1 | James Trafford - 2025/26

[Lavinda Past]

Shit happens... And then you get replaced by Donnarumma.

 

[SiMCFC]

In what way?

By asking him to play the way he has today, he isnt good with his feet.

That’s his job

He cant bloody do it, not his fault he's been shoehorned in for some crazy reason.

 

[Mcfc1.9.8.0]

That’s his job

But he’s not good enough to do so management shouldn’t have him doing it.

If you’re shite at something in work I’m sure your manager wouldn’t have you doing it

Either stick Ederson in net or play a different style

 

[There is a Light]

Which is the bigger overreaction?

1. Those that have concocted a scenario where Trafford is inevitable. They have decided that he is an amazing keeper, better than Eddie and we don’t need Donnarumma after a comfortable performance against a shite Wolves side.

2. Those that had genuine concerns about him being number 1 even before today, and have just witnessed the 2nd goal as well as other very nervy moments.

It’s his second match - get a grip

 

[SiMCFC]

People are going to over react but he is not a keeper that is EVER going to be a good ball playing keeper, we've either signed him for after Pep leaves and we abandon playing out from the back or absolutely kill his confidence playing him and asking him to do a job he can't do, a lot will depend on how stubborn Pep is as he has demonstrated with other players.

 

[Tomblue]

It’s his second match - get a grip

This is no excuse, he isn’t the level required it’s quite simple.

 

[OrigamiNinja]

I've seen Ederson do the exact same thing before, even in a game against the exact same team haha. Didn't get on Eddie's back then, not going to get on Trafford's back now.

Surely after 8 years of playing with the ball at the feet of the keeper fans understand this is something that happens from time to time?

There’s a difference though. There is a risk attached to the way we play. For the most part, it’s low-risk because Eddie is an absolute freak. Other teams try and play our way and get caught out because their keeper is not Eddie. Look at Onana at the rags. He came in as a ball-playing keeper. Now he’s a laughing stock.

It’s highly likely that Trafford is not as good with his feet, so our own risk-levels have gone up. Eddie would make that mistake a couple of times per season and people wouldn’t question him, because they knew it was inevitable at some point but not the norm. Trafford has done it in game 2 and the pressure will be heaped on him now…was it a one-off mistake, or is going to become a nervous wreck whenever the ball is at his feet?

 

[Stelea]

Safe to say he won’t be starting next week

 

[mosssideblue]

But he’s not good enough to do so management shouldn’t have him doing it.

If you’re shite at something in work I’m sure your manager wouldn’t have you doing it

Either stick Ederson in net or play a different style

He’s a professional footballer and should be more than capable of a short pass in the right direction. I

 

[OrigamiNinja]

It’s his second match - get a grip

And last week was his 1st match, after which many said we didn’t need Eddie or Donnarumma.

 

[Big Yaya Wilko 12]

Distribution was shit today. 2 good saves at the end but the damage was done.

Timing of the 2nd goal killed us. Stupid ball to a player on his heels who’s also not capable of protecting it.

 

[Mcfc1.9.8.0]

He’s a professional footballer and should be more than capable of a short pass in the right direction. I

Should be but he’s not so management shouldn’t have him in net or play different way

 

[There is a Light]

This is no excuse, he isn’t the level required it’s quite simple.

Neither was Ederson apparently for a huge section of our fanbase. Neither was Otega. And there are a lot of concerning comments about Donnaruma’s ability with his feet and in the air.

If he’s not dropped, I’ll choose to wait and see if he’s up to the standard or not, instead of judging on the basis of 90 minutes.

 

[Cheadle_hulmeBlue]

The defence and midfield being non existent didn’t help him. Little to no movement infront of him as well

 

[mosssideblue]

Should be but he’s not so management shouldn’t have him in net or play different way

I understand your point but today his error was on him, and imo, only him as he had options when he had the ball as he was facing the outfield.

He chose option A, and fucked it up. For me that’s nothing to do with playing out from the back, but simply making a dogs dinner of what was a simple pass

 

[alexmcity]

Doubt he's currently better than Ortega, but time is on his side.

 

[TonyM]

The goal was awful but overall I thought he was OK. 2nd keeper though. Which is great providing that we get a number 1.

 

[skillman]

The idea of the pass itself is fine. It’s the execution that’s the issue.

If that’s Ederson then he plays it to the side of our player which doesn’t have an opposition player charging down. A bit of a baffling - and worrying - decision really.

 

[ninjamonkey]

People are fixated on the wrong thing here. The goal was a colossal fuck up, just a horrific pass to make but you can chalk up mistakes and move on.

The bigger issue was how poor his general distribution and sweeping was. The players infront of him know he isn't Ederson and don't look anywhere near as comfortable playing it back to him, it's breeding reluctance and second guessing from those infront of him which is having a negativr impact on our build up. Even when he launched it, it was to absolutely nobody within 15 yards of the ball. Then his sweeping was horrendous and probably the worst part of his display. Kept deciding to come out after an intial delay by which time it was already too late and nothing but blind luck saved further blushes.

Many seem to think the solution is to go get Donnarumma, it's not, he is even worse at all the problem areas Trafford experineced today, he isnt going to solve anything. Ederson is the only solution, otherwise you have to rip up the entire gameplan and build a new one around what you have and stop asking them to do something they're incapable of doing.

Sadly, pep has been doing the exact same thing with his outfield players over the last 12 months and that's why we had last season. I'm not convinced he isnt going to simply continue to ask people incapable of doing what he wants to do what he wants.

 

[Mcfc1.9.8.0]

I understand your point but today his error was on him, and imo, only him as he had options when he had the ball as he was facing the outfield.

He chose option A, and fucked it up. For me that’s nothing to do with playing out from the back, but simply making a dogs dinner of what was a simple pass

Oh 100% his error was on him take that away and his all round kicking and distribution was awful it was causing panic stations at the back