Goalkeeping situation

[Groucho]

Can we keep this one to goalies rather than making it another Martinez thread please?

Now, Howard, Robles, or someone else. Which is it to be?

What I'm getting at is, while I am certain that Joel Robles is the better keeper at the club (although Howard has done a good job over the years), could it be that Howard's frailties have been exacerbated due to Martinez' style of play?

They say that a goalie is only as good as the defence. In turn, does that mean that any goalie will struggle for clean sheets in this current set up?

While clearly Starjump Timmy is nearing the end, are we being unfair by singling him out when it's then system that's partly to blame? Personally I'd play Robles currently, but just throwing it out there.

 

[SpurtingLesbian]

what's the answer?

Replace Tim in the Summer.

 

[kone99]

i would go with howard. hes old but he still have experience

we need to stick with howard 1-2 years more he can still play 2 years

 

[GrandOldTeam]

Put Robles in - see just how much of a priority a new keeper is in the summer. Howard will be off then.

 

[Bungle]

Put Robles in - see just how much of a priority a new keeper is in the summer. Howard will be off then.

This really, just give Robles until the end of the season to prove he's worth a go, if it goes tits up then it wont have been any worse than having Howard in goal for the remainder of the season.

 

[Username]

I'd make Robles no1 till end of season, if he's up to it then keep him there and buy a young promising keeper to develop as backup. If Robles fails we should be looking for a new 1st team keeper and keep Joel as backup. Either way we'll probably still have Timmy Starjump as 1st choice so hey ho

 

[oldblue]

We definitely should find out how good Robles is before buying. I'm seeing real signs of confidence, positional sense, bravery and a willingness to organise the back line.
I don't even think we'll know how poorly organised we really are at the back till a keeper is there who is willing to take some of the weight off them

 

[blueboy1945]

Got to be Robles, if he's given a decent run from now till the end of the season he might just save us a fortune on a new number one. It's a no brainer really.

 

[mkrudden]

This system got us a records points tally which most other years would have got us 4th.

It's personnel imo.

 

[Ashtonian]

i voted star jump timmy.

like the sound of that cat!

 

[sageyefc]

Defence isnt perfect but so much is down to Howard.

Give Joel a run til the summer, at best we save a lot of money for a new first choice keeper, at worse we have a competent back up. He certainly wouldn't be any worse than Tim though

 

[neil999]

robles can throw the ball a REALLY long way!

 

[Pienaar's gloves]

Robles seems to put more confidence in the centre halves.

His distribution is better.

Recently his shot stopping has been better.

He's stopped punching everything too.

Robles IN.

 

[sageyefc]

The defence doesn't trust starjumps

 

[The Cowboy]

Not wishing to compare too much, but De Gea was proper pony for a good while, whilst he got used to his defence/team and started to command his area more. Robles, for a long time, looked like the giddy, nervous kid thrown in at the deep end. Things are gradually clicking for him, and I think he needs a real string of games (like the rest of this season) to build that bond with his defence.

Howard is not getting any younger and frankly he's preventing a younger prospect from developing his career. Hopefully he'll see the light and head back to the US to give Joel a free run at it.