Thibaut Courtois | Performances

Suedesi

Full Member
Joined
Aug 3, 2001
Messages
23,866
Location
New York City
His Madrid form reminds me of Van Der Sars' time at Juve.
Remember the big Dutchman getting that big money move and his time in Turin was abit of a disaster.His confidence,from what was an otherwise confident individual,was completely shot.He was making customary saves look overly difficult at both Juve and with the Dutch national team.

I dont think Courtious would rectify this by for signing for Fulham,though.
VDS was rumored at the time to have had eye problems, requiring surgery (cataracts maybe?)
 

Dancfc

Full Member
Joined
Oct 28, 2016
Messages
7,392
Supports
Chelsea
Keepers usually have a preference or are better behind either a good defense or a bad one. For example Courtois isn't the type to single handedly save a side being battered but is very astute at keeping concentration to make only 2 saves a game and do nothing the rest, i would put Oblak in that category aswell. Then you have the keepers like DDG and prime Cassilas who can virtually take on and keep out opposition attacks all by themselves and get their team's points despite the other 10 players looking like schoolchildren but lack/lacked the concentration to make that one save after having a quiet hour or so. Courtois is struggling because playing infront of a weak defense as Real currently are isn't his game, put Oblak in and he would struggle aswell.

It's very rare you find a keeper who aces both those aspects, probably only Ter Stegan out of the keepers today does.
 

Brwned

Have you ever been in love before?
Joined
Apr 18, 2008
Messages
50,829
Keepers usually have a preference or are better behind either a good defense or a bad one. For example Courtois isn't the type to single handedly save a side being battered but is very astute at keeping concentration to make only 2 saves a game and do nothing the rest, i would put Oblak in that category aswell. Then you have the keepers like DDG and prime Cassilas who can virtually take on and keep out opposition attacks all by themselves and get their team's points despite the other 10 players looking like schoolchildren but lack/lacked the concentration to make that one save after having a quiet hour or so. Courtois is struggling because playing infront of a weak defense as Real currently are isn't his game, put Oblak in and he would struggle aswell.

It's very rare you find a keeper who aces both those aspects, probably only Ter Stegan out of the keepers today does.
Casillas was exceptional in the 2010 WC playing behind a team that barely gave the opposition a sniff. All great keepers are great at doing both. De Gea, Neuer and plenty of others have excelled in both, Courtois hasn't because he's not a top keeper. That's not to say the de Gea's performances for Spain doesn't raise question marks but the characterisation of his time at United and Atletico as being a constant fire fighter isn't true. In fact his two worst seasons, this one and his first, were the two seasons where he's been forced to make the most saves per game.

Under van Gaal, when he was consistently our best player, he made roughly as many saves as Courtois. Watching him every week it was pretty obvious that we limited the opposition to relatively few chances, but the chances we conceded were particularly dangerous (conceding possession in the defensive third or being caught out in behind) and he was often exceptional doing relatively little. Look where we were in the shots conceded table in LvG's first season. Rock bottom. That's when he was starting to be talked about as the best in the world by United fans. The next year we were 3rd bottom. Fast forward to this season where we've faced more shots than 11 other teams in the league...and he's been undeniably below par.

That's not to say de Gea can't excel as a firefighter, he can and he has, but the correlation is the exact opposite of the one portrayed in the current narrative because of that one tournament. Courtois' struggles are much less complicated.
 
Last edited:

Peyroteo

Professional Ronaldo PR Guy
Joined
Jan 11, 2016
Messages
10,884
Location
Porto, Portugal
Supports
Sporting CP
The way he’s been treated by the media since he’s been in Madrid is nothing short of disgusting.

He’s an incredible goalkeeper, his World Cup was out of this world and he’s been pretty good for Madrid too.

Criticism came out of nowhere and he got scapegoated for the poor results as if the rest of the team had been playing well and he’d been letting easy goals in all the time.
 
Joined
May 22, 2017
Messages
13,122
The way he’s been treated by the media since he’s been in Madrid is nothing short of disgusting.

