Players who started off terrible but became good

[Brogue]

Zurab Khizanishvili

[Snowflake Royal]

Zurab Khizanishvili

His PO Final performance was an abomination... quite a quick decline to rubbish (one game - his last wasn't it?)

Don't remember him starting badly, but then I don't remember his start at all. Was definitely quality up until that Final though.

[stealthpapes]

Zurab Khizanishvili

His PO Final performance was an abomination... quite a quick decline to rubbish (one game - his last wasn't it?)

Don't remember him starting badly, but then I don't remember his start at all. Was definitely quality up until that Final though.

Two loan spells, 2009-10 (to end of season) and full season 2010-11 (to play off final)

He was broadly quality but that last game ... eesh ... just completely done.

[Greatwesternline]

Wasn’t Federici pretty dreadful as a regular understudy then suddenly excellent as a number 1?

Federici played a blinder as reserve goalie against Man United in 3rd round of cup, won player of the round. So i dont think so.

[Snowflake Royal]

Wasn’t Federici pretty dreadful as a regular understudy then suddenly excellent as a number 1?

Federici played a blinder as reserve goalie against Man United in 3rd round of cup, won player of the round. So i dont think so.

Was that the one we were 3-0 down inside 30 minutes?

Edit: probably the draw that got us that replay. Or could have been the following tie with them.

[stealthpapes]

Wasn’t Federici pretty dreadful as a regular understudy then suddenly excellent as a number 1?

Federici played a blinder as reserve goalie against Man United in 3rd round of cup, won player of the round. So i dont think so.

Was that the one we were 3-0 down inside 30 minutes?

Edit: probably the draw that got us that replay. Or could have been the following tie with them.

In the 3-0 to 3-2 in 2007, he was directly responsible for one of the United goals and weak on the other two.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPxBikbaEQs&t=460s

[Snowflake Royal]

Federici played a blinder as reserve goalie against Man United in 3rd round of cup, won player of the round. So i dont think so.

Was that the one we were 3-0 down inside 30 minutes?

Edit: probably the draw that got us that replay. Or could have been the following tie with them.

In the 3-0 to 3-2 in 2007, he was directly responsible for one of the United goals and weak on the other two.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPxBikbaEQs&t=460s

Yeah that was my memory. Forgot it was a replay and we played them two years in quick succession at that time.

I think GWL may be falling for one swallow makes a good summer, or whatever the phrase is.

I think you're being generous, the first two are howlers. Dived over a slight deflection that didn't alter the path a lot, and the second one he's not covering half his goal. It's not even close to the far corner.

[Greatwesternline]

Was that the one we were 3-0 down inside 30 minutes?

Edit: probably the draw that got us that replay. Or could have been the following tie with them.

In the 3-0 to 3-2 in 2007, he was directly responsible for one of the United goals and weak on the other two.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPxBikbaEQs&t=460s

Yeah that was my memory. Forgot it was a replay and we played them two years in quick succession at that time.

I think GWL may be falling for one swallow makes a good summer, or whatever the phrase is.

I think you're being generous, the first two are howlers. Dived over a slight deflection that didn't alter the path a lot, and the second one he's not covering half his goal. It's not even close to the far corner.

I'd say being voted player of the round on your debut against Man U is the very definition of not being terrible at the START.

You really will argue about literally anything. Where do you get the energy?

[Snowflake Royal]

In the 3-0 to 3-2 in 2007, he was directly responsible for one of the United goals and weak on the other two.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPxBikbaEQs&t=460s

Yeah that was my memory. Forgot it was a replay and we played them two years in quick succession at that time.

I think GWL may be falling for one swallow makes a good summer, or whatever the phrase is.

I think you're being generous, the first two are howlers. Dived over a slight deflection that didn't alter the path a lot, and the second one he's not covering half his goal. It's not even close to the far corner.

I'd say being voted player of the round on your debut against Man U is the very definition of not being terrible at the START.

You really will argue about literally anything. Where do you get the energy?

Whats up champ? Its ok for you to disagree with RG, but not me disagree with you? Precious much?

I've already said I think 'started off' being just one game is daft.

One good game followed by conceding two howlers and a soft goal in 25 minutes isn’t my idea of a good start, maybe your standards are lower.

