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Post by marsvolta on Sept 11, 2024 19:54:22 GMT
I’m not opposed to using a different keeper to Ward, where did you get that from? In fact I’m actively praying that we get an alternative to Ward because he’s not playing league football. Im quite happy for anyone to say that Darlow should be in instead of Ward because they think he’s a better keeper. What I am opposed to is people saying that we should pick Darlow instead of Ward because Ward spends too much time not playing, when that is exactly where Darlow has spent the bulk of the last few years. Darlow has played something like 14 league games in 2 years whereas ward has played 1 cup match. Not amazing I know but he’s looking for first team football, he signed a contract at Newcastle until 2025 but he chose to look for first team football. Ward is what third choice keeper whereas darlow has a chance of playing for Leeds this season 12 of those 14 games were two years ago, basically the current situation is almost identical in that neither Ward nor Darlow have played this season yet and have only played 3 games between them last season. There’s nothing in it really, but I think we should go for Darlow as he seems to be the better keeper and, as you say, looks more likely to play this season. |
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Post by talyfan on Sept 11, 2024 20:03:11 GMT
Wonder if Bellamy would rotate them like we've seen these past two fixtures for every round? Not scared of using all the squad
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Post by melynwy on Sept 11, 2024 20:31:44 GMT
When David De Gea joined Man United he was recognised as being good with his feet but by the end of his time, as others caught up and overtook him, it was said to be one of his weaknesses. Ward's chipped balls out to full-backs just inside the sidelines is one of his strengths. But we're not looking for one goalie, we're looking for two plus right now and two plus in the next generation. There is time to assess and get right first choice while also building up the depth needed, although less time than we would ideally like. I don't recall De Gea ever being particularly praised for being good with his feet. I think he's always been seen as a good, but more 'traditional' goalkeeper - excellent shot stopper with stunning reflexes. Regarding footwork he was always seen as 'good enough, but not remarkable' for a top level keeper. |
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Post by njdragon on Sept 11, 2024 21:20:29 GMT
Darlow has played something like 14 league games in 2 years whereas ward has played 1 cup match. Not amazing I know but he’s looking for first team football, he signed a contract at Newcastle until 2025 but he chose to look for first team football. Ward is what third choice keeper whereas darlow has a chance of playing for Leeds this season 12 of those 14 games were two years ago, basically the current situation is almost identical in that neither Ward nor Darlow have played this season yet and one only played 3 games between them last season. There’s nothing in it really, but I think we should go for Darlow as he seems to be the better keeper and, as you say, looks more likely to play this season. That’s 14 more club games than ward the past 2 years. And ward shows no sign of moving from Leicester’s third choice keeper. Darrow by all accounts either wants a move or to challenge for number 1 at Leeds. |
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Post by marsvolta on Sept 11, 2024 21:45:49 GMT
12 of those 14 games were two years ago, basically the current situation is almost identical in that neither Ward nor Darlow have played this season yet and one only played 3 games between them last season. There’s nothing in it really, but I think we should go for Darlow as he seems to be the better keeper and, as you say, looks more likely to play this season. That’s 14 more club games than ward the past 2 years. And ward shows no sign of moving from Leicester’s third choice keeper. Darrow by all accounts either wants a move or to challenge for number 1 at Leeds. My point was that neither are playing now and the fact that Darlow got 12 games the season before last doesn’t really change much. In fact, the harsh reality is that both of them have barely played in 5 years and their appearance records over their entire career aren’t great. Agree that Darlow has the best chance of playing this season though and that’s the main focus so we should stick with him in my opinion. We need keepers who are playing now, not two years ago or the year before that, and Darlow is the most likely to do that. |
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Post by welwyn on Sept 12, 2024 7:52:23 GMT
Was going to suggest the TNS keeper as he is playing and will be at a decently high level for at least 5 games in this next period...
...then released he's 31 too!
