Town boss Kieran McKenna admitted keeper Aro Muric was disappointed with AFC Bournemouth’s first goal during Sunday’s 2-1 defeat to the Cherries, but says the Kosovo number one is extremely talented who has prevented plenty of goals this season with the “top, top class” attributes he has in his game.

Muric, 26, joined the Blues from Burnley in the summer for an initial £10 million and has started every Premier League game aside from the opener against Liverpool.

The one-time Manchester City trainee tops the division’s errors leading to goals chart, having been blamed for two of the goals against Manchester City, Brentford’s last-gasp winner in West London and then Bournemouth’s equaliser at the weekend.

Asked whether Muric will still be his number one going to Wolves on Saturday or whether he plans to make a change with Christian Walton waiting patiently on the sidelines, McKenna said: “We support all of our players and we know that mistakes are going to be made over the course of the season.

“Aro is still in his first few months at the football club, we think he's an extremely talented goalkeeper. I have to say, I think he's got attributes to his game that are top, top class.

“He's also very young for a goalkeeper and settling into a new club, so there are things and areas of his game that he's working really, really hard on, and we're fully engaged in that process with him.

“Obviously he was disappointed with Bournemouth's first goal on Saturday. With any goal that goes against you, it's never just one thing, there were a couple of other things as a team and as individuals within the team that we could have done better to stop the goal.

“But he's a good professional in terms of how he works here day-to-day. He's training well. He's adapting to the demands that we're putting on him well in many aspects and he's really keen to help the team. I know he's going to look to do that in the games ahead.”

Quizzed on whether Muric has been able to move on from the mistake later in his press conference, McKenna said: “He was disappointed, as all the group were. It's the nature of football and it's the nature of being a goalkeeper. We made other mistakes in the game, lots of players on the pitch, probably everyone on the pitch made a mistake on Saturday. 

“When you’re a goalkeeper, margins are really, really fine, but I think he'd been in good form up until that moment on Saturday. I think he had a good game. I think his performances have been improving as the season has gone on. He's been helping us in a lot of different situations. I think he's been really growing in the season.

“So, same as any goalkeeper, defender, maybe those type of positions, especially when you make a decision or a mistake close to your goal, there's a chance there's a goal, especially in the level that we're operating in, and you're going to be disappointed. But it's how you bounce back from that.

“In your training, first and foremost, and I think he's bounced back in training well. We believe he's a goalkeeper with really high potential. He's already doing some things excellently this season that sometimes prevent goals. For example, his cross-claiming. 

“If I give one, I think he stops chances for the opposition with how good he is at taking crosses. And I'm pretty certain he's stopped goals this year that teams haven't even had a shot on because he's so strong in that aspect.

“But he's also a young goalkeeper, settling into a new area, into a new club with a new coaching staff, new teammates and new demands. And that process isn't always going to be perfect. 

“He's working hard. Christian's working really, really hard and Cieran Slicker is working really hard. It's a strong department that pushes each other and helps each other, and he's a big part of that.”

Is it the hardest position for a manager to make a change? “I think it's a different dynamic. It's not impossible. There are teams that have shared the position. I think Brighton shared the position last year in the league.

“There are teams that share it between the league and the cup. There are lots of teams that share the position between the league and European football, maybe.

“But in our context, we don't have a 46-game league season and we don't have European football, so you don't want to make changes in that position too flippantly.

“It always has to be considered. I think that's the nature of being a goalkeeper. On the other hand, you always need to be ready and we've seen that better than anyone. 

“Christian, as was clear, was probably going into last season as a first-choice goalkeeper in the Championship, snaps a tendon in his foot with a week to go to the season. Vaz [Vaclav Hladky] comes in and plays every league game and is a big part of a promotion-winning season. 

“You always have to be ready. You know you can go in at any time. We've got faith in both goalkeepers. We think Cieran Slicker is a really talented young goalkeeper underneath that. So, we're happy with the strength that we have in that department.”

