First january signing.

[Timmy the Doc]

I'm not judging him on the 3 games he had for us (everyone in a Rangers shirt played poorly against Sheffield United and Leicester), I'm judging him on the 2 seasons he was first choice at Reading, and widely considered the best goalkeeper outside of the PL. Made some outstanding saves for them every time he played at LR.

That was many years ago and afterwards his progress has gone downwards and nowadays he's considered the ******** goalkeeper in the PL.

[hal9thou]

I can't see McCarthy getting beaten with a shot from 30 yards straight down his throat.

ahem...

the deflection was downwards and sideways, what happens after that is more luck than judgement.

Green is far from perfect but that type of glancing deflection is wicked. Like slip practice without seeing the bat. Or something.

[yugohoop]

I'm just surprised that with all the various problem positions we have that someone would think to say a goalkeeper should be our first signing! Anyway, i'd have a punt on Jonson Clarke-Harris at Rotherham. Looking a good player this season, only 21 and he's a striker.

[Shania]

Get the young striker Clough from Bolton in as soon as possible. Bolton are skint and will have to sell.

[hal9thou]

I just hope that this time round someone is actually looking at upcoming talent. It would make a change.

[surrey_hoop]

ahem...

Is that expert analysis on the goal that I must've missed, or your opinion?

You're making this deflection sound like it completely altered the flight of the ball. It started down the middle of the goal, and finished down the middle of the goal. So no, it isn't luck. Good goalkeepers save that shot, end of story.

[surrey_hoop]

That was many years ago and afterwards his progress has gone downwards and nowadays he's considered the ******** goalkeeper in the PL.

Well, 2 years ago.

[hal9thou]

Good goalkeepers save that shot, end of story.

ahem....

Is that expert analysis on the goal that I must've missed, or your opinion?

you tell me ;)

[surrey_hoop]

ahem....




you tell me ;)

Difference is, the pundits agree with me. I haven't heard one expert say that Green couldn't have saved that shot.

[Shepherds Mush]

I think it's too soon to have an opinion on Smithies either way. Looked nervous as anything against Cardiff, but then played quite well against Blackburn - made one save in the 1st half of that game that was nothing less than World Class. As I've already said, he needs a run in the side. Green (who honestly isn't even doing enough at the moment to guarantee a starting place anyway) is simply blocking his progression.

Smithies didn't play against Cardiff !!? Looked nervous against Forest when he came on though.

Think he needs a run of games but the key question for me is would putting Smithies in upset a back 5 unit that has formed a real cohesiveness over the last few weeks? Catch 22 IMO.

[hal9thou]

Difference is, the pundits agree with me. I haven't heard one expert say that Green couldn't have saved that shot.

Name your sources King Crimson.... I actually checked it frame by frame (I work with edit software.) It looks awful in real time, but
a) he was unsighted b) it deflected downwards and sideways with RG still unsighted c) it swerved out before d) coming back in again. Lottery time.

Much more important is the issue of how to replace him. I'd like to see someone who can play the sweeper role with his distribution, that is a really key thing for us and sadly not his strongest point.

[MaineHoopsFan]

First signing- recall Harriman so nedum can play cb when perch goes down or to give perch comp

[Geng]

And he was Sh!t in all of them. You're really not going to be able to convince me otherwise

McCarthy was actually pretty good in his first game for us, 3-2 defeat vs Liverpool at LR. See eg LFW match report at the time http://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/footbal...2%80%93-report he got 7/10 and a few positive mentions from others in the comments.

He then unfortunately got injured himself so couldn't keep Green out of the side, and then looked poor when randomly back in the team months later when we were either already down or well on our way. Nonsense to judge him on that.

Oh well. Smithies still our best option.

[Ramsey is god]

The bloke played 3 freaking games for us. Would you judge any other player over such a small sample size?

was 4 actually.

Even so he looked terrible to me. The goals he conceded at Palace were equally as poor.

Seems to have a reputation for being a good young keeper. I am yet to see any of that in appearances for us or Palace.

Honestly, you want our first signing to be another keeper, no better than the standard we have, so we can have 3 keepers who most likely feel they should be no1.

We stung Palace with him and Mutch. Good business getting rid of both.

[Bill]

100% lost count of how many points this clown has cost us... A goalkeeper should be saving you in games a lot more than making howlers and with Green its about 50/50!

Can't kick
Can't come for corners
Can't come from crosses without flapping
Makes me sh1t myself whenever he tries coming out for a one v one
Can't save anything that's outside 20 yards - Sometimes he doesn't even move.

The only thing he is good at is shot stopping in and around the box.

slow off his line and also hesitant coming for through balls