Mark Flekken (Closed Thread)

[I'll Bee Damned]

I think he felt he was closer to his goal line than he was, which lead to him thinking the ball was going over or hitting the bar.
I think he then moved his hand fearing the ball could come back off the bar and he’d accidentally knock it back in.
As some posters have said, it starts with his positioning and I think he’ll lose a bit of sleep over it

 

[Voice from the Braemar]

Wait until you find out what happened to Raya on his debut for Brentford.

View attachment 42364

I’m more worried about thesedays to be honest..so should you be ??

 

[davewfilms]

Do you think the people who run the club are thick?

Of course not look what they have achieved.best thing that have happened to the club.But I'm saying the goalkeeping recruitment has been poor with the last 4 keepers. Do you think they have been good signings?lossl Fernandez,starkosha,flekken
And I have never said anybody is thick .
I wouldn't do that.

 

[The Librarian]

You wot

I’m sure you notice it watching in front of the telly !

 

[Guildford Bee]

Of course not look what they have achieved.best thing that have happened to the club.But I'm saying the goalkeeping recruitment has been poor with the last 4 keepers. Do you think they have been good signings?lossl Fernandez,starkosha,flekken
And I have never said anybody is thick .
I wouldn't do that.

Have a look at what you said then.

The notion that we signed Flekken because he “kept a few clean sheets in a German league and can kick the ball far” is moronic.

He was the Golden Glove winner in the Bundesliga, one of the strongest leagues in the world and probably the closest of the big European leagues to the PL in terms of physicality and intensity.

We would’ve scouted him for at least 18 months (remember we were linked with him a year before we signed him).

He hasn’t performed as we hoped but to suggest the club hasn’t done its homework on him is absurd.

 

[Wise old Bee]

Did Forest possess an aerial threat? Yes, so why allow their player to deliver a centre unchallenged from a wide position and then how many of our defenders anticipated the run of Dominguez? None, thus allowing him a free header which, to be fair, he executed perfectly. Any fault of Flekken's so far? Neither was it his fault that the flicked header had exactly the correct trajectory to beat him. His share of the blame for this goal was small compared with the poor defending in front of him.
In all my 58 years following BFC we have had, in my view, only three outstanding keepers - McKellar, Sczeney, and Raya. Others have been good but not in their class. Flekken is a proven keeper who has played at a high level in Germany. Any keeper coming into our current side with the way our defence is currently playing would take some time to acclimatise.

 

[wanderer paul]

You’ve all been spoiled by Raya.

Gove the fella a chance to adapt and come to terms with the best league in the world. He’s going to make a cock up here and there. How many did Raya make? Your golden boy?

Lay off him. Support him. As no one is coming in and Strakosha won’t be no.1 either.

 

[davewfilms]

Have a look at what you said then.

The notion that we signed Flekken because he “kept a few clean sheets in a German league and can kick the ball far” is moronic.

He was the Golden Glove winner in the Bundesliga, one of the strongest leagues in the world and probably the closest of the big European leagues to the PL in terms of physicality and intensity.

We would’ve scouted him for at least 18 months (remember we were linked with him a year before we signed him).

He hasn’t performed as we hoped but to suggest the club hasn’t done its homework on him is absurd.

There isn't a golden glove in the bundesliga
Well so far he looks really poor flaps at crosses if he isn't hiding in his net piss poor again today.
So as I previously asked do you think our last 4 keepers have been good signings?.
Reminds me of the blind faith people were saying about Fernandez when he replaced Raya due to injury.
And then we replace in January with lossl.
See this going the same way.

 

[80s Bee]

There isn't a golden glove in the bundesliga
Well so far he looks really poor flaps at crosses if he isn't hiding in his net piss poor again today.
So as I previously asked do you think our last 4 keepers have been good signings?.
Reminds me of the blind faith people were saying about Fernandez when he replaced Raya due to injury.
And then we replace in January with lossl.
See this going the same way.

I really can’t see us bringing in another keeper in January. There are far more pressing needs.

