Player Watch - Fraser Forster

[Trees]

Good grief

 

[spurs mental]

He was fine. Made a good save or two.

 

[Yiddo100]

He was fine. Made a good save or two.

Almost cost us a couple though

 

[ljinko888]

He's had a successful career. England international, Champions League nights, won loads of titles for one of the biggest clubs in Britain and in his prime was a good Premier League player for several years.

But every time he plays for Spurs he looks like a really old man moving around even for a back up goalkeeper.

 

[brasil_spur]

He was fine. Made a good save or two.

What the fuck?

He was horrendous. Really horrendous.

His Spurs career really should be over following last night. But we've registered him over Spence for Europe, so it might be he still gets game time.

But he very nearly cost us the game last night.

 

[Shanks]

What the fuck?

He was horrendous. Really horrendous.

His Spurs career really should be over following last night. But we've registered him over Spence for Europe, so it might be he still gets game time.

But he very nearly cost us the game last night.

It's actually quite a weird one tbh, think there was one moment where he came out, got caught being late, where they got through, outside of that, some game time rustiness for sure, but overall he actually didn't do too badly, I'm surprised people think this was a big issue last night, where as I was more concerned over what was happening in front of him.

Compared to Vicario, who is suspect when it comes to set pieces, and in my opinion is at fault for a lot of those silly goals from set pieces due to the way he cannot command his box.

Neither are ideal, but Forster was fine, made a couple of decent saves, couldn't really do much with their goal, but he was a lot more dominant in the box as set pieces. His two saves were low down, the second one actually displayed surprisingly quick feet, as its a technical save more difficult to make than it looks, but nothing spectacular.

Forster with his feet, whilst a little slow, and apart from his first pass, would have preferred his longer balls, which are a lot better and more direct into the channels that Vicario as well (the latter often floats a ball long, rather than going direct with pace).

It feels like a toss up of... Speed and agilty, or domination and calm with them both... if we could have a keeper with combined both, would be ideal.

I'm not suggesting Forster takes over from Vicario either, I would stick with Vicario due to his agilty and save capability (which gets him out of trouble), but for me neither are particular great keepers (understandable with Forster given age), but Forster being in the sticks doesn't concern me as much as some other outfield positions either.

 

[hughy]

It's actually quite a weird one tbh, think there was one moment where he came out, got caught being late, where they got through, outside of that, some game time rustiness for sure, but overall he actually didn't do too badly, I'm surprised people think this was a big issue last night, where as I was more concerned over what was happening in front of him.

Compared to Vicario, who is suspect when it comes to set pieces, and in my opinion is at fault for a lot of those silly goals from set pieces due to the way he cannot command his box.

Neither are ideal, but Forster was fine, made a couple of decent saves, couldn't really do much with their goal, but he was a lot more dominant in the box as set pieces. His two saves were low down, the second one actually displayed surprisingly quick feet, as its a technical save more difficult to make than it looks, but nothing spectacular.

Forster with his feet, whilst a little slow, and apart from his first pass, would have preferred his longer balls, which are a lot better and more direct into the channels that Vicario as well (the latter often floats a ball long, rather than going direct with pace).

It feels like a toss up of... Speed and agilty, or domination and calm with them both... if we could have a keeper with combined both, would be ideal.

I'm not suggesting Forster takes over from Vicario either, I would stick with Vicario due to his agilty and save capability (which gets him out of trouble), but for me neither are particular great keepers (understandable with Forster given age), but Forster being in the sticks doesn't concern me as much as some other outfield positions either.

Vicario's flaws feel like something we could work on as a team to minimise. What the fuck we're doing in set-piece training to try and combat this is anyone's guess. I'd have thought in 9 months (since the City FA Cup game) that Ange and his team would have thought up an effective strategy in these instances, but apparently not.

Forster however is never going to improve at the age of 36, especially as he'll likely only play 2 or 3 games this season (barring injury). It would be an absolute disaster of epic proportions if Vicario was to get injured for any prolonged spell.

