Goalkeepers

[Mcforest]

really pleased with this signing. will help the defenders no end with knowing he will come for crosses and collect.

[Strawberry Avenger]

really pleased with this signing. will help the defenders no end with knowing he will come for crosses and collect.

I think so.  He made an impact.  (Along with Watson and Colback...really added some steel to the side.  Forest looked a more robust, tougher and professional side with those 3 in.)

Glad he's back!

SA.

[Username]

I didn’t think Pants was any better than Smith last year personally. Not the step up I was hoping for.

[Hemp Power]

i think a good signing tho be happy for jordan to have been number two

[Tricky]

i think a good signing tho be happy for jordan to have been number two

I agree. I don't rate Kapino whatsoever.

[Mcforest]

i think a good signing tho be happy for jordan to have been number two

I agree Smith should stay with us. What he needs to improve his game is not match time but to be coached how to control the defence, How he uses the box in the right way and how to come collect the ball from crosses. Build his knowledge up correctly so he can use it rather than just sending away to play and not filling in the gaps required.

[Hyperkoi]

Smith needs to be more vocal and organise his defence. Also he panicked when receiving the ball and his distribution was awful. Good shot stopper and that was all

[wassy04]

My least favourite criticisms of smith. His distribution was obviously poor but he was being asked to do way to much with his own ability and that only created pressure on him. He can kick it long fine when not under pressure to pass it.

The vocal thing is a lazy criticism given no one is on the pitch and you can’t hear what he's saying. Pantillimon’s main strength aside from his height is how loud he is and you can see that but that doesn’t make Smith quiet. I also think smith is a better shot stopper and was fine coming for crosses. It wasn’t his fault we were terrible at set pieces and it didn’t improve when he got dropped.

[Paplane]

My least favourite criticisms of smith. His distribution was obviously poor but he was being asked to do way to much with his own ability and that only created pressure on him. He can kick it long fine when not under pressure to pass it.

The vocal thing is a lazy criticism given no one is on the pitch and you can’t hear what he's saying. Pantillimon’s main strength aside from his height is how loud he is and you can see that but that doesn’t make Smith quiet. I also think smith is a better shot stopper and was fine coming for crosses. It wasn’t his fault we were terrible at set pieces and it didn’t improve when he got dropped.

I think that's a reasonable critique.

But, Warbs and now AK have decided he's not ready to be 1st pick so his game must be lacking in certain respects. Seems AK doesn't even think he's 2nd pick material for some reason.

He's young, has extensive 1st team experience now - I can't see why he shouldn't be considered as Pants' backup.

[Hyperkoi]

I sit in the Trent end and at corners etc Smith hardly spoke to defenders. Pants however is continually shouting instructions to them. It makes a big difference and so is not lazy criticism.

[Strawberry Avenger]

I sit in the Trent end and at corners etc Smith hardly spoke to defenders. Pants however is continually shouting instructions to them. It makes a big difference and so is not lazy criticism.

Leadership makes a big difference.  Pants has a commanding presence.  6.8.  Vocal.  Instructions to defence.  Edge of penno area ready to distribute it.  He's been in a Man City Premier winning squad?  He has a decent resume.  Some people have presence, others have to work at it. That's the key difference. Not just ability. But character. Being mentally tough when the going gets tough! Pants is a giant. He wants to be at Forest and Forest want him and now have a Premier keeper.

Forest lacked leadership all over the park (and HEIGHT!).  Installing Pants 6.8 at GK, Fox at CH and Watson/Colback in CM with ANDY REID MKII in ACM made a massive difference to the spine of the side.

Sure, Pants tried to punch it away vs Fulham and it went in.  One or two he didn't get down for.  But Karanka has himself said Pants has been out a while and is ring rusty (but he did ok, keeping 4 clean sheets with the help of the new signings...) and along with Geddy, a good old Karanka pre-season will see them both improve further.

Smith.  Quiet.  Not vocal.  Not commanding.  Not 'giving it' (instruction) to the defence.  Goals conceded at near post several times.  Not the tallest?  (Not a crime...)  Not claiming the ball and being rooted on the line.  This didn't help a mediocre back line at all.  Didn't and doesn't install confidence.  If you want to be top 6 you need characters who can handle the pressure... (and Forest were just about in freefall when Karanka came in.  Too young a side, being asked to do too much before they had full developed...and when Murphy didn't play they looked lost...and when his fitness and goals dried up, Forest started sinking.)

January's window was about leadership.  Character.  Experience.

Pants is a welcome addition.  He'll make a massive difference this season.  Smith?  Much to learn, he still has... (But we owe him a lot for that killer save vs Ipswich. We'd have been down and relegated but for that. Worth developing his talent and the areas he needs to press on with good coaching, whether at Forest or on loan in Div 1, Championship.)

SA.

[wassy04]

I sit in the Trent end and at corners etc Smith hardly spoke to defenders. Pants however is continually shouting instructions to them. It makes a big difference and so is not lazy criticism.

I sat in lower bridgeford last year and I honestly couldn’t tell you whether the keeper was doing much organising. Maybe it’s quieter in then trent end ?


I definitely agree this is pants main strength and as a fan it doesn’t fill you with confidence. I would’ve thought the lack of organisation hung wouldn’t just be more of an age/experience issue. Not really something he can control and it would be fine for the burden to fall to an experienced defender.

Also to clarify I wasn’t saying you were lazy just that in general it’s a criticism thrown around with little evidence to back it up.