[URZZZZ]

Mbengue
Meite
Al Habsi
Kermorgant
Campbell

[Dirk Gently]

You can be as 'fair' as you like! I'm merely stating I wouldn't include younger players; others can if they like.

I think they're fair game if we're talking over a more prolonged period like Richards.

On the basis that the first time I saw Olise come on as a sub for the u21 side I thought he’d be a star I’m happy to have seen Adi come on as a sub and me think he looked shocking - and be proved wrong ! Those instant judgements can come back to haunt you.
I recall seeing Doyle play in a preseason at Farnborough just after we signed him and being totally unimpressed.

I remember seeing both Scott Davies and Gylfi play in a pre-season game at Didcot and thinking that Davies looked by far the better player of the two.

[Dirk Gently]

Was that the one we were 3-0 down inside 30 minutes?

Edit: probably the draw that got us that replay. Or could have been the following tie with them.

In the 3-0 to 3-2 in 2007, he was directly responsible for one of the United goals and weak on the other two.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPxBikbaEQs&t=460s

Yeah that was my memory. Forgot it was a replay and we played them two years in quick succession at that time.

I think GWL may be falling for one swallow makes a good summer, or whatever the phrase is.

I think you're being generous, the first two are howlers. Dived over a slight deflection that didn't alter the path a lot, and the second one he's not covering half his goal. It's not even close to the far corner.

From my recollection, in the first ten minutes of the reply Federici was just awful - looked completely out of his depth, like a rabbit in headlines. And we were almost immediately 3-0 down as a result. I remember that as one of the worst goalkeeping perfromamces ever.

He may have been better for the other 80 minutes, but as we were doing all the attacking for the rest of the game so not sure he had that much to do.

Perhaps the nomination came from the first game, at OT?

In any case, I'd argue that he ever became good - he was always on the verge of doing something calamitous. People raved about him because he tended to do camera saves all the time, but a lot of the time he only needed to do them because his positioning was so bad. The number of times he was beaten inside his near post....

[Clyde1998]

I think they're fair game if we're talking over a more prolonged period like Richards.

On the basis that the first time I saw Olise come on as a sub for the u21 side I thought he’d be a star I’m happy to have seen Adi come on as a sub and me think he looked shocking - and be proved wrong ! Those instant judgements can come back to haunt you.
I recall seeing Doyle play in a preseason at Farnborough just after we signed him and being totally unimpressed.

I remember seeing both Scott Davies and Gylfi play in a pre-season game at Didcot and thinking that Davies looked by far the better player of the two.

Agree with Scott Davies. He seemed to be the one who'd be our best midfielder to come through. He scored a great free-kick in pre-season against Chelsea.

There was an article on the BBC about him about how he'd lost £200k from gambling and the mental health effects it had on him: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcthree/article/ ... a93c4d3671

[Royalwaster]

Mbengue
Meite
Al Habsi
Kermorgant
Campbell

Campbell is a good shout!

[Snowflake Royal]

In the 3-0 to 3-2 in 2007, he was directly responsible for one of the United goals and weak on the other two.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPxBikbaEQs&t=460s

Yeah that was my memory. Forgot it was a replay and we played them two years in quick succession at that time.

I think GWL may be falling for one swallow makes a good summer, or whatever the phrase is.

I think you're being generous, the first two are howlers. Dived over a slight deflection that didn't alter the path a lot, and the second one he's not covering half his goal. It's not even close to the far corner.

From my recollection, in the first ten minutes of the reply Federici was just awful - looked completely out of his depth, like a rabbit in headlines. And we were almost immediately 3-0 down as a result. I remember that as one of the worst goalkeeping perfromamces ever.

He may have been better for the other 80 minutes, but as we were doing all the attacking for the rest of the game so not sure he had that much to do.

Perhaps the nomination came from the first game, at OT?

In any case, I'd argue that he ever became good - he was always on the verge of doing something calamitous. People raved about him because he tended to do camera saves all the time, but a lot of the time he only needed to do them because his positioning was so bad. The number of times he was beaten inside his near post....

Verymuch agree with this. Isn't the FA semi winner Arsenal scored another one where he just dove over the ball, like the first Utd one in the video.

