I don't have any issue with competition for Reina. It's healthy and in line with club policy. However, i don't agree with focusing purely on errors. He's still making some bloody good saves as well.
True, does anyone know exactly what his situation is right now? I know he had to go back to Brazil for family reasons but it'd be nice to know what the situation is with him returning. I do hope that his family pull through whatever crisis it is they're currently going through. I'm quite fond of the big guy despite his limited playing time, his sending off last year on his debut was one of the most gut-wrenching moments I've witnessed in football, I felt really sorry for him.
But is he though? He made a world class save against Norwich (even if the player was offside) but more often than not I feel like he hasn't been above and beyond the call of duty for a while, he makes the saves any average Premiership keeper could make but has failed to pull anything exemplary out of the bag for a while.
Or is he that good that he makes them look easy? Much like we made opposition keepers look good last season!
i have a theory; getting in young 'understudy' keepers is not the right path. because the understudy (Doni for us) doesn't get enough chances and either becomes stunted by this or restless. and so the understudy route is actually more harmful than effective. evidence; if you look at most clubs with decent keepers they buy their keepers young then throw them straight in the first time when the last fella was getting too old/mistake prone -with very little overlap. like we did. like chelsea did (Cech), like City did (Hart). there is maybe a season, maximum, of crossover then BOOM their in. argument; to prove my theory wrong/right we can look at Utd and Spurs this season, both are undertaking separate trials. Utd have got two young keepers and are rotating them regularly and Spurs have got an old boy keeping (pun) out a world class young lad. conclusion; lets see how spurs experiment goes, because its in line with the 'understudy' method, but i have a feeling that lloris will be getting pissed off -which could affect his performance- the longer friedel keeps him out. P.S. this is just my theory
I think Pepe knows he's been below par- I don't think he's being complacent so I doubt that competition is going to improve him. His dip in form has roughly coincided with the general decline so I think we need to see if we can build on our recent form and if he improves with it. If anyone knows of a better keeper whom we could afford and wants to come to us then yes, go for him. I doubt that it'll be a very long list.
Not quite the same situation but City had a nice goalkeeping situation not so long ago when they had Joe Hart playing second fiddle to Shay Given. Shay was hot property(Turned down Arsenal when they were crying out for a keeper) at that point and yet Hart managed to dislodge him and make the No1 jersey. I would like us to have the same dilemma. Reina hasnt been performing to his previous best and a talented keeper(Butland) as backup would raise his game no doubt.Even United after paying 20Mil for De Gea have a very good alternative in Lindegaard.
I think what you have said is part of the problem. Keepers know that their area of the field is different to others. Managers rarely swap and change in this position and there is usually a standout number one. We have tried it before (we once had Kirkland, Carson and Westerveld and the books at once, same with Reina, Dudek and Martin I believe?) but we always end up having a number one as do most clubs. I think a stronger number two wouldn't hurt, competition for Johnson's place has worked a treat Having said that, Reina's reaction at conceding the first against Norwich told me as much as I needed to know. Conceding that goal really pissed him off and he didn't try to blame anyone. This tells me he knows he isn't playing well and he is trying to rectify it in training
Personally I think Reina is the best in the Prem. He does seem to have made a few errors but I would still have him over any other keeper in the PL.
Joe Hart is the best in the Prem. Reina has been below his best for a few years now. IMO Spurs have two keepers better than Reina right now.
Joe Hart is one of the best in the world let alone the prem. Friedel at the moment is probably number 2 in the prem, he has been sensational.
Best defender? Geoff Cameron, best loan player? Landon Donovan? Best forward in the league? Deuce Dempsey.
