| Walton / Hladky 12:18 - Oct 26 with 4844 views | N2_Blue |
A lot of people a few weeks back were saying Walton is still our number 1 and would come back in after the international break. Thoughts now??
I just can't see it currently and another impressive game for Vaz last night. Hladky is playing too well, in incredible form and is so confident. All those things make him undroppable even if Walton is still perceived as our No.1
I have always thought of Walton as being the better keep of the two and he may well be, but it's pretty difficult to make that case currently because we haven't see Walton play for Town at this level and until this season many fans only viewing of Hladky was a pretty difficult start in a team that was struggling for any cohesion and far from settled which makes is tricky for a keeper. Admittedly he didn't look great at the start of his Town career but had just won the golden glove the previous season in L2 and hadn't just become a bad keeper overnight.
So there are cases for both but crucially i do actually think Hladky fits our playing style better than Walton. That's not to be harsh on Walton who is plenty capable with his feet and of course contributed to our playing style with no issues in L1 but if you were picking a keeper based solely on ability with their feet it would be Hladky for me everytime.
So while the rest of his game is in tip top shape and confidence sky high it just has to be Hladky for me, I can't see Walton getting in until Hladky's form dips or he
Even if Walton is absolutely perfect and has a brilliant game v Fulham, Hladky is my pick for the GK shirt at the moment. Harsh on Walton but he may just have to be patient...very patient. |  |
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| Walton / Hladky on 12:32 - Oct 26 with 3528 views | J2BLUE |
Agree.
It would have been poor man management to drop Hladky. It was never going to happen with someone like McKenna who seems to have that side of things (and everything else to be fair) pretty nailed on. |  |
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| Walton / Hladky on 13:05 - Oct 26 with 3458 views | Basuco |
The coaching staff seem to have this strange way of improving all the players and playing to their strength's, very different to what we have seen in the recent past. I think a change in the way the defence is set up has helped both keepers to look very good. For a while Hlady played as a keeper and a no.10 and was told to choose between the two. It is great to now see him show us why he was considered the best keeper in L2. |  | | |
| Walton / Hladky on 13:07 - Oct 26 with 3450 views | _clive_baker_ |
Just no need to change anything at the moment is there. If it ain't broke...
You're only as good as your last game. The downside is it disrupts things and we're worse off for the change, and the upside is pretty minimal / non existent when you consider Hladky has barely put a foot wrong. Until that changes I don't see any value in meddling with it |  | | |
| Walton / Hladky on 13:19 - Oct 26 with 3396 views | wkj |
Its the impossible question right now - Walton is too good to be second string but Hladky's form makes him too good to drop. |  |
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| Walton / Hladky on 13:22 - Oct 26 with 3382 views | SomethingBlue |
Hladky has to stay in until we or he have any kind of sustained dip. He has the manner of a real footballer out there and it's making such a difference to our buildup. Everything else in his play is currently in decent order too, I think we protect him pretty well on high balls which are the only obvious worry. The guy really looks the part and it's a massive credit to him & everybody involved – I think it's fair to say none of us saw it coming. [Post edited 26 Oct 2023 13:28]
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| Walton / Hladky on 13:24 - Oct 26 with 3356 views | burnbudgiesburn |
| Walton / Hladky on 13:19 - Oct 26 by wkj |
Its the impossible question right now - Walton is too good to be second string but Hladky's form makes him too good to drop. |
It's also the style of play factor. Hladky is much more suited to it than Walton even if the latter is the better all round keeper.
I reckon we'll get some cheeky bids in January for Vaclav unless we tie up a new contract quick.
Championship standard keepers who can play with their feet are like gold dust. | | | |
| Walton / Hladky on 13:42 - Oct 26 with 3259 views | MaySixth |
Hladky has won the shirt and deserves his place. In for his ability with his feet more than anything else.
