Blues secure Browning on three-year deal

I wish people would lay off Robles, so Howards bullet proof is he!
All goalkeepers make mistakes, its a high profile very difficult position.
There's been 1 goal that can be put down as a mistake by Robles, anyone would think he'd let in 10.

Give the lad a chance – he is young and goalies take longer to mature than outfield players. Too many are too keen to criticise as soon as a player has a bad period when we should be encouraging them to help them through it.

I remember Wojciech Szczęsny looking like a calamity during his early Arsenal appearances but he has evolved into a very good keeper. Robles does look like he has lost confidence since his Wigan and early Everton days but I too think it is too hasty to write him off for a couple of howlers. He does need to improve on his handling and his decision making, but Martinez and Iñaki Bergara obviously see something in him.

Initially he was 2nd choice at Wigan but played his way to the No 1 spot via Cup games.

He was an absolute bag of nerves in the Thailand game but improved dramatically on his next outing. A talented lad with pace who was in awe of the senior players and is gradually coming to terms with being part of the main squad. Should have a good future.

How did goalkeepers ever get taught to punch the ball, especially when they get both hands to it? It just seems totally bizarre to me, if you can't get to it to catch it, your defenders should be dealing with it.

Does anyone know if the goalkeeping coach actually coaches him to catch the ball or is he happy to let him punch? Because if he's happy to let him punch, sack him and get someone in who knows what they're doing.

When I was a keeper I was told six yard area that's mine no one else's. if you come to the penalty spot make sure it's yours to catch if not punch it clear. Too many keeper are now fixed to their line (Howard) and will not come off it. In my time a keeper got plenty of Knicks but nowadays they are a protected species.

Howard and Robles are decent shot stoppers but rarely come out to collect a cross. This has to be their instructions or there is a fear in them.

Pat Jennings or big Nev would put them to shame.

As Stones is vital to our squad plus the added cushion of Duffy, Oviedo, Hibbert, Garbutt and Alcaraz, I’d say we are pretty much okay so I’d send Browning out. Within the midfield, we have added Besic and have Gibson, Osman, Barkley, Barry and McCarthy for the central positions so I’d maybe look at sending Ledson out too.

As for upfront, there are now options with Eto coming in and Naismith playing well plus our two Belgian lads were looking strong. We are also linked with Welbeck or Hernandez and Traore as possible loan deals and still have Kone to come back so it would be a good chance for Long, Hope or McAleny to try their hand in the Championship and see if they can get themselves into the top 10 goalscorers list. That would stand us in good stead for next season if we had three or four lads with a really solid season in the Championship behind them and would almost be like new signings.

Viewing a clip of the training sessions, we seem to have a whole bunch of young keepers. Some as springy as dolphins.

Best of luck to Hope at Wednesday and fingers crossed Browning develops quickly as we could use a robust, rapid, dominant centre back as soon as possible!

I personally can not abide Alcaraz who is a spineless mercenary not to mention a perma-crock. His personal contribution to our capitulation at Anfield will live long in my memory, so actually I suppose I disagree that we are pretty much ok in defence.

Oviedo is a beautiful man but we don’t yet know when or how he will recover from that horrific injury.