Bye Bye Graeme Smith

[Scotty Mac]

I must admit, I am worried for Smith at the moment, even Tony Millard had a dig at him earlier but the fans are making it so hard for him. Again it seems that the fight for the number 1 spot is not being played on a even playing field unfortunately.

normally i would agree - i certainly do with the fact that henderson never got a fair go from a lot of fans. but the fact of the matter is is that smith really is not playing very well - he might be a good keeper but he just isnt showing it. and we cant afford to be leaking goals at this rate if we want to get anywhere this season. kuipers needs to get back into that side and soon, and bearing in mind he has been pretty poor this season as well, then if the budget allows (ie once we have sorted out the defence itself), then id say getting in a proper challenger to kuipers is what is needed

 

[Grendel]

But yet Smith is good enough to have played 150 odd SPL games, played in Europe had Scotland B caps and been in the Scotland squad. Was the first choice of the team that finished 3rd in the SPL so can't be that bad.

The standard in the SPL is absolute turd though. It's so bad that a man with no legs could hold down a place in most SPL sides. All that having a Scotland B cap says is that he's not quite as good as a goalkeeper that shipped four goals in an international against Norway.

 

[chez]

normally i would agree - i certainly do with the fact that henderson never got a fair go from a lot of fans. but the fact of the matter is is that smith really is not playing very well - he might be a good keeper but he just isnt showing it. and we cant afford to be leaking goals at this rate if we want to get anywhere this season. kuipers needs to get back into that side and soon, and bearing in mind he has been pretty poor this season as well, then if the budget allows (ie once we have sorted out the defence itself), then id say getting in a proper challenger to kuipers is what is needed

Yep I agree that he isn't playing well, but I don't think the fans help him. Getting in another keeper even on a temporary basis could be the solution, I think with Gus in charge and assuming rightly or wrongly that we have some cash to spend we are probably in the best position in awhile to attract one.

With the transfer window shut at the moment though, it seems that Gus may have his hands tied.

 

[SICKASAGULL]

Kuipers over the past two seasons has saved us on many occasions,he was shown at his best against Southampton,yet has regularly received critism from supporters,perhaps he will now receive the praise he is intitled too.

 

[jonesie]

Whether MK is good, bad, indifferent (for the record, he is quality in my book) this is no reason to persevere with a keeper who

a) doesnt come for crosses
b) doesnt leave his line
c) cant get down to save shots along the ground
d) has let an average of 3 goals a game in.

he is without a shadow of a doubt the worst keeper I have seen in over 1,000 games of professional football.

If we want his confidence restored, loan him out and let some other team benefit (!?!) from his record of fine scottish keeping.

 

[sparky]

Worst goalie seen at club for many a year!

 

[Silent Bob]

Yep I agree that he isn't playing well, but I don't think the fans help him. Getting in another keeper even on a temporary basis could be the solution, I think with Gus in charge and assuming rightly or wrongly that we have some cash to spend we are probably in the best position in awhile to attract one.

With the transfer window shut at the moment though, it seems that Gus may have his hands tied.

Well if, as rumoured, Gus was trying to get Jimmy Walker on loan then I sincerely hope he goes back in for him in January. Then we'll see a true test of your theory about the fans, will they get on the back of a keeper who isn't Kuipers if he's actually good?

 

[king Wombat]

Well if, as rumoured, Gus was trying to get Jimmy Walker on loan then I sincerely hope he goes back in for him in January. Then we'll see a true test of your theory about the fans, will they get on the back of a keeper who isn't Kuipers if he's actually good?

Roberts won the fans over (eventually), and he was much much better than Kuipers.

 

[BUTTERBALL]

I will say this. His handling and distribution was first class today. He should have done better for the first, the second Virgo should have cleared and he had no chance.

 

[Silent Bob]

Roberts won the fans over (eventually), and he was much much better than Kuipers.

