David Button

[J.Perkins]

During the game yesterday, Button sent a diagonal ball to Fredericks into the stands. This sparked a lot of people to start the Button slating again. It's absolutely ridiculous.

Button has been one of our most consistent performers this season. One of few who are playing to their potential.

He is our starting GK because he is a better goalkeeper than Bettinelli.

But because he came from Brentford and isn't a "Fulham boy", he will struggle to win the simple minded fans who will never take to him.

Button deserves much more credit than he gets, especially after his demotion at the end of last season.

[westcliff white]

Agree

[JackHFFC1990]

Have never been a fan of Button but I must say so far this season he has been very good & deserves his place in the team

[ffcthereligion]

Completely disagree. The guy is a joke of a player and for some reason gets undue praise for making saves that should be being stopped every time. His distribution is categorically the worst i have ever seen. Usually this point is acknowledged by Button lovers, however the most frequent defence i hear of his abilities is 'he's a good shot stopper'.

NO! Take last week just as one example. It was largely ignored that the guy pushed the weak penalty strike into the goal.  Start Betts now.

[@jolslover]

Agree with original post. Probably been one of our best players this season

[filham]

Another good game by Button who has established himself as first choice but suspect Betts is eagerly awaiting an opportunity.
Good to know we are free of goalkeeping problems.

[Mince n Tatties]

Completely disagree. The guy is a joke of a player and for some reason gets undue praise for making saves that should be being stopped every time. His distribution is categorically the worst i have ever seen. Usually this point is acknowledged by Button lovers, however the most frequent defence i hear of his abilities is 'he's a good shot stopper'.

NO! Take last week just as one example. It was largely ignored that the guy pushed the weak penalty strike into the goal.  Start Betts now.

And the !Ridiculous Post Of The Year! goes to.............

[J.Perkins]

Completely disagree. The guy is a joke of a player and for some reason gets undue praise for making saves that should be being stopped every time. His distribution is categorically the worst i have ever seen. Usually this point is acknowledged by Button lovers, however the most frequent defence i hear of his abilities is 'he's a good shot stopper'.

NO! Take last week just as one example. It was largely ignored that the guy pushed the weak penalty strike into the goal.  Start Betts now.

I bet you scream "F*** off Button, bring back Betts" every time Button kicks a ball out of play.

[Fernhurst]

Blimey !!!! All about opinions ain't it

[Woolly Mammoth]

I shall carry on walking past this pub.

[ffcthereligion]

Completely disagree. The guy is a joke of a player and for some reason gets undue praise for making saves that should be being stopped every time. His distribution is categorically the worst i have ever seen. Usually this point is acknowledged by Button lovers, however the most frequent defence i hear of his abilities is 'he's a good shot stopper'.

NO! Take last week just as one example. It was largely ignored that the guy pushed the weak penalty strike into the goal.  Start Betts now.

I bet you scream "F*** off Button, bring back Betts" every time Button kicks a ball out of play.

Yes I pretty much do actually. He makes our team worse, why should i not voice my disapproval when he either kicks it out of play or gives it away? Do you clap?

[ffcthereligion]

Completely disagree. The guy is a joke of a player and for some reason gets undue praise for making saves that should be being stopped every time. His distribution is categorically the worst i have ever seen. Usually this point is acknowledged by Button lovers, however the most frequent defence i hear of his abilities is 'he's a good shot stopper'.

NO! Take last week just as one example. It was largely ignored that the guy pushed the weak penalty strike into the goal.  Start Betts now.

And the !Ridiculous Post Of The Year! goes to.............

Ahh, you disagree with my opinion! Thank you

[EastEndWhite]

Completely disagree. The guy is a joke of a player and for some reason gets undue praise for making saves that should be being stopped every time. His distribution is categorically the worst i have ever seen. Usually this point is acknowledged by Button lovers, however the most frequent defence i hear of his abilities is 'he's a good shot stopper'.

NO! Take last week just as one example. It was largely ignored that the guy pushed the weak penalty strike into the goal.  Start Betts now.

You must be watching different games to the rest of us!

[Denver Fulham]

His kicking remains weak, but he's been much much better this season coming off his line and claiming crosses. He hasn't really won us any points with heroics, but hasn't really put a foot wrong, either. Should have saved the penalty at Burton, but if that's the worst thing he's done so far this season, he's far from our largest issue. I don't think either of our keepers is much better than league average, though.

[westcliff white]

Your right Denver they are not.

Button is doing exactly what Betts was doing at the end of last season. But neither are top top draw.

[kiwian]

I thought Button had a good game saves/crosses wise, but a couple of times he wasn't positive mopping up in the penalty area, and his distribution looks more dodgy recently, putting defenders under pressure with short passes to the edge of the area.

[bill taylors apprentice]

IMO Button is doing a decent job so far this season.

Unfortunately his body language and general demeanor does not ooze the confidence that the very best keepers show under pressure.

E.G. When he has the ball at his feet he may have a picture in his mind as to what he's going to do but sometimes he displays a nervousness that feeds the oppositions confidence and creates unnecessary panic.   

[f bloke]

When it comes to assessing keepers, I tend to ignore saves. I can only think of a handful of saves I have seen where I wouldn't have blamed the keeper if the save hadn't been made. At the basic level, I tend to judge keepers on their mistakes, they all make them, it is just how many, how costly and any mitigating factors around those mistakes. Last year Button made too many, but to date this season, I don't think we can complain too much.

Other factors include communication/organising defences, inspiring confidence and having a physical presence. Overall I think Betts scores more highly on these fronts.

The thing that the modern keepers have to deal with that the older greats like Banks, Jennings and Shilton didn't is the back pass rule. Would they be considered in the same light if they struggled with this part of the game?

The way that we are set up to play by passing out from the back makes it more difficult for our keepers. It is easy if teams sit back and allow us to pass amongst ourselves in our half, it is more difficult when teams press us like Boro did at times.  There are advantages and disadvantages in pressing in the way that Boro did last week. It inhibits the possession game and it can pressurise defenders into making mistakes.

On the other hand in can create more space behind if we can play around the press either by being confident in possession or by playing it back to the keeper who can then play it long when the the odds of winning possession become more favourable.

There are times however when it is not appropriate to play out from the back and the conventional approach has been for the keeper to play it long centrally which generally favours the defending team. A tactical variation introduced by us last season was a diagonal ball to either the full  backs or the wide midfield men. This is more of a long pass than a long ball in that is a pass to a player rather than a zone and, as such, is more difficult to execute. However it is tactical and it comes from the coaching staff. Both our keepers have been doing this since the early mid part of last season.

Personally I like the way we try to play out from the back and the different ways of trying to counter the press. The long hoof from the keeper in my view should only be used when no other options are on and certainly not as a default. However in critically comparing our keepers, the comparative abilities to execute long passes and long balls would come a fairly long way down my list.

[Bassey the warrior]

He's been pretty consistent this season and he is more comfortable sweeping up the back four than Betts. For me he's the better keeper for our game.
I'd add that Betts kicking was poor at the tail end of last season. I remember against Reading in the home leg playoff he kicked loads out of play.

[Holders]

Should have kept Stockdale.