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Post by dragon64 on Sept 12, 2024 19:53:09 GMT
Was going to suggest the TNS keeper as he is playing and will be at a decently high level for at least 5 games in this next period... ...then released he's 31 too! would have 2x connor roberts then  |
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Post by dragon64 on Sept 12, 2024 19:53:52 GMT
Is Darlow the oldest player to make his debut for Wales
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Post by marsvolta on Sept 12, 2024 22:21:47 GMT
Is Darlow the oldest player to make his debut for Wales They said in the commentary that he was the oldest ‘in modern times’, whenever that covers. I presume that means that there may have been someone in 1907 or whenever and they don’t have proper records. The previous oldest was Margetson funnily enough. Roger Freestone couldn’t have been far off when he played against Brazil, probably about 32 ish. |
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Post by dragon64 on Sept 12, 2024 23:23:45 GMT
Is Darlow the oldest player to make his debut for Wales They said in the commentary that he was the oldest ‘in modern times’, whenever that covers. I presume that means that there may have been someone in 1907 or whenever and they don’t have proper records. The previous oldest was Margetson funnily enough. Roger Freestone couldn’t have been far off when he played against Brazil, probably about 32 ish. totally forgot about that  its his only cap IIRC not a bad one to get though yes he must have been slightly younger than Darlow but not by much |
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Post by dragon64 on Sept 12, 2024 23:27:19 GMT
news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/sport/football/742192.stm check out that squad Freestone played in count ex Wales managers- the last 5 managers were in that squad Squad Crossley (Nottm For), Ward (Notts Co), Freestone (Swansea), Delaney (Aston Villa), Barnard (Barnsley), Giggs (Man Utd), Blake (Blackburn), Page (Watford), Coleman (Fulham), Pembridge (Everton), Melville (Fulham), Saunders (Bradford), Speed (Newcastle), J.Robinson (Charlton), C.Robinson (Wolves), Bellamy (Norwich), Jones (Leeds), Symons (Fulham), Savage (Leicester), Hartson (Wimbledon), I.Roberts (Norwich), Johnson (Nottm For), G Roberts (Tranmere), Oster (Sunderland).
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Post by underwood on Oct 5, 2024 9:32:41 GMT
He will be getting a run in between the sticks if Meslier’s head goes after last night’s error.
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Post by insertname on Oct 5, 2024 13:46:44 GMT
He will be getting a run in between the sticks if Meslier’s head goes after last night’s error. He’s quite a key player for Leeds so I imagine he’s got a lot of credit in the bank in the bank in that respect. As such it will probably take a serious loss of form for them to promote a sub goalkeeper especially when it’s someone like Darlow where there is a bit of a drop off in quality. In other words it’s a different situation to say, Liverpool, where they have a highly rated keeper in reserve that can seamlessly step in. Darlow is best off looking elsewhere for first team football. |
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Post by marsvolta on Oct 5, 2024 13:58:21 GMT
He will be getting a run in between the sticks if Meslier’s head goes after last night’s error. That was an absolute howler too, made worse by it being in the 97th minute. Can’t see them dropping him for that individual thing though. |
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Post by melynwy on Oct 5, 2024 17:11:07 GMT
He will be getting a run in between the sticks if Meslier’s head goes after last night’s error. That was an absolute howler too, made worse by it being in the 97th minute. Can’t see them dropping him for that individual thing though. I agree. Unless Meslier shows signs of not coping, he won’t be dropped for it. It was a howling howler, but to be fair the ball did take a nasty change of direction on the bounce and he was already braced for where he thought the ball was going. The bounce isn’t really evident on the love camera angle so it look an absolutely crazy and impossible mistake, almost like an optical illusion! He was probably as shocked as anyone when it happened! |
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Post by marsvolta on Oct 6, 2024 16:38:29 GMT
That was an absolute howler too, made worse by it being in the 97th minute. Can’t see them dropping him for that individual thing though. I agree. Unless Meslier shows signs of not coping, he won’t be dropped for it. It was a howling howler, but to be fair the ball did take a nasty change of direction on the bounce and he was already braced for where he thought the ball was going. The bounce isn’t really evident on the love camera angle so it look an absolutely crazy and impossible mistake, almost like an optical illusion! He was probably as shocked as anyone when it happened! After the first five or six replays I still couldn’t work out exactly what happened |
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Post by dragon64 on Oct 6, 2024 18:36:22 GMT
Bellamy hinted going back to the first squad call up something along the lines that Darlow's circumstances might change over the next few days[the window was open] so I took it a loan/transfer had been possibly on but nothing developed lets hope in January it does
