BEN ITK information from FTL

[DogsOfWar]

BEN: " ramos thinks robbo is ok but says not good enough to catch ball means has to go he said"

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Look, I know we're meant to be respectful to ITKs and all, so I'll be gentle...

This translates from BENSPEAK to: Ramos thinks Robbo can't catch the ball and therefore will be sold.

Ffs - if Juande thinks Robbo can't catch the ball then he needs a guide dog, and he certainly wouldn't have picked him on Sunday.

There are lots of technical criticisms of Robbo that are discussed on these boards endlessly: from positioning to mobility to decision making etc etc. "Catching the ball" has never been a major topic of Robbo conversation....

It won't be about his handling just about his ability to come out and claim a cross. A keeper, like James, who comes out, sticks his knee in a strikers back, and catches the ball is worth his weight in gold.
It forces the opposition into hitting crosses onto the penalty spot where they are both easier to defend from and harder to score.
It also allows the defence to push up more and squeeze the play meaning the opposition are forced back further and have to play through a more compact formation.

Keepers' who command their boxes and can claim crosses actually dictate how a side can play as they can fill the role of a sweeper and patrol the area behind the defence.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

B-C: Robbo sticking on his line and not commanding his six yard box is a common complaint. As is that when he does come for crosses he often elects to punch, and as you say, ends up flapping.

But on the continent, I believe goalkeepers are still often coached to punch crosses away rather than try to catch them amongst a crowd of bodies.

Catching the ball also applies to shot stopping. And I don't remember people being critical of Robbo's general handling - which is what I think of as "catching the ball". But perhaps I'm just reading too much into BENSPEAK.

B-C: genuine question, on those rare occasions when Robbo does come for crosses, do you think he elects to punch because he is incapable of catching the ball? Or because, technically, he and the coaches think it is better to try to punch the ball in such situations?

On the David James/Kameni point, I think the comparison is valid (and not racist). James is a fantastically talented keeper who has such belief in his ability that he's tended to come for pretty much every cross. James is also an intelligent guy, and as he's got older, his decision making has substantially improved, and his judgement on which crosses to come for is much better now.

Kameni is also very naturally talented, and has a lot of the young Kamikaze James about him. To be a top EPL goalkeeper though, his decision making would have to improve a lot. Coaching will help. But I'm pretty sure that the key factor with James was growing up as a man and as a player. As Hoddle once said (I paraphrase), the more experienced a player gets, the easier it is to read the game and make the right decisions.

Yanno, to a degree I think Robinsons "handling" is almost a mute point. He so rarely comes and commandingly gets anything - the rare times he does he invariably elects to punch (or slap) the ball. Coming into a crowd of players and punching is acceptable of course but it's his hesitancy that is the bigest problem, closely followed by what he actually does when he does decide to come. In short I don't overly rate any part of Robinsons game except his kicking. He dithers, flaps, positioning is poor (free kick sunday eg, long shots), isn't very athletic and seems to instill fear in our own defenders.

To answer your question I think there are definately times when Robinson should catch the ball and doesn't, so I think he elects to punch because he doesn't have the confidence in himself to try and catch it.


As far as James goes, I think undoubtedly his decision making has improved with age. And this has gone some way to winning me over. But having watched Robinson take the "rooted to the spot" decision all the time I now realise that the ratio of goals conceded from the odd blooper of a proactive keeper (as long as he is good in other areas like shot stopping, 1v1's etc) to that of a keeper like Robinson
who dithers, scared to come and claim things actually has me thinking that I'd take a James type over Robinson. With the caviat that the bloopers weren't too regular.

 

[Shanks]

DogsofWar, completely agree.
keepers who can do that breed confidence to their defenders as well. Its worth its weight in gold to have a keeper of such standards, and if we get one, then I will be as chuffed as the next person.

 

[Shanks]

I've always rated James as a goalkeeper, was my favourite goalkeeper growing up.
And I have to say, he does seem to be getting better and better.

Although, would anyone have any bad opinions about singing a goalkeeper who is 38 yrs old?

 

[yanno]

I'd take a James type over Robinson. With the caviat that the bloopers weren't too regular.

