The Voice - Match preview Doncaster Rovers vs Bradford City Friday 22nd December @ 7:45pm

A great shot stopper but last nights awful error wasnt the first.

Id rather he cuts out the errors. Making great saves is his job.

 

Mistakes from keepers are magnified overall he is a decent keeper and I am glad he is ours. Wouldn’t mind a decent back up for competition though

 

If he didn't make any mistakes he wouldn't be at league 2. Strikers can miss 3 chances but if they score the winner late on nobody cares about the misses but if the same happens to a goalkeeper the mistakes are all that is remembered.

 

On current form Cook and Smith have to be the starting front two. Look what a bit of competition (Oliver returning) has done for Cook - one would hope if Young is coming back, this will have the same impact on Smith.

I’ve liked Smith since he signed. I like his movement off the ball and his press. He didn’t have the best start at City, but his finish last night similar to Accrington, was very good. Young needs to earn his place if he’s coming back and Smith has lead on the shirt for me. Fortunately Alexander certainly seems like he rewards players on merit of performance, how it should be….

 

Lewis had a great season for us last season but that should not take away the fact that he has dropped some clangers this season, fortunately the outfield players have got us back in the game, some say Halliday has to take some of the blame for the back pass, sorry but that is complete nonsense Lewis had plenty of time to get rid even if it had been put into row z, he did it against Colchester the first game of the season so let's not start blaming other players for his misjudgment of the situation with regards getting rid of the ball.
Maybe as some have suggested a back up keeper should be brought in but if that is the case I cant see a free agent being up to the required standard, possibly a loan from a Championship club as the new guy has to be seen as been capable of standing in if Lewis keeps making mistakes as he did last night.

 

You get it with every keeper. Even the likes of Alisson etc are prone to throwing in a dodgy decision every few matches.

I think we worry too much about him. Granted, he was clearly not himself early on - but I remember someone on hear moaning about him, when he'd made a spectacular save to keep us in the match.

 

Whatever the injury was it was probably or at least possibly worsened by the ruling that made him walk 3 times the distance around the pitch he would otherwise have done by walking straight to the dug out.

 

Cook's had "lapses" this season that's cost us more points than Lewis, but we seem to be fine with that because it's OK for an outfield player to make a mistake.

We have a history of been a bit critical of keepers. I wouldn't swap Lewis for anyone in this division and I was one of those saying we were over emphasising his contribution last season.

It's only last week that he made an outstanding save, which might have saved us a point, against Gillingham.

Of course he'll make errors, but that last night wasn't that bad and it was a great finish from their player. He made a lot towards the end of last season far worse than the Carlisle one, i.e. like all the new 'footballing' keepers their flashy goalkeeping style is prone to some howlers.

Uncertain, what getting in a keeper as good as him will do. I'm unconvinced that he's the type of player who's going to suddenly play 100% perfect, because he's got a bit of competition.

 

I think you're been very critical of a player that's been outstanding for 80% of his time here.

Mind you, I was just a critical as Cook for his "howlers" earlier in the season - for instance we should have been beating both Stockport and Wrexham.

Point is we're both a bit harsh. In L2 players will always blow hot and very cold (often in the same match!!).

I don't see 'competition' making a difference. We've just got the defensive line organised to a degree that we're hardly conceding. The last thing we need is to start tinkering with the keeper.

P.S. I see a Matthew Bates 'argument' brewing )

 

If you look back Cook has had plenty of stick for chances he would have buried last season, he has missed plenty this season but is still our leading score that's not an excuse but a fact, unfortunately we cant measure Lewis's contribution this season as he doesnt have competition like Cook.
You're correct there is no doubt about it if the last line of defence drops a clanger it stands out, as with Cook their outstanding performances last season put a marker down but few believed they would match again this season certainly not Cook, so when Cook misses a sitter or Lewis makes a mistake that costs the team a goal it does stands out for the very reason both were so constistan last season.
I do agree with your last comment with regards Lewis not having competition makes him any the less of a good goal keeper.

 

Well, that was a good night. Despite the flare-throwing idiots, it was great to catch up with my cousin - I used to babysit him, he's just turned 40 - and he drove me all the way back to my digs in L**ds after the game. It was lovely to be among happy, bouncing fans in good voice and great spirits. The optimism continues for another great result on Boxing Day. By the way, you may be interested to know that I have a 21-year-old student in Rome: Valentino; a big Roma fan, who absolutely loves Cookie. 'Andy Cook is my boy.' He wrote. He watches the Youtube interviews with him. I shudder to think what it'll do for his English but he loved the video of Cooky's celebration I sent him. Forza City and Merry Xmas to all.

 

Lewis is having a wobble in his second season, but we should do what we never, ever do (and are programmed NOT to do), and that's stick with him.

There isn't a better option out there for us for the long term. He has the potential to play higher, and will learn more from this tough season than his first, near-flawless campaign.

If the club sorted it's shit out, he could potentially play Championship football for Bradford City. The most likely way that doesn't happen is we don't progress as fast as he does.

That said, we should sign a loanee keeper in January.

 

I've even seen some blame Halliday for a bad back pass for the goal. Behave, Lewis had ample time to clear but just made a huge balls up. It happens, just more magnified when it's your keeper. Thankfully it didn't cost us.

 

You got in before I could reply, and I do accept your argument and given my reasons why, both players being discussed performed so well last season any small drop off in that sort of form is going to stand out, it was only the other week that I praised Lewis for his performance that day coming and taking difficult crosses etc against Gillingham as I had pointed out he didn't seem to have the confidence he had last season, had the early interest from Barnsley had an effect on his game we'll never know, stop beating yourself up with regards Bates we saw it differently and that's got to be good for debate.

 

Getting the legs around Smallwood with Gilly and Walker and Halliday and Richards pushing up sees us not being bullied in the middle. Long time since I can remember that. I'm quietly confident with what I see GA doing Kev, early days but we look to have a very effective method with the full backs pushing up. Tomkinson and Kelly have slotted in well and both seem able to push up, something that we do badly lacked under Hughes was that go forward.

 

Always remember I was 100% correct about Bates, as we can see from his great career after been with us

Have good Crimbo Dave!!

 

I watched Swindon’s game this afternoon on and off and they too were doing the MH passing across the back three. It was tedium. Defensively they are a shambles. JY was anonymous again. Kemp was a live wire, that team is as bad as Donny/Gills without him.

 

That's how I saw it and commented so at the time, I know this will sound like I'm having a pop but its not the first time he's been caught in possession, you can see from Lewis's reaction he obviously mistimed his time on the ball and to be fair Ironside did chase the ball down from out wide, Lewis was looking down the pitch for where he could kick it long and realised Ironside was nearly on the ball and he couldn't do what he'd set out to do if that makes sense.

 

I hinted perhaps earlier RT. If anyone or indeed Young himself thinks he’s going to walk into the current side , I think he and they are in for a rude awakening, if his last three performances are a benchmark?

 

Pattison an able deputy Park.