[Albion] Bart Verbruggen SINGS a 5-year deal

[kevo]

It wouldn’t have got to penalties. Not a chance that JS saves the deflected Rashford shot.

I think this was a major reason for Sanchez's strop. I think he thought he'd played well enough in that game, particularly with that fantastic save, to earn a place back in the first team. I also think Sanchez is pretty good at playing the ball out - but Steele is exceptional at this, probably the best in the league. For NWGull to say Steele is 'very much a second choice keeper at this level' is ludicrious. Not as good a shot stopper as Sanchez, but superb at De Zerbi ball.

 

[Acker79]

Sanchez’ form was absolutely fine and there were zero Albion fans suggesting the change be made.

That bit isn't quite true. Adam from the north west (?) stand was suggesting the change be made on the BBC sussex post match call in.

 

[Napper]

With the number of games we need 2 good keepers

For me , we can improve on Steele and I suspect rdz knows this .

As someone else said , if all goes as expected then verbruggen would have the shirt by Xmas / if not before

 

[Doonhamer7]

I think this was a major reason for Sanchez's strop. I think he thought he'd played well enough in that game, particularly with that fantastic save, to earn a place back in the first team. I also think Sanchez is pretty good at playing the ball out - but Steele is exceptional at this, propably the best in the league. For NWGull to say Steele is 'very much a second choice keeper at this level' is ludicrious. Not as good a shot stopper as Sanchez, but superb at De Zerbi ball.

I think Steele is good at this and has balls of steel with some of his passes) but he isn’t exceptional and he isn’t anywhere near the level of Ederson or Allison who potentially could play as outfield players they are that good

 

[Machiavelli]

This is just not true. Sanchez’ previous 4 games before he dropped one high ball at Selhurst, saw us win 3 (beaten only by a penalty at Everton, and clean sheets v Bournemouth and Liverpool) and draw 1.
Sanchez’ form was absolutely fine and there were zero Albion fans suggesting the change be made.

Steele was clearly training well and more receptive to RDZ’s ideas.

Agree completely (and I'm aware that you understand goalkeeping better than I). There's a narrative that's developed that Sanchez made a number of howlers. There was one, it was a massive one. If Sanchez was still first choice, we'd be claiming he's worth 40m+. Yet he's no longer first choice, and has ill-advisedly decided to down tools, and some other club will get a damn good GK at a knock down price.
Sanchez is clearly a better 'traditional' GK than Steele -- better shotstopper, better at commanding his area, (I'm less sure on one-on-ones).
Steele looks as good as any with his feet and, given we dominate possession, that attribute becomes all the more important to the way we play.

 

[Mackenzie]

Hopefully Verbruggen is a hybrid of Steele and Sanchez‘s best goalkeeping attributes.

 

[Guinness Boy]

This is just not true. Sanchez’ previous 4 games before he dropped one high ball at Selhurst, saw us win 3 (beaten only by a penalty at Everton, and clean sheets v Bournemouth and Liverpool) and draw 1.
Sanchez’ form was absolutely fine and there were zero Albion fans suggesting the change be made.

Steele was clearly training well and more receptive to RDZ’s ideas.

Not sure that Steele would have got us to penalties, Sanchez did well to keep a clean sheet for 2 hours.

Bringing Steele on for the penalties however...

With Steele we likely wouldn't have got to penalties.

Sanchez made multiple world class saves that game and was unbelievable. Unfortunately just couldn't save a pen.

If we're being really picky it would have been a different game entirely with Steele in goal and maybe with his long balls and distribution we'd also have scored. Big Bob did make some great saves though, looking back. @Triggaaar I think you're right about bringing Steele on for penalties.

This is probably a side discussion though. Hopefully Verbruggen combines the best of both keepers. Overall, though, I don't think we're going to have a "1st XI". We'll need to regularly rotate including keepers and whoever doesn't start regularly in the Premier League will surely find themselves on Cup duty and maybe European duty.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

I said on here towards the end of last season that I thought Steele was the best keeper we've ever had. And that he was basically Ederson. And I stand by that. He was simply brilliant through the latter half of the season.

