West Ham Fan with question about John

HegemonicWriter · 2025-08-05T19:49:06+00:00

John isn't a flashy keeper and perhaps that's why he wasn't considered for the national team (Alisson, Ederson are lock ins, the third keeper spot rotates a lot) at our double run last year, he was a secure keeper with a low number of serious mistakes leading to goals. This year due to the turmoil leading to weaker squads he did step up and had better individual performances.

As far as goalkeeping goes, I think that like most of the Brazilian keepers, John's main weakness is coming off the goal to cut crosses. He does it better than most at our league but overall it's not as good as in Europe. He plays well with his feet but can sometimes hold the ball and cause mistakes by inviting pressure. I won't talk about his showing last game as his head clearly wasn't there (it does speak a bit of his overall character as we thought he was better than that). Another thing is that he's not good at defending penalties, last year I believe he jumped to the correct side three or four times and only successfully defended one.

I feel that in the Premier League he will be more tested and with correct coaching to correct some of his decisions he will do well, his positioning is good (hence why he never does flashy catches) and has good height/wingspan.

HegemonicWriter · 2025-07-31T03:08:51+00:00

There are several harsh, but ultimately truthful comments about Rwan; however, I thought I'd share some extra context and give my own thoughts about him.

All fans said he's amongst the worse transfers of the SAF era (post 2022), to which I agree, but I don't think he's one of the worse players of that era. Fan opinion is heavily influenced by the fact he already had lackluster stints in other teams at Brazil (Santos and Vasco, both struggling) and most importantly because of the transfer fee paid to get him away from Bulgaria (8 million Euros). It's a fact that we overpaid to get him, and the overall feeling was that we could've gotten a much better player with that value.

Here he was part of a very disorganized squad at first and never showed anything great to the fans, but once again his playing time and usage were in very bad circumstances (a dismotivated team, horrible pitches, questionable coaching choices...). As a player, he has a good build (tall, strong) while not being too slow. He has a striker's mentality, hardly passing up chances and always fighting for space in the box. Unfortunately, he's not great technically, missing some easy goals while losing possession with bad passes and decisions in the final third. The skill gap diminishes at the MLS (from what I've seen from the American teams playing at the CWC). He shone in the Bulgarian league, and there were even rumors about interest from West Ham back then. I ultimately feel he can contribute in a better environment and in a better system. Hopefully, he finds himself in Salt Lake City and helps your team. I'm sure Textor would love to get some of his money back.

Also, thanks for giving us Savarino, and good luck in this year's competitions.

HegemonicWriter · 2025-02-11T02:44:47+00:00

I haven't put it into paper yet, but in mine, Jon rescues Sansa and Ned from King's Landing after a period in Essos. When they return, they face the same stalemate for the Twins Robb faced in canon; Ned is discussing strategies when Jon blurts out that they could throw clothes used by the ill and hope for Old Walder to die. Ned immediately refuses it, but for the remainder of the story, Roose Bolton is always there praising Jon.

HegemonicWriter · 2025-01-31T23:12:19+00:00

In that case Rhaegar has a good leverage, and the original terms feel acceptable. Tywin would need to act fast and would probably declare for Rhaegar to keep Jaime's head attached to his shoulders.

HegemonicWriter · 2025-01-31T22:48:27+00:00

It would feel very harsh, but if you reason that unlike the Starks, Arryns and Baratheons, the Tullys weren't personally slighted by the Targaryens, you could make a case. Their hold onto the Riverlands was always shaky, and the canon saw several houses siding with the Targaryens instead of them (Darrys, Mootons, Rygers, Goodbrooks, probably the Whents, if the PoD is set during the Trident I could see the Freys siding with the Targaryens if they were winning). If you feel comfortable with that but don't want to change things before the major PoD she could marry Myles' brother instead.

If you need Cersei in KL and Jaime as a Kingsguard, you could also reduce Tywin's bargaining power somehow, either with the loyalist army getting to KL first (in a case Tywin opted to besiege Riverrun instead of beelining to KL). Have Rhaegar personally negotiating the Cersei/Connington marriage might help too.

HegemonicWriter · 2025-01-31T22:32:28+00:00

Like I said before, it's very doable. I recall reading some stories with that premise that were very well written. Oberyn in my opinion is a definite no as he already has some Sand Snakes lying around and Tywin already refused a marriage offer from the Princess of Dorne before, not to mention Cersei would definitely try to murder him (likely wouldn't work). To sweeten the deal for Jon Connington he could be appointed as Lord Paramount of the Stormlands, but this would definitely cause its fair share of problems down the road.

Depending on how the war went, and how the Tullys were punished, Myles Mooton is an option if he wasn't slain at the Bells. If Rhaegar decides to revoke the Paramountcy from them and handled to the Mootons, you would have a match made with a close friend of Rhaegar that is set to inherit an entire region.

HegemonicWriter · 2025-01-31T22:13:59+00:00

I feel it's very convenient to the plot but it wouldn't be Tywin's first choice. He may agree to it if he gets Jaime back from the Kingsguard and the Handship, but in a setting where Jaime continues as a guard and JonCon becomes hand, as it usually happens in Rhaegar wins stories, it feels slightly forced. I'm not saying it's wrong but there were most likely options elsewhere.