Agreed, though he did worry me slightly on crosses. Also I could never forget when he tried to dribble past two players, lost the ball, and they tapped it in.

 

[Easy 10]

OK, the defending in front of Smith has been woeful, but I have yet to see him actually bail us out with a save yet The first goal today seemed to go under him (like the 4th at Norwich), and the second was another where I felt he could've got something on it and maybe tipped it round the post.

We seem to have a keeper there that just doesn't manage to make saves.

 

[king Wombat]

Agreed, though he did worry me slightly on crosses. Also I could never forget when he tried to dribble past two players, lost the ball, and they tapped it in.

Yes I remember that... But nonetheless he was a very good keeper. Wonder what he's doing now...

 

[Spider]

OK, the defending in front of Smith has been woeful, but I have yet to see him actually bail us out with a save yet The first goal today seemed to go under him (like the 4th at Norwich), and the second was another where I felt he could've got something on it and maybe tipped it round the post.

We seem to have a keeper there that just doesn't manage to make saves.

Agreed. You can only say "there's not much he could have done about the goals..." so many times before you realise that a good keeper would make those saves without you really realising that another goalie would let them in. Smith has been truely woeful this season, hope he improves but still don't think he's the long term goalkeeping solution we need.

 

[fleet]

Going through espn's soccernet:

R&D - shots: 6, on target: 2, concede: 2
Norwich - shots: 10, on target: 6, concede: 4
leeds - shots: 9, on target: 2, concede: 3
wycombe - shots: 7, on target: 3, concede: 0
wycombe - shots: 8, on target: 4, concede: 4
hartlepool - shots: 9, on target: 3, concede: 3
leyton orient - shots: 15, on target: 7, concede: 1
stockport - shots: 2, on target: 1, concede: 4
huddersfield - shots: 7, on target: 2, concede: 5

Apparently a goal doesn't count as a shot (on target), so I guess it should read:

R&D - shots: 8, on target: 4, concede: 2
norwich - shots: 14, on target: 10, concede: 4
leeds - shots: 12, on target: 5, concede: 3
wycombe - shots: 7, on target: 3, concede: 0
wycombe - shots: 12, on target: 8, concede: 4
hartlepool - shots: 12, on target: 6, concede: 3
leyton orient - shots: 16, on target: 8, concede: 1
stockport - shots: 6, on target: 5, concede: 4
huddersfield - shots: 12, on target: 7, concede: 5

shots on target 56
Goals conceded 26

46% of shots = a goal

Thanks for that - I can't ask you what is a reasonable stat for shots to goals, but this must be worse than most?

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Well if, as rumoured, Gus was trying to get Jimmy Walker on loan then I sincerely hope he goes back in for him in January. Then we'll see a true test of your theory about the fans, will they get on the back of a keeper who isn't Kuipers if he's actually good?

Not sure about that. Spurs only just signed him

 

[Alan Gilliver]

he didn't bat very well for South Africa this morning either

 

[fleet]

he didn't bat very well for South Africa this morning either

Maybe he should try table tennis or something?

 

[cjd]

Maybe he should try table tennis or something?

Any sport using his hands is a no-go area I,m afraid.......

 

[backson]

I've read about him a lot on here, but it's the first time I've seen him play. He caught every single cross, great distribution with his throws, and when he gets the ball he's always looking to get the edge of the box quickly to do something with it. There are sides to his game that are good, which must be why he's here now.

For the goals, I think I'll reserve judgement. From the sidelines we just don't get the angle of view to judge how easy or not they were to save. I think we've been spoilt these last years with Kuipers (for all his faults) being one of the best shot stoppers at this level. It doesn't help having a defence like a sieve. I'd be happy to read views from those who sat behind the goal who'd have a far better view then 90% of the rest of us. From the sidelines its difficult to say if he doesn't get to the ball, or just gets down too late, or whether it would be impossible to get to.

However I will say this, he doesn't have presence.