Federici - the best keeper in the Championship?

[JimmytheJim]

Definitely the best in the Championship for my mind.

He has been the most underrated player at Reading for quite some time.

[The Goat was fed]

I would have laughed this out of town a while back, but he's been on good form and can't really be faulted. At the start of the season I was about ready to go out and punch him if he a) didn't come off his line to claim a ball in the six yard box. b) continued to tip harmless efforts over the bar.

He's got a very good back 4 in front of him now that helps, but his distribution and command of area have notably improved since September/October.

[Hoop Blah]

He's certainly one of the best, and most spectacular, shit stoppers in the division from what I've seen.

He's also been in good form the last few months with mothing like so many mistakes as he's made in the past (not just the ones that have led to goals or chances) so credit where it's due. As Goat says above though, the impact of having two in form and very solid centre halfs in front of him shouldn't be underestimated. Between them, the fullbacks (who have been a lot more defensive as well don't forget) and the defensive midfield we don't concede a lot of chances or pressure within the 18 yard area so it's not just his work that's paying off.

The way we're playing (credit the whole team and McDermott) is helping hide his previous weaknesses but also exploit his shot saving strengths.

I think AP has covered things off pretty well. Improved but probably still not as good as a few others.

[Snowball]

He's certainly one of the best, and most spectacular, shit stoppers in the division from what I've seen.

Are yoiu saying he's toilet?

[Ian Royal]

He's certainly one of the best, and most spectacular, shit stoppers in the division from what I've seen.

He's also been in good form the last few months with mothing like so many mistakes as he's made in the past (not just the ones that have led to goals or chances) so credit where it's due. As Goat says above though, the impact of having two in form and very solid centre halfs in front of him shouldn't be underestimated. Between them, the fullbacks (who have been a lot more defensive as well don't forget) and the defensive midfield we don't concede a lot of chances or pressure within the 18 yard area so it's not just his work that's paying off.

The way we're playing (credit the whole team and McDermott) is helping hide his previous weaknesses but also exploit his shot saving strengths.

I think AP has covered things off pretty well. Improved but probably still not as good as a few others.

Good point in there about the defence. If you look at the Coventry highlights with his great saves, they all came from further than about 18 yards out. We seem to be restricting teams to half chances from set pieces or long shots. A great stopper like Fed is not going to get beaten from range that often, because he should be able to see it coming from a fair distance and has a great dive on him.

[SCIAG]

Good point in there about the defence. If you look at the Coventry highlights with his great saves, they all came from further than about 18 yards out.

Except for the best save of the lot, which was from Nimeley from about 8 yards about 20 seconds after one of his mistakes.

[Hoop Blah]

Funnily enough, I've always felt that long range shots were one of his weaknesses. They were ones that would catch him out at times but I think he's probably looked a bit more in solid on those recently too.

[Snowball]

Always was good, now very, very good, and still improving.

19 conceded in 24 games.

We will probably lose him in the summer if we don't go up

[Woodcote Royal]

Any club in possession of "The best keeper in the Championship" would, at the very least, have been fending off Premiership interest in the recently closed transfer window.............................can't say I heard anything beyond wild speculation.

[TBM]

Any club in possession of "The best keeper in the Championship" would, at the very least, have been fending off Premiership interest in the recently closed transfer window.............................can't say I heard anything beyond wild speculation.

Keepers are different though, its just 1 position and its unusual for teams to rotate mid-season........expect there to be some interest in the summer should we fail to go up, and he continues his form

[sandman]

We are now in a position to keep our better players so it's unlikely that you will hear about any moves other than speculation anyway. The best keeper in the league seems to be happier than he was in the summer with the ambition and direction the club are going in now we have a new owner.

[Royal Rother]

Funnily enough, I've always felt that long range shots were one of his weaknesses.

Me too, whereas he's always been superb in one on ones.

[Woodcote Royal]

We are now in a position to keep our better players so it's unlikely that you will hear about any moves other than speculation anyway. The best keeper in the league seems to be happier than he was in the summer with the ambition and direction the club are going in now we have a new owner.

Did you pick your user name because your head spends most of it's time in a bucket of the stuff

If any Premiership club was moderately interested in signing our "nothing special" Championship 'keeper we would know about it regardless of whether the club wanted to hang onto him or not.

