MATCHWATCH : Stevenage (h)

[leon]

+1. I don't think we're a top 6 League 1 side yet.

I think people over estimate a lot of our better players. I'm not sure (m)any of them are good Championship players bar Bindon who is no longer ours anyway.

Pereira - maybe lower Champ
Yiadom - no more, I fear
Mbengue - lower Champ - played there for a relegated defence with us
Bindon - probably, but untested
Craig - maybe lower Champ but untested
Wing - maybe lower Champ, but he's not getting better and he's been in L1 for years for a reason
Savage - maybe lower Champ with potential for higher, but untested and he's not even certain to start for us in L1 with the whole midfield available
Knibbs - maybe lower Champ, but realistically a good L1 player.

We've got players who could get there in time, but I don't see them as there yet, or we'd be doing better in L1 than we are.

Agreed

Bindon definitely good enough despite no experience there but otherwise not convinced

Elliott similar - has potential but not consistent or proven. 2 Kelvins likewise and both need to push on now.

Garcia will be good enough I expect if he keeps improving and growing.

And imo most of the rest are nowhere near at this stage. Many I don’t think are really div1 either

Wtaf?

Are you all on heavy medication?

[Snowflake Royal]

+1. I don't think we're a top 6 League 1 side yet.

I think people over estimate a lot of our better players. I'm not sure (m)any of them are good Championship players bar Bindon who is no longer ours anyway.

Pereira - maybe lower Champ
Yiadom - no more, I fear
Mbengue - lower Champ - played there for a relegated defence with us
Bindon - probably, but untested
Craig - maybe lower Champ but untested
Wing - maybe lower Champ, but he's not getting better and he's been in L1 for years for a reason
Savage - maybe lower Champ with potential for higher, but untested and he's not even certain to start for us in L1 with the whole midfield available
Knibbs - maybe lower Champ, but realistically a good L1 player.

We've got players who could get there in time, but I don't see them as there yet, or we'd be doing better in L1 than we are.

Agreed

Bindon definitely good enough despite no experience there but otherwise not convinced

Elliott similar - has potential but not consistent or proven. 2 Kelvins likewise and both need to push on now.

Garcia will be good enough I expect if he keeps improving and growing.

And imo most of the rest are nowhere near at this stage. Many I don’t think are really div1 either

Absolutely potential for plenty of them. But I think they'd need some more experienced players from a higher level than this to get them there.

Another season winning fairly regularly in L1 will help too.

[leon]

Gents. We're in League One - not competing for Championship play offs to the Premier League so let's deal with what's in front of us.

This side is competitive in L1. How do we know? Because we've been competitive in L1 all season. This team is good enough to compete for promotion. Never mind if Mbengue would struggle against Bayern Munich in the Champions League he's a great defender in.....League One.

That's our focus and doing well is what I'm sure we'd like to see. As Papes has said let's see what happens now and then next season. But we need to cut out the mistakes, be more ruthless and get a far better defensive and offensive shape when we're under pressure.

[stealthpapes]

This side is competitive in L1. How do we know? Because we've been competitive in L1 all season.

and, bar an early season bedding in period, we were competitive with many of the same players last season.

[Silver Fox]

I think people over estimate a lot of our better players. I'm not sure (m)any of them are good Championship players bar Bindon who is no longer ours anyway.

Pereira - maybe lower Champ
Yiadom - no more, I fear
Mbengue - lower Champ - played there for a relegated defence with us
Bindon - probably, but untested
Craig - maybe lower Champ but untested
Wing - maybe lower Champ, but he's not getting better and he's been in L1 for years for a reason
Savage - maybe lower Champ with potential for higher, but untested and he's not even certain to start for us in L1 with the whole midfield available
Knibbs - maybe lower Champ, but realistically a good L1 player.

We've got players who could get there in time, but I don't see them as there yet, or we'd be doing better in L1 than we are.

Agreed

Bindon definitely good enough despite no experience there but otherwise not convinced

Elliott similar - has potential but not consistent or proven. 2 Kelvins likewise and both need to push on now.

Garcia will be good enough I expect if he keeps improving and growing.

And imo most of the rest are nowhere near at this stage. Many I don’t think are really div1 either

Wtaf?

Are you all on heavy medication?

Never underestimate the ability of our fans to shit on anything the team are doing

[leon]

This side is competitive in L1. How do we know? Because we've been competitive in L1 all season.

and, bar an early season bedding in period, we were competitive with many of the same players last season.

well quite. Now what does that tell us?

[stealthpapes]

While at times frustrating, I have enjoyed watching Reading so much more these last two seasons as well.

[Snowflake Royal]

Not sure what leon is trying to prove here.

We're all well aware we're a competitive top 10 L1 side with lots of potential.

[morganb]

Regarding our competitiveness:

What teams / players have come to the SCL this season and you've actually thought "Wow!" or that they are any better than the team/players we have? Can't think of many...

And on the flip side, which of our current crop of players this season have been consistently at the "Wow!" level?

Or should you not expect "Wow" at L1 level

[Hound]

Yep and no one is shitting on the team either

It’s an honest assessment of where we are at. We’ve a batch of good-to-very-good Div1 players, a couple who could go higher, and a number who are at a stretch at this level

I’ve also enjoyed watching the team last two years, far more than tbe previous 3 or 4 at least

The overall picture is we’re a half decent, competitive Div1 team who are capable of snatching a play off spot if things go our way.

Which is exactly where we are

[Hound]

Regarding our competitiveness:

What teams / players have come to the SCL this season and you've actually thought "Wow!" or that they are any better than the team/players we have? Can't think of many...

And on the flip side, which of our current crop of players this season have been consistently at the "Wow!" level?

Not exactly wow but strangely, with the exception of Stockport, the best teams I’ve seen this year have been bottom half of the table. Mansfield, Blackpool, even Shrewsbury looked ok

Whilst Brum, Charlton and Wrexham looked pretty shite

[Snowflake Royal]

Yep and no one is shitting on the team either

It’s an honest assessment of where we are at. We’ve a batch of good-to-very-good Div1 players, a couple who could go higher, and a number who are at a stretch at this level

I’ve also enjoyed watching the team last two years, far more than tbe previous 3 or 4 at least

The overall picture is we’re a half decent, competitive Div1 team who are capable of snatching a play off spot if things go our way.

Which is exactly where we are

Exactly this.

[leon]

Yep and no one is shitting on the team either

It’s an honest assessment of where we are at. We’ve a batch of good-to-very-good Div1 players, a couple who could go higher, and a number who are at a stretch at this level

I’ve also enjoyed watching the team last two years, far more than tbe previous 3 or 4 at least

The overall picture is we’re a half decent, competitive Div1 team who are capable of snatching a play off spot if things go our way.

Which is exactly where we are

Exactly this.

So in essence people saying that the team is more than good enough for the Division and that improvement should be expected through development of the individual players and improving on game tactics is not being unrealistic?

Ok thanks gentlemen.