Lowes biggest mistake this season. (Keeper)

[Nick Prideaux]

Agree the comments. Great shot stopper and fast reflexes. No disrespect to Cooper but he doesn't command the box in the way Palmer did. I think he will get there in time but does Lowe stick or play safe and twist in the January window; mangers have to make tough calls!

 

[greenpilled]

It's the responsibility of the coaching team and the defenders themselves to ensure that the defence is properly positioned and competes for every ball. A goalkeeper might occasionally need to gee them up or point out an obviously unmarked attacker but there isn't any evidence that Cooper is failing to do this, or that it's costing us goals.

Take the equaliserl from Tuesday night... we lost the goal because Oxford players beat Argyle players to both the first and second ball. It's completely illogical to argue that a totally different player, Cooper, could do anything to have prevented this.

The criticism is borne of understandable frustration at our recent form, not objective analysis. The goals we've been conceding have mostly been clear cut chances from point blank range not goalkeeping errors.

It would be great if there was a simplistic solution to our problems, like changing the goalkeeper. But the likelihood is that replacing a keeper whose handling, distribution, shotstopping etc has largely been faultless with a 37 year old, short of match practice, who hasn't been first choice anywhere for several seasons will only make things worse. I hope Ryan Lowe is thinking more deeply about why we are conceding so many chances.

 

[argyleforever]

Been saying this for weeks, Cooper has been thrown in at the deep end too soon!!

The reason Lincoln are doing so well is indeed down to Alex Palmer.

We really could have done with him back this season!

But god only knows how poor old Lukes feeling sat on the bench waiting to get his chance.. after all the goals conceeded i would have thought Lowe would out McCormick in, he commands the defence and the whole team for that matter, AND pulls off wonder saves, something Cooper doesn't do!! Yeah the defence aint great but that's partially down to the keeper commanding them!!!!!

 

[PL2 3DQ]

It's the responsibility of the coaching team and the defenders themselves to ensure that the defence is properly positioned and competes for every ball. A goalkeeper might occasionally need to gee them up or point out an obviously unmarked attacker but there isn't any evidence that Cooper is failing to do this, or that it's costing us goals.

Take the equaliserl from Tuesday night... we lost the goal because Oxford players beat Argyle players to both the first and second ball. It's completely illogical to argue that a totally different player, Cooper, could do anything to have prevented this.

The criticism is borne of understandable frustration at our recent form, not objective analysis. The goals we've been conceding have mostly been clear cut chances from point blank range not goalkeeping errors.

It would be great if there was a simplistic solution to our problems, like changing the goalkeeper. But the likelihood is that replacing a keeper whose handling, distribution, shotstopping etc has largely been faultless with a 37 year old, short of match practice, who hasn't been first choice anywhere for several seasons will only make things worse. I hope Ryan Lowe is thinking more deeply about why we are conceding so many chances.

To be fair McCormick was first choice for a quarter of the season for a promotion winning side last season, keeping three clean sheets, winning 6 and drawing 2 of those 12 games, so not too shabby.

 

[argyleforever]

It's the responsibility of the coaching team and the defenders themselves to ensure that the defence is properly positioned and competes for every ball. A goalkeeper might occasionally need to gee them up or point out an obviously unmarked attacker but there isn't any evidence that Cooper is failing to do this, or that it's costing us goals.

Take the equaliserl from Tuesday night... we lost the goal because Oxford players beat Argyle players to both the first and second ball. It's completely illogical to argue that a totally different player, Cooper, could do anything to have prevented this.

The criticism is borne of understandable frustration at our recent form, not objective analysis. The goals we've been conceding have mostly been clear cut chances from point blank range not goalkeeping errors.

It would be great if there was a simplistic solution to our problems, like changing the goalkeeper. But the likelihood is that replacing a keeper whose handling, distribution, shotstopping etc has largely been faultless with a 37 year old, short of match practice, who hasn't been first choice anywhere for several seasons will only make things worse. I hope Ryan Lowe is thinking more deeply about why we are conceding so many chances.

To be fair McCormick was first choice for a quarter of the season for a promotion winning side last season, keeping three clean sheets, winning 6 and drawing 2 of those 12 games, so not too shabby.

:clap:

 

[Cobi Budge]

I'm not necessarily saying drop Cooper, I'm pretty 50/50, but I think people forget that McCormick played a number of times last season for the League 2 champions and their fans rated him, he was also offered a new deal there. I think he'd be more than capable of coming in and doing a job if required, particularly on the leadership/organisation front.

 

[argyleforever]

I'm not necessarily saying drop Cooper, I'm pretty 50/50, but I think people forget that McCormick played a number of times last season for the League 2 champions and their fans rated him, he was also offered a new deal there. I think he'd be more than capable of coming in and doing a job if required, particularly on the leadership/organisation front.

He certainly would. I'd say drop Cooper, get McCormick in and watch the results change and clean sheets stack up!!!!

