Can't believe he didn't start the year as the #1 after leaving his old club for Burton... but has certainly made it his own now.
Has made a couple teams of the weeks this season already - will be interesting to see if he draws interest further up the chain at the end of the season.
He's 30 now, at the sort of almost peak age for a keeper. Maybe that's why he doesn't seem guilty of the bad gaffes that have plagued Sail (28), Woud (25) & Tzanev (frequent gaffes from reading Dons reports - age 27) last few years. Yeah be interesting to know if any Championship teams are watching Crocombe. His saves stats are pretty impressive this season for a struggling Albion team.
You feel it's going to be Paulsen now pushing him hardest for AWs no 1 spot. But young Alex has had his own recent bad mistake for the Nix, and I'm a bit tired of the AWs giving away soft goals through a Sail or Woud howler. So happy for Crocombe to hopefully provide some solidity the next few years, and the AWs to make the opposition really work for their goals. No doubt next game out for Albion, he'll now go have a shocker!
You’ve got to think some teams have their eye on him at least after some of his recent performances. Not that league one is a poor league by any stretch.
And yes, he and Paulsen have to be our top 2 keepers. I will be pretty disappointed if I see Woud, Marinovic, or Sail anywhere other than on the pine for the All Whites.
You’ve got to think some teams have their eye on him at least after some of his recent performances. Not that league one is a poor league by any stretch.
And yes, he and Paulsen have to be our top 2 keepers. I will be pretty disappointed if I see Woud, Marinovic, or Sail anywhere other than on the pine for the All Whites.
I think Sail and Woud can still improve and rid their game of terrible howlers. Do that and they can both still be very good keepers. A few seasons ago Sail was in great form for the Nix. It's all been very mixed since that game against Peru in Spain, and his cock up with Payne. With Woud it seems it's problems with balls on the deck, as recently as the AWs v Greece game. Not an impossible fix.
They both need a breakout mostly error free club season, like Crocombe had with Grimsby (great FA Cup run) last L2 season, and is having now in L1. Lets not forget in his late 20's Crocombe was an average ALM GK (short spells VUC & Roar) then mired in the English 5th tier with Grimsby. It all turned around for him when Grimsby went on a miracle promotion playoff run 2 seasons ago.
I think Saul and Woud are in different baskets. Sail was head hunted.
Woud ended his only recent sliver of club playing in time in the last 3-4 years in ignominy. If he wants a regular gig it might have to be non-pro. Still potentially a good keeper, but playing in Asia (or scarcely playing) probably hasn’t helped his confidence.
Sail had a good game last game and seems very much in the coach’s plans. Needs space to focus on his own game and regain his concentration. TBH I don’t remember that many absolute Sail howlers. But his standard dropped off, he and Payne had a couple of miscommunications and he was possibly distracted from his core tasks. The team was in a bad place and if it wasn’t I think the mistakes he made wouldn’t have happened or been such a big deal.
Paulsen’s strength and usp is an unrivaled ability to play out from the back. I don’t see this being adopted at national level as it requires a lot of drilling and understanding. Paulsen has also has the benefit of a good understanding with his defense.
One thing Sail has to get back is dominance at corners and with crosses. At the moment Paulsen is coming for a lot, even if he doesn’t always get there. But his punching has been a good part of the Nix’s defense.
All of which is to say Crocombe is miles ahead. Has Marinovic officially retired?
Good point being it takes many hours of training, to fine tune a low risk playing out from the back strategy - and the AWs with the short FIFA windows don't have that luxury. Seems Crocombe is okay with his feet. But from highlights that's more a direct pass over halfway to a team mate with Albion.
But then it's a strength of Bell & Stamenic to go back to the keeper and build up from deep. Be really interesting to see how Paulsen goes at the Olympics, against international opponents and alongside some potentially long term AW team mates like Bindon, Stamenic, Garbett, Dibley-Dias (hopefully) etc
Second-highest average match rating (according to Whoscored) for all L1 keepers to have played more than 3 games this season. Looks like equal-most saves in the season and played 300 minutes less than Wigan's Tickle. image.png80.01 KB
Second-highest average match rating (according to Whoscored) for all L1 keepers to have played more than 3 games this season. Looks like equal-most saves in the season and played 300 minutes less than Wigan's Tickle. image.png80.01 KB
"Wigan's Tickle" sounds absolutely terrifying mate. Like an urban legend you tell your kids to scare them
Crocombe is age 30 now. Lets not forget in the 19/20 (6 games Roar) & 20/21 (10 games VUC) ALM seasons, he really looked a bit of a journeyman keeper. Then after that English 5th tier with Grimsby Town. Since then it's seems to have been a steady upward trajectory, and if a Championship club did sign him, you wouldn't rule him out being a starter at that level.
But also shows we shouldn't rule out likes of Sail (age 28), Tzanev (27) & Woud (25) also improving. Keepers often different to outfield players, with their peak years.
Second-highest average match rating (according to Whoscored) for all L1 keepers to have played more than 3 games this season. Looks like equal-most saves in the season and played 300 minutes less than Wigan's Tickle. image.png80.01 KB
"Wigan's Tickle" sounds absolutely terrifying mate. Like an urban legend you tell your kids to scare them
Sounds like a sex education teacher coming up with slang to warn kids of the risk of unprotected sex.
"Now lads and lasses make sure you wear or use protection, for you'll be far likelier to catch a case of Wigan's Tickle if you don't."
