Virgo v Stockdale

[8ace]

Yeah, I agree with you in the main. It's always annoyed me that the players who get the TV gigs are the ones with the high playing profiles, not necessarily the ones who are actually any good at what they do. I quite like Kevin Kilbane, for example- understated, intelligent, insightful. But he has to battle against the likes of Shearer, who offers a constant stream of inane banality & stating-the-bloody-obvious, and gets paid (no doubt) a whole lot more for it.

I just meant that one or two things Virgo may have come out with could end up coming back to bite him, that's all

Unlike most footballers, Virgo is well-spoken and not a thicko - which puts him at a massive advantage.
Kilbane aftertimes constantly.

 

[The Wizard]

Both need to grow up but it does irritate me slightly how Stockdale seems to get so defensive, you're a professional footballer if you're going to get butthurt about things people say on social media you're going to spend your whole life very angry and defensive.

Football pundit in criticising player SHOCK.

 

[catfish]

Stockdale should just ignore Virgo and accept it as part and parcel of being a goalie. You'll always be under the microscope more than an outfield player.

 

[Sheebo]

I was at the game, he was positioned for the shot, it deflected off of Stephens heel, through Stockdale trying to adjust his arms to Pearce, who nodded it in.

I'm not stupid enough to believe players or pundits but form my own opinion.

I wasn't suggesting that

 

[LamieRobertson]

Virgo.....yawn

 

[Sheebo]

Top class or lower league fodder?

Show me where there is a written rule of the two/three rule.

Surely it depends on the team. A Hyde FC keeper will see more of the ball than a top class team.

Yes - because I did say there was a written rule..

I'm talking in general, of course.

 

[Easy 10]

Stockdale should just step away from Twitter IMO. He's very quick to retweet all the praise and the licking, but any hint of criticism and he's all over it like a tramp on chips.

Case in point was following the home defeat to Boro, where he was busily retweeting everyone saying he'd had a great game, and that he could do nothing about the second goal blah blah - INCLUDING a tweet about how the defence had left him high and dry.

I ventured a reply that it probably wasn't the best idea to throw his team-mates under the bus after the game..to which he came back with something like "yeah course, all my fault, just blame me". Followed by a semi-flounce about taking a break from Twitter (which lasted all of about half an hour).

He's an OK keeper (no better than that IMO), but he carries far too big a chip on his shoulder to be on Twitter. Very precious.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Stockdale should just step away from Twitter IMO. He's very quick to retweet all the praise and the licking, but any hint of criticism and he's all over it like a tramp on chips.

Case in point was following the home defeat to Boro, where he was busily retweeting everyone saying he'd had a great game, and that he could do nothing about the second goal blah blah - INCLUDING a tweet about how the defence had left him high and dry.

I ventured a reply that it probably wasn't the best idea to throw his team-mates under the bus after the game..to which he came back with something like "yeah course, all my fault, just blame me". Followed by a semi-flounce about taking a break from Twitter (which lasted all of about half an hour).

He's an OK keeper (no better than that IMO), but he carries far too big a chip on his shoulder to be on Twitter. Very precious.

Sounds like both should step away imho both behaving like a couple of nancies

 

[Easy 10]

Sounds like both should step away imho both behaving like a couple of nancies

Whether you agree with him or not though, Virgo is there to give his honest opinion. His job is in the media, so he's bound to use social media as part of it.

Stockdale's job is to stop the round thing getting past him, that's it. He's the one who should step away, especially as he is seemingly so sensitive to criticism that he actively goes hunting for month-old tweets about him so he can open up another public slanging match. He should do himself a favour and either ignore it, or close his account.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Whether you agree with him or not though, Virgo is there to give his honest opinion. His job is in the media, so he's bound to use social media as part of it.

Stockdale's job is to stop the round thing getting past him, that's it. He's the one who should step away, especially as he is seemingly so sensitive to criticism that he actively goes hunting for month-old tweets about him so he can open up another public slanging match. He should do himself a favour and either ignore it, or close his account.

i'm glad Stockdale is on twitter makes him more accessible ...and see no reason why he cant stick up for himself against what is after all an average pundit ..paid he may be ..but he's not as good as he likes to think he is

 

[Easy 10]

i'm glad Stockdale is on twitter makes him more accessible ...and see no reason why he cant stick up for himself against what is after all an average pundit ..paid he may be ..but he's not as good as he likes to think he is

Virgo, or Stockdale ?

Making yourself accessible means opening yourself to direct criticism. Twitter is a great medium for that, but I really don't think Stockdale does himself any favours on there.

 

[R. Slicker]

What's all this 'he's paid to comment' stuff to justify Virgo's tweet? He's paid to comment on the radio and the TV. Once he decides to put it twitter, it s personal. Isn't it?