It'd definitely be a crazy ride! And our defenders would learn to get out of the GK's way when he came for a cross - as with Hansen and Lawrenson running for cover when Grobelaar got that glint in his eyes.

Kamikaze Kameni. Or, to use SS57's copyrighted chant, "There's only one Ayatollah"...

 

[DC_Boy]

hi - thanks for all the insights etc - it's especially good to hear from Shanks as he is a keeper- gives a little bit more of understanding of Robbo's 'gamble'

we all agree (I hope) it was a mistake

I think a new keeper was coming in final or no final - but I can only see the final as more confirmation for JR that we need a new keeper, not as some people have suggested in the media for example, that robbo might have 'redeemed himself' and set himself on his way to first choice next season - I just don't think that will happen - but hey, stranger things etc etc

 

[Legend10]

We shouldn't forget Ben Alnwick

By all accounts he is playing reall well for leicester, he has let in 6 in 8 (at least 1 a pen) and recently made an incredible save at home to Plymouth.

He's 21 now which is still very young for a keeper but he is loking good., remembering he's only at Leicester to gain experience I think that at worse he will be no2 next season.

 

[Shanks]

Agree DC, I fully expect a new keeper, yet the ITL is still something every single spurs fan could tell you.
That Robbo's confidence in his ability to deal with crosses isn't there.. not even sure if it ever was.

I'm a retired goalkeeper by the way, but unfortunately not at the standards of Robbo, mine was done at Conference level!!!

 

[DC_Boy]

Hi Shanks - I was one of the worst keepers ever - so even Conference level to me is demi-god status - as I say thanks for the insights

 

[The Apprentice]

Hope Ben's right. We could do with a decent keeper.

Just imagine where we'd be this season with a competent keeper.

The rest of the shit he's said is just dot to dot stuff.

 

[Shanks]

Hope Ben's right. We could do with a decent keeper.

Just imagine where we'd be this season with a competent keeper.

The rest of the shit he's said is just dot to dot stuff.

Decent defense...

 

[The Apprentice]

Decent defense...

A decent defence would be greatly improved if they were semi-confident of the guy behind them.

Jesus, with Robbo behind them, no wonder they've all looked like deers in the headlight at times.

 

[Shanks]

A decent defence would be greatly improved if they were semi-confident of the guy behind them.

Jesus, with Robbo behind them, no wonder they've all looked like deers in the headlight at times.

The same could be said about having a decent defense in front of the goalkeeper too...

 

[SpurSince57]

And it's no wonder Robbo has looked like a deer in the headlights with some of the Fred Karno stuff going on in front of him. A decent defence would be a fine thing. It seems like we've got one now for the first time since 2005-2006.

It doesn't matter how good a keeper is if the defence falls apart. Jääskeläinen is a perfect example. Bolton's defence completely lost the plot at about this point last season and he simply couldn't compensate.

 

[The Apprentice]

So it's agreed then.

Robbo is sub rate and we're gona sign a sound, competent keeper in the Summer.

Whoop!!

 

[Shanks]

No one is argueing that he hasn't made mistakes, its just some people seem to be alble to talk abou what they actually are, rather than saying he's the worst keeper ever, in the world...

 

[That Guy]

I'm sorry to piss on your parade, but Robinson and Dawson will not be at WHL next season. Both are not good enough for a team with top 4 aspirations and they will be allowed to leave.

I can see Chimbonda staying more than Robbo and Dawson staying - DUCY?

its always funny when people take their opinion of a player as fact.

 

[LadieK]

Is this from Ben in the tree? I get confused with the ITKs

 

[N10toN17]

Robbo has got the golfing equivalent of the yips and I'm not sure he'll get himself back to where he needs to be, and I don't think Juande is going to hang around waiting to see how it goes, if Robbo re discovers some decent form it is going to be with somebody else and quite right to, we can't afford to be carrying anybody, especially somebody in such a key position.

 

[SpurSince57]

Well, he has a minimum of fourteen games in which to get his act back together. He is, like several others, playing for his place next season. Big test of character.

But I did like the way in which Juande praised him after the Slavia game. After the reported mega bust-up when Robbo was dropped, it does show Juande's firm-but-fair approach.