The Pope...

tim_noone · Post by **tim_noone** » Sun Feb 16, 2020 12:06 am

Confirmed today not only can Burnley walk on water they can also play Football on it! UTC.

cricketfieldclarets · Post by **cricketfieldclarets** » Sun Feb 16, 2020 11:55 am

Brilliant save late on yesterday that hasn’t really been mentioned. But was vital.

kindonesque · Post by **kindonesque** » Sun Feb 16, 2020 12:32 pm

That save was wondrous. Gave us all three points
There's something special about the way Pope commands the box when we are under the cosh from a set pieces

kindonesque · Post by **kindonesque** » Sun Feb 16, 2020 12:32 pm

That save was wondrous. Gave us all three points
There's something special about the way Pope commands the box when we are under the cosh from a set pieces

AlargeClaret · Post by **AlargeClaret** » Sun Feb 16, 2020 12:37 pm

The save ( decent though it was) was just good positioning .Though he’s excellent late on the way he can command the box and run the clock down . Pity his feet are a bit iffy or he’d be a shoo in for Eng .

northeastclaret · Post by **northeastclaret** » Sun Feb 16, 2020 12:48 pm

It’s said he can’t kick, but what about his assist for our first goal?

A brilliant long kick into the left corner of the pitch which enabled us to get the corner we scored from.

Bosscat · Post by **Bosscat** » Sun Feb 16, 2020 12:53 pm

northeastclaret wrote: ↑
Sun Feb 16, 2020 12:48 pm
It’s said he can’t kick, but what about his assist for our first goal?

A brilliant long kick into the left corner of the pitch which enabled us to get the corner we scored from.

I heard Dennis got the assist for that corner nec

IanMcL · Post by **IanMcL** » Sun Feb 16, 2020 1:08 pm

AlargeClaret wrote: ↑
Sun Feb 16, 2020 12:37 pm
The save ( decent though it was) was just good positioning .Though he’s excellent late on the way he can command the box and run the clock down . Pity his feet are a bit iffy or he’d be a shoo in for Eng .

The point of good goalkeeping, according to Gordon Banks, is to have the best position to make every save as simple as possible and to fill the space between ball and goal, thus eliminating gaps in which the ball can be placed.

That makes Pope, top of his game.

Tricky Trevor · Post by **Tricky Trevor** » Sun Feb 16, 2020 1:11 pm

I’m another who doesn’t think Popes kicking is as poor as some. He is quite comfortable launching it with either foot. His first touch might be sub-standard but how often has that caused us a problem?

NewClaret · Post by **NewClaret** » Sun Feb 16, 2020 1:21 pm

Tricky Trevor wrote: ↑
Sun Feb 16, 2020 1:11 pm
I’m another who doesn’t think Popes kicking is as poor as some. He is quite comfortable launching it with either foot. His first touch might be sub-standard but how often has that caused us a problem?

Just falls on his arse a lot in the process.

Never caused us an issue to date, he always gets good distance on his kicks but a tad worrying when he slips.

Otherwise in outstanding form. Love him.

Bosscat · Post by **Bosscat** » Sun Feb 16, 2020 1:22 pm

Peter Crouch summed up goalkeeping... in the prematch preamble yesterday...

When asked about goalkeepers and playing it out from the back ala City and Liverpool....

He basically said " you want a goalkeeper to make himself hard to beat and save potential goals, you want a goal keeper to take and catch crosses when he should and punch it soundly away when he can't, primarily a goal keeper is there to stop the ball going in the net by whatever means he has at his disposal"

In 'His Eminence" Nick Pope we have a good solid goalkeeper...

Some have said he was at fault for yesterdays equaliser by Ingsy .... nah it was a helluva goal by an inform striker right on the button in the bottom corner.

Long may "The Pope" reign

Tricky Trevor · Post by **Tricky Trevor** » Sun Feb 16, 2020 1:25 pm

NewClaret wrote: ↑
Sun Feb 16, 2020 1:21 pm
Just falls on his arse a lot in the process.

Never caused us an issue to date, he always gets good distance on his kicks but a tad worrying when he slips.

Otherwise in outstanding form. Love him.

I’d never noticed. Ball watcher?

NewClaret · Post by **NewClaret** » Sun Feb 16, 2020 1:44 pm

You’ve not noticed how many times he ends up on his backside following back passes?

cricketfieldclarets · Post by **cricketfieldclarets** » Sun Feb 16, 2020 1:53 pm

His distribution is t the best. But I’d sooner a keeper lump it than this odd fascination with passing around our own box.

