Thetownend.com

 Been quite interesting this weekend observing the Pep on Hart situation, Barca and comparing it to little old STFC.

 Saw a few minutes of the Man C game and was amused how City fans got excited when Willy didn't hoof it up the park, but played a pass, to Stones to have a little run into the midfield or lay it off.....all a bit Nathan Thompson.

 Watched the Barca game from San Mames.....Barca have flogged Claudio Bravo to City, he's a midget but reckoned to be good with the ball....but a couple of years back bought Marc-Andre Ter Stegen, whose also a midget but reckoned good with the ball.

 Talk about just like watching Town....Ter Stegen had more touches than most Barca players and takes huge risks in trying to maintain possession....made a couple of STFC style cock ups which could have led to their downfall, but got away with it.  The advantages obvious, draw players into the press like a matador then exploit the spaces created for quick breaks.

It's commendable that we're well ahead in what will now be the media hype thing , even though it's heart in mouth stuff at times...hopefully Vigs can develop this side of his game.

GET IT FORWARD!

What an apt response.

You'd do well to find any of the other 71 EFL teams who play better football than we do.

there is a debate to be had on what 'better' is. not sure I can be arsed with it though.

Well clearly if our football was better than the others we'd presently be top of the Championship. We're not. Our style is high risk, when it's good it's very, very good when it's bad, it's horrid.

This will be me watching on the box next weekend....

 :sofa:

 

Interesting this as it seems to stem from Guardiolas influence from a certain J Cruyff and the dutch total football. Cruyff used a Chilean goalkeeping coach who also coached Bravo. They also believe in two types of keeper A keepers (ones who anticipate) and R keepers (ones who react)

All these things come and go with fashion....Guardiola/Barca, seem to be going against the current trend that all goalkeepers need to be 6ft 5inch giants.  I suspect that Luke Williams sees Belford as some sort of goalkeeper who's happier with the ball at feet, than most.

If Man City wanted an English keeper to be their 'outfield player' they should've gone for Fodderingham. Vigs is not as good as Wes with his feet, but I believe he's getting better... Guardiola wants instant results, so he's gone for the safe option, in someone he knows.

Glad he was because he never inspired me with confidence! Belford gave me the jitters .

Regarding Hart, I'm not fully convinced he is being overlooked purely due to him not being a footballing goalkeeper. He is at times very suspect with his shot stopping which is for goalkeepers the bread and butter part of their game.
I can only speak for myself but I've always thought he was overrated.

With Swindon trying to play from the back, I think the problem lies with the inexperience of the players trying the system and the pressure that brings from the stands when it doesn't work.

I agree, I think he is up there with the poorest quality keepers England have ever played on a regular basis.

The only other one comparable was David James, who can be brilliant one minute then make a mess of the most basic saves the next.

Agreed.

Cant understand all the sympathy for him.play shit,get dropped.
..he's not the first

Yeah I don't understand it, at the Euros he was awful.

Is he really the best goalie that England have?

Forster is my first choice.

Butland is my no 1 (obviously still injured at the moment)

https://twitter.com/11tegen11/status/770324767786295296

Should be a passing map showing just how many passes Ter Stegen made. But also shows how Barca don't really make the vertical passes they did under Pep.

  :)  Enough passes to and from ter Stegen, Umtiti and Pique to hold up te Forth Rail Bridge

I saw biscuit wrists close up.

Maybe, maybe not. But he's got a beautifully maintained scalp.

During the Iceland game in the Euros we were agreed that if we got through Hart should have been dropped for the next game.

I have to say I agree that the "he's not comfortable with the ball at his feet" thing is a red herring, he's just not been very good for a while