Goalkeeping situation
Both Ashley Maynard Brewer and Harry Isted are under contact, AMB until 2026 and Isted until 2025 yet it seems that Nathan Jones does not have them in his go forward plans.
Jones looks to be actively seeking goalkeepers in the market, and not just one but two.
AMB was dropped for Jones’ first game away at Reading with Isted being preferred. The ex-Luton ‘keeper was a known quantity to the new boss, and he openly said that is why he went with him.
AMB never got a look in after that, and carrying a knock wasn’t even considered for the last few games.
Isted had plenty of game time to prove himself, but frankly he didn’t. 16 games and he never made me feel ultra comfortable, only given the fact that he played behind a variety of hapless defending ensured he was never really targeted as a weakness.
Too often though I felt ‘he could have done better’ and although a mix of the two offer a reliable pair of hands, individually neither are good enough for a team in search of promotion.
Jones clearly sees that, and numerous goalkeepers have been attached to us in these early days of the summer, but two out of contract players have risen to the top of the rumour charts in recent days.
Sheffield United released Welsh ‘keeper Adam Davies (photo) at the end of his contract after playing just 11 games in two seasons, but he was on the bench for 18 of the Blades’ Premier League games. The 31-year old also played half of Wales’ game against Gibraltar this week.
Davies has 5 Wales caps and previously played for Stoke and Barnsley, but like a lot of keepers has played irregularly since coming through Everton’s academy 13 years ago.
London born Will Mannion was at Wimbledon as a youngster and has trod the well known ‘keeper path of lots of loan deals and a 4-year spell at Hull City, where he never got on the pitch.
He played in Cyprus for a while and then Cambridge signed him in 2021, but even there he only made 29 League One appearances in 3 seasons. He is also a free agent this month.
I am kind of hoping we can do better.
The last two seasons clubs that have gone into the transfer market early and brought in a lot of quality and numbers ie Ipswich and Portsmouth have gone on to be successful this season it looks like Rotherham have gone down that route having already signed seven players.My club charlton have been linked with lots of players but zero signings, I have not renewed my season ticket yet due to what happened to our club captain george dobson last season gary g
It’s always about opinions. Mine is AMB is a reasonable standard keeper for League one, Isted isn’t.
What we don’t need is another reasonable standard keeper. We need a good reliable one, with AMB as back-up. Getting a good keeper won’t be easy and the club will need to offer a very good deal whilst convincing the new man, we will be going all out for promotion.
Totally agree Daggs, whats the point of getting in not one but two keepers who have hardly played any games at all!!! They could be worse than what we currently have, it makes absoutely no sense.
IMO AMB was unluckly to be dropped as he played behind the worst defence I’ve ever seen, until Jones came in and improved it somewhat. He saved us in quite a few games with some oustanding saves and little wonder his confidence would have been dented playing behind those muppets.
Isted apart from a few decent games has not shown anything at all that he is a good keeper and has had a few dreadful displays, yet it appeared there was never any intention of Jones bringing AMB back in and giving him another chance, he was sticking with his old previous keeper come what may.
As you have said he needs to pay out and bring in one good keeper and keep AMB as backup, not two untested lack of game time freebies!
Days – I would prefer to keep AMB as well. Add a more experienced keeper, even on loan for a season.
We do need to have a keeper who is experienced and can add strength to the team.
AMB and Isted have had a reasonable season but due to our poor defence have conceeded more than planned.We demonstrated that our forward line and midfield did well, but some horror defending impacted results.
Nathan has a difficult job to recruit a keeper who can do the job and may have to twist a few arms to find one.
There’s not much to separate AMB and Harry Isted in my opinion. Both made mistakes and both had good games. But even good keepers can look ordinary playing behind poor defences and our back four made them look worse than they were.
Neither of the names mentioned to replace them fill with me confidence, both have had light use over the last few years. Mannion for example can’t get on the pitch in a team that barely beat relegation to L2. I’m wary about signing players who have been treading water career wise – they lack sharpness, eg Michael Hector was mostly good but made too many lapses, he had spent time at Fulham being a reserve player and lost that match fitness you get from playing week in/week out. There must be a good keeper who has had a lot of game time we could sign.
The problem is since the advent of the Academy system that there are now a lot more goalkeepers around and the prem teams in particular like to have three/four keepers on their books, after all it’s not a position where you can play someone outside of their normal role while the starting player in that spot is injured.
I note that Dillon Phillips is at Rotherham and can’t get on the pitch. He’s a known quantity to us (if not NJ), I wonder if he could be tempted back?
Totally agree with Shadow Play about Dillon Phillips, he would be my pick. His name was already in my mind before I read SP’s comments.
We must get a goalkeeper who can command the penalty area but we also need a central defender, an old fashioned No. 5, who is good in the air, in my opinion none of the contracted central defenders meet this criteria. I wasn’t as critical of Thomas as other people as he played very few games as a ‘5’, when Hector was in the team he seemed to be allocated the secondary role, they were not a pair in my opinion. I would have retained Thomas, because he is better than the retained players. What is the difference between giving Thomas a new deal and signing another player who may not be better.
But Thomas has gone so we actually need to sign 2 ‘5’s as the first choice will need cover in case of injury and suspension.
Yes ! I agree we have to find better , buy a proven goalkeeper , whatever the costs , it is one of the most Important position’s , along with a solid defence.
Clearly we also need 2 top quality central defenders .
We also need 2 top quality creating and scoring midfielders .
I realise we have to pay good money for these 5 players , but if we are attempting to go up we must find and pay .
That sort of investment will also help greatly in the Championship.
One proven striker and we are on our way .
Adding a quality keeper that can command his penalty area and communicate with the backline is essential, as that’s been a weakness for what’s seemed years. Will leave it to NJ & staff to identify the man. It seems he wants a completely fresh start with that group, no issue with that approach. Been mediocre for far too long, new leaders and a fresh mindset throughtout the squad might be just what is needed.
Mannion it is
About whom I know nothing at all apart from that is a fine traditional English footballer’s name from a more corinthian time.
Sounds like Mannion will be 2nd choice to whoever else is brought in for the goalkeeping role.
Personally I would keep AMB as third choice and get rid of Isted. But I wouldn’t be surprised if AMB ends up at Gillingham.
My thoughts entirely.