 

[1889bee]

What concerns me currently is he never even seems close to the goals he concedes. I do think he’ll come good though but we’ll need to show some patience.

 

[longtimeagobee]

I’m sure you notice it watching in front of the telly !

Read the post of yours that I quoted, then edit it so it makes sense ?

 

[upnorthbee]

People are so short minded they're almost thick.

This is exactly the same response Raya got from our dimwitted fans when he started for us. "He's too short", "He takes too many risks with his feet", " He doesn't command his box". Also for people saying he can't improve at 30, thats a load of b***ocks too, of course he can and he will. It's all about confidence.

Why would you drop a keeper after that? I said on the other thread that he was at fault for todays goal but he's no where near the biggest problem we currently have. Strakosha wasn't an answer last season and isn't this season.
Get behind our number 1 ffs, and why is it ALWAYS the same people slating our players on the gpg? Literally always the same posters.

I reckon he makes a few worldies at OT next week.

 

[The Librarian]

People are so short minded they're almost thick.

This is exactly the same response Raya got from our dimwitted fans when he started for us. "He's too short", "He takes too many risks with his feet", " He doesn't command his box". Also for people saying he can't improve at 30, thats a load of b***ocks too, of course he can and he will. It's all about confidence.

Why would you drop a keeper after that? I said on the other thread that he was at fault for todays goal but he's no where near the biggest problem we currently have. Strakosha wasn't an answer last season and isn't this season.
Get behind our number 1 ffs, and why is it ALWAYS the same people slating our players on the gpg? Literally always the same posters.

I reckon he makes a few worldies at OT next week.

The only dimwit is you. At 30 he should be in his prime ready to go. Raya was 23 when he joined us. We can’t wait 4 years for flekken to get good. He’ll retire by then. He’s had 3 years in his whole career in a top divisions.

We would of won today if he just decided to use two hands and jump…

 

[upnorthbee]

The only dimwit is you. At 30 he should be in his prime ready to go. Raya was 23 when he joined us. We can’t wait 4 years for flekken to get good. He’ll retire by then. He’s had 3 years in his whole career in a top divisions.

We would of won today if he just decided to use two hands and jump…

You can't even wait 4 games for him to be as good as Raya without sh*tting yourself can you, let alone 4 years. It's a tough job and he'll come good, writing him off after a few games disrespects our recruitment and the quality of our coaches.

 

[The Librarian]

You can't even wait 4 games for him to be as good as Raya without sh*tting yourself can you, let alone 4 years. It's a tough job and he'll come good, writing him off after a few games disrespects our recruitment and the quality of our coaches.

Talking our your arse . Name one signing other than hickey that’s been good for us in the prem

 

[Banana]

BORING!

 

[upnorthbee]

Talking our your arse . Name one signing other than hickey that’s been good for us in the prem

Getting a little off topic here big man. You don't rate Yohan Wissa, Ben Mee, Kris Ajer or Kevin Schade?

Not dragging this on any further. Enjoy your evening.

 

[Balders Bee]

Needs to get a grip of himself. You’re not rated the best keeper in the Bundesliga for nothing but we’re seeing nothing like that keeper at the moment.

Exactly this really. I'm not interested in the inevitable comparisons with Raya. I do believe he has the necessary ability to be a good PL keeper for us....BUT he needs to do better today, flat footed and a little slow to adjust & react.
Several moments so far this season when he probably should have done better which have cost points.
Of course TF will stick with him- rightly so- but Flekken has to up his game as well.

 

[vcmazz]

He as a big responsibility on Forest goal and he does not inspire confidence on the high balls......
I hope he will getting better but he is already 30 years old looks like a finish product to me...

Well you're wrong. He's Dutch.

 

[cm_851]

You’ve all been spoiled by Raya.

Gove the fella a chance to adapt and come to terms with the best league in the world. He’s going to make a cock up here and there. How many did Raya make? Your golden boy?

Lay off him. Support him. As no one is coming in and Strakosha won’t be no.1 either.

