shorey should go\had a bad season etc etc

[holsgrove breaks a leg]

whatever happens we will miss him, hugely

who the hell are we going to play the ball to from th ekick off every time for starters

LOL! And very true!

Btw my two cent's worth is that Shorey looked uninterested and out of sync with other Reading players last year.

I agree Coppell needs to motivate the guy and I am a little worried that Coppell's skills of motivation took a huge hit
with relegation.

I think we need to get to the season as soon as possible and get some wins under our belt (or absolutely hammer everyone in pre-season).

The lads need an arm around their shoulder. This is one of the reasons a new signing could help - someone like Brian Howard who takes control of games and gees the other players up. At least Murty is talking a good game at the moment if no-one else is...

2 things.

A great pre-season in no way ensures or helps to have a great season.
The lads don't need an arm round the shoulder, the game against Derby is long gone.

If ever there was a pre season that indicates Readings chances this year its this season, players who havent had much of a chance in recent years will now be given the opportunity to stake a real claim as will several youngsters. I dont think you can ever underestimate the value of the pre season as a premise to what lies ahead - going into games un prepared,fatigued etc is very noticable to the viewing public and more often than not a series of bad results against lower opposition proves a hangover when the real test begins. If you take a postive look at how preaseason plays an important part, you only have to look at our trip to Sweden where we hammered teams and bristled with confidence (Lita in particular) which led up to our history making season.

[Archie's penalty]

If ever there was a pre season that indicates Readings chances this year its this season, players who havent had much of a chance in recent years will now be given the opportunity to stake a real claim as will several youngsters. I dont think you can ever underestimate the value of the pre season as a premise to what lies ahead - going into games un prepared,fatigued etc is very noticable to the viewing public and more often than not a series of bad results against lower opposition proves a hangover when the real test begins. If you take a postive look at how preaseason plays an important part, you only have to look at our trip to Sweden where we hammered teams and bristled with confidence (Lita in particular) which led up to our history making season.

That's basically what my point was. I mean the lads have been sitting around being negative about the club for two whole months.

Preseason allows them to get out there and be Reading players again. To start afresh. We all need that at times.

And RB when you say the game against Derby is long gone, I beg to disagree. Relegation has cast its long shadow on HNA and for the players I think it had a similar effect. For a lot of them it was probably the first time they seriously considered playing elsewhere (in the case of Harper, Kitson, Doyle).

That's why I think it's good that the pre-season games are finally here and the season can't come soon enough imho.

[1871royals]

Shorey was below par last season, but even so he still created more than 'player of the season' Hunt despite having a bad season, which says it all really. Those wishing for Shorey to go should take a look at the incredibly small list of potential replacements before being stupid enough to wish him elsewhere. Personally, I think it would have been hard for Paolo Maldini to look like a class full back behind Hunt and the rest of our midfield last season.

I 100% agree with this post. A winger’s primary job is to create goals. Shorey managed to set up more goals than our POTY from a more defensive position. These assists may have been from set pieces but a NS who isn’t interested is still better then many of our other players (notably Mr POTY). If you are going to knock NS contribution you have to look first at his teammates who contributed less. IMO NS attitude was terrible but he contributed more than many other players.

[readingbedding]

If ever there was a pre season that indicates Readings chances this year its this season, players who havent had much of a chance in recent years will now be given the opportunity to stake a real claim as will several youngsters. I dont think you can ever underestimate the value of the pre season as a premise to what lies ahead - going into games un prepared,fatigued etc is very noticable to the viewing public and more often than not a series of bad results against lower opposition proves a hangover when the real test begins. If you take a postive look at how preaseason plays an important part, you only have to look at our trip to Sweden where we hammered teams and bristled with confidence (Lita in particular) which led up to our history making season.

That's basically what my point was. I mean the lads have been sitting around being negative about the club for two whole months.

Preseason allows them to get out there and be Reading players again. To start afresh. We all need that at times.

And RB when you say the game against Derby is long gone, I beg to disagree. Relegation has cast its long shadow on HNA and for the players I think it had a similar effect. For a lot of them it was probably the first time they seriously considered playing elsewhere (in the case of Harper, Kitson, Doyle).

That's why I think it's good that the pre-season games are finally here and the season can't come soon enough imho.

Fans can moan about it and feel sorry for themselves.
HNA? is a fantastic example of fans doing just that...
They can do, they have no control.
No way would any manager worth his salt would allow the players to do that.
From the first day of pre-season, you got us down, now get us back up, or leave.

