Number 18 Pepe Reina

Position - Goalkeeper
DOB - 31/8/1982
Place of Birth - Madrid, Spain
International Caps - 19
Debut - Total Network Solutions
Games for Liverpool - 236 (173 league games)
Goals - 0
Achievements - FA Cup, Uefa Super Cup, Fa Community Shield

José Manuel Reina nicknamed Pepe Reina signed for Liverpool from Villareal in 2005. He was Rafael Benitez's third Spanish signing. Pepe took no time in making the place between the sticks his. In doing so Jerzy Dudek one of the heroes of Liverpool's Champions League victory in Istanbul was relegated to the bench. The 2005-06 season was succesfull for Liverpool as the newly crowned European Champions won the FA Cup. There latest Spanish hero was right in the thick of it. The game has been viewed by many as one of the greatest FA Cup finals ever. The game finished 3-3 as Liverpool twice came from behind agaisnt West Ham United. A late Steven Gerrard piledriver took the game to extra time and eventually penalties. Reina saved penalties from, Bobby Zamora, Paul Konchesky and Anton Ferdinand to help the reds win there seventh FA Cup. Not only did Reina win an FA Cup in his first season in the Liverpool net he also broke a number of records at the club. On 3 December 2005 Reina beat David James's record of 5 consecutive clean sheets in Premier League games. Pepe made his sixth consecutive clean sheet against Wigan Athletic. Reina's incredible run ended at eight league games, when Everton's James Beattie headed past him during Liverpool's 3-1 Merseyside derby win on the 28th December 2005. Reina also broke Liverpool's consecutive clean-sheet record. Pepe Reina went 11 games between October and December 2005. Mineiro, of São Paulo, finally scored past him on 18 December 2005 during the FIFA Club World Cup Final. The Brazilian outfit beat their European oppostion 1-0.
In the following months Reina countinued to break records. On 16 April 2006, Reina celebrated his 50th appearance for Liverpool by keeping a clean sheet against the Lanchshire club Blackburn Rovers. Reina had now only conceded 29 goals in his first 50 games for Liverpool. This set a new record at the ckub for the fewest goals conceded by a keeper in their first 50 games. The previous record was held by the great Ray Clemence in 1970–71, when he conceded 32 goals. Pepe Reina was awarded the Premier League's Golden Glove award for keeping 20 clean sheets in the 2005–06 season.
The 2006-07 season saw Reina make a few goalkeeping errors. Most noteable was agaisnt city rivals Everton when Liverpool lost 3-0. However the Spaniard was still loved by fans and was voted man of the match after the Champions League semi final agaisnt Chelsea. Reina was a hero in both legs. He once again showed his skills at saving penalties as Liverpool beat Chelsea 4-1 on pens, to progess to the Champions League final in 2007. Reina followed in his fathers footsteps and appeared in the Champions League final in Athens.
The records kepts on coming for Reina. After keeping 19 cleansheets during the 2006-07 season he was awarded the Premier League's Golden Glove Award for the second successive year. In February 2008 Reina became the quickest goalkeeper in Liverpool history to keep 50 clean sheets. He hit the milestone during a 3–0 win against Sunderland on his 92nd league game for the Merseysiders. That season Reina won his third consecutive Premier League Golden Glove Award. He kept 18 cleansheets that year. Reina's latest record came on the 22 March 2009, when he became the quickest goalkeeper in Liverpool history to keep 100 clean sheets in all competitions. He hit that milestone during a 5-0 win against Aston Villa on his 197th appearance for Liverpool in all competitions.
Pepe Reina has been described by many as the best keeper in the Premier League. The records speak for themselves. Reina is not jsut a great shot stopper his distribution is second to none. His abilty to release the ball from defence into attack quickly has put Liverpool in great counter attacking situations many times. A consistant performer and a model professional means Pepe Reina is the 18th player on the list of best Liverpool players to play in the Premier League.

This video shows Pepe Reina during 2009. It shows his goalkeeping skills and his quick thinking to move the ball from end of the field to another.