Norgaard alluded to the same thing in his interview, we should do far better at closing down the space, especially with an extra man. You can’t be allowing balls into the box like that when realistically it’s their only chance at scoring.
That said, your Keeper is the last line of defence and he has made a significant error. I’m sure of you were to ask him he would say that he should do better.
I hate being critical of players, it doesn’t help them but he is making costly mistakes game after game and he needs to improve rapidly.

 

[Tom the bee]

Reading the comments here BEFORE seeing the highlights made me think he made some catastrophic error for their goal ..in reality, it was a perfectly-placed header that looped right over him. Was surprised that it wasn't as 'bad' as other readers are making out.

Could he have done better? Possibly - but it was marginal. He has to play in front of an unsteady defense and - I know it's cliché - he does need time to bed in. For example, who was marking the NF goalscorer?

It's good to provide constructive criticism, but some of the absolute haranguing here is unreasonable.. it won't fill him with confidence at all which is what he needs right now

 

[Brentford Bob]

Reading the comments here BEFORE seeing the highlights made me think he made some catastrophic error for their goal ..in reality, it was a perfectly-placed header that looped right over him. Was surprised that it wasn't as 'bad' as other readers are making out.

Could he have done better? Possibly - but it was marginal. He has to play in front of an unsteady defense and - I know it's cliché - he does need time to bed in. For example, who was marking the NF goalscorer?

It's good to provide constructive criticism, but some of the absolute haranguing here is unreasonable.. it won't fill him with confidence at all which is what he needs right now

Exactly my thoughts. It was an error. But you mention the ‘confidence’ word and goal keeping is definitely a confidence game. Getting on Flekken’s back, whether it be at the match or on social media is never going to help. I do think he’ll come good and in a couple of months we’ll have forgotten the Forest and Newcastle games, in the same way that we forgot this absolute howler….

 

[Brentford77]

The one is not dependent on the other. The people who run the club are quite obviously not thick. They have taken us to where we are in a brand new stadium on what by PL standards is a very small budget. We should be bloody grateful and all but a few of us are. It doesn’t however mean that they may not have made a mistake with Flekken despite all the indications were that he was a top class keeper, nor preclude our right to voice our opinion.

I fully defend your right to voice your opinion (and my right to state mine). It’s a discussion forum innit

 

[Isleworth_Bee]

To me its not the flap and pulling his hand away that was the mistake...................... He got his feet all wrong and jumped too soon.

 

[magicbees]

Do you think the people who run the club are thick?

Where has he said that, but they haven't excelled in the goalkeeper front with their last 4 signings.

 

[Bangor Bee]

I really can’t see us bringing in another keeper in January. There are far more pressing needs.

Wrong, in my opinion. We need another goalkeeper who is regarded as real competition for Flekken. Obviously Strakosha is not considered to be that, and I'm surprised we didn't offload him in the summer and bring in another younger keeper who could challenge Flekken if necessary. If, God forbid, Flekken continues to make errors at the rate he has done to date, then we'll sacrifice a bagful of points.

 

[taxi driver]

Norgaard alluded to the same thing in his interview, we should do far better at closing down the space, especially with an extra man. You can’t be allowing balls into the box like that when realistically it’s their only chance at scoring.
That said, your Keeper is the last line of defence and he has made a significant error. I’m sure of you were to ask him he would say that he should do better.
I hate being critical of players, it doesn’t help them but he is making costly mistakes game after game and he needs to improve rapidly.

I'm pretty sure that any time I've criticised a player it has made absolutely no difference.

I'm usually at home, in the pub, in the car or on a fans message board.

He looks like he has a lot of the attributes to be a great keeper.

He needs to be stronger/more physical and make better decisions in my opinion.

Hopefully he comes good ?

 

[Wise old Bee]

Presumably it takes time for a defensive unit to gel and significant errors leading to goals conceded have been shared amongst our defenders so far this season and not confined to our keeper. Zanka and Hickey, Collins twice have been culpable.

