The goalkeeper chestnut

[Guest TonyOwl88]

I don't want to pull O'Donnell because I've been impressed by him, and I hope he can improve and become first-team keeper one day... but against Hartlepool he had no shots to save. Clean-sheets are pretty easy to come by when the defence suddenly starts working.

Weaver had to deal with some of the most apauling defending infront of him... it was inevitable he would conceed a few because nobody gave him a fighting chance.

Also, his for dips after an immense season, and all of a sudden he has to leave the first-team picture with a significant injury... probably int a coincidence. That guy won us a lot of games.

[Owl Rly]

Weaver contract stated that after a number of appearances he would be offered a new two year deal. That is why he has played a lot of games in an injury.

Where was this referenced? I'm slightly staggered by this to be honest.

[Salmonbones]

I hate to compare a legend to a mere mortal, but compare at the same age, Weaver v Pressman.

No comparison in my humble opinion. and why should there be, Pressman played most of his games for Wednesday in the top division, and when we got relegated he was often man of the match. Ask Neil Warnock what he thought of Pressman.

Anyhow, I digress, what i'm getting at is this - Weaver is good in comparison to what we have had in the past. I would say (including Scott Carson and Iain Turner) that since Lucas, we've not really had a good keeper. Weaver, if we are honest, has been above average, in an average side.

This is where I try to take some plaudit's, where on this site I rarely take any - but I have tried to laud Richard O'Donnell for some time now, even stating he was too good for lower league loans.....now I hope i've been vindicated.

Is R'OD good enough for a season in No1 jersey next term? Maybe not, but then again Jameson is not too shabby either. I am not saying get rid of Weaver, indeed he's just signed an extension - I'm just saying we have 3 decent and almost equally balanced in terms of ability, keepers. One just has much more experience then the others. Now, another has proven his worth.....maybe to Weavers detriment as a first choice keeper.

[Guest S.W.F.C]

13 or so years ago, and in league 1.

[eckington owl]

13 or so years ago, and in league 1.

He's not always been average then has he, and last time i checked we are in league 1. If he had got 25 clean sheets this season would you still call him average? It's plain to see he's a good keeper playing behind a terrible defence. That is a fact.

I could have kept a clean sheet on saturday, not taking anything away from ROD, but you cannot compare the two keepers judging on the current situation.

The defence have pulled their heads from up their arses since Weaver has been injured.

[Guest Wildman1867]

Never really thought ROD would be this good. Thought he would have only just made it as a Conference keeper but then again that's my fault for judging him before seeing him play more than a game. It's strange because I was worried at the start of the season about Weaver getting injured but then Jameson came in and calmed my nerves. When Jameson & Weaver got injured I was sh*tting myself because I thought ROD would **** it up. It's nice to know we have 3 Keepers capable of playing at this Level.

I have been on this forum many times stating that he has the potential to be a very good keeper and hace been constatly slagged off with people saying hes crap, he has no potential, he would cost us points, we would go down if he played etc

Well i hope all those people who slagged him off choke on their own words as he has now shown the potential that a few of us knew he had.

Yes i agree that he needs to work on his kicking a bit but Over the last seven games he has played he has become more consistent, i was very impressed with the way he rolled the ball out to the players and his all round general awareness along with the way he constantly shouts at the players.

you can see what it means to the lad when we win and he keeps a clen sheet.

I know that he has a contract along with jameson until the end of next season and personally if i was megson i would be looking to extend this.

Now he has had a taste of playing every week i wouldn't be suprised to see other teams come in for him in the summer as his displays will have got him noticed and if he wants to stay and we want too keep him we need to get his contact sorted asap.

[Guest S.W.F.C]

13 years ago, he had real potential, injuries hampered his progress.

Ill give u a fact charlton dont release a excellent keeper! Burnley dont release a excellant keeper, or is it that hes average at best?

[eckington owl]

13 years ago, he had real potential, injuries hampered his progress.

Ill give u a fact charlton dont release a excellent keeper! Burnley dont release a excellant keeper, or is it that hes average at best?

Van Der Sar, Peter Chec (sp),David James, Shay Given, Paddy Kenny - just to name a few keepers who have been released by their clubs or moved on. You could go on and name outfield players but i feel i've already proved my point. Are they average? - No!

[BRUCE LEE]

Don't know if there's already a thread on this subject but i've been having a debate with a mate mainly about Weaver, he doesn't rate him at all. Mainly because of the poor run of form he had before he got injured, having said that wasn't every player on a bad run of form post christmas?

O'Donnell has been excellent for us over the past few weeks and has settled a few nerves i had about having to play our 3rd choice between the sticks, he's not made many mistakes and shown pressure doesn't bother him one bit which is a brilliant sign for such a young lad - however, since the attitude and effort of the players seems to have changed recently, doesn't it make you wonder how Weaver would be performing? He's made some top drawer saves this season and put many a good shift in even when heads were low.

I'm not saying when he's fit he should walk streight back into the side because that would be daft with how ROD is performing, but if he shows he up for it in training i can see him making a swift return. Megson obviously thinks a lot of him giving him a 2 year contract. Either way it leaves a tough decision for GM.

Whats your thoughts?

