We need to talk about Neil.

I know we won today, but Ethridge was really frustrating me today.

The slow release when good countering opportunities were there for all to see.

Really poor kicking conceded posession way too many times in the second half when we needed it most. If were gonna lose the ball like that, wouldnt it be better if we just played out from the back?

Surely his GK coach should be working on his kicking, its over 2 seasons now and there is no improvement!

Should we bring in a new coach? Or should we bring Smithies back in?

I must admit I was a little surprised when Dibble retained his position following Warnock's departure.

Surely a keeper only needs to do three things.

Save the ball
Catch the ball
Kick the ball.

If you can't coach those three things what exactly is the point of having a goalkeeping coach at all?

Personally I prefer smithies just about. They both have their own pluses and negatives.

If you cant kick well when you're a 29 year old pro I'm not sure a 60 year old ex pro is suddenly going to make it happen.

Hes a wonderful shot stopper but not unlike Marshall his distribution is his weakness and what will hold him back from being the next level.

His kicking was shocking today it really was, and nearly spilled a shot straight at him into his own net. Been no where near the standards he was playing at last season imo.

If you cant kick well when you're a 29 year old pro I'm not sure a 60 year old ex pro is suddenly going to make it happen.

Hes a wonderful shot stopper but not unlike Marshall his distribution is his weakness and what will hold him back from being the next level.

Everyone disagrees with me at the time but the same thing happened, we missed the chance to sell Marshall for good money and same with Etheridge.

Problem is the opposition puts him under pressure as soon as hes got ball because they know he is a weak kicker! How many times today did you see an opponent standing by him preventing him from getting ball out quickly? They didn't obstruct him to give foul or get a yellow card they just know he wont release ball quickly if stand by him..

His kicking has always been useless... prob why he has spent most of his career at low league clubs.

If you cant kick well when you're a 29 year old pro I'm not sure a 60 year old ex pro is suddenly going to make it happen.

Hes a wonderful shot stopper but not unlike Marshall his distribution is his weakness and what will hold him back from being the next level.

Everyone disagrees with me at the time but the same thing happened, we missed the chance to sell Marshall for good money and same with Etheridge.

Id agree with you. Though did any significant offers for either actually come in?

I don’t know how he keeps his place. His kicking and distribution is disastrous and he’s hasn’t looked too secure between the sticks particularly on crosses.
I think Smithies is a better goalkeeper all round.

He was poor today and I’ve said it before one of his mid kicks is going to cost us big time.

If you plot missed kicks v goals conceded it’s a flat line. Point is, his miskicks never cost. What is frustrating is that he hit one near perfect ball to Murphy yesterday which put us straight on the attack.
That’s what could be better

His kicking is so poor.
The problem is that when he kicks the ball no where near the team are expecting it to go the whole shape of the team is wrong. This leads to an immediate opposition attack and shot on goal. How many times have we conceded when Etheridge was the last city player to touch the ball.

SMITHIES is by far the best fit for this new set up imo. I think once Etheridge makes a howler he will make the change needed.

We missed a trick releasing Tom Heaton!

Some players just cant do it. Look at Tomlins ball to Ward yesterday, and he's probably the only player in the team to pick that pass, and then have the skill to execute with perfect weight. Also his goal was taken very well.

Its a bit late for him(NE), but I think endless hours of playing barefoot spot with a tennis ball is essential for young players, but you have to get in the zone. Bennett is another example.. he doesnt trust himself.
All said, Barnsleys press was immense yesterday, and they rushed our players very well. Very difficult to play against that so to grind out the win was a great effort.

Problem is the opposition puts him under pressure as soon as hes got ball because they know he is a weak kicker! How many times today did you see an opponent standing by him preventing him from getting ball out quickly? They didn't obstruct him to give foul or get a yellow card they just know he wont release ball quickly if stand by him..

Allan players are not allowed to obstruct the goalkeeper, they can stand in front of him but are not supposed to move back and fore to prevent him kicking the ball out, the ref should have warned the player and if he persisted book him, rules have been in for a while now

Problem is the opposition puts him under pressure as soon as hes got ball because they know he is a weak kicker! How many times today did you see an opponent standing by him preventing him from getting ball out quickly? They didn't obstruct him to give foul or get a yellow card they just know he wont release ball quickly if stand by him..

Allan players are not allowed to obstruct the goalkeeper, they can stand in front of him but are not supposed to move back and fore to prevent him kicking the ball out, the ref should have warned the player and if he persisted book him, rules have been in for a while now

This isn't really the issue with Neils kicking. Once or twice a game he may be kicking from hand with an attacker being in front but 15/20 times a game is kicking off the floor with no immediate threat and the result is as bad.

I've said it about Etheridge for the last year.
He looks great with the Camera saves from 20yards but the rest of his game is pretty poor.
He has to make diving saves because his starting position is poor , he cant kick a ball straight and cant catch which is why he mostly punches. That is why nobody took him back to the premier league he is too much of a liability and nowhere near the standard people say after watching with the old rose tinted glasses.

Smithies on the other hand is a good solid championship keeper who is decent at everything without being great.

I must admit I was a little surprised when Dibble retained his position following Warnock's departure.

Surely a keeper only needs to do three things.

