Raul Albentosa

[G STAR RAM]

​see, I kind of disagree. He's not been brilliant, but he's been no worse than Keogh, Forsyth and Shotton during any game. Today, he was marginally better than both Shotton and Keogh.

Yet Keogh, Forsyth and Shotton will come in for stick from all angles. At least them three try to play football. I can't think of anything Albentosa did today to make him stand out above the other three...

[Uptherams]

From what I have seen of him up until today I thought people had been harsh on him. He is used to a slower tempo and that will take a little time. His passing when he has no time or a few seconds is decent. But when there is no movement his long balls are as bad as they come. It is so bizarre. But he was bad today. He did not look like he wanted to be there one bit. I have never seen him sprint. They counter attacked from one of our corners and at the pace he was going to get back it would have taken him 20 seconds to do the 100 meters. I have serious questions about his speed now. Needs to be playing on his natural side. But out of the defenders, right now I would not be fussed if we kept Buxton and got rid of the lot. We can start by signing Wisdom please. 

[McMuffin]

I'm not sure. I know it doesn't look good at the minute but he has come in the team at a terrible time. The confidence of the team is so low.

 

Do we stick by him for next season or 

I'm sure we'd get our money back, maybe even make a bit on him as it sounds like he's highly rated in Spain.

 

[Uptherams]

Playing on the wrong side. Came into a dreadful defence. Hardly speaks the language. A **** having at go at him constantly. No one wanting the ball so being forced to play long balls constantly. 

Must be great for him. 

​Yep. Those passes he makes when no one wants it are awful. But all his other passes are very good. He actually made about 4 really neat passes. Thornesque. 

[Cam the Ram]

Albentosa - immune from criticism because he needs to settle in

Shotton - Doesn't know whether he's playing right back, centre back, or on the bench each week, allowed to be criticised

Keogh - Had more partners at centre back than Henry the 8th, allowed to be criticised

Forsyth - Left back one week, centre back the next, allowed to be criticised

 

They've all been awful and McClaren should take most of the blame because he changed the defence and holding midfielder near enough every game so none of them could get any understanding with each other

[needles]

He put three clean out for goal kicks or the goalie in the first half alone.

[Mostyn6]

Albentosa - immune from criticism because he needs to settle in

Shotton - Doesn't know whether he's playing right back, centre back, or on the bench each week, allowed to be criticised

Keogh - Had more partners at centre back than Henry the 8th, allowed to be criticised

Forsyth - Left back one week, centre back the next, allowed to be criticised

 

They've all been awful and McClaren should take most of the blame because he changed the defence and holding midfielder near enough every game so none of them could get any understanding with each other

​for me, Shotton needs to settle in one position. Keogh was (in my opinon) poor and liable from the moment he arrived at the club, not just the last few months. Forsyth has had a few years in one position and looked shaky and bereft of confidence and mental strength.

I don't yet criticise Shotton defensively, but I do Forsyth and Keogh because they've been here a relative age.

[-JW-]

A dozen clubs were in for him in the winter. That's ironic because he dozen do anything useful on the pitch.

[needles]

Shotton can't play fullback because he can't deal with the ball at feet. Unfortunately, he can't play centre half either - on what we've seen this season.

Keogh and Forsyth have been up and down but both have shown enough at various stages for us to know they can do it in the top reaches of the Champ.

 

How long they've been here is irrelevant.

[Uptherams]

I'd like to butt into your petty little scapegoating and tell you right now, this guy is much better than anyone else.

When posters on here have slated Martin, Buxton, Ince, Bent, Ibe etc as they were signed, I argued.

I admit he's been poor, but I've seen enough about him to know that once he's settled and embedded, he will be a monster.

​I know. Me too. Big Buxton fan. Was over the moon about Ince coming. Although funnily enough I didn't think Martin was good enough for us when he came here on loan. He did everything well. But his downfall was that he was a lazy fatso during that spell. His fitness has improved considerably since then. Which has similarities to Raul. Which Is why I have given him the benefit of the doubt. Right now, he is slow and his tempo/pace is behind this league. But those things can be addressed. He doesn't go diving in. Like a certain Keogh has the last few games. He slows the attacker down. As a fan, you can feel uneasy. But that's exactly how it should be done. Slow them down, focus on the ball and how they are shifting their body weight. Crouch down a little and ever so slightly position your body in their path. Stay on your feet. Don't commit the foul, unless you absolutely have to and the consequences are not worse than letting them through on goal. (Red card and or penalty). Did anyone else even see that like 40 yard header he did in the second half. Yes it was into the crowd. But you have to notice these little things. Such as he clearly wants to play it out from the back. If this was the first half of the season or last season that would have been great. But we have not been able to do that comfortably for some time. 

[Uptherams]

I find it quite funny to see people on here professing to see some hidden gem.

If this guy was from a lower league English club he would be getting slaughtered (like Keogh and Christie).

The minimum I would expect from a professional footballer is for them to be competent with both feet.

