Tom Heaton

[Commy]

Couple of videos. His top saves and England training.

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Sorry, could have put it on the Heaton tonight thread but just noticed it. Best get to Specsavers I reckon.

[SalisburyClaret]

How many points did he win for us last season - absolutely outstanding

[Funkydrummer]

I like the comment, "It's because Hart couldn't save a word document"

Tremendous stuff Tom, go get 'em son.

[IanMcL]

Top 10 saves - goalkeeping artistry!

[Cirrus_Minor]

Trippier as well, like old times.

[Winstonswhite]

I'd love to hear KRBFCs thoughts about the keeper situation after saying Heaton wasn't fit to tie his shoe laces or words to that effect.

[happyclaret17]

as a manager you would have heaton before hart every time surely.....harts ego is so big its a wonder they can fit it into the changing rooms....our Tom just turns up and does the business....I cannot remember too many occasions whilst playing for us where I have thought he was at fault for a soft goal....I am sure there must have been a few but I reckon a good goalie is like a good ref....you hardly notice them....utc.

[FactualFrank]

Regarding yesterday's game, he did two very instinctive saves prior to the rebounds going in and somebody mentioned on the England thread that it was the defenders' fault - I agree. They totally lacked anticipation and they should have been ready. Not good enough. Heaton did what he could.

[Murger]

Through no fault of his own, that'll be the end of Toms England career. FA yes man Gareth Southgate will bow to the clueless and deluded media and fans who think Joe Hart is the dogs ********.

[dsr]

Through no fault of his own, that'll be the end of Toms England career. FA yes man Gareth Southgate will bow to the clueless and deluded media and fans who think Joe Hart is the dogs ********.

He didn't last night. The lead part of the Daily Telegraph's report yesterday on the team selection was that Southgate had sent a message to Hart by saying that Butland would play the second half. Heaton got a half-mention later in the article.

[Sutton-Claret]

Regarding yesterday's game, he did two very instinctive saves prior to the rebounds going in and somebody mentioned on the England thread that it was the defenders' fault - I agree. They totally lacked anticipation and they should have been ready. Not good enough. Heaton did what he could.

Totally agree it was the defenders fault. At one point Tom even got criticised for parrying the ball out into danger - where were the defenders?? Mee and Keane would've been there to clear.

I only hope Hart isn't feeling too smug cos I reckon both Heaton and Butland would've saved his 2 free kick goals.

[IndigoLake]

Top keeper indeed. And let's not forget Ben Mee who is very often on hand to clear the ball from danger

[Tall Paul]

He got a decent write-up in the Metro this morning.

His fine saves ... really papered over the cracks of some non-existent English defending. It could just put a little pressure on Joe Hart as No 1

[KRBFC]

I'd love to hear KRBFCs thoughts about the keeper situation after saying Heaton wasn't fit to tie his shoe laces or words to that effect.

Heatons a good keeper for us, that's it. We are about his level. I think he rightly got called up to the squad but starting for England is a step up and he just isn't at that level. In his two appearances I think he was at fault for two goals, his distribution has stuck out as a big negative. Heaton has a habbit of parrying the ball back into a dangerous area and staying on his line at corners, two big negatives that separate the best from the rest IMO. Interestingly If you watch the above video (presume its the top 10 saves that has been linked) you will see multiple times, Heaton parry it back into a dangerous area (Jay Rod at the Turf is one). I'm not slagging the lad (although some will see it like that) because as I said above, he's an excellent goalkeeper for us, I just think he's found his level with us.

[NRC]

skysports ratings give him 6, and Butland 8, and very clearly state that he parried the saves back into the path of the attackers. No mention of missing defenders.

One of my favorite players, his whole family STH etc, but take off the claret-tinted specs, and he does tend to parry into the danger area, which our CHs do clear more often than not. Is that a fair observation?

