How Good is it to have a Real Keeper?.

[Tosh]

My point is Tosh that after 11 games Martin And Tomlinson were also talked about in the same mould.

 

Were they though? I certainly never rated them at all!

 

I'm not saying Neal is perfect, no keeper is at our level you only have to watch the goals go in on the FL show but for me even at this early stage he's shown enough to be a very good prospect and I for one feel much more confident in him than the recent keepers despite his howler on Tuesday!

[Spunk Trumpet]

Were they though? I certainly never rated them at all!

 

I'm not saying Neal is perfect, no keeper is at our level you only have to watch the goals go in on the FL show but for me even at this early stage he's shown enough to be a very good prospect and I for one feel much more confident in him than the recent keepers despite his howler on Tuesday!

 

Chris Martin looked a future star. In particular his one man show away at Sheffield Utd.

 

Tommo started his Vale career with 5 clean sheets in the first 10 games.

 

People were excited at the prospect of two potentially great young keepers.

 

Obviously i wouldnt touch either with a bargepole now.

[Tosh]

 

People were excited at the prospect of two potentially great young keepers

 

I must have still been in the Bulls Head when all this happened..:)

[Spunk Trumpet]

I must have still been in the Bulls Head when all this happened..:)

 

Must have been.

 

Wikipedia Tommo. It says there were rumours in him going for 250k to which Micky replied "That amount of money wouldnt buy Stuarts left hand"

[Tosh]

Must have been.

 

Wikipedia Tommo. It says there were rumours in him going for 250k to which Micky replied "That amount of money wouldnt buy Stuarts left hand"

 

Well it's a pity he went for nowt then because we couldn't/wouldn't offer him the terms Burton did....:rolleyes:

[Jacko51]

Were they though? I certainly never rated them at all!

 

I actually looked back at Ed's reports from Tomlinsons first half a dozen games and he regularly points out the punching rather than catching issue. He was a decent shot stopper but I feel more confident with Neal there.

[old sage]

He has had a superb start but lets not forget that a couple of years ago we were raving about having two great young goalkeepers.

They soon went downhill.

 

Its way too early to say hes the best since Goodlad.

 

Another 2 or 3 howlers like the one against Dags before xmas and we will want to be driving him out of the club.

 

After a full season is a good benchmark to assess him.

Sorry to disagree with you Mr Trumpet but you only have to see Neal's 'presence' to see that he is 'king' of his 6 yard box.

As others have said the two who left last season were both woeful on this matter. Martin never came to claim the ball whilst Tommo usually stayed when he should have come out and came when he should have stayed on his line.

Personally I call it the 'Grew Affect' because he was a decent keeper but very poor on the issue of crosses. It would seem he has passed this trait on to the young keepers that he has coached. Hopefully Chris Neal is mature enough to ignore his bad advice!

[mitchpvfc]

I do believe neal he has mistakes in him but he is definitely one of the best keepers it the league without doubt. I feel comfortable with him in goal anyway...

[old sage]

I do believe neal he has mistakes in him but he is definitely one of the best keepers it the league without doubt. I feel comfortable with him in goal anyway...

All keepers make mistakes Mitch but up to now Neal has made one error which admittedly was a howler but one clanger in over a dozen games isn't bad is it. In that period he has made some great saves and dealt with crosses very impressively.

[Regal Beagle]

He has saved more points than he has cost us. Therefore he is so far the best goalkeeper we've had since Anyon's pre injury impressive start, and obviously Goodlad.

 

It is only early though and a lot of people actually rated Martin so my advice is don't get carried away.

[Andyregs]

Martin was never that good bar the odd game, and his limitations were there to see. Some massively over rated him ( remember one person saying he was worth 7 figures!), but I've never been felt as comfortable with a keeper since Goodlad. Tommo benefited early on from the defence playing very well, but looked a decent shot stopper. However his ability declined as his chest expanded.

[old sage]

He has saved more points than he has cost us. Therefore he is so far the best goalkeeper we've had since Anyon's pre injury impressive start, and obviously Goodlad.

 

It is only early though and a lot of people actually rated Martin so my advice is don't get carried away.

I certainly aren't getting carried away but Chris Neal is no untested rookie goalkeeper and though he is young he was the goalkeeper who was the mainstay in getting the Shrews promotion last season. Amazingly Graham Turner made him a poor offer to remain at the Shropshire club and Micky Adams stepped in to secure a proven player.

I hear what people aree saying about it being early days but I always had severe reservations on all the Vale goalkeepers since Goodland was forced to hang up his gloves. This was simply because they all failed to inspire confidence in both me and their defence. A good goalkeeper leaves his team mates in no doubt that he will be at the end of crosses into his 6 yard box, Neal does this for me and quite clearly his present defence feel likewise.

For the past three years I have sat in front of an ex-professional goalkeeper at the Vale and he was constantly criticising the previous goalies for their inability to deal compentantly with the 'bread and butter job' which is dealing with crosses.

I would just like to say come back Stuart you would love Chris Neal!.

[SuperValiant1876]

to be fair, we all thought tommo was mint for at least half his first season, so i don't really get the 'i don't know what adams was thinking comment' or some of the other comments about him on here in the last few months that have all been made with the benefit of hindisght.

 

I can't remember EVER thinking Tommo was "mint". I always thought he looked a dodgy keep that couldn't catch a shot.

[SuperValiant1876]

I certainly aren't getting carried away but Chris Neal is no untested rookie goalkeeper and though he is young he was the goalkeeper who was the mainstay in getting the Shrews promotion last season. Amazingly Graham Turner made him a poor offer to remain at the Shropshire club and Micky Adams stepped in to secure a proven player.

I hear what people aree saying about it being early days but I always had severe reservations on all the Vale goalkeepers since Goodland was forced to hang up his gloves. This was simply because they all failed to inspire confidence in both me and their defence. A good goalkeeper leaves his team mates in no doubt that he will be at the end of crosses into his 6 yard box, Neal does this for me and quite clearly his present defence feel likewise.

For the past three years I have sat in front of an ex-professional goalkeeper at the Vale and he was constantly criticising the previous goalies for their inability to deal compentantly with the 'bread and butter job' which is dealing with crosses.

I would just like to say come back Stuart you would love Chris Neal!.

 

He has moved to London (Stuart, that is) and has had a few illness scares. If we are on about the same person that is.

[Regal Beagle]

I can't remember EVER thinking Tommo was "mint". I always thought he looked a dodgy keep that couldn't catch a shot.

 

I think impressions were inflated because of the all round good performances of the team. He did used to be able to raise his arms above his head though, so he was alright when he first came.