It's the goalkeeper that is causing all the chaos!

[The Dirty One]

....and as a supposed shot stopper he still costs us one of them chucked into the Dracula on crosses moments most weeks.

Yesterday's first goal should have been bread and butter but no......he hands them the confidence to kick on and our fragile lot the opposite!

What are your thoughts on Ted? Personally I thought he was the best of the three without being spectacular, a steady Eddie if you like.

 

[Angell Delight]

Neither Oxley or Bishop are perfect goalkeepers, if they were they wouldn’t be playing in League 1. But the goalkeeper position is the least of our worries.

How on earth can you watch our completely useless midfield and defence and try and claim it’s the goalkeepers that’s causing all the problems. Completely delusional.

I certainly wouldn’t say the goalkeeper situation is the least of our worries, it’s equally important to sort out all three areas of concern - the goalkeeper, defence and midfield....all three are the reasons we’re going down. It’ll take at least 2 or 3 transfer windows to put all of this right (and only if the right management team is in charge!).

But with this thread primarily about the goalkeepers, the last time I remember having both that were this poor was the dark days of Mel Capleton and Mark Prudhoe 20 years ago....

 

[Leigh_Seasider]

That’s harsh on Bishop.

 

[Angell Delight]

That’s harsh on Bishop.

Bishop barely makes any saves, almost every shot on target goes in. He’s better in the air than Oxley but very slow to get down to low shots. I really don’t see why Powell or Bond couldn’t see that we needed a new goalkeeper long ago. Neither are good enough for this level. Bishop may improve as he’s young but he’s nowhere near ready for League One and Oxley is just poor - no excuses at his age.

 

[Leigh_Seasider]

Bishop barely makes any saves, almost every shot on target goes in. He’s better in the air than Oxley but very slow to get down to low shots. I really don’t see why Powell or Bond couldn’t see that we needed a new goalkeeper long ago. Neither are good enough for this level. Bishop may improve as he’s young but he’s nowhere near ready for League One and Oxley is just poor - no excuses at his age.

Agree we should’ve made an experienced back up/replacement for Oxley a priority. Bishop can learn, personally I think he was thrown in way before he was ready due to Oxley’s injury last season, but he’s shown some promise for me, I like him. Sadly promise ain’t enough in our current situation. Maybe we can get someone on loan..and in turn send Bishop out on loan to get more experience

 

[Floval Flyer]

I certainly wouldn’t say the goalkeeper situation is the least of our worries, it’s equally important to sort out all three areas of concern - the goalkeeper, defence and midfield....all three are the reasons we’re going down. It’ll take at least 2 or 3 transfer windows to put all of this right (and only if the right management team is in charge!).

But with this thread primarily about the goalkeepers, the last time I remember having both that were this poor was the dark days of Mel Capleton and Mark Prudhoe 20 years ago....

I can’t recall either being our POTY as Oxley was... I think Oxley is a decent shot stopper, behind a very poor defence which exposes his weaknesses at crosses. We’ve had a lot worse GKs in our history and he and prospect Bishop aren’t that bad for this level. Oxley strikes me as being a confidence player, and none of our squad are high on that right now.

 

[Angell Delight]

Agree we should’ve made an experienced back up/replacement for Oxley a priority. Bishop can learn, personally I think he was thrown in way before he was ready due to Oxley’s injury last season, but he’s shown some promise for me, I like him. Sadly promise ain’t enough in our current situation. Maybe we can get someone on loan..and in turn send Bishop out on loan to get more experience

He can learn, yes. In an ideal world we'd be loaning him out to maybe a National League club, you're right. In terms of Oxley we need to get rid this summer if we can.

 

[Angell Delight]

I can’t recall either being our POTY as Oxley was... I think Oxley is a decent shot stopper, behind a very poor defence which exposes his weaknesses at crosses. We’ve had a lot worse GKs in our history and he and prospect Bishop aren’t that bad for this level. Oxley strikes me as being a confidence player, and none of our squad are high on that right now.

Oxley had one unbelievable season in 2017/18 when he swept the board for PotY and deservedly so. But what about the other 2 and a bit seasons when he's been truly awful? Rarely a game goes by when you're unable to say he cost us at least one goal. It's all very well people moaning about the defence - and they should do because it's atrocious - but that certainly shouldn't affect a goalkeeper's handling and Oxley's is dreadful at times. What really frustrates me though is his inability to command his area, for someone of his stature that's criminal. The first goal yesterday was bad but the fourth for me was so much worse. Enough is enough now. Our defenders clearly lack confidence in the goalkeeper and the goalkeeper clearly lacks confidence in the back four. When you consider our midfield is appalling too it's no wonder we're heading for League Two at such an alarming rate....

 

[LBBlue]

Comparisons with Prudhoe and Capelton aren't really fair. Prudhoe was at the end of his career when he signed for us aged 36 and he played only 6 games. He played at a lot higher level than Oxley ever will.

Capelton played the same season 1999/2000 and a few games in 1998/99 when we were at our lowest and very skint in the fourth division.

Oxley should be in his prime. He had one decent season in 2017/18 behind Ferdinand and Turner.

