Shane Long

[Man Friday]

loan him out by all means-6 months, and double figure goals at league 1 level would do him the world of good, but id like to see more of mooney before deciding on that really.

but to say hes not improved at all since hes got here is wrong
he is bigger, stronger, and more in tune with the game and his team mates
and still has the raw attributes we saw in the 1st place, his sheer pace, and an eye for the unusual
he is desperate for that goal and it showed midweek, but i wouldnt write him off yet.
for the money we spent, and the wages hes on i reckon we get value for money still from shlong despite his up and down performances

Agreed.

[brendywendy]

I never thought I'd find myself saying this but I'm almost at the stage where I welcome Doyle and Harper leaving (especially Harper - at least Doyle puts a toe in). They clearly want to leave Reading and I'd rather see enthusiasm out there than the same old stuff. Just a shame that the sales money won't be reinvested but used to pay off "loans" to JM.

i never thought id say it about either of them
but they really arent looking better than this league at the moment
id take 4 M for either and feel pretty lucky

[Forbury Lion]

Nicky Shorey took half a season to break into the Reading first team after signing from Leighton Orient reserves, the difference was we were in division 2 and he only had to prove himself better than Matt Robinson to get the shirt.

If our strikers are scoring then there is no place for Long.... but as none of them are scoring perhaps Long will get a chance this season.

[weybridgewanderer]

Nicky Shorey took half a season to break into the Reading first team after signing from Leighton Orient reserves, the difference was we were in division 2 and he only had to prove himself better than Matt Robinson to get the shirt.

If our strikers are scoring then there is no place for Long.... but as none of them are scoring perhaps Long will get a chance this season.

Doyle has scored 1 goal since 8th december 07, that being away at derby.

If thats not enough to have a striker dropped and give someone else a chance then I don't know what is.

Noel Hunt has 2 in 2 starts. He must be in the pecking order for a start ahead of Shane Long.

[rg6royal]

Nicky Shorey took half a season to break into the Reading first team after signing from Leighton Orient reserves, the difference was we were in division 2 and he only had to prove himself better than Matt Robinson to get the shirt.

If our strikers are scoring then there is no place for Long.... but as none of them are scoring perhaps Long will get a chance this season.

Doyle has scored 1 goal since 8th december 07, that being away at derby.

If thats not enough to have a striker dropped and give someone else a chance then I don't know what is.

Noel Hunt has 2 in 2 starts. He must be in the pecking order for a start ahead of Shane Long.

'greed

Especially after Long's poor showing against Luton.

[papereyes]

Nicky Shorey took half a season to break into the Reading first team after signing from Leighton Orient reserves, the difference was we were in division 2 and he only had to prove himself better than Matt Robinson to get the shirt.

If our strikers are scoring then there is no place for Long.... but as none of them are scoring perhaps Long will get a chance this season.

Doyle has scored 1 goal since 8th december 07, that being away at derby.

Same as Leroy, though (I am not counting goals at a different club, with different players alongside him btw)

We have to decide on one or the other with those two.

[andrew1957]

Genuinely believe that Doyle will come good if we give him a chance. Lita is weaker for me because he offers less to the team overall. Also Doyle and Lita rarely play well together.

I think Doyle and new Hunt could complement each other.

[rg6royal]

Genuinely believe that Doyle will come good if we give him a chance. Lita is weaker for me because he offers less to the team overall. Also Doyle and Lita rarely play well together.

I think Doyle and new Hunt could complement each other.

Lita is better in front of goal than Doyle though. But I can see what you mean as Doyle is very good on the ball. Which opens up to him playing on the right wing...Oh I forgot, he can't cross and doesn't like playing there!!!

[floyd__streete]

Genuinely believe that Doyle will come good if we give him a chance.

Genuinely believe that Doyle will be off before midnight on Monday if we give him the chance.

[Kieron1981]

Genuinely believe that Doyle will come good if we give him a chance.

