Ian Lawlor

[drfchound]

Did he?

[Jonathan]

Sounds an excellent signing. But all assumptions aside there is no doubt Marosi has done very very well this season.

[Pancho Regan]

Sounds an excellent signing. But all assumptions aside there is no doubt Marosi has done very very well this season.

Agreed Jon.
We can only trust that Fergie and the board have found this keeper and decided the best option is to sign him permanently.
To me, that doesn't speak of desperation or failure of previous decisions, it speaks of ambition and determination to progress.

[Sammy Chung was King]

I hope Fergie hasn't got his old man's weakness for picking a keeper. Unless it was somebody established as a top keeper, Schmeichel apart he wasn't good at picking keepers on potential. Just about his only weakness though.
If we don't sign Marosi on a longer contract somebody in this league at least will. He's impressed quite a few away fans so i'm sure their clubs managers-at least some of them will agree.
If Ferguson has more confidence in Lawlor then he has to pick him to start straight away. There is no room for sentiment. What i would say is the manager has very little patience he can go from thinking a player is 'top notch' to rubbish in a matter of weeks.

You can't treat all players the same some take longer to come good. He did it with Stuckmann although over a longer period before he decided.
I think what he is doing is keeping his options open with Marosi in case at the end of the season someone better is available. It is a touch cruel because he has done well this season.
He will probably start with Lawlor as number one-Etheridge backing him up. The one who could be most at risk is Jones. Ferguson might not see him as having the ability to make it with us.

[CrippyCooke]

I hope Fergie hasn't got his old man's weakness for picking a keeper. Unless it was somebody established as a top keeper, Schmeichel apart he wasn't good at picking keepers on potential.

And de Gea.

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

I hope Fergie hasn't got his old man's weakness for picking a keeper. Unless it was somebody established as a top keeper, Schmeichel apart he wasn't good at picking keepers on potential.

And de Gea.

That van DE sar chap wasn't bad either.

Guess we'll see on this guy, Ferguson must rate him it's a bold move.  Potentially a big signing if he comes good given his age. It's much better to have a core of young players.

[boro_rover]

I think Barthez was also on the whole a very good keeper.

On the subject I think it is clear to see Fergie doesn't think Etheridge is either good enough or ready yet. His performances haven't been good enough to warrant a number one spot. I think all of us had a thought that we could be in for a tough last ten when he came on against Pompey and I reckon the players would have been that way too.

Marosi has done a great job overall and is undoubtably a good shot stopper, but his weakness is in his lack of height and lack of dominance of his area. As good as he is at this level I think he might be found out in the higher leagues.

Lawlor will be a good addition and with good competition for the number one spot we should go from strength to strength.

[RoversAlias]

I think it's a bit of a slap in the face for Marko. Lawlor has come here to be Number 1. That leaves Marko and Ross battling out for the bench.  Marko has improved fantastically in the first half of the season and deserves a new contract, whether he'll want that knowing he'll be on the bench I'm not sure.

If Lawlor improves the first 11 then to you and me it matters not, I just feel for Marko and the timing of his injury.

It isn't a slap in the face to Marko at all, he's a professional and understands the competition for places. He has got a season-ending injury and DF would be foolish to stick with having only an inconsistent, error-prone Etheridge and an untested academy kid. Lawlor has come in to be #1 because that's what every goalie who signs wants to do, he wouldn't come here to sit on the bench nor would anyone we could sign to cover Marko's injury. If Marosi really is good enough he'll beat Lawlor to the jersey when he's fit again and if he can't do that he'll surely find a new club at this level because his performances have been very good in a top of the table team.

[glosterred]

Starts today, this may say a lot about Ethridge's future. Or not

COYR

[DonnyOsmond]

Poor Etheridge

[rich1471]

Etheridge has another 2 years on his contract left and as I see it marosi has good has he has been if Ferguson really rated him he would have been given a contract extention already this season think marko could be the one to go

[drfchound]

Also don't rule out the possibility that Marosi is in negotiation with the club and a contract could be signed any day.
I think that if DF rated Etheridge more highly than Marosi then he would have played more games than he has done.

[Sammy Chung was King]

I hope Fergie hasn't got his old man's weakness for picking a keeper. Unless it was somebody established as a top keeper, Schmeichel apart he wasn't good at picking keepers on potential.

And de Gea.

That van DE sar chap wasn't bad either.

Guess we'll see on this guy, Ferguson must rate him it's a bold move.  Potentially a big signing if he comes good given his age. It's much better to have a core of young players.

De Gea i had forgotten he had signed him, he wasn't a certainty. Van Der Sar took no judgement he was tried and trusted no risk at all. He bought some terrible keepers Taibi being probably the worst. Barthez was seen as a certainty but turned out a bad signing.
Anyway back to our team. You have to get them when they are available that's what he's done. He's been watching him for some time according to his interview. Plenty of size about him and hopefully loads of improvement.
When was the last time we had a player called Ian in our side, would it be Ian Gore?.

[RedJ]

Iain Hume?...

[Bristol Red Rover]

A very positive move by the club, one where I wouldn't be surprised if we beat some of the opposition for his signing with our offer.