Photo: IMAGO/Sportimage via Reuters Connect

Tractorboy58 added 16:30 - Dec 12 Drop him
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cymroglas added 16:30 - Dec 12 I may be completely wrong but KMs comments suggest he may be dropped on Saturday. Muric has made quite a lot of mistakes this season but has arguably pulled off some extraordinary saves....
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Karlosfandangal added 16:34 - Dec 12 Agree Cymroglas And it won’t help his confidence if the supporters start to get on his back
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Lord_Mac added 16:34 - Dec 12 Our first season in the Premiership for two decades may not have been the time to gamble n a keeper who is "very young for a goalkeeper and settling into a new club, so there are things and areas of his game that he's working really, really hard on."
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Saxonblue74 added 16:46 - Dec 12 Hladky was prone to errors, as is Walton. They are both top keepers and so is Muric. The difference is pretty much every error in the prem gets punished, unlike lge1 and championship football.
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Suffolkboy added 16:52 - Dec 12 Once again KM has it right in every aspect ; needs to assess , educate,coach and man manage alongside guarding team / individual morale . There’s no doubt any crucial decisions will be fearlessly taken ,and the results shouldered without complaint or blame . AM does have some areas for improvement / change ,but his Manager rightly tries to put everything into perspective ; it’s really why we love ITFC and all ! COYB

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Blue_In_Boston added 17:12 - Dec 12 It is hard to disagree with anything KMK says in that interview but football, and sport in general at the top level is brutal. The team has worked so hard for 30 months to get this crack at Premier League football, to say that Muric is young and new to the club is true. Isn't that something the management team should have considered in July?
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scooby added 17:30 - Dec 12 Muric has the potential to be one hell of a keeper and he has improved in many areas in the few short months he has been with us. We have all seen how good he can be and we all hope as does he that through playing and gaining experience cosistancy will come and the errors will get less as time goes on. Its all part of the development of being in the hardest position to master on a football pitch.

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kpblues added 17:57 - Dec 12 People say dropping him may affect his confidence but as a premier league player this comes with the territory. Not dropping him also sends a bad message to Walton and Slicker. Personally I would drop him and see how Walton does. If he works hard he will be back in the team.
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gippeswyk added 18:10 - Dec 12 Muric is 3rd in the table for number of saves by keepers in the prem so far. He deserves a lot of credit. He's improving and has the potential to keep town in the prem. Burnley fans said they would have stayed up if they had him for the season, not just the last 10 games. Anyone who thinks Walton who warmed the bench all last season can just come in and do better at a time when we're fighting for points is unrealistic. https://www.premierleague.com/stats/top/players/saves

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grow_our_own added 18:17 - Dec 12 If Muric can tune his decision-making he can be Prem-quality, easily. Perhaps he'll mature, but we can't afford to wait. I worry that he'll leave rather than languish on the bench, and in time will become a top keeper for another Prem team, but this is a risk we have to take. In terms of passing and creativity, we're unlikely to ever match Hladky again. His ball skills were outfield-good. But he was nowhere near as good at cross-claiming as Muric, whose shot-saving is also better. It's a question of how you weigh these attributes. Decision making (risk assessment) is probably the most valuable attribute, and right now Muric rates poorly.

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Carberry added 18:29 - Dec 12 He's 26, not 17. Just because goalkeepers play for longer doesn't mean he's going to be improve. And when you are in the bottom 3 you do generally have a lot of saves to make, which is why the statistics tell that story. I think this purchase was a poor one.
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Westy added 18:39 - Dec 12 Personally, I thought it was harsh for Christian Walton to be dropped after the Liverpool game as I thought he played well but whatever the Manager's decision regarding who plays against Wolves we should respect. It is surely not a clear cut decision but one of differing opinions and degrees and not a clear right and wrong answer to this. Let's support the managers decision whatever it is and get behind the boys.

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algarvefan added 19:35 - Dec 12 All that's talked about here is saves and mistakes, any really good keeper is about so much more than that. It's also about defending, making decisions and most importantly distribution. It seems pretty clear to me that our defenders have little or no confidence in him, in recent games O'Shea (who also knew him at Burnley, has been seen having a go at him after questionable decisions. Personally I think we bought a pup and I'd be in the market for a new number 1 in January.

