Darren Randolph (G West Ham b.1987)

**TheOneWhoKnocks** · 01/04/2017, 2:39 PM

Cool, calm, collected.

What's Darren Randolph thinking there? He bizarrely chooses to try and dribble Byram's pass out of the area with Markovic closing in. He is almost dispossessed but when he lunges in to reclaim the ball after he spots Hernandez, Hull fans cry out for a penalty! Not given though...

**SkStu** · 15/04/2017, 4:06 PM

Nightmare afternoon for Randolph on the two Sunderland goals. He was clearly being obstructed for the first and should have had a free out in my opinion but was caught in no mans land for their equalizer. Only saw it once and thought perhaps there was a foul there too but can't say until I see it again.

**Closed Account** · 15/04/2017, 5:07 PM

1h
OptaJoe‏ @OptaJoe
4 - Darren Randolph has made more errors leading to goals than any other player in the Premier League this season. Clumsy.

**DannyInvincible** · 15/04/2017, 5:45 PM

West Ham fans have been angrily voicing their lack of faith in Randolph on social media: https://www.balls.ie/football/darren...eaction-363210

**elroy** · 15/04/2017, 10:44 PM

Has made a few glaring errors lately. At fault for both goals today, particularly second. He'll do well to start next day.

Has been largely flawless for us - hope that continues!!

**Charlie Darwin** · 15/04/2017, 11:45 PM

I suppose that's not hugely surprising. He's playing in a team in declining form and whose confidence looks low so no surprise he'd make mistakes too.

**DannyInvincible** · 16/04/2017, 12:00 AM

Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

I suppose that's not hugely surprising. He's playing in a team in declining form and whose confidence looks low so no surprise he'd make mistakes too.

Also, as a goalkeeper especially, who has a weaker/poorer team or defence in front of him relative to the strength/performance of other defences or teams in the league, he'll inevitably end up in a higher number of situations, compared to other players and goalkeepers, where errors may arise and where these errors may lead to the concession of goals.

**geysir** · 16/04/2017, 11:57 AM

Originally Posted by DannyInvincible

Also, as a goalkeeper especially, who has a weaker/poorer team or defence in front of him relative to the strength/performance of other defences or teams in the league, he'll inevitably end up in a higher number of situations, compared to other players and goalkeepers, where errors may arise and where these errors may lead to the concession of goals.

I don't know Danny,
I've watched Swansea a fair few times and it's safe to say their defence is porous, some atrociously poor defending, yet Fabianski consistently puts in good performances, makes the absolute peach of a save on a regular basis, if he's at fault for some poor keeping decision, it's because he makes the occasional error, not his defence exposing him.

I haven't seen Darren's goalkeeping mistakes, afair he showed early promise this season in the West Ham goal, but the errors were always there, costly errors and they have accumulated.
Randolph and Adrian are two reserve keepers.

**Stuttgart88** · 16/04/2017, 12:56 PM

I think it's easier to look good as a keeper in a team that concedes chances. The real test is how well a keeper does in a good team. Fabianski is a good example, though I think he's good enough now to play in a good team. He looks too good for Swansea but never looked good enough for Arsenal. Your mistakes are often more critical for a big team who is expected to win far more often. A team that's at the bottom is there for more reasons than a less than totally reliable keeper.

I think Randolph still looks nervous at West Ham in a way he doesn't look for us. I think he feels under pressure at club level knowing that fans and maybe teammates don't wholly trust him. When he plays for us he feels in charge and is more relaxed.

I frequently used to play for both our Saturday AUL team and our Sunday LSL team. Even though I was the regular keeper for the Sunday team I tended to play better when standing in for the Saturday team because the coach really liked me and I knew he trusted me whereas my Sunday captain was always looking for an excuse to criticise. I think Ireland is Randolph's Saturday team in that regard.

**geysir** · 16/04/2017, 2:07 PM

The thing is Stutts, Fabianski was in and out at Arsenal, make a mistake then you're out, back in again when the nr 1 keeper has a dodgy spell. When he went to Swansea he was their nr 1, week in out, regardless of the keeper errors, his confidence grew as a result and this reflected in his increasing goalkeeping prowess.
Unlike Fabianski at Arsenal, our Darren has been given a really good stretch of games this season to prove his worth in the heat of the epl, that's a vote of confidence from the manager. The odds are this is his last season at nr1 in the epl.

