Both are average keepers but in MLS you don't need a very good keeper to win, as long as the defense doesn't hang the keepers out to dry every game we should be fine with either.
Both are average keepers but in MLS you don't need a very good keeper to win, as long as the defense doesn't hang the keepers out to dry every game we should be fine with either.
If you want to look at the low hanging fruit salary wise it's Caldwell and findley. Keeper wise, we're about where we need to be. I wouldn't be eager to replace bednik mid season with another guy to save a small amount of cap space.
That's a low reward, high risk type of move.
as a keeper my whole life, I was a lot more like Bendik but I always tried to be a lot more like Konopka. People here give Konopka shit for fumbling a cross now and again, but he's way, way more aggressive on crosses and corners than Bendik is, so he's more likely to get one wrong now and again.
I've been a defender of Bendik throughout his time here. Mostly I was defending the notion that he is in fact a serviceable MLS starting keeper, despite his faults. He rarely makes obviously bad decisions, is pretty consistent, has good hands and can make some saves.
But we've never, ever been good defensively with Bendik. Some of that definitely had to do with the guys in front of him and with Nelsen. But he's really, really conservative on crosses, is slow off his line and is prone to being one or two steps off where he should be positionally. He's also short, and not particularly athletic.
Konopka on the other hand is far more willing to roll it out short after when he has it. His distribution stats might look worse than Bendik but that's probably because he's only sending it long in certain situations when it's harder for us to win aerial balls. Like I said, Konopka can make a gaffe coming out for crosses sometimes, but that's because he comes out for so many and rarely makes the wrong decision. He's a better decision maker than Bendik, he's better postionally than Bendik, he commands the box better than Bendik, he handles aerial balls way better than Bendik, he's taller than Bendik, He's probably a better shot stopper than Bendik, and he has better footwork than Bendik. He's probably slower than Bendik coming off his line (which is impressive in it's own right) but we play a deep line so he's rarely forced into uncomfortable positions.
At the end of the day, Bendik does little detriment to the team but he doesn't really add anything. From what I've seen, Konopka is pretty slow and can fumble a ball now and again, but he adds way more at that position than Bendik does. I really like Bendik. He seems like a really good guy around the locker room. But Konopka should keep getting starts for now. Our defense has never really looked better than right now, and that partially has to do with Konopka playing to his strength's and working in sync with our back four.
If Bendik was on less money I wouldn't mind keeping him long-term as a backup, but if Konopka keeps this up we might have to think about moving Bendik to get that cap space. So is the nature of the league. There are teams in this league who would probably take on Bendik in a salary dump type trade. If we're trying to add key pieces in the summer I think it's something the FO is going to have to consider. We have two young back ups who are highly regarded and should be fighting for at least a #2 spot on an MLS team at this point.
There isn't really a trade market for Goalies at the moment. SKC is the only team I can think of that's probably looking/wanting one.
How long is Bendiks contract?
Doubt it's SKC, they love Melia and Kempin.
I can't think of anywhere he could go specifically but that could be subject to change by august.
Neither of the young guys down in TFCII are good enough to be in there if the starting keeper goes down/gets a red.
Keep Konopka and Bendik around until 2017.
Both are good keepers.
Konopka at the moment is doing well. I say keep him in there until he starts to really show signs of weakness greater than Bendik.
Wrong sport mate :POriginally Posted by boozilla
Konopka stays until we lose. Then put Bernier back in.
You put my thoughts into words, as keeper is one position I rely have a hard time analyzing. But you spelled out exactly why I like Konopka, and what I simply labeled as confidence. While I do not want my keeper to be irresponsibly aggressive, I want him to take charge on crosses, corners and such. As a cb I will put my body on the attacking player and create room for the keeper to go up and get the ball, I hate when the keeper hesitates, and lets the ball go through or down in the crowd, were then I or another defender has too leave the man I am marking and get to the ball, giving an opportunity to the opponents where it could have easily been taking away by the keeper. this is why I like what I see from Konopka, and with touches he will fumbles less and perhaps become more judicious.
Welcome to the forums Scarlet :P. There are cool emoticons available here.
Some signify jokes, however bad.
Until Konopka makes a big error or needs a rest there is no need to change him. Bendik will have to wait for his place back in the team.
Well he did make two HUGE errors against DC, we just got fortunate with the offside call on the first and DC not being able to capitalize on the second.
American Soccer Analysis say Konopka. The only big knock on his game is his crazy aggressiveness in coming out for crosses (which he's been lucky to get away with). He just needs to chill out a bit.
Anyone prepared to change their vote? On the second goal, the crowd moaned as soon as they saw Konopka send a weak pass through the box to Zavaletta. Turnover - that play should never had started. Not surprised by his decision making though. The defense didn't help, but that goal was on Konopka.
That's not necessary for the majority in here. It would be consistent for many in here to say they'd give Bendik the start now that K had a bad game.
FORMER FULL TIME KOOL-AID DRINKER
Like many plays in MLS, goals are the result of multiple mistakes as opposed to simply one in isolation. Sure it wasn't the best pass but Zavaletta should have cut his losses and put his foot through it, end of story. That weak attempted pass upfield by Zavaletta was the most criminal mistake in that sequence. At that point the nearest player should have taken a tactical foul and stopped the play (but that didn't happen either).
But people focus too much on these individual moments. Zavaletta plays a very quiet efficient game, which is positive. The bigger thing on the day is we scored no goals... At home.
^ The majority on here tends to blame thinks on individuals and individuals mistakes,which is only part of the big picture.
I'm liking Konopka more and more.
He didn't even take a photo with the guy after drinking half his over priced beer!
I'd rather have the beer story than a pic, myself.
This is now part of the Konopka, TFC story.
FORMER FULL TIME KOOL-AID DRINKER
Amen. Not every situation in life has to be a photo-op, despite recent trends.
They'd likely come to something of an agreement, when Konopka was idle or fetching a ball kicked into touch, that he'd have a sip, should we come out on top—and he kept up his end of the bargain.
Konopka probably just didn't want to take things too far, lest it be made into a bigger deal and possibly be seen as a distraction, with his "antics" potentially threatening his tenuous starting role; not a stretch to imagine that some might think pounding a beer, on the pitch, should be reserved for when we've won something of particular significance, so I can understand his wanting to keep it a bit low-key.
Konopka has not won us a game.
Bendik is better between the pipes for sure, distribution etc, same, same.
Does anyone think Bendik would've made the difference last night?
Penalty save, dealing with Morrows back pass. That's 2 right there.
FORMER FULL TIME KOOL-AID DRINKER
No. This result was inevitable. It would have been the same. Maybe Bendik stops that back pass one because he never leaves his line but still, in the end, we lose either way.
Would have made zero difference. Bednik would have sat in his six yard box on the back pass and Keane finding space to fire that one in would have been a formality. Knopka made the only play you can make as a keeper in that situation and the one coaches will tell you to: go out and challenge immediately.
Konopka also saved us from a bad Perquis back pass, by the way. Morrow's mistake was just catastrophic, the only way to get away with that is if Keane horribly messes up.
Hard to be on your game when your left high and dry by your D
they are both average ...we need a better keeper next season.
I've said it before, but surely with the funds/budget we have we could lure a decent EPL or bundesliga backup keeper to come here and give him the starts and playing time he wants/deserves.
They would not come here for the 150K or so a keeper is worth in this league. Anything more is not worth the % of the total cap.
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