The Tirana Take: Thomas Strakosha - what Brentford fans can expect from Albania's No1 | OneFootball

Thomas Strakosha, the Albanian goalkeeper, has been for many years one of the best in the Italian League.

He has been one of the key members of Lazio, and thanks to his form and influence the Rome team has long been competitive in Serie A.

Thomas has also played an important role in the Albanian National team and is now regarded as one of the most well-known Albanian players in our history.

Thomas was born and raised in Greece and is the son of one of the most well-known Albanian goalkeepers, Foto Strakosha. So in this case it's worthy to use the phrase 'like father, like son'. But the difference regarding his father, is that Thomas has managed to play at a higher level.

Strakosha strengths

Now we are going to examine in detail what Thomas Strakosha will bring to his new team, Brentford, and the impact that he will have on the Premier League.

Strakosha has shown a lot of qualities that have made him the keeper he is now. Despite being a tall keeper, Thomas is very flexible and very agile. Due to his commitment, focus, and hard work another strong point of his are penalty kicks. He is very capable of denying the opponent from the spot.

Strakosha with Pepe Reina at Lazio last season

A quality that will make him a perfect fit for the Premier League is his leadership and strong character. The desire and hunger for achieving things, the fact that he doesn't surrender when things are going bad or that he doesn't let a mistake affect his performance are all important factors.

The Albanian goalkeeper is also known for his clear communication with his defenders. His charisma and leadership is very important for his defenders and team during a game.

Another bonus point for him, is the fact that he knows how to play the ball with his feet. He is good at initiating the attack through his feet, especially with his right foot.

Where to improve

The only two parts that Thomas needs to work on more and get better are the physical demands regarding the intensity of the Premier League when compared to the Serie A, and also the need to improve his English. However, he does know enough English to get by on the pitch with the defenders of Brentford. Strakosha is multi-lingual.

Brentford was a good choice by Strakosha because he will play regularly in the best league in the world.

In Albania, we also know Brentford is a very ambitious club and wants to get better just as Thomas wants.

We know this transfer will not only benefit only the player and Bre ntford, but also the Albanian national team as our No1 goalkeeper features week in, week out in the best competition in the world.