Our 'new' number 1

[redrobo]

https://www.morecambefc.com/news/2021/f ... n-feature/

For me Mark is still number 1 and for our OWS to refer to the new lad as number 1 shows disrespect to Mark who doesn't deserve such treatment.

[Shrimpy]

He is literally number 1, as in that's the number on his shirt. It doesn't refer to him being first choice or not.

[Gone_Shrimping]

https://www.morecambefc.com/news/2021/february/kyle-letheren-feature/

For me Mark is still number 1 and for our OWS to refer to the new lad as number 1 shows disrespect to Mark who doesn't deserve such treatment.

I think the OWS mean that Kyle is our new goal-keeper rather than that he is the number 1 choice. Goalies are known as number 1's because that was traditionally their shirt number before squad numbers.

[Caton83]

I reckon that Kyle has been brought in as first choice, given that he has worked with DA previously. Also, Mark only ever seems to get a run in the side while DA searches for a better option ( regardless of how well/poor he plays), a la Mafoumbi, Turner, and now Letheran
Mark's contract is up at the end of the current season, and i doubt that DA will renew it

[Keith]

Mark only ever seems to get a run in the side while DA searches for a better option ( regardless of how well/poor he plays), a la Mafoumbi, Turner, and now Letheran
Mark's contract is up at the end of the current season, and i doubt that DA will renew it

It's even more frustrating, that none of Mark's previous 'replacements' have been any better than him.

Hope Mark is fully recovered and ready to play? To be fair, we do need someone for cover until the end of the season, so perhaps that is it?

[Crazeenick]

Mark only ever seems to get a run in the side while DA searches for a better option ( regardless of how well/poor he plays), a la Mafoumbi, Turner, and now Letheran.

It does seem as though DA doesn't rate Mark. I don't know why that is. As has been said, DAs replacements so far have been no better than Mark. Is it simply that Mark was a "Bentley man" and DA just prefers to work with one of his own acquisitions?

I hope Mark still gets a good few run-outs in the starting 11, despite the arrival of Letheran. In any case, it is good to have two decent keeper at the club. In years gone by, our second keeper was often of a lower standard than our main keeper. It is good to have a second good keeper to step in when the other is injured, unfit, Covid-isolating or whatever...

[Castaway]

Is it simply that Mark was a "Bentley man" and DA just prefers to work with one of his own acquisitions?

Bit of a ridiculous comment.

Some of Jim's signings have been crucial to our success this year - Wildig, Cole & Sam.

Perhaps he doesn't see what he wants from a keeper from Mark? Perhaps he does?

Not one player has been able to rest on their laurels this year as we've had serious competition in each position. From my perspective, Mark has done brilliantly and has excelled with the competition of Turner. Hopefully bringing in Letheren creates the best from whoever holds the goalkeeper shirt. Mark pushing Kyle and Kyle pushing Mark.

[Caton83]

Both keepers are of an age 30 and 33, where playing second fiddle won't cut it anymore. Can't see Mark playing much again this season, and suspect that as both are only here till the end of the season, that neither will be here next season. Strange times !.

[BerlinWaller]

Mark has had a pretty rough ride in his time here but that is part of being a keeper, there are at least 2 at every club after the one shirt. Jim bombed him out to get Baz back in after injury and used a poor performance as the reason.

Derek has come in and tried a couple that havn't really worked but he has gome back to Mark who hasn't let him down. I wouldn't say Derek does not rate him at all. There has always been a vacancy for a goalie to compete with Mark. Derek has made 2 maybe 3 short term signings to compete with Mark.

Have we ever had as much drama on here regarding a keeper? It is almost as if Derek is shooting Bambi.

[black morse]

Mark has had a pretty rough ride in his time here but that is part of being a keeper, there are at least 2 at every club after the one shirt. Jim bombed him out to get Baz back in after injury and used a poor performance as the reason.

Derek has come in and tried a couple that havn't really worked but he has gome back to Mark who hasn't let him down. I wouldn't say Derek does not rate him at all. There has always been a vacancy for a goalie to compete with Mark. Derek has made 2 maybe 3 short term signings to compete with Mark.

Have we ever had as much drama on here regarding a keeper? It is almost as if Derek is shooting Bambi.

That would pass without comment.

[BerlinWaller]

Mark has had a pretty rough ride in his time here but that is part of being a keeper, there are at least 2 at every club after the one shirt. Jim bombed him out to get Baz back in after injury and used a poor performance as the reason.