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

Strongly disagreed with Virgo's call to bin Calde.

For that reason I strongly question his judgement, which leads me to be with Stockdale on this one.

 

[Megazone]

Stockdale might have butter fingers here and there but he doesn't stutter when he talks. Maybe they should swap jobs?

 

[Prince Monolulu]

You think Stockdale has iffy kicking? Have you been watching him all season? Regardless of what you think of him overall, surely nobody can doubt the man is incredible with the ball at his feet. The precision in his long passing is at a level some of our midfielders can only dream of.

Yes, I have indeed watched most games this season (missed a couple or so away admittedly). Sometimes they can go astray, and don't get me wrong I'm a fan of his. The balls-up with the ball to Ince (which was 50/50 faultwise) is a clear example. Iffy decision to play such a pass at that time whoever made the call.

 

[marshy68]

Completely agree with this. Personally I don't think Stockdale is a bad keeper, but I think he's had a poor season on the whole, and in my opinion his defenders on here are - perhaps understandably - overcompensating for the criticism he's received.

But I really get annoyed with some of the revisionism on TK: he was superb for us and the idea that he was anything other than excellent is misguided.

Some keepers make mistakes some make howlers. If TK hadn't dropped the ball in the net against Birmingham and CA hadn't let the ball through his legs at forest we would be in the premier league.

 

[TWOCHOICEStom]

Stockdale should just step away from Twitter IMO. He's very quick to retweet all the praise and the licking, but any hint of criticism and he's all over it like a tramp on chips.

Case in point was following the home defeat to Boro, where he was busily retweeting everyone saying he'd had a great game, and that he could do nothing about the second goal blah blah - INCLUDING a tweet about how the defence had left him high and dry.

I ventured a reply that it probably wasn't the best idea to throw his team-mates under the bus after the game..to which he came back with something like "yeah course, all my fault, just blame me". Followed by a semi-flounce about taking a break from Twitter (which lasted all of about half an hour).

He's an OK keeper (no better than that IMO), but he carries far too big a chip on his shoulder to be on Twitter. Very precious.

Totally agree. And what's quite worrying is that, as a keeper you HAVE to be very strong mentally. It can be a horrible, lonely job at times and Stockdale appears to just not be up to taking criticism. Just seeing his twitter behavior seems to me like he's a very self-conscious person who loves lapping up the praise but struggles to keep his head when things don't go his way.

Basically, what I'm trying to say is that I don't think the players would have much confidence in a keeper behind them who is so easily provoked by a month-old tweet from Adam Virgo.

 

[woody12a]

Virgo with his usual "look at me, aren't I controversial" comments to try and get work ..... needs to realise how his career ended up after the ridiculous transfer deal he went for, due to a couple of matey managers at the time

 

[Tory Boy]

Sooner have Virgo than the normal Albion sycophants.

Most commentators are worried about being chucked off the Albion gravy train.

Quite refreshing that someone isn't an Albion patsy.

TB

 

[Mo Gosfield]

The arguments for and against David Stockdale.
1) Against.
In 50 years of watching BHA, I have not seen a keeper make so many errors over the course of the season and still be retained for that whole season as no.1 choice. I have not seen a keeper make so many different types of errors over a whole season.
DS is largely a one-sided keeper. Very strong on his left, much weaker on his right side. I have watched him all season being beaten low to his right, across him, from the angle. His natural inclination is to set himself to his left every time, which doesn't give him the recovery time to get to his right. He can't get down to these low shots and he can't get up and over to free-kicks. It is a major flaw in his game ( he's not the only keeper to suffer from it....many favour one side over the other ) and he seriously needs to work at it. This may be the harshest piece of comment but I have not seen him save one deflected shot all season.
Reports seem to suggest that he is not the hardest worker on the training ground. Worrying, if he genuinely thinks he is the finished article. I admire confidence but judging on this seasons display, it is misplaced.
2) For.
He makes some spectacularly good saves, almost all on his left side. The penalty save v Birmingham was very good. Generally, he deals with crosses well and his kicking out is some of the best I have seen from a BHA keeper. He seems to marshal the defence pretty well and has proved himself in one on one situations, with brave blocks.

Overall, it is mystifying to me why he errs so regularly. Is it loss of concentration? Is there an inherent lack of confidence from early season, that he hasn't been able to shrug off? Is it down to over-confidence? Does he just have too many weaknesses, that have now surfaced in a struggling side, under pressure?
I hope that it is one poor season that he can put right next time out. If he continues to make a range errors at the start of next season ( handling, positional, judgemental ) then he will have to be rested. A lot of people have given him the benefit of the doubt this season and they will expect much more consistency, next.