[Albion] Lack of Challenge for the Number One Shirt

[vagabond]

He is a top tier keeper

https://twitter.com/bhaoutofcontext/status/1282057939092742145

 

[nwgull]

How many clubs have a second keeper that is genuinely there as anything other than a back-up? No point in Walton coming into the squad unless Potter wants him as first choice. He’s not going to develop sat on the bench every week.

 

[peterward]

There’s a few keepers going down that I would happily take to challenge Ryan.

Heaton & Ramsdale.

If Villa go down, you'd think it inevitable Heaton wouldn't go down with them?. He's far to good. Just a case of who can bag him. He's better a better alround keeper imho than MR, but you'd guess he wouldnt fancy going anywhere and bench sitting.

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

If Villa go down, you'd think it inevitable Heaton wouldn't go down with them?. He's far to good. Just a case of who can bag him. He's better a better alround keeper imho than MR, but you'd guess he wouldnt fancy going anywhere and bench sitting.

He’s 34 so coming towards the end of his career, pay day in the premiership maybe sitting on the bench or dropping to the championship and fizzling out to retirement

 

[nwgull]

There’s a few keepers going down that I would happily take to challenge Ryan.

Heaton & Ramsdale.

Heaton is a an ideal candidate for a back-up keeper with his years of top-level experience. But at 34 he’s not a long-term replacement for Ryan.

What is this obsession with challenging Ryan as if he’s somehow not professional and hasn’t been training or trying hard enough in games? He’s either good enough for first choice every week or he isn’t and should be replaced from day 1. Pissing about with the starting keeper during the season is a recipe for disaster as far as defensive cock ups are concerned.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

It's a shame Tim Krul went to Norwich. Would have been a good back-up and given him strong competition. I don't have any faith in Button, unfortunately. Time to recall Walton I think.

Krul was dropped as number one at Newcastle. I know he was injured, but after recovering he couldn’t get his number one spot back so he left. He wasn’t content to be a bench sitter either there nor here.
If he couldn’t be first choice he was always going to leave, which he did.

 

[rippleman]

Ryan has his flaws certainly but for the money the club is prepared to spend I doubt you could find better.

Totally accept the point about competition; Button & Steele just aren't. I would like to see the two of them shipped out and have Walton and Sanchez as the back-ups.

We will always have a limited budget and I think we have far more pressing priorities; getting a target man in to replace Murray and a serious upgrade to replace Stephens.

 

[AZ Gull]

Ryan has his flaws certainly but for the money the club is prepared to spend I doubt you could find better.

Totally accept the point about competition; Button & Steele just aren't. I would like to see the two of them shipped out and have Walton and Sanchez as the back-ups.

We will always have a limited budget and I think we have far more pressing priorities; getting a target man in to replace Murray and a serious upgrade to replace Stephens.

The problem with that is you are potentially condemning the two to have a season with effectively zero competitive football (maybe a couple of cup matches at most). That doesn't do anyone any good.

 

[Raphael Meade]

In the three years he’s been with us, Ryan’s form has been very consistent imho. And from what I’ve read and heard about Ryan, he’s also a very dedicated and professional person and not someone who will consciously rest on his laurels. All things considered I’m quite happy with the current ‘keeping situation at the club.

Bang on.

 

[OzMike]

I had a quick Google search and there are not many available anyway.

 

[Stat Brother]

 

[dazzer6666]

Anyone suggesting Walton should return to 'press Maty for the shirt' or whatever should go and have a read of the Blackburn fan's forum. General view there is 'he's alright', 'mid-lower championship keeper' etc. If they are ambivalent about whether he's good enough for them, it's perhaps unlikely he's going to be threatening Maty for a place. A few recent posts :

I'd not be averse to having Walton back as perm, if price is right, but seems unlikely so wouldn't shed a tear.

That's what we have had with Walton though, and before that Raya, and it's hardly been to universal acclaim in either case. Both have been pilloried on here (sometime overly so IMO) after those clangers. Hart would be totally crucified if he did the same. I'm sure there are better, more consistent & less showboaty keepers out there than Hart, whether from lower leagues, Prem reserves or Europe.

the big priority this close season is a goalkeeper who actually keeps them out

Walton pulled off a few decent save but I do not believe he is the long term answer.