RUMOUR: Rafael

[SCIAG]

Goalkeeper hot takes:

Shaka = Marcus = Al-Habsi
McCarthy
Federici = Martinez
Rafael = Ashdown
Mannone
(Boring mass of meh)
Bond = Sheppard
Van der Kwaak = Virginia

Unpopular opinion but Al Habsi was criminally over rated. Made some great looking saves, mainly due to spilling a cross, being out of position, or just pushing it away when he should've held it.

Shaka
Martinez
Marcus
McCarthy
Federici
Rafael
Al Habsi

Remember how in Stam’s season opposition fans would bang on about how our xG suggested we should be losing more than we were?

That was Al-Habsi.

[morganb]

An interview with Rafael here:

http://sportwitness.co.uk/reading-star- ... prospects/

[Snowflake Royal]

Describes us and Bowen last season as long ball.

Baffling. Must be lost in translation. He obviously never saw Wimbledon play.

[Sutekh]

An interview with Rafael here:

http://sportwitness.co.uk/reading-star- ... prospects/

Who is the English coach he mentions?

[leon]

An interview with Rafael here:

http://sportwitness.co.uk/reading-star- ... prospects/

Who is the English coach he mentions?

Mark MacBowen

[Linden Jones' Tash]

He can't have paid much attention to what has been happening at the City Ground over the last few years then....

9th and 7th-placed finishes in the last 2 years and ahead of us 5 out of the last 6?

Taken together, Baldock's "not a straightforward club" comments and these start to paint a picture.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54219290

[Snowflake Royal]

He can't have paid much attention to what has been happening at the City Ground over the last few years then....

9th and 7th-placed finishes in the last 2 years and ahead of us 5 out of the last 6?

Taken together, Baldock's "not a straightforward club" comments and these start to paint a picture.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54219290

LOL, I forgot we helped them out of the POs with a swing of 6 in GD after both of us lost 4-1 on the final day.

[Zip]

9th and 7th-placed finishes in the last 2 years and ahead of us 5 out of the last 6?

Taken together, Baldock's "not a straightforward club" comments and these start to paint a picture.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54219290

LOL, I forgot we helped them out of the POs with a swing of 6 in GD after both of us lost 4-1 on the final day.

That was very odd. Swansea seemed to have given up on making the play offs as they weren’t playing with urgency.
Then Forest imploded and we didn’t exactly provide much resistance and before you know they scored a fourth at the death and pipped Forest.

[Snowball]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54219290

LOL, I forgot we helped them out of the POs with a swing of 6 in GD after both of us lost 4-1 on the final day.

That was very odd. Swansea seemed to have given up on making the play offs as they weren’t playing with urgency.
Then Forest imploded and we didn’t exactly provide much resistance and before you know they scored a fourth at the death and pipped Forest.

Damn good payout!

[Snowball]

Yes it was a joke, yer 'onour

[Chameleon]

Looking at it, I can't think of a club besides Fulham or West Brom where he'd have a chance of starting.

Cynic in me wonders, after Blackett's comments yesterday, if this could be his agent looking for an escape route.

What has Blackett said?

The former Manchester United defender says one of the attractions of his new club was that everyone is working together on the same 'project' which is to help get the club promoted to the Premier League.

"When I heard the club [Forest] were interested in me it was a no-brainer really," he said.

"I was at Reading for four years so to come to a club like Forest is a privilege and an honour for me in terms of the history of the club and the way in which the club is progressing.

"The club had been trying to sign me for the past two years. I believe it came close last season but it didn't happen.

"I've always wanted to be involved in such a project in terms of achieving promotion and getting to the Premier League [so] it was a no brainer when they came back in for me."

Asked to elaborate on the Forest 'project', he added: "For me it's a focus.

"Everyone has the same focus which is trying to achieve promotion.

"When you have a team - and by that I mean staff and everyone working at the club - working towards that it makes it a great thing.

"It makes it [promotion] even more possible."

getreading.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/tyler-blackett-opens-up-reading-18893957

This is very potentially my favourite interview of all time given ensuing events.

[Pepe the Horseman]

Do you remember when people were saying they'd be happy to let Rafael go for a mill

[Hendo]

Do you remember when people were saying they'd be happy to let Rafael go for a mill

Yeah, people are oxf*rd clueless.

[WoodleyRoyal]

Martinez or Rafael who would you rather have now?

[Old Man Andrews]

Martinez is a £20m goalkeeper . What a fcuking stupid question.

[windermereROYAL]

Rafael is good, but nowhere near the level of Emi IMO.

[linkenholtroyal]

Martinez or Rafael who would you rather have now?

Rafael because Martinez is a 20 million keeper, Rafael was written off and a free transfer. Has a point to prove still is now probably worth 5 million in my opinion. Martinez got his move is world class and will never ever play for Reading again so the argument is mute.
Is Rafael potentially the best free transfer in recent years?

[Hendo]

Martinez or Rafael who would you rather have now?

Rafael because Martinez is a 20 million keeper, Rafael was written off and a free transfer. Has a point to prove still is now probably worth 5 million in my opinion. Martinez got his move is world class and will never ever play for Reading again so the argument is mute.
Is Rafael potentially the best free transfer in recent years?

Morrison would certainly run him close.

Both of them have been excellent acquisitions by the club.

[RoyalBlue]

Do you remember when people were saying they'd be happy to let Rafael go for a mill

Yeah, people are oxf*rd clueless.

Less than 2 years left on his contract. It might be worth locking in his value now with another 1-2 years on top of that. And before anyone questions his age, 33-34 will not be too old for a keeper. Like fine wines, the best keepers improve still further with age and experience.

[Hendo]

Do you remember when people were saying they'd be happy to let Rafael go for a mill

Yeah, people are oxf*rd clueless.

Less than 2 years left on his contract. It might be worth locking in his value now with another 1-2 years on top of that. And before anyone questions his age, 33-34 will not be too old for a keeper. Like fine wines, the best keepers improve still further with age and experience.

I'd be more than happy if he continues for another couple of years, for sure. Think his kicking has improved a lot as well, since he got here.