IanMcL · Post by **IanMcL** » Sun Feb 16, 2020 2:09 pm

NewClaret wrote: ↑
Sun Feb 16, 2020 1:44 pm
You’ve not noticed how many times he ends up on his backside following back passes?

Read it again!

Vino blanco · Post by **Vino blanco** » Fri Feb 21, 2020 5:26 pm

A question just came up on the Chase and the three answers were Jordan Pickford, Nick Pope and Tom Heaton. In the brief chat after the answers, Sean Wallace the Chaser and Chelsea fan said he thought Nick Pope was the best keeper in England. Obviously a wise man indeed.

Gordaleman · Post by **Gordaleman** » Fri Feb 21, 2020 5:41 pm

Still think a fit Tom Heaton is the better all round keeper. He marshalls his defence so well. Goalkeeping isn't all about shot stopping, it's about stopping the shot coming in in the first place and his control of his defence does that.

Hope he's fit soon but it looks like he'll miss the Euros.

Bosscat · Post by **Bosscat** » Fri Feb 21, 2020 5:56 pm

Gordaleman wrote: ↑
Fri Feb 21, 2020 5:41 pm
Still think a fit Tom Heaton is the better all round keeper. He marshalls his defence so well. Goalkeeping isn't all about shot stopping, it's about stopping the shot coming in in the first place and his control of his defence does that.

Hope he's fit soon but it looks like he'll miss the Euros.

been here before GD

Gordaleman · Post by **Gordaleman** » Fri Feb 21, 2020 6:32 pm

Bosscat wrote: ↑
Fri Feb 21, 2020 5:56 pm
been here before GD

I know mate. Good innit, ha ha.

Lot of new readers here though.

IanMcL · Post by **IanMcL** » Fri Feb 21, 2020 7:40 pm

Pope, by virtue of his size, is the better keeper.

Steve1956 · Post by **Steve1956** » Fri Feb 21, 2020 7:41 pm

I was watching the chase earlier today,the question came up about a current English keeper scoring in a penalty shoot out for England. Pickford/Heaton/Butland....Pickford was the answer.....but Shaun Wallace said the best current English keeper is Pope....Wallace is God so ill go Pope is better than Heaton/Pickford and Butland

bfcjg · Post by **bfcjg** » Fri Feb 21, 2020 7:50 pm

I was gutted when Heaton went, however Dyche was correct Pope is the better keeper, if he was more vocal he'd be the best in the Prem .

Steve1956 · Post by **Steve1956** » Fri Feb 21, 2020 7:53 pm

bfcjg wrote: ↑
Fri Feb 21, 2020 7:50 pm
I was gutted when Heaton went, however Dyche was correct Pope is the better keeper, if he was more vocal he'd be the best in the Prem .

Pope is the best keeper in the league at coming for crosses a massive plus for us

Gordaleman · Post by **Gordaleman** » Fri Feb 21, 2020 7:58 pm

Steve1956 wrote: ↑
Fri Feb 21, 2020 7:53 pm
Pope is the best keeper in the league at coming for crosses a massive plus for us

Agreed, but that's only one aspect of goalkeeping. Maybe if someone can command his defence, those crosses or shots might not come in in the first place? Who would that remind you of? A certain Tom Heaton?

cblantfanclub · Post by **cblantfanclub** » Fri Feb 21, 2020 8:06 pm

Do you think defenders only respond to instructions from the keeper? Never heard Tom telling his full backs to go out to a man or stay narrow. I suspect Dyche would have something to say about it if he did.
Your idea that keepers can stop crosses comihg in by shouting instructions at the defence seems mainly fantasy to me.

Steve1956 · Post by **Steve1956** » Fri Feb 21, 2020 8:11 pm

Gordaleman wrote: ↑
Fri Feb 21, 2020 7:58 pm
Agreed, but that's only one aspect of goalkeeping. Maybe if someone can command his defence, those crosses or shots might not come in in the first place? Who would that remind you of? A certain Tom Heaton?

Hasnt Pope got the second best record of clean sheets this season?.....forget Tom, Pope is our future,his only problem is disribution i can overlook that....Pope no 1.

Gordaleman · Post by **Gordaleman** » Fri Feb 21, 2020 8:12 pm

cblantfanclub wrote: ↑
Fri Feb 21, 2020 8:06 pm
Do you think defenders only respond to instructions from the keeper? Never heard Tom telling his full backs to go out to a man or stay narrow. I suspect Dyche would have something to say about it if he did.
Your idea that keepers can stop crosses comihg in by shouting instructions at the defence seems mainly fantasy to me.

I guess you weren't listening then when Tom was here then?

Everyone has their own view. That's mine and you're entitled to yours. That's what forums are about.