​There were concerns with Christie when he came. But from day 1 he was nothing like that defender who earned a reputation of just standing 75 yards up the pitch for no reason or bombing forward for no reason. He hit the ground running. If his two season halves were the other way round we would all be saying top lad. The problem is that the assists dried up. He lost a bit of confidence and became the player that would make a very silly mistake that lead to us conceding. While he forgot the basics of his role. Time after time he should have been kicking the ball up field or in to touch. But he was too concerned with us keeping possession. This is where I blame SM. He wants us to play this total football constantly. It doesn't work like that. Only a few teams in the world are capable. 

[Van der MoodHoover]

​I know. Me too. Big Buxton fan. Was over the moon about Ince coming. Although funnily enough I didn't think Martin was good enough for us when he came here on loan. He did everything well. But his downfall was that he was a lazy fatso during that spell. His fitness has improved considerably since then. Which has similarities to Raul. Which Is why I have given him the benefit of the doubt. Right now, he is slow and his tempo/pace is behind this league. But those things can be addressed. He doesn't go diving in. Like a certain Keogh has the last few games. He slows the attacker down. As a fan, you can feel uneasy. But that's exactly how it should be done. Slow them down, focus on the ball and how they are shifting their body weight. Crouch down a little and ever so slightly position your body in their path. Stay on your feet. Don't commit the foul, unless you absolutely have to and the consequences are not worse than letting them through on goal. (Red card and or penalty). Did anyone else even see that like 40 yard header he did in the second half. Yes it was into the crowd. But you have to notice these little things. Such as he clearly wants to play it out from the back. If this was the first half of the season or last season that would have been great. But we have not been able to do that comfortably for some time. 

​Raul was very clumsy from behind on a couple of occasions today. Did ne not give away the free kick for one clumsy challenge that Reading nearly scored from at the end of the first half?

Last thing you need is a clumsy 6'5" centre back - he tends to stand out somewhat.

[The Scarlet Pimpernel]

Or - it might just be a daft thing to do to try and judge a player on the back of 6 games?

But Green Ram, if you play or played football at any level you know when new players are "up to it". You know if they are going to be good for you or just another player or a bit of a duffer. You don't need time to assess basics at the level you are playing. I'm really sorry but Raul isn't going to make it. I would love him to prove me wrong and I don't wish to sound arrogant....... But he won't!

[curb]

A lot of people have become entrenched in their view of Keogh that they're now blaming him for everything, they're judging him on the goal at Wembley and can't see past that. Whereas the truth is he's been pretty decent and not made half the mistakes of those around him.

the same can be said of Albentosa, carried a lot of hype along with him, and everyone decided he was the best thing since sliced bread before seeing him play. Again they're so entrenched in that view that they try and make out he's something he's not.

the truth for both of them is somewhere in the middle. They're both what they are, fairly cheap average championship defenders. It's not fair on either of them to expect them to be anything else.

[Uptherams]

​Raul was very clumsy from behind on a couple of occasions today. Did ne not give away the free kick for one clumsy challenge that Reading nearly scored from at the end of the first half?

Last thing you need is a clumsy 6'5" centre back - he tends to stand out somewhat.

​His defending for their second goal was poor. He switched off. He should no better than to think  a Derby team mate can clear the ball out the box. But that foul you refer to. It actually wasn't a foul. It wasn't clumsy at all. 

[Nuwtfly]

Couldn't agree more with the posters who are shocked about so many fans giving up on Albentosa this early.

He was Eibar's rock, and after he left they dropped from the middle of La Liga to the bottom of La Liga.

Get a grip lads. He'll come good.

[TigerTedd]

Aargh. I said if stay away, but I just can't. This guy came into the team at the wrong time. He took a while to find he's feet, and during that time, the team's confidence was tanking. When he'd finally found his feet a bit, it was too late. 

Im confident that with a decent preseason behind them, and a lot of pressure off them, this team, including Albie, will be back and firing on more cylinders (if not all). 

Weve needed a settled back five these past few months. I'm pissed off that MacLaren had chopped and chafed so much, it can't have helped. However, we can't have it both ways, how many on here were moaning that we should try this and try that when we started letting the first few goals in. It's the same defense that kept a record amount of clean sheets in a row this season. Short memories. 

Which isn't to say the defense shouldn't be changed. But half way through a season, where every game is vital, is not the time to tinker. We were ****** as soon as we lost Mascarell, Bucko, Martin. Perhaps we should be more adaptable, but we're not, end of. 

But in preseason, that's where we can regroup, tinker to our hearts content. Settle in a. First choice back 5, he them all fit and communicating with each other, and go again next season. And I'm sure this guy will be part of that 5 and doing the business for us next season. 

This season is gone. It's all about next season now. 

[DEL]

FFS get a grip. 

[TroyDyer]

But Green Ram, if you play or played football at any level you know when new players are "up to it". You know if they are going to be good for you or just another player or a bit of a duffer. You don't need time to assess basics at the level you are playing. I'm really sorry but Raul isn't going to make it. I would love him to prove me wrong and I don't wish to sound arrogant....... But he won't!

​And yet as as someone "that played at any level" you rate Richard Keogh. Roflcopter. 

[May Contain Nuts]

I'd rather a player played a crap long ball that went out for a goal kick when he was lacking options  than trying to play an imposible ball that hits the nearest opposition player and allows them to break at you