Muric

[taio]

I must admit I haven't kept track on him after he didn't sign, be interesting how he's got on..... On my list of things to do tomorrow

Last I heard he was stuck in the reserves without a first team appearance this season.

[colne-claret]

Last I heard he was stuck in the reserves without a first team appearance this season.

Who are we referring to?

[taio]

Who are we referring to?

Dutch keeper

[NewClaret]

Who are we referring to?

Bart Verbruggen, who was not in Anderlechts first team and still isn’t.

He was never first choice, Muric was. Can only imagine the Verbruggen rumours were as an additional signing or deliberate to move the Muric deal along.

[ClaretPete001]

I think we’ll get a heavy beating vs United to be honest Pete, but I say that be because the back five are not strong enough to compete at the very top level vs. Muric in isolation.

These are young lads in their very early 20’s coming up against some of the worlds best (depending on who features). They all deserve our fullest support.

Saying the lads are not good enough at the highest level is not giving the lads your fullest support NewClaret.

I'm disappointed in you. Your lack of support means that miserabilists like me have to try harder to be even more miserable.

It's not fair.

[KRBFC]

Top of the league, winning every game, playing dream football, with a young likeable squad and still some will find a reason to moan, we are now moaning our players might not be good enough for next season if we're promoted? how about wait until we get there..... give the young lads time to develop and learn.

[IanMcL]

I must admit I haven't kept track on him after he didn't sign, be interesting how he's got on..... On my list of things to do tomorrow

I think he lost his place to a more experienced goalkeeper.

[NewClaret]

I think he lost his place to a more experienced goalkeeper.

Verbruggen is 20 and was never in Anderlechts first team before or after our interest.

[NewClaret]

Top of the league, winning every game, playing dream football, with a young likeable squad and still some will find a reason to moan, we are now moaning our players might not be good enough for next season if we're promoted? how about wait until we get there..... give the young lads time to develop and learn.

I do worry also how far ahead of ourselves we’re getting with only half the season played! Nobody should be even uttering the P word at this point. Let’s see where we are in Feb/March.

[Newcastleclaret93]

I do worry also how far ahead of ourselves we’re getting with only half the season played! Nobody should be even uttering the P word at this point. Let’s see where we are in Feb/March.

Come on newclaret this league is dead and buried. Burnley will be promoted in March with a whimper from the rest of the division.

[Rileybobs]

I do worry also how far ahead of ourselves we’re getting with only half the season played! Nobody should be even uttering the P word at this point. Let’s see where we are in Feb/March.

We’re 8 points ahead of Blackburn in 3rd, and 10 points plus a lot of goals ahead of the nearest promotion challenger Watford. It would take a complete catastrophe from us, and a very good run from a team like Watford for us to concede an 11 point advantage. For context, the bookies have us at 1/6 for promotion and in 5 or 6 games they’ll probably not even be offering odds.

[Swizzlestick]

Sheffield United were ‘running away with it’ not so long back in Newcastleclaret land. Your worldview is very black and white which is perhaps a circumstance of your surroundings.

[Rileybobs]

Just to add. We need to talk about the ‘P’ word, because our current position has a significant impact on how we go about our transfer business. If we were 6 points away from an automatic promotion place there would be logic in strengthening in January for a promotion push. Whereas our lofty position gives us the luxury to keep the powder dry or make signings with the Premier League firmly in mind.

[NewClaret]

Sheffield United were ‘running away with it’ not so long back in Newcastleclaret land. Your worldview is very black and white which is perhaps a circumstance of your surroundings.

To add here, WBA have just gone 5 wins on the bounce. And got themselves up to 16th or something… but shows how teams can hit a rich vein of form.

[Dinks]

Muric is a great defensive sweeper when it comes to actual goalkeeping he's useless.

[CrosspoolClarets]

Quite reasonable to discuss PL strengthening as we look certain to go up. We are simply too far ahead in too many areas - speed, skill, depth, points, goals, experience. Watford and Norwich won’t get past 80 - that would take a 44 point half season and I think that is beyond them. That means we will need 34 more from 23 - PNE and QPR form. Would take a heck of a dropoff.

But is it wise to worry ahead of time about our players coping in the PL? If anything will cause a collapse it is players thinking too much about that.

[NewClaret]

We’re 8 points ahead of Blackburn in 3rd, and 10 points plus a lot of goals ahead of the nearest promotion challenger Watford. It would take a complete catastrophe from us, and a very good run from a team like Watford for us to concede an 11 point advantage. For context, the bookies have us at 1/6 for promotion and in 5 or 6 games they’ll probably not even be offering odds.

That’s only 2 losses and a draw (Rovers) or 3 losses and draw (Watford). It’s not inconceivable that could happen and certainly not what I’d call a catastrophic collapse. We’re very well placed, but I don’t think we should start counting our chickens before mid-Feb… after playing Norwich away, Preston and Watford.

[Rileybobs]

That’s only 2 losses and a draw (Rovers) or 3 losses and draw (Watford). It’s not inconceivable that could happen and certainly not what I’d call a catastrophic collapse. We’re very well placed, but I don’t think we should start counting our chickens before mid-Feb… after playing Norwich away, Preston and Watford.

I’ve stopped counting the chickens, I didn’t even flinch when we went behind at weekend as I know we will get a 20 minute spell where we just blow the opposition away.

[NewClaret]

I’ve stopped counting the chickens, I didn’t even flinch when we went behind at weekend as I know we will get a 20 minute spell where we just blow the opposition away.

How many chickens did you count?

Oddly enough, me too on this occasion. Although I became unusually animated towards the Boro fans after scoring the first and second so I must’ve been a bit riled

[Rileybobs]

How many chickens did you count?

