Do we need a back-up Goal Keeper?

[Ryan Fong 2,776]

I keep hearing people says how badly we need a Right Winger and a Right Back, yes we need them, give us Hulk/Moses and Azpi/Debuchy will make us more balanced.

However, I'm very much surprised no one gives a damn about us desperately need a bloody DECENT backup Goal Keeper. Let's be honest, if something wrong with Cech, we are most likely screwed! No matter how great we are up front, defence is the foundation of being success, and a good GK not only saves shots but also provides tremendous confidence to the defenders.

Now, Cech aside, we have Hilario who is on his retiring process; Turnbull who has slower reaction than my granny; Blackman who is still very young and inexperienced; and the last but not least Courtois who is on loan who shouldn't be brought back to jeopardise his developments. So here we go, are you guys confident to have Hilario, Turnbull and Blackman to be our backup GK if Cech is unavailable?! I know I am certainly NOT!

Now please discuss, do we need one? Who are the available candidates?

P.s. Mods, I dunno which sub-forum to create this thread, please help me to move it to the right place, cheers.

[termninja 5,290]

Added a poll.

Cech.

Turnbull.

Hilario.

Blackman.

+

Courtois.

No.

[Ryan Fong 2,776]

Added a poll.

Cech.

Turnbull.

Hilario.

Blackman.

+

Courtois.

No.

Thanks man.

We've got the numbers, but lack of qualities.

[Term-X 7,891]

If we have a real crisis, i.e.. Cech suffers a major injury that keeps him out for the rest of the season, Courtois can always be recalled.

Having said that..

John Terry >>>>>>> Ross Turnbull

[termninja 5,290]

Thanks man.

We've got the numbers, but lack of qualities.

Yeah, but good it's not easy to find a good backup goalie that will be happy being Cech number 2. Courtios can be recalled.

[Strike 7,183]

Yeah, but good it's not easy to find a good backup goalie that will be happy being Cech number 2. Courtios can be recalled.

well it is actually. we need to scout for it though. a lindergaard or doni level keeper is enough. i think we had a few free agents back at the start of the summer - Jaaskelainen, Green, etc. well they may have got starting roles at Qpr and Wham, i think there are good keepers willing to be our backup keeper .

Stoke have Sorensen and Begovic, United have de gea and Lindergaard (and ben amos), city have pantilimon,

as you can see, the second choice keepers are mostly from other countries in the top teams as they try to get a good keeper in an inferior league

[Hutcho 8,443]

Yeah it depends who we can find at what price. Also tbh, what really good keepers want to come and sit on the bench all season. That is why i liked cudicini, He was a good no.2, and could come in when needed but wasn't so big a name that he was fine being no.2 for a long period of time... So i say we have enough GK's and i would like to see blackman giving the no.2 spot, as he is as good as the rest but should get better. I don't have much faith in Ross turnbull, and hilario, hasn't performed well, the few times we have seen him, last season, and in this years pre season. I say leave it for now as we could always get one in the Jan transfer window if needed, but we don't need another GK atm.

[termninja 5,290]

well it is actually. we need to scout for it though. a lindergaard or doni level keeper is enough. i think we had a few free agents back at the start of the summer - Jaaskelainen, Green, etc. well they may have got starting roles at Qpr and Wham, i think there are good keepers willing to be our backup keeper .

Stoke have Sorensen and Begovic, United have de gea and Lindergaard (and ben amos), city have pantilimon,

as you can see, the second choice keepers are mostly from other countries in the top teams as they try to get a good keeper in an inferior league

I never said we couldn't find a backup goalie, but it's pointless to do it when we have 2 backups already, 1 youngster and 1 great GK we can call back. And it's not really easy like you say to convince a good GK to come to Chelsea when we have Cech.

The question of the topic is DO WE NEED a backup? At the moment no. Are Ross and Hilario good enough to replace Cech if he's injured? No, but if Cech gets injured, we can recall Thibaut back and give him a chance.