I still think Walton is the better keeper as I feel he dominates box better and is better in the air but McKenna knows best. |  |
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| Walton / Hladky on 13:44 - Oct 26 with 3265 views | Illinoisblue |
| Walton / Hladky on 13:07 - Oct 26 by _clive_baker_ |
Just no need to change anything at the moment is there. If it ain't broke...
You're only as good as your last game. The downside is it disrupts things and we're worse off for the change, and the upside is pretty minimal / non existent when you consider Hladky has barely put a foot wrong. Until that changes I don't see any value in meddling with it |
Our squad is ridiculous when you think about it. The ever present promotion winning keeper can’t get in the team. The million pound signing from Posh can’t get a start. The million pound defender local hero reduced to being end of game fist pumper.
To shoehorn in a Wire reference: “we’re building something here detective… all the pieces matter” |  |
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| Walton / Hladky on 13:45 - Oct 26 with 3250 views | Vegtablue |
Hladky was ahead in this debate by the Blackburn game and won more over after Hull. He's currently 4th in the league for save percentage and miles in front for expected saves and sweeper keeping, so retains his spot as whoscored.com and Sky's #1 keeper in the division.
When Walton was a young man in the Championship he was actively mopping up dangers in the sweeper role too, but he wasn't asked to play the ball and had an average pass length of 50.7 metres in 18/19 and 42.6 meets in 19/20. He saved less goals than expected in post-shot analysis in both seasons and was 25th and 12th respectively for save percentage. He was 8th and 3rd when it came to stopping crosses. The only data available to us after 19/20 is his save percentage in L1 in 21/22 and 22/23, due to lower divisions being covered in far less detail: he was 10th and 11th respectively.
Walton is barely middle-aged for a goalkeeper and I don't want to put a limit on what he'll achieve with us or how much he'll continue to improve. Shot-stopping hasn't been a key strength of his over the first half of his career: 65.1%, 70.5%, 72.8% and 71.0%. These are very respectable figures, but it isn't excelling: Trafford was 3rd in L1 last season with 78.8% and Cooper was 5th with 77.7%. With the ball at his feet, instinctively I'd place Walton slightly above average, similar to his shot-stopping. Unfortunately for him, this season Hladky has been freakishly good in both these key areas.
Walton's biggest asset is his command of the box, particularly in stopping crosses. When he had his difficult patch last season he was scattergun and unsettling the defence, but over his career he's consistently outperformed most in his division. Sweeper-keeping has extended this area to 10 yards outside the box in recent years, and Hladky is one of the best operators in this no-man's-land space, but Walton is certainly more active in extinguishing aerial threats closer to home. In a bygone era this would probably have seen him return to #1 already, but it's less pivotal than it used to be. We're very fortunate with the two GKs we have. | | | |
| Walton / Hladky on 13:53 - Oct 26 with 3218 views | StokieBlue |
| Walton / Hladky on 12:32 - Oct 26 by J2BLUE |
Agree.
It would have been poor man management to drop Hladky. It was never going to happen with someone like McKenna who seems to have that side of things (and everything else to be fair) pretty nailed on. |
It's a bit more complicated than that though.
Walton needs even more man management in some ways but the context always seems to be the man manager of Hladky not Walton. He was the number 1 and unluckily got injured before the season. It's going to take some good management to keep him happy given there was apparently interest in him in the close season so those clubs obviously think he's a number 1 keeper.
Hladky has been brilliant and you can't really drop him but how long is Walton going to hang around being a backup given he was part of that incredible defensive run last year and was in demand?
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| Avatar - IC410 - Tadpoles Nebula |
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| Walton / Hladky on 14:01 - Oct 26 with 3173 views | J2BLUE |
| Walton / Hladky on 13:53 - Oct 26 by StokieBlue |
It's a bit more complicated than that though.
Walton needs even more man management in some ways but the context always seems to be the man manager of Hladky not Walton. He was the number 1 and unluckily got injured before the season. It's going to take some good management to keep him happy given there was apparently interest in him in the close season so those clubs obviously think he's a number 1 keeper.