 

[w7 bee]

Presumably it takes time for a defensive unit to gel and significant errors leading to goals conceded have been shared amongst our defenders so far this season and not confined to our keeper. Zanka and Hickey, Collins twice have been culpable.

& Rico v B'mouth.

 

[djheavens]

Poor goal to give away from
Flekken. Impressed with his ability with his feet but needs to improve otherwise IMO.

 

[Wilmslow Bee]

For what it's worth, I don't think Raya would have saved it either.

From the other end of the ground, it just looked like it was looping harmlessly over the bar.

 

[Leedsbee]

Flekken will be fine and like any player needs the confidence a supportive crowd can give him. I do generally feel modern coaching methods have prioritised technique over the instinctive reactions the top goalkeepers of my increasingly distant youth used to possess. ( I never understand why the moving parts of parrying the ball away is deemed safer than just catching the ball) Flekken is great with his feet and 6'5" and two out of three ain't bad.

 

[Guildford Bee]

Where has he said that, but they haven't excelled in the goalkeeper front with their last 4 signings.

He implied the club hadn’t bothered to properly scout Flekken and signed him on the basis of “a few clean sheets in a German league”.

 

[magicbees]

He implied the club hadn’t bothered to properly scout Flekken and signed him on the basis of “a few clean sheets in a German league”.

One or two mistakes happen but 4 you have to start to question what we are looking for in a Keeper. Flekken may come good but at the moment he doesn't look the part.

 

[aslan]

Presumably it takes time for a defensive unit to gel and significant errors leading to goals conceded have been shared amongst our defenders so far this season and not confined to our keeper. Zanka and Hickey, Collins twice have been culpable.

Yep. And another new combination infront of him yesterday.

 

[Guildford Bee]

One or two mistakes happen but 4 you have to start to question what we are looking for in a Keeper. Flekken may come good but at the moment he doesn't look the part.

I don't think anyone would deny that he's been a disappointment so far.

What the last few years, and the efforts to find an understudy/replacement, for Raya have underlined is:

1. We've been utterly spoilt with Raya who is an exceptional and probably world class talent and
2. It's bloody hard to find a top quality PL keeper

Flekken isn't the only new arrival to be struggling. Onana cost five times as much and I'm not sure I'd swap him for Flekken. I certainly wouldn't swap him for Turner who Forest had in goal yesterday either. It's not uncommon for keepers to struggle at new clubs. I was angry yesterday and the 'errors' are certainly building up but I'm still hopeful he'll turn out to be a decent keeper for us. Someone compared his start to David Button's and suggested this didn't bode well for the future but after a shaky start I thought Button turned out to be a very decent keeper for us who many would've been happy to have kept on. Flekken's not going to be held in the same esteem as David Raya after four seasons but I'm hopeful most of is will be happy enough with what he does.

 

[jlove]

He’s the best we’ve got so we have to hope he adjusts quickly to the various combinations in front of him.

 

[Ghost]

Seems to have a phobia of making saves with his hands.

Not ideal.

 

[Artixbee]

People all of a sudden making out Raya is some sort of pub keeper is totally bizarre.

 

[pumpkin pie]

Seems to have a phobia of making saves with his hands.

Not ideal.

Yes he couldn't catch a cold.

 

[Untouchable]

I don't think anyone would deny that he's been a disappointment so far.

What the last few years, and the efforts to find an understudy/replacement, for Raya have underlined is:

1. We've been utterly spoilt with Raya who is an exceptional and probably world class talent and
2. It's bloody hard to find a top quality PL keeper

Flekken isn't the only new arrival to be struggling. Onana cost five times as much and I'm not sure I'd swap him for Flekken. I certainly wouldn't swap him for Turner who Forest had in goal yesterday either. It's not uncommon for keepers to struggle at new clubs. I was angry yesterday and the 'errors' are certainly building up but I'm still hopeful he'll turn out to be a decent keeper for us. Someone compared his start to David Button's and suggested this didn't bode well for the future but after a shaky start I thought Button turned out to be a very decent keeper for us who many would've been happy to have kept on. Flekken's not going to be held in the same esteem as David Raya after four seasons but I'm hopeful most of is will be happy enough with what he does.

