09 May 2019 11:24:23
Here's some news to clear the red mist that covers your eyes when discussing Big Pants!

Named in Sky's Championship Team of the Season
15 Clean sheets
140 Saves
34 Successful High Ball Claims - the second most in the division.

All this despite all the enforced defence changes during the season which impacts on a keepers confidence and judgement as to when to come and claim crosses.

Time to go and collect some Humble Pie from Melton Road and then get fully behind him next season as he is going nowhere!

Awesome Pants COYR Legend!


1.) 09 May 2019
09 May 2019 12:07:25
RIE

Whist the term "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics." would be a definite overstatement in this case they do not always tell the whole story.

At 6'7" one would expect Pantilimon to take a high percentage of high balls but I would offer up for discussion that in my opinion not enough of them are in a pressure situation and I feel as a physical presence he could and should be a more dominant force in his area.

His distribution or lack of is to me something that cannot be argued for long about as to me it is quite frankly dreadful.

That said I am not an advocate of dispensing with his services as he is probably as good as we are likely to get/afford right now and with just a little more thought and application could well be a really outstanding performer for us


2.) 09 May 2019
09 May 2019 12:13:56
Stats can be made to whatever you like he does not inspire confidence for me never has and is far to slow to get down and stays rooted to his line, also he has never been No1 at any of his previous clubs, there's a reason for that.


3.) 09 May 2019
09 May 2019 13:03:27
"Never been No1 at any of his previous clubs"

Isn't this another statistic that can be 'made to whatever you like'?

First of all, yes he has. He was first choice at Sunderland, in the Prem, for around a season and a half. Second of all, he's largely been second choice at (three) other clubs because they are top flight clubs (Man City, Watford, Deportivo). We are not.

Pants is probably the best keeper we've had at the club for a long time. Yes, he struggles with the ball around his feet, whether a low show or distribution-wise, but that's what you get with a 6' 7" monster. He makes tough saves look easy a lot of the time as he naturally fills so much of his goal. He does come and claim the high ball much better than our previous custodians, despite the criticism and, more importantly, despite the fact we've had a p*ss-poor or makeshift defence for large parts of his stay here.

He's a good Championship level keeper and deserves our support, not criticism.

Up the Pants!


4.) 09 May 2019
09 May 2019 15:26:17
I really cannot believe you’re saying statistics are a bad thing, statistics are used in science to make things safe and consistent. I was speaking to and I use this term lightly a friend who is a derby fan and he said that Pants was the best keeper he’d seen all season.

Distribution is something he can work on but let’s be fair if we played it short or if he rolls the ball out that will eliminate a lot of issues. We don’t really have a combative aerial strike force. Murphy is probably the only one you’d expect to win his fair share of headers.

I think people just have an opinion on him and won’t change it no matter the facts or the evidence put forward. I look at it from the point of view that he’s kept a lot of clean sheets, kept us in a lot of games and in some games QPR for example won us 2 points. One of the quotes from Creepys article was that Brian Clough once said “Shelton wins you games” I think the same can be said for pants.

{Ed001's Note - actually statistical analysis is based on higher numbers of repeat results than are possible in football. There just are not enough matches played and moments in matches for statistical analysis to be effective. Too many freak results can appear, such as one-season wonders, which completely skew results. That is why statistical analysis in football is really little more than a very very minor guide that requires a hell of a lot of context and personal input (ie guestimation) to achieve any interpretation. You would need to be playing thousands of times a year for the results to actually be truly relevant.}


5.) 09 May 2019
09 May 2019 16:54:42
I am personally not saying that statiistics in this case are a bad thing but when applied to an inexact science like football they do not always give a complete picture.

To me Pantilimon has without doubt improved as a goalkeeper with the arrival of Mr O'neill and as I said he is probably likely to be Number 1 choice next season as a decent Championship keeper having no doubt made important saves towards the back end of the season notably at Loftus road.

However on the flip side I have been lucky enough to get to nearly all the games this season past and he has unfortunately been responsible for losing us points as well because being a goalkeeper can be a very lonely business and at times you are on your own, mistakes become very glaring and will always be a position like no other when it comes to brickbats and plaudits.

You are quite correct , I think, that he does and will continue to suffer from " give a dog a bad name " syndrome but like it or not he will have to deal with that and can only do that on the pitch and should he do so can only be of benefit to us