Martin Dubravka – A case for the defence is sorely overdue | OneFootball

Firstly, let me state the obvious, in that Martin Dubravka is not as good as Nick Pope.

As an all round package, Pope is number one hands down.

Next season, if we’re going to improve on him, the incoming goalkeeper must be top top quality and that’s where the problem lies, in the sense that this will cost an absolute fortune to achieve.

I seem to remember Nick Pope himself getting criticism from some quarters not long before his unfortunate injury. That’s the nature of a goalkeeper, unless you maintain a high level of performance, you’re always risking becoming a target for slings and arrows.

However, what I read and heard after Saturday’s excellent turnaround against Sheffield United, was out and out ridiculous on his replacement Martin Dubravka.

Now, Goalkeepers Union here. It’s where I used to play (be stuck) as a kid and without blowing my own Nobby Solano trumpet, I was pretty decent. Mainly as a shot stopper round the park with jumpers for goalposts and on the occasion goalposts for goalposts. The leap from park goals to the full size things was a bit of a fright. I remember thinking “You’ll score every time faced with these.” However, I digress.

Every Newcastle United team has the odd player that’s the whipping boy of the moment. This season (and last) it’s been Miggy Almiron and turning to Sean Longstaff in recent weeks, but nobody seems to have any time whatsoever for Martin Dubravka.

Many point to last season when we had the best defence in the league and look for factors and reasons for the drop off this season.

My overriding factor is the loss of Joelinton and the greater issue of our midfield being a tad flimsy at times. It’s not always simply down to the defence for shoddy defending.

Take Saturday against Sheffield United. Our defence let Sheffield in time and time again. That they only scored once was a minor miracle. John Anderson summed it up on the official highlights commentary when he asked at half time “How are we level?”

We have seldom had our first choice back four on the park this season and when it has it’s been a patched up affair at the best of times. Be it the questionable fitness of Sven Botman and Dan Burn, the loss of form of Kieran Trippier. And like I’ve said, that’s when they’ve all played together. How many times have they all played together, where last season they were almost ever present. It makes a difference.

There’s more to it that just the loss of Nick Pope

Down at Everton we were 0-0 with 15 minutes to go, only for two calamities from Trippier on the way to a 0-3 defeat. Still, let’s just blame the goalkeeper.

Trippier was again at fault three days later down at Spurs for a further two goals in a 1-4 defeat. Still, let’s blame the goalkeeper.

We were leading 1-0 down at Chelsea when Trippier misjudged a header back to Dubravka. The result ending in defeat on penalties to knock us out of the FA Cup at the quarter-final stage. Obviously, let’s blame the goalkeeper.

Dan Burn wasn’t at his best down at Anfield on two of the goals in a 2-4 defeat. Both he and Trippier were culpable in part against Manchester City in a 3-2 defeat at St James’ Park in January. While Burn was done for pace down at Villa Park despite having an excellent game in the 70 odd minutes previously. The same player conceded a penalty against Luton in the 4-4 draw.

I love stats but they can mask a lot and to simply look at when a player drops out and another comes in, for the upsurge in goals conceded, is VERY lazy.

Martin Dubravka himself was at fault for a goal against Bournemouth, slipping at a crucial moment allowing Dominic Solanke to score an easy tap in. He could have done better with a goal for Nottingham Forest down at the City Ground instead of charging out.

That his performance down at Blackburn Rovers during the game and in the resulting penalty shootout was almost completely overlooked by some fans is a crying shame. Polite metaphorical round of applause and onto the next game for some criticism it seemed.

I often hear “Nick Pope would have saved that” whenever a goal is scored against Martin Dubravka, which I find outrageous at times. NOBODY knows that for certain for any goal conceded. Still, if the player aint popular, that’s the territory it seems.

The one concessions I’ll make on Martin Dubravka is that his ability to come for crosses isn’t the best and a “Sweeper Keeper” he is not. Shot stopping is the name of the game. A bit like that 14 year old version of me.

That brings me to another player of years gone by, Shay Given. An excellent shot stopper he was and not great coming for crosses either I seem to recall. Back then we had probably the best pair of goalkeepers in the league in Given and Steve Harper, added to in later years by the equally excellent Tim Krul. I don’t seem to remember any getting undue stick while between the sticks.

This summer we will likely see a shuffle in nets. Loris Karius will go and if even a small amount of money can be made, so will Martin Dubravka. I doubt he’ll be happy with another season playing second fiddle to Pope and nor should he.

If another younger pretender to our Number One goalkeeper can be bought then Martin Dubravka would be third choice and that’s not good enough. He’ll do a job for someone.

After all, he’s doing one now. And getting scant praise and needless flak in the process…