Stockdale

[Cowfold Seagull]

Joe hart. Jack butland and .....another keeper needed for euros.

Getting a tad carried away now me thinks Berty. Yes, Stockdale is a much improved keeper, but England class?, no certainly not..

Having a very good season yes, but still error prone on occasion.

 

[Stat Brother]

He wasn't a bad 'keeper last season and I maintain his saves were a big part in keeping us in the Championship.

Last season was a carbon copy of the first half v Charlton.

Stockdale was making 3, 4, or 5 goal bound saves, but one would eventually slip through.

The anti-Stockdale nimrod(s) couldn't see the fantastic saves because 'that's what he's paid to do', 'just a regulation save'.
But would get all blathered about pushing the ball to their centre forward (irrespective of the deflection).

Now that Stockdale isn't called upon every 5 minutes, and the team has found the net we're having to put up with 'Ben Roberts is clearly a good coach' 'he's so much better than last season'.

NO HE'S NOT, he's as good as he was then - You were wrong last season, and you're wrong now.

 

[Berty23]

Getting a tad carried away now me thinks Berty. Yes, Stockdale is a much improved keeper, but England class?, no certainly not..

Having a very good season yes, but still error prone on occasion.

So Heaton is better? Who else is there?

 

[Finchley Seagull]

Sorry but no. Yes I don't dispute that ghe had a fine game on Saturday, but I thought Solly probably edged him out as man of the match.

Bruno, Kayal, and Stephens are also ahead of him in the running for player of the season at the moment too, in my book.

If it wasn't for Stockdale there wouldn't have been a second half comeback as they would have been out of sight. He was clear man of the match on Saturday and should have got the award.

 

[Finchley Seagull]

Last season was a carbon copy of the first half v Charlton.

Stockdale was making 3, 4, or 5 goal bound saves, but one would eventually slip through.

The anti-Stockdale nimrod(s) couldn't see the fantastic saves because 'that's what he's paid to do', 'just a regulation save'.
But would get all blathered about pushing the ball to their centre forward (irrespective of the deflection).

Now that Stockdale isn't called upon every 5 minutes, and the team has found the net we're having to put up with 'Ben Roberts is clearly a good coach' 'he's so much better than last season'.

NO HE'S NOT, he's as good as he was then - You were wrong last season, and you're wrong now.

Completely agree. A lot of rubbish was written about Stockdale last season when he was one of our better players across the whole season but some people just can't admit they were wrong and have to credit other things for his "miraculous" turn around.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Getting a tad carried away now me thinks Berty. Yes, Stockdale is a much improved keeper, but England class?, no certainly not..

Having a very good season yes, but still error prone on occasion.

He's already been part of the England squad.

 

[dazzer6666]

Without him we'd have gone down last season

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Without him we'd have gone down last season

Just one example off the top of my head, was at Fulham away. Before Solly scored the second goal, Stockdale produced a worldy save to keep us ahead.

 

[grummitts gloves]

Name a keeper who isn't prone to the odd gaff? Stockdale is a quality keeper and if he stays in good form, there's no reason he couldn't be England's No.3. The only thing that will hold him back is if we are still a Championship club by the time the final squad for the Euros is chosen. As we all know, the stuffed shirts at the FA would never dream of allowing a 'lowly' Football League player into the full England squad these days.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

For me it's not just his performances on the pitch, it's the way he conducts himself off it. He seems to be very club orientated, a lot like Calde, Sometimes I think if my car broke down and I asked him for a lift home after the game he'd say sure, no problem

Yep - all of this.

Back in October, I wrote on the PoTS thread: "I went the other way around. I think Stockdale has been a revelation this season. I don't think he was as dreadful as some people suggest he was last season, but there was certainly room for improvement, and that improvement has come. He has made some important saves this season which, given that we don't exactly seem to be potent up front, have proved vital. He also seems a real team player - making the effort to go around each of the team pre-match and having a word, or saying whatever he does. Who is to say whether it makes a difference, but I'd like to think it helps.

For matters away from the pitch, I think the way he handled himself in the aftermath of the Shoreham Air Show was a lesson to lots of people, let alone footballers. Goalkeepers union and all that maybe, but he strikes me as the type of guy who have the same approach regardless of the player's position. Whether this last point counts anything towards the PoTS debate I'm not sure, but it's that kind of attitude that has made him go further up in my estimation."

I stand by all of that, and he has proven himself a lot more since then with some cracking saves. I also heard his post-match interview on Saturday and thought it was excellent. Calm and cautious, humorous, with a bit of insight into what goes on in the dressing room (and on the pitch) thrown in for good measure.