I'm not sure what will happen with the GK jersey, but I'm not automatically assuming, Bart is in goal for Luton at home and we'll only ever see Steele in the cups

 

[brighton_tom]

I said on here towards the end of last season that I thought Steele was the best keeper we've ever had. And that he was basically Ederson. And I stand by that. He was simply brilliant through the latter half of the season.

I'm not sure what will happen with the GK jersey, but I'm not automatically assuming, Bart is in goal for Luton at home and we'll only ever see Steele in the cups

I think Steele has been top notch with distribution, collecting crosses, ball at his feet, communication and positioning, but there have been a few (not lots) goals scored which other keeper I think would have saved. If he could improve his shot stopping by like 10% he’d have had a much higher level career.

 

[Pavilionaire]

There are reason why clubs aren't queuing up for Sanchez, and there are also reasons why Steele has had a pretty ordinary career until De Zerbi arrived at the Albion.

Getting Verbruggen over the line is a crucial signing for us.

 

[Weststander]

Available:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/66053069

Anyone's better than the awful goalie Jason Steele .

 

[Weststander]

I said on here towards the end of last season that I thought Steele was the best keeper we've ever had. And that he was basically Ederson. And I stand by that. He was simply brilliant through the latter half of the season.

I'm not sure what will happen with the GK jersey, but I'm not automatically assuming, Bart is in goal for Luton at home and we'll only ever see Steele in the cups

After Peter Grummitt.

 

[albionalex]

We’re not spending 20m for a keeper of the future. We already have that in someone like Rushworth (although he’s older than Bart). Can’t see any way that Bart won’t be first choice starting the season.

Steele is 32 and although he suits RDZ's style of play, he's not a top keeper.

I haven't seen Rushworth play but the club/RDZ clearly think he's not ready for the first team yet.

If Verbruggen is as good as it sounds like, it makes a lot of sense to bring him, develop him, play him in the cup games and have him challenge Steele for the #1 spot.

I am confident Steele will start the season as #1 but wouldn't be surprised if Verbruggen takes over at some point in the season.

 

[WhingForPresident]

 

[Da Man Clay]

A pure guess but I think the concept of “first choice” won’t have much mileage next season. We saw De Zerbi change starting players regularly at the end of the season due to injuries and tiredness and we’ll have to do the same again.

He even gave Sanchez the start at Wembley- ironically probably a mistake in hindsight as Steele would have been better at penalties

Pretty normal for most sides to have a ‘cup’ keeper now. We’ve been doing it for years.

Steele is 32 and although he suits RDZ's style of play, he's not a top keeper.

I haven't seen Rushworth play but the club/RDZ clearly think he's not ready for the first team yet.

If Verbruggen is as good as it sounds like, it makes a lot of sense to bring him, develop him, play him in the cup games and have him challenge Steele for the #1 spot.

I am confident Steele will start the season as #1 but wouldn't be surprised if Verbruggen takes over at some point in the season.

we’ll see - but Steele will be out of the side by the first friendly IMO. Steele has been a useful stop gap. Bart hasn’t come here from playing regular football to sit on our bench.

 

[dwayne]

Right let's get this very clear.

Bart is 20m and was a top goalie in the Europa League last season and rated as one of the best young keepers in the world.

He will one million percent be first choice.

 

[dwayne]

Hopefully get this one announced soon. Man u on the lookout for a keeper by all accounts and they have the Dutch connection.

 

[Live by the sea]

I heard from someone ( I’m not able to say who ) that Sanchez when he was first dropped would have come back into the team after 2 or 3 games out but he said something negative to Undav that got back to the manager who was rightly very annoyed with him .

I’ve no proof this is truebut I do believe the original plan was just to shake up Sanchez to follow instructions more with his feet , it wasn’t meant to be a permanent ‘drop ‘

 

[b.w.2.]

Available:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/66053069

Anyone's better than the awful goalie Jason Steele .

I presume by the emoji you are joking!?

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

It wouldn’t have got to penalties. Not a chance that JS saves the deflected Rashford shot.

Debatable for me.