Media sources are today reporting that Saints could be about to sign former Sunderland keeper Craig Gordon.

After shipping 14 goals in only 4 games Nigel Adkins clearly needs to do something about the defensive frailties that have become very clear in the opening month of the season, with reserve keeper Paulo Gazzaniga only having half a season's experience in League 2 to his name, it would be a brave man who would throw him in ahead of Kelvin Davis.

It would be harsh to drop Davis who has given good service to Saints over the past 6 years, however he is being exposed in the premier and a couple of penalty saves gloss over that his form hasnt been good.

Craig Gordon who became a free agent in the summer now seems to be on Saints radar, being a free agent and the fact that Saints only named 23 out of the permitted 25 man squad leaves the door open for the Scottish keeper to join Saints.

Gordon cost Sunderland £9 million when he joined them from Hearts in 2007, his time on Wearside has been mixed and a combination of injuries and poor form means that he only played 88 league games in that five season spell, last season saw him play just once as he fell out of favour.

At 6ft 4 he would have a prescence in the Saints defence that could inspire the confidence that sadly Kelvin with his lack of comand of his area has never had, at 29 he should be about to hit his prime in his career, it hasnt quite taken off yet, but then again the game is littered with goalkeepers who have never really blossomed till their late 20's, Brad Friedel for example went to Liverpool and spent three seasons there playing 25 league games before leaving on a free for lackburn aged 29, look at how he has played since.

Football is a harsh game, Kelvin Davis has given us good service, but the fact is we need to make tough decisions and this could be one of them.    

Photo: Action Images

SingaporeSaint added 09:58 - Sep 18 There is a striking similarity between them as both fell from grace after having a bad time at Sunderland. Gordon is much bigger than Davis which should be of advantage and at 29 should be in his prime. I think he was the record signing for a keeper at the time - so clearly he is a talent. I think this would be a good signing. If we didnt bring in Gordon I would put Gazzinga in goal as Davis for all is loyalty does not look up to it at premiership level when he is under pressure (i.e. at lot to do) - he was poor when under pressure and we were at the bottom in the championship too and we dropped him for Richard Wright. He was in the Champ team of the year last season - but we were top of the league, he didnt have much to do. One item of note re a keeper is that we have marked zonally at corners (not overly well) - I guess mainly because we have Hooiveld who is huge and the keeper is small - Hooiveld's job is to get his head on a ball between the posts.. Now Hooiveld is not playing and Yoshida is, he albeit a better player is much smaller - a big keeper who can claim crosses will be more needed.

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vectis added 10:02 - Sep 18 Agree with this. Gordon would be a minimal risk I think and I bet he is hungry to prove himself. If nothing else it would keep kelvin on his toes.
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vectis added 10:07 - Sep 18 Agree with Singapore saint except for one part - Kelvin was damn busy despite us being one of the best sides last year! In fact his performances won us points on more than one occasion. But be doesn't look up to the prem unfortunately. Mostly cos of his kicking and oh so woeful passing. Good shot stopper though. Btw, bloody hot today isn't it? ;-)
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SaintNick added 10:08 - Sep 18 the doubt over Gordon seems to be his injury record, when he has played he has generally done well including being awarded the save of the first 20 years of the prem
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owenthesaints added 11:07 - Sep 18 Not sure about Gordon. If he was that good then surely Martin O'Neil would have kept him as back up to Mignolet? It would only cost him a wage to have him on the bench, as he won't recoup any money on a transfer fee. I would defy any keeper to 'impress' with the current back four, even bearing in mind your comments about the full backs being exposed (separate article 'The full backs need protecting', excellent article by the way that is well worth a read). The two penalty saves that Kelvin has made would, and should, have proved match winning saves had we closed out both of these games and he certainly isn't to blame for that. Inappropriate substitutions and poor marking being the key factors, not goal keeping errors. Anyway we are only 8 points off automatic European qualification, so why the panic?

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legod7 added 11:50 - Sep 18 KD seems to concede too many goals at his near post. This has been more noticable this season
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landsdownsaint added 11:56 - Sep 18 Yet against Leeds last season KD performance was incredible! What's happened?
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tiptop added 12:23 - Sep 18 If KD concedes near post or has a bad kicking/distribution game in particular then he will be under serious pressure for the drop. KD is noticeably slow between the sticks in the context of premiership movement, much like Peter Shilton used to near the end. Except he isn't PS. Gordon was over rated (by Keane with his inflated price) and if he had best save of 20 years of the Prem then fine. Couldn't have been much better than KD against Leeds. I hope I'm wrong of course and the defensive play can regroup and give us a chance.

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VeloSaint added 13:14 - Sep 18 Didn't Blayney win save of the season in our relegation year? proves nothing. would be more interested in knowing why he's still without a club.
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SaintNick added 13:39 - Sep 18 Gordon could probably have got a Championship club easily, but seems to be hanging on to try and get a Premiership one, most premier ones have at least two quality keepers so not desperate, however there are always one or two that find their keepers arent up to it or get injured, seems like we may be that club
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Chesham_Saint added 14:01 - Sep 18 If any of you had seen Gazzaniga at Stevenage you would not be calling for him to be in the team before KD. He looked utter kack. Gazzaniga reminded me of Bart as his dropsy, lack of confidence worst. I have no problem with us getting in a keeper to challenge KD - is Friedel a fee agent now?
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smiffdub added 14:50 - Sep 18 Someone asked what happened to KD. Answer is simple--Premiership speed (KD is just simply too slow) and Premiership level coaching and research (every striker in the country was shown tape of Tevez's near post goal, and lo and behold two more goals exactly like it come along in the next three games!) . Someone else said KD was a good shot-stopper. I think that's not true this season.Again he's too slow and his positioning is very suspect (Podolski goal e.g.). And people keep trying to apologise for him because of the defence. Agreed the defence is weak. But your goalie is still supposed to be able to pull stuff out of the fire for you. I can't remember one single save at an important moment in any of the first 4 games, and that for me is the true measure of a good goalie--big saves at the moment you need it. (The penalties aside that is, but he'd have looked really stupid if he'd not stopped those two penalties, so badly taken as they were.) Bottom line is in the Premiership you cannot persist with a goalie who has let in 14 goals in 4 games. Whatever the risks of Gazzaniga, they have to be taken now. Unless, of course, Gordon comes, which might save our season.

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Zambucco added 18:48 - Sep 18 Anyway we are only 8 points off automatic European qualification, so why the panic?
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Chappers added 23:47 - Sep 18 Seems like my "Words have been marked" I rest my case.
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ExiledSupporter added 13:38 - Sep 19 The problem with KD (that I and some others have been saying since the days in Div 1) is that he is clueless once he comes off his line (and so rarely does it). He made a complete hash of collecting a cross vs Arsenal this weekend (I only saw the TV 'highlights') and got away with it.His ability to deal with crosses has been consistently poor which must drive his defenders mad and undermine their confidence about what is happening behind them. Getting exposed as fallible at his near post is part of that. It all makes the club's approach to recruitment over the summer completely frustrating and worrying!

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