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Rice looks a better goalkeeper than he did last season. He was excellent in the Wimbledon game and saved us from certain defeat. He definately got us a point in that game. He has done alot better than I ever thought he would and I would say that their third goal was the first real howler he has made. I think he maybe could have saved a couple of the goals that we have conceded.
I would still prefer Poke in goal though because he is the better keeper.
I agree he probably is the least of our problems at the moment though.

brucie wrote:Rice looks a better goalkeeper than he did last season. He was excellent in the Wimbledon game and saved us from certain defeat. He definately got us a point in that game. He has done alot better than I ever thought he would and I would say that their third goal was the first real howler he has made. I think he maybe could have saved a couple of the goals that we have conceded.
I would still prefer Poke in goal though because he is the better keeper.
I agree he probably is the least of our problems at the moment though.

At last, a sensible assessment of things.

hector wrote: Not every keeper makes goal costing errors in every game. I don't remember many occasions (if any) when Poke flapped or made mistakes that cost us goals...certainly not this frequently.

Sorry Hector, not letting you get away with that. May have escape your notice but Ricey has , for a start kept two clean sheets (Hartlepool, Portsmouth) I was at the Wimbledon game, their goal was well struck, however took a deflection on the way in, no keeper alive would kept that out.

Didn't go to Northampton, however seen the goal back a few times, also seen enough professional goalkeeper coaching, and although not quailfied been involved in enough keeper coaching to atleast make an informed judgment, Ricey was not in my opinion at fault for that goal either.

In this case Hector your talking so far out of the back of your own hole, it's untrue.

My instant thought after the game was, had Martin not flapped at the third goal would we have had 4 mins of injury time try and nick a draw? Then I said to myself, probably not.

Not taking anything away from Ricey, he's there to a job as our number two. He's done an excellent job in Pokey's absence doing just that. We've got more problems to be concentrating on at the moment, it's as simple as that.

Poor old Ricey, i feel sorry for him behind that rabble on Saturday, yes he makes the odd rick but we can't blame him for the other problems in the team.

hector wrote: Not every keeper makes goal costing errors in every game. I don't remember many occasions (if any) when Poke flapped or made mistakes that cost us goals...certainly not this frequently.

Apart from Leicester, Rotherham, Bristol Rovers and a few more that pass me by. The same Poke we were all discussing on here at this point in the season whether he was any good and wasn't interacting with his defence very well causing confusion and all the rest of it.

The point being every goalkeeper whether it's Buffon or Rice at some point over the season will let a goal in or a few goals in that will be predominantly his fault. Ricey has made 1 mistake in the games so far Fleetwoods 3rd goal when we were 2-0 down dead and buried and without him would have been 6-0 by that point.

We're very fortunate to have 2 pretty steady goalkeepers here, again it's not an issue for us. More our lack of midfield, inconsistant wingers, misfiring strikers and our left back who can't run.

Brucie - what would you rather have? A keeper who makes 5 good saves from one on one situations and then gifts a goal to them by way of a mistake, or, one who makes no mistakes but lets in 2 goals from the 5 one on one situations?

I have absolutely no problem with a goalkeeper making mistakes, it happens, they're human. The fact is, he's doing his job generally very well and has kept us in games through saves which although some would say is bread and butter stuff for a goalie, are saves which may have gone straight past many other keepers. I'm certainly very happy with the performances of our League 2 back up goalkeeper...

Umm....we're League 2 right? So we can't afford players like Gareth Bale...right? Does Gareth Bale ever make mistakes ? (I've never watched him play) Two thoughts...Ricey makes, what ? Two mistakes per match maybe ? Two thoughts...that's not bad ,is it? How many does Billy make? How many do Nicho/Manse/Harding/Ball/Hawley/Tonge/Pearce/Downes/etc make? Ricey makes far less mistakes than a lot of the others in our team; if he made even less, he's probably be playing with Gareth Bale.The other thought..oh, hell, I've been going along all these years to watch football; if only I'd realised before that it was a Count-The-Mistakes game, I could have been having sooo much more fun!!! Even as much fun as Brucie!!!!!!
Get real people!!! When we get to League One, I hope Ricey's improved enough to stay part of the team! I appreciate the efforts he's made to improve his game & at the end of the day he's actually part of a team : the ball should never get as far as him!!!!!!!

Comparing Ricey with outfeild players and the amount of mistakes they make compared to him doesn't make sense, when in an out field position the margin for error is far less than when playing in goal. It's a completely different kettle of fish.

I think for arguments sake we should just say that EVERYONE who pulls on the shirt on Saturday needs to up their game, some more than others and leave it at that or we'll be going round in circles.

I was comparing Ricey with other players because I think that last Saturday he actually touched the ball more than any body else. He gets singled out for comment from some posters complaining about him who never mention all the saves he makes. Players like Aaron get the chance to remedy their mistakes (like when he got an 'own goal' & then went & scored up the other end).Anyway, Austrian Andy, since when have you been the peacemaker ? You're more often the catalyst for debate!!!!!

We played a team who had 25 shots to our one in the whole match, we lost 4-1 and people are blaming our keeper? #isthisreallife #OMG #sowrong #inappropriatehashtaggingarmy!

Matt.

Not sure why the hashtagging, but the chocolate and House marathon I'm enjoying might have something to do with it.

Noone is actualy blaming Rice for our defeat. Its no different than you blaming Harding for all that is wrong with the team. Do you seriously think that if he is replaced Ball and Hawley are going to start banging the goals in? - it would be nice if that were to happen but its too simplistic by half. Knill needs to indulge in a spot of arse kicking because some people are not doing their jobs.
There are things he can do to start remedying the situation.
The first thing is to put Benyon in the team and play him regularly. Lets hope he is looking at finding another loan forward when Balls loan runs out at the end of September.
There has surely got to be better than him available - maybe a centre forward who can actually head the bloody ball for starters.
So get in a decent loan striker and pair him with Benyon - we will look infinitely better up front than we do now.

Feel bad now that back before the weekend in this thread or some other I suggested Rice's decision-making could improve and there was a couple of occasions when he had dithered but nothing resulted from those passages of play. It has now been suggested by Hector that he is making regular mistakes that are costing us games. Couldn't be further from the truth so far this season.

Hector is blaming Ricey for defeats. How many games has Hector been to to make this ludicrous judgment? Some folk on this forum know less about football than Ann Widdicombe.