Simon Church

[Terminal Boardom]

There are parts of SC's game that remind me a little of Dean Horrix. Sadly, the part of his game that doesn't match up is his ability to create chances for other players. Sure, he works hard but if he is 50% of your strikeforce you do expect him to weigh in with a good number of goals. A striker is ultimately judged on his scoring rate. So far this season, it is nowhere near good enough.

[Archie's penalty]

3 in 2 for Churchy.

I feel a little vindicated

[Negative_Jeff]

Church has got huge potential but obviously is not the finished article. Intelligent movement has created the two one on ones these last two games.
The volley for the first goal at Palarse was reminiscent of Gerd Muller.

[andrew1957]

Church is also very fast - if he can just gain a little composure he will be a top striker.

[SteveRoyal]

Seen the highlights, and 3 observations:
1. His first goal was well taken, purposefully or not.
2. His touch let him down when through on goal, but he seemed reluctant to chase onto it after he saw it got away?
3. The touch that whacked it against the post was badman. Unlucky.

[Snowball]

Now a goal every 3.26 games, one every 294 minutes


ST sub PL goals G/G AS
11 08 12.33 05 02.47 02 09-10 0222 Long
22 05 22.83 09 02.54 06 09-10 0228 Gylfi
05 07 06.17 02 03.08 01 09-10 0278 Noel
18 09 19.50 06 03.25 01 09-10 0293 Rasiak
22 05 22.83 07 03.26 00 09-10 0294 Church
16 13 18.17 03 06.06 02 09-10 0545 Kebe
17 06 18.00 02 09.00 02 09-10 0810 Howard
16 03 16.50 01 16.50 00 09-10 1485 Cisse
27 00 27.00 01 27.00 08 09-10 2430 Jobi

[CMRoyal]

Any chance you can update the Kebe stats as well snowball, on the appropriate thread?

[Negative_Jeff]

Church has got huge potential but obviously is not the finished article. Intelligent movement has created the two one on ones these last two games.
The volley for the first goal at Palarse was reminiscent of Gerd Muller.

And the goal against Wednesday was reminiscent of Justin Fashanu..... Brilliant!

[Archie's penalty]

4 in 4 for Church.

2 assists on Wednesday as well.

[facaldaqui]

It's easier to go with the flow, but I still say that Church will never be a reliable scorer. I think we should cash in on his growing reputation at the first opportunity and get ourselves someone more lethal with the money. I'm a fan of Church's effort and movement but not of his passing and shooting.

[midfield diamond]

It's easier to go with the flow, but I still say that Church will never be a reliable scorer. I think we should cash in on his growing reputation at the first opportunity and get ourselves someone more lethal with the money. I'm a fan of Church's effort and movement but not of his passing and shooting.

Presumably you were a fan of his shooting when he scored the goal yesterday!

He's only young. Brian may improve him further if he can work the same magic as he's done with Kebe.
If Church had an extra yard of pace he wouldn't still be at Reading.

[Big Foot]

That goal he scored yesterday was a banger. From my seat in Y24 looking towards the North Stand I had a perfect view of the way his shot bent and angled in perfectly.

Sublime goal, well done lad.

[Tinrib]

Massive well done from me too, who in the past 12 months has landed himself a regular spot in our first team squad, been capped at full international , and has also had to deal with the death of his Father.

Excellent goal yesterday, and was also brilliant vs. Liverpool away..

Congrats to the Academy too, whose efforts over the past few years are now (finally) bearing fruit.

[facaldaqui]

It's easier to go with the flow, but I still say that Church will never be a reliable scorer. I think we should cash in on his growing reputation at the first opportunity and get ourselves someone more lethal with the money. I'm a fan of Church's effort and movement but not of his passing and shooting.

Presumably you were a fan of his shooting when he scored the goal yesterday!

He's only young. Brian may improve him further if he can work the same magic as he's done with Kebe.
If Church had an extra yard of pace he wouldn't still be at Reading.

I'm a fan of all Reading goals, of course, but Church has compiled a ridiculously high number of misses this season. Obviously, I'll be delighted if he turns out to be prolific, but if he doesn't, we need to bite the bullet and let him go rather than wait too long for him to come good the way we've done with Long.

[Archie's penalty]

He's got a lot better touch and movement then Long. I don't think the comparison is valid.

[facaldaqui]

Touch and movement without goals is just embroidery. At the moment he's got end product, so I hope he keeps it up. But he was very frustrating for a long spell.

[Archie's penalty]

Thanks for having a conversation Facqualdi. Yes indeed earlier on in the season I was starting to have doubts about him. But having watched his performances for the U-21s I thought he would come good. And at the moment that seems like it is the case. Long may it continue...

[Ian Royal]

Church will be an excellent support striker for a more prolific number 9. His movement is brilliant and I actually think his passing and vision is pretty good as well. His only weaknesses are his awareness in terms of staying on side and his finishing.

His finishing is already improving with the confidence of playing and scoring. His shooting was never that bad, just lacked that little something to turn a fairly well hit shot into a very well hit shot and goal.

[Big Foot]

Compare the Simon Church we have now to the Simon Church who started in the play offs last year and then again at the start of this season. His progress has been fantastic

[Royal With Cheese]

Compare the Simon Church we have now to the Simon Church who started in the play offs last year and then again at the start of this season. His progress has been fantastic

Well he's actually scoring goals now. I'm not an expert but I believe it's a significant aspect of a forwards game.