Some Questions

[BWFC_Insane]

1) Last season we had 3 of the best keepers around. Bogdan stood in more than capably for Jussi, to such an extent some thought it harsh when he was left out when Jussi was back from suspension. Jussi whilst a few questions were asked, didn't make many glaring mistakes. This year both Jussi and Bogdan seem to be capable of chucking a few in the net. The standard seems to be declining in general. And seems to have done since Fred Barber disappeared from the scene. Who is the new GK coach, who came from Burnley, and is he the root cause of the problem? Burnley's keeper Jensen, was pretty much absymal. Since Barber seems to have left/been out injured or whatever, our keepers seem to have gotten progressively worse.

2) Coyle has now singled Steinsson out for criticism and it appears thats why he was subbed off. Now, we all know Steinsson isn't very good. But equally, whilst he may have dozed off for their first goal yesterday, he's hardly the worst player in our side. Why does he get binned off and criticised publically for one mistake, yet Robinson stays on, despite consistently being exposed? And the mistakes aren't confined to full back either. Coyle seems to have favourites who are untouchable, whilst at the same time, a set of whipping boys, who he's happy to hang out to dry.

3) When its glaringly obvious that letting Luiz gallop 40 yards unchecked with the ball, why isn't something done about it straight away? Happened about 5 or 6 times before we seemed to actually do something to stop it. By which time it was too late and the damage done. I can't imagine Allardyce or even Megson letting that happen without putting someone on him! Is there any tactical direction from the bench? Do we have anyone sitting high up in the stand to observe the bigger picture?

[Tombwfc]

Number one is a bit ridiculous, I think. Jussi is 36 years old, however shit our GK coach may be, he's not going to make Jussi forget what he already knows. At the end of the day, 'keepers make mistakes and sometimes you get unlucky enough that a couple of them make a few in a short space of time.

Two is just bizarre. Owen singled out and dropped Boyata for losing his man against Norwich, now he's singled out Steinsson and presumably he will be dropped for the Wigan game (mostly likely for.... Boyata).

[BWFC_Insane]

Number one is a bit ridiculous, I think. Jussi is 36 years old, however shit our GK coach may be, he's not going to make Jussi forget what he already knows. At the end of the day, 'keepers make mistakes and sometimes you get unlucky enough that a couple of them make a few in a short space of time.

Two is just bizarre. Owen singled out and dropped Boyata for losing his man against Norwich, now he's singled out Steinsson and presumably he will be dropped for the Wigan game (mostly likely for.... Boyata). Clueless.

Not saying that Jussi has forgotten technique, more that he had been with Barber so long and has said several times his happiness at Bolton stemmed from his work with Barber. And heard rumours that Jussi and the others were none to impressed with the guy from Burnley when he pitched up. Perhaps Barber was a reassuring influence? Doesn't take much to affect people at work, changing who they work with/report to, can make massive differences, football can't be any different?

[thebish]

1) Last season we had 3 of the best keepers around.

sorry! didn't get past this bit!!

Jussi is/was a decent premiership goalie - so - i'd let you away with him - but on what basis could you describe al Habsi - and (even more so) Bogdan - as amongst the "best keepers around"??

If Al Habsi was one of the best keepers around - why didn't someone other than Wiggin sign him? Did you REALLY rate Bogdan as one of the best premiership keepers last season???

[BWFC_Insane]

1) Last season we had 3 of the best keepers around.

sorry! didn't get past this bit!!

Jussi is/was a decent premiership goalie - so - i'd let you away with him - but on what basis could you describe al Habsi - and (even more so) Bogdan - as amongst the "best keepers around"??

If Al Habsi was one of the best keepers around - why didn't someone other than Wiggin sign him? Did you REALLY rate Bogdan as one of the best premiership keepers last season???

The point being, that not many teams will have had 3 such strong keepers in their squads. Bogdan impressed last season.

Take the general point rather than getting bogged down in specifics!

[Lofthouse Lower]

4) What is the point of all this?

[thebish]

1) Last season we had 3 of the best keepers around.

sorry! didn't get past this bit!!

Jussi is/was a decent premiership goalie - so - i'd let you away with him - but on what basis could you describe al Habsi - and (even more so) Bogdan - as amongst the "best keepers around"??

If Al Habsi was one of the best keepers around - why didn't someone other than Wiggin sign him? Did you REALLY rate Bogdan as one of the best premiership keepers last season???

The point being, that not many teams will have had 3 such strong keepers in their squads. Bogdan impressed last season.

I'd happily do without most of your specifics - but you just keep writing them!! saying "not many teams will have had 3 such strong keepers in their squads" is nowhere near the same as saying "Last season we had 3 of the best keepers around."

[Tombwfc]

1) Last season we had 3 of the best keepers around.

sorry! didn't get past this bit!!

