Army green":3moyqx5f said:
hope the lad starts on Saturday if Luke and letheren are still out. Sod the loan let's give one of our own a chance.
On the back of an unprecedented run of goalkeeper injuries, and if such loans actually ARE still allowed following the changes this season, we'd be mad not to get someone in.
Whoever Derek choses to start, this crazy run of bad karma we've had means he'd be struck by lightning or a dying seagull in flight or some such calamity. We must have cover on the bench, whether Cooper starts or not.
If we do, and I'll say it early, if the loanee we get has any experience worth mentioning he should start over Cooper. Sentiment is wonderful and i'm all for bringing on our local lads but that is the logical and practical thing to do in these circimstances and i'll explain why.
Firstly there is a world of difference from unexpectedly making an appearance at short notice and having days beforehand to know you are going to start. Psychologically having no notice whaysoever you're going to be thrust into the limelight is far better, you simply don't have time to think about it, you just get on with it. The more thinking time, the more the butterflies start up, the more you question yourself and the 'what ifs'.
Secondly there's the crowd factor at Wimbledon. They're close up and like their 'bants' (awful word I must wash my hands for typing it). Mike Cooper sounds like a good keeper and a good man, he was thrown in to Ewood Park last night and thrived. But he's been trained to stop shots and position himself for catches, the mental toughness stuff only comes with experience. The stuff Luke gets is about as bad as a keeper can get but he shuts it out completely, that is a very rare quality, as is the Alan Nicholls method...give it back twice as hard and thrive on it :nworthy: We all know how much grief we ourselves give keepers, especially at these tight little grounds, we all know their listening and we've all seen how it can rattle them.
At Home Park and I'd say throw him in, away to a club full of 'wags' though who'll be right on top of him after three days to let the natural paranoia of the mind get to him, i wouldn't fancy it. Last night and Saturday afternoon are totally different entities, he did fantastically well and he's a good prospect but if we can get an experienced head in then we should start him.
I feel for Derek Adams at the moment. With the lynch mob mood of certain sections of the fanbase this will inevitably be another damned if he does damned if he doesn't moment, pick Cooper and we lose - he should've gone with experience, pick experience and we lose - he should've stuck with Cooper.
So let's get this discussion over with early, with a clear and logical head. Lets not second guess it with hindsight reactionary abuse at full time on Saturday. Without doubt the RIGHT thing to do in these specific circumstances is to put an experienced head in goal on Saturday, if we even can.
That takes nothing away from the lad or his future :clap: