Reina

[Leo No.8]

Interesting as this was touched on in the Kirkland thread the other day, that there was a great illustration of why Reina is a cut above all the keepers we've had in recent years in last night's game.

 

He'd had very little to do throughout the game, then to pull off that save at the end showed brilliant concentration. His ability to do just that has shone through numerous times since he came here, and that's why he broke our record for clean sheets last season.

 

There are a lot of very good shot stoppers around, not just in the top leagues but even down in the lower divisions, who have games where they have loads of saves to make and look like world-beaters every now and again.

 

What marks a genuine top class keeper though, is the ability to maintain concentration throughout the game behind a good defence and still make that one single save which makes the difference between winning and losing, and in this case a save that was to all intents and purposes worth a whopping £12m.

 

That's why Pepe is priceless to us, with our solid defence we need a keeper with the very highest level of concentration. It's what Dudek (much though he's loved), James and all the other goalkeepers we've had at our club over at least the last 10 years have lacked.

 

I hope he's in our goal for many years to come...

[anny road]

Interesting as this was touched on in the Kirkland thread the other day, that there was a great illustration of why Reina is a cut above all the keepers we've had in recent years in last night's game.

 

He'd had very little to do throughout the game, then to pull off that save at the end showed brilliant concentration. His ability to do just that has shone through numerous times since he came here, and that's why he broke our record for clean sheets last season.

 

There are a lot of very good shot stoppers around, not just in the top leagues but even down in the lower divisions, who have games where they have loads of saves to make and look like world-beaters every now and again.

 

What marks a genuine top class keeper though, is the ability to maintain concentration throughout the game behind a good defence and still make that one single save which makes the difference between winning and losing, and in this case a save that was to all intents and purposes worth a whopping £12m.

 

That's why Pepe is priceless to us, with our solid defence we need a keeper with the very highest level of concentration. It's what Dudek (much though he's loved), James and all the other goalkeepers we've had at our club over at least the last 10 years have lacked.

 

I hope he's in our goal for many years to come...

 

said the same to my old man last night

 

he has a bit of a clemence about him

 

clem could do f*** all for 89 minutes then at 1-0 save a cert and we win

[anfield]

Sorry we're too busy falling over each other trying to praise Robbie fowler's penalty finishing skills to notice such things as a quality performance from Reina.

 

People don't realize how important Reina is to this team....

[sean]

Sorry we're too busy falling over each other trying to praise Robbie fowler's penalty finishing skills to notice such things as a quality performance from Reina.

 

People don't realize how important Reina is to this team....

 

 

[JohnnyH]

he is great, but I always laugh when someone (quite rightly) remarks about his concentration as for some reason I always picture a goalkeep with 'poor concentration' to be standing around the back of the goal looking at the sky when the ball gets knocked into an empty net.

[Ed the Wool]

I've noticed I expect him to save all the one on ones as well, last night, the first leg, Schevchenko. Gives an illustration of how good you must think he is, to be expecting him to save everything and anything!

[Tobes Rafa]

I said the very same thing to my mate at the Sheffield Utd. game. He pulled off a cracker save in the dying minutes after having to do the lion's share of f*** all for 90 mins.

 

Best keeper in the league in my unbiased opinion. I would say Europe but considering he is still only number 3 for Spain it would seem like a bit of a long punt.

[Cooldude]

He's ace

 

Apart from his concentration, he just has that knack to make those important game saving/winning saves time and time again, when we really needed him to.

 

No doubt though Andy Gray will come up with bulls*** like "he ain't that great coz he's got a great back 4 in front of him"

[Leo No.8]

Thinking about it - I'd forgotten but he actually did the same in the dying moments of the first leg against Haifa when he stopped that one with his legs. Those two saves have probably paid off his transfer fee twice over on their own...

 

I know what you mean about the Shevchenko one Ed - I tell you what as well, the way Reina came out and spread himself if the shot would have been anything but inch-perfect he would've saved it as well.

Edited August 23, 2006 by Leo No.8

[Tosh]

according to Rosenthal, that save was priceless...

[anny road]

Sorry we're too busy falling over each other trying to praise Robbie fowler's penalty finishing skills to notice such things as a quality performance from Reina.

 

People don't realize how important Reina is to this team....

 

 

wtf are you talking about

[JohnnyH]

People don't realize how important Reina is to this team....

 

 

You can tell that by the way there is never a thread dedicated to how good he is......................oh hang on.

[IgPig]

I thought it was in last night. He has this thing with those sort of saves of flicking it away at the last minute rather than diving with his arms outstretched. f***ed if I know which is the better technique, but it seems to work

 

There was a similar one last season, top corner, Reina dives but looks like he's nowhere near it, flick of the top arm and its over the bar.

