Pepe Reina

[Lycan]

Love the guy and what he's done for us in the past but, i'm really started to ask myself whether it would be best if we sold him in the summer. He just looks a shadow of his former self, incapable of making the easiest of saves at times. Everytime the opposition shoot at goal these days I get that horrible feeling they're goin to score. Whats happened to him? He's been like this for a few seasons now and he doesn't seem to be getting any better. Even his distribution and kicking which used to be one of his strong points is nowhere near as good as it used to be. Thoughts?

[bouncebrigade]

Love the guy and what he's done for us in the past but, i'm really started to ask myself whether it would be best if we sold him in the summer. He just looks a shadow of his former self, incapable of making the easiest of saves at times. Everytime the opposition shoot at goal these days I get that horrible feeling they're goin to score. Whats happened to him? He's been like this for a few seasons now and he doesn't seem to be getting any better. Even his distribution and kicking which used to be one of his strong points is nowhere near as good as it used to be. Thoughts?

 

I think under Rodgers style of play, where we try and build from the back, Pepe's pinpoint kicking which used to start counter attacks is no longer required/utilised to the max. This is definitely taking away one of his greatest strengths.

[Reckoner]

He just sort of does this.

[Lycan]

I think under Rodgers style of play, where we try and build from the back, Pepe's pinpoint kicking which used to start counter attacks is no longer required/utilised to the max. This is definitely taking away one of his greatest strengths.

 

 

I don't think it was great under Kenny though mate. Definitely not as good as it used to be anyway.

[fowler9]

Not been able to face watching the Villa highlights yet but since his injury he has been a lot better, before that I'd have happily got rid of him

[ZonkoVille77]

We should just sell the whole squad. That'll show em....

[Lycan]

Not been able to face watching the Villa highlights yet but since his injury he has been a lot better, before that I'd have happily got rid of him

 

Well he should've done better with two of those goals. Especially the first one.

[Lycan]

We should just sell the whole squad. That'll show em....

 

Ooooh..... That's a poor show of sarcasm.

[John McClane]

1st goal. In off the post as our "defence" watched the striker shoot.

2nd goal. Villa player unmarked run, low hard finish from 10 - 12 yards.

3rd goal. Allen nervous to touch striker and Skrtel watched him, finish from 10 yards.

 

Reina not to fault for any of the goals. That said, if we sold him, how much would we acquire and who would we replace him with. Throughout the team, the GK situation is not priority.

 

For me priority in January is creativity and attack.

The summer will continue with creativity and attack and the replacement of Gerrard.

[Lycan]

1st goal. In off the post as our "defence" watched the striker shoot.

2nd goal. Villa player unmarked run, low hard finish from 10 - 12 yards.

3rd goal. Allen nervous to touch striker and Skrtel watched him, finish from 10 yards.

 

Reina not to fault for any of the goals. That said, if we sold him, how much would we acquire and who would we replace him with. Throughout the team, the GK situation is not priority.

 

For me priority in January is creativity and attack.

The summer will continue with creativity and attack and the replacement of Gerrard.

 

Mate, if he's the top class keeper that many reds think he is. He should be saving that first one. Even the second one wasn't impossible to save. Third one cant really blame him for. Shocking defending.

 

Too many excuse's being made and too much sentimentality attached to certain players at our club imo.

[John McClane]

I don't think we could command a high price, therefore unable to replace. I don't have any sentiment with Reina.

 

He will never get ahead of Casillas and I dare say he isnt even number 2 anymore, lets be honest, he shouldn't be. I imagine if De Gea ever gets a call up ahead of him, then he might up his game, or hand in a transfer request.

[Kevin D]

What was a dip in standards - from great in 2010 to average at the end of last season - is becoming a real concern for me as well. I think he's been a tremendous 'keeper and he probably has a solid 10-12 years in him, the shape he keeps in and being virtually immune to injuries, so I'd be inclined not to sell him or entertain offers in the summer.

 

His proven quality aside - 5 maybe 6 very good or outstanding seasons out of 7 and a half is the type of longevity nobody in the squad can challenge - it's very difficult, even for proper teams, to buy a suitable goalkeeper. I dread to think of the incredible clusterfuck we'd make of it.

[Jairzinho]

Not a fucking chance I'd sell him. We'd replace him with a worse keeper.

[Lycan]

Not a fucking chance I'd sell him. We'd replace him with a worse keeper.

 

I don't really want him to leave, I'd prefer he regained his old form(although my concern is he won't) and stayed. He's a character and a leader and that's something the squad lacks already.

