Dec 24 2012, 03:03 PM
QUOTE(led_zep_freak @ Dec 24 2012, 02:50 PM)
I beg to differ, imo he has been monumental in BR's system as the 11th outfield player.
BR's philosophy is to keep possession for as long as possible. To achieve that, goalkeepers and defenders are expected not to punt the ball upfield. This is because players like Suarez and Sterling are never going to win aerial battles against giants like Shawcross and Huth. 9 times of 10, the defenders will win the ball and regain possession.
So to play smart, we need to keep the ball on the ground and circulate possession. Midfielders and strikers are trained to soak in pressure, however the problem is usually in the defenders. Defenders, by nature are better without the ball than they are with the ball. When under pressure, they are prone to mistakes. So to relieve the pressure, the more options they have to pass to, the better. Back in the 80s, our defenders used to pass it back to the goalkeeper and once they pick up the ball... wham... pressure over.
Picking the ball up is no longer possible but if you have a keeper like Reina who is comfortable receiving the ball, it changes the complexity of the game. I remember an instance early this season where the opponent's striker was chasing down at Reina as he was about the clear the ball. Instead of striking the ball with full force, Reina dropped his shoulder at the last second, feint the clearance and pushed the ball to an opposite direction. The striker ended up behind Reina and Pepe had acres of space ahead of him to pick out a pass. Suddenly, we had 11 outfield players versus their 9. And then there was another instance where Joe Allen had no where to go and sent a lob pass back to Reina. A different keeper would have cursed Allen to death but Reina took the ball down like any good player and distributed it to the other side of the pitch. It's subtle genius like that that usually go unnoticed by the uninitiated. Hardly surprising though, considering he was a Barca graduate. Try watching Joe Hart and see, an excellent shot stopper but - I suspect due to the English coaching - whenever he receives the ball, his first choice is to clear it.
I do agree that he hasn't made a great save in a long time (In fact, when was the last time he saved a penalty anyway? Against Rooney's that eventually went in?) and he could have prevented a few goals this season. However, goalkeepers who could use their feet are a rare breed in football and it's an added bonus that Reina is a positive influence in the dressing room. Unless he wants to leave, I personally think we should tie him down for as long as possible. Perhaps getting a good deputy would do him some good but I like to think that letting him go is our last resort.
Added on December 24, 2012, 2:51 pm
This is actually very good. No doubt Reina has lost some form this season but he is good with the ball and very composed. Still can be our No. 1 for a few more seasons. At the meantime, I think Liverpool should be on the lookout for a young goalkeeper to start moulding him into that kind of keeper that can play with the ball. I personally like Marc-Andre ter Stegen but he definitely won't come cheap.BR's philosophy is to keep possession for as long as possible. To achieve that, goalkeepers and defenders are expected not to punt the ball upfield. This is because players like Suarez and Sterling are never going to win aerial battles against giants like Shawcross and Huth. 9 times of 10, the defenders will win the ball and regain possession.
So to play smart, we need to keep the ball on the ground and circulate possession. Midfielders and strikers are trained to soak in pressure, however the problem is usually in the defenders. Defenders, by nature are better without the ball than they are with the ball. When under pressure, they are prone to mistakes. So to relieve the pressure, the more options they have to pass to, the better. Back in the 80s, our defenders used to pass it back to the goalkeeper and once they pick up the ball... wham... pressure over.
Picking the ball up is no longer possible but if you have a keeper like Reina who is comfortable receiving the ball, it changes the complexity of the game. I remember an instance early this season where the opponent's striker was chasing down at Reina as he was about the clear the ball. Instead of striking the ball with full force, Reina dropped his shoulder at the last second, feint the clearance and pushed the ball to an opposite direction. The striker ended up behind Reina and Pepe had acres of space ahead of him to pick out a pass. Suddenly, we had 11 outfield players versus their 9. And then there was another instance where Joe Allen had no where to go and sent a lob pass back to Reina. A different keeper would have cursed Allen to death but Reina took the ball down like any good player and distributed it to the other side of the pitch. It's subtle genius like that that usually go unnoticed by the uninitiated. Hardly surprising though, considering he was a Barca graduate. Try watching Joe Hart and see, an excellent shot stopper but - I suspect due to the English coaching - whenever he receives the ball, his first choice is to clear it.
I do agree that he hasn't made a great save in a long time (In fact, when was the last time he saved a penalty anyway? Against Rooney's that eventually went in?) and he could have prevented a few goals this season. However, goalkeepers who could use their feet are a rare breed in football and it's an added bonus that Reina is a positive influence in the dressing room. Unless he wants to leave, I personally think we should tie him down for as long as possible. Perhaps getting a good deputy would do him some good but I like to think that letting him go is our last resort.
Added on December 24, 2012, 2:51 pm
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