Hladky has been brilliant and you can't really drop him but how long is Walton going to hang around being a backup given he was part of that incredible defensive run last year and was in demand?
SB |
Not sure I agree. Walton has been very unlucky but he can see Hladky has been brilliant and changing the keeper for the sake of it could potentially derail things.
If we had put Walton back in the team immediately I think we would have lost Hladky in January. That may be the case with Walton in January but I can't see it. I think McKenna did the right thing by keeping Hladky in. | |
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| Walton / Hladky on 14:05 - Oct 26 with 3147 views | StokieBlue |
| Walton / Hladky on 14:01 - Oct 26 by J2BLUE |
Not sure I agree. Walton has been very unlucky but he can see Hladky has been brilliant and changing the keeper for the sake of it could potentially derail things.
If we had put Walton back in the team immediately I think we would have lost Hladky in January. That may be the case with Walton in January but I can't see it. I think McKenna did the right thing by keeping Hladky in. |
Not really sure that addresses the points in my post? I also didn't say we should have changed the keeper.
My point was about how Walton needs even more management as this is a situation he wasn't expecting to be in - he was first choice and through no fault of his own he isn't. He knows he can get a game at another very good club so that needs to be managed.
Why do you think Hladky would leave in January for losing his first choice position but Walton wouldn't leave in January for losing his first choice position without kicking a ball?
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| Avatar - IC410 - Tadpoles Nebula |
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| Walton / Hladky on 14:06 - Oct 26 with 3139 views | hype313 |
Yep, also you need competition for your place and whilst Walton was injured, Hladky had no real pressure, he does now, which will improve him even more and keep him on his toes.
Walton in the meantime will be chomping at the bit to get back in, it's a win win all round on that front. |  |
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| Walton / Hladky on 14:09 - Oct 26 with 3113 views | IPSWICHFANITFC |
I would be looking to offload Walton in the summer. It's not that Walton is a bad goalkeeper, but I think there's some value in him and a chance to get a decent fee and invest into a younger goalkeeper who's similar to Hladky with his feet.
It's not just 10 outfield players who need to be comfortable with the ball, it's the goalkeeper too. He is the spare man in our defensive third and important to how we build up. I didn't see this football when Walton was in goal and we didn't draw teams on to us when Walton was in goal, the same way we are doing it now with Hladky. Part of that might be personnel, part of that might be down to our opponents having more of a go at pressing higher and not dropping off.
McKenna is making the right decision sticking with Hladky though - he's the better goalkeeper for the system we play. |  |
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| Walton / Hladky on 14:12 - Oct 26 with 3082 views | le2blue |
| Walton / Hladky on 13:44 - Oct 26 by Illinoisblue |
Our squad is ridiculous when you think about it. The ever present promotion winning keeper can’t get in the team. The million pound signing from Posh can’t get a start. The million pound defender local hero reduced to being end of game fist pumper.
To shoehorn in a Wire reference: “we’re building something here detective… all the pieces matter” |
which is why the 'Ipswich don't have squad depth to cope' narrative from competitors fans is rather amusing. Its all under pinned with phenomenal planning and preparation which means players can come in and they actually know what they have to do. |  | | |
| Walton / Hladky on 14:17 - Oct 26 with 3050 views | J2BLUE |
| Walton / Hladky on 14:05 - Oct 26 by StokieBlue |
Not really sure that addresses the points in my post? I also didn't say we should have changed the keeper.
My point was about how Walton needs even more management as this is a situation he wasn't expecting to be in - he was first choice and through no fault of his own he isn't. He knows he can get a game at another very good club so that needs to be managed.
Why do you think Hladky would leave in January for losing his first choice position but Walton wouldn't leave in January for losing his first choice position without kicking a ball?
SB |
I never said Walton doesn't need management. He obviously does. He has been unlucky.