[Ryan Fong 2,776]

I never said we couldn't find a backup goalie, but it's pointless to do it when we have 2 backups already, 1 youngster and 1 great GK we can call back. And it's not really easy like you say to convince a good GK to come to Chelsea when we have Cech.

The question of the topic is DO WE NEED a backup? At the moment no. Are Ross and Hilario good enough to replace Cech if he's injured? No, but if Cech gets injured, we can recall Thibaut back and give him a chance.

Can we send him back after Cech has recovered for example?

[Jase 43,479]

Craig Gordon is a free agent at the moment...

[Strike 7,183]

Comparing all 20 backup keepers to Hilario/Turnbull

Guzan, Stockdale, Doni/Jones, Pantilimon, Lindergaard, Harper, Cerny/Green, Begovic/Sorensen, Westwood, Myhill, Gomes(despite few blunders, his shot stopping is good) and Stephen Henderson (formerly of Portsmouth) are all definitely better than our pair

while Mucha,declan rudd, McCarthy/Andersen, Gazzaniga(New signing), tremmell have not played much to be rated

The only keepers that are (maybe) worse than hilariobull (that i can think of) - Fabianski and Pollit of Wigan. so yes, we do need a new keeper. We are the champions of europe and we have to sell turnbull or hilario or both and get a good backup. we can't leave it up to chance that cech will stay healthy

[HRiver 1,512]

I'm surprised how Turnbull is still at this club, he's one of the worst goalkeepers in the league. Made my blood boil against Liverpool. Just get rid of him already.

Hilario isn't much better than him either, so yeah, we do need a backup goalkeeper.

[Strike 7,183]

I never said we couldn't find a backup goalie, but it's pointless to do it when we have 2 backups already, 1 youngster and 1 great GK we can call back. And it's not really easy like you say to convince a good GK to come to Chelsea when we have Cech.

The question of the topic is DO WE NEED a backup? At the moment no. Are Ross and Hilario good enough to replace Cech if he's injured? No, but if Cech gets injured, we can recall Thibaut back and give him a chance.

no reason not to sell ross or hilario and get in a proper backup though. hilario or turnbull is close to suicidal. hilario's decision making in the seattle game was very poor tbh. we just cant risk that kind of thing in the prem-ship or in europe.

is there a loan recall option on courtois' loan deal? even if there is, i don't think we'l recall him if cech is injured for 1 or 2 weeks. i think the loan recall option is for emergencies like cech injured for longer

[Ryan Fong 2,776]

no reason not to sell ross or hilario and get in a proper backup though. hilario or turnbull is close to suicidal. hilario's decision making in the seattle game was very poor tbh. we just cant risk that kind of thing in the prem-ship or in europe.

is there a loan recall option on courtois' loan deal? even if there is, i don't think we'l recall him if cech is injured for 1 or 2 weeks. i think the loan recall option is for emergencies like cech injured for longer

Exactly! The recall option should only be triggered if Cech is out for an very long period of time, I'm talking about something like a whole season. If Cech is only out for few weeks, you don't recall Courtois because it's simply not a wise decision. And the scary thing is, without a decent gk even for just few weeks, it could easily cost our season, worst case scenario we are talking about 10+ points gained or lost here. Any shit team with a decent forward could hurt us if Hilario or Turnbull stands between the posts.

[Ryan Fong 2,776]

And yes, the decision of keeping Hilario and Turbull really puzzles me. We're the champion of Europe it's simply stupid to keep players this bad.

[KonohasOrangeFlash 2,607]

Not an urgent matter. Courtois will be ready soon.

[Bambiny14 25]

My opinion is that Hilario and Turnbull haven't got the qualities Chelsea should demand from a backup goalkeeper. My idea is to sell one or both of them and bring some ageing goalkeeper from different country and worse league who is club-star there so that he would like to come to England - to the Champions of Europe - while making some money for family before he retires.

Now FIND HIM!

[We Hate Scouse 10,284]

Craig Gordon is a free agent at the moment...

A good established keeper like him wouldn't want to sit on the bench all day long I'd imagine..