As an ex keeper myself, I have a reasonable knowledge of the keeping position. I'm not saying Pope is crap, in fact I think he's excellent. Just not up to Tom's standard quite yet.

Bosscat · Post by **Bosscat** » Fri Feb 21, 2020 8:18 pm

Steve1956 wrote: ↑
Fri Feb 21, 2020 8:11 pm
Hasnt Pope got the second best record of clean sheets this season?.....forget Tom, Pope is our future,his only problem is disribution i can overlook that....Pope no 1.

You are flogging a dead horse Steve ....

Gordaleman likes Popey but he is a real Tom Heaton afficionado ... we had many discussions about these 2 (in the Lancashire Blackburnegraph) when Tom 1st got injured a few years ago and Nick came into prominence...

I like Popey, his distribution from his feet occasionally can let him down, but as far as Shot stopping and Ball claiming goes he is better... not as vocal as Tom but (in my mind anyway) a better shot stopper, and at the end of the day that is what we want of a Keeper...

Clean sheets are key ... keep them and with our goal scoring strikers (all of them) we have a bloody good chance of winning

Steve1956 · Post by **Steve1956** » Fri Feb 21, 2020 8:24 pm

Bosscat wrote: ↑
Fri Feb 21, 2020 8:18 pm
You are flogging a dead horse Steve ....

Gordaleman likes Popey but he is a real Tom Heaton afficionado ... we had many discussions about these 2 (in the Lancashire Blackburnegraph) when Tom 1st got injured a few years ago and Nick came into prominence...

I like Popey, his distribution from his feet occasionally can let him down, but as far as Shot stopping and Ball claiming goes he is better... not as vocal as Tom but (in my mind anyway) a better shot stopper, and at the end of the day that is what we want of a Keeper...

Clean sheets are key ... keep them and with our goal scoring strikers (all of them) we have a bloody good chance of winning

So we agree Pope is the better keeper,the day Tom got injured at the cricketfield end against Palace i was right behind the goal i thought f**k we are knackered now ....Pope kept a clean sheet....and like they say the rest is history.....Pope more or less became our No 1 that day and in that department we have never looked back

cblantfanclub · Post by **cblantfanclub** » Fri Feb 21, 2020 8:30 pm

I'm basing my opinion on how many times I've read in player interviews how particular Dyche is about the positioning of players especially when we haven't got the ball. I can't remember who it was said that he had never worked with a manager who analysed positioning so precisely. In the light of this I can't see him saying to Pope you organise them on the match day. Giving encouragement and making them aware of things they might not have seen is a different matter.

Gordaleman · Post by **Gordaleman** » Fri Feb 21, 2020 8:33 pm

I'm not going to fall out with anyone over who is the best keeper. To be honest, Pope is much improved in the last twelve months and could still outshine Tom.

I sit in the Bob Lord (Jimmy Mac end.) dead level with the edge of the penalty box. I chose that position because I like watching goalkeepers. Some people might know a lot about outfield players, I think I know a fair bit about goalkeepers.

This is a forum for varied views, isn't it? No one is necessarily right or wrong. We just have views.

cblantfanclub · Post by **cblantfanclub** » Fri Feb 21, 2020 8:38 pm

I'm not falling out with anyone or giving an opinion on who's the best keeper I just feel that Tom's organisation of the defence is sometimes overstated for the reasons I gave above.

Gordaleman · Post by **Gordaleman** » Fri Feb 21, 2020 8:52 pm

cblantfanclub wrote: ↑
Fri Feb 21, 2020 8:38 pm
I'm not falling out with anyone or giving an opinion on who's the best keeper I just feel that Tom's organisation of the defence is sometimes overstated for the reasons I gave above.

And you're entitled to that view, even if your opinion seems to be based on something you've read, rather than what you've seen for yourself.

cblantfanclub · Post by **cblantfanclub** » Fri Feb 21, 2020 9:29 pm

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/25/spor ... eague.html

Yes I've read it - you can too. The Internet is full of articles on it and none seem to mention anything but Dyche's methods. The above is a good read and may give you a little more insight.

Gordaleman · Post by **Gordaleman** » Fri Feb 21, 2020 9:48 pm

cblantfanclub wrote: ↑
Fri Feb 21, 2020 9:29 pm
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/25/spor ... eague.html

Yes I've read it - you can too. The Internet is full of articles on it and none seem to mention anything but Dyche's methods. The above is a good read and may give you a little more insight.

Wow, an American article in the New York Times no less. They know all about football, dont they? Maybe you failed to pick up on this bit. They say that Pope makes more saves than other goalkeeper but that's because we allow more shots than anyone else. It's therefore inevitable that he saves more. Most of them come from outside the area though, which are easy to save.

