Pepe Reina

[lickedlollipop]

José Manuel Reina Páez

[Jaymo]

Reina is Kwalite, no?

I think he should be spanish number one, but in all fairness, its because i love the guy. Its a shame hes playing in the same era as Casillas.

[johnly]

Here's another classic, it's on here somewhere I think, but still it's worth watching again. Post Euro 08 victory celebrations with Spain. Pepe you mentalist!

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21wYUaraZM4"]YouTube- Pepe Reina Show CAMARERO in Spanish celebrations spanish TV[/ame]

[CJ]

so who is better than Pepe?

Casillas?
buffon?

i dont really know much about buffon any more but he was class. and never sure is Casillas is all that but to play for real and spain from a young age he cant be that bad can he.

[stevieg]

Julio Cesar is quality but pepe is no 1

[-V-]

A couple of seasons ago I said both Casillas and Buffon were better than Pepe but seriously this is no longer the case. I think Pepe has improved immensely over the past couple of season and Im of the opinion that he is the best around now bar none

[Guest]

Buffon was always a buffoon.

[Craig_H]

A couple of seasons ago I said both Casillas and Buffon were better than Pepe but seriously this is no longer the case. I think Pepe has improved immensely over the past couple of season and Im of the opinion that he is the best around now bar none

I was of the same opinion and whilst i dont watch Casillas, Buffon or Cesar for 40 odd games per season, it'd take an awful lot to better the utterly superbly world class Pepe.

What gets me is how little other people rate him.

Some mates of mine, non LFC fans but people who are objective and know their stuff, whilst rating him highly, have him down as 2nd or 3rd best in the PL. One of them reckons VdS, Cech and Reina are a much of a muchness.

On a similar topic, one of my best mates, also clued up and fair minded, doesnt think Mascherano's particularly world class. I always state that i think him and Essien are the best holding mids in the world, and that whilst i rate Essien hugely, i wouldnt swap Mascher. And my mate looks at me as if i've just grown a ballbag out of my chin.

I think it's because Mascher rarely features significantly on highlights, as he hardly has anything to do with goalscoring chances or goals. So people dont see his true value quite as much.

[MrMichael]

There's some very good keepers in the league, ontop of Cech and VDS, Freidel's been solid for years and Given is a marvellous shot-stopper. Thing that sets Reina out on his own for me however is his distribution and awareness of the game in front of him.

Pepe is boss

[Exiled_red]

I've got a few mates who don't rate Reina at all (non-LFC fans obviously), so I've been trying to figure out why they don't rate him and why he's generally under-rated. The conclusion I've come to is that people don't rate him because he doesn't pull off that many saves, for me this is because of the "sweeper keeper" role he plays, he anticipates danger and reacts early to it (by clearing the ball before the striker is baring down on him), and as this isn't as spectacular as making a last ditch save people don't appreciate it in a similar manner. Hence why he's so under rated IMO.

[Craig_H]

Agreed. His weak spot was his dealing of crosses and aerial ability, but this has improved no end and he's now totally commanding in the box. I dont worry about him and crosses anymore, not in the slightest.

[Carras_Shin_Pads]

He might be better then casillas but he'll never play in goal for Spain while he's there because he's the big dog captain. Real shame really!

[Exiled_red]

He might be better then casillas but he'll never play in goal for Spain while he's there because he's the big dog captain. Real shame really!

And Casillas is only a year older than Pepe, so it's not like he's likely to be Casillas' replacement when he retires.

[Maxiedge]

What a waste for the World Cup having the best keeper in the world on the bench. Strange circumstances.

[the rev leeroy brown]

reina defo in top 3 alomg with casillas and buffon.