Kepa or Raya for the final

[Peter]

I agree. I do not know where they got the idea from and I don't like it.

All I can imagine is that it allows for the employment of men who are otherwise good in goal but are simply not very good at actually catching the ball. Rather like the fashion for wicketkeepers that are, under other circumstances, pretty good at cricket but cannot catch very well.

Absolutely. In those days, coming out, catching the ball, flattening people- that was the job. These days they have to be playmakers.....

Raya can catch a ball. He's a rarity.

[Ganpati's Goonerz--AFC's Aboriginal Fertility Cult]

I agree. I do not know where they got the idea from and I don't like it.

All I can imagine is that it allows for the employment of men who are otherwise good in goal but are simply not very good at actually catching the ball. Rather like the fashion for wicketkeepers that are, under other circumstances, pretty good at cricket but cannot catch very well.

Wicket-keepers nowadays are just slip-fielding batsmen in pads and gloves.

I'm starting to worry that in non-Asian countries where you only play one spinner that they'll have to be able to bat at 8 {unless it's a Murali like talent} in the same way that if a 'keeper isn't able to bat at 7, he won't play no matter how good he is behind the stumps.

Look at Foakes, who has actually scored test centuries at 7, and many FC ones. He lost his place, despite being the best WK, because he doesn't score fast enough at 7.

And I think what they did to Bash in the winter, depressing as it was, was to say that they can't have a spinner who can't bat well given they won't bowl that much, especially in the first innings.

So we'll have spinners who can't turn the ball and on the odd occasion they do beat the bat, the 'keeper will miss the stumping by dropping the ball. But they can both slog a quick 15 or 20 at 4.5 an over.

[Peter]

Wicket-keepers nowadays are just slip-fielding batsmen in pads and gloves.

I'm starting to worry that in non-Asian countries where you only play one spinner that they'll have to be able to bat at 8 {unless it's a Murali like talent} in the same way that if a 'keeper isn't able to bat at 7, he won't play no matter how good he is behind the stumps.

Look at Foakes, who has actually scored test centuries at 7, and many FC ones. He lost his place, despite being the best WK, because he doesn't score fast enough at 7.

And I think what they did to Bash in the winter, depressing as it was, was to say that they can't have a spinner who can't bat well given they won't bowl that much, especially in the first innings.

So we'll have spinners who can't turn the ball and on the odd occasion they do beat the bat, the 'keeper will miss the stumping by dropping the ball. But they can both slog a quick 15 or 20 at 4.5 an over.

To be fair, Bashir didnt play because he isnt good enough. His bowling is ****e.

[IUFG]

Probably wanted to stay in London but spurs really missed a trick there. As I've long suspected, Vicario is bang average.

And Vicario is out for the season after this weekend.

They're staying up, innit

[John Bunnell]

Raya has to start. It's a trophy. It's against City. He HAS to start.

[Peter]

Raya has to start. It's a trophy. It's against City. He HAS to start.

I must admit. I would probably start him.....

[7sisters]

I must admit. I would probably start him.....

You don?t get to a final only to fall back on your second string keeper. If we went 2-0 down with Kepa between the sticks on the first half, the blow back on Arteta would be huge.
Why would Arteta invite that kind of criticism at this stage of the season

[Peter]

You don?t get to a final only to fall back on your second string keeper. If we went 2-0 down with Kepa between the sticks on the first half, the blow back on Arteta would be huge.
Why would Arteta invite that kind of criticism at this stage of the season

That is fair. But that is Arteta looking at it from his own perspective, his own reputation. That shouldn't be an issue.

I'd start him because he's a better keeper and we want to win the game.

[Ganpati's Goonerz--AFC's Aboriginal Fertility Cult]

That is fair. But that is Arteta looking at it from his own perspective, his own reputation. That shouldn't be an issue.

I'd start him because he's a better keeper and we want to win the game.

We've got a 31 year old keeper who's won the CL twice who joined us for just 5 mil and is happy to play back-up. Hopefully we can keep him and Daveed for ages so we don't have to worry about the position. If the quid pro quo is that he starts all LC games, including the final, I'm happy with that. I think he deserves it for doing us a favour.

I'm trying to think if there was a previous occasion where we played the 2nd 'keeper in all the other rounds but our no.1 in the final.

[redgunamo]

We've got a 31 year old keeper who's won the CL twice who joined us for just 5 mil and is happy to play back-up. Hopefully we can keep him and Daveed for ages so we don't have to worry about the position. If the quid pro quo is that he starts all LC games, including the final, I'm happy with that. I think he deserves it for doing us a favour.

I'm trying to think if there was a previous occasion where we played the 2nd 'keeper in all the other rounds but our no.1 in the final.

Certainly we've discussed this before, though no memory of how it was resolved.