect - just watch any Saturday's Match of the Day. At the moment Bond looks slightly less likely to give a way a soft goal than Federici and the defence seem to be playing a bit better. Perhaps the two things are linked. Al Habsi seems a more than capable reserve as well.

RoyallyFcuked · by **RoyallyFcuked** » 20 Sep 2015 18:12

Hopefully not, although they are without doubt our weakest link. Bond doesn't have much experience but has potential so just needs time to keep improving.

The Cap · by **The Cap** » 20 Sep 2015 18:55

Also referred to in BFTG - Wednesday. For whatever reason it feels like this is becoming a recurring theme.

Ian Royal · by **Ian Royal** » 20 Sep 2015 19:02

What an utterly bizarre thread 8 games into the league season.

Neither 'keeper is exactly in form or inspiring confidence, but it takes a special kind of miserablist with mental starting expectations to come up with this.

RoyalBlue · by **RoyalBlue** » 20 Sep 2015 19:03

Jack Celliers No keeper is perfect - just watch any Saturday's Match of the Day. At the moment Bond looks slightly less likely to give a way a soft goal than Federici and the defence seem to be playing a bit better. .

If that really was true then we would have no worries because Bond would be an absolutely first class keeper. Trouble is, it is an unbelievable claim, which wouldn't be supported by stats or neutral observers either.

Of course we have the Wembley disaster still fresh in our minds but work out the appearances per soft goal for Feds and then compare to Bond's to date.

Added to that, Bond looks far less likely (on what we have seen to date) to make frequent top class saves to keep us in games.

Defence does look stronger than last season though, which is just as well, given what we have seen from our two keepers so far.

Nameless · by **Nameless** » 20 Sep 2015 19:20

Compare Bond's most recent half dozen games and fed's last 6 for us and they are on one error a piece leading to a goal.
At the start of Fed's career he let in plenty of goals he probably shouldn't have, but he improved.
Currently Bond may not be as good as Feds was last season, but they are keepers at the opposite ends of their careers.
I doubt our keepers will cost us promotion. Already Sa and Cox have cost us points and I would guess other layers will make errors leading to us not winning games..
Whatever, they are the keepers we have and we'll stick with them, especially as the evidence that either of them are not up to Championship standard is weak to say the least,

Lower West · by **Lower West** » 20 Sep 2015 19:40

2 world wars, 1 world cup From what I've seen and heard both Bond and Al Habsi are liabilities.

Discuss.

Blackman should score more goals.

Hector is far from foot perfect. Distribution is poor at times.

I could go on. Ultimately Readings season won't be down to the shortcomings of a single player but the squad as a whole.

Other than Sheffield Weds when has Bond been a liability.

Millsy · by **Millsy** » 20 Sep 2015 21:27

Ian Royal What an utterly bizarre thread 8 games into the league season.

Neither 'keeper is exactly in form or inspiring confidence, but it takes a special kind of miserablist with mental starting expectations to come up with this.

The worst poster on HNA is still here I see.

Millsy · by **Millsy** » 20 Sep 2015 21:33

I hope 29%+ of us are wrong including Adie Williams et al.

And we're not, I'm not too fussed anyway as I'm more than happy to wait 2-3yrs for the team to gel bfore going up, unlike others I'm sure.

But it'd be interesting for the resident stat heads to tot up over the course of the season how many points the keeper has cost us and then compare this to an average keeper and then see come the end of the season what difference that would make to our final table standing.

Genuinely interested.

Hoop Blah · by **Hoop Blah** » 20 Sep 2015 22:02

How the hell could you work that kind of influence out?

The back 5 work as a unit and the keeper plays a massive part in organising it, covering it and inspiring confidence in it.

Federici often struggled to command his area but we look very well organsised with the current back 5, and the chances are Bond is playing a big part in that, despite his error at Wedneday. That error came about because he was willing to come and claim a cross he shouldn't have done but it shows a willingness to take the pressure off his back 4.

How anyone can say Bond looks less likely to pull off match winnin saves I don't know. He's hardly had a save to make so far and for me he should get some credit for that. His organisation and positioning must've contributed significantly to that.

