Cherries: Groves assessing keeper choices

7:00am Saturday 7th July 2012 in Sport Photograph of the Author By Ian Wadley

MANAGER Paul Groves has told Cherries’ goalkeeping rivals to make his life difficult by urging: Prove you are the number one.

The battle to be named the top stopper at Dean Court again looks set to be a fierce debating point during Cherries’ warm-up campaign.

Last season’s regular first choice Darryl Flahavan will be competing with Shwan Jalal in a bid to claim the jersey ahead of the new season.

Former boss Lee Bradbury received criticism from fans loyal to Jalal when he opted to pick Flahavan between the sticks last term.

A mainstay of Cherries’ play-off near miss and the 2009-10 promotion campaign, Jalal was dropped in favour of his fellow keeper after there had been little to separate the duo during pre-season.

Jalal, who declined two contract offers from Cherries in the lead up to last season, was brought back into the side by then-caretaker manager Groves for the final two games of last term, having had an operation to cure a long-standing back problem in February.

Having now succeeded Bradbury on a permanent basis, one of the big decisions facing Groves surrounds the goalkeeping position.

Groves is yet to make his choice but is expecting a close contest when the experienced pair battle for the place.

The Cherries manager told the Daily Echo: “We see competition for places and two experienced goalkeepers that will be competing for the one spot.

“That is healthy and that is what you want in all the positions – quality players fighting for the one place.

“Competition for places has got to be healthy and I feel that is what is needed to be able to take the team forward.”

Groves added: “I have seen two games with Jal and six with Flavs, and I have seen them both in training.

“They have both got good qualities, good experience, they are both good trainers and they are both very professional.

“In that department, we have got two good goalkeepers fighting for the place and it is going to be down to them.

“It is down to them to make that decision very difficult. But that is what you want.

“You want those types of decisions rather than the decision being made for you because you have only got one and don’t have any choice.”

Flahavan made 48 starts last season while Jalal was restricted to just two starts in League One and six appearances in total.

Comments(35)

eaststandman says...
7:13am Sat 7 Jul 12

There is no 'competition' here.

Jalal is a goalkeeper.

Can anyone tell me (and i'm sure you will) when they saw Flahavan come off the goaline and claim a ball from a corner?

He's athletic but WAY TOO SMALL.

The defence is always going to be under pressure.

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fletch for manager says...
7:19am Sat 7 Jul 12

It's got to be jalal.. Anyway I see the club are selling flaphaven in the club shop. Garden gnomes modelled on him.

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Mike Oxbig says...
7:33am Sat 7 Jul 12

I can't see Flaphaven starting now his boyfriend isn't picking the team.

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boyerboy says...
7:40am Sat 7 Jul 12

Fluffhaven.....nice to have met you, bye bye.

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horsted says...
7:43am Sat 7 Jul 12

JALAL all day long, no competition here Grovesy, simples, click click

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Frankiesbackfromhollywood says...
7:50am Sat 7 Jul 12

We have two good keepers, all those banging on about Jalal just remember that Flavs had more clean sheets last season than Jal did the season before!! we are very lucky to have two keepers of the quality that we do, either one could be our no1 and both have faults as well as pluses, the main reason some of you don't like Flavs is because of his links to Bradders and not for goalkeeping reasons, there really is nothing to choose between either keeper, Jal has made some clangers in a cherries shirt and had a poor record of keeping a clean sheet in the last 10 minutes of games the season we missed out, that cost us 24 points that season, so let's just get real here!!

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afcbournemouth says...
8:01am Sat 7 Jul 12

With groves being x pompey will the mates thing come into play again I wonder , I think a fully fit jalal and a good pre-season I reckon we can see the best of jalal once again , this man's jersey was lost not on performance but by other factors everyone deserves a second chance as we have seen that's the common trend at our club ! So its goodbye from me and its jalal for me uciad

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Square Old Codger says...
8:49am Sat 7 Jul 12

Jalal is the better goalkeeper, by far, it should be remembered that he has been playing on through injury, which restricted his movement for the end part of the 2010/2011 Season and for last Season as well and is now fully fit.

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RedhillPete says...
8:58am Sat 7 Jul 12

Jalal fan, but agree with Frankie comments. Both have their strenghts - let the decision be taken on pre-season keeping form and nothing else. Should they get off to dodgy start, the other will\should get their chance. very important position, let the best man win the gloves.

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Jake@Jem says...
9:16am Sat 7 Jul 12

Some well thought out and constructive comments as always, backed up with stats and details from the last 3/4 seasons. Always a class read.

If you do bother to have a look you will see there isn't much between the 2 average league one goalies and Groves actually has quite a difficult decision to make.

