Goalkeepers' Union

After QPR's David Marshall suffered an injury in the midweek defeat to Nottingham Forest, the club found themselves in the unenviable position of having four first-team goalkeepers out of action.

With Dillon Barnes (essentially a No6) recalled from a loan spell and waiting in the wings, Mark Warburton wasn't able to dip into the emergency loan market and instead plumped for Keiren Westwood – one of very few out of contract goalkeepers available on a short-term deal.

We kick things off with how that move panned out for the ex-Coventry and Sheffield Wednesday stopper, before diving into all the key action from the Premier League and FA Cup Quarter Finals - including a long-awaited return to action (and subsequent clean sheet) for Arsenal's Bernd Leno.

In the EFL, Jamie Cumming, Anthony Patterson and Jordan Wright all made claims for Save of the Weekend contenders, while another two klaxons were sounded due to assists from Craig MacGillivray and Jojo Wollacott of Charlton and Swindon respectively.

Love-ins for Aaron Ramsdale and Lee Nicholls take centre stage with media and pundits calling for both to be recognised by England manager Gareth Southgate.

Text Talk returns with Joe Lumley talking us through a point-saving save for Middlesbrough in their draw at Millwall, Clean Sheet Club goes into overdrive with what we reckon is the highest number of entries since the franchise began and, speaking of franchises, the birth of a new Spawny Goal of the Week could well be in the offing. 

To finish, we touch on comments made by goalkeeping, ahem, "expert" Tony Cascarino on talkSPORT this week. Apparently you go in nets if you fail as an outfielder. Nice one, Tone.

Here's Alex Stepney talking goalkeeping then and now.

Bit different, this one. Big Al pulls no punches in how he still expects the fundamentals of the position to take priority over any of the modern elements of today's game.

We mention in the podcast that the ins and outs of Alex's career were left to one side for this episode. Tales of non-league to European Cup winner in the space of five years, the 1970 World Cup, playing in the US and that save from Eusebio will come next time.

NB: This podcast was initially recorded for our Patreon platform. As a result, some references may be outdated.

Business as usual this week with a full compliment of goalkeeping analysis to set those glove-based juices a-flowin'.

In the Premier League Aaron Ramsdale racked up his 150th career club outing while Kasper Schmeichel moved up to third in Leicester's all-time appearance list.

Dan Iversen produced one of the saves of the season as Preston bagged a big win over Bournemouth in the Championship – a save matched by equally as emphatic distribution from Swansea's Andrew Fisher in a comfortable defeat of Coventry.

Pro league debuts were made by Jordan Wright and Harrison Sharp of Lincoln and Dundee respectively, and Christy Pym sounds the klaxon with an assist for Stevenage.

Ratings and reviews are always welcome on iTunes. If you'd like to help support the ongoing production of the podcast, please visit patreon.com/goalkeepersunion.

All the reaction from the Carabao Cup Final between Chelsea and Liverpool.

The decision to bring Kepa on. That shootout. That penalty. And the performance of Caoimhin Kelleher,  who has now won three shootouts with Liverpool, more than any other goalkeeper in the club's history.

Hugo Lloris, Kasper Schmeichel, Illan Meslier, David de Gea and Marek Rodak were all on the receiving end of misjudged analysis at the weekend. Of course, we're used to it by now, but always worth flagging on here.

In better news, Alisson bagged an assist, Jose Sa continued his fine form at Wolves and Ederson pulled off one of the saves of the season in Man City's home defeat to Tottenham.

Elsewhere in Europe, Nantes stopper Alban Lafont became just the 13th player to be given a maximum player rating from French publication L'Equipe, while Greek fourth tier goalkeeper Grigoris Athanasiou netted - yes, netted - a hat-trick of penalties.

From Glenn Hoddle's utterly ridiculous analysis of David de Gea to a Save of the Weekend contender from Illan Meslier, the Premier League was jam packed with goalkeeping action this weekend.

As was the Championship with Brice Samba's rush of blood to the head taking centre stage alongside the key moments elsewhere in the EFL.

Listener questions are answered, GK PI returns over in North Buckinghamshire and the Goalkeeper Assist klaxon is heard all the way across Europe in Italy.

It's not often we have a guest on this podcast who is neither not nor has ever been a goalkeeper.

Step forward Dan Abrahams. As a leader in sports psychology who has worked with top names in football, Dan offers a take on goalkeeping mindset from a professional's perspective.

Hopefully you can take plenty from this chat. And it's well worth listening to it more than just the one time. The conversation is packed full of useful nuggets you can utilise to improve yourself as a goalkeeper, so you may well find you take in something you may have missed first time out.

Either way, it's a great listen with a very articulate and forward-thinking individual.

NB: This was initially recorded for our Patreon platform. As a result, some references may be outdated.

Glory be, where to start with the madness from another eventful few days in goalkeeping punditry?

Perhaps we should instead focus on glorious performances from Taye Ashby-Hammond, Luke Simpson and Mike Cooper - three goalkeepers all attempting to write giantkilling history and all coming so close to a perfect hat-trick. In the end, Ashby-Hammond was the one triumphant with Boreham Wood seeing off Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium.

Edouard Mendy's 18-month rise to stardom continues with Senegal's first-ever AFCON trophy and an accolade for being named the tournament's top goalkeeper, Gabaski's heroics meant it was nearly him an Egypt taking centre stage, and David de Gea picked up January's Player of the Month in the Premier League - the first goalkeeper to win the award in six years.

All the weekend's key action from the EFL is discussed, including another star performance from Blackpool's ever-improving Daniel Grimshaw. The Tangerines escaped from Craven Cottage with a draw thanks to their now No1 – no mean feat against a Fulham side banging in the goals of late.

In League One, James Trafford – on loan at Bolton from Manchester City – bagged the first assist of his fledgling career, while Pontus Dahlberg was on the receiving end of FOUR penalties in Gillingham's defeat to Oxford.

And in League Two, Christy Pym racked up a first clean sheet since switching to Stevenage on a loan deal which makes him the fourth goalkeeper utilised by the club this season.

GK PI also returns with a closer look at James Shea and Thomas Kaminski of Luton and Blackburn respectively. The pair left Kenilworth Road with a clean sheet apiece on Saturday.