Embarrassment of riches: who is Ireland's best goalkeeper?

**Jd2793** · 27/03/2022, 6:11 PM

kenny made it clear in one of the pressers before the game he was happy with kellehers playing time in the lc games. i dont think bazunu will be dethroned but equally i wouldnt be surprised if kenny decided to keep it with kelleher for some unlikely reason. CK is definitely Kennys preferred choice IMO but bazunu put down some of the best displays we've seen when he got his chance and its hard to drop anyone after that.

**third policeman** · 27/03/2022, 6:55 PM

Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

Shot from Batshuayi was excellent, and out of nothing, Coleman should have done better, but Kelleher was flat footed, even when Batshuayi turned inside, Kelleher isn't set for a shot, is caught on his heels, and totally unprepared for the shot.

For me, I don't think Bazunu gets caught out by it. It's definitely a case of Kelleher being a little too casual in his approach. That's something that comes with game time though, and a fairly damning reflection on his lack of game time, that he's not set for the shot there.

I think this is a very questionable piece of analysis and one that rehearses the usual anti-Kelleher/ pro-Bazunu tropes. A goalkeeper can’t be set for every eventuality, only the most likely one. It’s about judgement and anticipation. He didn’t expect Coleman to allow his man to pass him on the inside, when he did, and took the shot early, it was too late to reset. For people to continue to assert with magisterial confidence, that Bazunu would have saved it, is frankly

**Stuttgart88** · 27/03/2022, 8:59 PM

Where do you get magisterial confidence from?

**nigel-harps1954** · 27/03/2022, 9:11 PM

Originally Posted by third policeman

I think this is a very questionable piece of analysis and one that rehearses the usual anti-Kelleher/ pro-Bazunu tropes. A goalkeeper can’t be set for every eventuality, only the most likely one. It’s about judgement and anticipation. He didn’t expect Coleman to allow his man to pass him on the inside, when he did, and took the shot early, it was too late to reset. For people to continue to assert with magisterial confidence, that Bazunu would have saved it, is frankly

I'm not sure what makes it questionable?

I'm speaking from a goalkeepers, and a goalkeeper coach, perspective. Being flat footed and not anticipating a shot when a player is turning inside the 18 yard box is poor as far as I'm concerned. I put it down to lack of match practice, and possible casual style of goalkeeping though, as opposed to just bad goalkeeping.

It is a goalkeepers job to be ready for any eventuality. That's what they are there for. When I'm working with goalkeepers at underage level, I'm constantly reminding them to be always on their toes. You just cannot be prepared for a shot while flat footed, and you should be prepared for the eventuality that your defender loses his individual battle.

I'm looking at Bazunu and Kelleher from an objective angle, no magisterial confidence as you put it, and how Bazunu sets himself up. He is constantly on his toes. I just don't see that from Kelleher to the same level. They're two different goalkeepers, with very different styles. Kelleher is far more casual in his approach, but Bazunu always looks switched on.

**elatedscum** · 28/03/2022, 1:36 AM

As someone who’s a fan of Kelleher, I think he’d be a little disappointed with that goal. I think 7 or 8 times out of 10, he tips it round the post. It’s not an egregious error but generally in Liverpool games he’ll have a few saves like that which he makes, good saves, but ones he’d expect to save. It’s true batsuayi shoots quickly and with relatively little back lift, which probably made all the difference but it’s not in the very very corner.

For me, Coleman is the more culpable - it’s pretty obvious that Batsuayi wants to cut inside and he lets him do it. It was just far too easy. There was never an attempt of a tackle and he half tried to show down the left but not nearly enough for a player with no option but to cut back inside.

Duffy also shoulders a burden of blame. There were three of four bad passes in the first 10 mins like that. He underhit one to Cullen where cullen ended up sliding and playing a ball over the top but it was an absolute hospital pass. With that one for the goal, there was no need to hit it first time and if you do, you’ve got to be sure of it. Midfielders and wing backs, they’ve got to assume the ball won’t be given away there, in that manner. With that in mind, we’d left a 4 v 4 at the back with just our three centre halves and Cullen against their front 3 and their number 10. So when we did lose it and weren’t set, it put everyone in a **** position to begin with. From that point on, I thought duffy was excellent, the passes stopped going astray, he won everything in the air and made a key block.

Coleman got better later in the game, although I’m not entirely convinced with him in that position. That goal is a little too similar to the one at home to Azerbaijan, where Coleman just lets the player cut inside or drift inside and shoot. If O’Shea or Collins are on batsuayi, they’re probably defending it better. Seamus certainly gives you more on the ball but defensively I have my concerns in that slot.

Anyway, let’s see if Kelleher has a few saves to make against Lithuania… Or if he gives O’Leary 20 mins to make his case…

**John83** · 28/03/2022, 1:48 AM

The fault lies largest with Coleman, certainly. I guess what I and others have observed is here:

Kelleher has full view of a forward mid-shot, and yet his weight is evenly distributed. He doesn't start to dive until the ball is away. That's too late. It's a great shot, and few keepers would stop it. That doesn't mean speculation is unreasonable, or that this makes Kelleher a bad keeper or anything daft like that. Let's keep the bullshirt polarization for US politics.

**John83** · 28/03/2022, 1:52 AM

Even more damning:

**ontheotherhand** · 28/03/2022, 2:05 AM

I've watched it back a few times now and his footwork is pretty poor from when Batshuayi gets the ball to when he shoots. Worse than I had initially thought. As you say John, nothing there makes him a bad option at all and he will learn and grow but certainly he's no better than Bazunu or Travers based on what we've seen so far. They all have a bit of learning to do and a lot of time to do it. Again you just wish he was out playing games so he could see more scenarios like this.

**CraftyToePoke** · 28/03/2022, 2:14 AM

Its an error, yes.
I also felt his punch v Chelsea landed in the one spot a punch cannot land. Both were incredible finishes, neither were ones he'd have routinely faced in other games but thats the level, the littlest things cost.

Just hope it calms the absolute one way or the other rhetoric on here as to who is best. They are all young, all will have character building moments and hopefully all will have good careers.

But no way looking at those stills should anyone argue his set / feet / positioning were all they might have been.

**ontheotherhand** · 28/03/2022, 2:34 AM

Agreed. We could also post stills of Bazunu's footwork leading up to any of his multiple bad decisions.

They are all inexperienced. They will all hopefully get better.

**Exgrad** · 28/03/2022, 9:06 AM

Its an error by Kelleher, but a minor error that was fully punished by an exceptional finish. I do agree he has issues with his footwork, and its caught up with him here. Soemthing i'm sure his coaches will be working with him on. His calmness on the ball on a couple of occasions is astonishing, not something used to seeing in an Irish keeper.

**Stuttgart88** · 30/03/2022, 11:31 AM