Iirc he did the same against Stoke and was it Chelsea in the PL. Results that could have set us up with a great confidence boosting start, but actually had us demoralised and chasing to catch up from day 1.

[Dirk Gently]

Yeah that was my memory. Forgot it was a replay and we played them two years in quick succession at that time.

I think GWL may be falling for one swallow makes a good summer, or whatever the phrase is.

I think you're being generous, the first two are howlers. Dived over a slight deflection that didn't alter the path a lot, and the second one he's not covering half his goal. It's not even close to the far corner.

From my recollection, in the first ten minutes of the reply Federici was just awful - looked completely out of his depth, like a rabbit in headlines. And we were almost immediately 3-0 down as a result. I remember that as one of the worst goalkeeping perfromamces ever.

He may have been better for the other 80 minutes, but as we were doing all the attacking for the rest of the game so not sure he had that much to do.

Perhaps the nomination came from the first game, at OT?

In any case, I'd argue that he ever became good - he was always on the verge of doing something calamitous. People raved about him because he tended to do camera saves all the time, but a lot of the time he only needed to do them because his positioning was so bad. The number of times he was beaten inside his near post....

Verymuch agree with this. Isn't the FA semi winner Arsenal scored another one where he just dove over the ball, like the first Utd one in the video.

Iirc he did the same against Stoke and was it Chelsea in the PL. Results that could have set us up with a great confidence boosting start, but actually had us demoralised and chasing to catch up from day 1.

And away at West Brom in October 2009. Don't remember the details but do remember ihaving zero confidence in his judgement.

[Snowflake Royal]

From my recollection, in the first ten minutes of the reply Federici was just awful - looked completely out of his depth, like a rabbit in headlines. And we were almost immediately 3-0 down as a result. I remember that as one of the worst goalkeeping perfromamces ever.

He may have been better for the other 80 minutes, but as we were doing all the attacking for the rest of the game so not sure he had that much to do.

Perhaps the nomination came from the first game, at OT?

In any case, I'd argue that he ever became good - he was always on the verge of doing something calamitous. People raved about him because he tended to do camera saves all the time, but a lot of the time he only needed to do them because his positioning was so bad. The number of times he was beaten inside his near post....

Verymuch agree with this. Isn't the FA semi winner Arsenal scored another one where he just dove over the ball, like the first Utd one in the video.

Iirc he did the same against Stoke and was it Chelsea in the PL. Results that could have set us up with a great confidence boosting start, but actually had us demoralised and chasing to catch up from day 1.

And away at West Brom in October 2009. Don't remember the details but do remember ihaving zero confidence in his judgement.

Just rememered the Posh cup debacle where almost every shot went in his bottom corner and he never got close.

[sputnik]

I recall seeing Doyle play in a preseason at Farnborough just after we signed him and being totally unimpressed.

I saw Doyle score for Cork City v Nantes at Turner's Cross in the Intertoto Cup. Thats about all I can remember about that evening.

[leon]

In the 3-0 to 3-2 in 2007, he was directly responsible for one of the United goals and weak on the other two.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPxBikbaEQs&t=460s

Yeah that was my memory. Forgot it was a replay and we played them two years in quick succession at that time.

I think GWL may be falling for one swallow makes a good summer, or whatever the phrase is.

I think you're being generous, the first two are howlers. Dived over a slight deflection that didn't alter the path a lot, and the second one he's not covering half his goal. It's not even close to the far corner.

I'd say being voted player of the round on your debut against Man U is the very definition of not being terrible at the START.

You really will argue about literally anything. Where do you get the energy?

he saps it from his fellow posters

[Dirk Gently]

Just to confirm, the "player of the round" award was for the game at Old Trafford. The match at home was

On 17 February 2007 a "second string" Reading side unexpectedly drew 1–1 with Manchester United during an FA Cup 5th Round tie at Old Trafford, with the young Aussie keeper making some fine saves in a memorable game for the club.[7] For this performance, he was named the FA Cup "Player of the Round" for the 5th Round.[8] However, in the replay on 27 February, Federici had a night to generally forget as Reading conceded three goals in the first six minutes.

Also, an extract from a well-know (and recommended!) book on the subject :