[TheBrom]

I have the recording playing as I type this, and you are plain wrong. The scorer did not take the ball wide and SJ did NOT dive after the shot. His hand nearly reached the shot, but it was hit far too powerfully for him to stop it.

Looks wider than the six yard box to me. And looks like a keeper rooted to his line leaving both sides of him to aim at being beaten at his near post.

A decent keeper would be closing that angle down and making it much more difficult for the striker to score from there. Like I said, I’d be disappointed if I was him that I was beaten from there at my near post.

[Wigmore]

Looks wider than the six yard box to me. And looks like a keeper rooted to his line leaving both sides of him to aim at being beaten at his near post.

A decent keeper would be closing that angle down and making it much more difficult for the striker to score from there. Like I said, I’d be disappointed if I was him that I was beaten from there at my near post.

The player reached the ball at that point. He did not "take it wide".
As you obviously have so much experience of top class professional goalkeeping, I bow to your knowledge.

[TheBrom]

The player reached the ball at that point. He did not "take it wide".
As you obviously have so much experience of top class professional goalkeeping, I bow to your knowledge.

Reached the ball after he touched it there you mean.

Regardless, the ball ended up there and the keeper didn’t close the angle down or cover his near post. Hardly top class goalkeeping knowledge that

[Wigmore]

Reached the ball after he touched it there you mean.

Regardless, the ball ended up there and the keeper didn’t close the angle down or cover his near post. Hardly top class goalkeeping knowledge that

Pity you cannot celebrate a win rather than castigating players or splitting hairs.

Do you still contend he dived after the shot? (if so, we have different recordings of the game.)
And, if you look at your own picture perhaps you will concede there is a very good chance that a shot to SJ's left would have a very high probability of entering the net.

[baggie82]

TheBrom - I'm incredulous that are you seriously criticising Johnson for not saving Freeman's shot from seven yards out that went in off the post. Sorry, that is ridiculous. It's fine not to rate him or to call out a mistake but to criticise him for that or tonight in any way is insane.

[TheBrom]

Pity you cannot celebrate a win rather than castigating players or splitting hairs.

Do you still contend he dived after the shot? (if so, we have different recordings of the game.)
And, if you look at your own picture perhaps you will concede there is a very good chance that a shot to SJ's left would have a very high probability of entering the net.

I celebrated the win fine. Pity others can’t analyse and accept criticism when it’s justified.

TheBrom - I'm incredulous that are you seriously criticising Johnson for not saving Freeman's shot from seven yards out that went in off the post. Sorry, that is ridiculous. It's fine not to rate him or to call out a mistake but to criticise him for that or tonight in any way is insane.

It’s not insane. It’s another example of poor positioning, reactions and decision making from our keeper who was again beaten at his near post and got no where near the penalty.

[baggie82]

I celebrated the win fine. Pity others can’t analyse and accept criticism when it’s justified.

It’s not insane. It’s another example of poor positioning, reactions and decision making from our keeper who was again beaten at his near post and got no where near the penalty.

Deary me, what was he supposed to do with the penalty?! He stayed on his feet and gambled the shot would be close enough to get to. All too often keepers commit too early. Your criticising him for not saving their goal from seven yards out and a penalty and calling that justified criticism! That is the definition of insanity. Sorry you’ve lost the plot on this.

[Wigmore]

I celebrated the win fine. Pity others can’t analyse and accept criticism when it’s justified.

It would appear, in relation to last night's game, you are the only poster who thinks that our goalkeeper deserves criticism.
Not saving a penalty is not a crime.

[Atomic]

I thought Johnstone should've saved the first goal, beaten too easily at his near post, should've stood up stronger.

[paulosull]

I thought Johnstone should've saved the first goal, beaten too easily at his near post, should've stood up stronger.

agree, still worried that any strike on goal especially to bottom corners has him struggling.

[tommcneill]

For me he should have saved the first and he rightly should be criticised for that I feel

As for the penalty, well its 50/50 isnt it, what about if Freemans penalties this year have been straight down the middle a lot of the time and he's stood on his spot expecting that?

It shouldnt have been a penalty anyway but thats another story

[TheBrom]

I’m sure if myhill was in goal last night there would be a lot more negativity here about the goals.

As has been stated he had nothing really to do the entire game and when called upon we’ve let in 2 goals again.

[TheBrom]

It would appear, in relation to last night's game, you are the only poster who thinks that our goalkeeper deserves criticism.
Not saving a penalty is not a crime.

For me he should have saved the first and he rightly should be criticised for that I feel

As for the penalty, well its 50/50 isnt it, what about if Freemans penalties this year have been straight down the middle a lot of the time and he's stood on his spot expecting that?