You can play with stats until you are blue in the face. They mean very little when so many other people are involved.

And your view of Pope is based on that?

ChrisG · Post by **ChrisG** » Fri Feb 21, 2020 10:27 pm

Gordaleman wrote: ↑
Fri Feb 21, 2020 9:48 pm
Wow, an American article in the New York Times no less. They know all about football, dont they? Maybe you failed to pick up on this bit. They say that Pope makes more saves than other goalkeeper but that's because we allow more shots than anyone else. It's therefore inevitable that he saves more. Most of them come from outside the area though, which are easy to save.

You can play with stats until you are blue in the face. They mean very little when so many other people are involved.

And your view of Pope is based on that?

I agree that Heaton was better at marshalling the defence, and ergo had fewer pops at him. He's my favourite ever Claret by some way (slightly biased as a fellow member of the keepers' union).

That said, we had Heaton at his peak in his late 20s early 30s. Pope is 27, so I reckon he is still to get to his peak. Two very different players though in terms of stature, style, and vocal strength.

The very fact we are having this debate, whilst having a magnificent former England keeper as back up in Hart is testament to how far we have come as a club.

dsr · Post by **dsr** » Fri Feb 21, 2020 11:50 pm

Pope is clearly better than Heston. Why? Because Pope plays for Burnley, and Heaton doesn't, and I've got Claret & Blue eyes. If Heaton played for Burnley and Pope didn't, then Heaton would be better. QED.

I like having (or having had) two of England's very best goalkeepers.

(It certainly beats the days when Chris Pearce was so popular, partly because he was such a step up over his predecessor Joe Neenan - who in his time had been a step up over Roger Hansbury. And none of them ever played for England!

Gordaleman · Post by **Gordaleman** » Sat Feb 22, 2020 7:02 am

ChrisG wrote: ↑
Fri Feb 21, 2020 10:27 pm
I agree that Heaton was better at marshalling the defence, and ergo had fewer pops at him. He's my favourite ever Claret by some way (slightly biased as a fellow member of the keepers' union).

That said, we had Heaton at his peak in his late 20s early 30s. Pope is 27, so I reckon he is still to get to his peak. Two very different players though in terms of stature, style, and vocal strength.

The very fact we are having this debate, whilst having a magnificent former England keeper as back up in Hart is testament to how far we have come as a club.

Can't argue with that. I said myself that Pope is getting better.

Gordaleman · Post by **Gordaleman** » Sat Feb 22, 2020 7:04 am

dsr wrote: ↑
Fri Feb 21, 2020 11:50 pm
Pope is clearly better than Heston. Why? Because Pope plays for Burnley, and Heaton doesn't, and I've got Claret & Blue eyes. If Heaton played for Burnley and Pope didn't, then Heaton would be better. QED.

I like having (or having had) two of England's very best goalkeepers. (It certainly beats the days when Chris Pearce was so popular, partly because he was such a step up over his predecessor Joe Neenan - who in his time had been a step up over Roger Hansbury. And none of them ever played for England!

Who's Heston?

I know what you mean though.

superdimitri · Post by **superdimitri** » Sat Feb 22, 2020 7:23 am

The coming from crossed thing is nice but how many teams know not to play high balls because of this?

Any manager doing their homework will not be instructing their players to aim crosses high.

tim_noone · Post by **tim_noone** » Sat Feb 22, 2020 11:38 pm

Fantastic again today you've got to love this guy!

tarkys_ears · Post by **tarkys_ears** » Sat Feb 22, 2020 11:50 pm

Must be for England. If we hadn't such a **** run of games around Xmas, his stats would look great.

tim_noone · Post by **tim_noone** » Sat Feb 22, 2020 11:58 pm

Only Liverpools keeper has more clean sheets than the Pope.and he kept a clean sheet 4days before Christmas to.

NewClaret · Post by **NewClaret** » Sun Feb 23, 2020 11:11 am

tim_noone wrote: ↑
Sat Feb 22, 2020 11:38 pm
Fantastic again today you've got to love this guy!

Outstanding. Would have been out of the game by HT had it not been for him and a fortunate (but correct, IMO) VAR decision.

Bosscat · Post by **Bosscat** » Sun Feb 23, 2020 11:55 am

tim_noone wrote: ↑
Sat Feb 22, 2020 11:58 pm
Only Liverpools keeper has more clean sheets than the Pope.and he kept a clean sheet 4days before Christmas to.

Liverpool might have more clean sheets this season than Burnley but they are shared between 2 keepers ..... whereas Popey has his all to himself. Both Pope and Allison are now on 10 (unless the website below hasn't been updated)...

https://www.premierleague.com/stats/top ... lean_sheet