Official Matchday 17: Nottingham Forest vs Tottenham Hotspur, Fri. 15th December 2023 @ 20:00hrs

[SandyReid]

Rewatching today.

If we had swapped goalkeepers, we win that match most likely. The save from Toffolo was absurd and both Spurs goals were gaffes.

It’s a complex situation but really the decision to sign two numbers two keepers is execrable. Should have signed one and gambled on Hendo. If gamble didn’t work sign another.

That would never happen though post Omar Richards medical drama and I felt confident that we’d made the right choice in not having hendo but it doesn’t feel good now. it’s these kind of high risk transfers that an emerging premier league club has to risk sometimes. Or we could have signed a great GK from the championship like Luton.

All in all our recruitment is mixed bag, lots of highs and lows and that is reflected in our performances.

 

[Mr. Blonde]

Just playing devils advocate re the two goalies - after what happened with Henderson last season I can see why they wanted more depth in the goalkeeping position

Just a shame they signed two donkeys

 

[Trents]

There was probably 3 players off side - but still hate it. Wish they’d just bin it and give the authority back to the match day officials.

We celebrated like mad but you still look for the ref's reaction straight after. As soon as he put his finger to his ear I thought 'ah bollocks, Elanga's offside again'

 

[Omar Devone Little]

Just playing devils advocate re the two goalies - after what happened with Henderson last season I can see why they wanted more depth in the goalkeeping position

Just a shame they signed two donkeys

For me it's too important a position to skimp on, especially for a team expected to be towards the bottom. I feel there are two options here. You either:

A) Go big on a proper keeper and have Hennessey and Horvath as back up.

Or

B) use the same amount of money to get two average (being kind) keepers.

I'd have gone with A. Once again the recruitment team have got it badly wrong. When you're fighting relegation the difference-makers are a striker that can score a few and a keeper that can keep them out and we're badly lacking in both departments at the moment.

 

[Mr. Blonde]

For me it's too important a position to skimp on, especially for a team expected to be towards the bottom. I feel there are two options here. You either:

A) Go big on a proper keeper and have Hennessey and Horvath as back up.

Or

B) use the same am6of money to get two average (being kind) keepers.

I'd have gone with A. Once again the recruitment team have got it badly wrong. When you're fighting relegation the difference-makers are a striker that can score a few and a keeper that can keep them out and we're badly lacking in both departments at the moment.

I'd have gone with A as well

I can see why the club wanted to bring in two quality (if not necessarily top drawer) keepers to avoid a similar situation to last season, was my point

Just a shame that neither of the keepers they did sign turned out to be of said quality

 

[Monkman]

For me it's too important a position to skimp on, especially for a team expected to be towards the bottom. I feel there are two options here. You either:

A) Go big on a proper keeper and have Hennessey and Horvath as back up.

Or

B) use the same am6of money to get two average (being kind) keepers.

I'd have gone with A. Once again the recruitment team have got it badly wrong. When you're fighting relegation the difference-makers are a striker that can score a few and a keeper that can keep them out and we're badly lacking in both departments at the moment.

But A was Henderson who is only just available now. We all know you'd have been moaning we didn't do B in that scenario.

 

[Omar Devone Little]

But A was Henderson who is only just available now.

Not necessarily. There are other good keepers out there you know.

 

[Monkman]

I hope so, we need one next month!

De Gea surely an option.

 

[Statto]

I'd have gone with A as well

I can see why the club wanted to bring in two quality (if not necessarily top drawer) keepers to avoid a similar situation to last season, was my point

Just a shame that neither of the keepers they did sign turned out to be of said quality

Yes but what options were available? Navas on a perm would have cost too much and wouldn't be the long term answer anyway.

The club rightly had doubts about Henderson's fitness which proved to be correct.

We still need to operate on a budget so someone like de Gea who only became available later on probably wouldn't have been the long term option (due to age) nor perhaps value for money either (given he is also not particularly comfortable with the ball at his feet).

Spurs did seem to manage to get a decent keeper to replace Lloris in Vicario, but then, they can promise him European football.

 

[Redemption]

Not necessarily. There are other good keepers out there you know.

But we went long on Hendo then, when it was obvious it wasn't happening, was their time to switch to other A grade keepers?

 

[Mr. Blonde]

Yes but what options were available?

I have no idea, I'm not a goalkeeping scout

But I find it hard to believe Turner and / or Vlach were the best available options out there

 

[Statto]

I have no idea, I'm not a goalkeeping scout

But I find it hard to believe Turner and / or Vlach were the best available options out there

It is possible that they were / were the best who could fit the budget and time allowed / wanted to come.

