Robin Olsen

[Ginko]

1 minute ago, Keener window-cleaner said:

Kept a clean sheet! I couldn't watch the game, how did he play?

He only played the second half, but he was pretty comfortable passing it around the back. They tested him early on with a rising shot, but he tipped it over the bar easily enough. Can’t complain, really, but he wasn’t really challenged.

[Keener window-cleaner]

2 minutes ago, Ginko said:

He only played the second half, but he was pretty comfortable passing it around the back. They tested him early on with a rising shot, but he tipped it over the bar easily enough. Can’t complain, really, but he wasn’t really challenged.

Thanks, nevertheless good for his confidence. I guess the slower tempo/intensity made it easier for him to pass it around.

[The_Steve]

Happy for Robin to get some confidence. Less so for the typical nonsense comments when he first came on.

[stewiek2]

7 minutes ago, The_Steve said:

Happy for Robin to get some confidence. Less so for the typical nonsense comments when he first came on.

Dare I say he looked much improved in preseason. Maybe, just maybe Unai's philosophy, he and his team's coaching techniques are helping him!?

[villabromsgrove]

22 minutes ago, The_Steve said:

Happy for Robin to get some confidence. Less so for the typical nonsense comments when he first came on.

I came on here to post the same. I generally avoid the match day thread because of the regular vitriolic comments about some of our players by some of our fans.

Olsen is important to us as our back up keeper this season and we need to get behind him. My advice to the haters is .... If a player is on the pitch in the Villa kit playing for Villa he needs and deserves your support. Fans also have a big part to play, and keyboard warriors perform no useful positive function imo. UTV!

[The_Steve]

9 minutes ago, villabromsgrove said:

I came on here to post the same. I generally avoid the match day thread because of the regular vitriolic comments about some of our players by some of our fans.

Olsen is important to us as our back up keeper this season and we need to get behind him. My advice to the haters is .... If a player is on the pitch in the Villa kit playing for Villa he needs and deserves your support. Fans also have a big part to play, and keyboard warriors perform no useful positive function imo. UTV!

I think being a supporter (emphasis on the support aspect) is lost on some. Nobody is saying you can’t criticise. But the level of vitriol or mockery is just not needed. 

[It's Your Round]

He did well enough without being massively tested. I believe he can improve and he seems to have got better at passing/decision making already, a bit. We’re not going to find a top class keeper happy to play back up so seems we may as well get behind Olsen and hope he does well. 

[Zatman]

One cross which he parried away it was comfortable but he looked better with the ball at his feet which I think it what we wanted to see

[luckyeddie]

Olsen's main job is to be part of the team that prepares EMI for match day, because top goalkeepers are rarely injured. This means that he will never get a run of games to show his best form. A second choice GK cannot just drop into the team and play as well as the superior first choice. Reserve GK is an impossible position and I think our perspective is skewed because of what Spink did in the final. He is the current scapegoat, but I think he is adequate cover and would do ok. My main gripe with him is not twatting that man city fan on the pitch 

[StanBalaban]

Can clearly see he's been integrated into the style of play that Unai wants. Seems to be able to invite the press and find a pass, although I think he's more likely to release the ball earlier than Emi.

If he plays on Sunday, I hope he's given the backing and confidence from the fans. As @luckyeddie said, the role of a second keeper is a difficult one for the club to get right. Especially when the first choice keeper is Emi Martinez.

We have an experienced, international GK that knows his role and seems happy to play his part. He's made errors for sure, but what player wouldn't be rusty when asked to play once every 6 months or so? He's not some 38 year old, over the hill stand-in that many other clubs have. He will have benefitted from 9 months of Unai's coaching, so hopefully he just needs to get the confidence of the support to help him further if he's called upon. 

[grantholtgolazo]

Excellent rational points in the previous two posts, backup goalie is a unique position; requires a great deal of mental strength alongside the expected physical capability.

All that considered, borderline terrifying to imagine him starting at the weekend.

Edited August 25, 2023 by grantholtgolazo

[luckyeddie]

9 minutes ago, grantholtgolazo said:

Excellent rational points in the previous two posts, backup goalie is a unique position; requires a great deal of mental strength alongside the expected physical capability.

All that considered, borderline terrifying to imagine him starting at the weekend.

Being bad in his first game is not ideal but expected, but if he has made no improvement after half a dozen consecutive games then I believe we would have to look to replace him. Until then I think his work on the training ground outweighs everything else.

[Rustibrooks]

Seems likely that he’ll play this weekend, let’s get behind him for the game. We’ll be fine hopefully. Come on Robin!

[gwi1890]

Really rooting for this guy hope a shut up a few vulgar vocals. 

[CarryOnVilla]

I feel Olsen is a decent backup keeper for another team. Emi is vital in how commands the box and he’s part of playing out from the back. Olsen is your general shot stopper, and not quite the “footballer” or commander Emi is. So when he comes in, he’s a mix of not right in the system, not playing often enough and crowd on his back from previous fuckups. He’s rightfully nervous, what always leads to another **** up. 

if we were able to adjust our system to accommodate his limitations, he should be fine. But when he has played the system never did. So yeah a decent backup for a club who utilises a shotstopper keeper, not particularly us right now 

[skarroki]

Good luck on Sunday Olsen. Play a blinder, calm the nerves about you deputising, prove people wrong. 

[Marka Ragnos]

10 hours ago, luckyeddie said:

Olsen's main job is to be part of the team that prepares EMI for match day, because top goalkeepers are rarely injured. This means that he will never get a run of games to show his best form. A second choice GK cannot just drop into the team and play as well as the superior first choice. Reserve GK is an impossible position and I think our perspective is skewed because of what Spink did in the final. He is the current scapegoat, but I think he is adequate cover and would do ok. My main gripe with him is not twatting that man city fan on the pitch 

He seems to have a good and mutually respectful relationship with Martinez, too. When you see them interact, the body language is really positive. No, it's not talent on the ball, etc. but relationships should count for something because warming up means preparing mentally and emotionally, too.

[Demitri_C]

Ill be delighted if he proves me wrong

[luckyeddie]

For the first time in my life time we have a nr 1 GK who is untouchable. Most of the time a nr 2 GK will be told that if they get a chance and take it, they become nr 1. This is not the case here. We have to have the best available option who accepts this reality, or spend a fortune on someone to challenge Emi. Anyone good enough to challenge Emi, is already a nr 1 GK and probably playing champions league football. I have yet to see anyone put forward a sensible option, just random names ranging from a19 year old novice to David de Gea.

[DakotaVilla]

The only sensible solution is to scout a world class novice and say the deal is that he will learn from Emi over the next few years and then ultimately take over from him in 2 to 3 years when he inevitably moves on. Then give him the cup games for development and everyone is fully aligned.