 

[John Cooper]

Ruddy has had more game time this season than McC. :funny:

 

[Cobi Budge]

Ruddy has had more game time this season than McC. :funny:

McCormick would have played those games if not injured, hence why he’s now ahead of Ruddy.

 

[Wilf Carters Boots]

100%. Just because he's young and 'one of our own' does not mean he's immune from criticism. In fact, he is as much to blame for our defensive frailties as our awful centre-backs. Yes he might look better if we had actual defenders in front of him, but even then I'm not convinced he's a League One-standard keeper, or ever will be.

He can best be described as capable, but has not shown anything like the level required to suggest he's going to be a top keeper - despite some on here suggesting he's destined for the Premier League/England etc.

As I've said a dozen or so times, if he was any good a bigger club would have snapped him up ages ago.

So if he is so inadequate which goals should he be blamed for?

That’s an excellent question BG and I can’t see that anyone has actually answered it yet. :scarf:

 

[WoodsyGreen]

It's not an excellent question because it's been made pretty clear by many posters that the issue with young Cooper isn't that he's making mistakes. If he was chucking goals in then he'd already be out of the side.

It's the other side of his game that is clearly lacking: the vocal and physical dominance of his box that separates a good keeper from an adequate one. There is another thread where I gave examples of these inadequacies in the Oxford game.

He is part of a defence that is leaking goals and should share the same criticism that is being aimed at our centre-backs.

 

[Since I Was 33]

Exactly. This isn't anti-Cooper who clearly has potential in abundance but he is learning at the deep end. Trouble is we can't afford to keep allowing goals to be conceded at the rate (and the ease) they are being shipped. Get Luke in for the next two / three games and see what he can do with the defence ahead of some possible personnel changes in January. Sometimes if something isn't working it just won't hurt to try a different approach

 

[greenpilled]

It's not an excellent question because it's been made pretty clear by many posters that the issue with young Cooper isn't that he's making mistakes. If he was chucking goals in then he'd already be out of the side.

It's the other side of his game that is clearly lacking: the vocal and physical dominance of his box that separates a good keeper from an adequate one. There is another thread where I gave examples of these inadequacies in the Oxford game.

He is part of a defence that is leaking goals and should share the same criticism that is being aimed at our centre-backs.

The goals we've been conceding on this run are nothing to do with the keeper's lack of 'vocal and physical dominance.' They're coming from teams playing through us (the second goal on Tuesday night) and defenders losing runners and challenges (the first). The idea that this is happening because the keeper doesn't shout loudly enough is not serious.

 

[jimsing]

It's not an excellent question because it's been made pretty clear by many posters that the issue with young Cooper isn't that he's making mistakes. If he was chucking goals in then he'd already be out of the side.

It's the other side of his game that is clearly lacking: the vocal and physical dominance of his box that separates a good keeper from an adequate one. There is another thread where I gave examples of these inadequacies in the Oxford game.

He is part of a defence that is leaking goals and should share the same criticism that is being aimed at our centre-backs.

I do agree that I was disappointed that Palmer was not returning to us this season. He was outstanding last season and I was expecting him to return to play in Div 1.

Things would not be quite so bad as they are now, but the defence would still be suffering, and we would still be losing games, which, as new boys, we must expect to be doing.

However, Lowe made the decision that Cooper was going to be our no 1 keeper for this season, and no 1 keeper he is. Yes, Cooper is not up to Palmer's standards, but he has to start somewhere and he has to get experience with the first team.

You could say that Lowe could be criticised for this decision, but the decision has been made and we have to go with it. The boy has to become a man and he will not improve without playing games for the Club. He hasn't made any howlers, and with a better defence in front of him, we would be in a better position I am sure.

DON'T make him a scapegoat for the poor defence in front of him. He is not to blame for the goals against.

 

[WoodsyGreen]

It's not an excellent question because it's been made pretty clear by many posters that the issue with young Cooper isn't that he's making mistakes. If he was chucking goals in then he'd already be out of the side.

It's the other side of his game that is clearly lacking: the vocal and physical dominance of his box that separates a good keeper from an adequate one. There is another thread where I gave examples of these inadequacies in the Oxford game.

He is part of a defence that is leaking goals and should share the same criticism that is being aimed at our centre-backs.

The goals we've been conceding on this run are nothing to do with the keeper's lack of 'vocal and physical dominance.' They're coming from teams playing through us (the second goal on Tuesday night) and defenders losing runners and challenges (the first). The idea that this is happening because the keeper doesn't shout loudly enough is not serious.

You didn't see the one Oxford nearly scored shortly after their first from a similar punted ball into the box? A soft header went straight at Cooper and all he could do was chest it straight back into the danger zone. Or when he came for a cross in the second-half but completely missed it?

If you don't think we're conceding goals and chances due to Cooper's inability to physically and vocally dominate his area then you aren't watching closely enough.

And if our defenders are so bad then why is Cooper not winning man of the match every week? Either Cooper is keeping us in games or he isn't. Which is it?