He’s an incredible goalkeeper, his World Cup was out of this world and he’s been pretty good for Madrid too.

Criticism came out of nowhere and he got scapegoated for the poor results as if the rest of the team had been playing well and he’d been letting easy goals in all the time.
Perhaps if he wasn’t such a bell end people would have some sympathy for him. But he is, so cry me a river, he deserves all the criticism he gets.
 

HNK55

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Feb 2, 2017
Messages
94
Supports
Chelsea
Great keeper, horrible clubs choices.
Its the complete opposite mate. Average keeper, great choices. He had exceptional defences infront of him for most of his career. His last season at Chelsea showed how poor he was with an average defence. Madrid is the same issue now. Overrated.
 

FootballHQ

Full Member
Joined
Nov 17, 2017
Messages
18,139
Supports
Aston Villa
Completely forgot about this guy. Just seen he's back on bench for Real Madrid.

Zidane clearly wants rid of him so I was thinking......let's say Real Madrid want De Gea again, would a swop deal with Courtois make sense? Unless they're going to send Navas your way again although I think Zidane will want to keep him around.
 

Fiskey

Can't stop thinking about David Nugent's hot naked
Joined
Oct 12, 2009
Messages
4,667
Location
Oxford
If the whole thing about wanting to be near his children was honest he won't leave Madrid.
 

Silas

Full Member
Joined
Apr 17, 2016
Messages
4,688
Location
UK
If the whole thing about wanting to be near his children was honest he won't leave Madrid.
Only thing that would make sense is him leaving to Atletico and us getting Oblak, while Real get DDG. Not sure what Real and Atletico's relationship is like transfer-wise though.
 

Nero

Full Member
Joined
Dec 23, 2008
Messages
3,283
Madrid will have zero interest in De Gea. He is a joke in Spain.
 

OnlyTwoDaSilvas

Gullible
Joined
Feb 4, 2013
Messages
21,623
Location
The Mathews Bridge
Are Madrid going to be clamouring to get De Gea right now? He's had his poorest season for a long time, and his form appears to worsen by the week. Not saying he'll never get back on form, I believe he will, but they really can't be desperate for him right now. They have much more pressing matters for their rebuild. Between Courtois and Navas, they have a good set of keepers.

Zidane loves Navas too, doesn't he?
 

FootballHQ

Full Member
Joined
Nov 17, 2017
Messages
18,139
Supports
Aston Villa
Are Madrid going to be clamouring to get De Gea right now? He's had his poorest season for a long time, and his form appears to worsen by the week. Not saying he'll never get back on form, I believe he will, but they really can't be desperate for him right now. They have much more pressing matters for their rebuild. Between Courtois and Navas, they have a good set of keepers.

Zidane loves Navas too, doesn't he?
I don't really believe the link either, Madrid should've got him in 2015 and since then I doubt there's much apart from lazy links by media. Also got Zidane's own son in the equation.
 

extincti fugax hominum

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Jan 7, 2017
Messages
891
Location
Combat
Only thing that would make sense is him leaving to Atletico and us getting Oblak, while Real get DDG. Not sure what Real and Atletico's relationship is like transfer-wise though.
Yeah, that's the perfect solution for everyone imo (maybe not for Atletico though :smirk:). A merry go round of keepers. De Gea still didn't renew his contract and probably wants Madrid, Courtois who is not wanted by Zidane wants to stay in Madrid and we need a top keeper to replace De Gea. Not sure Oblak wants to leave Atletico or they want to lose Oblak though but i recall he said he wants to play in Premier League so that and the fact that Courtois'll be welcomed at Atletico plus we have the money are our cards i suppose. Hope we replace De Gea with Oblak if he is to leave.
 

