CONFIMRED - New Keeper Emiliano Martinez

[Snowflake Royal]

I'm leaning towards JMW on this one. A 4th senior keeper, even on loan, is pretty crazy.

Jaakkola has been good until we went back to fartarsing at the back where he's again looked a bit suspect.

Gomes has identified that we have a bloated squad. We're open about sailing close to the wind on FFP and so we sign yet another keeper.

That should only be for a player who is inexpensive and head and shoulders above your other options. I hardly think this guy qualifies, even if he is better with the ball at his feet.

The solution is not to sign yet another keeper, it is to stop fartarsing around at the back putting your decent keeper under pressure they aren't comfortable with.

I don't think Jaakkola has cost us many goals, so this is potentially a small improvement in an area that isn't a priority for a disproportionate cost.

[stealthpapes]

Jaakola may not have cost goals directly but his relatively poor distribution does not help us.

My take on this is that Mannone is gone, Walker is on his way, Jaakola doesn't fit with what Gomes wants to do.

There are positions that need more attention, but strikes me that Gomes ain't watching Jaakola struggle to make the halfway line with every kick.

[Hound]

We’ll continue fartarsing at the back whatever keeper we have. That’s how Gomes wants to play

Imperative we have a keeper who is comfortable with it - the other 3 really aren’t

That’s on the assumption that Martínez is of course

And it’s clearly not Gomes concern about the other 3 keepers. Anssi is a good back up though

[Snowflake Royal]

We’ll continue fartarsing at the back whatever keeper we have. That’s how Gomes wants to play

Imperative we have a keeper who is comfortable with it - the other 3 really aren’t

That’s on the assumption that Martínez is of course

And it’s clearly not Gomes concern about the other 3 keepers. Anssi is a good back up though

Your first sentence is correct but doesn't make me any happier.

[Denver Royal]

No idea where we are re. FFP, nor what the loan cost us, so anything re. that, would basically be negative drivel by me.
Be that as it may, imo it doesn’t have to feel ‘inspired’, or be our (perceived) biggest need/weakness. Always been of the opinion that if you think you can improve a position, no matter how well it may have been performing, then you do it.
Now, whether he actually does go on to improve it, obv remains to be seen (as with most any signing), but I’ve no issue with the thinking/logic.
We may not even sign him long term, but if he comes in and shows a thing or two, then it will reaffirm to them that ‘Yep, we need to try and upgrade that position going forward’.

[Nameless]

The loan may well have cost us nothing, and we may be paying less wages than we pay Mannone somas long as we’d move Mannone (and if possible Walker too) out in the next week the it could be a net financial gain as well as a playing benefit.
Given we know nothing about the terms of the deal and virtually nothing about the abilities of the new guy it may be a little premature to get all ianRoyal about the deal and condemn it unilaterally.
I’m fairly sure Gomes hasn’t brought the keeper in just for a laugh, he’s fixing what he has identified as a problem.
If he was wrong then he’s end up looking for a new job in the summer.

[Coppells Lost Coat]

The GK problem was evident against Derby. Derby shut off the short ball and pushed right up. Goal kick was taken 'long' and we weren't set up for it and Derby mopped up everything. Their forward was left onside by the CBs being split and wide on the 18 yard line. I would like to think that the long option from a GK should be hitting the opposite CBs, so if Martinez can do that then its a yes. Playing out from the back is nice to watch if done properly. How it has been done here recently is very heart in mouth, head in hands waiting for a mistake to happen.

Regarding FFP i am sure the club havent rushed into another keeper with out being sure on a few departures.

[Forbury Lion]

Always been of the opinion that if you think you can improve a position, no matter how well it may have been performing, then you do it.

As long as an incremental improvement in one area uses up budget that means we can't afford a more pressing improvement in another area.

This new keeper hasn't joined to sit on the bench, But in my opinion he has to better than all the options we have and demonstrate that in training before we drop Jaakola as that may see his confidence/form dented and leave us overall more vulnerable at the back regardless of who is in goal.

[Millsy]

Desperately needed a keeper.

Thank God.

Jaak has been ok but not amazing. Most importantly not good enough for Gomes' style.

Mannone - sadly took a hit with both parents passed away, never recovered.

Walker - not good enough yet.

I'm v happy with this, can only be a good thing. Everything starts from the back.

Although I'd have preferred Steve Mautone.

[Old Man Andrews]

Walker - not good enough yet..

He's 27 years old. How much better is he going to get?

[russyb]

Walker - not good enough yet..

He's 27 years old. How much better is he going to get?

i would argue that Walker hasn't been given enough game time to for any of us to form an opinion, he what played 2 fairly decent games and a couple of stinkers, didn't he? and we haven't seen him since. However i guess he is seen in training and if there was something there he might have got his chance.

[Old Man Andrews]

Walker - not good enough yet..

He's 27 years old. How much better is he going to get?

i would argue that Walker hasn't been given enough game time to for any of us to form an opinion, he what played 2 fairly decent games and a couple of stinkers, didn't he? and we haven't seen him since. However i guess he is seen in training and if there was something there he might have got his chance.

There is absolutely no chance he is a Championship level keeper imo, think we have seen enough of him in games to know that. He was brought in because he is Clements mate and cheap.