Hindsight's a wonderful thing, but we probably should have prioritised an able back-up keeper in Summer instead of having 2-3 really poor back-up options.

 

[Trix]

It's actually quite a weird one tbh, think there was one moment where he came out, got caught being late, where they got through, outside of that, some game time rustiness for sure, but overall he actually didn't do too badly, I'm surprised people think this was a big issue last night, where as I was more concerned over what was happening in front of him.

Compared to Vicario, who is suspect when it comes to set pieces, and in my opinion is at fault for a lot of those silly goals from set pieces due to the way he cannot command his box.

Neither are ideal, but Forster was fine, made a couple of decent saves, couldn't really do much with their goal, but he was a lot more dominant in the box as set pieces. His two saves were low down, the second one actually displayed surprisingly quick feet, as its a technical save more difficult to make than it looks, but nothing spectacular.

Forster with his feet, whilst a little slow, and apart from his first pass, would have preferred his longer balls, which are a lot better and more direct into the channels that Vicario as well (the latter often floats a ball long, rather than going direct with pace).

It feels like a toss up of... Speed and agilty, or domination and calm with them both... if we could have a keeper with combined both, would be ideal.

I'm not suggesting Forster takes over from Vicario either, I would stick with Vicario due to his agilty and save capability (which gets him out of trouble), but for me neither are particular great keepers (understandable with Forster given age), but Forster being in the sticks doesn't concern me as much as some other outfield positions either.

I agree. His handling could have been better at times(rusty), but he was far more dominant in his area than Vic has been.

 

[Yiddo100]

Apart from giving his first pass away and us almost conceding, some dodgy handling from cross/corners, wiping out Dragusin to leave Coventry with an open goal he was okay.

 

[jpascavitz]

He wasn't great, but he definitely looked like someone who hasn't played in a year after an injury - which is a fact. It just shows what a lengthy time out does to a player. We saw it with Solomon in preseason, and seeing the same now. So I'll hold out hope that he'll get a few points better with some more games.

Goalkeepers are hard to judge in short cameos IMO but I was more surprised that Austin didn't get his chance. Every time I saw him in preseason I thought he looked OK and thought we would go with the younger option and just let Forster see out his contract.

 

[Shanks]

He wasn't great, but he definitely looked like someone who hasn't played in a year after an injury - which is a fact. It just shows what a lengthy time out does to a player. We saw it with Solomon in preseason, and seeing the same now. So I'll hold out hope that he'll get a few points better with some more games.

Goalkeepers are hard to judge in short cameos IMO but I was more surprised that Austin didn't get his chance. Every time I saw him in preseason I thought he looked OK and thought we would go with the younger option and just let Forster see out his contract.

Agree, game minute is absolutely necessary for any player, I'm not sure what he have below Forster are ready or suitable at the moment though either, its a tough old position being a keeper!

 

[Spursmatty87]

I think he did ok, didn’t expect any more from someone that hasn’t really played any football.

On a wider point I think this is where the league as a whole would benefit from cynicism with the U23. Where you could play a good young keeper in U21’s and still have them available for first team as backup/third choice.

 

[brasil_spur]

It's actually quite a weird one tbh, think there was one moment where he came out, got caught being late, where they got through, outside of that, some game time rustiness for sure, but overall he actually didn't do too badly, I'm surprised people think this was a big issue last night, where as I was more concerned over what was happening in front of him.

Compared to Vicario, who is suspect when it comes to set pieces, and in my opinion is at fault for a lot of those silly goals from set pieces due to the way he cannot command his box.

Neither are ideal, but Forster was fine, made a couple of decent saves, couldn't really do much with their goal, but he was a lot more dominant in the box as set pieces. His two saves were low down, the second one actually displayed surprisingly quick feet, as its a technical save more difficult to make than it looks, but nothing spectacular.

Forster with his feet, whilst a little slow, and apart from his first pass, would have preferred his longer balls, which are a lot better and more direct into the channels that Vicario as well (the latter often floats a ball long, rather than going direct with pace).