Save the ball
Catch the ball
Kick the ball.

If you can't coach those three things what exactly is the point of having a goalkeeping coach at all?

That's like saying that all an outfield player has to learn is how to kick the ball and head the ball. I have never played in goal but even I realize that there is a bit more to keeping goal than that. Positioning, anticipation, organization for a start.

Keeping his place by being our Asia pin up boy IMHO.

Terrible at kicking

I must admit I was a little surprised when Dibble retained his position following Warnock's departure.

Surely a keeper only needs to do three things.

Save the ball
Catch the ball
Kick the ball.

If you can't coach those three things what exactly is the point of having a goalkeeping coach at all?

easy.
naive

Would still prefer Etheridge. For me he’s Cardiffs keeper. Not Smithies. I’ve always seen Smithies as a back up, and I will never be comfortable with him in goal.

Etheridges kicking has been abysmal but so was Marshall’s, But like Etheridge, Marshall was the Cardiff keeper, not Moore, not Joe Lewis, David Marshall.

Let’s not be rash for the sake of it. Let’s acknowledge our keeper has one weakness and encourage him to get better. Not demand we just drop him for a fairly average keeper who might be a better kicker but has had way more handling errors and positional mistakes in him than Etheridge does. Chill out guys, let’s not push out one of our top players.

Etheridge is a perfectly good Championship keeper and his style suited Warnock's well.

However, Harris is certainly getting this team to play the ball on the floor more and that is the main reason why Etheridge has been exposed.

I lost count the number of times he kicked the ball direct to the opposition on Saturday. He had Madine to aim for, who was winning his fair share in the air, and two kicks in a row he put it to completely the opposite side of the pitch and it was noticeable that Madine and a number of others were giving him some stick.

The trouble is that if the striker goes to the left and the keeper sends it right the whole team is set-up for the kick to the left and if it doesn't get there it's just a matter of scrambling to get back and recover your position.

I like Etheridge, without him I don't think we would have got promoted but this season Smithies, particularly toward the end of his spell in the team, has looked the better all round keeper and I wonder how long Harris will wait before making the change.

Would still prefer Etheridge. For me he’s Cardiffs keeper. Not Smithies. I’ve always seen Smithies as a back up, and I will never be comfortable with him in goal.

Etheridges kicking has been abysmal but so was Marshall’s, But like Etheridge, Marshall was the Cardiff keeper, not Moore, not Joe Lewis, David Marshall.

Let’s not be rash for the sake of it. Let’s acknowledge our keeper has one weakness and encourage him to get better. Not demand we just drop him for a fairly average keeper who might be a better kicker but has had way more handling errors and positional mistakes in him than Etheridge does. Chill out guys, let’s not push out one of our top players.

agree with all that apart from the abysmal kicking...
the eye catching scuffs are terrible, but generally his kicking is far more accurate than most give him credit for, and better than Smithies even including the nightmare kicks..thats what my eyes say and that's what the stats say.. the poor ones look awful I get that. but if he was 1/10th as poor as some make out our stats boys and GK coach would be telling the manager..

Your eyes are failing you if you cannot see smithies is a better kicker of the football and more comfortable in situations where his feet are required

Would still prefer Etheridge. For me he’s Cardiffs keeper. Not Smithies. I’ve always seen Smithies as a back up, and I will never be comfortable with him in goal.

Etheridges kicking has been abysmal but so was Marshall’s, But like Etheridge, Marshall was the Cardiff keeper, not Moore, not Joe Lewis, David Marshall.

Let’s not be rash for the sake of it. Let’s acknowledge our keeper has one weakness and encourage him to get better. Not demand we just drop him for a fairly average keeper who might be a better kicker but has had way more handling errors and positional mistakes in him than Etheridge does. Chill out guys, let’s not push out one of our top players.

agree with all that apart from the abysmal kicking...
the eye catching scuffs are terrible, but generally his kicking is far more accurate than most give him credit for, and better than Smithies even including the nightmare kicks..thats what my eyes say and that's what the stats say.. the poor ones look awful I get that. but if he was 1/10th as poor as some make out our stats boys and GK coach would be telling the manager..

I think generally you make very good points but can't get my head around this at all.

Both are good keepers but Etheridge is lucky to kick it without causing a problem, doesn't have to be to a player just kick it in an area where a player might get. Smithies actually looks to pick out a player.

Doesn't make him a better keeper but his kicking is in a different league.

It was instantly noticeable that players were happy to pass the ball back much more with Smithies in goals. Concerning Harris sees it as such a problem he wants players to pass it back less.

His kicking is very poor. Anyone who says it isnt is just saying that because they prefer him in goals over Smithies. The fact that it was brought up in the press conference highlights how bad it is. The only reason his stats might be better than Smithies is because, as mentioned by 2blue, our defenders were comfortable passing the ball back to him. Etheridge's kicking under pressure usually puts us on the back foot.

Your eyes are failing you if you cannot see smithies is a better kicker of the football and more comfortable in situations where his feet are required

If Smithies was in the team, you'd be slagging him off right now!

It's what you do!

#BarryFraud88

Yeah like everyone was slagging off flint prior the the last week yet I was defending him... you are spouting rubbish