 

BUT

 

You have absolutely no idea if we'd replace him with a better keeper or not.

[Jairzinho]

 

You have absolutely no idea if we'd replace him with a better keeper or not.

 

I've got a fair idea based on our recent track record of replacing our best players, and our current standing in world football.

[Lycan]

I've got a fair idea based on our recent track record of replacing our best players, and our current standing in world football.

 

I see where your coming from. Still, it's not as if we would be replacing one of the best keepers in the world on current form. There are plenty of good goalkeepers out there. We just have to look for them.

 

Like I said though i'd rather he got his shit together and stayed, but his form is a real concern for me. It's no longer a blip, it's been going on far too long for it to be that. I mean how long do we let it go on for?

 

Oh and btw, before anyone says something, I am well aware that there are other areas of the team that need prioritising before we even considered bringing in a new keeper.

[Jairzinho]

Just think, all things considering, we'd be better off not giving up on him. Sort out why he's playing poorly.

 

He's 30, more than capable of rediscovering his form.

[Lycan]

Just think, all things considering, we'd be better off not giving up on him. Sort out why he's playing poorly.

 

He's 30, more than capable of rediscovering his form.

 

This is what I have been thinking. If it was a blip i'd agree with you but, his form has been poor for a good couple of years now. It's not been the same since Valero left really.

 

 

Don't shoot me down but, maybe he needs a change of club to help rediscover his form?

[Jairzinho]

Yeah, maybe. Or like you mentioned, a change in keeping coach.

 

Maybe Mike Kelly and John Achterberg aren't good enough.

[elBooth]

http://www.liverpoolway.co.uk/forum/ff-football-forum/58303-pepe-reina.html

 

There's similar concerns to yours in that thread as well. Not at the beginning thou because that was when Pepe was boss.

[piscinin]

Didn't he come out recently saying that he'd recommitted to us (mentally I guess) and had therefore lost a bunch of weight, blah, blah.

 

Sounds like someone who checked out when benitez left and is now discovering that getting it back ain't as easy as letting it go was.

[piscinin]

This is what I have been thinking. If it was a blip i'd agree with you but, his form has been poor for a good couple of years now. It's not been the same since Valero left really.

 

Don't shoot me down but, maybe he needs a change of club to help rediscover his form?

 

I think you are probably right, the next six months will tell us as much.

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

Didn't he come out recently saying that he'd recommitted to us (mentally I guess) and had therefore lost a bunch of weight, blah, blah.

 

Sounds like someone who checked out when benitez left and is now discovering that getting it back ain't as easy as letting it go was.

 

Personally I don't think it's all that much to do with mentality, or form, or whatever else. I think it has much more to do with the way we're playing football these days; other than his footwork, his main strengths are being under utilised. His long distribution is brilliant, but that's not what we want. His 'sweeper keeper' abilities are second to none, but we're not playing a very high line.

 

He has never really been the most solid in the air, and certainly not a top class shot stopper. When he was doing the distribution and sweeping 80% of the time, he looked class. We were bloody tight at the back, so rarely needed cat-like reflexes in a keeper. Now we're needing different things.

[piscinin]

Personally I don't think it's all that much to do with mentality, or form, or whatever else. I think it has much more to do with the way we're playing football these days; other than his footwork, his main strengths are being under utilised. His long distribution is brilliant, but that's not what we want. His 'sweeper keeper' abilities are second to none, but we're not playing a very high line.

 

He has never really been the most solid in the air, and certainly not a top class shot stopper. When he was doing the distribution and sweeping 80% of the time, he looked class. We were bloody tight at the back, so rarely needed cat-like reflexes in a keeper. Now we're needing different things.

 

There's definitely part of it, every time he won the golden gloves he'd faced something like 33% less shots than anyone else. I certainly never rated him as highly as some, but he's topped the errors lead to goals league table for the last couple of years. He let his weight go. These are not signs of a winners mentality.

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

Yeah, I agree. That said, even if he keeps the weight off, really pushes himself, it'll not make a huge difference if we're not playing to his strengths. I think that's a big part of football. From Fernando Morientes to Fernando Torres, great players become average players by changing their situation and playing to their strengths.

 

Forlan was a bit of a joke at United. Went away and was genuinely superb. Morientes came a star, went and was a star again. Unless we're getting Rafa back, I can't see him being that top keeper again. I love the guy, I chose a username based on him, but he isn't that player anymore. Not for me, anyway.