Season/Team Fears & Concerns - Season Review Pending

[Dr Hfuhruhurr]

My main worry is that there is a point in the future, maybe the near future, maybe the far future, that I cant be arsed with all this anymore.

Ive never liked the Stadium (Im surrounded by kids and I hate kids) and its an increasingly long distance to a half decent stadium.

[starbug]

No concerns really, my overriding feeling at the moment is that the team doesn't have an identity and doesn't really feel like *my* team but that'll come back in time.

Overall I think the transformation was totally necessary (if a bit last minute) and feel confident we can start to move forward and challenge for the Prem in the next season or two where previous lack of investment wont happen again under rodgers.

[wolsey]

I agree, almost to a word, with CM Royal.

Rodgers is obviously a very talented Coach who has achieved a great deal in a very short time. From the little that I have seen, he obviously has his "vision" but doesn't appear to be frightened to make pragmatic adjustments to make things work more smoothly in the short term.

My problem at the moment is the transition (sorry I forgot that he doesn't believe in the "T" word) between talented coach and effective Manager - not of footballing matters, but the peripheral matters such as how/when/why he makes public pronouncements.

He seems to be more of a Jewell/Brown/Megson media whore type than Steve Coppell (whose approach i was far more comfortable with) - For example his remarks regarding Tommy Smith obviously made a very delicate situation an impossible one.

Why did he go on record at Watford decrying rumours on a move to RFC as questioning his integrity when it was obvious that he would jump at the chance?

Why did he insist on saying that Harper wouldn't be moved on when he had no plans for him in the short, let alone medium term?

I think that he needs assistance in managing the role of Manager, but can't see where he will get it from (What is Frank Lampard Snr's role?)

As far as this season is concerned I think that by the end of January the likes of Long, Mooney, Cisse, Kebe, Matejovsky, (Tabb even) will have gone, we will have a far greater reliance of Loan players than we have ever seen and that we will take one step forward, one step back, three steps sideways (bit like the passing) and end up somewhere in the third quarter of the table.

[westongeezer]

Ok, I'm suggesting a thread with a difference. I am asking you to write one post, and only one post. We've had multiple and repetitive discussions elsewhere about the varying opinions of what the club are trying to do etc. Please place on record any concerns you have about the team or even the support of the Chairman, if you like. Maybe you're concerned about having to many youngsters in the side, to many loan players, to many sales, the money in vs the money out... Highlight everything, and where possible, explain your case for concern. There are many voices on here, many of whom go missing when proved wrong or deny their previous comments. At the seasons end we can review the differring opinions vs what has happened this season, and where the club seems to be, and looks like heading. After all, the team, manager, players, club as a unit, all need time, and there are opinion on here one week that change the next all because they don't give it time.

Remember, one post only. This is not a thread for discussion. We've done that to death elsewhere.

(If the moderators feel this is a worthwhile topic, please can you make it a sticky for future viewing?)

Did you realy expect a serious response?

[Gordons Cumming]

No concerns.

I saw Brendan at the Riverside hitting some shots on the golf range during the summer.

HTH

Lack of experience?

Rasiak 30
Howard 26
Mcanuff 26?
Gunnarrson 30+
Ingimarrson 30+
Hunt 26?
Marek 27?
Tabb 25?


All pretty experienced pros.

[ScottishRoyal]

My only fear is the lack of experience but recent signings should rebalance this somewhat. Following this break I predict reasonable form up until Christmas though without making the Madejski a fortress. Our form will then really pick up after Christmas once the players gel and learn to play in a new way, we'll push up the table and finish 8th or 9th.

[(.)Boobies(.)]

Ok, I'm suggesting a thread with a difference. I am asking you to write one post, and only one post. We've had multiple and repetitive discussions elsewhere about the varying opinions of what the club are trying to do etc. Please place on record any concerns you have about the team or even the support of the Chairman, if you like. Maybe you're concerned about having to many youngsters in the side, to many loan players, to many sales, the money in vs the money out... Highlight everything, and where possible, explain your case for concern. There are many voices on here, many of whom go missing when proved wrong or deny their previous comments. At the seasons end we can review the differring opinions vs what has happened this season, and where the club seems to be, and looks like heading. After all, the team, manager, players, club as a unit, all need time, and there are opinion on here one week that change the next all because they don't give it time.

Remember, one post only. This is not a thread for discussion. We've done that to death elsewhere.

(If the moderators feel this is a worthwhile topic, please can you make it a sticky for future viewing?)

Did you realy expect a serious response?

From serious posters, there's been many already. From the lesser post rampers, no. That said, it's the more serious poster that I'm more interested to hear from anyway.

[brendywendy]

fears and concerns:
weve maybe got rid of too much experience and quality, and replaced it with less experience, and less quality
rodgers may not be as good as he or royalee thinks he is.


but i am 80% sure we will do well this year,consolidate, and maybe even mount a playoff push in 2010

[The Quiet Man]

It's a half and half for me. I like his decision to get rid of Harper and Rosenior (and hopefully Mateovsky to follow at xmas) and I like his pragmatic approach to playing what gets results in the championship. He needs to gell his team and I suspect there won't be too much room for our overhyped Academy products in the first team and they'll have to work hard to get on the bench. Midtable looks likely as there doesn't appear to be too many goals in the current strikers and defensively the midfield still looks a bit lightweight but the next 5 or 6 games willl be crucial for confidence and vocal support, a few home wins and he will be heralded as a world beater and it would lift the players as well. Like others I think there may be more loans to come in at xmas time particularly up front.

