Our Starting Goalie now Bendik's healthy?
I saw this article from Waking the Red about our starting GK.
http://www.wakingthered.com/2015/6/9...fs-controversy
Now that Bendik is healthy, who do you believe our starting keeper? Konopka has been great in goal, (ok maybe not the last game) so do you think we should change anything?
Don't fix what aint broken. Konopka all the way. And it's not like Bendik ever really flourished he's a give away machine as well.Originally Posted by DragonicKhaos
Easy choice, Konopka. I don't even know where that WTR article is coming from. There's been hate for Konopka? I've seen far more hate for Bendik.
Yes Konokpa was shaky against D.C. but he's been excellent otherwise, and hasn't cost us points yet. Start him until he does, then this is a discussion worth having. I think Bendik is a fine keeper but in my opinion he cost us at least a point against Chicago.
Baloney. Bologna.
People for years on this forum have been more in love with potential and hope for a player. This is no different. People felt the same way with Bendik as they do now with Konopka.
That was not just one shaky start - that's who Konopka is. Though the ball didn't fly through his hands in the earlier games - all the signs were there that it was a matter of time.
He is not an MLS starter, he's a guy you have on the bench to play in friendlies and maybe the first game of a Canadian championship game.
Bendik might not be the answer - but Konopka is certainly not either, and these rose colored glasses won't last long. Konopka is just not a starter in this league.
OK, neither Bendik or Konopka are optimal. But if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Konopka starts until he starts costing us points.
Listen, neither of these guys are the long term answer at keeper. However, I'd rather Konopka in goal so that we can shift Bendik for salary cap relief.
Moderator
Both keepers have flaws - I don't think there's any clear answer between sticking with the "hot hand", versus giving the injured guy a shot to get the job back.
Personally, I'd probably give the edge to Konopka right now.
“Heroism breaks its heart, and idealism its back, on the intransigence of the credulous and the mediocre, manipulated by the cynical and the corrupt.” ~Christopher Hitchens
Konopka goes when Vanney's Pink shirt goes.
First of all, I didn't say he's excellent, I said he's been excellent. That's a big difference.
But moreover, this gets a huge meh from me.
Goalkeeper is not a position you should be spending significant dollars on in this league at this stage. Konopka is cheap and good enough. That's the perfect goalkeeper as far as I'm concerned. Not saying Konopka is the best we can do, just that in my opinion he ticks the boxes of what we should be looking for, so I'm satisfied. So did Bendik by the way, but he's pushing that with his raise in pay vs. a regression in his play.
Listen, the Galaxy won back to back cups with Josh Saunders not too long ago, and SKC won with 35 year old and completely average Jimmy Nielsen. SKC is looking like one of the strongest teams in the league at the moment and they have two nobodies guarding their net, pretty much same as us. There are three keepers in the league who you could say are nearly mistake-free - Rimando, Hamid and Kennedy - and the teams that employ them are all paying a premium. I think that money is better spent elsewhere so having average keepers really doesn't bother me.
We're not looking for huge spend, but we are looking for an MLS starter, and just wait - Konopka will prove that he's not that.
Here's the tricky part, the honeymoon for our fans usually lasts a .75 to 1 season before we go from "let's use him right now because he's played 2 games and hasn't been absolutely horrid" to "now that we've had time to evaluate, he has lots of flaws and we need the upgrade".
We're going to be pushing for a playoff spot, and potentially a run. Our love goggles for him at the moment need to be removed and realize that in a half season we'll be on the cusp of the playoffs and that is not the time for us to realize that he's not the one - and is in fact someone that could single handedly cost us our season.
Bendik is a quality sub, and reliable for some starts.
Konopka is not a starter.
We know what Bendik has to offer and where the deficiencies are. With Konopka, he's glowing with errors, and once he has a body of work (and not just a few games), we'll all see he's not a starter.
If we don't stick with Bendik, the hunt needs to be on for an upgrade.
Sounds like what was said about Warner last year.
I'm liking the beard though, not enough soccer players with beards.
Konopka stays until we lose. Then put Bernier back in.
Konopka is terrible in the air.
I say get Bendik back in there as soon as possible.
What's TFCs record since Konopka started playing? Yah... Talk to me when that changes.
I agree...
Bendik
Year Club GP GS MIN SHT SV GA PKG PKA W L T
2015 Toronto FC 6 6 540 1 25 11 0 0 2 4 0
Konopka
As much as Konopka is shaky at times, he still is winning.
2015 Toronto FC 6 6 540 2 18 5 1 2 4 1 1
and I suppose the fact the team in front of the keeper has improved significantly has nothing to do with that...
All things aside, Bendik is the superior keeper for me, no doubt. Konopka was shaky against Philly, which was excusable because it was his first match in how long, but he showed the same weaknesses again against DC. It's not just a fluke at this point, we need to recognize that he has trouble determining when to come out for the ball (and often messes up when he does) and it WILL cost us goals/games if it continues.
That said, Konopka has had some good performances in this run and it may be unwise to shake things up in the middle of a good thing.
Sounds like more people want an upgrade than to stick with either.
This thread is choosing the best of 2 unspectacular options.
I go with Konopka because he's on a run. Like most people. I don't think anybody is blinding themselves with his perfection. If it's a choice between what we'd call 2 backups then one usually goes with what's working.
FORMER FULL TIME KOOL-AID DRINKER
Quillan Roberts.
I would say that's the main reason, yes.
Right now, he's not an upgrade. In 4 seasons, we will likely be arguing Bono vs. Roberts.
league would benefit from a goalie DP rule.
but then that lower the goals per game which is bad for busienss in N.A
I wouldn't go as far as saying that, however, Konopka is playing sound and should be left in goal. I think you seem to be overlooking Konopka's very scary moments in which he has been very lucky to get through. Don't get me wrong I like Konopka as a keeper. But one must be more analytical when comparing players. Just my thoughts. I also voted Konopka
If we consider Bendik and Q as similar quality, I'd choose Q all the time who has been dominant with TFC 2.
I wouldn't yet. USL is 3rd division for a reason. And Roberts wasn't dominant at first. Give him a few years down there honing his craft and he will be a way better player then if brought up now.
I've never felt Bendik is as good as some proclaim, and Konopka's performances I think show that the generic US/NAmerican keeper is more than capable at putting in decent performances and not being a liability. Which is what Bendik is - typical NCAA/US youth keeper that you can find every year in the draft. He can be replaced as easily as Frei and Kocic before him and I'd have no issues with either Q or Bono even getting a look.
Vote for Konopka. The team is playing well, I don't think you want to change a winning side unless the player coming in good upgrade in quality (ie Jozy back in for Moore).
Both are backups, both are dodgy in their own ways, but I don't see anything from Bendik to suggest we'd be better with him in now.
I'm still shocked that Frei lost his starting spot here. He is clearly a very good starting keeper at the MLS level.
Moderator
Easy vote for Konopka for myself. Like many have already mentioned, the team is doing well and we seem to have a good chemistry going on right now, so I see little reason to change things up in net.
Did the USA , of all countries, just fix soccer? - C. Ronaldo, May 27th commenting on the FBI-led investigations into fraud and corruption throughout FIFA.
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