Colours to the mast, pick your relegation candidates

[Franchise FC]

Much as it pains me to admit it, I really, REALLY wanted United to get something out of that game.

Two good performances and no points, and no points from the other winnable game will do wonders for the confidence for Southampton, and not in a good way

It's absolutely no good putting up a 'brave' perfoormance if you can't back it up in the next game. I'm convinced we have a better squad than Southampton, so only two more to find (and I'd like to see Norwich to work out whether they count as one of them)

[Stuboo]

Stuboo wrote:
Agree with all of that, but I would perhaps swap your word "support" for positivity.

We can be realistic "between games" and scream and shout and be optimistic IN games.

I don't see how "positivity" overcomes common-sense.

Jeeez Snowball, I feel like I've been pepperred by a machine gun, the way you responded to my post.

It is common sense is to see what is there, noting not just the negative things, but also the good things. I feel that sometimes people are highlighting the negatives and not giving enough weight to the positives to do with Reading FC. It is absolutely not common sense to fear the worst and get stressed about it, even though it may not happen, and to only pay attention to the weaknesses (though we all do this at times).

It's up to everyone how to live their life of course, but studies have shown that it is indeed common sense to try to be positive. Positive people live longer and have generally healthier lives.

I guess it's when people claim that their version of the truth is "reality" which is so annoying, and that anyone who doesn't agree that Reading's squad isn't strong enough is not being "realistic." That's your opinion, it is not "reality."

[Ian Royal]

It's common sense to wait and see how we do over more than a couple of games (which have mostly been very positive) before saying the squad isn't strong enough and criticising our transfer policy.

[Silver Fox]

3 from Soton, Villa, QPR, Norwich and fulham

What a fvcking horrid thread btw, team board at it's opinionated yet thick as shit worst

[cmonurz]

So sad (and misguided) that BM feels that he has to stay loyal to the players that took us up, even if some of them are nowhere near PL standard.
I really fear for us this season and it could be all over before the next window opens.

He has replaced nearly half of the first team.

Pog, Gunter, Guthrie.

Who else?

McCleary has started one league game.

That’s not nearly half the team by any means, the nucleus of the promoted side very much remains.

[Snowball]

Much as it pains me to admit it, I really, REALLY wanted United to get something out of that game.

Two good performances and no points, and no points from the other winnable game will do wonders for the confidence for Southampton, and not in a good way

It's absolutely no good putting up a 'brave' performance if you can't back it up in the next game.

Totally agree. It was peculiar watching it, wanting ANYONE to beat Man Utd, but wanting Saints to lose

Had Saints won that would have given them a massive boost, one of confidence (obviously) but another of an "unexpected"
three points which might have kept them up at the end of the season (possibly at our expense)

[Snowball]

It's common sense to wait and see how we do over more than a couple of games (which have mostly been very positive) before saying the squad isn't strong enough and criticising our transfer policy.

So you're saying it's impossible to consider a player's worth?

Would Liverpool fans have thought signing Simon Church was the answer to their striker problems?



Of COURSE it MIGHT be that the team outperforms the sum of its parts
and most think our first eleven is pretty decent, but it's also very fair
to see that most of the rest are known entities and our strength depth
is highly suspect

[reading_fan]

Norwich, Saints, Wham

[melonhead]

So sad (and misguided) that BM feels that he has to stay loyal to the players that took us up, even if some of them are nowhere near PL standard.
I really fear for us this season and it could be all over before the next window opens.

He has replaced nearly half of the first team.

Pog, Gunter, Guthrie.

Who else?

McCleary has started one league game.

That’s not nearly half the team by any means, the nucleus of the promoted side very much remains.

mcleary for starters.....

and 4 is nearly half of 11

[melonhead]

I REALLY rate Gorkss as an outstanding Championship CB and a fabulous squad player in the Prem,
but whether or not he can be a long-term, safe CB in the Prem is another thing.

It's quite an interesting problem, Elwood too, my hero, but... Why do good managers let these guys go?

colin oxf*rd let them go- who regardless of how good a championship manager he is, is utterly awful at keeping teams in the prem and therefore knows fook all.

[Esteban]

Stuboo, do you not realise that we all want to see RFC still in the Prem at the end of the season? With our current squad, any KNOWLEDGABLE football person will tell you that we are relegation favourites! That is for a good reason! Had we bought better in the Transfer Window, we would not be! We are all now hoping for a miracle but sensible people do understand what underinvestment does to any business!

How can it be wrong to state an opinion?!It doesn't make Stuboo any more or less knowledgeable than anybody else and it certainly doesn't make you a realist.