BTW, how good is it to know we have such a young up and coming gem of a player in ROD? He still has a good 15 years infront of him and can only get better.

He played whilst he was injured.

Irvine didn't want to drop him because he was clinging onto his job.

Megson didn't want to drop him because he needed to address the horrific defence.... but he admitted defeat and let Nicky take a break.

Weaver will be our number 1, no doubt..... but fair play to O'Donnell, he's done a job.

Edited April 19, 2011 by BRUCE LEE

[eckington owl]

He played whilst he was injured.

Irvine didn't want to drop him because he was clinging onto his job.

Megson didn't want to drop him because he needed to address the horrific defence.... but he admitted defeat and let Nicky take a break.

Weaver will be our number 1, no doubt..... but fair play to O'Donnell, he's done a job.

That i didn't know, i dare say neither did the doubters in this thread.

I'm looking forward to him getting back to full fitness.

[Guest S.W.F.C]

U have no point to prove! Ur arguing that in ur opinion weaver is an excellant keeper, im arguin that hes an average keeper, average meAning he had good and bad games.

Lets take these gk u have mentioned, wen did any of them get released 3 times on the trot?

[Lee A]

Is R'OD good enough for a season in No1 jersey next term? Maybe not, but then again Jameson is not too shabby either. I am not saying get rid of Weaver, indeed he's just signed an extension - I'm just saying we have 3 decent and almost equally balanced in terms of ability, keepers. One just has much more experience then the others. Now, another has proven his worth.....maybe to Weavers detriment as a first choice keeper.

He's lacks experience, so it's tricky, but I would say yes, he's definitely good enough.

There are questions about his kicking, but to be fair Weaver's kicking leave a lot to be desired.

We are lucky to be a club that has 3 capable goalkeepers, thats more than a lot of clubs can say, and for me, ROD has gone from third choice, to number 1 this season, he's looked solid and confident beyond his years, giving more experience players an ear bashing when needed.

You could see on saturday what it means to the lad, he stood and watched the kop before kick off as Hi Ho was sang, seems to love being out there and long may it continue.

[eckington owl]

U have no point to prove! Ur arguing that in ur opinion weaver is an excellant keeper, im arguin that hes an average keeper, average meAning he had good and bad games.

Lets take these gk u have mentioned, wen did any of them get released 3 times on the trot?

It's quite evident from your previous post your were stating that excellent keepers don't move clubs - my point (which i proved) is that it isn't true.

[Guest S.W.F.C]

If weaver is a excelent keeper y is he applying his trade near the bottom of div 3? Answer me that!

[darra]

I'm saying that young players do not always "only get better" - many fail to improve and fulfill their potential

If you rewind 3 years many on this site wouldn't have sold Beevers for £5m (remember our £20m defence?) - many thinking he was an England captain in waiting - now he can't get in a league 1 team and has been displaced by a kid from another academy

Players don't always get better

Richie Humphrey's peaked in his first few games for us and we turned down £3m for him - which would be double figures these days - he just went backwards after a handful of games at the start of his career with us

a case in point

Back in 1995, Steve Haslam captained an England schoolboys team to a 1–0 victory over a Brazilian team including Ronaldinho. The team he captained included the likes of Wes Brown, Michael Ball and Michael Owen (who scored the only goal).

Sheffield Wednesday

Steve then started his professional football career at Sheffield Wednesday, the team he had supported all his life. Signed as a trainee in the 1996–1997 season, with big things expected of him he made his debut in the FA Premier League, aged 19 on Saturday, 8 May 1999 against Liverpool at Hillsborough. He played that game in front of 27,383 fans. The result was a 1–0 victory to, 'The Owls'.

He continued to make over 100 appearances and score 2 goals for the Yorkshire club. Showing ability to play across the back four and in midfield, he captained the side at every level including the first team.

[Guest jimmyowl77]

13 years ago, he had real potential, injuries hampered his progress.

Ill give u a fact charlton dont release a excellent keeper! Burnley dont release a excellant keeper, or is it that hes average at best?

What about Mark Fish?

[Guest S.W.F.C]

Jeffers also, how 8 mill went on his head ill never no.

[eckington owl]

If weaver is a excelent keeper y is he applying his trade near the bottom of div 3? Answer me that!

I've never in this thread said he was excellent, i was arguing he's better than average for this level.

You could ask the same question of a number of players in this league who could quite easily go on to play at a higher level, i.e the players who are in the PFA league 1 team of the year.

Weaver is better than average and more than sufficient for playing at this level - Fact!

Infact reading back through, theres only you who is of the oppinion he's average

[Hack-Abusi]

lets not get carried away with the ROD debate ..

he's played a couple of games and not had very much to do in that time ..

what he needs is a good solid 10 games on the trot and against some visious teams that will knock him about and make him work at his game, shots raining in etc ...

he definately needs to work on his kicking and to some extent his positioning as well

for me, we still need to sign an experienced younger keeper and plonk Weaver as back up

someone like Lonergan, Joe Lewis, Joe Murphy, Richard Lee, or poss a prem backup keeper like Colin Doyle at Birmingham or Al Habsi from Bolton

[Guest S.W.F.C]

Agree