Season Previews
Season Preview: Meet The Keepers
With the season now less than two weeks away, I begin the countdown and look at the squad; starting with those crazy goalkeepers.
By HeapyLatic Jul 30, 2015, 3:00pm BST
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Who would be a goalkeeper? Well actually in my short time playing football I was a keeper, and well as a group I do think we all have very similar traits. This summer at Wigan though has seen two goalkeepers leave and one keeper come in via the revolving door at the DW Stadium.
It was clear very early on towards the end of last season that both Scott Carson and Ali Al Habsi would be allowed to leave the club. The latter leaving on a free transfer upon the ending of his contract with the club, whilst we were able to sell Carson to Derby County.
Coming in the opposite way was highly rated Walsall keeper Richard O'Donnell on a free transfer. The keeper has arguably been one of the best goalkeepers in League One over the past couple of season and at the age of 26 there is still plenty of room for improvement with the Yorkshire man.
O'Donnell is an impressive and imposing figure in the goal who will defiantly add something to our defensive abilities even over our previous two goalkeepers. Although both Al Habsi and Carson were fine shot stoppers, there abilities coming for crosses always left something to be desired for and on more than one occasion it had cost us matches.
The other goalkeeper fighting for the number one jersey is our own youth product in Lee Nicholls. Now at the age of 22 the keeper will be itching to get some first team action and show everyone that it isn't just potential but ability he can offer to the team. For me he has all the attributes to go far as a goalkeeper and it will be interesting to see which of the two line up come the 8th August.
Looking down the games from pre-season so far (we still have to face Blackburn on Friday which I feel will give us the best clue to the team Caldwell will be looking to play) it looks as if O'Donnell will be Cadwell's number one come the start of the season.
With that bit more experience you do lean for the 26 year old to start, however I would love to see Nicholls be given the chance. A hard one to decided and be interesting to see which of our two keepers is given a starting berth.
Goalkeeper to start the season: Richard O'Donnell