Julio Cesar is jetting in to Loftus Road in the next few days, and he’s not coming to sit on the bench.
It’s not a good day to be Robert Green.
For a goalkeeper, the worst possible thing that can happen at a new club is for the first goal they concede to be a soft one. Once that happens, confidence hits rock bottom and the player’s fighting a losing battle. That’s not necessarily a consistent rule, but the list of keepers who have recovered from a poor start is very short indeed.
Ever since Michu’s shot squirmed past him on opening day, Robert Green has looked very edgy. In that game alone, his decision-making was awful anytime the ball came near him – and he wasn’t particularly convincing at Carrow Road at the weekend either. That’s the manifestation of low belief in goalkeepers: shying away from the ball and playing passively.
There’s no position in which mental state is more relevant than goalkeeper, because a lack of confidence can render the most talented stopper useless – and that’s what the opening day mistake has done to Green. At West Ham, he built his reputation on solid displays and subsequently everyone around – on the pitch and in the crowd – had confidence in him. Not so at Loftus Road; whenever the ball comes near him, you can almost hear the fans draw breath.
That’s hard to take for a professional. And now he’s going to lose his place to a high-price international, who, incontestably, is a better player.
What cures this? A move.
Green is 32 years-old, he can’t sit on the bench now – it’s not like being an outfield player. He’s got three days to try and find, at the least, a loan move, because otherwise this might be the last chance he has to play in the Premier League. Unfortunately for him, the association with his error in Rustenberg is too strong, and he needs to be playing well at a visible club to grey that memory.
It’s sad, because underneath all the mental malaise, he’s still a really good goalkeeper – a change of environment is desperately needed now.
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After Jussi’s howler against Swansea, Allardyce should submit a cheeky loan bid for Green.
Oh dear,robbo you should have never left it was only for money or it would not be QPR, the fans loved you the club loved you and now you will never pull on another premier league shirt again and your move is now going backwards. shame all for a bit more money ooops
He should neve have left West Ham. The club – especially the fans – stood by him after his horrific mistake in South Africa in 2010. He left purely for financial reasons
The grass isn’t always greener is it Greeno?
Should have stayed with the Hammers !