It feels like a toss up of... Speed and agilty, or domination and calm with them both... if we could have a keeper with combined both, would be ideal.

I'm not suggesting Forster takes over from Vicario either, I would stick with Vicario due to his agilty and save capability (which gets him out of trouble), but for me neither are particular great keepers (understandable with Forster given age), but Forster being in the sticks doesn't concern me as much as some other outfield positions either.

Yeh it's funny who people see different things in the same game, but understand what you're saying.

Personally I thought he started off badly with some poor passing out, think it was less than 10 mins in when he played his first wayward pass. He then looked unsteady when passing most of the time after that. He also should have long balled a few clearances and didn't.

In terms of coming for the ball from set pieces and crosses - yes he was better than Vicario, but that's a low bar. But actually he wasn't that much better as he made a pigs ear of a lot of them and I don't remember more than 1 or 2 clean catches versus half a dozen or more dropped or fumbled attempts.

Then there's the Dragusin collision, very amateur.

Personally I get that he's rusty as hell. But IMO he's A) not the type of keeper we need and B) what qualities he did have are now gone.

He should have been a 1-2 season stop gap for us. We should have replaced him this summer or just given Austin the No. 2 duties. Coventry's keeper looked far better IMO.

 

[spurs mental]

Coventry's keeper looked far better IMO.

It's easier to look better when you've only got one shot on target in 86 minutes to deal with.

 

[FinnYid]

He's had a successful career. England international, Champions League nights, won loads of titles for one of the biggest clubs in Britain and in his prime was a good Premier League player for several years.

But every time he plays for Spurs he looks like a really old man moving around even for a back up goalkeeper.

Have to remember that he was decent enough on his first season with us. But now with Anges playing style, more age and long injury just can't cope at here anymore.

But 22/23 with those 20 apps here wasn't bad at all.

 

[Shanks]

Yeh it's funny who people see different things in the same game, but understand what you're saying.

Personally I thought he started off badly with some poor passing out, think it was less than 10 mins in when he played his first wayward pass. He then looked unsteady when passing most of the time after that. He also should have long balled a few clearances and didn't.

In terms of coming for the ball from set pieces and crosses - yes he was better than Vicario, but that's a low bar. But actually he wasn't that much better as he made a pigs ear of a lot of them and I don't remember more than 1 or 2 clean catches versus half a dozen or more dropped or fumbled attempts.

Then there's the Dragusin collision, very amateur.

Personally I get that he's rusty as hell. But IMO he's A) not the type of keeper we need and B) what qualities he did have are now gone.

He should have been a 1-2 season stop gap for us. We should have replaced him this summer or just given Austin the No. 2 duties. Coventry's keeper looked far better IMO.

Lots of keepers are at a similiar standard in championship, Prem and even Div 1, I assure you (but then all there training is practically the same too).

Personally speaking, I'd have been going hell for leather for Liverpools 2nd choice Kelleher, who I rate really highly.

 

[beats1]

We would have lost if he was in goal for pens. Literally just need to shoot low and hard to beat him

 

[TEESSIDE1]

We would have lost if he was in goal for pens. Literally just need to shoot low and hard to beat him

Yep, your number 2 needs to be reliable. On one hand it was his first game post injury = risk of mistakes but on the other hand, the last time he played was in the cup when he failed to move for any of the penalties. He was just as bad then if not worse. He now reminds me of the end of Friedel when he would go down in stages. His agility has gone. As others have said, lose Vicario for a period of time and we’re stuffed. I’m shocked we didn’t bring in a new number two or competition for Vicario. You see a number of clubs having two solid keepers and having one for the league and the other for the cups plus some league games.

 

[Albertbarich]

View from the lane nailed it yesterday when they said we have three third choice keepers.

Forster should be doing the job Carson is at Man City and vicario should have some proper competition because he has regressed since joining.

 

[hop22]

It is reckless, that we didn‘t sign a reliable (at least) second keeper. Does Ange actually trust in Forster? This could become a serious problem during the season.