[Albion] Go on Jason Steele !!!!

[Garyoldfan]

And this is the biggest issue with Steele. There’s no expectation that he’ll do any of the goalkeeping stuff, so rather than sticking with the clear upgrade we end up in this vicious cycle of incompetence with him, where half of us say it as it is (which is that he’s not good enough) and half of us defend him with willful ignorance because he’s apparently a nice guy.

My honest reaction talking to friends last night was “we’ve lost this badly” from the moment I saw the team sheet. Part of that was the lack of pace and quality, but a large part is because I’ve no faith in Steele’s ability in goal.

It is what it is.

How was he incompetent last night ? Seriously ?

 

[Garyoldfan]

He just dives a bit flatter than Verbruggen. Genuinely, think he did his best, but isn’t as athletic.

RdZ wanted the passing strength rather than shot-stopping, which I understand to be fair and it has served us well. Personally, I prefer Verbruggen….

“dives a bit flatter” . How can I have a serious conversation with people like this. . I’ll just let the bullies bully. If he still gets Criticism after no goals were his fault then I’m wasting my data.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

“dives a bit flatter” . How can I have a serious conversation with people like this. . I’ll just let the bullies bully. If he still gets Criticism after no goals were his fault then I’m wasting my data.

He does, obviously you’re too blind to see.

If you actually read my quote, you’ll see I’m not blaming him, just highlighting he’s less athletic than Verbruggen. Didn’t think he had much chance…

I’m sure you’re more athletic than me. People and players have different strengths.

Try reading the thread…

 

[Garyoldfan]

He does, obviously you’re too blind to see.

If you actually read my quote, you’ll see I’m not blaming him, just highlighting he’s less athletic than Verbruggen. Didn’t think he had much chance…

I’m sure you’re more athletic than me. People and players have different strengths.

Try reading the thread…

“Dives flatter”

 

[Bozza]

RdZ wanted the passing strength rather than shot-stopping, which I understand to be fair and it has served us well. Personally, I prefer Verbruggen….

I think that's probably what it comes down to - RDZ perceives Steele's better footwork to be worth it against certain teams/tactics/styles.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

“Dives flatter”

If you can’t discuss and defend your opinion you can go on ignore
Good luck.

 

[worthingseagull]

WARNING Tongue in cheek post

Yep - crap goal keeping not to save an incredible, first class header from Kevin de Bruyne into the the top right corner. Then of course Barco being caught in possession on the edge of the box - Steele really should take flak for that. The free kick that led to Foden’s goal shouldn’t have been given but it was a great free kick, awkward ball and went in off the deflection. Steele should have beaten Walker to the ball before Alvarez tapped in the fourth but Walker looked like he fouled Steele to me.

EDIT - For the dense and slow to catch on - that was all tongue in cheek - Steele couldn’t have done anything about the first 3 goals and was fouled on the fourth.

He had two opportunities to go long when it was obvious that we were under 'too much' pressure in our box for the Barco one but didnt. Bart shows regularly that he does know when to just clear it when necessary

 

[nwgull]

And this is the biggest issue with Steele. There’s no expectation that he’ll do any of the goalkeeping stuff, so rather than sticking with the clear upgrade we end up in this vicious cycle of incompetence with him, where half of us say it as it is (which is that he’s not good enough) and half of us defend him with willful ignorance because he’s apparently a nice guy.

My honest reaction talking to friends last night was “we’ve lost this badly” from the moment I saw the team sheet. Part of that was the lack of pace and quality, but a large part is because I’ve no faith in Steele’s ability in goal.

It is what it is.

I don't think it's a case of not expecting Steele to do the standard goalkeeping stuff; we do expect him to do that, and he generally does. However, that is his ceiling, and he doesn't have the ability to do anything exceptional like pull off the type of saves that win 'undeserved' points. Bart has made saves over the last 4-5 games that you just know that Steele wouldn't have, and we've certainly faced plenty of opposition goalkeepers that earn their teams points by making these kind of saves - Trafford at the Amex earlier this season is an example.

Steele is a perfect back-up keeeper. An experienced pro who is competent enough to do a job in the very ocassional games where he's required but is otherwise happy to pick up a wage training 5 days a week and and playing the occasional cup game to keep sharp.

 

[Garyoldfan]

If you can’t discuss and defend your opinion you can go on ignore
Good luck.

“Dives flatter”. That has made my day

 

[WhingForPresident]

“Dives flatter”. That has made my day

Christ, shut up you idiot.

 

[Garyoldfan]

I’ve ordered one of these and will be wearing it to the next game

 

[Giraffe]

Must confess my heart fell a bit when I saw Steele was starting. And I was a Steele fan. Just was glad that we seemed to have ditched the rotation. I get he thinks there is a benefit of Steele being better on the ball against certain teams, but the downside of the lack of consistency and flow of having the same keeper week in week out has to more than mitigate this. I think the rotation notion is nonsense.