 

[Angell Delight]

Comparisons with Prudhoe and Capelton aren't really fair. Prudhoe was at the end of his career when he signed for us aged 36 and he played only 6 games. He played at a lot higher level than Oxley ever will.

Capelton played the same season 1999/2000 and a few games in 1998/99 when we were at our lowest and very skint in the fourth division.

Oxley should be in his prime. He had one decent season in 2017/18 behind Ferdinand and Turner.

If this is Oxley’s “prime” then we need to find someone to take him off our hands this summer. His performances - especially given he’s one of our top wage earners - aren’t anywhere near good enough for this level.

 

[LI11]

Oxley has single handedly prevented many score lines this season being embarrassments.
No keeper should be exposed to as many chances as our opposition are being gifted so far this season, with the amount of shots at our goal it’s obvious that we’re going to be conceding a lot, to criticise the likes of Rob Kiernan would be a lot more rational after yesterday’s performance.
Ted Smith would be no better

 

[damien]

Whilst I think the blame can't be attributed solely to ox, the fundamental point I couldnt agree more with. There are countless scenarios where the goalkeeper should come and claim, or come and clear but rather than this happening the oppo forwards end up with the ball, in the final third. Therefore we can't get bodies back, the oppo can get forward into dangerous positions rather than a throw in or turning them back round. What is more worrying is that this doesn't seem to have been worked on in the last however many years he has been with us. Always ground my gears this, so much danger could be averted before it even becomes danger if there was just a bit of pro activity

 

[wildheart]

Oh for a Sammy, Roycey or a Daryl right now. We’ve not had a decent keeper since Bentley and he was no Federici. I hate to say this but Dean Gerkin has been a superb servant to Col U, we could have done a lot worse not trying to have get him years ago!

Apparently was with us as a youth player?

 

[Austin the Shrimper]

Agree Oxley has been very poor since he signed that contract. That 1st goal yesterday he should have saved no question.
The defence is a shambles and is a massive problem for whoever is in goal, but it works both ways and they just make each nervous because they know they cant rely on each other.
Bishop hasn't really impressed either and arguably it is far too soon for him, it feels like a shot on target is as good as a goal when he is playing.

in conclusion, we need a new goalkeeper and 2 centre backs in january.

 

[40yearsafan]

Comparisons with Prudhoe and Capelton aren't really fair. Prudhoe was at the end of his career when he signed for us aged 36 and he played only 6 games. He played at a lot higher level than Oxley ever will.

Capelton played the same season 1999/2000 and a few games in 1998/99 when we were at our lowest and very skint in the fourth division.

Oxley should be in his prime. He had one decent season in 2017/18 behind Ferdinand and Turner.

I remember Mel as one of the highlights of the 99/00 season. Highly entertaining behind what was another poor back line.

 

[stewart]

Harry Threadgold was brilliant !

 

[rigsby]

Some of you aren't being honest with yourselves. You only have to look at old clips to see how many basic mistakes the likes of Sammy made.

After a shaky start, including being blamed for goals that were never his fault and some fans praying he would fail because he was a PB signing. Oxley could have won POTY in his first season. He only conceded 5 goals in his last 10 league games in 2016. We would have made the playoffs had he not been injured.

If it wasn't for the Ox, we could have had a Dick Bate of at score at Gills. 3 good saves in the first 5/6 minutes and gets the credit for not just saving a pen but also for the one they missed.

Bond made a huge mistake in dropping Oxley for the Lincoln game and it done no favours for either keeper.

 

[Tombstone Blues]

I also think one of Bonds biggest clangers and one which helped set the tone for things to come was to drop Oxley on the back of winning at Stevenage....

Once he’d picked Oxley for the Coventry game he’d confirmed him as his No 1. Bishop did well at Stevenage but once you’ve shown who your No 1 is you have to stick by your decision and he (Bishop) should by then have known he’d be playing in primarily cup games until things changed.

To change after 2 league games wreaked of indecision and not knowing your own mind.

My only issue with Oxley is his distribution. He doesn’t kick well and he kicks too often! That said, I think his distribution as a whole was better yesterday.

 

[rlb999]

Oh for a Sammy, Roycey or a Daryl right now. We’ve not had a decent keeper since Bentley and he was no Federici.

we could have any of those in the league and we’d still be bottom - that’s because the keeper, be it Oxley or bishop, isn’t the problem.

equally Bentley was the best keeper in the league when we had him. not fair to compare others to him or criticise them for not being the best keeper in the league.

I personally think they’d have stuck with ted smith as number 1, had his contract not been up and had they not wanted 3 senior keepers.

 

[mfurok]

I also think one of Bonds biggest clangers and one which helped set the tone for things to come was to drop Oxley on the back of winning at Stevenage....

Once he’d picked Oxley for the Coventry game he’d confirmed him as his No 1. Bishop did well at Stevenage but once you’ve shown who your No 1 is you have to stick by your decision and he (Bishop) should by then have known he’d be playing in primarily cup games until things changed.

To change after 2 league games wreaked of indecision and not knowing your own mind.

My only issue with Oxley is his distribution. He doesn’t kick well and he kicks too often! That said, I think his destruction as a whole was better yesterday.

So you’re content with a keeper who is generally rooted to his line, parries far too many shots back into the path of onrushing forwards and doesn’t command his area?