News and Views
Ince In, Moore And Puscas Out
01 February 2022
By Hob Nob Anyone?
Reading secured the loan signing of forward player Tom Ince from Stoke City on transfer deadline day, who joins the Royals until the end of the season. Meanwhile out of favour Liam Moore, goes in the opposite direction to Stoke and will be unlikely to feature for Reading again. The day also saw George Puscas join Italian Serie B team Pisa on loan for the rest of the season. With Puscas out on loan and Andy Carroll joining West Bromwich Albion in January after his short term contract with Reading, the Royals were in desperate need for a striker.
Ince can play either up front or out wide and will join a side desperate for goals to save them from what is looking likely to be a drop into League One at the end of this season.
Ince has scored five goals for Stoke so far this season but has seen his season mixed between first team starts and time spent on the bench. Thirty year old Ince comes to Reading hoping to go straight into the starting eleven. Stoke paid a massive ten million pounds for Ince in 2018 and he has had mixed success. Last season Ince was restricted to 14 appearances over the season, half on loan at Luton Town, without a goal. In the 2019/2020 season Ince clocked up 40 appearances and scored 3 times. Reading will be hoping Lucas Joao can stay fit and find new support from Ince.
Discussion On This Story:
Sutekh
Tom is 30 now and started out in Liverpool’s academy before moving on to Blackpool and starting to make a for himself in the game. After Blackpool he joined Hull, Derby, Huddersfield and Stoke and had various loan spells at Palace, Forest and Luton.
His overall career so far has reached 410 appearances and 92 goals in all competitions so his 8th goal for Reading will be his 100th career goal.
Tom is a left footed player and can play as a winger on either side of the pitch. He has also played as a striker and as more central attacking midfielder. He is fairly quick and is another with a few tricks and skills when on the ball.
Hound
Scoring shouldn`t be too much of a problem it`s the other end of the pitch where we have issues.
yeah have said this - its an absolute disgrace to be near the bottom 3 with this squad. Add Swift to that forward line. Starting 4 of Meite, Swift, Ejaria and Joao is on paper as good as any in the division
Baba and Yiadom are decent if flawed full backs - Dann played plenty in the Prem last year in a mean defence, Moore, Morrison, Holmes and McIntyre all have ability and experience in the division.
CountryRoyal
Scoring shouldn`t be too much of a problem it`s the other end of the pitch where we have issues.
You say that but under Pauno we look inept going forward. Doesn’t matter who you play, his entire reign has relied on individual skill to create chances.
All over the pitch you have players which you’d back to be good, even in defence. Yet here we are. It’s a shit show.
Brogue
Hound
There were definitely times last season when it did click mind you. Both Bournemouth games, Brentford at home - against very good sides. And quite a few where we won fairly easily - Derby, Coventry and no doubts some others I’ve forgotten.
There is no good reason, except the management and/or injuries why it shouldn’t be a very dangerous front line
Stranded
McIntyre may be back by then - expect he'll get some minutes in the friendly v Arsenal at the weekend. Dann could also be back. Dann/Morrison wouldn't be a pacy CB pairing but their experience should be able to cope with that. Derby did ok with a CB partnership whose combined age was over 70.
Will be very interesting* to see who is involved this weekend, as will give a view on who is likely to start next Weds.
NathStPaul
McIntyre may be back by then - expect he'll get some minutes in the friendly v Arsenal at the weekend. Dann could also be back. Dann/Morrison wouldn't be a pacy CB pairing but their experience should be able to cope with that. Derby did ok with a CB partnership whose combined age was over 70.
Will be very interesting* to see who is involved this weekend, as will give a view on who is likely to start next Weds.
Think an elderly CB partnership would only work with two younger, quicker players in front of them. Would be more than happy with Dann and Morrison if Rinomhota and Laurent play in front of them. Danny Drinkwater offers absolutely nothing in the way of protection for our defence, he hasn't got the desire or hunger to do it based on the evidence we have seen.
WestYorksRoyal
McIntyre may be back by then - expect he'll get some minutes in the friendly v Arsenal at the weekend. Dann could also be back. Dann/Morrison wouldn't be a pacy CB pairing but their experience should be able to cope with that. Derby did ok with a CB partnership whose combined age was over 70.
Will be very interesting* to see who is involved this weekend, as will give a view on who is likely to start next Weds.
Think an elderly CB partnership would only work with two younger, quicker players in front of them. Would be more than happy with Dann and Morrison if Rinomhota and Laurent play in front of them. Danny Drinkwater offers absolutely nothing in the way of protection for our defence, he hasn't got the desire or hunger to do it based on the evidence we have seen.
The partnership of Laurent and Rinomhota was a big part of our success last year. Time to combine them in front of the defence again. Drinkwater out.
NathStPaul
Think an elderly CB partnership would only work with two younger, quicker players in front of them. Would be more than happy with Dann and Morrison if Rinomhota and Laurent play in front of them. Danny Drinkwater offers absolutely nothing in the way of protection for our defence, he hasn't got the desire or hunger to do it based on the evidence we have seen.
The partnership of Laurent and Rinomhota was a big part of our success last year. Time to combine them in front of the defence again. Drinkwater out.
I do wonder if there is some sort of obligation to play him as part of the loan deal, bizarre he keeps his place in the side despite completely inept displays.
Could just be shit management though.
blythspartan
With players coming back from injury and with possibly one more free agent (CB) added to the squad we SHOULD be more than capable of pulling away from trouble but I have absolutely no faith in Pauno’s ability to manage that.
YorkshireRoyal99
I am just hoping that we pick up another CB now that has experience and can come in and help lead the side. Winston Reid would be my personal pick if we wanted an experienced leader at the heart of our defence.
WestYorksRoyal
The partnership of Laurent and Rinomhota was a big part of our success last year. Time to combine them in front of the defence again. Drinkwater out.
I do wonder if there is some sort of obligation to play him as part of the loan deal, bizarre he keeps his place in the side despite completely inept displays.
Could just be shit management though.
If that's the case, with TDB also available, would a "training accident" be amiss?
Snowflake Royal
The partnership of Laurent and Rinomhota was a big part of our success last year. Time to combine them in front of the defence again. Drinkwater out.
I do wonder if there is some sort of obligation to play him as part of the loan deal, bizarre he keeps his place in the side despite completely inept displays.
Could just be shit management though.
Pauno probably judges performance on stats or something. Drinkwater has our 4th highest pass completion.
That's because he hides his errors by passing 50% more than anyone else and the majority being slow nowhere 6 yard balls to mask the absolute howlers he makes on the regular. A PL winner who oxf*rd up short passes 8 times a game on average. (worst in the team)
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