It shouldnt have been a penalty anyway but thats another story

agree, still worried that any strike on goal especially to bottom corners has him struggling.

I thought Johnstone should've saved the first goal, beaten too easily at his near post, should've stood up stronger.

Doesn't seem to save anything remotely difficult, I feel like the oppo are going to score everytime they get a decent shot on target.

[stever60]

And the saves against Forest (that kept us in the game) and Villa?

[17GD]

It doesn't take a professional goalkeeper to see he should have narrowed the angle for their first goal. He has left far too much of the goal open.

SJ has made a few good saves that have prevented goals, but in my opinion he hasn't done his job effectively enough so far this season. The same could be said for other players, but this thread is about SJ.

As previously stated, he doesn't command his area, he's not proactive in closing the ball down and he could have done better with some of the shots he's let past him.

If we gain promotion and he's still our number one next season we will definitely conceed more goals unless he drastically improves. The PL punishes teams and we've been fortunate that the general standard we've faced hasn't been that good. I've not seen a side yet that has overly impressed me.

[mulliganstired]

I thought Johnstone should've saved the first goal, beaten too easily at his near post, should've stood up stronger.

I don't know that he should have saved it, but my first reaction is that he went a bit low early, and now looking at it he could maybe have been a step further forward.  But he can't be expected to save a shot smacked from that distance unless it just hits him, if he does it's a great save.  In my opinion he has the makings of a top goalie as he matures, and if he was any better right now he wouldn't be at the Hawthorns   I was my school team u14s goalie, so I should know 

[The Black Pearl]

I felt he should not of been beaten at the near post, but I wouldn't be too harsh on him, it was a defensive mistake which left us exposed at the back, it was not his mistake and he could have done better, but to criticise him for that would be a little harsh.

[seteefeet]

Can't blame him for the first goal but he could have done better. You would certainly expect a more experienced, dare I say, better, keeper (Foster) to keep that out. That being said, I do sense a slight improvement since the new coach came in. He caught at least 2 crosses and saved a shot from outside the box, two areas which he struggles with.
Juries still out for me, but he has age on his side.

[caravanc58]

Looks wider than the six yard box to me. And looks like a keeper rooted to his line leaving both sides of him to aim at being beaten at his near post.

A decent keeper would be closing that angle down and making it much more difficult for the striker to score from there. Like I said, I’d be disappointed if I was him that I was beaten from there at my near post.

I'd be disappointed if an albion player failed to score from that position.

[TheJacko2000]

I'd be disappointed if an albion player failed to score from that position.

Across the keeper though surely? Should never get done at your near post by anything outside the 6 yard box.

[caravanc58]

Across the keeper though surely? Should never get done at your near post by anything outside the 6 yard box.

I would imagine it's a lot easier to look back at still pictures an say where  the keeper should or shouldn't be. he does in some respect have to take a gamble on his positioning to outguess the player with the ball. if he moves nearer to his near post this just makes it a bigger target to go across the keeper. if he did that do we then criticise him for getting beat at the far post?
I'd have saved because I'm a fat lump.😄
I think he's improved lately especially on crosses and commanding his area although I haven't as yet rated him as an exceptional keeper.

[NathWBA]

Seems ridiculous to criticise the keeper for the first goal, the ball through took the defence out, probably could have done slightly better in attempting to cut it out, and freeman took one touch before putting it in with pace off the post, it hasn’t been slotted past him it’s been hit with pace from fairly close range because poor outfield play allowed the player to get that close. People seem to be looking for things to beat him with, he’s looking like the next Scott Carson at the moment.

[Mister AT]

I actually think Sam gets quite a lot of stick from some of our fans, most which are unwarranted.

Personally, looking at the other goalkeepers in this league, I don't think theres many/if any I would replace Johnstone with. (when you factor in age etc).

Some fans slate him for his passing out, that's how hes been told to play, some of the goals hes been blamed for tend to come from mistakes in front of him. Johansen for example got caught in position, followed by a pass which completely split our defence which struggled to close down Freeman, resulting in him scoring from close range.

I'm happy hes our number 1 at the moment.

[17GD]

Forgot the pundit, perhaps Jenas, and what he said about Lloris' positioning a few matches ago was interesting. He said about the shots being "right at him" and if you think that then it's credit to the GK because he's got his position right. Any GK who gets beat on his near post and you have to ask questions.

GKs arguably take the most stick in a team, but they need to be able to take it and be strong.

[colinmax]

Every goal ever scored would have been saved if the goalie had part of his body between the ball and the goal line.
On that basis SJ might have saved it if he had stood nearer the post but at that range he had no chance to react and what if Freeman had taken advantage of the even bigger gap to SJ's left?