Retained list

O'Donnell has to go down as one of the worst keepers we've had for a long time. Doesn't command, can't catch and don't get me started on his ability with long speculative shots that wizz past him like he's rooted to the ground. A very poor keeper and Hornby (Hornsby !!) is far better.

 

Why keep a player if he clearly isn't good enough for the first team? What is the point? How many times has the club got it wrong releasing talent? I can think of Jake Wright and Donaldson who went on to have fairly decent careers. The rest we have brought through or released have either moved on very early or done absolutely nothing of any note.

Aren't you utterly fed up of mediocrity???

We have Scales and maybe another couple that are about to graduate.

 

I think we should go back to the tried and tested model of getting in an older experienced keeper. There's got to be some experienced players out there (especially goalkeepers) who want one last season. Absolute foundation block of a good team is the keeping position.

 

I think Hornby has earned the right to be number one next season it was a big mistake when they brought OD back.
Hornby get better the more games he played with his confidence rising he seems to be a good shot stopper and good on crosses and I like the way he uses the area which seems to be the modern way.
With OD still here I think keeper is one area we don’t need to change this summer

 

Frankie Fielding, 33, released by Millwall. Majority of his career spent in the Championship for Derby and Bristol City. He has only played 3 games in 2 seasons for Millwall though so don't know what's happened there.

 

What do you think are Hornby's glaring weaknesses? He seems pretty solid to me.

 

Me too. I see him as a slightly above average all round keeper. perhaps needs to work on the "near post" but Rory McArdle showed that any keeper can be beaten there if you nip in quick enough and low enough. Chalk and cheese with ROD who is very poor on most aspects of his game.

 

We need better that Hornby if we are serious about automatic spots but I agree he’s better than ROD and it was a mistake to bring him back as number 1.

 

This appears to happen at every level though, with keepers either being good at shot stopping or good at commanding their box. When you get one who can do both pretty well they invariably move on to a higher level, thinking Schwarzer.

In League Two I reckon we are probably going to have to pick one who is decent at one area and for me that would be commanding their box, I just think this offers more to our defense rather than someone who makes worldy saves but drops clanger after clanger from crosses - that being said, if we unearth another Pickford I'm not going to complain.

 

The only issue I had with Hornby, but seems to have been worked on, is the rushing out. I can think of a couple of games where he gave me palpitations. Other than that he’s pretty solid and is someone who can improve with us, whereas ROD as probably is good as he’s going to get.

 

Yes, curse you! Not to mention thinking that after that mix of drinks, the line should have been "puking the night away" instead of "dancing..." And also thinking that we while have indeed perfected the art of getting knocked down, we seem to have forgotten about the getting back up again bit...

Can't really grumble at either T&S being moved elsewhere on the staff, or the list of released players. But I do hope the new players come in sooner rather than later, as it will take a while to get them all into a coherent unit, especially on offence.

RCB

 

Find this obsession with keepers a bit bizarre.

Statistically our defence wasn't a problem, wasn't even approaching an issue, regardless of who was playing centre back, right back, or in goal. Our defence was on par with everyone in the play offs except for Newport County.

But going forward, we were pathetic.

Only 6 teams scored fewer than we did, and only three teams scored significantly fewer.

But let's overanalyse the O'Connor's, Wood, O'Donnell and Hornby

Still, when the only players that the club ever award POTY to are defenders, you can sort of see why City fans are utterly obsessed with defending.

 

This is generally true, especially so once T&S were installed. For all their individual faults, and for all the poor goals conceded, the defenders, as a unit, still did alright in terms of the numbers. We could, however, natter about the timing of (some of) the goals allowed.

Another 20 (minimum) goals for is what we really needed. We need to add those in the coming season. Problem is, with the departures we lose 30 of the 48 goals for...so you could say that we need to add some 50 goals to the squad this summer. (Only 17 goals "stay," if you like; the other goal was an OG.) Yikes! The midfielders/wingers in particular have to increase their goals for, because I doubt we can bring in that full amount.

RCB

 

Yes something I have been saying since his first game back after Hornby had one poor one!

 

Behave! That’s my line.

It is the bloody predictive text . nearly did it again a minute ago!!

 

Wehay!!
Another HORNSBY!!


It’s catching!

 

Average in all areas? Where is RoD above average to counter balance his abysmal command of his 6 yard area.

 

Absolutely!