Goalkeepers' Union

It's been a long time coming, but Burnley have bagged precious points in recent weeks - and the draw at Brighton was thanks largely to MOM, James Trafford.

The uber confident 21-year-old made 10 saves to silence The Seagulls in a performance to show the Premier League he has very much arrived.

Returning from a short absence was Alisson, whose presence between the sticks aided Liverpool's comeback at Crystal Palace. Emi Martinez, meanwhile, revelled in a raucous encounter between Aston Villa and Arsenal, both Jose Sa and Matt Turner regained their respective No1 spots and many congrats go to Remi Matthews who finally earned his top-flight bow at Selhurst Park.

In the EFL, Cam Dawson enhanced his ridiculous penalty-saving stats, Asmir Begovic led QPR's revolution under Marti Cifuentes, Colchester loanee Owen Goodman sounded the Goalkeeper Assist klaxon and Joe Walsh bagged his first-ever professional start as an emergency loan acquisition at Accrington.

Every so often you meet a goalkeeper and think, "Yeah, this lad's got that bit extra."

Connor Ripley is one of those lads.

After waiting more than ten years to earn a sustained period of first team football at his registered club, the Middlesbrough-born stopper has revelled in his rightful role as No1 in recent seasons.

Successive campaigns at Morecambe and Port Vale have garnered rave reviews, the EFL have offered accolades and fans have made him very much a favourite.

Now, with a 250th professional appearance under his belt, the 30-year-old is enjoying his football and loving his life.

Here, he talks taking on jiu jitsu, lugging logs up a hill alongside Gordon Strachan and maturing as a goalkeeper.

NB: Explicit language is used in this recording.

According to Erik ten Hag, Manchester United's Andre Onana is the second-best goalkeeper in the Premier League "based on stats".

We discuss the Dutchman's claims and look back over his stopper's midweek performance at Galatasaray, before turning attention to Newcastle and a gaping void left by the injury suffered to Nick Pope. If only there was a proven Premier League goalkeeper with world class quality out there as a free agent...

In the Championship, Chris Maxwell continues to deputise admirably for Lee Nicholls at Huddersfield, Gavin Bazunu racked up a second successive clean sheet for just the second time in his Southampton career and Ben Hamer bagged his first penalty stop since April Fools Day of 2014.

Keeper Capers comes from Bundesliga 2, Ligue 1 and Serie A, where the Goalkeeper Assist klaxon was also sounded for AC Milan's Mike Maignan - his third assist in as many campaigns.

First on Match of the Day and also opening this week's show are Luton and Thomas Kaminski.

The Belgian has been solid for The Hatters since his summer arrival from Blackburn, and a series of saves in a first Premier League home win at Kenilworth Road continues to raise his profile.

Andre Onana kept a clean sheet away at Everton and looks like he's just beginning to adjust to life behind an ever-changing Manchester United backline, Ederson provided us with yet another distribution masterclass in the draw between Man City and Liverpool, and Newcastle named three goalkeepers on the bench for what we reckon was the first time in top flight history.

Oh, and there's the customary Raya/Ramsdale debate following the latter's heavily scrutinised return to Arsenal's starting line up against Brentford.

In the EFL, Chris Maxwell made his first league appearance and debut for Huddersfield, Dan Grimshaw kept it clean in Blackpool's 4-0 romp over promotion chasers Portsmouth and Craig MacGillivray revelled in a new playing-out-from-the-back system under Mike Williamson at MK Dons.

It's not often you encounter a dog taking part in First Team training.

At Mansfield Town, however, Bobbie (pooch of manager, Nigel Clough) is very much part of the furniture. As is Adam Collin, a Goalkeeper Coach enjoying his first full season in the role.

Following a morning on the grass, we sat down with the ex-EFL stopper to discuss his transition from player to coach, how he implements his philosophy and how not one training session is ever the same.

From being released at Newcastle to amassing more than 600 appearances and making his EFL bow at the age of 24, Adam is honest, insightful and, thanks to some select stories, quite entertaining.

NB: Explicit language is used in this recording.

For the first time ever on the Goalkeepers' Union Podcast, it is two for the price of one.

A goalkeeper accompanied by his goalkeeper coach.

Dan Bentley flanked by Neil Cutler.

We visited Wolves' training ground to sit down with the pair on how they operate, the inner workings of a Premier League goalkeeping department and the implementation of a very meticulous fine system.

Normal service resumes on Between the Sticks with a full rundown of the key goalkeeping action from the weekend.

Alphonse Areola, winner of October's Premier League Save of the Month, whacked his name in the hat for November's award with a fine stop from Taiwo Awoniyi in West Ham's victory over Nottingham Forest.

He could be accompanied by a) Nick Pope who, despite being on the losing side at Bournemouth, showed excellent reactions to thwart Luis Sinisterra, and b) Emi Martinez for touching a Raul Jimenez effort onto the post as Aston villa beat Fulham.

In the EFL, Brad Collins, Ben Hamer and Jonathan Mitchell made their first league outings of the campaign, while Reading's David Button sounded the Goalkeeper Assist klaxon.

Premier League, Championship and FA Cup First Round action is discussed and dissected this week.

The standard debate around David Raya kicks things off, followed by Guglielmo Vicario's almost point-saving performance as Tottenham fell at home to Chelsea.

In the second tier, Illan Meslier was praised as "the best goalkeeper in the league" by boss Daniel Farke, while many a non-league goalkeeper made their name in progressing to the next stage of the FA Cup.

Goalkeeper Assist klaxon: Joe Day of Yeovil Town.

Raya and Ramsale? Again?

Yep, following the weekend's clash between Chelsea and Arsenal, that debate takes centre stage once more.

We discuss whether Mikel Arteta's current No1 was at fault for Mykhailo Mudryk's cross-cum-shot, whether criticism of his performance was justified and whether Aaron Ramsdale should be "banging the manager's door down" as some pundits have suggested.

Elsewhere in the Premier League, Alphonse Areola racked up a 50th appearance for West Ham, Alisson became the first Liverpool goalkeeper since Ray Clemence in 1976 to record four consecutive Merseyside Derby shutouts, and Guglielmo Vicario continues to earn deserved plaudits at Tottenham.

In the EFL, another summer recruit in Mads Hermansen marches on with Leicester, Sam Tickle bagged an important clean sheet for Wigan in their win at Exeter and Doncaster's Louis Jones sounded the Goalkeeper Assist klaxon.

Following on from Part One of our chat with Simon a few months, this is just a quick clean up where he talks about more of the goalkeepers he's worked with over the years.

The likes of Pavel Srnicek, Joe Hart and Martin Dubravka receive a mention, as do some lovely stories of Simon's time with Sir Bobby Robson.