Forster -The difference he makes?

I think it is no confidence that since Forster is back the team have been playing better.

With him the team feel much more assured defensively and they are performing better as a result. Somehow the defence is less panicked and in control, and this has settled the midfield down and given us a calm base from which to build. Add to this the movement and energy that Long gives us up front and the fact that the team now have the confidence and time to really use him and things are looking good.

Charlie was a good buy and gives us a great option in the form of a natural goalscorer.

The tweak in the formation with the 3 CB and 2 wing backs is also helping of course, but again, I feel like this all stems from knowing we have a rock solid quality keeper. That confidence and assuredness at the back has stabilised the whole team and allowed them to really start playing. We look now like the team we were last season and I feel like we should fear no team again. It is a fantastic feeling as I thought that team had gone with Morgan and Toby. Incredible what difference a quality keep has made to the teams performances.

Is this just me feeling this way? Or do other fans agree that having Forster back has really stabilised the team, made us look far calmer at the back and taken the pressure of the forward players some what?

Agreed, although coinciding with the inspired move to put Bertrand rather than Yoshida in a back three, it's hard to be sure which was the key move.

Sent from my D6503 using Tapatalk

Forster IMO is different class..he would have won the golden glove last year but for his injury and still was only one clean sheet behind the winner. Already catching the leaders now! IMO best keeper we have had since shilts.

Obviously a confidence thing.

Has he had a proper save to make in his 3 games back.

Obviously a confidence thing.

Has he had a proper save to make in his 3 games back.

But didn't we say the same thing for most of last season? ''He's not had a save to make, he's not been tested, we don't know how good he is''

Well, maybe we do.

Strangely, in the 3 matches he has played in since his return, he hasn't actually had that much to do so you can argue that our success has more to do with the new back 3 system rather than his individual performance !

His presence may well be a big factor but without having to make the saves I suppose that this is difficult to prove !

The bottom line is 3 clean sheets so nobody is complaining and long may it continue !

Got to love Fraser

Mahusssive

In all seriousness...HAS he had a save to make since getting back?

Had a difficult one against man utd today

Its no big issue. He is quite simply the best keeper in the PL. Of course he makes a difference. The best value buy we have made since we got back in th PL

Well i,'m glad I'm not alone on this. I think his presence on the pitch is invaluable. I just remembered people slagging him off on here last season and wondered if that was a general view of him? Or whether a half season of stek had readjusted peoples views? I think the bloke is a man mountain of quality!

Keepers are only as good as what's going on in front of them and our back 5/6 have finally decided to get their act together! Ones things for sure though, Fraser will be delighted he's come back in to the side now rather than 2 months ago!

Keepers are only as good as what's going on in front of them and our back 5/6 have finally decided to get their act together! Ones things for sure though, Fraser will be delighted he's come back in to the side now rather than 2 months ago!

Why bother paying for a keeper then, just use an academy goalie? Why would Madrid want to pay xxx millions for De Gea? As Brian Clough said a decent goalie is worth 10 or more points a season.

I understand what you are saying as I saw shilton let in 7 and he was still a great keeper but I think you underestimate what having confidence in the bloke behind you will do for a defence. The premier league is about small margins and personally I think we wouldn't have conceded as many with Fraser in goal earlier in the season too.

Agreed, although coinciding with the inspired move to put Bertrand rather than Yoshida in a back three, it's hard to be sure which was the key move.

 

Sent from my D6503 using Tapatalk

Combination of FF & the improved defence I'd say.

Forster IMO is different class..he would have won the golden glove last year but for his injury and still was only one clean sheet behind the winner. Already catching the leaders now! IMO best keeper we have had since shilts.

Niemi probably edges it for me to be honest.

Can't help thinking many are being a little unfair on Steklenburg. Think we'd have had a crisis if reliant upon KD , and the improved Gazzaniga for half a season. For all those criticising Steklenburg for the Palace winner in the cup the other week, I recall their third goal last season came from a FF save which pushed the ball back into play for someone to score the rebound.

Great presence to have on the pitch. Although to be fair, I could have been in goal for the last 3 games and we wouldn't have conceded given how little he's had to do...

Why bother paying for a keeper then, just use an academy goalie? Why would Madrid want to pay xxx millions for De Gea? As Brian Clough said a decent goalie is worth 10 or more points a season.

I understand what you are saying as I saw shilton let in 7 and he was still a great keeper but I think you underestimate what having confidence in the bloke behind you will do for a defence. The premier league is about small margins and personally I think we wouldn't have conceded as many with Fraser in goal earlier in the season too.

I do agree about the small margins, the players appear to be very happy to have him back which is more of a reflection on Fraser and his record last year than Stek.

I guess my main point is our clean sheets last season and now this having coincided heavenly with us getting back to conceding very little shots on target. Thus giving us not great idea how good Fraser really is.

Well only having a 40 yard shot to save all game probably helps, it's good to have him back and I'd agree that he is a more commanding influence behind the back 3/4 but he hasn't exactly had much to do since he's come back.

