Don't think Robles has let us down in any of his recent games but for me I cannot get that Arsenal cup game out of my mind so I haven't got complete faith in him but think he deserves a chance. We must search for a keeper at least this summer.
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That is the entire basis for my rant and use of the "poison" moniker. That's it, that's all and I'm done talking about him.
Until we find out by giving him a run the arguments will continue - That Arsenal final was a friendly game not as strong as the side he would have in front of him now - Look Robles he may be hopeless, but this season on his few appearances he has seemed a far better prospect than Tim IMO
Thats why a run of three games or so on performances we would know how good or bad he was!
We could also judge our defence how he distributes the ball etc we are leaking goals from set pieces , and open play so RM has to do something?
Robles has always looked like he has a ricket in him when he's come in for the odd game. When he got a few games on the bounce last season, he started showing more self assurance and the defence appeared to be responding with a few clean sheets. Until he gets a sustained run in the side, we'll never know what he's really capable of. Martinez' failure to get a grip of our defensive failings is in danger of derailing what could still be a promising season. I can't see him spending big in January for a new keeper so Robles needs to be given a chance sooner rather than later. What I'm trying to say is, Koff Howard.
I'm not really following your logic there to be honest, I was making the general point that a goalkeeper is the most important position on the pitch and you don't win the league etc by having an OK goalkeeper. I don't think its a coincidence that we finished 4th under Moyes when we had Nigel Martyn in goal who was a very good keeper. At this present moment in time Howard isn't even an OK goalkeeper. Martinez has spent a lot of money but hasn't addressed the goalkeeping position and its a major failing and no I don't think he's doing a fantastic job, i'd be surprised if anyone does.
Chang Elephant
Forum God
Stephen once you accept that Douglas is willing to spend 90% of his leisure time on a forum, typing stuff he doesn't believe, you will find it very easy to disregard his views
If you look at the quote you posted, you'd see that he's comparing OK goalkeepers (who don't inspire confidence from their defenders) to Peter Shilton (who does). That's my point. The kind of goalkeeper who does that -- makes his defenders feel comfortable, earns his club ten points per season, etc. -- isn't just an OK or average keeper. It's an elite player, the kind who very rarely comes along. Shilton was probably one of the ten best goalkeepers of all time, as was Southall. Howard isn't worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as them, but then neither are the vast majority of goalkeepers playing in the Premier League. If that's the standard of keeper you want playing for Everton -- well, I'd like that, too, but I'm not going to hold it against Martinez or the Everton board that it hasn't happened, any more than I'm going to be upset they haven't signed someone as good as Neymar to fill the hole on our left wing.
Our defenders make calamitous errors three or four times a match. It would be great if we had a keeper who would keep those mistakes from regularly turning into goals. Howard is not that keeper. It would also be great if we had a keeper who never made a mistake of his own and let in a soft goal. Howard is also not that keeper. The thing is, though, there really aren't that many of that kind of goalkeeper around -- certainly far fewer than the people around here continually screaming for Howard's head apparently think. Look around the Premier League every week, and you'll see that on the majority of goals scored throughout the league, the goalkeeper could probably have done better, and you'll see very few occasions where a goalkeeper truly bailed out mistakes from the defenders in front of him.
I agree with you about how good Shilton was but I posted that quote in the context of Wengers comments about Cech and I don't think Cech is in the same class as Shilton was but he's a very good keeper. I didn't say we need to sign a goalkeeper of Shiltons calibre but we either need to sign a very good keeper or a younger keeper who we believe has the ability to become a very good keeper. I don't think Martyn was the same calibre as Southall but he was a very good keeper and made a difference to the defence and the team. If you follow your logic we should be accepting keepers of Howard's calibre because that's the best we can get!
Your debating world class keepers here unfortunately Tims never ever been World class given a 3 year contract at the age of 36 on the basis of one super world cup game for the USA - I feel we are paying the price!
summerisle
The rain, it raineth every day
A bit of honesty from a goalkeeper - refreshing.
Dithering Dougie
Banned
You know we conceded 46 league goals that season mate. To put it into some sort of context last season we conceded 42, with an awful Alcaraz, Distin and a young and inexperienced John Stones.
When you think in 2004/05 we set up very defensively as a team it kind of makes you wonder what's happening in front of Howard.
Cech is awfully close to Shilton's class, though. He's on the back side of his career and some great young goalkeepers have come up through the ranks recently, but a few years ago you could easily make the argument that Cech was the best goalkeeper in the world (very close with Casillas and Buffon).
And honestly, yes, I do think Howard's level is pretty close to the best we can get at our current financial level unless we somehow manage to unearth a diamond in the rough like we've done with Stones or Coleman in the past, or spend our whole transfer budget in one go like we did with Lukaku. There's a big gap between the top goalkeepers in the world (De Gea, Neuer, Courtois, Lloris, etc.) and all of the other ones, and I don't think there's a whole lot of difference among all the keepers on that second tier. They're all inconsistent enough that there's going to be a lot of variation from season to season, but I don't think the difference in ability among Howard and Ruddy or Adrián or Hennessey or the majority of the rest of the Premier League keepers is all that significant. Now, Howard obviously needs replacing anyway -- I'm pretty sure Sylvain Distin is the only regular starter in the Premier League who's older than Howard -- but I don't think it would be terribly helpful to make a panic bid in January to get one of those second tier keepers, especially if we have to pay through the nose to get him.
I wouldn't have any problem with giving Robles a run in the first team in the short term (I have a sneaking suspicion he's really not good enough to play at this level, but if Martinez decides he's looking good enough in training to get a shot, I'd be all for it), but long term I think we're going to have to be extraordinarily lucky to get a goalkeeper who can make the kind of difference to the team that you're talking about.
Or Doug you cannot play expansive football with Tim Howard to protect him? There lies the conundrum!
Ring master
Player Valuation: £90m
Wonder what boxing day will bring Tim this week lol,sending off 2 years ago and lose 1-0 to sunderland,injured and lose 1-0 to stoke last year,and now this weekend,the black and white strips instead of the 2 previous red and white stripes,could have even missed the B/D game if he got sent off yesterday really-oddly we conceeded pen in in both defeats lol,im going for us to get our 1st since may
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