Will Tom return Saturday.

[oldcolner]

Could Nick return from England duty to find himself on the bench here too. Tom making a lot of noise that he is ready to come back. A dilemma approaches for Sean. Normally he would let the incumbent in a winning side play but leaving the captain out will be difficult.
Hope Nick gets on tonight.

[The Bedlington Terrier]

Hmmmmm...

Tough call for SD is this one! :(

Hard to believe Little Old Burnley could have two fully capped England goalkeepers vying for a place in the Clarets goal.

[sinkov]

Not an easy decision, but Tom is the better keeper, so if/when he's fit, he comes back in imo. I wouldn't want to be the one telling Nick though.

[The Bedlington Terrier]

Reports coming in from the North East suggest the Toon are ready to offer £20 million for Pope.

I have not seen the lad play myself but I hear nothing but good things about young Conor Mitchell.

A possible scenario is Pope goes and Mitchell moves up the pecking order?

Who'd be a football manager? :s

[oldcolner]

Sean seemed to be hinting he was trying to offload Tom a few weeks ago

[army88]

Heaton is now unproven ( again ) until the shoulder is tested properly I think Nick will be staying anyway.
20 million is an insult nowadays for such a young prospect as well - Pickford went for 30 million from a side struggling so he must be worth that at least.

[The Bedlington Terrier]

Sean seemed to be hinting he was trying to offload Tom a few weeks ago

Can't believe that one OC! :blue:

[sinkov]

Heaton is now unproven ( again ) until the shoulder is tested properly I think Nick will be staying anyway.


I can remember a couple of years ago army, Sean was saying they trained how they play, so on Saturday afternoon, they didn't have to step it up or anything, it was just a continuation of what they had been doing all week down Gawthorpe. If Sean is to be believed and that is the case, then Tom's shoulder will have been thoroughly tested in training and he should be fine to play. I know what you mean though, can even Sean's Gawthorpe sessions really replicate a PL game ?

[The Bedlington Terrier]

I'm not a medical man but if dislocated shoulders are prone to popping as seems to be the case with Charlie Austin, then it's "Houston we have a problem!"

[sinkov]

I'm not a medical man but if dislocated shoulders are prone to popping as seems to be the case with Charlie Austin, then it's "Houston we have a problem!"

Tom might have a problem, but we don't, if his shoulder pops out again, Nick pops back into the team. Problem solved.

[The Bedlington Terrier]

I was referring to the rumour that Pope might be tempted for the delights of Newcastle...

It was a bit of a freak accident but a honest debate has broken out, Pope or Heaton?

Heaton kicks better and has the experience to command his penalty box but Pope is one heck of a shot stopper!

...and truthfully Pope does not deserve to be dropped.

[Norder]

.

I think...if Tom comes back it's bye bye Pope... .
as BT said two fully capped England goalkeepers vying for a place in the Clarets goal. - can we really be expected to believe - that one of them would be happy to be a Burnley bench warmer ?

;D

[outwoodclaret]

Hmmmmm...

Tough call for SD is this one! :(

Hard to believe Little Old Burnley could have two fully capped England goalkeepers vying for a place in the Clarets goal.

An embarrassment of riches indeed BT! In the short term I think Pope will be in goal at the Hawthorns. Long term he is six years younger than Tom and another scenario sees Tom choosing to move on if he cannot win his place back. Sad if that happens because he is not only a fine keeper but has been a brilliant captain leading by example on and off the pitch.

[The Bedlington Terrier]

I'll bet even SD never saw this one coming?

[warminsterclaret]

As a rule, SD does not drop players who are performing. Pope has to keep his place for now.

[The Bedlington Terrier]

I think that's about right warminster! B)

[warminsterclaret]

The problem is neither keeper deserves to be a long term number 2, so we'll have to let one go I guess.

[sinkov]

As a rule, SD does not drop players who are performing. Pope has to keep his place for now.

I'm not too sure about that, I think he'll do whatever he thinks is best for the team, and if that means dropping Pope then it's tough on Nick but he'll be dropped. Charlie Taylor did nothing wrong at all, our defence was absolutely rock solid with him in, but as soon as Ward was fit, Charlie was back on the bench.

[The Bedlington Terrier]

Hmmmmm..:confused:

I'm totally unsure who the better keeper is. I'll bet this one is giving Billy Mercer and SD fooooooooking nightmares!

Unlike a lot of you lot who sit on the fence, I'm going with Pope.

9011

[sinkov]

I'm 100% convinced Tom is the better keeper, but what does Sean think ? Who knows, Sean will see the pair of them every day in training, he'll know in his own mind who he thinks is the better, and he'll go with him, whichever one it is.

[Norder]

.

Heaton (No1) just has to come back and carry on where he left off - then it'll be cheerio Pope...imo.

;D

[outwoodclaret]

It is a dilemma for Dyche and for Southgate. Who does the latter pick as his third keeper to take to Russia ? Pope or Heaton? Let’s just pray he doesn’t take Hart just to avoid having to choose between them.

[The Bedlington Terrier]

It is a dilemma for Dyche and for Southgate. Who does the latter pick as his third keeper to take to Russia ? Pope or Heaton? Let’s just pray he doesn’t take Hart just to avoid having to choose between them.

Butland had a blinder yesterday, Pickford is already on the 'plane and if I had the choice as number three I would take Pope, but Southgate will stick with Hart.