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Ferndown Steve says...
9:32am Sat 7 Jul 12

Will be good to see Shwan play pain free this season and show us what quality he is potentially capable of producing !

UTC

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Nat1234 says...
9:35am Sat 7 Jul 12

Jake@Jem wrote:
Some well thought out and constructive comments as always, backed up with stats and details from the last 3/4 seasons. Always a class read.

If you do bother to have a look you will see there isn't much between the 2 average league one goalies and Groves actually has quite a difficult decision to make.
No contest , it's got to be jalal , hes got more of a presence about him ,, the other one ( can't Rember his name lol ) is much to short ...

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goatty says...
9:42am Sat 7 Jul 12

Depends on who the Director of Football tells him to play

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CherryFarmer says...
10:00am Sat 7 Jul 12

Jake@Jem wrote:
Some well thought out and constructive comments as always, backed up with stats and details from the last 3/4 seasons. Always a class read.

If you do bother to have a look you will see there isn't much between the 2 average league one goalies and Groves actually has quite a difficult decision to make.
.....too true. But, my mind constantly reminds me of the horrendous clangers Jalal has made (often in important matches) and his weakness on crosses and particularly corners.
Really there is very little between the 2 and i will back whoever Groves chooses rather than slag one off and call them derogatory names. These guys are players for the club we support and even before a ball has been kicked (or saved) this season some of you are running them down......just pathetic.

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Cherry Tony says...
10:03am Sat 7 Jul 12

You beat me to it CherryFarmer. Well said. Comments like those above from Nat1234 are an embarrassment.

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harrythered says...
10:57am Sat 7 Jul 12

eaststandman wrote:
There is no 'competition' here.

Jalal is a goalkeeper.

Can anyone tell me (and i'm sure you will) when they saw Flahavan come off the goaline and claim a ball from a corner?

He's athletic but WAY TOO SMALL.

The defence is always going to be under pressure.
And how many goals did we concede at corners when Jalal was in goal - just think back to the play off game at Huddersfield as one of many examples.

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Merleyman says...
11:20am Sat 7 Jul 12

Jalal may be taller than Flav, but no way does he command his penalty area when defending corners. Jalal causes panic amongst our own defenders with his indecision when dealing with crosses.

In fact we conceded less goals from corners last season with Flav in goal, than we did the previous season with Jalal in goal.

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Palantir says...
11:20am Sat 7 Jul 12

Jalal and Flahavan are both good keepers and play well for the club. Both have had good and bad matches (let's forget that fateful JPT night at Brentford).

Let's see a fair and balanced decision for who goes between the sticks, decided in the training sessions between matches

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Frankiesbackfromhollywood says...
11:26am Sat 7 Jul 12

I can't but wonder why anyone is slagging off one of our players, they are both as good as each other, we all have our favourites which is fine but that is where it should end, certainly no need to call either of them names!! I will be happy with either between the sticks, nothing to choose between them for me!!

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AFCBade says...
11:41am Sat 7 Jul 12

I prefer jalal but his form dipped at the end of the play off season and no doubt his bad back was a major factor, thus right to start with flahaven who put in a number of impressive games. Overall though a fit jalal would be my no 1. Interesting no one came in for jalal though when available. As other posts say, nice to have a real choice and competition will raise their standards.

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sea poole says...
11:44am Sat 7 Jul 12

Frankie -I can't believe your rationale suggesting a fault with Jalal because he conceded more goals than Flahavan! Do you imply than more goals 'let-in' are down to errors by the keeper? have you never heard of 'defenders?'

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The Renegade Master says...
11:53am Sat 7 Jul 12

Jalal didn't lose his place to Flahaven last year, he was punished by Mitchell for not signing a new contract. Bradbury was told not to play him that much is clear.
Although both are good keepers the No.1 shirt is Jalal's. End of.

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username is already in use says...
12:07pm Sat 7 Jul 12

Both good keepers but it has to be Jalal for me, would like to see his kicking improve though.

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CherryFarmer says...
12:49pm Sat 7 Jul 12

The Renegade Master wrote:
Jalal didn't lose his place to Flahaven last year, he was punished by Mitchell for not signing a new contract. Bradbury was told not to play him that much is clear.
Although both are good keepers the No.1 shirt is Jalal's. End of.
....and you know that as a fact do you??

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ducky24 says...
2:51pm Sat 7 Jul 12

Jalal is our number 1 keeper. That doesn't endorse him as being any good. He is just better than Flaphavan! I too remember how Jalal cost us the Play Off game against Huddersfield by being weak on corners. Or perhaps that was when he was playing with a known back injury which has now been fixed? Who knows? Who cares? Demouge and McQuiod will keep the opposition so busy at the other end that it won't matter who we have in goal!!