Top, TOP, fella as Harry would say

 

[Machiavelli]

Kayal is undisputed POTS in my opinion. His work rate in every game is immense. I think our season would crumble if he got injured, he's that important. If he was out who could replace him? We have no-one who'd do his job any where near as well as him.

For me, Kayal was MotM on Saturday. As good as Stockdale was in keeping us in the game with a string of saves, and as thrilling as Solly is (most notably, when playing on the left and driving towards that touchline -- he's a proper winger), Kayal picked that game up by the scruff of the neck, and drove us forward. His will to win is extraordinary.

PotS so far is Bruno. This might not be the best time to say so as Lookman got the better of him for a while, but he's been so consistent, and consistently brilliant: defensively solid, and his skill, flair and vision are a joy to witness. He's also a great team player. I had the pleasure of him playing a bit of table football with my son, against me on Sunday -- they won. I asked him if he thought this was his best season at Albion, and he agreed, and said that he was really enjoying himself. That says something at the age of 35.

As to rivals for PotS, there are several: Kayal, Stephens and Stockdale predominantly so far. Kayal is undoubtedly our most influential player, and he's the one we'd miss the most. LuaLua started brilliantly too. There's one player that if he continues turning in performances that he has been over the past ten or so games that may will win that particular accolade, and that's March. Let's hope that this run isn't just a period of good form, but how he plays consistently. If it is, things might be even better than we currently think they are.

 

[Machiavelli]

Just one example off the top of my head, was at Fulham away. Before Solly scored the second goal, Stockdale produced a worldy save to keep us ahead.

Exactly. He was brilliant in that game. The blamestockdale brigade let the obvious (gaffes such as Cardiff, which were horrendous and at precisely the wrong moment in the game) blind them to what else was going on. He was a great keeper last year, but made some howlers. These have been absent this season.

 

[Hotchilidog]

Stockdale left us with a game to save on saturday. It really as simple as that. The great outfield performances in the second half would have been for nought if we were four down at HT (and we should have been).

Nice to see Stockdale get the recognition he deserves on this thread, a fine keeper indeed.

 

[Hiney]

Stockdale personifies what we love about the club.

As fans, we want people involved who 'get' what we are all about. Stockdale is 100% one of these.

ON the pitch he's been brilliant as well. I'll never forget that penalty save against Birmingham City last season. You could see what it meant to him.

 

[Munkfish]

Anyone who couldn't see he was a truely quality keeper last season is a complete Ass-hat. There was never any doubt that he anything other than a real quality keeper, he had a team who couldnt score in front of him so every little mistake was blown up into something massive. Personally if being a bit criticle in recent weeks his mistake against Reading and the parry for Brums goal were a lot more disapointing than anything I saw last season.

The bloke is pure class on and off the pitch. I hope the club are looking to extend his contract and he gets a chance with us if we make the Premier League, I truely believe he has the potential to be called up to the England squad.

 

[BensGrandad]

How anybody cannot see that Ben Robert has made a difference is totally baffling Stockdale is attacking the crosses better and is punching and pushing the ball generally into no mans land rather than back into the 6 yd box. Also he is not getting caught on his near post anywhere near as often, Saturday was an exception and just a brilliant shot. He is kicking the ball more to players than continually out of touch so allround he has improved and credit must go to both him and Roberts cos whatever they are doing different it is working.

 

[Withdean11]

Solly March was my MOM on Saturday but agree that Stockdale and Kayal deserve mentions. The only 3 players to turn up for us in the first half. Initial thought was that he could of done better with their first but replays show he couldn't do much about it.

Was harsh on Stockdale last season but he certainly has turned in around and been one of our best this season, which really is saying something. Cleared up Dunk's mistakes countless times.

 

[Withdean11]

How anybody cannot see that Ben Robert has made a difference is totally baffling Stockdale is attacking the crosses better and is punching and pushing the ball generally into no mans land rather than back into the 6 yd box. Also he is not getting caught on his near post anywhere near as often, Saturday was an exception and just a brilliant shot. He is kicking the ball more to players than continually out of touch so allround he has improved and credit must go to both him and Roberts cos whatever they are doing different it is working.

Agree with that. Also wonder how much impact having a genuine no. 2 in Maenpaa is having on Stockdale this season?

 

[BensGrandad]

Just shows difference of opinon I thought that Solly was poor first half as per most of the team excluding DS and in the 2nd he improved as did the rest of the team. I would have made either DS or Kayal MOM with March possibly following them.

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

He's already been part of the England squad.

Yes he has, but that doesn't necessarily mean that I believe he is one of the three best English goalkeepers. Sorry but I maintain that whilst he is much improved on last season, he is still prone to the odd mistake. Playing in a winning team is helping too.