I think with Hladky, he was number 2 for a long time. If he can come in and perform that well and then get dropped immediately what incentive is there for him to stay? IIRC Phil said he wanted to go for first team football but wasn't pushing it too hard. A decision that looks very good for him at the moment. If he was immediately dropped I think that would help make his mind up that long term he has no chance of being #1 here.
With Walton, I think it's a bit different. He could leave now but he has been #1 and probably still view himself as the rightful long term #1. If he can get his place back and we finish the job he could find himself a starting Premier League goalkeeper next season. As I said, there is a risk he would go but my gut feeling is that he wouldn't go in January.
Just an opinion. I was saying the same thing before Walton came back from injury so it's not a case of seeing how well things have gone. | |
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| Walton / Hladky on 14:19 - Oct 26 with 3024 views | Mookamoo |
When is Hladky's contract up? I thought it was this summer. |  | | |
| Walton / Hladky on 14:35 - Oct 26 with 2963 views | Illinoisblue |
| Walton / Hladky on 14:12 - Oct 26 by le2blue |
which is why the 'Ipswich don't have squad depth to cope' narrative from competitors fans is rather amusing. Its all under pinned with phenomenal planning and preparation which means players can come in and they actually know what they have to do. |
A testament to great coaching and thorough planning. Still worried about losing Morsy for any length of time but it looks like the squad has very good cover all the way through it. | |
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| Walton / Hladky on 14:47 - Oct 26 with 2910 views | cressi |
| Walton / Hladky on 13:07 - Oct 26 by _clive_baker_ |
Just no need to change anything at the moment is there. If it ain't broke...
You're only as good as your last game. The downside is it disrupts things and we're worse off for the change, and the upside is pretty minimal / non existent when you consider Hladky has barely put a foot wrong. Until that changes I don't see any value in meddling with it |
Don't quite agree as good as ur last game everybody has a bad game now and then so if Hladky has 9 great games and one poor would u drop him I wouldn't as Walton would also make mistakes. Think Walton better from facing dead ball ie corners but Hladky so much more comfortable with his feet. | | | |
| Walton / Hladky on 14:53 - Oct 26 with 2877 views | Whos_blue |
We've got our very own Shilton/Clemence conundrum!
On current form the shirt is Hladky's to lose. |  |
| Distortion becomes somehow pure in its wildness. |
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| Walton / Hladky on 15:22 - Oct 26 with 2808 views | FrimleyBlue |
| Walton / Hladky on 13:19 - Oct 26 by wkj |
Its the impossible question right now - Walton is too good to be second string but Hladky's form makes him too good to drop. |
apart from recent history, Walton has spent his career not being a number one. He's a good keeper, great handling, commands his box, but his shot stopping at times isn't great, and although he's improved with his feet, it's still not the best. BUT he's a solid keeper and either way we have two excellent choices. |  |
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| Walton / Hladky on 08:16 - Oct 27 with 2444 views | The_Flashing_Smile |
Hladky seems to play as a defender and a keeper at the same time. It's like having 12 men on the pitch, which is cheating.
And he's a ball-playing defender at that!
Just astonishing how confident he is at the moment. Part of the entertainment of watching ITFC at the moment is watching Hladky and his risky but controlled plays with his feet. That's before you get onto talking about his traditional role as a goalkeeper. |  |
| Trust the process. Trust Phil. |
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| Walton / Hladky on 08:27 - Oct 27 with 2410 views | norfsufblue |
| Walton / Hladky on 13:45 - Oct 26 by Vegtablue |
Hladky was ahead in this debate by the Blackburn game and won more over after Hull. He's currently 4th in the league for save percentage and miles in front for expected saves and sweeper keeping, so retains his spot as whoscored.com and Sky's #1 keeper in the division.
