Jason Steele

If he isn't sold should Jason Steele be our first choice GK?

He's our best GK but at the moment it looks like he isn't in Karanka's plans. This may be because we are looking to move him on or he isn't fancied by the management.

I must admit I'm not overly confident with Mejias being between the sticks. Watching him today, his distribution was poor. Dimi had an excellent spell in the team last season and although I would be confident with him in goal, I would much prefer Jason Steele in goal.

What are your thoughts on this issue?

I think Dimi had a great spell towards the end of the season and that Mejias looks decent. I actually think his kicking was impressive today and by all accounts he is a great shot stopper, as pretty much all GK's are.

I like Steele, and don't understand why he hasn't been given chances by AK. Having said that, it is a position where there are always cheap options that are of a good enough standard so if we could get a fee for him then I wouldn't complain.

Don't shoot the messenger, but I have heard from a friend that has a source in the club that he turned down Charlton on loan but may possibly go to Blackpool as he is desperate to play. Let's see if that happens!

We in all honesty I don't rate any of our keeper too highly. Yeah there's potential in Steele and could go on to be great but I don't feel confident when he's in goal. Dimi isn't exactly a top keeper but good understudy. I haven't seen enough of Mejias to make a judgement on my own but I'm yet to hear a good review from a fan. I do however trust AK to make the right decision

Mejias seems like a typical European keeper. Great shot stopper, not afraid to come out, seems vocal but not a catcher.

It does bug me that he seems to punch rather than catch, I think if a keeper can punch it he can usually catch it!

I too am happy to trust Aitor and Leo on this one.

i dont think theres a whole lot to choose beetween the three keepers at this moment in time but Steele does have age on his side compared to Dimi .

i honestly think he was thrown in abit at the deep end a few years back and too much trust put on him too soon but he is definately worth a bigger part in the team than hes been given , Obviously AK and JS just dont gel as bosum buddies for one reason or another and if that cant be forgiven and forgotten its becoming more likely that we may sacrifice his services . i hope not tbh but were sitting on a sizeable asset that be may useful on the book balancing side of things .

for me the second best aquisition we made last season (after AK) was Shay Given ...unfortunately that also didnt do JS any favours at all.

I think JS getting sent off in AK's first game didn't do him any favours :P

I do agree I think Steele was thrown in a little too young but always thought he looked ok. I like Steele, although he had his flaws he did seem to improve season on season.

Dimi did well at the end of last season and AK always said he'd play the players who were training and playing the best. I can't really comment on Mejias as I've seen very little of him so far. What I will say is AK and Leo see these guys day in, day out in training and I fully trust them.

The biggest difference since Steele was in the team is the defence. We're so much more orgainised now than at any time Steele was in goal. Yes, he let a fair few in but that was because he was facing more efforts on goal if that makes sense.

But as said above, the coaches obviously don't rate him but I think he'll make a decent championship keeper for someone.

It does bug me that he seems to punch rather than catch, I think if a keeper can punch it he can usually catch it!

 

I too am happy to trust Aitor and Leo on this one.

When he was warming up before the match he was punching all the crosses from the coaches, didn't know whether this was because he can't catch or he was actually practicing punching

Steele is a decent prospect but I do feel that he is given so much praise by our fans because he is a local lad. Dimi had a great end to the season but there is still question marks about him long term, Mejias looks good but is unproven and Steele is a good prospect but just an average keeper at the moment

I think that all three of the potential first choice goalkeepers we have, have pritty much the same chance to claim a stake as being the regular number one as all have great capabilities and all have some little niggles in their personal styles, such as a for mejias he likes to punch rather than catch, steele doesnt like to be too vocal in his dealings with the defence and Dimi just does gets on with things but with his age he isnt the long term choice so is only going to be long term back up. But hey having Dimi as a back up for a season or two isnt to bad. The young lad Ripley is out getting experience but I think he's still 2-3 years before he will challenge for a regular place because he's not championship ready yet and next season will only be harder, but with the guys around the club and picking up tips and expo from loan spells he might be a good call for the future.

The above ramble was all my own opinion and hey its as good as anybodies, but my main point to all this is that listening watching and reading the reports and statements regarding the goalies at the club coming from the two men that really matter Karanka and Leo Percovich I have yet to see a comment about steele being anything better than the he's got experience, yes it could be accounted for by the fact steele got injured so early and mejias already known to karanka but unless steele's praises are only sung in private it strikes me as if something in private has happened which for everybodies sake is being kept private by leo and karanka because all bosses usually have something good to say about players/employees and up to now ive yet to see anything positive about steele being said for months now.

http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/sport/football/middlesbrough/read_article/11387205.Middlesbrough_head_coach_Aitor_Karanka_explains_Steele__39_s_absence/

Karanka just doesn't fancy him, so he's no chance

Baffling.

Personally rate Steele, with the more solid defence in front of him I believe he could break the record for clean sheets, but it's only one persons call, AK's.

Karanka is making a mistake in my opinion