Pope's kicking

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Inchy
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Re: Pope's kicking

Post by Inchy » Mon Sep 20, 2021 7:05 am

Nick Pope is 29 years old. If he hasn’t learnt to kick a ball by now it’s safe to say he never will.

Look at the positives though. If he could kick he wouldn’t be playing for us

Newcastleclaret93
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Re: Pope's kicking

Post by Newcastleclaret93 » Mon Sep 20, 2021 7:22 am

Pope is a really strange one, he is an absolute monster in our set up but I struggle to see many other starting elevens he would get into in the prem.

Nearly every team plays out from the back and unfortunately to him that rules him out completely.

Swizzlestick
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Re: Pope's kicking

Post by Swizzlestick » Mon Sep 20, 2021 7:33 am

While evidently the weakest element of his game, his kicking and distribution appears to have regressed. There were clear errors afterwards but he needlessly and cheaply gave possession back to the opposition and just put us under more pressure. Defence didn’t cover themselves in glory, nor did AW, but he’s given Saka the opportunity to run at us and create an opportunity there.

Spijed
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Re: Pope's kicking

Post by Spijed » Mon Sep 20, 2021 7:57 am

As it's obvious in the modern game being a great shot stopper is not as important as other aspects.

Look at Ramsdale. Useless for Sheffield United in that respect yet secures a move to Arsenal.

Spijed
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Re: Pope's kicking

Post by Spijed » Mon Sep 20, 2021 8:09 am

And look at DDG at Man U. His distribution is very poor for a top keeper and on a par with Nick Pope at times. But he is just that, a top keeper who makes great saves.

Newcastleclaret93
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Re: Pope's kicking

Post by Newcastleclaret93 » Mon Sep 20, 2021 8:18 am

Spijed wrote:
Mon Sep 20, 2021 8:09 am
And look at DDG at Man U. His distribution is very poor for a top keeper and on a par with Nick Pope at times. But he is just that, a top keeper who makes great saves.
I’m sorry but DDG distribution is not on par with Pope.

Nick has the worst distribution in the league but he makes up for it with his saving and presence in the box. I don’t think there is anyone better in the league at coming out for the ball at corners

bfcjg
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Re: Pope's kicking

Post by bfcjg » Mon Sep 20, 2021 8:28 am

His passing out from the back on this move was pretty good.
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Yorkshirelad
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Re: Pope's kicking

Post by Yorkshirelad » Mon Sep 20, 2021 8:39 am

LongSider75 wrote:
Sun Sep 19, 2021 1:43 pm
Is it just me, or does anybody else think that Pope's awful kick led to Arsenal's goal yesterday. He's a good keeper but Billy Mercer has got to work with Pope on his kicking.
I believe Pope was the instigator of a catalogue of disasters. He rushed the kick and made a complete ash of it. Then we fell apart. But I felt that Westwood had to bring Saka down. But I have to say I saw a number of occasions where our midfielders were turned by the Arsenal players. Which I can understand they are good quality players but we seemed to struggle to get close them down afterwards. If Ashley hadn't and he had gone on to score we would all say he should have taken one for the team. I thought Pope was a little to far over the other side but it was a good free kick. I'm not a goal keeper coach only Billy Mercer will know.

boatshed bill
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Re: Pope's kicking

Post by boatshed bill » Mon Sep 20, 2021 9:05 am

I'm a bit worried for Nick Pope so far this season.

ewanrob
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Re: Pope's kicking

Post by ewanrob » Mon Sep 20, 2021 10:46 am

His kick certainly poor, but the passage of play after that was very poor on our part...Pope on his kicking...he has very little to aim at unlike most other teams. We dont really give him many options for players to run onto.

BleedingClaret
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Re: Pope's kicking

Post by BleedingClaret » Mon Sep 20, 2021 4:01 pm

Dodobdobodobo wrote:
Sun Sep 19, 2021 5:00 pm
Westwood does that a lot because he hasn’t got pace to catch the player in front of him!
Agreed but that was the wrong place to do it

BleedingClaret
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Re: Pope's kicking

Post by BleedingClaret » Mon Sep 20, 2021 4:04 pm

scouseclaret wrote:
Sun Sep 19, 2021 1:56 pm
Not sure about “needless”. There was a yawning gap in the centre of our defence with nobody seeming in any rush to close Saka down. He was a couple of strides from a free shot at goal.
I felt like that was the case at the time but watching it back there was 2 Clarets in front of him, admittedly they were poorly positioned and still reversing and Arsenal had a man over lapping, but I think a free kick there was a better chance on goal than the shot he was about to take.

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