has our goal keeping improved since joining the top flight ?

[ImBlue]

Yes! And like I said, once year or so we score from one and suddenly people start defending his distribution again, but it's just nowhere near a good enough return for how poor it is generally.

Do you not remember the Sven days where our tactic for a while was literally pass back to Schmeichel and hoof it long to Beckford and it didn't work and Schmeichel gave the ball away time after time and everyone was moaning about how awful we were and how it clearly wasn't working, but there was one goal (against Boro or Forest?) when it came off and suddenly everyone thought our tactic had "clicked" when history showed it really, really didn't?

Vardy is no beckford.

If Courtios had an average of over 50m passes in our side, I'm confident it would be much better.

Would you prefer the 2 centre backs split, he does a short pass and Huth/Morgan carry it out? It doesn't suit us, we aren't bothered about possession.

You realise we have the worst overall pass completion ratio in the league too don't you?

[americanfox]

And would a good distributor not still try and put it into situations where we're more likely to win it or even where 2 players are against each other? Schmiechel just doesn't, he puts it out of play or plays it straight to an unmarked opposition player the majority of the time.

 

Yes! And like I said, once  year or so we score from one and suddenly people start defending his distribution again, but it's just nowhere near a good enough return for how poor it is generally.

 

Do you not remember the Sven days where our tactic for a while was literally pass back to Schmeichel and hoof it long to Beckford and it didn't work and Schmeichel gave the ball away time after time and everyone was moaning about how awful we were and how it clearly wasn't working, but there was one goal (against Boro or Forest?) when it came off and suddenly everyone thought our tactic had "clicked" when history showed it really, really didn't?

 

What I meant more was I'd have to re-watch for that specifically to agree with the "straight to unmarked opposition". Definitely was a problem in past seasons but that doesn't strike me as the clear-cut case this year, although I probably am just having selective memory and/or memory problems.

[Sampson]

Vardy is no beckford.

If Courtios had an average of over 50m passes in our side, I'm confident it would be much better.

Would you prefer the 2 centre backs split, he does a short pass and Huth/Morgan carry it out? It doesn't suit us, we aren't bothered about possession.

You realise we have the worst overall pass completion ratio in the league too don't you?

 

But plenty of other keeper do have similar average lengths and have far better ratios: Begovic, Krul/Elliot, Guzan, Butland, Gomes, Pantilimon and Adrian all have a very similar (or even higher) average kick length with much better ratios.

 

I'm not saying we should play short passes to split our centre backs, I'm just saying Schmiechel should get some kind of accuracy to his long kicks and at least put them in positions our players are more likely to win them instead of putting them out of play or pumping them straight at unmarked opposition players.

[Tim'llFixIt]

We are the highest scoring team in the league its not his pass completion I care about tbh

[Great Boos Up]

Keepers mature differently to outfield players and at 29 he is only going to get better.

Can you imagine the weekly calls to his dad? He must be desperate to prove he's is own man and at top of the league I'd let him be the best he can become.

In the past we have spoilt a bit with keepers, but better the devil you know. I stick by the man and after nearly 5years between the sticks, he's one of our own.

[ImBlue]

But plenty of other keeper do have similar average lengths and have far better ratios: Begovic, Krul/Elliot, Guzan, Butland, Gomes, Pantilimon and Adrian all have a very similar (or even higher) average kick length with much better ratios.

I'm not saying we should play short passes to split our centre backs, I'm just saying Schmiechel should get some kind of accuracy to his long kicks and at least put them in positions our players are more likely to win them instead of putting them out of play or pumping them straight at unmarked opposition players.

Pantilimon - fletcher

Begovic - Costa

Butland - Walters

Gomes - Deeney

Adrian - Carroll/Sakho

Guzan - Gestede

All big 6ft+ guys, and nearly all target men. And I haven't listed the people around them like Matic, Kouyate, Ighalo etc.

Gives them keepers a somewhat unfair advantage don't you think?

[Julian Joachim Jr Shabadoo]

I feel all this criticism towards Kasper isn't right. He is so good in every area of his game except demanding his area at crosses. If he had this then he wouldn't be playing for us (he would have left for a better team before this season)

This. He could be more commanding and as the United game showed he occasionally is indecisive about coming off the line or not but his shot-stopping on the whole is impressive and his distribution is definitely improving. He's also integral to the team spirit, I wouldn't replace him. I'm more worried about our backup - Hamer did really well in his stint (besides that free kick and his distribution) but wants first team action, and Schwarzer didn't fill me with confidence during his performances last season

[volpeazzurro]

I think he's in the comfort zone and needs a kick up the arse! About 6 months ago I heard an interview on the radio with Sven regarding his time at Man City and in particular the goalkeepers . He replied that he was blessed with 2 very good up and coming ones back then, Joe Hart and Schmeichel. Although pretty equal he always went with Hart as he was much better on crosses . So this has been a problem for a long long time ! So why has he not addressed it in practice ? He needs competition as this is his only main weak spot in becoming a really good ggoalkeeper . What is our goalkeeping coach doing about it?

[ImBlue]

I think he's in the comfort zone and needs a kick up the arse! About 6 months ago I heard an interview on the radio with Sven regarding his time at Man City and in particular the goalkeepers . He replied that he was blessed with 2 very good up and coming ones back then, Joe Hart and Schmeichel. Although pretty equal he always went with Hart as he was much better on crosses . So this has been a problem for a long long time ! So why has he not addressed it in practice ? He needs competition as this is his only main weak spot in becoming a really good ggoalkeeper . What is our goalkeeping coach doing about it?

Kasper is close to 5 inches shorter than Joe Hart.

Leo is a great defender at corners, Okazaki isn't, what are the coaching staff doing about it?

[RobHawk]

Re: Kaspers distribution, I noticed a few times at the Swansea game that it seemed to be a ploy to let them win the initial header (easily done against our smaller players) but for us to win the second ball and try and immediately take advantage of a turning defending midfield. It allowed us to get in between their midfield and defence to try and feed into our strikers.

Wouldn't surprise me if this is a deliberate tactic

[Guest]

Can you not see the correlation between success and average length?

 

That's what I tell the girls.

[Guest]

Surely his long kick success is often dependent on the guys winning it? For example, Mahrez, Kante, Drinkwater, Vardy, Okazaki and Albrighton. None of which are even 6ft. Okazaki is 5ft8, Kante 5ft6, Mahrez 5ft10 - Vardy the same.

Christ, did I have to point that out to you?

 

So don't kick it out then.

[Arriba Los Zorros]

I rate shot stopping above other aspects of goal keeping, particularly given that many teams score from counter attacks these days or shots from outside the box rather than pressure from set-pieces etc, and this being Kasper's strength I rate him highly!!

[ImBlue]

So don't kick it out then.

Yeah, he should pick it up and throw it out when it's passed back to him. I thought you was a bit of an idiot before but you've excelled since then.

[Guest]

Yeah, he should pick it up and throw it out when it's passed back to him. I thought you was a bit of an idiot before but you've excelled since then.

 

I am a bit of an idiot. I support Leicester City.