 

[Mr. Blonde]

It is possible that they were / were the best who could fit the budget and time allowed / wanted to come.

Well if that's the case then the budget wasn't big enough

 

[Omar Devone Little]

Well if that's the case then the budget wasn't big enough

And we reportedly paid £8m for Turner and £5m for Vlachodimos. Plus god knows what in agent fees and combined wages. I know I'm simplifying it somewhat but that suggests to me we had roughly £13-15m available for a keeper. There must be a decent selection available for that you'd have thought.

I just think the club shat themselves about the possibility of having all their eggs in one basket again and compromised quality in order to have an established number 2. It could be a costly mistake.

 

[Rockabilly]

Easiest way to find a decent keeper is to turn up at a game with a crucifix and a clove of garlic.
All the vampires will run like f***, whilst the ones that hang around won't be scared of crosses.

Easy peasy.

 

[MaxiRobriguez]

And we reportedly paid £8m for Turner and £5m for Vlachodimos. Plus god knows what in agent fees and combined wages. I know I'm simplifying it somewhat but that suggests to me we had roughly £13-15m available for a keeper. There must be a decent selection available for that you'd have thought.

Probably fewer than you think. £13m doesn't buy you a lot at this level, especially if you want to proven and consistent.

We could look at some free agents to plug the gap: David De Gea, Timo Horn, Sergio Asenjo are all available.

But again they are risks, and arguably the latter two aren't any better than what we are already have.

 

[Joe Baker's Dog]

Kulusevski is, like Elanga, a Swedish International winger.
However, that's where the comparison ends.
Kulu gets one assist, and 1 goal last night.
Elanga gets 7 offsides against him, no goals and no assists.

Elanga has been flagged offside 15 times this season more than any other PL player............but to be fair he does try and occasionally scores or create a goal. One of our better signings........

 

[ubik]

I thought many of our players put in a shift last night, Yates & Williams were excellent. Mangala had a decent game until he ran out of puff. We were let down by 2 goalkeeping howlers. The 6 yard box should be dominated by a goalkeeper. The only time Shilton was beat in the 6 yard area was by the cheat Maradonna (I have never forgiven the cheating bastard). Turner isn't good enough on the floor which goalkeepers just have to be now. Then there's our toothless attack.....we did create several decent changes.....sadly the best one Boly was on the end of. I don't agree with the comment about not needing a centre back we need a better one than Boly/Worrall/McKenna. Wood/Origi aren't good enough up front either......god knows who thought these were what we wanted (I find it hard to believe these are Cooper's choices) .........finding a striker is vital or we're doomed. I don't understand why Hudson-Odoi has fallen out of favour.....but he did little when he came on. The tackle on Yates was a clear red...........god knows why the referee gave a yellow initially. A miserable night in the end compounded by both the A46 & M1 southbound being closed - god knows how Spurs fans got back to London. It took me ages to get back to Stratford Upon Avon.

I remember not always coming off his line being Shilton's main weakness (not saving many penalties being the other).

 

[ubik]

I thought Turner did well apart from that horrible double error.

Harsh to blame him for the first goal, whipped in cross. Boly is the only one at fault, not quite there to beat Richarlison to the header.

 

[garibaldi]

Yes but what options were available? Navas on a perm would have cost too much and wouldn't be the long term answer anyway.

The club rightly had doubts about Henderson's fitness which proved to be correct.

We still need to operate on a budget so someone like de Gea who only became available later on probably wouldn't have been the long term option (due to age) nor perhaps value for money either (given he is also not particularly comfortable with the ball at his feet).

Spurs did seem to manage to get a decent keeper to replace Lloris in Vicario, but then, they can promise him European football.

Sanchez. he was available for half a season as Brighton dropped him before he moved. A transfer offer should have been made well before Chelsea signed him in August.

The keeper situation is testament to our quantity over quality recruitment strategy however.

 

[Robertson]

Sanchez was never going to come here given Chelsea’s interest. Also I’m not sure Chelsea fans are especially impressed with either. Also he’s currently injured.

 

[garibaldi]

Sanchez was never going to come here given Chelsea’s interest. Also I’m not sure Chelsea fans are especially impressed with either. Also he’s currently injured.

Chelsea signed Sanchez to replace Mendy whom they sold to Saudi at the end of June and proceeded to sign Sanchez in August as competition for Kepa.

We on the other hand didn't have a keeper let alone 2 and should have had the deal done as soon as we guaranteed survival in May. We snoozed and fannied about with Henderson and unfortunately Chelsea swooped 2 months later.

Nobody looks good at Chelsea due to their NFFC recruitment strategy on a macro scale.