Nick Pope out for a month with knee ligament injury (Various)

[Guest]

[The Prophet]

Another one for the scrap heap along with Burn, Bruno and Almiron. 

[Conjo]

5 minutes ago, The Prophet said:

Another one for the scrap heap along with Burn, Bruno and Almiron. 

 

Forgot Anderson and Tonali

[BonesJones]

Think this discussion should be looked at as how we can improve the team, not a dig at Pope. If every team played the long ball game/kick it out if in doubt, then we wouldn't hear anything regarding an upgrade, he's one of the best in the league.

 

When he has to kick any further than a defender right in front of him (even then he struggles sometimes, evidenced the other day when he had such an easy pass to Trippier) it's basically giving the ball back to the opposition every time.

 

Initially I didn't see it as much of a problem, just get him to lump it into dangerous areas, then our press and stats for winning second balls will end up with us in an advantageous position quite often.

 

We have the players these days to be able to retain possession and actually progress up the pitch, so his kicking means we miss out on a massive advantage we have over many other teams.

 

I rate his positives very highly, but his negatives definitely have an impact across the entire team and our play style.

[Choppy Chop Chop]

Some of you lot have to be mackums in disguise. Pope is class but human. 

[The Prophet]

Joking aside he's been a brilliant short to medium term buy. The plan was almost certainly to eventually bring in a keeper who's better with the ball at his feet, but Pope's sweeping is still important to the way we play.

 

 

Edited October 9, 2023 by The Prophet

[Guest]

His stats aren't even that bad.  Surprisingly, Jason Steele is the best in the league when it comes to stats and distribution. He's had some turn around to his career. 

[BullyDogs]

Looking back on the highlights last night again yes Lascelles didnt track the runner but i just cant work out why he was even in that position for their attacker to easily stroll past him and square it into the box. Thats the 2nd major fuck up hes done this season which has cost a goal. He is a crucial part of the team but his concentration has to improve and Nick for fucks sake please stop with the stupid uneccessary punching of the ball come and claim it dominate the box like you used to when you first came

 

That being said i think ultimately in 2 years or so he will be number 2

[Conjo]

1 hour ago, Choppy Chop Chop said:

Some of you lot have to be mackums in disguise. Pope is class but human. 

 

Have you read the thread?  Hardly any criticism of his blunder yesterday, main focus of criticism is his feet, but everyone also acknowledging that he's a good keeper that they like. 

[STM]

Some great replies on my Aaron Ramsdale shout, which was only a half suggestion if I'm honest.

 

Pope is class and as has been suggested, replacing him is near enough impossible.

[sixx]

He made a judgement call and got it wrong. It happens. And for Pope it happens very infrequently. For me it's one of his best attributes - he's completely unafraid to make a bold decision immediately, he's very self-assured without being eccentric. 

[Lish007]

Does he have a song? 

[Keggy_Keagal]

Seems to be some very reactionary takes on players lately. Who's better that we can get ? Yes Ederson is better as is Allison but no chance of signing them. That's the level of replacement that we should be aiming for. As others have mentioned barring a catastrophic loss of form/injury Pope is fine for at least the next three seasons.  

[Deuce]

11 hours ago, Superior Acuña said:

He's a decent keeper and has served us well, but I agree that I think we'll have our eye out for an improvement. I don't think there's an urgent need for one but definitely think there's potential for improving on him and if we want to be one of the very top teams, we'll go for that if someone's available - and I imagine there well could be.

Agreed, though judging from the general state of the goalkeeping position these days we might be waiting a little while.  

[andycap]

He saved us a point against west ham if he never got a firm glove on that chance by Jim they'd of had a tap in at the back post

[wormy]

As far as his distribution is concerned I'm firmly in the 'better the devil you know' camp, probably thanks to Onana.

 

It'd be lovely to have a 'keeper that plays out from the back and fills you with confidence in most other ways but that's going to take some outrageous 

scouting to get at a reasonable price.

 

I don't even think he's been that shaky since Liverpool. It feels like we've all got a bit of PTSD when we see him rush out but he does what he's aiming for nine times out of ten when he does so (please no one tell me nine out of ten is wrong I've pulled it out of my arse I'm not a stat nerd thread frequenter).

[SteV]

12 minutes ago, Lish007 said:

Does he have a song? 

‘In the middle of our goal, Nick Pope’

 

To the tune of Our House by Madness.

[Kanj]

Be nice if this forum didn't turn on every player for every mistake they make that leads to us not securing the full 3 points. 100% to criticize in the moment and days later as we talk about the match....but not everyone always needs to be replaced the minute they don't perform 8/10. 

 

 

Edited October 9, 2023 by Kanji

[NWMag]

To be fair I think this discussion on Pope has been very respectful and plenty of valid points about his weaknesses - not everything has to be super positive or extremely negative, there is room in between for constructive discussion, although I admit it doesn’t happen often on here 

[BonesJones]

This place is a never ending cycle of person 1 stating an opinion, person 2 taking it wrong, then person 3 saying nobody has said that though.

[The College Dropout]

The weekends football showed there’s not many GKs definitively better than Pope.  Raya And Sanchez both making costly mistakes. 
 

I think Pope sweeps up the Wilson goal where Johnstone was so deep. I said before the only GK in the Division that is a level above Pope is Allison. The rest have weaknesses in their game to a similar extent to Pope or worse. 
 

Pope seems to be out of the England picture due to age? There’s a few notable admissions from that England squad. Ben White went home mysteriously from the WC and hasn’t been selected again.  He should start. 

[AJ9]

I have to agree. You look around the league and there’s not a lot I would take. Alisson, maybe Martinez.

[Guest]

GKs are in this strange transitional phase of tradition, sweeper, and an outfield player that can dive and use their hands in the box. Everyone wanting an Alisson and Edison, but in truth they have their own weaknesses that we'd all be raging about if they were in the Newcastle team. I'm not sure what's happened to Pope's cross claiming, those first few months of last season it was like a revelation having a GK coming and claiming everything in the air inside and outside of the 6 yard box. Now he's all Pav superman punches. 

[The College Dropout]

6 minutes ago, OCK said:

GKs are in this strange transitional phase of tradition, sweeper, and an outfield player that can dive and use their hands in the box. Everyone wanting an Alisson and Edison, but in truth they have their own weaknesses that we'd all be raging about if they were in the Newcastle team. I'm not sure what's happened to Pope's cross claiming, those first few months of last season it was like a revelation having a GK coming and claiming everything in the air inside and outside of the 6 yard box. Now he's all Pav superman punches. 

Still better with crosses than the likes of Ramsdale.

[SteV]