[Snowflake Royal]

No idea where we are re. FFP, nor what the loan cost us, so anything re. that, would basically be negative drivel by me.
Be that as it may, imo it doesn’t have to feel ‘inspired’, or be our (perceived) biggest need/weakness. Always been of the opinion that if you think you can improve a position, no matter how well it may have been performing, then you do it.
Now, whether he actually does go on to improve it, obv remains to be seen (as with most any signing), but I’ve no issue with the thinking/logic.
We may not even sign him long term, but if he comes in and shows a thing or two, then it will reaffirm to them that ‘Yep, we need to try and upgrade that position going forward’.

Presumably we can agree that Martinez will cost us some money.

We can reasonably stand by the various comments that have come out of the club about being close to the limit on FFP over the last year or so. Especially seeing as we know our revenue is reduced and our wage bill probably not that different (not that long ago it was more than 100% of turnover).

My argument is that when money is tight (it simply has to be based on what we know of the finances, what's been said by the club and the signings we've made) then any additional cost on a 4th keeper who isn't guaranteed head and shoulders above the three you have is at best a poor use of resources.

[Snowflake Royal]

The loan may well have cost us nothing, and we may be paying less wages than we pay Mannone somas long as we’d move Mannone (and if possible Walker too) out in the next week the it could be a net financial gain as well as a playing benefit.
Given we know nothing about the terms of the deal and virtually nothing about the abilities of the new guy it may be a little premature to get all ianRoyal about the deal and condemn it unilaterally.
I’m fairly sure Gomes hasn’t brought the keeper in just for a laugh, he’s fixing what he has identified as a problem.
If he was wrong then he’s end up looking for a new job in the summer.

If we move out Mannone or Walker the situation is completely different and there's nothing wrong with the signing. At present that doesn't seem likely to me.

[Nameless]

Your keeper is the keystone of the side.
A safe, commanding, decisive keeper is essential.
We didn’t have one of those, we had 3 keepers all of whom have significant weaknesses and not a huge amount to differentiate them
If the new lad brings those characteristics then it will be as big a bonus as if Oliviera brings goals.
It won’t be about the saves he makes or his distribution it will be about the confidence he gives the rest of the team. I think a lot of the reason our defenders make so many mistakes is because they have no confidence in the guy behind them.
And of course if we can move out one or two of the unwanted keepers we’re probably neutral in terms of FFP anyway

[Nameless]

The loan may well have cost us nothing, and we may be paying less wages than we pay Mannone somas long as we’d move Mannone (and if possible Walker too) out in the next week the it could be a net financial gain as well as a playing benefit.
Given we know nothing about the terms of the deal and virtually nothing about the abilities of the new guy it may be a little premature to get all ianRoyal about the deal and condemn it unilaterally.
I’m fairly sure Gomes hasn’t brought the keeper in just for a laugh, he’s fixing what he has identified as a problem.
If he was wrong then he’s end up looking for a new job in the summer.

If we move out Mannone or Walker the situation is completely different and there's nothing wrong with the signing. At present that doesn't seem likely to me.

With respect you have no idea how likely it is we will move a keeper out. Anymore than you (or I) had any idea we were signing this one.
It is clear we WANT to move at least one and we are now entering the week when the moves start happening...

[Brain Traysers]

Playing out the back is probably quite important because we don't have any attackers particularly good at winning headers. Bod and Meite both very average - neither is an old fashioned target man.

Kicking it long is pretty much handing over possession to the opposition in their half.

[Snowflake Royal]

The loan may well have cost us nothing, and we may be paying less wages than we pay Mannone somas long as we’d move Mannone (and if possible Walker too) out in the next week the it could be a net financial gain as well as a playing benefit.
Given we know nothing about the terms of the deal and virtually nothing about the abilities of the new guy it may be a little premature to get all ianRoyal about the deal and condemn it unilaterally.
I’m fairly sure Gomes hasn’t brought the keeper in just for a laugh, he’s fixing what he has identified as a problem.
If he was wrong then he’s end up looking for a new job in the summer.

If we move out Mannone or Walker the situation is completely different and there's nothing wrong with the signing. At present that doesn't seem likely to me.

With respect you have no idea how likely it is we will move a keeper out. Anymore than you (or I) had any idea we were signing this one.
It is clear we WANT to move at least one and we are now entering the week when the moves start happening...

I'm dealing with the reality of the situation as it stands. You're the one who introduced the speculative possibility of someone leaving. Not me. I just responded.

I don't think it's unreasonable to conclude that if someone was going to leave it probably would have happened by now. Especially seeing as if somwlething was looking imminent we could just have held off on this signing until it was done.

[SCIAG]

Mannone was in a similar situation at the same age, except Premier League sides were interested in him. Incredibly meh signing.

Fifth loan as well.

Who were you hoping for in our situation? De Gea? Neuer?

Would have been nice.

I would have preferred someone in the Hahnemann/Al-Habsi mould: an experienced goalkeeper who currently isn't getting into a Premier League side or is second choice at another Championship side.

Don't think Hart was a realistic target, but I would have been interested in someone like Smithies or Forster or Federici. Actually if he hadn't already played for us then Federici would be perfect.

[sandman]

Playing out the back is probably quite important because we don't have any attackers particularly good at winning headers. Bod and Meite both very average - neither is an old fashioned target man.

Kicking it long is pretty much handing over possession to the opposition in their half.

Better than handing it over in our own half.