From the youtube vid and backed up by the little I could see on the player highlights, Lawlor is a top class shot stopper, great positioning, strong presence in the area (helped by his size), and seems intelligent. His failing apears to be in catching and holding onto the ball. If he can sort that he can be one of our best ever keepers. It is very worrying though.

Marosi is a worker and has shown he is capable. He has weaknesses but I think he can overcome them. His attitude is top class.

Etheridge has ability to become a great keeper but needs to get to the next level to make it at the club. He is shakey at the minute and especially on this he hasn't earnt trust to be our number one for the rest of this season. The jury is out, I'm not sure if he will have the opportunity to show he has improved before the end of the season. On a 2 year contract.

Keeping the three of them for next season is unlikely, but a great problem to have 

I'd be interested to hear from anyone at the Barnet game how Lawlor was with catching, and distribution.

[Jonathan]

From memory he only really had one cross to deal with and elected to punch but did so with conviction. Distribution was sound and one or two excellent quick throws. All in all a quiet afternoon for him but an excellent block late in the second half.

[i_ateallthepies]

Etheridge has ability to become a great keeper

In the limited time he has had since joining us he has shown nothing to suggest he has the ability to become a great keeper.  So BRR, unless you watched him a number of times before he joined the Rovers I don't see how it is possible to arrive at such an opinion.

[drfchound]

My thoughts too.
I remember reading some posts a few weeks ago,after the Wycombe game I think, which said much the same.
From what I have seen of him, including his fumbles in the pre match shoot in, he does not fill me with confidence.

[Bristol Red Rover]

Etheridge has ability to become a great keeper

In the limited time he has had since joining us he has shown nothing to suggest he has the ability to become a great keeper.  So BRR, unless you watched him a number of times before he joined the Rovers I don't see how it is possible to arrive at such an opinion.

Going on what I saw of him for Accrington last season, and from what DF said on signing him.

Interesting game here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlwXEonBGew I watched only because of the comment of Etheridge playing a blinder, though didn't really show anything in the highlights BUT it includes one of the best saves you'll ever see from the Buxton keeper, Andy Warrington, at around 5.30 - well worth a watch.

[BobG]

You're dead right Brizzle That is one helluva save! Unbelievable Jeff.

BobG

[Dutch Uncle]

I hope Fergie hasn't got his old man's weakness for picking a keeper. Unless it was somebody established as a top keeper, Schmeichel apart he wasn't good at picking keepers on potential.

And de Gea.

That van DE sar chap wasn't bad either.

Guess we'll see on this guy, Ferguson must rate him it's a bold move.  Potentially a big signing if he comes good given his age. It's much better to have a core of young players.

De Gea i had forgotten he had signed him, he wasn't a certainty. Van Der Sar took no judgement he was tried and trusted no risk at all. He bought some terrible keepers Taibi being probably the worst. Barthez was seen as a certainty but turned out a bad signing.
Anyway back to our team. You have to get them when they are available that's what he's done. He's been watching him for some time according to his interview. Plenty of size about him and hopefully loads of improvement.
When was the last time we had a player called Ian in our side, would it be Ian Gore?.

Red J said Iain Hume, and I think that is correct if we allow Iain as opposed to Ian

For an Ian, I believe the last was Ian Duerden in 1999-2000

But lest we forget, Ian Snodin also played a 11 Conference games in 1998-99, and his last 2 games were early in 1999-2000

We did have Iain Turner in Goal in 2004-05

Ian Gore and Ian Clark last played in 1997-98.

Still want to know if Ian Lawlor is related to Kit and Jimmy Lawlor, Rovers players in the 1950's

[BobG]

I once traced somebody by looking up birth certificates and such like Brian. I ended up at a site which could provide addesses and phone numbers even but you had to pay a small number of pounds. I paid up. It worked a treat.

BobG

[Nudga]

Probably quicker and cheaper to just tweet him and ask.

[BobG]

Ah. That's ok if you know how to do them tweety things Nudga. And how to find somebody too. Do you have to separate them out by the size and shape and colour of their beaks?

BobG

[Bentley Bullet]

I must admit, I go on facebook and although I don't understand what my 'wall' is, or what the difference between my home page and my timeline is, at least I can get my thoughts across. On the other hand, I don't get Twitter. I just don't know how to use it.

[Sammy Chung was King]

I must admit, I go on facebook and although I don't understand what my 'wall' is, or what the difference between my home page and my timeline is, at least I can get my thoughts across. On the other hand, I don't get Twitter. I just don't know how to use it.

Wall is all the posts from you and your friends over the current day and the day before usually. Though you can keep going down the page for further back posts.
 Timeline is a record of things you like-music, books etc. Photographs from past events you've been to. Photo's that you've decided to put on. Also hobbies interests and a list of your friends. It's basically a record of things from the past since you've been on it and things you've posted or commented on.

[Nudga]

I have twitter but it's shit, a bit stalker like. I only use it for football drills.
Maybe the VSC could tweet him a couple of questions?

[RoversAlias]

Not that this is even the debate but I really do prefer Twitter nowadays. I know it depends who your friends are too but Facebook just seems to be all memes, silly videos/pictures and nonsense whereas on Twitter I keep up with all the relevant news and see interesting little updates from the lives of my friends.