It's a shame about his injury as he's very likely to have dropped to England's no3. what with Butlands superb form and Hart looks immense at the moment behind a terrible defence, without him Man City would be struggling for top 4 I reckon.

His almighty leap to pluck the ball out of the gloomy Manchester sky near the end of the match to steady things down made me leap to my feet and cheer as if I was celebrating a goal.

Exactly what a defence wants to see from their keeper.

Talk about Forster's return is significant because (as many have observed) he has hardly had a save to make in three League games, and very little else.

YES.. let's put some of that down to the new formation / good defending / whatever /, but playing good football and getting results is also about confidence, and if the sight of a 6' 8" goalkeeper behind you doesn't inspire confidence - then I don't know what does. It must also be intimidating for attackers as Forster takes up so much space.

NOTE: I recall reading a quote from " someone's " biography(?)...when the player wrote ....

" I was clear of the defender, I headed for goal...looked up and saw it was Peter Shilton. He looked so big, he took up all of the goal, there was nowhere to shoot."

Although Peter Shilton was just 6 foot tall, he was a muscular figure but had studied all the angles and it was good positioning that made him the great keeper he was.

we'll simply know how good he really is when Ron is forced to place Yoshida as a centre-back one game. We all know its going to happen sometime.

otherwise just really pleased to have the big man back!

In all seriousness...HAS he had a save to make since getting back?

Hardly. It's vaguely comical to me how he's getting any credit. He's a decent keeper but he's had nothing to do. He has faced two shots on target in 3 matches, and one of those was right at him from 25 yards from Rooney.

It's half formation and half being the games Wanyama's decided to turn up for (though he didn't play in one of them, and Romeu is always at the races). At least he's completely sorted his kicking after the couple of dodgy ones on his first game back.

No coincidence that yesterday saw us with 7 outfield defenders on the pitch when we scored with Romeu having replaced Clasie. We know what we're good at underneath the changes, and we have a striker who probably takes more chances than we've ever had before (except maybe Kevin Phillips).

I know I should stop championing random saints players. But Fraser is the best saints keeper we have had during my years of watching... First games in 94...

He's ****ing massive, in both senses.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that is now:

34 premier league games - 18 clean sheets

Incredible!

Superhuman effort by him tonight.

Hardly. It's vaguely comical to me how he's getting any credit. He's a decent keeper but he's had nothing to do. He has faced two shots on target in 3 matches, and one of those was right at him from 25 yards from Rooney.

.

You're vaguely comical. 4 clean sheets and a great performance tonight. Stick to discussing what shade of white stripe we should have for our next kit.

I was sitting right at the front at the Arsenal League Cup match last year.

Sanchez had the ball and was clear in. He shot so hard I could barely see it (crap old eyes).

I was right in line, he shot low at the base of the near post and it should have bulged the net in the opposite back corner.

I was convinced it was going in, but somehow Forster managed to palm it behind for a corner. It took a second or so to realise he'd saved it.

It rates as one of the best saves I've ever seen and I watched Shilton a lot. It doesn't quite beat Shilt's save when we all thought he managed to curve his back up when diving the wrong way to push a certain goal over the crossbar. ( Of course balls were much heavier in those days and much slower but heavier.

But imo it rates as one of the best ever saves from a perfectly hit shot.

If he stays fit I think he'll be England's number one, but can we hold onto him?

Last night I also think his immense physical presence put off (scared the **** out) of one Arsenal attacker who should have scored easily.

His agility for such a huge man is awesome.

I was sitting right at the front at the Arsenal League Cup match last year.

Sanchez had the ball and was clear in. He shot so hard I could barely see it (crap old eyes).

I was right in line, he shot low at the base of the near post and it should have bulged the net in the opposite back corner.

I was convinced it was going in, but somehow Forster managed to palm it behind for a corner. It took a second or so to realise he'd saved it.

It rates as one of the best saves I've ever seen and I watched Shilton a lot. It doesn't quite beat Shilt's save when we all thought he managed to curve his back up when diving the wrong way to push a certain goal over the crossbar. ( Of course balls were much heavier in those days and much slower but heavier.

But imo it rates as one of the best ever saves from a perfectly hit shot.

If he stays fit I think he'll be England's number one, but can we hold onto him?

Last night I also think his immense physical presence put off (scared the **** out) of one Arsenal attacker who should have scored easily.

His agility for such a huge man is awesome.

Wasn't that the one he saved with his shoulder? I too was staggered that it didn't go in, but I do wonder how many of his great saves are simply due to his size. I think it's a bit soon to be labelling him the best keeper ever. The fact is that he is huge, he does organise the defence well, and he does have good distribution, and these are all go to making a good keeper, but last season there were quite a few goals we conceded from distance where I thought he could have done better, and at times was slow coming off his line (maybe confidence knocked from the Villa calamity). As can often happen, I've probably only really appreciated him since he has been missing, but while I am glad to have him back, I'm still going reserve the knighthood for a little while yet.

