Trafford

[taio]

Christ on a bike.

Talk about a change of opinion! People, we’re slating him as awful, overrated, worst keeper we’ve had, not fit to lace Heaton and Popes boots and so on.

Simply, as I’ve always said, he will be Englands next number one. He will go to play at a top four team. That team will likely be Man City.

He was sent to us to help with FFP for City. He likely will go back to them at the end of the season as who else needs a GK in the top six.

His main critics, who relentlessly pummelled him last season, haven't posted on this thread. He was widely supported by many other posters.

[The Shire Claret]

Christ on a bike.

Talk about a change of opinion! People, we’re slating him as awful, overrated, worst keeper we’ve had, not fit to lace Heaton and Popes boots and so on.

Simply, as I’ve always said, he will be Englands next number one. He will go to play at a top four team. That team will likely be Man City.

He was sent to us to help with FFP for City. He likely will go back to them at the end of the season as who else needs a GK in the top six.

I imagine the people you are referring to will stay very quiet until a day comes where like every keeper in the world he will make a mistake

You will hear them very loudly then

[quoonbeatz]

He still looks like he did last season; a young keeper with huge potential but a lot to learn. He’s looking good this season at the level that is the right one for this stage in his career.

[willsclarets]

Christ on a bike.

Talk about a change of opinion! People, we’re slating him as awful, overrated, worst keeper we’ve had, not fit to lace Heaton and Popes boots and so on.

Simply, as I’ve always said, he will be Englands next number one. He will go to play at a top four team. That team will likely be Man City.

He was sent to us to help with FFP for City. He likely will go back to them at the end of the season as who else needs a GK in the top six.

Some people were slating him, not everyone. I certainly wasn't! There were a very loud few posters (perhaps more than a few) who continually slated him game after game.

[alwaysaclaret]

So look, I was one of Trafford's biggest critics last season, some of which wasn't fair admittedly because as lot's agree he was hung out to dry.
He's improved this season because of several factors, 2 main one's being,
1, he's not got the same pressures as last season.
2, huge difference in standard of quality in this league.
So consequently that's helping him take his chance with that improvement, and imo is probably nearer to the standard he should have been playing at last season, I'm fully behind he's improvement, but for some to be back here saying he's 1 of the top keepers in the country again after 16 games in a league nowhere near the Premier league standard is way off the mark, he's always been a good shot stopper and has pretty good reflexes, that side of he's game has never been in question and yesterday's 1 on 1 made himself big and closed down, but it was he's pass out that brought about the chance in the first place, he also made a couple of other decent saves, but still lot's to improve on in other area's of he's game. So in summary, doing OK for now, but a long way to go imo.

[equinox]

He's beyond where a 22 year old goal keeper should be at this stage of his career, by some distance.

[fatboy47]

Simply, as I’ve always said, he will be Englands next number one. He will go to play at a top four team. That team will likely be Man City.

He was sent to us to help with FFP for City. He likely will go back to them at the end of the season as who else needs a GK in the top six.

Stating your debateable opinions as facts sounds a bit nobbish.

[IanMcL]

Clearly we have the best keeper in the league.

Do you think we can keep him regardless of whether we go up or stay down.

What would be a fair price currently? £30m?

Pitchfork went for 22m plus 8m add-ons in 2017.
He was much better though. 7 years inflation...

Not sure a prem club would want a softie in goal though! Needs to throw his weight around in his 6 yard box. Getting crushed at present.

[taio]

Pitchfork went for 22m plus 8m add-ons in 2017.
He was much better though. 7 years inflation...

Not sure a prem club would want a softie in goal though! Needs to throw his weight around in his 6 yard box. Getting crushed at present.

'Getting crushed at present'

Laughably clueless statement.

Most clean sheets.

[IanMcL]

'Getting crushed at present'

Laughably clueless statement.

Most clean sheets.

Read what I have written properly and take the smile off your face.

[taio]

Read what I have written properly and take the smile off your face.

I did. It was your usual nonsense

[fidelcastro]

I did. It was your usual nonsense

Don't be surprised. Have you seen his back catalogue?

[Row x]

Read what I have written properly and take the smile off your face.

I read it as well, but don't understand the point either

How many goals have we conceded this season whilst he was being "crushed" in the 6 yard box?

[IanMcL]

At every corner, they put 2 men around him. Nothing unusual in that. However, he remained trapped, instead of just battering his way through them. Hardly attempted to move, sometimes and that area needs work. It left him in the wrong position, on occasion.

One or 2 were close and he could only look on.

Defence around him stops virtually everything, at this level.

His one on one save was a game saver. His distribution with short passes was just right. Long passes - nothing accurate. Put that down to the weather today.

If you study the corners, that's the issue. It was with Muric, early on, too.

Bit of body building and confidence to knock on or two out of the way and will be ok.

Clean sheets are easier when you have one of the best squads.

[Cooclaret]

So look, I was one of Trafford's biggest critics last season, some of which wasn't fair admittedly because as lot's agree he was hung out to dry.
He's improved this season because of several factors, 2 main one's being,
1, he's not got the same pressures as last season.
2, huge difference in standard of quality in this league.
So consequently that's helping him take his chance with that improvement, and imo is probably nearer to the standard he should have been playing at last season, I'm fully behind he's improvement, but for some to be back here saying he's 1 of the top keepers in the country again after 16 games in a league nowhere near the Premier league standard is way off the mark, he's always been a good shot stopper and has pretty good reflexes, that side of he's game has never been in question and yesterday's 1 on 1 made himself big and closed down, but it was he's pass out that brought about the chance in the first place, he also made a couple of other decent saves, but still lot's to improve on in other area's of he's game. So in summary, doing OK for now, but a long way to go imo.

