✍ Welcome Alphonse Areola

[yakandyeti]

It would be ridiculous if all he plays before Christmas is the Carabo Cup matches. I do think it was right to let Fabianski have at least the first match in Europe as he helped get us there, but Areola needs changes to excel. Not dropping major howlers isn’t the only reason to switch, exceptional performances should also play a part.

[Ozza]

Said it before on this thread he’ll be our cup keeper with Fab being our league and euro keeper, all makes perfect sense.

Personally I don’t agree with the clamour on here of ditching Fab, very strange

[westlondonhammer]

He looked a little nervous at times (the unnecessary punch, 1 missed corner where Mata hit the bar on the follow up)... but he kept us in front a couple of times (that save from Greenwood was excellent) and look more assured as the game went on.

All in all, a very good debut and lots of positives.

[Burnley Hammer]

With the unnecessary punch, I think he was focussed on the ball and wasn't sure if anyone had made a run behind him. I think he tapped his ear afterwards as though he was telling his defence they should have communicated with him to leave it. First game and also a high pressure game - I'll put the couple of mistakes down to nerves. He did very well apart from that.

[BigFatSam]

He looked a little nervous at times (the unnecessary punch, 1 missed corner where Mata hit the bar on the follow up)... but he kept us in front a couple of times (that save from Greenwood was excellent) and look more assured as the game went on.

All in all, a very good debut and lots of positives.

He didn’t hit the bar, Areola made a fantastic recovery save?

[Ozza]

Thought mata hit the bar personally

[BigFatSam]

Thought mata hit the bar personally

Watching it back he did hit the bar. At the game I could’ve sworn he saved it

[Burnley Hammer]

Thought mata hit the bar personally

I think it did hit the bar - I couldn't quite tell if he managed to get his fingers to it at the same time. I'm quite confident though that he'd have saved it had the shot been a few inches lower. He seemed to have it covered.

[stu1]

Areola is probably a better keeper than fab now, but if Fab had those two shaky movements in a game the interpretation of his performance would be far more critical than that of Areola’s on this thread.

I was hoping Areola might make a real claim for the number 1 spot last night, but I don’t think he managed that because of his initial nervousness.

[sendô]

He flapped at a few. Nerves perhaps.

Mrs Sendo had a good chuckle at his name, but when he pounced on a shot and I quipped "The boob really smothered that" I got a stoney face.

[S-H]

He definitely had the Mata shot covered.

Nothing against Fab who has done absolutely nothing wrong, but I felt slightly more confident, with Alphonse in goal last night.

He will definitely be our number one by the end of the season.

[S-H]

Mrs Sendo had a good chuckle at his name

Mrs S-H did the same.

[Absolutely Hammered!]

Seems to be a bit erratic at times and noticed this at Fulham.
Im not a fan of keepers who prefer to punch rather than catch, However, im sure this is something our coaches will ask him to look at as it massively takes the pressure off the defence.

[Georgee Paris]

He reminds me of a cat playing with a ball.

[Arnold Layne]

He flapped at a few. Nerves perhaps.

Mrs Sendo had a good chuckle at his name, but when he pounced on a shot and I quipped "The boob really smothered that" I got a stoney face.

One rule for her,another for you.
(or just a crap joke!)

[Georgee Paris]

Just seen Fornals comment on his Instagram post following the game last night… Mon Titi

[Aztec Hammer]

Even if it did hit the bar (and recognising it came from a bad decision to try and come for the ball which I’ll put down to wanting to make an impression), the pure athleticism to make that diving effort like it did, which would have saved the goal if the ball was an inch lower, was absolutely phenomenal.

Commentators would have made all sorts of weird noises if that was a Man U keeper.

His athleticism is world’s apart from Fab currently, who is looking slow and beginning to do that Jussi thing of not diving or instinctively dropping to a knee.

I have faith that Areola will get over any flappy decisions or wayward kicking, which probably came about from
nerves of playing his first game of the season over a month into it and away at Man U where he was probably feeling like he needed to do something to stand out.

[kitthehammer]

Even if it did hit the bar (and recognising it came from a bad decision to try and come for the ball which I’ll put down to wanting to make an impression), the pure athleticism to make that diving effort like it did, which would have saved the goal if the ball was an inch lower, was absolutely phenomenal.

Commentators would have made all sorts of weird noises if that was a Man U keeper.

His athleticism is world’s apart from Fab currently, who is looking slow and beginning to do that Jussi thing of not diving or instinctively dropping to a knee.

I have faith that Areola will get over any flappy decisions or wayward kicking, which probably came about from
nerves of playing his first game of the season over a month into it and away at Man U where he was probably feeling like he needed to do something to stand out.

i'm about where you are. If Areola was being picked first choice for league matches i think most fans would see he is as a good if not better than fabianski. But for now treat them as equal and split the matches between them.

[Igor_E7]

His athleticism is world’s apart from Fab currently, who is looking slow and beginning to do that Jussi thing of not diving or instinctively dropping to a knee.

My thoughts too. I see no good reasons to keep Fabianski as our first keeper anymore. Bet we would easy loose the game yesterday with him between poles.

[Puff Daddy]

After a somewhat nervy beginning, the more composed he looked the game progressed