If, and a big if, we stay up what are next season's hopes

[Royal Rother]

Indeed. I can't believe how quickly fans forget. If there had been a player of the season award after 3 months of the season last year Sonko would probably have won it.

He has been poor this season, of that there's no doubt, but he should surely be given a chance (in training and in supporters' minds) to get himself back into form after what had been a couple of years of immense progress and achievement.

[Barry the bird boggler]

First and foremost we have to ensure we stay up this season and that is a battle with a long way to run yet although it can now be made fairly simplistic by Bolton and Fulham dropping every point they can.

None of our remaining games are easy and the home match with Fulham is quite possibly not only critical but also the most important game we'll have played.

Looking forward if we do stay up SC will have to do a fair amount of rebuilding as leaving it alone will do no more than put us all through the same sort of season next year.

To my mind the core of the team should be Doyle, Kitson, Matejovsky, Shorey, Bikey, Sonko, Harper and possibly Rosenior - plus a few youngsters like Long, Pearce, Henry and Robson-Kanu - the rest of the places are totally up for grabs (although Marcus will serve another season) and subject to complete change. We certainly need pace added throughout the team and could do with a little more "size" about us.

Either way there has to be major changes in the summer, if we go down we'll certainly lose players like Shorey etc. but staying up at least makes it SC's decisions rather than being forced upon him.

[Sydneyroyal]

We will be safe next year - can't see Bristol City, Hull or Stoke setting the Prem alight.

Are we going to buy John Mensah? It would help fill some holes in the back.

Bottom third but safe, with Birmingham and Sunderland both building on this year's survival and no 2nd year syndrome, we might only have Wigan and Middelsb' between us and the bottom three.

[papereyes]

Can we please leave "we'll be safe, there's at least 3 teams worse than us" behind in 2007/08 please.

Of the three teams we're better than, two haven't actually lost to us yet ...

[3 veesinarow]

My brother's a West Brom fan and says Luke Steel is the worst professional goalkeeper he's ever seen in 30+ years.

(He never saw Simon Shepherd btw)

He must have had two almightily lucky games against Liverpool and Chelsea, then.

Your brother obviously never saw Massimo matey-boy lay an egg at old Trafford, Gary Sprake throw the ball into his own net, Alan Rough play for Scotland or any Villa keeper in games against Birmingham in recent seasons...

[Gus the teenage cow]

Pretty much agree with Rother We need a couple of new attacking options, wouldn't mind 2 forwards tbh, 1 with sheer pace. The wide positions have to be sorted out, whether it be a fully fit Little or AN Other, we can't have another season of Oster and Hunt. Maybe a new younger keeper. Other than that relatively happy with what we've got. I would probably sell Sonko, could get a decent price for him and replace him either with Pearce if they think he's good enough or with a new defender. Sonko hasn't shown he is up to Premiership football, especially this season.

I expect to see depart

Aaron Brown
Sam Sodje
Graham Stack
John Halls
DLC
maybe a few of the youngsters like Davies, Osano, Anderson
Lita

Wouldn't be surprised to see
Oster leave
maybe Duberry - i would keep him for another year.
If we get a really good offer for Shorey he could possibly go otherwise we could have another Sidwell situation where he goes for nowt.
Convey, again I'm not sure they think he's up to this league.
And as I've mentioned, if we got a decent offer I'd probably try and replace Sonko.

.

bennett?

[silchester rovers]

Accumulate enough points by January to make securing our status for 2010-11 in PL almost certain

Then give the FA Cup a good shot - aim for QF

At least one academy player getting to subs bench and making regular appearances.

If SC is likely to depart, do succession planning to hopefully bring a british manager in, who is more likely to explore the lower leagues for talent rather than overseas IMHO.

Would like to have success obviously, but evolve the team rather than doing hasty clearouts.

[Ian Royal]

Accumulate enough points by January to make securing our status for 2010-11 in PL almost certain

Then give the FA Cup a good shot - aim for QF

At least one academy player getting to subs bench and making regular appearances.

If SC is likely to depart, do succession planning to hopefully bring a british manager in, who is more likely to explore the lower leagues for talent rather than overseas IMHO.

Would like to have success obviously, but evolve the team rather than doing hasty clearouts.

1) No chance, that would be Europe form and people need to get in in their heads we'll need an outstanding season to be close to that again.
2) We'll give the FA cup our usual shot of doing as well as possible whilst giving fringe players a chance to impress and resting key first teamers.
3)bench maybe, but they'll need to earn it. No one has yet, Pearce is closest and he is an an area with some of the most competition

[andrew1957]

Indeed. I can't believe how quickly fans forget. If there had been a player of the season award after 3 months of the season last year Sonko would probably have won it.

