Exclusive: Parkes passes his Adrian judgement

Hammers goalkeeping hero Phil Parkes haParkes thens joined ClaretandHugh for a series of blogs  as we enter the international break.Phil remains an Iron to his backbone but called it a day on attending matches when the club left the Boleyn believing  it could never be the same for him again. However, he’s been keeping up with everything on the pitch via TV and here looks at goalkeeper Adrian after a season where he doesn’t believe the Spaniard has been his best, culminating in a dreaful error against Stoke City.

By Phil Parkes

I’ve looked at Adrian’s charge from goal on Saturday several times thanks to the wonders of TV replay boxes and I still haven’t got a clue what he was trying to achieve.

Randolph-645947The area into which the ball was arriving was full of Hammers defenders and there was abaslutely no need for him to do anything other than let those responsible clear it.

As the manager said today, he made an error of judgement and in my opinion it was a very big one and could cost us big time at the end of the season if we remain locked into a relegation scrap.

Even before the goal he had dropped a corner and looked as uncertain as he has done at various other times this season.

There’s no question in my mind that Adrian – whom I really like as a eeper at his best – has been off his game generally this season and that has affected the back four.

Whilst Saturday’s mistake was an absolute shocker there have been some other errors notably aganst Watford when in my book he was responsbile for a couple of the goals and maybe at Everton where he could possibly have done better with both goals.

Slav has said this morning that he remains his Number One which is all well and good but personally I think the guy needs a rest as like several others he looks short on confidence.

It happens and I thnk the fair thing to do is to bring in Darren Randolph, an international goalkeeper who has never let us down.

It’s also worth remembering he was in goal when we gave our best performance of the season against Chelsea.

As I say I’m a big admirer of Adrian but neother he or anyone else can becom an “untouchable.” We’ve been down that road before and it doesn’t work.

COYI

 

 

 

 

 

About Hugh5outhon1895

Hugh Southon is a lifelong Iron and the founding editor of ClaretandHugh. He is a national newspaper journalist of many years experience and was Bobby Moore's 'ghost' writer during the great man's lifetime. He describes ClaretandHugh as "the Hammers daily newspaper!" Follow on Twitter @hughsouthon