[Albion] Mat Ryan - taller than Pat Jennings

[Buckeejit]

Generally really impressed with Mat, love his attitude, think we're lucky to have him & hope we can move on from constant references to his supposed 'lack of height' - just checked and he's slightly taller than the great Pat Jennings - a world class keeper who was always affectionately known as 'Big Pat' - maybe we can start calling our boy 'Big Mat'

 

[Goldstone1976]

Yeah, but all humans were shorter in the olden days.

 

[Is it PotG?]

Met the North London legend in a quiet moment at Belfast Airport. Had a chat, bought him a coffee and he signed my boarding pass. Top gentleman legend.

 

[dazzer6666]

Met the North London legend in a quiet moment at Belfast Airport. Had a chat, bought him a coffee and he signed my boarding pass. Top gentleman legend.

Yeah but was he little ?

 

[Is it PotG?]

Yeah but was he little ?

Not really, massive mitts though.

 

[Baldseagull]

Generally really impressed with Mat, love his attitude, think we're lucky to have him & hope we can move on from constant references to his supposed 'lack of height' - just checked and he's slightly taller than the great Pat Jennings - a world class keeper who was always affectionately known as 'Big Pat' - maybe we can start calling our boy 'Big Mat'

Didn't he have massive hands though?

Saw this in the Premier league stats https://www.premierleague.com/stats/top/players/total_high_claim?po=GOALKEEPER

 

[LamieRobertson]

Not really, massive mitts though.

Used to catch crosses with one mitt

 

[A mex eyecan]

Yeah, but all humans were shorter in the olden days.

but the crossbars were the same height��

 

[Steve in Japan]

Until I've seen him chipped from 8 yards, he'll do for me. Matty, that is. Not Big Pat.

 

[Megazone]

Fingers crossed he can score a goal kicking from his hands too.

 

[Stat Brother]

Saw this in the Premier league stats https://www.premierleague.com/stats/top/players/total_high_claim?po=GOALKEEPER

What does that prove, every claim is a 'high claim' for Maty.

 

[Perfidious Albion]

According to Wikipedia the legendary Gordon Banks stood 1.85 mtrs ( what's that in feet?) And our Matty is 1.84 mtrs.....

Same as makes no difference. I am delighted Ryan is now getting the accolades after a shaky start.

 

[Saunders]

According to Wikipedia the legendary Gordon Banks stood 1.85 mtrs ( what's that in feet?) And our Matty is 1.84 mtrs.....

Same as makes no difference. I am delighted Ryan is now getting the accolades after a shaky start.

Peter Shilton and Ray Clemence were 1.83 m which is 6'0 1.85 is close to 6'1.

 

[GOM]

maybe we can start calling our boy 'Big Mat'

Nobody is gonna walk all over him.

 

[Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo]

but the crossbars were the same height��

Yes but outfield players were a lot smaller, Sammy Lee was average height for a pro player. Had Ryan been playing back then he’d have been considered a giant.

 

[Frutos]

If we're taking Ryan's height as 1.83 m, then he absolutely dwarfs the 1.81 m of some Spanish bloke called Iker Casillas, who I believe has had a decent career as a goalkeeper.

 

[dazzer6666]

He wouldn’t look so small if we didn’t have two brick outhouses at centre back......

 

[Raleigh Chopper]

I think he wears stacked boots.

 

[Cadiz Seagull]

I shook hands with Pat Jennings once.

It was like putting my hand in a bag

 

[Mo Gosfield]

Yes but outfield players were a lot smaller, Sammy Lee was average height for a pro player. Had Ryan been playing back then he’d have been considered a giant.

Sammy Lee....average height!!....where did you get that from? Even in his day, he was considered small and chunky. Granted, we are all getting taller and heavier but surely that is not the prerequisite for a goalkeeper. Compared to Stockdale, Ryan is clearly physically smaller but what he loses in size, he more than makes up for in athleticism. His reactions are a fraction quicker and he copes with low angled shots better than Stocky.
Most goalkeepers now are 6' 3" + but that doesn't make them any more athletic. In fact, I have had a feeling for quite a time that many of the modern keepers lack real spring and agility. Give me a keeper around 6' 1" with plenty of spring and you won't go far wrong. Too many keepers at present are too big and too heavy.