He has been poor this season, of that there's no doubt, but he should surely be given a chance (in training and in supporters' minds) to get himself back into form after what had been a couple of years of immense progress and achievement.

To be fair many of us always thought Sonks would struggle in the PL and I for one did not think he was that great early last season. He did have some good games but also gave away several penalties and made very rash tackles.

There is no doubt that he was superb for us in the Championship winning season and he is probably the best header of the ball we have BUT he does struggle with his feet. This is disastrous at PL level as a single error often gets punished with a goal - as has happened all too often when he has played this season.

He may be able to improve but I fear that he is lacking PL quality and may be better off at Championship level where he will undoubtedly be a sought after player.

Again it really comes down to whether we want RFC to become better or not - if so then I would sadly conclude that there are better options available at centre back but I will always be grateful for Sonks in the Championship season when he was as I have already said superb.

[Royal Rother]

Several penalties...?

[papereyes]

Several penalties...?

I can think of Villa and ...

[Vision]

Spurs

[1871royals]

Sonko has given away a lot of pens AFTER his injury because he always seems to be one step behind. But before his injury he played brilliantly and appeared to make the transition seamlessly. If he can regain this form I think he will have a big part to play. Before his injury Villa was the only pen irc he gave away.

[andrew1957]

Several penalties...?

I can think of Villa and ...

Last season he gave away penalties against Villa, Spurs and Newcastle and this year against Pompey Spurs Blackburn and Sunderland - that is 7 in 37 starts - almost one penalty in every 5 games. Do you really think that is PL standard? I do not recall us being awarded that many in the last two seasons combined and yet Sonks has given away that number on his own.

[Vision]

Several penalties...?

I can think of Villa and ...

Last season he gave away penalties against Villa, Spurs and Newcastle and this year against Pompey Spurs Blackburn and Sunderland - that is 7 in 37 starts - almost one penalty in every 5 games. Do you really think that is PL standard? I do not recall us being awarded that many in the last two seasons combined and yet Sonks has given away that number on his own.

Gary Cahill has given away 2 in 7 games for Bolton which is a worse ratio but he's worth 5million and apparently we should have signed him, so you tell me.

[brendywendy]

Last season he gave away penalties against Villa, Spurs and Newcastle and this year against Pompey Spurs Blackburn and Sunderland - that is 7 in 37 starts - almost one penalty in every 5 games. Do you really think that is PL standard? I do not recall us being awarded that many in the last two seasons combined and yet Sonks has given away that number on his own.

Gary Cahill has given away 2 in 7 games for Bolton which is a worse ratio but he's worth 5million and apparently we should have signed him, so you tell me.

nice

[Royal Rother]

Sweet!

[Alan Partridge]

Pretty much agree with Rother We need a couple of new attacking options, wouldn't mind 2 forwards tbh, 1 with sheer pace. The wide positions have to be sorted out, whether it be a fully fit Little or AN Other, we can't have another season of Oster and Hunt. Maybe a new younger keeper. Other than that relatively happy with what we've got. I would probably sell Sonko, could get a decent price for him and replace him either with Pearce if they think he's good enough or with a new defender. Sonko hasn't shown he is up to Premiership football, especially this season.

I expect to see depart

Aaron Brown
Sam Sodje
Graham Stack
John Halls
DLC
maybe a few of the youngsters like Davies, Osano, Anderson
Lita

Wouldn't be surprised to see
Oster leave
maybe Duberry - i would keep him for another year.
If we get a really good offer for Shorey he could possibly go otherwise we could have another Sidwell situation where he goes for nowt.
Convey, again I'm not sure they think he's up to this league.
And as I've mentioned, if we got a decent offer I'd probably try and replace Sonko.

.

bennett?

Just like his RFC career, easily forgotten. Yes he too would be on the way out. The worst transfer in RFC history I'd say

£250,000 for ZERO minutes footballing return.

[MarylandRoyal]

The forward I'd like to see brought on is Jozy Altidore...I think we've had interest in him before. He's pacey and can score goals. He's big and can actually hold up the ball unlike Eddie Johnson. I think Alitdore has the talent to be a consistant PL scorer.

It'd be tough to get him though considering all the interest for him and MLS's unwillingness to sell any of their decent players...

[Cookie]

The forward I'd like to see brought on is Jozy Altidore...I think we've had interest in him before. He's pacey and can score goals. He's big and can actually hold up the ball unlike Eddie Johnson. I think Alitdore has the talent to be a consistant PL scorer.

It'd be tough to get him though considering all the interest for him and MLS's unwillingness to sell any of their decent players...

Hey MarylandRoyal, do you know TowsonRoyal?