Simple.

I repeat, Pre-season matches have NO bearing on competative matches.

[Archie's penalty]

Shorey was below par last season, but even so he still created more than 'player of the season' Hunt despite having a bad season, which says it all really. Those wishing for Shorey to go should take a look at the incredibly small list of potential replacements before being stupid enough to wish him elsewhere. Personally, I think it would have been hard for Paolo Maldini to look like a class full back behind Hunt and the rest of our midfield last season.

I 100% agree with this post. A winger’s primary job is to create goals. Shorey managed to set up more goals than our POTY from a more defensive position. These assists may have been from set pieces but a NS who isn’t interested is still better then many of our other players (notably Mr POTY). If you are going to knock NS contribution you have to look first at his teammates who contributed less. IMO NS attitude was terrible but he contributed more than many other players.

I remember the first game I saw last year - away at Sunderland. It was clear his heart wasn't in it - like he wished he had left.

Shorey's attitude was one of the most disappointing things about last year for me.

[Archie's penalty]

Fans can moan about it and feel sorry for themselves.
HNA? is a fantastic example of fans doing just that...
They can do, they have no control.
No way would any manager worth his salt would allow the players to do that.
From the first day of pre-season, you got us down, now get us back up, or leave.

Simple.

I repeat, Pre-season matches have NO bearing on competative matches.

I don't think it's as black and white as you make out RB and I think the player's confidence was hit by relegation. Pre-season will get
them focused on the job at hand.

I do however take your point regarding the fact that they need to atone for their poor performances which took us down. The
players didn't take responsibility at crucial times last year (forgetting the debate about the club's transfer policy) and need to now.

I mean the manager has to take responsibility - why not the players too?

[Hoop Blah]

For a lot of them it was probably the first time they seriously considered playing elsewhere (in the case of Harper, Kitson, Doyle).

That's why I think it's good that the pre-season games are finally here and the season can't come soon enough imho.

I agree with your general point, but as an aside, Harper freely admitted that if we hadn't have gone up the year we did he was off to pastures new.

If you are going to knock NS contribution you have to look first at his teammates who contributed less. IMO NS attitude was terrible but he contributed more than many other players.

Rubbish. Every player should be judged on how well he is performing against his own ability.

Hunt is a very limited player whereas Shorey has god given talent. You can't just excuse one player for seemingly coasting through a season just because he's still better than a charthorse who plays alongside him.

[Ian Royal]

Shorey is easily good enough to stay and is welcome to providing he knuckles down, forgets about how much cash Sidwell has and which premiership club he could go to and earn loadsa money at.

Otherwise he is a disruptive influence and I don't want a player who has his mind more on who he can impress and get to buy him than how well he and we do in the season at the club. Which was clearly the case last season. That leads to him trying too hard and not being very good.

He may have great stats, but his shooting was below par, his set pieces were mostly poor and his overlapping or cutting inside was rarely effective.

The only other players we had crossing the ball were Hunt or strikers, Shorey is always going to look good at crossing compared to them, even if you cut his right leg off.

I was very dissapointed with the attitude that took him straight down the tunnel at Derby without an acknowledgement to the fans. Talented as he is, I think w're better off without him unless things change quite dramatically

[juanpablo]

Shorey was below par last season, but even so he still created more than 'player of the season' Hunt despite having a bad season, which says it all really. Those wishing for Shorey to go should take a look at the incredibly small list of potential replacements before being stupid enough to wish him elsewhere. Personally, I think it would have been hard for Paolo Maldini to look like a class full back behind Hunt and the rest of our midfield last season.

spot on

faith in board restored

[Y25]

Shorey is a Slave!

Free him now. It is unjust.

[Archie's penalty]

I was very dissapointed with the attitude that took him straight down the tunnel at Derby without an acknowledgement to the fans. Talented as he is, I think w're better off without him unless things change quite dramatically

I agree entirely with HoopBlah and you.

And Shorey doing that was uncalled for.

I would rather have Goldbourne in there rather then Shorey. At least Goldbourne has something to prove. As soon as Shorey got that England cap it all went downhill.

And while Goldbourne hasn't been very good in general he's the kind of player who needs games and people to have faith in him.

I mean after all that's what Pardew had in Shorey and look what happened to him...