When Walton was a young man in the Championship he was actively mopping up dangers in the sweeper role too, but he wasn't asked to play the ball and had an average pass length of 50.7 metres in 18/19 and 42.6 meets in 19/20. He saved less goals than expected in post-shot analysis in both seasons and was 25th and 12th respectively for save percentage. He was 8th and 3rd when it came to stopping crosses. The only data available to us after 19/20 is his save percentage in L1 in 21/22 and 22/23, due to lower divisions being covered in far less detail: he was 10th and 11th respectively.
Walton is barely middle-aged for a goalkeeper and I don't want to put a limit on what he'll achieve with us or how much he'll continue to improve. Shot-stopping hasn't been a key strength of his over the first half of his career: 65.1%, 70.5%, 72.8% and 71.0%. These are very respectable figures, but it isn't excelling: Trafford was 3rd in L1 last season with 78.8% and Cooper was 5th with 77.7%. With the ball at his feet, instinctively I'd place Walton slightly above average, similar to his shot-stopping. Unfortunately for him, this season Hladky has been freakishly good in both these key areas.
Walton's biggest asset is his command of the box, particularly in stopping crosses. When he had his difficult patch last season he was scattergun and unsettling the defence, but over his career he's consistently outperformed most in his division. Sweeper-keeping has extended this area to 10 yards outside the box in recent years, and Hladky is one of the best operators in this no-man's-land space, but Walton is certainly more active in extinguishing aerial threats closer to home. In a bygone era this would probably have seen him return to #1 already, but it's less pivotal than it used to be. We're very fortunate with the two GKs we have. |
All great stats.... but I just looked at the average rating of our entire squad on here and Hladky's is scond only to Sam Morsy!.... KM knows exactly what he needs👍 |  | | |
| Walton / Hladky on 10:23 - Oct 27 with 2258 views | LegendofthePhoenix |
It isn't just that Hladky suits our playing style though. Our playing style has developed because of Hladky, in a way it wouldn't have done with Walton. The confidence with which he receives backpasses under pressure and always seems to draw the attackers forward only to outsmart them and leave them in no man's land is breathtaking to watch. Are there any keepers even in the Prem that do it better? Yes, Walton is excellent at commanding the box, and the goal at Derby demonstrated his ability to start attacks, but right now we have the best keeper in the Championship in Hladky. |  |
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| Walton / Hladky on 10:32 - Oct 27 with 2235 views | _clive_baker_ |
| Walton / Hladky on 14:17 - Oct 26 by J2BLUE |
I never said Walton doesn't need management. He obviously does. He has been unlucky.
I think with Hladky, he was number 2 for a long time. If he can come in and perform that well and then get dropped immediately what incentive is there for him to stay? IIRC Phil said he wanted to go for first team football but wasn't pushing it too hard. A decision that looks very good for him at the moment. If he was immediately dropped I think that would help make his mind up that long term he has no chance of being #1 here.
With Walton, I think it's a bit different. He could leave now but he has been #1 and probably still view himself as the rightful long term #1. If he can get his place back and we finish the job he could find himself a starting Premier League goalkeeper next season. As I said, there is a risk he would go but my gut feeling is that he wouldn't go in January.
Just an opinion. I was saying the same thing before Walton came back from injury so it's not a case of seeing how well things have gone. |
I agree I can't see why Walton would look to force a move in January. He's been #1 here since the day he joined, and as it stands right now has only not been #1 when available for a couple of games. He'll know the score, its hard to change a winning side and Hladky is still in on merit. There's plenty of reasons for Walton to believe he has a long term future here as 1st choice, especially given the age profiles and contractual situation of both. We're a club on an upward trajectory, seemingly a great environment in which to learn and develop, and one where the emphasis on it being a squad effort has always been made clear. Of course he'll want to play, but in his position I think the most sensible thing to do is to sit tight, work hard, and wait for his chance. Not to mention the likely financial gain that a promotion will bring by way of bonus and wage inflation, as well as an opportunity to play at the top level which is something he's yet to do in his career. | | | |
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