[TBM]

We are now in a position to keep our better players so it's unlikely that you will hear about any moves other than speculation anyway. The best keeper in the league seems to be happier than he was in the summer with the ambition and direction the club are going in now we have a new owner.

Did you pick your user name because your head spends most of it's time in a bucket of the stuff

If any Premiership club was moderately interested in signing our "nothing special" Championship 'keeper we would know about it regardless of whether the club wanted to hang onto him or not.

So tell me how many Premiership teams enquired about the other [better] keepers in the division!?

[Royal Rother]

Any club in possession of "The best keeper in the Championship" would, at the very least, have been fending off Premiership interest in the recently closed transfer window.............................can't say I heard anything beyond wild speculation.

So which club is in possession of The Best Keeper in The Championship right now then?

Might be wrong but I can't recall any team fending off Premiership interest in the last transfer window.

Out of interest, Williams and Gooding were waxing lyrical about Federici last week and agreed that he is, for them, by some distance the best 'keeper in the Championship right now.

Edit: Oh right, TBM's already asked the Q...

[Woodcote Royal]

I'm not interested in other clubs 'keepers but even if Fed was deemed good enough for back up in the top flight we would know about it.

Why not show me any evidence, amongst all the wild speculation that goes on throughout any transfer window, of the slightest top flight interest in our goalkeeper.

All I remember is panic over losing McCarthy.

I heard Adie Williams claiming Kebe had had just 6 decent games this season when his recent absence has shown just how blunt we look without him...........................

If Federici is the best in this division he must be one of a very poor bunch that no one deems good enough for the top flight.

[Hoop Blah]

We are now in a position to keep our better players so it's unlikely that you will hear about any moves other than speculation anyway. The best keeper in the league seems to be happier than he was in the summer with the ambition and direction the club are going in now we have a new owner.

Did you pick your user name because your head spends most of it's time in a bucket of the stuff

If any Premiership club was moderately interested in signing our "nothing special" Championship 'keeper we would know about it regardless of whether the club wanted to hang onto him or not.

So tell me how many Premiership teams enquired about the other [better] keepers in the division!?

Joe Lewis went on trial at QPR for one.

The guy from Charlton (Elliot wasn't it) moved to Newcastle, although that's from the division below of course.

Pretty sure Scott Loach has been linked with a few moves this season, as has Gilks (not that I'm saying they're better than Federici or that the links are any more reliable than others)

[TBM]

I'm not interested in other clubs 'keepers but even if Fed was deemed good enough for back up in the top flight we would know about it.

Why not show me any evidence, amongst all the wild speculation that goes on throughout any transfer window, of the slightest top flight interest in our goalkeeper.

All I remember is panic over losing McCarthy.

I heard Adie Williams claiming Kebe had had just 6 decent games this season when his recent absence has shown just how blunt we look without him...........................

If Federici is the best in this division he must be one of a very poor bunch that no one deems good enough for the top flight.

http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/Tr ... 67111.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footba ... ading.html
http://www.metro.co.uk/sport/football/8 ... oins-spurs

Now there ^^ are 3 stories from the past linking Feds with a move away.........as said, most clubs dont tend to buy keepers in the January window and wait until the summer - so, as said, if he continues this form then i can guarantee we will hear of the interest in June/July time

[Woodcote Royal]

Two of those links are from 2010 and one from June last year yet even then, with him being shortly out of contract, Brian McDermott was yet to receive a single offer

Please feel free to find something more recent because I still think we should cash in.

[Vision]

I think it's easier for BMc to keep it as it is - dropping Feds would be a real slap in the face for him, so keeping the younger, less-experienced McCarthy as second choice is easier in terms of man-management.

I think BMc is also considering who is most likely to be at the club in 2 or 3 years. If McCarthy filfills his huge potential, then even the Russian's Rubles won't be able to keep him out of the grasps of the top clubs. Feds will never be World Class, but will always be a solid keeper we can generally rely on beit in the Championship or the Premiership.

Honestly I think it boils down to one simple fact. McD believed then, as he does now, that Federici is the best keeper available to him.