Cheered his sending off more loudly than any goal this season. Simply the worst keeper we've ever had.
He said sorry for that red card and kept a clean sheet so all is well again it seems . https://mobile.twitter.com/WatfordFC/status/1647287973103247360 Wonder if one of the less popular players would have got the same reaction ?
Laughably not true. He's a good keeper with a few bad habits. He's not even the worst keeper at the club at the moment. He does show you that Foster was still pretty good even at 38 and with his YouTube nonsense.
Foster was a colossus when he first came, declined gradually throughout his time here, although he was still pretty good at the start of the promotion season, he made the odd mistake, but saved us on more than one occasion, although bloopers (on the pitch I mean, there were plenty of ones off the pitch!) did start to creep in, the most memorable for me being when he got beat by a 25 yard header vs Cov at home. When Bachmann came in he was a calming presence, weak at set pieces (not that we got punished often), but better with the ball at his feet and a steady if unspectacular shot-stopper (which was what we needed after Foster began to make a few howlers). Bachmann remains a decent Championship shot-stopper, but we've been punished for his weakness at set-pieces more often this season, and his distribution seems to have fallen off a cliff, just as it did with Foster. If we got the opportunity, I'd like us to upgrade on Bachmann, but I have to say, the squad has so much work to do that I'm not sure it's our number one priority right now
This is a fair assessment. I'd also say his handling has seen a drop off in quality as well from shots. I remember he'd seem to hold almost every shot at him (Such as the Reading fizzed last gasp shot in our promotion season) but now seems to give up more parries. Generally, they aren't into dangerous areas like Bond was (and is) guilty of but it's always got the potential to bite us.
I think it's one of the top priorities. It's pretty obvious the team has little to no faith in him and that lack of confidence ripples through everything we do. I accept there's a lack of obvious candidates but we really need a reliable experienced goalkeeper - the right one is worth a few points a season.
Oh yeah I'm not debating that, but just saying that there is so much work to do with the squad that Bachmann probably keeps his place, even if by default. You say a good keeper is worth a few points a season, but then how much is a good striker worth? We'll be losing JP (11 goals) and Sarr (much maligned, and for good reason, but has still popped up with 9 goals and 7 assists), of all the players who could feasibly be here next season, the top scorers are Sema and Louza with 4 each...
I guess if you can keep more clean sheets you’ve always got a chance in those games. If we just went back to our model of having a 35ish year old keeper who previously played at a high level it would be easily solved at relatively small cost. We’re clearly as awful at scouting younger keepers as we now are strikers, but if the club just accepts that then it’s an easy fix that doesn’t need to detract from trying to solve other issues.
I suppose such a keeper should be cheaper than a 20 goal a season striker! From Almunia to Gomes to Foster, that's 3 great goalkeepers for us who lasted up until a few years ago, I can't think of any off the top of my head, but I'm sure there's one out there who can at least challenge for the #1 jersey (Hamer is fine as a #3, Okoye might be a better shot-stopper than Bachmann, but is no more more assertive and no better at distribution, yet might yet have enough stock in Europe for us to recoup some of the money we paid for him)
Also think it's no surprise that Bachmann produced perhaps his best form for us early this season when his position was at least theoretically under threat, now that he's gone basically a season without being dropped, only losing his place for cup games and suspensions, perhaps it's no surprise that he's tailed off a bit
I know I've suggested this before, but Loris Karius is one that isn't beyond the realsm of possibility to my eye. Already located in the UK, no Premier League team will take him as first choice this or next Season. He'll have a point to prove like Gomes did and is would be one of the top keepers at this level, and like Gomes he would make the step up as well. He's 29 so still has 5-6 years at the top level in him and would be very likely a free transfer. Only real thing I'd have against it is he doesn't seem to have that same dressing room leader presence like Gomes or Foster had. Biggest threat transfer wise would be a lower Bundesliga Team also wanting him.
Might be worth a punt, but Gomes, as much as he had a calamity in him, was always brilliant on his day, whereas Karius' reputation lies solely on one horror game on the biggest stage of all. Admittedly, it wasn't really his fault as he was concussed, but equally it might prove to be an insurmountable mental barrier, one he's not shown he's got over yet with his lack of playing time of late
Bar one good save was pretty poor today I thought. Has he got another season in him? Perhaps, but we do need to look at our GK situation.
Flaps more than any fledging bird I've seen. He's slow to react as well. That dive to his right hand post in the first half was like someone slowing the video to x 0.25.
Didn’t really seem to try and save either goal . Claiming offside for the first and then standing still for the 2nd. Albeit was a decent strike .
So, we have a manager who uses a very aggressive high line in defence and, currently, a load of centre backs who have their own qualities, but none of whom are very fast, we're definitely gonna need a new keeper who comes off his line
I miss Hurelho Gomes. Or Manuel Almunia. Or Foster in 18/19. Or Richard Lee. Or Alec Chamberlain. Even Scott Loach is a more enticing option than this absolute joker with an oversized ego.
Moog, could you make that Man Utd crank call again this summer? Bachmann's reaction is always priceless.
Neville Southall Steve Ogrizovic Shaka Hislop Chris Woods Just some names off the top of my head to get us started.
The celeb goalies are probably better in some areas! https://twitter.com/WD18Fans/status/1665716643257876485
A solid, if not spectacular, shot-stopper, but nowhere near good enough at the other facets of the game to make up for it, especially if we are going to be playing a high line. Not unlike our current set of defenders!
His shot stopping has been on the decline since the promotion season. The ball then seemed to stick but not anymore. Wouldn't be unhappy if he moved on.
He had a great start to last season, possibly because he wasn't undisputed first choice, but I think once it became clear that Okoye wasn't usurping him he declined
Oh what a tragedy. Bachmann only has a year left on his deal, so we have to cash in this summer. I'm sure everyone at the club is devastated.
