Mate wants a permanent deal

[Ian Royal]

I thought he sounded like a top player when we brought him over and was really dissapointed to hear about his injury. Think him and Bikey both have the potential to get deals with us. Just depends how January goes really.

I know they are young but I disagree, I think we were short on bodies with the season closing in and had wasted all our time on Mensah. Coppell knew we were short and picked up the two lads he had seen or heard a bit about. Bikey having been sent off on trial i really can't see Coppell wanting him as a main target.

Having seen both, albeit Mate very briefly, neither have done enough to suggest they are better than what we have. I would be VERY surprised if we went for either of them.

I'll admit I've not seen either play live as far as I recall and my opinion is based on gut instinct, but I feel they are both players who in a year or so could be really good for us. They may end up being shit, but I think their both worth the effort given they won't cost much. But then if we pick up a quality CM or CB in particular in January then I would say they are almost certianly doomed.

Bikey's main problem seems to be cards, but I think that can be resolved, I'd say he's been a little unlucky so far. Sodje and Halls are the defenders that I see as being the most surplus to requirements. At least Bikey and Mate are young and still adjusting to the English game. Sodje just strikes me as a decent Championship player.

I got the same feeling about Sonko when he arrived. But then I thought Goater was great signing. Although I still don't accept he was as bad as many claim so hey ho.

I think Bikey is much better in the middle of midfield, I would agree totally that he has been very unlucky with some of the cards he's got. He was bought as a centre half and hasn't had a good game in the defence for Reading. Halls has been the biggest disappointment in years, he was class at Stoke and just plain ass here. Again agreed on Sodje. Sonko was 23 and on a free he also had 18months learning the game, and improving his game in the Championship, Sodje is 27/28 and has never played above League 1, it shows. He's not good enough.

Maté was extremely poor against Darlo, I think it's unfair to judge someone on one game especially as he hasn't played in ENgland and can't speak much English but you cans till look at raw attributes, he turned like the the QE2, had very little pace and for such a big bloke he looked frightened to head the ball. It is a shame that he got injured, maybe he might stay on loan maybe similar for Bikey but I can't see us paying money for either of them. They aren't better than what we have.

You are a very persuassive man AP.
I'd like to reserve judgement on Mate and hope he gets back to fitness and plays a few games before the loan ends. Bikey I thik would be worth a punt at a couple or hundred £k, but he as the seasonto prove himself more worthwhile.

It's hard being a Reading fan at the moment. I want everyone we sign to perform for us, I'm just not used to us playing at the sort of level where a lareg proportion of our younger singings probably just won't be good enough to risk taking a gamble on. We don't have that luxury now we're in the top flight. We've got to be ruthless.

[Alan Partridge]

I thought he sounded like a top player when we brought him over and was really dissapointed to hear about his injury. Think him and Bikey both have the potential to get deals with us. Just depends how January goes really.

I know they are young but I disagree, I think we were short on bodies with the season closing in and had wasted all our time on Mensah. Coppell knew we were short and picked up the two lads he had seen or heard a bit about. Bikey having been sent off on trial i really can't see Coppell wanting him as a main target.

Having seen both, albeit Mate very briefly, neither have done enough to suggest they are better than what we have. I would be VERY surprised if we went for either of them.

I'll admit I've not seen either play live as far as I recall and my opinion is based on gut instinct, but I feel they are both players who in a year or so could be really good for us. They may end up being shit, but I think their both worth the effort given they won't cost much. But then if we pick up a quality CM or CB in particular in January then I would say they are almost certianly doomed.

Bikey's main problem seems to be cards, but I think that can be resolved, I'd say he's been a little unlucky so far. Sodje and Halls are the defenders that I see as being the most surplus to requirements. At least Bikey and Mate are young and still adjusting to the English game. Sodje just strikes me as a decent Championship player.

I got the same feeling about Sonko when he arrived. But then I thought Goater was great signing. Although I still don't accept he was as bad as many claim so hey ho.

I think Bikey is much better in the middle of midfield, I would agree totally that he has been very unlucky with some of the cards he's got. He was bought as a centre half and hasn't had a good game in the defence for Reading. Halls has been the biggest disappointment in years, he was class at Stoke and just plain ass here. Again agreed on Sodje. Sonko was 23 and on a free he also had 18months learning the game, and improving his game in the Championship, Sodje is 27/28 and has never played above League 1, it shows. He's not good enough.

Maté was extremely poor against Darlo, I think it's unfair to judge someone on one game especially as he hasn't played in ENgland and can't speak much English but you cans till look at raw attributes, he turned like the the QE2, had very little pace and for such a big bloke he looked frightened to head the ball. It is a shame that he got injured, maybe he might stay on loan maybe similar for Bikey but I can't see us paying money for either of them. They aren't better than what we have.

You are a very persuassive man AP.
I'd like to reserve judgement on Mate and hope he gets back to fitness and plays a few games before the loan ends. Bikey I thik would be worth a punt at a couple or hundred £k, but he as the seasonto prove himself more worthwhile.

It's hard being a Reading fan at the moment. I want everyone we sign to perform for us, I'm just not used to us playing at the sort of level where a lareg proportion of our younger singings probably just won't be good enough to risk taking a gamble on. We don't have that luxury now we're in the top flight. We've got to be ruthless.

Exactly, other years we may take them on long term but if we can get better players elsewhere then it's not worth it. I think Stack will be off in the summer, likewise Halls, Oster, DE LA DE LA CRUZ, sadly Hayes, Cox, Osano and a lot of others will all get released or move on.

Oster you may say? But i think he'll go, he may get offered something here but I can't see him taking it, expect Hull or someone to offer him a 3 year deal. The rest aren't going to cut it so it's pointles having them on the wage bill. If it was me I'd add the two loanees and Sodje but I think Sodje will stay, again until we sign someone better then he may go on loan.

Next year is going to be tough for us, we are still very much a bit of an unknown quantity, a team that's played as a team for a good few seasons, and a team used to winning. By the end of the season a few of them will be the wrong side of 30 or pushing 30 and we may have to look at bringing in some more young, hungry players and God forbid have to spend some serious cash!! to replace some of the players that have got us where we are and have contributed fully. Sadly that's football at this level. With the added money for next season, teams who we've been more than competitive with (the likes of Everton, Villa, Spurs, Bolton, City etc) will spend that money, they will all seriously improve their squads. This summer Reading HAVE to follow suit and do that.

We can get away with it in January, we are safe, we will easily pick up another 10-12 points to stay up and that is the season objective complete. Next season it will be a similar objective but a doubly difficult task.

I think the job Coppell has done this season outweighs what he did last season tbh, we had a winning side last season with next to no bad injuries (apart from Lita when we were up) This season Murty, Kitson, Convey and now Doyle have been injured for significant parts of the season, yet we have still performed, still won games and players that were squad players last season have stepped up to be valuable Premiership players. Also there have been times where we have lost a few games, yet we've always resonded, it's testament to these players and to the coaching staff. Coppell has done it on a Premiership pittance, it really is incredible and hasn't been done before since the Premiership has been around and the money that is in this league.