Oddly enough, me too on this occasion. Although I became unusually animated towards the Boro fans after scoring the first and second so I must’ve been a bit riled

Haha. Yeah I was getting riled by their keeper. We’re just cruising through games and it’s a total contrast to earlier in the season where we’d not create and look open at the back. The QPR game was odd the lunchtime after the England v France game as I never had any doubt that we would lose the game, and it was so relaxing to watch after the tense quarter final the night before.

[AshevilleNCClaret]

In no way is he a good shot stopper. Most good shot stoppers , make good saves, which in the main he doesn’t.

his penalty save was fantastic, especially from the view from behind the spot. While guessing is involved, he got down quickly and stretched out to make that save.

Most keepers are remembered by either their great saves or bonehead plays... Muric seems to be leaning towards more bonehead plays (either flapping his arms on crosses or trying to play a pass out of the back). We play out of the back. We need a keeper good with their feet and their distribution. In my opinion he has helped more than hurt this squad.

[Nori1958]

Bart Verbruggen, who was not in Anderlechts first team and still isn’t.

He was never first choice, Muric was. Can only imagine the Verbruggen rumours were as an additional signing or deliberate to move the Muric deal along.

That's why they had the Bart welcome video ready and not a Muric one

[IanMcL]

Muric makes Gabor look like a goalkeeper!

[NewClaret]

That's why they had the Bart welcome video ready and not a Muric one

I think the joke was lost on some.

They worked all summer on his signing & he was at Barnfield the week before the announcement - plenty of time to make his own video if they had wanted.

[Nori1958]

I think the joke was lost on some.

They worked all summer on his signing & he was at Barnfield the week before the announcement - plenty of time to make his own video if they had wanted.

On most I would think...... Only you thinks it was a joke

[RVclaret]

On most I would think...... Only you thinks it was a joke

Personally agree with NewClaret - I thought it was clearly a joke.

Muric was the very first name linked before Kompany even took over.

[Belgianclaret]

I’ll go against the flow on this one: I think Muric is great, so let’s get behind the lad

[Nori1958]

Personally agree with NewClaret - I thought it was clearly a joke.

Muric was the very first name linked before Kompany even took over.

I don't think anyone mentioned at the time that it was a joke.......

[Quicknick]

We’re 8 points ahead of Blackburn in 3rd, and 10 points plus a lot of goals ahead of the nearest promotion challenger Watford. It would take a complete catastrophe from us, and a very good run from a team like Watford for us to concede an 11 point advantage. For context, the bookies have us at 1/6 for promotion and in 5 or 6 games they’ll probably not even be offering odds.

We were so far ahead of second place with only about a quarter of the season left in '61/'62 that the bookies stopped taking bets on us.

[Bosscat]

Muric makes Gabor look like a goalkeeper!

Zsa Zsa or Eva

[SimonSays]

He basically a centre midfielder who's just put some gloves on. Playing out of position in goal but wouldn't swap him for any other goalkeeper in the same price bracket. Fits our team style just perfectly. Very important cog.

Some of his passes are just pure class. So calm at his feet. He's fantastic. Brilliant addition to the team. It's time to move with the times.

[aggi]

I don't think he's the best goalkeeper but it's clear that him (and Kompany) are still learning and developing. Up until the Blackpool game he looked to play everything short, after that an option to play long under pressure was definitely added. Against QPR and Boro he came for far more crosses than he has been, did well at QPR, less well at Boro but it looks like it is being worked on. I'd be surprised if he was replaced if we went up.

On the crosses, he doesn't come for that much. But the noticeable thing is that even the keepers who are top in this kind of area also don't come for that much, they're still stopping fewer than two crosses per match on average (about 10% of the crosses put in).

Crosses-23.jpg (176.59 KiB) Viewed 2221 times

Looking at save percentage (which I wouldn't say is a great metric) or post shot xG minus goals conceded he seems to come out pretty average. No surprise that the previously expensive Gunn and the very experienced Ruddy are top here, neither would really have been realistic options for us.

Saves-23.jpg (215.34 KiB) Viewed 2221 times

Noticeable that we face fewer crosses and shots than most teams and Muric is obviously a part of that.

(All stats from FBRef)

[thelifeofbrian]

Muric is a great defensive sweeper when it comes to actual goalkeeping he's useless.

He saved a penalty yesterday.

[Nori1958]

He saved a penalty yesterday.

That's two this weekend

[IanMcL]

Zsa Zsa or Eva

As well!

[Aclaret]

....and another clean sheet !

[clarethomer]

....and another clean sheet !

He will still be shite to some posters on here though.

[Casper]

He will still be shite to some posters on here though.

He didn’t have a shot to save

[bfcjg]

Dominated his box very well most of the game.

[clarethomer]

He didn’t have a shot to save

I would normally say go and speak to Frank.

[Andingle]

Distribution excellent tonight and caught everything.

[RVclaret]

Absolutely superb tonight and key to our game management in the second half keeping the ball.

[Casper]

Distribution excellent tonight and caught everything.

No he didn’t

[jedi_master]

Some great one touch passing tonight.

[Newcastleclaret93]

....and another clean sheet !

Tbf they could have put you in net tonight and you would have kept a clean sheet.

They were so poor

[clarethomer]

Some great one touch passing tonight.

did his job perfectly - like the rest of the team

[1882Clarets1882]

Punched when he should've caught. Part from that rarely tested tonight.

[NewClaret]

....and another clean sheet !

How many is that now?

[taio]

Good performance. Some will say he underperformed and some will say he was absolutely superb. Truth is the middle ground.

[Aclaret]

About time some prople cut Muric some slack, if he isn't a good keeper do you really think VK would be playing him ? It seems some are questioning the managers team selection !...He's far from the complete keeper but he's improving.