Niemi and Flowers were both pretty good in my time, although was pretty young when Flowers left.

Get the lad a new contract!

I just like that Fraser is about the same size as a wookie and no one messes with those walking carpets

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Get the lad a new contract!

This, please don't let it rundown until he's in his last couple of years.........

He was ridiculous last night. Arsenal will end up signing him just so he can't play against them.

You're vaguely comical. 4 clean sheets and a great performance tonight. Stick to discussing what shade of white stripe we should have for our next kit.

One great performance in those 4 matches, he still had sod all to do in the others.

The impact of having a decent defensive midfield again has been massive. Wanyama has put in a shift for the last 3 games, whilst the change of formation was a big factor against Watford. The most obvious difference since Stekelenburg was in the team is that Saints defenders and Wanyama are busting a gut again and making last-ditch tackles and making the attacker's options predictable. The best save he made was the one from behind an attempted block where his view was obscured, but there were at least two further saving tackles that prevented shots which would have tested any keeper.

He's improved though, he's more mobile and slightly leaner (whilst still being massive), and his early kicking problems in the Watford match are long-forgotten as he's back to consistently booming them into the other half.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/southampton/12138775/Fraser-Forster-could-soon-pose-a-threat-to-Joe-Hart-in-a-new-golden-age-of-English-goalkeeping.html

And no mention of Liverpool's interest yet

I actually renewed my SW subscription last night to comment on this (though it hasn't be activated yet!) as I just felt compelled to say the following;

Well, I take it all back. That alone was one of the best goalkeeping performances I've ever seen. I think someone said on here or another thread that it reminded them of the Brad Friedel performance versus us for Blackburn, and I concur. Fraser Forster was absolutely incredible and four clean sheets in four games is an absolute tell-tale sign. He's come back better than ever... or maybe I didn't really give him credit for just how good he is.

If ever a man deserved the title "The Great Wall", it was Fraser. Still in awe. Fair f()cking play.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that is now:

 

34 premier league games - 18 clean sheets

 

Incredible!

Better than a clean sheet every other game some going that is!

Some people on here really do write nonsense. Fraser Forster is a world-class player - we don't have many others - and he has kept a clean sheet for 4 matches since he came back. Wittering on about not having much to do completely misunderstands his significant role - what a difference a top class keeper makes! Long may it continue.

In light of Yoshida's kind monster quotes:

What's that stopping all of the goals

is it a monster,

no it's a Forster

(Repeat)

To the tune of the Automatics 'Monster' ('what's that coming over the hill...')

"Big man,

He's

Got hands like a frying"

Big man

Has got hands like a frying pan

"Big man,

 

He's

Got hands like a frying"

someone should upload the video of the Thai Tims singing the Fraser Forster song, it's superb and should be adopted by Saints fans immediately.

Interesting character is big Fraser, something like 19 clean sheets in 35 Premier League games is surely a record , he is very modest and has a slightly different background to the average footballer - privately educated and the son of a crown court judge, it might make him less inclined to move just for the money.

I actually renewed my SW subscription last night to comment on this (though it hasn't be activated yet!) as I just felt compelled to say the following;

 

Well, I take it all back. That alone was one of the best goalkeeping performances I've ever seen. I think someone said on here or another thread that it reminded them of the Brad Friedel performance versus us for Blackburn, and I concur. Fraser Forster was absolutely incredible and four clean sheets in four games is an absolute tell-tale sign. He's come back better than ever... or maybe I didn't really give him credit for just how good he is.

 

If ever a man deserved the title "The Great Wall", it was Fraser. Still in awe. Fair f()cking play.

He's "a League One keeper at best", you chimp.

someone should upload the video of the Thai Tims singing the Fraser Forster song, it's superb and should be adopted by Saints fans immediately.

 

Interesting character is big Fraser, something like 19 clean sheets in 35 Premier League games is surely a record , he is very modest and has a slightly different background to the average footballer - privately educated and the son of a crown court judge, it might make him less inclined to move just for the money.

Just a note but he has a career record of better than 50% clean sheets, 148 out of 292 in all competitions. Admittedly a lot were with Celtic, but it would seem it is not simply him being behind a super defence at Saints.

Only 9 more to break the record

It says "Coaches initially thought Forster might be too small play as a goalkeeper" on his wikipedia page. Ha. Amusing when you look at him now, but also highlights the short sightedness and narrow mindedness of coaches to apply such a crude logic.

http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/642856/Fantasy-Football-Leicester-Southampton-Arsenal-Premier-League-Petr-Cech

This article sums it up for me - Fraser is the best.

From BBC

Get him a new deal!

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that is now:

 

34 premier league games - 18 clean sheets

 

Incredible!

now 35 Games - 19 Clean Sheets almost 55%

Half a season of clean sheets in less than one season of games!

and all in the Premier league