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AFCB_Lanky says...
2:59pm Sat 7 Jul 12

I don't really mind who we have in goal. But when some of you say about Jalal messing up a corner, i didn't see the first goal and haven't seen it still so i don't know if that's it, but if it's HUdders third goal the defender who scored was huge, and if i can remember it was more of a header from about 7/8 yards out, no keeper will come that far, especially having to come through players as they will only flap at it.

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eaststandman says...
7:30am Sun 8 Jul 12

sea poole wrote:
Frankie -I can't believe your rationale suggesting a fault with Jalal because he conceded more goals than Flahavan! Do you imply than more goals 'let-in' are down to errors by the keeper? have you never heard of 'defenders?'
Agreed.

Goals conceded comes from the entire defence.

I wonder how Jalals stats would look if he'd had Cooke, Addison or Zubar stood in front of him?

He had Barratt and Cooper there for much of his time, who was never a centre half.

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CherryFarmer says...
9:06am Sun 8 Jul 12

eaststandman wrote:
sea poole wrote:
Frankie -I can't believe your rationale suggesting a fault with Jalal because he conceded more goals than Flahavan! Do you imply than more goals 'let-in' are down to errors by the keeper? have you never heard of 'defenders?'
Agreed.

Goals conceded comes from the entire defence.

I wonder how Jalals stats would look if he'd had Cooke, Addison or Zubar stood in front of him?

He had Barratt and Cooper there for much of his time, who was never a centre half.
Don't think Jalal ever had Barrett in front of him as Barrett only joined us at the beginning of last season. Flahavan started last season with a back 4 of Byrne, Barrett, Baudry and Malone......not a very inspiring selection!!

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ASM says...
2:42pm Sun 8 Jul 12

Jalal is our number 1, francis, flahaven and barrett were only brought in to back bradders (another example of clubs money being spent paying wages to do mates/family favours) jalal was our best player for the 2 season prior to last. The goalkeeper is the most important position on the pitch. He deserves his turn to be first pick for a lengthy time to regain his form. We let Dan Thomas go for nothing, he was a brilliant promising young keeper.

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sea poole says...
5:21pm Sun 8 Jul 12

Can anyone please enlighten me in respect of Bowles? has anyone seen him play? If so, what is his capability? Still not sure why we've signed him. Thought it was only the 'bigger' clubs that signed players and immediately sent them out on loan...

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Frankiesbackfromhollywood says...
7:34am Mon 9 Jul 12

sea poole wrote:
Frankie -I can't believe your rationale suggesting a fault with Jalal because he conceded more goals than Flahavan! Do you imply than more goals 'let-in' are down to errors by the keeper? have you never heard of 'defenders?'
I said more clean sheets, and all keepers judge themselves by clean sheets, and surely you would agree that the defence we had the play off season was better than the one we had last season wasn't it? makes Flavs record even more impressive!! I am simply pointing out that Flavs record speaks for itself, how else are you going to judge a keeper other than clean sheets and goals conceded?

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Frankiesbackfromhollywood says...
7:38am Mon 9 Jul 12

ASM wrote:
Jalal is our number 1, francis, flahaven and barrett were only brought in to back bradders (another example of clubs money being spent paying wages to do mates/family favours) jalal was our best player for the 2 season prior to last. The goalkeeper is the most important position on the pitch. He deserves his turn to be first pick for a lengthy time to regain his form. We let Dan Thomas go for nothing, he was a brilliant promising young keeper.
There was I thinking it was Tom Mitchell who decided the playing staff? so the manager did bring in his own men? surely not?

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jontee says...
11:05am Mon 9 Jul 12

Neither of them are good enough. Spend some money where it is really needed and get a decent keeper.
.
Remember the Brian Clough formula. Keeper, centre half, centre forward. Get good players in these positions and build around it. Harry had Peyton, Williams and Aylott, and we never looked back.

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ASM says...
5:24am Tue 10 Jul 12

jontee wrote:
Neither of them are good enough. Spend some money where it is really needed and get a decent keeper.
.
Remember the Brian Clough formula. Keeper, centre half, centre forward. Get good players in these positions and build around it. Harry had Peyton, Williams and Aylott, and we never looked back.
completely agree with your logic BUT Jalal is a brilliant keeper, being dropped when you have been our best player in an excellent team for 2 years is not going to help his morale. I hope he is given a decent run out of about 7 games to prove he is still a classy keeper. I rated him as one of the best goalies outside of the prem before he was dropped.
We need a solid centre back ,addison isn't that great, but he would be a good signing. Zubar is brilliant, he must start every game

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Northstand_dan says...
1:55pm Tue 10 Jul 12

Mike Oxbig wrote:
I can't see Flaphaven starting now his boyfriend isn't picking the team.
Are you implying that Mr Flapahan and bradders are homothethxual?

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