P-Ro

"Full Member"
Joined
Nov 21, 2014
Messages
11,186
Location
Salford
Supports
Chelsea and AFC Wimbledon
Yeah, that's the perfect solution for everyone imo (maybe not for Atletico though :smirk:). A merry go round of keepers. De Gea still didn't renew his contract and probably wants Madrid, Courtois who is not wanted by Zidane wants to stay in Madrid and we need a top keeper to replace De Gea. Not sure Oblak wants to leave Atletico or they want to lose Oblak though but i recall he said he wants to play in Premier League so that and the fact that Courtois'll be welcomed at Atletico plus we have the money are our cards i suppose. Hope we replace De Gea with Oblak if he is to leave.
If this is a fact then I'm a banana.
 

giorno

boob novice
Joined
Jul 20, 2016
Messages
26,144
Supports
Real Madrid
Club sees him and Lunin as our ideal gk options for next season

Zidane i believe prefers Keylor, who while not amazing is still good with his feet. Courtois is one of the worst great keepers around when it comes to distribution
 

extincti fugax hominum

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Jan 7, 2017
Messages
891
Location
Combat
No. Google.
Atletico fans fecking hate him.
You mean "the rat" thing? It was a seperate incident and can't be interpreted as "all Atletico fans hate him" imo. He won the La Liga ahead of Real & Barca with them and was a fan favourite in his time there. I'm sure if he was to retun to Atletico, their fans'll have no problem with it.
 

duffer

Sensible and not a complete jerk like most oppo's
Scout
Joined
Jun 24, 2004
Messages
50,138
Location
Chelsea (the saviours of football) fan.
You mean "the rat" thing? It was a seperate incident and can't be interpreted as "all Atletico fans hate him" imo. He won the La Liga ahead of Real & Barca with them and was a fan favourite in his time there. I'm sure if he was to retun to Atletico, their fans'll have no problem with it.
IThere's been quite a few "rat" incidents. His plaque was vandalised (he has one outside their stadium) and he also did this...

Shit like that makes fans hate players. He is very unpopular there.

It's a silly conversation anyway, they would not pay his wages and he is not going to take a pay cut.
 

giorno

boob novice
Joined
Jul 20, 2016
Messages
26,144
Supports
Real Madrid
You mean "the rat" thing? It was a seperate incident and can't be interpreted as "all Atletico fans hate him" imo. He won the La Liga ahead of Real & Barca with them and was a fan favourite in his time there. I'm sure if he was to retun to Atletico, their fans'll have no problem with it.
Being a fan of atletico means hating real madrid. Seriously, for years when they were shite they celebrated when we lost more than when they won. Courtois could have pissed on their mothers and might have forgiven that. Going to play for real madrid? That's a mortal offence
 

AshRK

Full Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2017
Messages
12,097
Location
Canada
Strange how his form has suddenly gone down. He was a top keeper at Chelsea. Maybe not able to handle the pressure at Madrid, but he did have an excellent WC where you have to deal with immense pressure.
 

Schneckerl

Full Member
Joined
Jun 17, 2016
Messages
2,704
Strange how his form has suddenly gone down. He was a top keeper at Chelsea. Maybe not able to handle the pressure at Madrid, but he did have an excellent WC where you have to deal with immense pressure.
Was he really that great in his final Chelsea season? I think Courtois' best form was when he played for Atletico.
 

charlenefan

Far less insightful than the other Charley
Joined
Aug 17, 2005
Messages
33,052
Was he really that great in his final Chelsea season? I think Courtois' best form was when he played for Atletico.
That first season under Mourinho he was immense (as he was for Atletico) been quite average after that though
 

Redplane

( . Y . ) planned for Christmas
Joined
Sep 4, 2013
Messages
10,223
Location
The Royal Kingdom of Trumpistan
Strange how his form has suddenly gone down. He was a top keeper at Chelsea. Maybe not able to handle the pressure at Madrid, but he did have an excellent WC where you have to deal with immense pressure.
The man appeared to be a cocky prick - I'm sure his ego took quite a beating at Madrid.
 

Murder on Zidane's Floor

You'd better not kill Giroud
Joined
Jun 11, 2015
Messages
28,309
Courtois hasn't kept a clean sheet for Madrid since February and has conceded 80 goals in 57 games.

And to think Gary Neville picked him over Cech.