I may be wrong. but I get the impression that keepers aren't getting the same level of protection from the refs that they got previously. in recent seasons you only had to touch a keeper and it was a foul. With refs allowing a bit more contact in tackles etc., attackers can now put keepers under real pressure at corners to prevent them from coming out to claim the ball.

I agree with you doombear, keepers are being blocked out in corners big time nowadays. I read an article recently, unfortunately I can't remember the details, but it suggested that there is a strategic science developing around the whole area of blocking or generally causing chaos in the box in the build up to a corner kick.

Dad and I watched games standing on the muddy slope of the Holmesdale Road end. He cheered and I rattled.

That was our best defensive display in a long time! Johnstone and Ward were key reasons we didn’t crumble like a cheap suit. There was cohesion and leadership on display!

Interested to see how the new man sets us up against Burnley.

I feel more comfortable with Johnstone in goal than Henderson.

I recall hearing,probably about 4 years ago, that Johnstone split opinions amongst the supporters at WBA and that he still had to win some of them over.
Johnstone was manager Darren Moore's first signing at WBA.I believe the deal was £6 Mill rising to £10 Mill but this could be incorrect.

Edited by Willo (25 Feb 2024 10.59pm)

not sure if it's a science, but just common sense. Putting a man in front of the keeper will restrict his movement, especially for a near post corner, and no keeper likes a man next to him, so this can also have an effect.

The other tactic that many other teams use is having blockers. Liverpool showed this yesterday (they have been doing it for years BTW), but the idiot started in an offside position. Van Dijk wins loads of headers partly as his team mates try and get him a bit of space. He scored like this at Selhurst a few years ago when Andersen, his marker, was blocked.
Arsenal also like blockers and they are the highest scorers from set pieces this season

I think the bigger picture is the £20m we spent on him. DF always seems to be a very shrewd guy. That money could definitely been spent elsewhere!