In terms of 'personality' he sounds a lot like Pardew (a mixture of coachspeak and you're all lovely, great club, yadda yadda) in that he appears to be able to tell everybody what they think they want to hear and I would expect that the first decent offer he gets from a higher league side he will be off as quick as you can say Mark Mcghee.

In short, ruthless, pragmatic, ambitious, smooth talking and he'll do a job for us until he outgrows the chairman willingness to resource.

[Barney]

One fear for me - I hope the fans and the board give Rodgers the time that it will take.

The team/squad is transformed and I feel like a breath of fresh air has swept through
Reading Football Club, and taken a fair amount of staleness away with it.
I loved the 05/06 Championship season, and I enjoyed the first Premiership season.
I didn't really enjoy the second season in the Prem, and I can't honestly say I enjoyed
last season that much. So...for the first time in a while, I am actually looking forward to
watching the team again. The Academy kids, the different style we are playing, not
knowing who our first XI really are ! No concerns. Am enjoying going to the Madstad again.

[Gordons Cumming]

Yes. Very ambitious.

I don't think loyalty or commitment enter his thoughts at all.

Oops! I've posted twice!

[bishbosh92]

I think Rodgers style of football is good and enjoyable but my only moan is i think he has tried to put to many younsters into the first team at once.

Gylfi has been amzing but others havent Church to name one but i think with the signings we have made especially howard were in for a Mid table finsih but will be watching good enjoyable football unlike Coppels huth ball appraoch!

also Mcanuff is also a very good signing if he produces the form he did under Rodgers not to sure bout Raisiak yey will have to give him a few games !

[seahawk10]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvonsjqE2a4

[winchester_royal]

My one fear is that fans will not give Rodgers the time he needs to turn this squad into a quality championship out fit. The potential is there. We have 3 or 4 really good youngsters coming through ATM. Kara, Siggy and HRK look to be the best of the bunch, and as long as they find regular games they'll progress to the point where hopefully they'll be among the top Champ players by the start of next season.

His signings have IMO been shrewd. He's brought in some experience in McA, Ras and BH, but also some exciting youth in Cumms and Mills. Cummings in particular excites me, and I do feel his signing has perhaps been underplayed a bit as a result of the sudden nature of his and Rosie's moves. Put it this way....if we'd have been publically courting him for a couple of weeks I think it may have generated a bit more excitement.

I genuinely cannot wait until the next game. We don't know what the team is going to be, how many of the new boys will start, how the team will gel, etc...and that kind of unknown quantity is something I find to be riveting. The games under SC were a real chore at times last year because you knew exactly what the team will be, how they'll play, and even while we were beating everyone, the only game I truly enjoyed was Brizzle away. And that was more because of the atmos in the away end than anything else.

On saturday there is a genuine chance of 5 players making their home debuts for the club. 4 making their full ones. How many times did we get to say that before a league game under Coppell.

It's a risky strategy from BR, of course it is, but that's what makes it so exciting, and long may it continue!

[The whole year inn]

somewhere around the 15th-21st bracket.

Where we belong basically

Shane Long will continue to be shit, despite having over 4 years to prove his worth

Kebe's class will even out his shite moments in a pretty much 1:1 ratio

Mills will still have his celebrity girlfriend, Pearce will keep pointing and ignoring attacking players and Harper will do infinitely better than Howard

[UpNorth]

Some good posts on here.

My first concern is that we stay up and on paper BR has recruited enough experienced players to ensure we stay a championship team.

The question I do not feel able to answer at present is whether or not this revamped team has enough goals in it.

Assuming BR persists with his 4-5-1, the recruitment of the link player between attack and defence was always going to be critical. The loss of Smith at the eleventh hour must have been a massive blow to BR. We now seem to be reliant on Howard, a player apparently out of form and favour here in Sheffield. I do hope Howard is a success as he is now expected to reproduce the form that saw him score and set up so many goals for Barnsley.

[Sun Tzu]

a player apparently out of form and favour here in Sheffield. .

Although not so out of form or favour that he's not been a regular part of their side this season !

[andrew1957]

My main concern is the fixture list. In our first 15 games we are due to play 9 of the teams that I expect to be in the top 10 (excluding RFC) at the end of the season. These are Newcastle, Sheff Unt, Cardiif, Preston, Boro, WBA, QPR, Leicester and Coventry. The only other top team we are missing is Bristol City who may make the top 10. That is a hard start by anyone's standards and with an new team we will be doing well to be on more than say 15 points at the end of game 15.

If we only get 15 or less from the 15 games - I fear there will be baying for Rodgers blood which would be very unfair.

Please everyone let him have the first 24 games until Plymouth away - by which time we will have played everyone once and Swansea twice before being overly critical. That will be a fairer time to judge how well Rodger's reign has started. I undertake not to criticise the team, tactics or manager until after New Year - by which time I hope we will all be hailing him as a genius.

From my maths the team last year only got 19 points in the equivalent first 15 fixtures (substituting Newcastle for Wolves, Boro for Brum, WBA for Burnley and Leicester for Norwich).

[Archies Volley II]

Absolutely no fears at all, good crop of very talented youngsters, some experienced older heads and a talented manager with great potential.

As above. Would like to add a very sensible Chairman who is securing our long term future in these times of fear.

+2

[Royalee]

No concerns - good chairman, good director of football, great manager, strong healthy young squad which will improve as time goes on. Think we'll be there or thereabouts in the top 6 like Rodgers said and if we don't go up this year then next year we could walk it provided we keep the right mentality.