Jussi is/was a decent premiership goalie - so - i'd let you away with him - but on what basis could you describe al Habsi - and (even more so) Bogdan - as amongst the "best keepers around"??

If Al Habsi was one of the best keepers around - why didn't someone other than Wiggin sign him? Did you REALLY rate Bogdan as one of the best premiership keepers last season???

The point being, that not many teams will have had 3 such strong keepers in their squads. Bogdan impressed last season.

Take the general point rather than getting bogged down in specifics!

If you think Bogdan impressed last season, do you honestly think his performance yesterday was down to the coaching he's recieved since then?

I seem to recall Bogdan being sent back from somewhere (Crewe?) after making a mistake worse than either of yesterdays goals. He's a young 'keeper and he's bound to have mistakes in him. The fact he made two in a game just a few weeks after Jussi let in a howler against City is just an unfortunate co-incidence (and probably also an indicator of the pressure they are being put under by our defence), not because after two years of Phil Hughes coaching them they've both decided to go completely to shit overnight.

Discussions about the merits of our coaching staff are a complete waste of time anyway. I couldn't pick them out of a line-up, never mind give an appraisal of their effectiveness.

[malcd1]

I thought Fred Barber was still coaching at Bolton.

As far as I was aware he has always been freelance and worked for a number of clubs in the North West, not exclusively Bolton.

[BWFC_Insane]

I thought Fred Barber was still coaching at Bolton.

As far as I was aware he has always been freelance and worked for a number of clubs in the North West, not exclusively Bolton.

Nobody seems to know whether Barber is still around or not. He doesn't do the warm ups on the pitch anymore.

There were rumours he'd sustained an injury and therefore could no longer train the keepers.

But its unclear, given Coyle brought his keeping coach in when he arrived and pushed Fred out (Jussi was not happy and Fred was reinstated to 1st team duties for a while at least).

He used to work for us and West Brom.

But for the past few seasons (5-6) I think he was exclusive to us, as far as I know.

[Wandering Willy]

So which one is it?

1. Barber's not here = Coyle out for getting rid.
2. Barber's here = Barber out for being shit.

[BWFC_Insane]

So which one is it?

1. Barber's not here = Coyle out for getting rid.
2. Barber's here = Barber out for being shit.

As I understand it the main keeping coach now is the guy from Burnley. Don't know if Barber is still around, and if he is, what if anything he does!

[Wandering Willy]

It's also possible that Jussi's not good enough anymore.

[BwfcDan]

Barber is still here. He trains with the keepers during the week. The Burnley bloke does match days. All seems highly pointless, Barber is one of the best goalkeeping coaches in the premiership, there was no need to bring in the bloke from Burnley. Obviously one of Coyle's chums though.

[Wandering Willy]

Barber is still here. He trains with the keepers during the week. The Burnley bloke does match days. All seems highly pointless, Barber is one of the best goalkeeping coaches in the premiership, there was no need to bring in the bloke from Burnley. Obviously one of Coyle's chums though.

Coyle in "Manger employs someone he's worked with before" shocker.

[BWFC_Insane]

Barber is still here. He trains with the keepers during the week. The Burnley bloke does match days. All seems highly pointless, Barber is one of the best goalkeeping coaches in the premiership, there was no need to bring in the bloke from Burnley. Obviously one of Coyle's chums though.

Cheers for clearing that up!

[Prufrock]

Jussi isn't shit. Sorry, but no. One mistake against City. Really bad mistake, yes, but one. Folk tried slagging him off for goals against United, and Norwich, and it was just bizarre. Stuff about staying on his line when balls are whipped in, at pace, between defenders. The problem Jussi has is he isn't as good as he was. Maybe he is that bit slower, that bit less agile, but there are fewer wonder saves, whilst still fairly consistent (I can only remember three proper genuine howlers in his BWFC career). Being so good for so long means people's expectations are high when he drops a bit. Still a perfectly competent premiership keeper, and we have problems that go WAAAAAAAAY beyond Jussi. Way bigger problems. Bogdan is just young. Never been tested before, not ready yet. Ali, well, I can see both sides in terms of should we have kept him/Jussi. My own view is, if we'd been financially healthy, I'd have kept Ali, but given we weren't, N'Gog is more important than Jussi.

As for number two, it does seem bizarre, and just a sign he is feeling the pressure. Always used to defend 'em, now he is picking individuals out. Not good.

[CAPSLOCK]

Bogdan is better than Jussi was when he first got games

Doubt he'll ever be as good, but then neither will Ali

[Lord Kangana]

Wigan offered us £4m for one of our keepers, incidently one that we have received a £1m loan fee for, and haven't had to pay for, twelve months.

New circumstances, new thinking.