Derek has come in and tried a couple that havn't really worked but he has gome back to Mark who hasn't let him down. I wouldn't say Derek does not rate him at all. There has always been a vacancy for a goalie to compete with Mark. Derek has made 2 maybe 3 short term signings to compete with Mark.

Have we ever had as much drama on here regarding a keeper? It is almost as if Derek is shooting Bambi.

That would pass without comment.

It would be Bambi's fault IMO

[Ego Tripping]

Pretty sure Halstead was replaced last season due to loads of errors. Bad ones in both away games v Blackpool, Oldham at home and 3 away at Northampton are just ones I can remember from games I was at. The sort of errors other keepers would have received loads of critisism for.

Since he came back into the side he’s done ok. A few flaps here and there and probably should have done better for 2 goals at chelsea. Turner got plenty of stick for letting in long range shots.....

That said, nothing near as bad as last season and for me should keep the shirt if he keeps performing

[SupermarketShrimp]

Letheren cost us three points on saturday, he should really have kept the second goal out.

[RedRedWine]

I think Letheren would've liked to have done better with the attempt for the second goal, but ultimately if he had stopped it we'd all probably be saying that it was a good save. I don't think it was a complete clanger, the header is from close range. Given how the game was going before the goal, it might not have been that decisive in all honesty - we couldn't have complained too much if we had lost!

Ultimately you do need the keeper to bail you out at times - but there were lots of things we could've done better for that goal that aren't being highlighted, and contributed significantly towards it.... Hendrie jumping in needlessly allowing the break, and then Harry Davis completely losing his man which allowed the opportunity for a good, easy ball into the box and the header from close range.

Overall, I think Kyle needs a bit more time before we can make a fair judgement. Apart from that attempted save, I think all the other parts of his game looked pretty good - great double save in the first half to keep things at 1-0. His kicking and distribution is much better than Halsteads IMO.

Mark is unlucky to lose his place through injury for sure, and like Turner before there does not seem to be a lot in it at this stage. Good to have some healthy competition in the ranks, and comfort to know that if one keeper is out of form or injured, we have somebody else lined up raring to go.

[RapidShrimp]

Letheren cost us three points on saturday, he should really have kept the second goal out.

I agree that the second goal could’ve been kept out, but it’s not as linear as saying that “cost us the 3 points.” We sat back for 50 minutes of that game and he made a good few saves that you could argue Halstead, Turner, Mafoumbi etc. may not have kept out.

Letheren’s had 2 games and is already coming under fire! In my opinion (for what it’s worth) he looks more much solid than Jokull, with his kicking especially being much better - distance-wise at least.
As others have mentioned, we can’t forget Mark has made a lot of howlers in the past - he’s not going to come into the team and keep a clean sheet every game.

Let’s just get behind the team that starts instead of throwing a new signing under the bus a fortnight after he signed, and see how his performances play out in the long run.

Edit: RRW posted basically my exact opinion at the same time!

there were lots of things we could've done better for that goal that aren't being highlighted, and contributed significantly towards it.... Hendrie jumping in needlessly allowing the break, and then Harry Davis completely losing his man which allowed the opportunity for a good, easy ball into the box and the header from close range.

Agreed, Hendrie lost out, then Davis nonsensically charged out at the man on the ball, leaving the runner with a clean run in behind, with Sam bailing us out big time.

Overall, I think Kyle needs a bit more time before we can make a fair judgement. Apart from that attempted save, I think all the other parts of his game looked pretty good - great double save in the first half to keep things at 1-0. His kicking and distribution is much better than Halsteads IMO.

Basically what I said - maybe he doesn’t have as much command of his area as other keepers do, but to be honest, I’ve never really thought Mark is convincingly commanding of his area.

[Little Shrimp]

Yeah I agree it's not really fair to say Letheren cost us three points. We got absolutely battered in that second half, and he'd already made that good double save in the first half and a very acrobatic stop from a free kick which was impressive. Result was more down to us having a poor second half as a team.

The second goal was unconvincing keeping I'd say (he actually did the same thing against Solihull in his last game for Chesterfield), but not a complete howler. From what we've seen of him briefly, I'd be more concerned by a lack of willingness to come off his line and dominate the six yard box. Halstead is pretty conservative in this manner too, but not the the degree it seems Letheren is. Agree his kicking is a bit better than Halstead's though, which is pretty important to how we play as we rely a fair bit on being able to hit accurate balls to Stockton.

Halstead just edges it for me still at the moment. He's been reliable this season with none of the clangers he's dropped in the past, his cross claiming has been really solid and he seems to have good communication with our backline.

[SupermarketShrimp]

Not a clanger by any means, but one I'd expect to have seen kept out.