Great post.

Raya is one of the best PL keepers with perhaps only Ederson and Alisson ahead of him in the last couple of years.

Arteta has signed Raya because he doesn’t trust Ramsdale with the ball at his feet and his passing isn’t as good. Chelsea have gone through a number of keepers in recent years. Man Utd struggled after Schmeichel left until Van Der Sar signed. Onana has been crap this season. Turner was woeful for Forest yesterday.

I could go on. PL recruitment isn’t easy. We should be trusting the process of recruitment and backing Flekken all the way because he’s No1 for the foreseeable.

Ridiculous to write him off after a handful of games. Some on this thread did the same with Jensen and now we’d be f***ed without him.

 

[Mark H]

I wonder what the Forest forum thread on Taylor is like today?

 

[magicbees]

I don't think anyone would deny that he's been a disappointment so far.

What the last few years, and the efforts to find an understudy/replacement, for Raya have underlined is:

1. We've been utterly spoilt with Raya who is an exceptional and probably world class talent and
2. It's bloody hard to find a top quality PL keeper

Flekken isn't the only new arrival to be struggling. Onana cost five times as much and I'm not sure I'd swap him for Flekken. I certainly wouldn't swap him for Turner who Forest had in goal yesterday either. It's not uncommon for keepers to struggle at new clubs. I was angry yesterday and the 'errors' are certainly building up but I'm still hopeful he'll turn out to be a decent keeper for us. Someone compared his start to David Button's and suggested this didn't bode well for the future but after a shaky start I thought Button turned out to be a very decent keeper for us who many would've been happy to have kept on. Flekken's not going to be held in the same esteem as David Raya after four seasons but I'm hopeful most of is will be happy enough with what he does.

Button was a league 1 goalie, this bloke is supposed to be Netherlands number one. I'm not expecting him to be as good as Raya or even close, but was expecting him to be a solid keeper. Maybe a Lukas Fabianski and Martin Dubravka standard.

 

[Guildford Bee]

Button was a league 1 goalie, this bloke is supposed to be Netherlands number one. I'm not expecting him to be as good as Raya or even close, but was expecting him to be a solid keeper. Maybe a Lukas Fabianski and Martin Dubravka standard.

Yes I know that we’re talking about different divisions and abilities but their form/start has been comparable.

I’m confident Flekken will turn out to be better than the two you mention.

Have patience.

 

[Bigbee]

 

[davewfilms]

Have a look at what you said then.

The notion that we signed Flekken because he “kept a few clean sheets in a German league and can kick the ball far” is moronic.

He was the Golden Glove winner in the Bundesliga, one of the strongest leagues in the world and probably the closest of the big European leagues to the PL in terms of physicality and intensity.

We would’ve scouted him for at least 18 months (remember we were linked with him a year before we signed him).

He hasn’t performed as we hoped but to suggest the club hasn’t done its homework on him is absurd.

Any reason you didn't answer my question about are last 4 keeper signings.you seem to ask a lot of silly questions?I asked if you though the last 4 keeper signings were good signings IE Fernandez,lossl starkosha and flekken.

 

[Bigbee]

 

[davewfilms]

He implied the club hadn’t bothered to properly scout Flekken and signed him on the basis of “a few clean sheets in a German league”.

You stated he won golden gloves which is false.but had most clean sheets
I said was concerned that we had concentrated more on his footwork than his goalkeeping skillset.
Clear to see that who ever scouted the last 4 goalkeepers isn't up to the job.
All the signings haven't been brilliant since we have been in premier league.
Apart from mee all other signings have struggled to get regular starting minutes in the team.

 

[Brentford_till_die]

I don't get this comparing Raya mistakes.... making out like he was dodgy and not that trustworthy or something

 

[jlove]

I don't get this comparing Raya mistakes.... making out like he was dodgy and not that trustworthy or something

It certainly doesn’t help us to get behind our current №1...