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dirtydingusmagee added 20:45 - Dec 12 think it was a big gamble in our first season, but thats just my opinion , But hey ho .
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Bluearmy_81 added 20:58 - Dec 12 I used to be a goalkeeper, there are rules. Rule number one is you never come out unless you know for sure you can claim the ball. Rule number two is you don’t come out if there are defenders covering. This rulebook went out the window on Sunday for Muric, I have no idea why, it still blows my mind. He shouldn’t have even thought about coming out under the circumstances. It was literally Sunday league stuff. If McKenna keeps playing him we will go down, simple as that

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blueboyd added 21:37 - Dec 12 why do folk keep saying Muric has made some good saves, it is his job in the team to make those saves. His consistency is the worst I have seen in many many years. Drop him!
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gkroon89 added 21:43 - Dec 12 Chuckled a little at the young for a keeper comment. He’s 26….think McKenna is just trying to protect him a little in what has been said. Personally I would drop him against Wolves - a goalkeeper should be no different to any other outfield player. You cost the team - you should be dropped. The poster above mentioning save stats - we are in the bottom 3 and have a quite a few against us each match. The saves stat means nothing. Of course his will look against keepers in the top half as he faces more shots. Wolves and Southampton have both dropped their keepers already, so the question remains with why haven’t we? Muric has the same if not more errors leading to goals. Let’s face it, you have a good defence in front of you and it can hide just what level the keeper is. You only have to look at Ederson at Man City. Pundits were raving about him saying he was the best - injuries to the defensive players in front of him and they have exposed that he is not actually that good with shot stopping and has been dropped.

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Tedray added 22:10 - Dec 12 I do not understand this, Muric is mistake prone ,will not improve in my opinion and is costing us valuable points. What do the defenders think that play in front of him,surely they can have little confidence They must have been livid against Bournemouth after putting it all in only to have Muric give the game away. I await with interest..........
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cressi added 22:37 - Dec 12 A mistake in him every game some he gets away with some he doesn't. Personally we needed a experienced old fox between the sticks and we have a gambler with his feet and his decision making as somebody mentioned his 26 not 18 I'm not convinced.
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Carberry added 23:22 - Dec 12 Suffolkboy, I don't believe he is putting this into perspective at all. He is doing a PR job for Muric because he is going to pick him again. Muric has poor judgement, doesn't dominate his area and gives no confidence to defenders particularly with his feet. Did you hear the interview with Mateta after he had scored the winner for Palace. He said he was told the keeper goes down too early which made his goal easier to score. Now that secret is out, it will happen again. McKenna must have no confidence in Walton, what a mess.

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ChrisFelix added 09:12 - Dec 13 Watching him this season he doesn't communicate with his defenders. We are going to struggle with the unfairness of the premier league this season.The added errors by Muric simply compound the situation & make our chances virtually impossible
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hyperbrit added 10:41 - Dec 13 Walton's goalkeeping was catastrophic in the Caraboo Cup loss
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Sandman180 added 11:51 - Dec 13 The number of saves he's made this season is a little incredulous, one, we're fighting the Alamo most weeks, so he's likely going to busy, and two, given he's also top of the mistakes made leading to goals table (with 4, although there's been plenty of other poor decisions that have led to easy goals being scored) it then becomes irrelevant. He's a good shot stopper, but his communication and decision making is very poor, and in many ways he hasn't been an upgrade on Hladky, you'd do little to convince me otherwise, albeit i don't think Hladky is premier league quality either. You just simply cannot be making these errors in big game moments - the decision to come off his line on Sunday was ridiculous, that's inexcusable at that time of the game, or at any time of the game in fact. We're judged on our performances as a metric in any role, and if this continues to waiver without improvement, changes are made, same applies here. Looking bleak heading through the Xmas period in terms of a run of fixtures, what cannot be understated is that no silly errors can occur, as the margin for error is simply too small in the Prem, we'll be punished, as we have already. Muric himself will be aware that his level has slipped - hope he puts it right, if not, Walton needs to be considered, why not.

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Dissboyitfc added 11:55 - Dec 13 Sorry but not a Muric fan, at 26 a keeper has a lot of years playing ahead of him. But really can't describe him as a young keeper! Give Walton a game!
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