Jack Celliers · by **Jack Celliers** » 20 Sep 2015 22:20

RoyalBlue
Jack Celliers No keeper is perfect - just watch any Saturday's Match of the Day. At the moment Bond looks slightly less likely to give a way a soft goal than Federici and the defence seem to be playing a bit better. .

If that really was true then we would have no worries because Bond would be an absolutely first class keeper. Trouble is, it is an unbelievable claim, which wouldn't be supported by stats or neutral observers either.

Of course we have the Wembley disaster still fresh in our minds but work out the appearances per soft goal for Feds and then compare to Bond's to date.

Added to that, Bond looks far less likely (on what we have seen to date) to make frequent top class saves to keep us in games.

Defence does look stronger than last season though, which is just as well, given what we have seen from our two keepers so far.

I don't really believe in stats but Federici was on four soft goals in his first four premiership performances a few years back and must have broken all Opta index records that year. I always feared he was just one flap away from another cock up. He performed better in the promotion season and was frequently immense last season, but still wasn't perfect, and when he single-handedly lost us the FA Cup semi-final, I didn't feel surprised.

With this in mind, you've got to give Bond a bit of a chance before writing him off. If he was crap, then the defence wouldn't be playing as well as they are, because they would always be looking over their shoulders and waiting for the error (like Palace at the moment, sadly).

Woodcote Royal · by **Woodcote Royal** » 20 Sep 2015 23:26

Bond or "Fcuk Up" Fed at the same age is a massive no brainer in Bonds favour

FFS, it took how many seasons before Federici wasn't an accident waiting to happen?

And what exactly is Skippy doing beyond getting splinters in his backside having at long, long, long last got the dream move he's been desperate for, for longer than most of us can remember?

Where do Bournemouth reserves play? Sounds like some of you need to find out

Royal Ginger · by **Royal Ginger** » 21 Sep 2015 07:32

Federici had some howlers, granted, and Bond may well end up with no more than him, however, what Bond hasn't shown yet which Federici did was is that 'oooh' save that looked a certain goal. For all of Federici's flaps he also provided us with some absolutely sublime moments that we've yet to see from the young Englishman.

Nameless · by **Nameless** » 21 Sep 2015 07:41

It's McShane and company who are the big problem. By not letting Bond have his OOOOOO moments they are eroding confidence in him.
I vote they let the opposition walk through them a couple of times each half so Bond can make his camera saves.
Worked for Feds over the last couple of years....

RoyalRuss86 · by **RoyalRuss86** » 21 Sep 2015 08:26

I am not having this, "he is young and needs time to develop" shit. If that is the case let him play for the reserves or loan him out to get game time until he stops making mistakes. He is far too weak for us and if Clarke has any sense or knowledge in that dept he will get someone in that is solid and proven.

As for Al-Habsi he has always been a calamity keeper and absolutely stolen a living in the sport.

I am a goalkeeper and I will let Clarke know I can transfer free from my Sunday league side if needed

Sanguine · by **Sanguine** » 21 Sep 2015 08:36

Royal Ginger Federici had some howlers, granted, and Bond may well end up with no more than him, however, what Bond hasn't shown yet which Federici did was is that 'oooh' save that looked a certain goal. For all of Federici's flaps he also provided us with some absolutely sublime moments that we've yet to see from the young Englishman.

I was a Federici fan, but a lot of his 'worldie' saves were nothing of the sort, Feds liked a save for cameras.

Bond is only 22 years old and generally looks composed and steady. He has had a couple of 'moments', but certainly looks like being a top keeper in the future. Certainly as good a prospect as McCarthy was at a similar age. And Bond can kick the ball too, which is handy.

SCIAG · by **SCIAG** » 21 Sep 2015 12:15

Sanguine Certainly as good a prospect as McCarthy was at a similar age. And Bond can kick the ball too, which is handy.

Can't agree with either of those points. Bond looks less comfortable with the ball at his feet than McCarthy did, which is saying something.

At Bond's age:

- McCarthy was routinely putting in performances worthy of an England international (QPR away, Liverpool home and away).
- Federici limited Man United to one goal with a string of great saves

I'm by no means writing Bond off, but he hasn't shown that sort of ability yet.