Ikeme has been decent this season and has saved us a few points.
However, things are dire at the moment, with a real chance of us going down. I can't even envisage the next win, I genuinely cannot imagine it happening. Like the end of last season, I feel we could go down without another win to our name.
In the past, we have had success replacing a young keeper, performing well, with an experienced older head. They don't necessarily have to be a better keeper even, they need to marshal the defence and they need to provide something fresh and the confidence of a player who is less tainted by what has gone before - we're doing it with Batth, Gorkss and Robinson, is it worth trying De Vries?
Swansea fans raved about him, claiming he is a spectacular keeper - he took them up with a ridiculous number of clean sheets, something like 25, so he's obviously a good keeper. But I think, more significantly, he's 32, he's been there and done it and he might just give us the something different/experience/clear head we need to push on and concede fewer goals.
Worth giving De Vries a go?
posted on 22/2/13
Doris was highly rated by swansea fans and didn't BR want him at Liverpool? maybe worth givin him a go but whenever I've seen him play granted not often I've been unimpressed
posted on 22/2/13
You may not worry about it because Ikeme doesn't make a lot of errors but is there not an argument that we should be looking to improve our chances in matches by making positive changes as well as resolving negative issues i.e. Ward is apparently a weak link, so we've brought someone in to play instead but that isn't to say we shouldn't also be looking to improve positions that aren't the weak link if it improves the squad performance as a whole?
Even if he is not a better shot stopper and he concedes 3 in 100 shots to Ikeme's 2, if his organisation and confidence and experience result in half as many shots on goal against us then we concede fewer (number are purely hypothetical to prove a point obviously), and his distribution results in a few more goals than Ikeme's over the whole season then isn't there an argument for trying it?
posted on 22/2/13
De Vries has always looked like a small unimposing goalkeeper to me, who has made one errors in the few games he has played.
posted on 22/2/13
Ikeme did have a few games where his standards slipped but at Derby and Barnsley he had very good games and I see no need to change
De Vries is a very good shot stopper but isnt so convincing dealing with crosses
posted on 22/2/13
Don't agree.
posted on 22/2/13
You dont agree with what? Anything?
posted on 22/2/13
Not sure what you mean by "he's been there and done it" tbh. Swansea got him from Dunfermline. Plus he's only started 11 games since we got him.
posted on 22/2/13
I mean he's got a few successful years in the Championship before, he's broken a clean sheets record, he's been promoted through the playoffs, he's won the golden hand (golden hand? glove? whatever it is called). He wouldn't be much of a risk and the shakeup might just be positive.
posted on 24/2/13
I think Ikeme has had a fine season. He's quick to collect the ball out of the net. His kicking and rolling out to under-pressure defenders is excellent! He now tries to punch everything clear....apart from his statuesque play....Cardiff 2nd goal! I would definitely have De Vries in....remember a certain US oldie who came in a turned it around.
posted on 24/2/13
Nobody could turn this round.