mcmigo Posted July 17, 2022 Share Posted July 17, 2022 Per his recent media stuff he was suffering mental health wise at Wednesday which makes his fantastic performances even more remarkable. great goalkeeper and worthy of a spot in this list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leftpeg Posted July 17, 2022 Share Posted July 17, 2022 (edited) Good to see Kirkland on here, I think as you said we love a good keeper, and honestly it's the one position we have a tradition for being solid in. Atleast as far back as I can remember we have mostly had solid keepers between the sticks for us, Maybe I am biased as that was where I used to play in my younger years but yeah, even when we have been pure tripe we have generally had good keepers. Edited July 17, 2022 by leftpeg 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcmigo Posted July 21, 2022 Share Posted July 21, 2022 https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/jul/21/chris-kirkland-painkillers-addiction-goalkeeper-liverpool makes his superb performances here more remarkable. He was addicted to opiate painkillers when he played for us. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emerson Thome Posted July 24, 2022 Author Share Posted July 24, 2022 Right, time for our winner.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emerson Thome Posted July 24, 2022 Author Share Posted July 24, 2022 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emerson Thome Posted July 24, 2022 Author Share Posted July 24, 2022 Michael Hector: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emerson Thome Posted July 24, 2022 Author Share Posted July 24, 2022 Considering it is easier to maintain a burst of good form over a season rather than over a long career, it seems almost inevitable that our winner would be a loan signing. But what a loan signing he was. Brought in by Jos Luhukay, five games in to the 2018-19 season, Hector watched the next 3 games off the bench, but once he was up to full fitness he was pretty much an ever-present from there on in. Luhukay’s team hadn’t kept a clean sheet in the 8 league games before he started with Daniel Pudil or Jordan Thorniley struggling at centre-half. Hector made an immediate impact. We conceded again in Hector’s full debut (a worldie from John McGinn) but ran out 2-1 winners at Villa Park. He really hit his stride under Steve Bruce, helping to solidify a shaky back line. Of the 36 league games Hector would start, we would keep clean sheets in 14 of them, including both games against Sheffield United. Confident stepping out of defence with the ball, calm, strong in the air and with an eye for a long pass, Hector helped lead a struggling team to safety. He was voted man of the match in 9 of the 38 games he started, including a run of 7 in 15 games between Boxing Day against Preston (where he scored the winner) and the 1-0 win at Bolton in March. His highest rated performance (8.67) was at the 1-0 win away at Ipswich. With no-one else on the team seemingly capable of scoring a penalty that season, he even stepped up in the last game to convert from the spot – his second goal for the club. Welcome to the Owlstalk Hall of Fame, Michael Hector - his average rating of 6.92 will take some beating. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emerson Thome Posted July 24, 2022 Author Share Posted July 24, 2022 Like the 'Worst XI' thread, I have to offer a grovelling apology to a player who would have made the list too (in second place) if I had the 2012/13 matches ready to include when I started this list. So, welcome also to the hall of fame, Anthony Gardner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emerson Thome Posted July 24, 2022 Author Share Posted July 24, 2022 Some of you picked a best XI at the start of the thread, so this is pretty much what a squad would look like based on the top rated players (25 games minimum), and going a bit further down the list to find a couple of fullbacks. GK: Chris Kirkland (6.69) DR: Lewis Buxton (6.39) DC: Michael Hector (6.92) DC: Anthony Gardner (6.72) DL: Daniel Pudil (6.34) DMC: Massimo Luongo (6.64) DMC: Sam Hutchinson (6.64) MC: Kieran Lee (6.54) MC: Barry Bannan (6.53) AMC: Lewis McGugan (6.62) FC: Fernando Forestieri (6.56) Subs: GK: Keiren Westwood (6.63) DC: Tom Lees (6.52) MR: Chris Maguire (6.40) ST: Gary Hooper (6.41) ST: Lee Gregory (6.53) Not a lot of width, but it seems we don't like fullbacks or wingers (or strikers!) very much. Lee occasionally played on the right and Bannan occasionally on the left, so that midfield would kind of work I guess. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcmigo Posted July 24, 2022 Share Posted July 24, 2022 Great work @Emerson Thome! a deserved winner. Very good player and proof Jos was , deep down , the manager we needed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holmowl Posted July 24, 2022 Share Posted July 24, 2022 Superb threads @Emerson Thome 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruscol85 Posted July 26, 2022 Share Posted July 26, 2022 I absolutely loved Anthony Gardner during his time here. Was obviously a class above despite his biscuit knees. As said in the “worst” thread, fantastic work @Emerson Thome really appreciate the efforts in putting these together Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
room0035 Posted July 26, 2022 Share Posted July 26, 2022 But arguably the best loan defender signing in the last 8 years was Venancio, signed by Carlos and deemed not good enough got his chance when Carlos the destroyer left and we had 12+ players on the injury table. Venancio came into the heart of the defence playing with a team of kids and squad players and galvanised us at the back. Should have been signed at the end of the season for just £500k but we didnt know at the time how much trouble DC had got the club into financially. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emerson Thome Posted July 27, 2022 Author Share Posted July 27, 2022 5 hours ago, room0035 said: But arguably the best loan defender signing in the last 8 years was Venancio, signed by Carlos and deemed not good enough got his chance when Carlos the destroyer left and we had 12+ players on the injury table. Venancio came into the heart of the defence playing with a team of kids and squad players and galvanised us at the back. Should have been signed at the end of the season for just £500k but we didnt know at the time how much trouble DC had got the club into financially. Venancio's Owlstalk score was 6.32. Puts him comfortably in the top half but not quite in the top 20. He might have done better if he had a few better players around him (everyone tends to get low marks when we lose, although some get lower scores than others). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
room0035 Posted July 27, 2022 Share Posted July 27, 2022 16 hours ago, Grezus Bezzus said: Every post of yours is complete horseshiit. Your persistence is credible.... Another one of the online trolls group its truly embarrassing but when your a lowlife thats what you do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcmigo Posted July 27, 2022 Share Posted July 27, 2022 Just seen hector is a free agent only 29 could he do a job ? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Five Archers Posted July 27, 2022 Share Posted July 27, 2022 Thanks @Emerson Thome great work with this thread 10/10 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
@owlstalk Posted July 27, 2022 Share Posted July 27, 2022 Owen Morrison still gets my vote 1 Owlstalk Shop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sage owl Posted July 27, 2022 Share Posted July 27, 2022 5 hours ago, room0035 said: Another one of the online trolls group its truly embarrassing but when your a lowlife thats what you do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davetherivelinowl Posted July 28, 2022 Share Posted July 28, 2022 Any chance of a recap of the top 20, like in the 'worst players' thread? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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