We've only played two league games and during those matches, we've had a naive 25 minutes against Stoke and 20 minutes against Chelsea where we were outclassed (the fact they are European champions, were playing at home and paid more for Hazard than Zingarevich paid for our entire club notwithstanding). Otherwise, we matched or were better than our opposition and but for a couple of goalkeeping errors and a poor linesman, we could have 4 points already.

As for the league cup, 4-5-1 was completely the wrong formation to play in that match, but with our game at Sunderland postponed, it made sense to practice it.

It's far too early to say who will go up or down with any degree of certainty, so all anybody can do is offer their opinion as they see it. Unless you happen have a Dolorian and a sporting almanac, you are in no better position than anybody else. It's your right to defend your views and so you should, but you won't get any respect if you continue to brow beat anybody who doesn't agree with you.

[Archie's penalty]

I think we'll go down unfortunately, but hope I'm wrong.

For me it's going to be us, Southampton and QPR.

I also hated the fact I was, already, pulling for United to win yesterday. It makes me realise how depressing the prem is, hoping to finish fourth bottom!

[Mid Sussex Royal]

Villa, Norwich , Saints possibly Fulham getting dragged down in to it. They are notoriously bad away and always think they are therefore only a couple of poor home results from trouble.

Just watched a re-run of the 7-4 game v Pompey on ESPN classic - I didn't realise how bad that side was: Gunnerson, Harper, Hunt S, Rosenior and Duberry is not strong for Prem even at their peak - we have miles more strength in depth than that team which only just went down.

[grey_squirrel]

Villa, Norwich , Saints possibly Fulham getting dragged down in to it. They are notoriously bad away and always think they are therefore only a couple of poor home results from trouble.

Just watched a re-run of the 7-4 game v Pompey on ESPN classic - I didn't realise how bad that side was: Gunnerson, Harper, Hunt S, Rosenior and Duberry is not strong for Prem even at their peak - we have miles more strength in depth than that team which only just went down.

ESPN show that all the time. Quality goal by Kitson. That game is still a Premiership record in terms of numbers of goals?

Rosenior and Duberry were trully awful but the overall standard of the average Premiership player has probably improved a lot since then, so although we are probably in better shape overall than in 2007, it kinda evens itself out.

Rosenior. Oh god.......

[TFF]

Ding, Villa, Norwich

[Pseud O'Nym]

I REALLY rate Gorkss as an outstanding Championship CB and a fabulous squad player in the Prem,
but whether or not he can be a long-term, safe CB in the Prem is another thing.

It's quite an interesting problem, Elwood too, my hero, but... Why do good managers let these guys go?

colin oxf*rd let them go- who regardless of how good a championship manager he is, is utterly awful at keeping teams in the prem and therefore knows fook all.

I suspect publicly slagging off QPR's owners might have a bit to do with it.

[Blakey's Right Peg]

Norwich are the first that come to mind, not sure Hughton is capable of replicating last year's success. Typical case of second season syndrome and being found out having not made many changes to the playing squad.

Despite Southampton's promising attacking performances against both Manchester clubs, they look like they have a touch of the Blackpool's about them. No doubt they will provide entertainment and score goals with the likes of Lambert and Lallana, but there are huge question marks over their back five and I think they might ship too many goals to stay up.

Not sure on the third. Head tells me it will probably be us. I'll opt for Villa though, not sure Lambert is capable of successfully leading the major rebuild job required there.

[Reading4eva]

Villa, Norwich , Saints possibly Fulham getting dragged down in to it. They are notoriously bad away and always think they are therefore only a couple of poor home results from trouble.

Just watched a re-run of the 7-4 game v Pompey on ESPN classic - I didn't realise how bad that side was: Gunnerson, Harper, Hunt S, Rosenior and Duberry is not strong for Prem even at their peak - we have miles more strength in depth than that team which only just went down.

ESPN show that all the time. Quality goal by Kitson. That game is still a Premiership record in terms of numbers of goals?

Rosenior and Duberry were trully awful but the overall standard of the average Premiership player has probably improved a lot since then, so although we are probably in better shape overall than in 2007, it kinda evens itself out.

Rosenior. Oh god.......

I disagree that the Premier League is much better now. Its more unpredictable as the top 4 have finally been broken up

[Royal Ginger]

I would argue that it's a good year to be in the Premiership, with 10 teams who could arguably be in a relegation fight. The championship however, looks the toughest it has done in a very long time.

[Davezk]

I fear for us to be honest. I look at who other teams have brought in and what we have in reserve. If we couldn't score in the championship (very often), how are we going to get the goals in the premiership to keep us up?

I'll go with West Ham, Norwich and either us or Southampton. If we finish above Southampton, I win £100 off my mate at work. Don't let me down Reading!