Alex Bass: Notts County goalkeeper feeling at home with Magpies - BBC Sport

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Goalkeeper Alex Bass says being made to feel at home at Notts County after years on...

 

Alex has made a big difference for Notts in goal this season. Two clean sheets in 5 matches is a good start for our number one between the sticks.

Alex has demonstrated that he can command his area, he's good at dealing with crosses, he's a good shot stopper & his ball distribution is good too.

When a goalkeeper commands respect & confidence from his team mates, particularly the defensive unit in front of him, their general performance rises too.

This has been reflected with the results on the field. Three consecutive victories & still unbeaten this season.

It is no wonder that Stuart Maynard has faith in him & that will only give Alex more confidence to be at his best for Notts.

Alex can be described as a journeyman in football circles, but hopefully his search for a Club that suites him has come to an end.

So far the signs are good that he is settled & is enjoying his new lease of life playing for Notts.

I watched Saturday's game on TV and couldn't fault his performance. He was composed and confident, which is always a bonus if the defence gets caught out.

I am very impressed by him; I think he is the closest to being an all round keeper that we have had. It might be overlooked, but when you have a keeper that doesn't want to see his team concede goals that can be one of the best attributes to have. It can be a driving force to improve, be better and ensure that a considerable amount of thought goes into every decision made on the pitch.

Speaking on match days, fans have nothing but praise for him - although some did express comments for the goal Grimsby scored (which I missed) but I see that has a defensive mistake.

He's a very good keeper, who should grow further in the role of our number one. I think the decision by Notts to sign him is a very good decision because he could have easily ended up somewhere else. We now have some who look good with the ball at his feet, can come for the ball if needed, pulls off good saves, strong in commanding his box, excellent in the distribution department and solid with aerial threats.

Best keeper we have had in a long time in terms of their all round game, this said, I do believe Sam Slocombe and Aidan Stone are good enough backups. However, they possess contrasting weaknesses. If we were able to combine the best of each of them, I think we'd have someone closer to what we have with Alex Bass.

@Chris

Senior players can play in B team matches. I wish Notts would use this facility a bit more. Players on the cusp of the first team like Aidan Stone & players returning from injury could get some valuable match time.

Also the young players could benefit from playing with some senior players.

@Robbie Absolutely, I have seen Aidan Stone working hard in training. He has shared pictures of him working hard, with captions about being ready. I do feel sorry for him, he's been made unwanted and exiled, I would play him ahead of Sam Slocombe when it comes to the bench.

I wish the club had a proper reserve team, as for your points - it would help all involved.

Friendlies against various teams, even if at a higher level than us, does nothing in comparison to being in a competitive league. It also gives a clearer marker as to where the level of players are, as they are amongst teams similar to their own ability.

I don't see Alex Bass being replaced, but having our backup keepers ready and having played games is much better than just training alone.

I agree @Chris Alex Bass talked about Stuart having faith in him.

Having the faith and confidence from any gaffer makes all the difference in the mentality of a player.

I think Aidan Stone still has something to offer Notts if given the chance.

Bear in mind there would be a brand new defensive unit in front of him now, if he had the chance to deputise for Bass.

One more thing. Managers rarely substitute Keepers for tactical reasons. 

Is it time that Clubs like Notts started to do that to give substitute keepers game time?

He’s a top keeper for sure. I don’t believe he’s of League Two standard, so if we do gain promotion whilst he’s at the club, I don’t think it would be a position we would need to replace. It’s good to have so much faith in the keeper, as I don’t worry when teams have chances against him. It has always been a nervous aspect in recent seasons to worry about conceding.

its good hes enjoying life at meadow lane and notts does seem like a good fit, he could still be at a team like afc wimbledon and being loaned out. hes now a notts player and we want him as much as he wants to be here. i love his attitude towards not conceding goals.