[Royalee]

I was very dissapointed with the attitude that took him straight down the tunnel at Derby without an acknowledgement to the fans. Talented as he is, I think w're better off without him unless things change quite dramatically

I don't blame him given all the goons who booed him after the Spurs game, I'dve done exactly the same.

[Ian Royal]

You can hardly hold the moral high ground on supporting players out of form, and not performing.

So he got booed once in a season where he clearly wasn't very interested, underperformed, and then didn't acknowledge the extremely good support of the fans throughout the last game of the season and more.

Hughes got booed plenty, he pulled his socks up, worked hard, got back in form and won the support of a large section of the crowd. Shorey sulked because he couldn't get a mega pay rise and go to a team competeing for Europe.

[Leamington Royal]

For all his undoubted talents I am not convinced NS will knuckle down in the championship, whereas I think many of our other transfer targets (Kitson, Doyle, Harper) will do if they do not move on to a PL club. What RFC do not need this season is an influential player who is not motivated and could unsettle the rest of the squad just by being there.

If no-one comes in for him then we have to make the best of him, but if Pompey or whoever come knocking on the door with £4.5m on the table I think we should grab the money and blow it on some good quality midfielders/ wingers. Get a solid left back or give Goldbourne a proper run in the team. We can always look to a loan mid season if it isn't working out.

[floyd__streete]

most threads include a bit of Shorey slagging. Would love it if nobody ends up coming in for him because we could do with another "poor" season from him


Crosses and corners attempted and crosses and corners accuracy
Bentley 416 25.72%
Downing 383 25.07%
Young 340 26.76%
Arteta 299 26.42%
Shorey 293 26.62%
Diouf 289 22.15%
Petrov 279 24.37%
Giggs 222 23.42%
Gerrard 219 27.40%
Davies 217 24.88%


Percentage of team assists
Francesc Fabregas 23%
Simon Davies 22%
Nicky Shorey 21%
Elano 21%
Ashley Young 20%



overall 9 assists 2 less than steven gerrard and more than ronaldo

Well said. And one in the eye for those who slated Shorey last season. We will miss him next season and those who criticised him will fully deserve whatever sub-standard replacement fills the gap.

[Ian Royal]

I'd take much less than that if I had to, to ensure there was no negative influence or disruption.

Saying that, if he's still here come the start of the season and the end of the window He gets my full support until he shows he is not deserving of it. Which will probably be if he still looks disinterested and out of form after 3-5 games.

Then he'll get my quiet disdain and hope he'll be replaced in January. Of course I'm sure he couldn't give a toss.

[juanpablo]

I'd take much less than that if I had to, to ensure there was no negative influence or disruption.

Saying that, if he's still here come the start of the season and the end of the window He gets my full support until he shows he is not deserving of it. Which will probably be if he still looks disinterested and out of form after 3-5 games.

Then he'll get my quiet disdain and hope he'll be replaced in January. Of course I'm sure he couldn't give a toss.

I agree that the team morale angle would be important, but a "disinterested and out of form" Shorey is still far superior to most in the squad and dare i say what we could now bring in......

if he goes we will miss him hugely

[Royalee]

I'd take much less than that if I had to, to ensure there was no negative influence or disruption.

Saying that, if he's still here come the start of the season and the end of the window He gets my full support until he shows he is not deserving of it. Which will probably be if he still looks disinterested and out of form after 3-5 games.

Then he'll get my quiet disdain and hope he'll be replaced in January. Of course I'm sure he couldn't give a toss.

Have you got the quote from Coppell where he cites Shorey's negative disruption to the squad last season?

[Archie's penalty]

I'm with Ian Royal all the way on this one.

The RTG's being negative and the STG's being positive shock!

[Royalee]

It's amazing the amount of support players get for fighting in nightclubs on the eve of important games and going out on the piss the night before they're on the bench against Spurs in our most important game of the season. Yet others who play far, FAR better consistently get stick for a 'poor' season where their confidence is shot to pieces because they have shit players around them like Stephen Hunt and they are deemed to not care purely because they don't flap their arms like Harper or run about aimlessly like Ireland's answer to Robbie Savage.

It's funny how all the 'RTGs' slam better players like Shorey, yet give the very reason we were relegated in the form of Hunt, Harper and others some sort of immortal status.

...Perhaps it's because they have absolutely no idea about the basic concepts of the game, which is why they couldn't see relegation coming when the rest of us could.