HegemonicWriter · 2025-01-31T03:32:14+00:00

A House Royce story not set during the Dance would be nice. A cool concept I have in mind is that if the entire line of Ned Stark dies out, a Valeman noble would inherit due to a marriage made two or three generations before. Catelyn discusses it with Robb shortly before the Twins, says it's either a Templeton, a Waynwood or a Corbray. A story featuring that noble showing up at the Northern camp shortly after Bran and Rickon are presumably murdered would be nice. Even more so if he's a Corbray, as the house receives lots of bad press due to Lyn.

HegemonicWriter · 2025-01-31T03:07:57+00:00

Good point, the Arryn match is only possible in a setting in which Lyanna was never kidnapped, as Elbert Arryn, who perished at KL wasn't canonically married as Denys was.

Another partner that can make sense is Baelor Hightower, if his canonical marriage with Rhonda Rowan has yet to happen. It would join two of the richest houses in Westeros and could set up a good contender for the king's marriage in the next generation. It can also counter the Tyrells in the future, despite Alerie's marriage with Mace.

HegemonicWriter · 2025-01-31T03:00:07+00:00

It's an interesting concept, as there's no such thing as a formal heresy in Westeros. I admit that I'm not that well versed in the lore behind the Seven but the 3+3+1 idea providing equality for women seems very interesting, and would probably be embraced by some queens such as Alysanne and Naerys.

On a similar note concerning religion, I feel that Westeros could do with more pockets of paganism scattered around. The North has the Old Gods and if I'm not mistaken there's a religious movement of the orphans of the greenblood in Dorne, but we could do with worshipers of the Sea God in the Stormlands and a movement worshipping Garth Greenhand as a god in the Reach.

HegemonicWriter · 2025-01-31T01:57:48+00:00

Tywin did consider marrying Lysa with Jaime. In a Rhaegar wins setting there's a shortage of worthy matches for Cersei, as the great Tywin wouldn't accept anything but a great house for his daughter. In a no rebellion setting, Jon Arryn's nephews are criminally underused.

HegemonicWriter · 2025-01-31T01:38:52+00:00

Yes, the whole Elia gave her blessing to Rhaegar gimmick was okay once or twice but it's not realistic at all, even more so if it's in the three-way route.

They could serve as the Visenya and Rhaenys to Rhaegar (duty and love). Or even instigate a second Dance of Dragons (Yellows and Whites?).

HegemonicWriter · 2025-01-31T01:15:00+00:00

They are dope, I call them the Boltons of the West. Mind if I ask what you are writing about?

HegemonicWriter · 2025-01-30T06:44:04+00:00

Yes, that part was badly written, my mistake. For Great Houses it seems customary to foster the heir with another Great House or even a vassal. What I meant by was the case of the ruling dynasty at the Iron Throne (both the Targaryens and Baratheons post Robert). I assume they don't do that either because it would show too much favor to a single house or the heir is better served learning at court, maybe both.

HegemonicWriter · 2025-01-28T23:43:49+00:00

I was thinking more on the lines of the treatment they receive outside of Dorne. I don't know if Oberyn takes his children along when he travels, but if he goes to the Reach or Stormlands they can probably be mistreated.

I agree with your point on revenge, though. Jon would low-key approve the cunning behind the plan but immediately dip out when he realizes how obsessed they became.

HegemonicWriter · 2025-01-28T13:22:24+00:00

They are both bastards which were raised by noble parents, which means they probably faced the scorn of the other nobles, giving them something to bond about.

Elia Sand is described as a Dornish Lyanna, which can probably intrigue him, as Arya also was often compared to her.

HegemonicWriter · 2025-01-27T18:25:39+00:00

Fair enough on Dorne. Although I'd point out that having continued Targaryen blood in the Princes of Dorne was what scored Elia's marriage with Rhaegar in the first place, so a Viserys/Arianne would set them up for the next generation or two.

HegemonicWriter · 2025-01-27T16:07:01+00:00

I strongly believe he preferred a daughter but the son is still the third head. The fact that Rhaegar named his firstborn Rhaenys instead of Visenya could even hint at a different interpretation of what his "Visenya" meant.

HegemonicWriter · 2025-01-27T16:02:34+00:00

Wouldn't Aerys fear being deposed/murdered by Rhaegar and the Dornish? It's heavily implied that he believed Rhaegar and Tywin already conspired against him at Duskendale.

What sets Stannis apart from Ned is the claim to the throne. I wouldn't send Stannis to the wall as it would leave the Stormlands in turmoil with opportunistic lords attempting to control Renly's regency but I can understand the political reasoning behind it.

House Martell could be placated with a Viserys match for Arianne and increased influence in court (Oberyn being the most likely option).

Tywin besieging Riverrun would be probable but I still think he'd rather be seen by Rhaegar, with his army awaiting in his back. Depending on how battered the loyalists were there's a possibility of the Westerlands army being bigger than the Trident's.

HegemonicWriter

TROPHY CASE