Is Feds the best Keeper Reading have ever had?

[Binfield Royal]

I have been watching Reading since the early 90's (yeah F**k off newbie) so I have seen keepers from Shaka onwards.

Feds may have been a bit suspect when he first took over the no. 1 spot but has (IMHO) been improving such that I think he could be the best keeper Reading have had in the last 20 years but is he the best ever?

[RG30]

No but he is far better than Reading fans give him credit for and probably the best in the league.

[Friday's Legacy]

no. far from it.

hahnemann was more reliable, shaka for those that remember him was immense for such a tall keeper. steve death for the same reasons as shaka but for being a lot shorter. lets not get carried away with federici. he's a good shot-stopper but he likes to make the simple things look spectacular. he's a good keeper but i'm sure he's the best in the division, but almost.

[Silver Fox]

No but he's not finished his reading career yet so time will tell, at present the list is

Death
Shaka
Marcus
Feds

[Bandini]

Steve Francis > Trevor Senior > Feds

[LUX]

No but he's not finished his reading career yet so time will tell, at present the list is

Death
Shaka
Marcus
Feds

blimey, you remember Death (RIP)?

Obviously fond memories for me but, like Robin Friday, we have to remember he played most of his career in the Fourth Division.

[Silver Fox]

but that's outweighed by the fact he was a midget

[Nick Shorey my Lord!]

No. My 10 pence:

Shaka > Tommy Wright (yeah I know he wasn't ours but Christ we was good) > Shepperd

[pea]

I'd say he is looking better than Marcus did in this division now, but still needs to prove he can do it at a higher level, so not there yet. Shaka is obviously still top dog

[Fox Talbot]

No - it's Shaka - esp 94/95.

And I watched a lot of Death.

[Norfolk Royal]

I'd say Death.

[Aubery Boyce]

Steve Francis > Trevor Senior > Feds

I agree.

Francis playes in a mainly awful team. He used to make lots and lots of great saves and still end up on the losing side.


Senior must be the best ever as he never evre conceded a a goal? Right?

[Dick Habbin's hairdo]

No. My 10 pence:

Shaka > Tommy Wright (yeah I know he wasn't ours but Christ we was good) > Shepperd

You must be on drugs.

Shepperd - not quite as bad as Colgan *that* night at the Pox - and redeemed by one good display in *that* match at Filbert Street.

[Gordons Cumming]

No but he's not finished his reading career yet so time will tell, at present the list is

Death
Shaka
Marcus
Feds

blimey, you remember Death (RIP)?

Obviously fond memories for me but, like Robin Friday, we have to remember he played most of his career in the Fourth Division.

With goalkeepers it doesn't matter what level they play at . Shots come just as hard and at the same angles.

Steve Death was extraordinary due to only being 5' 7" tall.

[Pepe the Horseman]

Alex McCarthy is, isn't he

[wolsey]

Jim Leighton (not ours) was the best goalkeeper I've seen in a Reading shirt.

[DandyRoyal]

It's obvious that he isn't the best keeper we have ever had, but I think that Fed really does deserve a lot of credit.

I think he is a great success story. He left Oz at 17 to pursue the dream that he is living. When he joined us in 2005 he went out on loan to such footballing giants as Maidenhead and Carshalton. Within two years he played for us at Old Trafford. Rightfully nursing the bench as Hahnemann's No.2, he clearly put his head down, worked on his game, and waited for his chance. Eventually when Marcus left it came in 09-10.

One of the main criticisms one reads about Fed is that he is a good shot stopper, but that he shows off with 'camera saves'. While true to an extent, his shot stopping has clearly improved, and that has happened because he has improved his positioning. I don't think he gets caught out with near post shots like he used to, and his stopping of 1 on 1s is immense, he knows just when to hold back and just when to rush out.

Moreover, these days he is commanding in the air and we are strong at defending balls into the box/set pieces.

He has come a long way from when the main talking point about him was his flashy kicks. Perhaps McCarthy is better, I think a lot of people want him to be better (English, academy grown, fairly local), and he certainly has a great physique for a keeper, and he was great in the run last season. But Fed has responded this year and really claimed that jersey, and good on him.

One thing a fan should love to see from a player is improvement, and undeniably one can see that in Fed. He is 27, which means he isn't even halfway thru his career as a keeper, whats stopping him from improving further?

So no, not Reading's greatest ever keeper. But he is certainly a great keeper, and I feel confident with him between the posts, and so does McD. We have a wealth of good upcoming keepers to keep him on his toes, and due to that he is putting in great performances. If he drops, we have good options to come in. What a perfect situation.

[pea]

Moreover, these days he is commanding in the air and we are strong at defending balls into the box/set pieces.

I think that this is the one advantage McCarthy had over him last season and he had really improved this side of his game which has made life much easier for our defence.

[Gordons Cumming]

Good post, Dandy.

Spot on.

[Ian Royal]

Great shot stopper. Has a bit of a tendency to make the most of a save for the cameras and slightly suspect positioning, but he's definitely got better from last season and after a bit of a weak start to the season.

Not as good as Shaka, or Hahnemann for me. And I'll always rate Death as a great for his record, despite never having seen him play.

Feds could get up there if he keeps this up. Just can't quite fully warm to him though.