Where will you finish?

[Gabriel]

Reading fans,

I'm interviewing a fan of each of the 92 clubs as part of a season preview for my site, here is my Q&A with with Dan Wimbush from The Tilehurst End - http://www.TheFootbalLab.co.uk/2016/rea ... g-to-stam/

Would be interested to know how you think your lot will do this year - is Stam winning fans over?

Good luck for the season.

[Ascotexgunner]

Well Newcastle have bought the league already and Villa I suspect will be right behind them, but playoffs are makable but its going to be tough. I really pleased we have JS as manager, too early to say how he will do though, I expect we will start the season with a few changes to yesterdays 11.

[Lower West]

Positions mean nothing if you are not relegated or promoted.

Until we've seen a number of competitive games judging Stam isn't fair. Seems to be giving every player in the club an opportunity to stake a claim. With the changes to the loan transfer system. Decisions need to be made quickly.

Hopefully there'll be a further couple of additions to the squad before the transfer window closes. With one being a central defender. Nor would I be surprised to see one or two exit either.

[Gabriel]

Positions mean nothing if you are not relegated or promoted.

Until we've seen a number of competitive games judging Stam isn't fair. Seems to be giving every player in the club an opportunity to stake a claim. With the changes to the loan transfer system. Decisions need to be made quickly.

Hopefully there'll be a further couple of additions to the squad before the transfer window closes. With one being a central defender. Nor would I be surprised to see one or two exit either.

I wouldn't agree that positions mean nothing - a higher position can build the team's confidence and help a club attract players. Regarding centre-backs, what did you make of Paul McShane last year? From what I saw he was one of your better players.

[sandman]

Best we can hope for is mid table.

[Lower West]

Positions mean nothing if you are not relegated or promoted.

Until we've seen a number of competitive games judging Stam isn't fair. Seems to be giving every player in the club an opportunity to stake a claim. With the changes to the loan transfer system. Decisions need to be made quickly.

Hopefully there'll be a further couple of additions to the squad before the transfer window closes. With one being a central defender. Nor would I be surprised to see one or two exit either.

I wouldn't agree that positions mean nothing - a higher position can build the team's confidence and help a club attract players. Regarding centre-backs, what did you make of Paul McShane last year? From what I saw he was one of your better players.

Starting from a position of having no settled team there's bound to be ups and down this season. Going to take time to bed for the new guys in and for Stam to get his ideas onto the pitch. There was something seriously wrong in the squad at the end of last season. Trouble is same players are still around.

Centre backs we are down to McShane, Cooper and Dickie. Where Gravenberch is going to play we've no idea as yet. If it's centre back. Then I'd expect Dickie to cover at RB. Still leaves a vacant slot.

[K.URZ13]

13th

[Gabriel]

Best we can hope for is mid table.

I don't think that would be a bad season for you myself - gives Jaap Stam and some of the new foreign players a year to settle in without too much pressure.

[sandman]

Best we can hope for is mid table.

I don't think that would be a bad season for you myself - gives Jaap Stam and some of the new foreign players a year to settle in without too much pressure.

Agreed. Although expect Ian Royal to disagree just for the sake of it.

[Ian Royal]

Best we can hope for is mid table.

I don't think that would be a bad season for you myself - gives Jaap Stam and some of the new foreign players a year to settle in without too much pressure.

Agreed. Although expect Ian Royal to disagree just for the sake of it.

Agreed. No wait. Disagreed. Arghhhhh Paradox!

You got me coming and going there.

[Gabriel]

I don't think that would be a bad season for you myself - gives Jaap Stam and some of the new foreign players a year to settle in without too much pressure.

Agreed. Although expect Ian Royal to disagree just for the sake of it.

Agreed. No wait. Disagreed. Arghhhhh Paradox!

You got me coming and going there.

Actually, mid-table would be a bad season for Reading. Hope that helps.

[blueroyals]

14th

[Ian Royal]

Agreed. Although expect Ian Royal to disagree just for the sake of it.

Agreed. No wait. Disagreed. Arghhhhh Paradox!

You got me coming and going there.

Actually, mid-table would be a bad season for Reading. Hope that helps.

Thanks, Sandman will be happy that I can disagree with you now.

[Gabriel]

Agreed. No wait. Disagreed. Arghhhhh Paradox!

You got me coming and going there.

Actually, mid-table would be a bad season for Reading. Hope that helps.

Thanks, Sandman will be happy that I can disagree with you now.

Only joking - thoughts on the summer signings so far? Be interested to see how Swift gets on.

[Simon's Church]

Bottom

[Ian Royal]

Actually, mid-table would be a bad season for Reading. Hope that helps.

Thanks, Sandman will be happy that I can disagree with you now.

Only joking - thoughts on the summer signings so far? Be interested to see how Swift gets on.

Entirely based on web chat/youtube highlights etc?

Swift - bags of potential
Beerens - tentatively promising
Annis Jaaskola - good
Van der Berg - ok
Gravenberch - meh
Mendes - shit

I still don't think changing manager was in any way the right move and the signings since have hardly been breathtaking. But Stam and they need to get at least 10 games in to the season to be judged even slightly. And for the record, 14th would be about right, 12th or above successful and 19th or lower a failure.

[Gabriel]

Thanks, Sandman will be happy that I can disagree with you now.

Only joking - thoughts on the summer signings so far? Be interested to see how Swift gets on.

Entirely based on web chat/youtube highlights etc?

Swift - bags of potential
Beerens - tentatively promising
Annis Jaaskola - good
Van der Berg - ok
Gravenberch - meh
Mendes - shit

I still don't think changing manager was in any way the right move and the signings since have hardly been breathtaking. But Stam and they need to get at least 10 games in to the season to be judged even slightly. And for the record, 14th would be about right, 12th or above successful and 19th or lower a failure.

Can you see Jaaskola starting in goal next season? Had been fairly impressed with what I saw of Al-Habsi last season but Dan didn't seem too convinced by him in the Q&A.

[Ian Royal]

Only joking - thoughts on the summer signings so far? Be interested to see how Swift gets on.

Entirely based on web chat/youtube highlights etc?

Swift - bags of potential
Beerens - tentatively promising
Annis Jaaskola - good
Van der Berg - ok
Gravenberch - meh
Mendes - shit

I still don't think changing manager was in any way the right move and the signings since have hardly been breathtaking. But Stam and they need to get at least 10 games in to the season to be judged even slightly. And for the record, 14th would be about right, 12th or above successful and 19th or lower a failure.

Can you see Jaaskola starting in goal next season? Had been fairly impressed with what I saw of Al-Habsi last season but Dan didn't seem too convinced by him in the Q&A.

I've really no idea on Jaaskola, he's got quite a good rep without playing much and seems good back-up on reputation, certainly compared to Bond. Al-Habsi is mostly a very good keeper... the only thing holding him back is a tendency to drop stupendous clangers a couple of times as a season at least. He's just a trade off. Do you accept that he could do something terrible at any moment for someone who is otherwise quality... or do you go for someone less good who will be more reliable. Personally, I'd start with Al-Habsi and if he drops a couple in quick succession, bring in Jaaskola to see how he does.

[Top Flight]

We'll be lucky if we stay up this season. 2nd from bottom is my gut feeling at the moment.

[genome]

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=133072

Thread here with poll if you want stats.