 

[nicko31]

Gotta a lot of love for Steele, he's had a very up and down career and finally get regular time in the PL against the odds, but I think its clear he' shouldn't be our no.1 choice.

 

[Kosh]

I think Steele is actually flatter if you measured his depth/girth… surely that’s an issue ?

I’ve never considered a flatter keeper to be a weakness until now, every day really is a school day on nsc…

On a serious note, if I was playing City I’d go for the better shot stopper and accept that going long might actually have an impact… well, I’d rather squander possession further up the field than on the edge of our box. However, that would involve both flexibility and pragmatism, not really a forte of our Roberto :/

I’m not I one for singling out a GK, unless it’s a Burnley style howler… I do worry though that Jason is fragile in terms of belief and confidence and consistently letting in 2-4 per match is going to result in a total loss of form, if it hasn’t already.

The problem isn’t Jason, it’s the rigid nature of our ‘tactical disposition’ … it’s starting to erode all that was good.

I said yesterday we’ve been asset stripped to within an inch of Southampton, with the likelihood of Kaoru leaving this summer… we’re a few missteps away from a relegation battle, and looking at our current lack of fight we’ll be lucky to survive… and it won’t matter which poor sod is in goal.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

It's completely obvious that Steele played today, because of City's high press and he has more ability to pass calmly and break the City lines if they overcommit.

OK. It didn't work. But I guess beating City isn't that easy, especially with more players injured than fit and some highly generous reffing.

This isn't on Steele

I basically agree, but might frame it differently.

As soon as we saw Steele was given the nod, it was obvious that RDZ was planning to go BIG on the rondos in our own box to draw them on. I wasn't expecting him to go QUITE so big.

It was almost as though getting a patronising pat on the head from Pep was his main target for the night.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

I basically agree, but might frame it differently.

As soon as we saw Steele was given the nod, it was obvious that RDZ was planning to go BIG on the rondos in our own box to draw them on. I wasn't expecting him to go QUITE so big.

It was almost as though getting a patronising pat on the head from Pep was his main target for the night.

Don't agree at all.

The way I think he sees it is you can't constantly tell your players to be brave and not fear failure, then back down from that when there's a top opponent.

He's leading by the sort of example he wants his players to follow. It's obviously going to go very wrong sometimes, that's priced in.

Maybe the next manager will be a keep the score down pragmatist type, but until then it's death or glory every game.... And the way things are at the moment.... Mostly death

 

[schmunk]

“Dives flatter”. That has made my day

Why are you being such a **** about this?

 

[JBizzle]

Last night was the first time in WEEKS that we tried to play the De Zerbi style, small passing triangles to try and break the press, splitting the defence with short passes to midfield etc etc.

For all Verbruggen's strengths, Steele is better at that system. You can argue about his shot stopping all you like (FWIW, I didn't think he could do anything about any of the goals), but Steele does play De Zerbi's style better that Bart.

 

[Beanstalk]

I think that's probably what it comes down to - RDZ perceives Steele's better footwork to be worth it against certain teams/tactics/styles.

And it's quite obvious to anyone who watches both without deciding they hate one of them that that is the case.

I prefer Verbruggen in goal, he is a better goalkeeper, and is okay with his feet, but Steele does offer more going forward. It is a trade off for RDZ and it is understandable. The flaw is, if we lose the ball in a dangerous position, Steele is far more beatable.

 

[Zeberdi]

And this is the biggest issue with Steele. There’s no expectation that he’ll do any of the goalkeeping stuff, so rather than sticking with the clear upgrade we end up in this vicious cycle of incompetence with him, where half of us say it as it is (which is that he’s not good enough) and half of us defend him with willful ignorance because he’s apparently a nice guy.

My honest reaction talking to friends last night was “we’ve lost this badly” from the moment I saw the team sheet. Part of that was the lack of pace and quality, but a large part is because I’ve no faith in Steele’s ability in goal.

It is what it is.

Well since this was directed at me, I reply to you - No it is not. That is your opinion. I wasn’t defending him because he is an apparently nice guy and accusing people who disagree with you and who cite his qualities, as being ‘wilfully ignorant’ is absurd. Perhaps give specific example of where you think he didn’t give as much as he could have done and how Bart would have handled it instead and how he could have saved all those goals last night with the defenders we had and the refs we had rather than of trotting out an anti-Steele trope. With possibly the exception of the 4th goal, Steele does not deserved to be blamed for our loss but even with the 4th, he would have smothered the ball if Walker hadn’t barged into him and obstructed his effort .

The ‘goal-keeping‘ stuff in De Zerbi’s system of play requires the GK to be one of the footballing defenders, playing out from the back - a gk who can be the pivot between the CB’s and FB’s - when you are playing against a very high pressing team like Citeh, who will exploit that risky aspect of our game, you need a GK who has excellent communication with his CBs and the calmness and experience to play short-accurate passing football in front of his own goal. Excuse the pun, but Steele does that with nerves of steel.

Good job RDZ has faith in him because after all, it is the manger’s qualified opinion that counts.