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Post by melynwy on Oct 7, 2024 13:41:25 GMT
I agree. Unless Meslier shows signs of not coping, he won’t be dropped for it. It was a howling howler, but to be fair the ball did take a nasty change of direction on the bounce and he was already braced for where he thought the ball was going. The bounce isn’t really evident on the love camera angle so it look an absolutely crazy and impossible mistake, almost like an optical illusion! He was probably as shocked as anyone when it happened! After the first five or six replays I still couldn’t work out exactly what happened Quite. It looks really bizarre on the live and replay angles - I did find one video on Youtube from a different angle that showed the very nasty change of direction on the bounce. |
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Post by athenempadu on Oct 8, 2024 15:30:22 GMT
After the first five or six replays I still couldn’t work out exactly what happened Quite. It looks really bizarre on the live and replay angles - I did find one video on Youtube from a different angle that showed the very nasty change of direction on the bounce. Is it possible to link the video? |
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Post by melynwy on Oct 8, 2024 16:35:14 GMT
Quite. It looks really bizarre on the live and replay angles - I did find one video on Youtube from a different angle that showed the very nasty change of direction on the bounce. Is it possible to link the video? It was Twitter sorry, not Youtube. This one - x.com/eflchampfans24/status/1842510535276765623?s=46 |
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Post by marsvolta on Oct 8, 2024 18:46:28 GMT
34 today. Bizarre that he is just starting his Wales career
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Post by insertname on Nov 16, 2024 17:19:12 GMT
Bellamy has gone up in my estimation here picking Darlow for the biggest game in the group. A small victory
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Post by neverever on Nov 16, 2024 18:23:55 GMT
Never wanted him involved myself but he has sure proved us doubters wrong.
He looks so more assured & in control than Ward.
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Post by quetzal on Nov 16, 2024 19:23:17 GMT
I adored my Irish granddad. But I only ever felt Welsh. I think I was too hard on Darlow when he wanted to wait to see if he could play for England. I know his granddad Ken Leek was part of the Wales 58 World Cup
Squad but sometimes the granddad thing doesn’t fly and it didn’t with me. He is now our deserved number 1.
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Post by 1gwaunview on Nov 16, 2024 19:31:00 GMT
As above think we've found our No1 for the time being. Very good peformance by Darlow this evening.
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Post by dragons on Nov 16, 2024 19:52:03 GMT
As above think we've found our No1 for the time being. Very good peformance by Darlow this evening. Thought Darlow was outstanding, definitely our No1 current Goalkeeper. Well done Craig Bellamy! |
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Post by spiritof16 on Nov 16, 2024 20:26:28 GMT
He could be our keeper for 7+ years if you consider Scotland are playing Craig Gordon.
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Post by cadno on Nov 16, 2024 20:44:38 GMT
He could be our keeper for 7+ years if you consider Scotland are playing Craig Gordon. Can’t believe Grant Hanley still starts for them , dreadful defender IMO |
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Post by winsumluzsum on Nov 16, 2024 21:02:04 GMT
Darlow's command of his box, and excellent one-on-one save certainly puts him ahead of Ward, but I don't think we should be ignoring the distribution aspect. Against Turkiye at home Ward completed 39 out of 47 passes (83%) and completed 5 out of 11 long passes (45%). Tonight Darlow completed 18 out of 38 passes (47%) and only 3 out of 22 long passes (14%). To be fair he was under a lot more pressure than Ward was in the home game, but Bellamy will want a higher pass completion to sustain a possession led game.
It may be that he plays Darlow in the tougher fixtures and Ward in the easier ones, where his superior distribution can be brought to bear. I don't think Bellamy will make any black and white decisions yet.
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Post by jenksta on Nov 16, 2024 21:20:45 GMT
Darlow's command of his box, and excellent one-on-one save certainly puts him ahead of Ward, but I don't think we should be ignoring the distribution aspect. Against Turkiye at home Ward completed 39 out of 47 passes (83%) and completed 5 out of 11 long passes (45%). Tonight Darlow completed 18 out of 38 passes (47%) and only 3 out of 22 long passes (14%). To be fair he was under a lot more pressure than Ward was in the home game, but Bellamy will want a higher pass completion to sustain a possession led game. It may be that he plays Darlow in the tougher fixtures and Ward in the easier ones, where his superior distribution can be brought to bear. I don't think Bellamy will make any black and white decisions yet. Probably helps to have Moore up front, rather than Wilson, Harries, James and Brooks (who he was playing it long to today) with the long ball success rate.... Of course that also skews the overall stats as well... |
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its his only cap IIRC not a bad one to get though