**DannyInvincible** · 16/04/2017, 4:38 PM

Originally Posted by geysir

I don't know Danny,
I've watched Swansea a fair few times and it's safe to say their defence is porous, some atrociously poor defending, yet Fabianski consistently puts in good performances, makes the absolute peach of a save on a regular basis, if he's at fault for some poor keeping decision, it's because he makes the occasional error, not his defence exposing him.

I haven't seen Darren's goalkeeping mistakes, afair he showed early promise this season in the West Ham goal, but the errors were always there, costly errors and they have accumulated.
Randolph and Adrian are two reserve keepers.

Fair point. I suppose a weak defence will inevitably present a top goalkeeper with plenty of opportunities to showcase his abilities, whereas it will expose an inferior (or less confident) goalkeeper.

**paul_oshea** · 17/04/2017, 4:52 AM

Originally Posted by joe_denilson

1h
OptaJoe‏ @OptaJoe
4 - Darren Randolph has made more errors leading to goals than any other player in the Premier League this season. Clumsy.

Shock horror we need stats to prove the glaringly obvious for a long time.

Randolph plays a handful of games for ireland a year, ine one month he could almost play the same at West Ham, his odd mistake(s) for ireland wont be as noticable over a year as say a couple of months or less for West Ham. Given the fact we're generally setup defensively compact hr is going to have less chances to prove his erroneous ways.

Dolly Parton sleeps on her back, no sh1t sherlock.

**Stuttgart88** · 17/04/2017, 1:59 PM

I think he looks more at home and less anxious for Ireland, it's not just a statistical thing.

And any mistake at international level is likely to be very costly. Over the course of a campaign an error that costs Ireland a win against, say Wales, will affect us more than having a mare for West Ham at Sunderland. A team like Ireland will rarely recover from 3 or 4 wasted points. A team like West Ham can probably throw away 9 points a season without it changing much.

Speaking of which, I think he was fouled for the first goal but even still he should have been more streetwise and not allowed himself to be blocked. For the second if he decides to come for it he either has to catch it and clean out anyone in front of him or punch it 25m from goal.

**Closed Account** · 17/04/2017, 3:03 PM

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

Shock horror we need stats to prove the glaringly obvious for a long time.

Randolph plays a handful of games for ireland a year, ine one month he could almost play the same at West Ham, his odd mistake(s) for ireland wont be as noticable over a year as say a couple of months or less for West Ham. Given the fact we're generally setup defensively compact hr is going to have less chances to prove his erroneous ways.

Dolly Parton sleeps on her back, no sh1t sherlock.

Whoosh.

**DeLorean** · 17/04/2017, 4:37 PM

Originally Posted by geysir

I don't know Danny,
I've watched Swansea a fair few times and it's safe to say their defence is porous, some atrociously poor defending, yet Fabianski consistently puts in good performances, makes the absolute peach of a save on a regular basis, if he's at fault for some poor keeping decision, it's because he makes the occasional error, not his defence exposing him.

Agree with this as well. I haven't seen the highlights from the weekend either but his opposite number on Saturday has made a big name for himself this season despite playing for the worst team in the league.

I think Mignolet is a good example of how it's easier for a goalkeeper to look good in a lesser side. He looked like a really decent goalkeeper at Sunderland and a complete liability at Liverpool, although he hasn't been too bad lately.

**geysir** · 17/04/2017, 6:18 PM

Originally Posted by DeLorean

Agree with this as well. I haven't seen the highlights from the weekend either but his opposite number on Saturday has made a big name for himself this season despite playing for the worst team in the league.

I think Mignolet is a good example of how it's easier for a goalkeeper to look good in a lesser side. He looked like a really decent goalkeeper at Sunderland and a complete liability at Liverpool, although he hasn't been too bad lately.

To couple what you say along with what Stutts' says,
Darren looks good in goal for Ireland, better than he does at West Ham, because it's easier for a goalkeeper to look good in a lesser side?'

I'd say he'll have another season at West Ham as reserve keeper before moving on to other pastures. Of course it's possible that West Ham don't get another keeper in.

**Stuttgart88** · 17/04/2017, 7:15 PM

Yeah I think Randolph will be lucky to be still number one starting next season, and I think one more full season at WHAM is the optimistic scenario.

Mignolet is a great example of it being harder at a big club even if you looked good at a struggling club. In his last 2 games he has made result-changing saves in fairness.

And I think Fabianski looks good week in, week out these days. Too good to go down with Swansea. West Ham might buy him! I'd have him back at Arsenal myself, though if I was in the market for a keeper ready to play for a top 6 club I'd think of going for Fraser Forster. England have some good young keepers, Heaton, Buckland, Sunderland kid...