SIGNED - Adrian Marriapa

[Ups and Downs]

Hope Gorkss is still considered 1st choice. It will be interesting to see who is in the starting lineup.

[andrew1957]

My money is on Pearce and Mariappa to be first choice at the start of season. We will see.

[Maguire]

How much for this dude then?

[The Rouge]

Song for Mariappa

(Alouette)

Mariappa, Adie Mariappa
Mariappa, Adie Mariappa
(repeat)


I hate it - might work.

[Drew_3]

If we sign him I think his song should be Macarena - "ooooooh Mariappa"

We've got Mariappa
now we won't be crapper
than seventeen other teams

Sorry, so this signing has guaranteed us 3rd place?

[Royal With Cheese]

Is this something the club are happy with HobNob discussing before the fans forum transcripts are released to it's members?

I, for one, will not be contributing any more until Starliasion either confirms or denies this via PM.

[madreadingfan]

This could be our best signing this year. Lots of experience, still young at 25, tall, strong, quick, great attitude (Captain at Watford) and will be hungry to succeed.

Tall? Isn't he 5 ft 10? That's small especially for a CB that's why I'm not too confident about this signing

[Ups and Downs]

ConsideriNg what a ghey name it is, we've had more than our fair share of Adrians over the years.

I can count 3. That's got to be a record.

[who are ya?]

Adrian Williams
Adrian Viveash
Adrian Whitbread
Adrian Marriapa

[RoyalX]

ConsideriNg what a ghey name it is, we've had more than our fair share of Adrians over the years.

I can count 3. That's got to be a record.

Didn't we have 3 at once? Williams, Whitbread and Viveash? So Mariappa makes 4 at least!

[Ian Royal]

Maybe that is true. But surely who they are playing against is a key part of working out/voicing an opinion on who has/hasn't done well in a game etc...

I still love me football me.

I don't do any research before the match I turn up and I watch. I've fuk all idea who plays for most teams, let alone being able to recognise them and attribute performance to them as an individuals. I don't buy a programme often and if I do I never sit and read through the oppo names and squad numbers and reference the programme to work out who's who.

It's hard enough following 11 people in a Reading shirt through the game, there's usually a couple I struggle to remember much of what they do. No chance of managing 22 players half of which I'll maybe see once every couple of season.


Very happy with this signing. He has PL experience, lots of Championship experience and I've never noticed us absolutely crucifying Watford's defence. Bar that one game Rodgers was in charge of them. Marriapa seems to have decent pace as well, which is something we're lacking at the back.

[Ian Royal]

ConsideriNg what a ghey name it is, we've had more than our fair share of Adrians over the years.

I can count 3. That's got to be a record.

Didn't we have 3 at once? Williams, Whitbread and Viveash? So Mariappa makes 4 at least!

I seem to recall demanding that we play 3-5-2 just so we could refer to the defence as "Adrian's Wall", having heard someone else use it and think it was genius.

[moo]

ADRIANS WALL

[Ups and Downs]

ConsideriNg what a ghey name it is, we've had more than our fair share of Adrians over the years.

I can count 3. That's got to be a record.

Didn't we have 3 at once? Williams, Whitbread and Viveash? So Mariappa makes 4 at least!

Forgot about Whitbread. At 4 I'm going to categorically say that we are the only team in the football league to have had 4 Adies.

[NR_Royal]

Just typed him in on FM12, and he already plays for Reading in my game.

[blueroyals]

Just typed him in on FM12, and he already plays for Reading in my game.

I managed to get Guthrie to sign for my League Two side the other day

[Blakey's Right Peg]

Pleased with this but surprised how quickly some are to dismiss Gorkss now.

[andrew1957]

Pleased with this but surprised how quickly some are to dismiss Gorkss now.

I certainly would not dismiss him and think he will have a great part to play next season- but we did lack pace in CB last year and Mariappa is likely to start there for that reason. I think we will see Pearce and Mariappa against Stoke.

However, it will all come down to training and Brian will make the right choice.

[UpNorth]

Tricky one this.

The fact is Gorkss was not considered good enough to start in the Prem by QPR.

I think Brian is likely to give him a chance to impress but I would not be surprised to see him make way for Mapps.

[Libertine]

Pleased with this but surprised how quickly some are to dismiss Gorkss now.

I certainly would not dismiss him and think he will have a great part to play next season- but we did lack pace in CB last year and Mariappa is likely to start there for that reason. I think we will see Pearce and Mariappa against Stoke.

However, it will all come down to training and Brian will make the right choice.

I am not trying to compare either of our CBs from last season to this player, but John Terry had a great career with very little pace.