[Wile E Coyote]

unfashionable Burnley that's all it is, Heaton is an incredible keeper, hart is a petulant chump, embarrassing displays in euros, and caught out x2 v scotland, heaton would have never let that happen.
england set up is turgid from top to bottom, i feel sorry for heaton having to be part of it in someways.
London biased and inevitable inclusion of several big name flops, same year in, year out.

[MACCA]

Interestingly If you watch the above video (presume its the top 10 saves that has been linked) you will see multiple times, Heaton parry it back into a dangerous area (Jay Rod at the Turf is one). I'm not slagging the lad (although some will see it like that) because as I said above, he's an excellent goalkeeper for us, I just think he's found his level with us.

The Swansea one at the Turf, was the only one I think led to a goal.
Our back line will no this and therefore anticipate it better, the ever changing England back line wouldn't have been so familiar.

[dsr]

Certainly checking that video, there are several occasions when the opponent hits a shot that Heaton does no more than save - he doesn't catch the ball, he doesn't put it sideways, he just blocks it. Now, what people expect from the goalkeeper when the opponent is given time and space from closer than the penalty spot, I'm not really sure. If the ball was on the penalty spot and Heaton made a save, people would think it was well done. Somehow when the ball is hit from closer in, he's expected to do better?

[IanMcL]

Defenders, that's what he needs in front of him!

[KRBFC]

Certainly checking that video, there are several occasions when the opponent hits a shot that Heaton does no more than save - he doesn't catch the ball, he doesn't put it sideways, he just blocks it. Now, what people expect from the goalkeeper when the opponent is given time and space from closer than the penalty spot, I'm not really sure. If the ball was on the penalty spot and Heaton made a save, people would think it was well done. Somehow when the ball is hit from closer in, he's expected to do better?

For the first he got his full hand to it, judged it wrong. What it needed was less than a full hand to tip it around the post or away from danger.

[claretdom]

Priceless

[KRBFC]

Priceless

Yeah imagine me saying "Tom Heaton is an excellent goalkeeper for us" and it still be turned into a negative. Priceless I agree

[dsr]

For the first he got his full hand to it, judged it wrong. What it needed was less than a full hand to tip it around the post or away from danger.

I thought you didn't like that long-ball-play-it-into-space stuff? Heaton not only stopped the hard hit swerving shot from going into the corner of the net, he also played a short ball-control hand pass to his team mate. (Who sadly panicked and wellied it away rather than starting a 42-pass move into the opposition half, but such is life.)

[KRBFC]

I thought you didn't like that long-ball-play-it-into-space stuff? Heaton not only stopped the hard hit swerving shot from going into the corner of the net, he also played a short ball-control hand pass to his team mate. (Who sadly panicked and wellied it away rather than starting a 42-pass move into the opposition half, but such is life.)

If it was hard hit and heading into the corner, no keeper in the world would have got a full hand to it. I know you will spin it to defend Heaton regardless so this conversation is a little pointless. You probably would have come up with some nonsense to defend him if he'd have conceded from that cross he flapped at. Great keeper for us, out of his depth at International level despite earning the call up.

[Dyched]

They were good saves. But at international level you need better than good saves. You need world class saves.

[SalisburyClaret]

No one seems to be mentioning that Butland was far too easily beaten for the 3rd- he went down like a sack of spuds

[Culmclaret]

He was also rescued by Cahill's goal-line clearance

[Dark Cloud]

Not that I'm siding with KRBFC or criticising Heaton as he's brilliant, but just to be fair his parry in the final game V West Ham should have been away from goal, but wasn't and led to their winning goal.

[LS7]

There's room for more than 1 keeper - like Shilton and Clemence.

[Darnhill Claret]

And Butland was well beaten by the one that came back off the bar, so I would say honours even, but that was 3 shots that Butland didn't even get a hand to.

[CharlieinNewMexico]

The art of "tipping one around the post" seems to have gone now. So does the reflex save. They all do this Starfish / Batman type block now, not even looking at where it's going.

Pickford is the only one I haven't seen do that, but get in the England team I bet it's coached into him.