[Knox_Harrington]

I thought it was in last night. He has this thing with those sort of saves of flicking it away at the last minute rather than diving with his arms outstretched. f***ed if I know which is the better technique, but it seems to work

 

There was a similar one last season, top corner, Reina dives but looks like he's nowhere near it, flick of the top arm and its over the bar.

Would assume flicking it at the last second means you have more power when you touch the ball and are more likely to make sure it goes out of play comfortably rather than palming it into play.

 

But while I almost certainly talk s**** about what goes on in outfield play I definitely do so about goalkeeping.

[Leo No.8]

I thought it was in last night. He has this thing with those sort of saves of flicking it away at the last minute rather than diving with his arms outstretched. f***ed if I know which is the better technique, but it seems to work

 

There was a similar one last season, top corner, Reina dives but looks like he's nowhere near it, flick of the top arm and its over the bar.

 

Think the one you're thinking of was against City - another game we won 1-0 in which that save was the difference...

 

 

Would assume flicking it at the last second means you have more power when you touch the ball and are more likely to make sure it goes out of play comfortably rather than palming it into play.

 

But while I almost certainly talk s**** about what goes on in outfield play I definitely do so about goalkeeping.

 

Knox is Rick Parry, and I claim my £5...

[smokescreen]

Think the one you're thinking of was against City

 

Or the FA Cup final.

[anny road]

I thought it was in last night. He has this thing with those sort of saves of flicking it away at the last minute rather than diving with his arms outstretched. f***ed if I know which is the better technique, but it seems to work

 

There was a similar one last season, top corner, Reina dives but looks like he's nowhere near it, flick of the top arm and its over the bar.

 

the lad who runs our office is an ex pro kepper (united - wrecked his knee when he was 17 and they had to let him go) and he was banging on about that save this morning.....he said it is some technich he uses, as he watches the ball until the final moment before putting it away, and he can dirtect the ball away from the danger area with more precision and power....he reckons techincally he is one of the bext keepers he has ever seen....Bette than Schmeicel....and he trained with him

[Leo No.8]

Can I just say I disagree with every single 'expert' I've heard comment on West Ham's goal on Saturday.

 

The goalkeeper should be moving off his line to anticipate a cross. If the player out wide happens to mis-hit the cross and it arrow toward the goal in freakish manner as it did on Saturday or loop right over into the top corner as it did in the cup final, its not the keeper's fault if it ends up in the net.

 

The day keepers start making allowances for mis-hit shots and balls flying into the top corner from 40 yards out is the day they stand on their line and refuse to move off it.

 

It was just lucky. End of story.

[kop205]

Can I just say I disagree with every single 'expert' I've heard comment on West Ham's goal on Saturday.

 

The goalkeeper should be moving off his line to anticipate a cross. If the player out wide happens to mis-hit the cross and it arrow toward the goal in freakish manner as it did on Saturday or loop right over into the top corner as it did in the cup final, its not the keeper's fault if it ends up in the net.

 

The day keepers start making allowances for mis-hit shots and balls flying into the top corner from 40 yards out is the day they stand on their line and refuse to move off it.

 

It was just lucky. End of story.

 

I agree totally that his positioning wasn't to blame for either goal and the one in the Cup Final was unreachable.

 

I'm not as convinced he mightn't have done a bit better with the one on Saturday, what with getting two hands on it, but I'm far from cetrtain thayt he was to blame. in any case, as I've said elsewhere I'm no goalkeeper and I'm sure that if it was partly an error from him then he'll be honest enough to admit it. He seems to be his own biggest critic so he doesn't me telling me where he may have gone wrong.

 

And I as also said elswhere, he can punch the ball past halfway!

[DazzlaJ]

It went through his hands. He still should have saved it regardless.

 

I'll let him off after the save he made in the CL.

Edited August 29, 2006 by Lick my Dirk

[Walrus]

Reina has taken the responsibility for the cup final goal before. I think Stevie G also commented about it in some piece. This Saturday it was similar: a combination of incredible luck from the crosser and poor positioning/adjustment from Reina.

 

You can bet your life that Rafa for instance sees both goals as mistakes from Pepe on top of the bad luck that was involved.

 

Just because Pepe is a magnificient 'keeper doesn't mean we should pretend mistakes don't happen.

 

It's been said before, but the salient issue with Pepe IMO, is that he's a confident lad, who doesn't let these things get to him.

[Mike]

raul fox?

[Stevie H]

stephane guiv'arch.

[Knox_Harrington]

raul fox?

Norwich's tricky diminutive Iberian winger?

 

He was boss at six-a-side.