He’s a kid, and in the lifespan of a GK, he’s a toddler. He’s learning and that’s to be expected.

Hence why he’s given opportunities with England, it’s about learning and long term succession.

But to address your point, he’s got a coach that has set up a team with protection in front of the back four.

There’s a screen and in almost all Premier league teams, there’s a screen.

That’s why he’s got better, he and the back four aren’t exposed by a disastrous, and egocentric system and tactics.

[Cooclaret]

Stating your debateable opinions as facts sounds a bit nobbish.

Good work.

Bookmark it and we can see how it plays out.

[fatboy47]

Good work.

Bookmark it and we can see how it plays out.

We can indeed..and I really hope youre right.

I simply haven't yet seen the qualities that make him the best English keeper in the land or a shoe in for a top four gig....

I see a talented young keeper making good steady progress who may or may not become a stand out England number one.
Or not...as the case may be.

I'll leave you to your certainties.

[billyhamilton82]

It is funny to read posters trying to justify their previous negative comments with a counter argument but at least they have the guts to post unlike many others on here.

He is 22, at his age and in this division he is way ahead of any keeper we have had in the last 50 years including Heaton and Pope.

For perspective, Heaton joined us at age 27 after only being offered a one year deal by Bristol City, and wasn't pulling up any trees following a similar season to Trafford albeit a division lower, in fact he had conceded 84 goals in that previous season at Championship level.

Pope made his debut for us at age 25, but only became a regular for us at age 27.

Trafford is way ahead of both of them and will improve dramatically as he gets older, anyone with any sense knows goalkeepers hit their peak in their late twenties.

The other factor in his favour is that he is much better with his feet and

He is absolutely massive at 6 feet 6 inches, "Bodybuilding" seriously he's the biggest keeper we have ever had including BEAST.

It is no coincidence that he has kept 9 clean sheets in 15 games and only conceded 6 goals this season.

[quoonbeatz]

He’s not 6’ 6”. Pope, Hennessey and Muric are all 6’ 6” and Trafford isn’t as tall as them. He’s probably about 6’ 3”.

Or if Trafford is 6’ 6”, the others are about 6’ 9”.

[alwaysaclaret]

He’s a kid, and in the lifespan of a GK, he’s a toddler. He’s learning and that’s to be expected.

Hence why he’s given opportunities with England, it’s about learning and long term succession.

But to address your point, he’s got a coach that has set up a team with protection in front of the back four.

There’s a screen and in almost all Premier league teams, there’s a screen.

That’s why he’s got better, he and the back four aren’t exposed by a disastrous, and egocentric system and tactics.

Element of truth in all the points you make, yet nothing proven currently, as I say in my summary, doing OK for now, but still a long way to go.
Lots of other attributes not yet on show to become anywhere near a top keeper.
Good shot stopper, good reflexes.
Loads more than that needed I'm afraid.
But to actually address your last point, he and the back 4 are not exposed because their playing in a league far below the standard they were playing last season, so on that basis it might be worth the wait to see how Trafford actually performs if and when we get back there, but I did state admittedly he was somewhat hung out to dry.

[billyhamilton82]

He’s not 6’ 6”. Pope, Hennessey and Muric are all 6’ 6” and Trafford isn’t as tall as them. He’s probably about 6’ 3”.

Or if Trafford is 6’ 6”, the others are about 6’ 9”.

[brexit]

Not sure about this one
The 22-year-old, standing at 6ft 6in tall, is comfortable playing out from the back – which is a necessary attribute to have for any modern-day shot-stopper.
https://football-talk.co.uk/209960/tott ... -trafford/

[Hipper]

At the same age he’s better than Pope and better pedigree . Though Pope matured into an excellent keeper , despite his mythical “ rubbish feet” ( granted he was no Ederson )

Trafford certainly has the potential , though whether he’ll reach Heaton’s all round mastery is anyone’s guess .

At 22 Pope had not made himself into a regular at Charlton and he only became a regular at Burnley because of Tom Heaton's injury, aged 25. If that had happened not who knows when we would have seen a lot of him.

When he came on in that Palace game they had been giving us the runaround yet he slotted in as if he'd been there all the time. Heaton wasn't missed. That of course was The Premier League.

This all illustrates the difficulties of comparing goalkeepers. I've no idea if Pope was better then Trafford at 22 but I know he was better at 25. We'll see how Trafford does in three years time.

[Ric_C]

I was one of the ones crying out for Muric last season. Think a lot of fans were bemused that our keeper from the previous season who had been integral to the way Kompany wanted to play had been discarded so quickly. It was also clear that Trafford was struggling to adapt to that way of playing, and it was hard to watch him try and do something he wasn't used to.

I'm glad he's looking a lot more solid this season.

[SouthLondonexile]

Playing with confidence and demonstrating why he makes the England Squad.
We’ve been blessed with some excellent goalkeepers recently, with Heaton being the most influential.
Trafford is looking very good indeed.

[Passing Clouds]

Just watched the interview with him and it struck me how ‘young’ he was. CJ too tbh.

Awful that Trafford wasn’t looked after better by Kompany and also the abuse he got from the stands.