Genuinely believe that Doyle will be off before midnight on Monday if we give him the chance.

doyle is having a proper issue with shooting at the moment.... who cares if he goes.... hes just unsettling the team

[rg6royal]

Genuinely believe that Doyle will come good if we give him a chance.

Genuinely believe that Doyle will be off before midnight on Monday if we give him the chance.

doyle is having a proper issue with shooting at the moment.... who cares if he goes.... hes just unsettling the team

He seemed good at shooting in the warm up before the Charlton match!

Queue N.Hunt

[andrew1957]

Genuinely believe that Doyle will come good if we give him a chance.

Genuinely believe that Doyle will be off before midnight on Monday if we give him the chance.

doyle is having a proper issue with shooting at the moment.... who cares if he goes.... hes just unsettling the team

Interestingly in the first year of the PL Doyle had 40 shots (21 on target) scoring 13 whereas last season he had 67 shots (26 on target) and just scored 6. This would actually imply that he got into more goal scoring opportunities last season than the season before but for some reason has not converted the chances - I assume just a lack of confidence but certainly not lack of effort.

[SCIAG]

Genuinely believe that Doyle will come good if we give him a chance.

Genuinely believe that Doyle will be off before midnight on Monday if we give him the chance.

doyle is having a proper issue with shooting at the moment.... who cares if he goes.... hes just unsettling the team

Now you're throwing accusations around with nothing to back it up. When has Doyle said he wants to leave? On one occaision he stated he wouldn't turn down the Chelseas and Arsenals of this world if they made him an offer, but he's never said "I want to leave and if yoou don't let me I'll sulk and play rubbish like Shorey".

[Alan Partridge]

He has stated in a roundabout way that he would rather leave, hence Hammond sayng there are still 1 or 2 who would prefer to be elsewhere, Doyle is 1 of those and his performances thus far would indicate that he is just like Shorey actually.

[Wycombe Royal]

He has stated in a roundabout way that he would rather leave, hence Hammond sayng there are still 1 or 2 who would prefer to be elsewhere, Doyle is 1 of those and his performances thus far would indicate that he is just like Shorey actually.

The other must be Bikey.

[Alan Partridge]

He has stated in a roundabout way that he would rather leave, hence Hammond sayng there are still 1 or 2 who would prefer to be elsewhere, Doyle is 1 of those and his performances thus far would indicate that he is just like Shorey actually.

The other must be Bikey.

Quite possibly, I just can't imagine Harper to kick up a fuss nor S Hunt. Only players we've had some interest in aren't they?

[Barry the bird boggler]

Should have been sent out on loan in our 1st season in the Premiership.

Coppell needed an excuse not to buy a striker though, Long as 4th choice worked nicely.

Feel sorry for the guy, just not played enough 1st team football to develop. You can only get so far coming off the bench, especially when you never played regular 1st team football.

Deserves a game at the moment though.

I've been saying that since 2006 and still think that is what should happen, even asked it of SC at a Forum and its the same old answer basically "we have 4 strikers which is a nice number"

Nice number it might be but seeing as none of them could hit the proverbial bovine glutinous maximus with a stringed musical instrument much favoured in the American deep south what's the point having any of them?

Anyway now we have 5 strikers although personally for the above reason I think calling them that is a breach of the trade descriptions act. And still none of them will go on loan.

[Platypuss]

doyle is having a proper issue with shooting at the moment.... who cares if he goes.... hes just unsettling the team

Now you're throwing accusations around with nothing to back it up. When has Doyle said he wants to leave? On one occaision he stated he wouldn't turn down the Chelseas and Arsenals of this world if they made him an offer, but he's never said "I want to leave and if yoou don't let me I'll sulk and play rubbish like Shorey".

If he had, how would we notice the difference?

[Kevin Doyles Right Foot]

One thing I noticed about doyle was, at charlton when he missed that sitter in the first 5 mins, he didn't give he shit, he didn't chase after the ball or seem dejected, he seemed like he didn't care.

[Ian Royal]

But he's never had that run, who's to say that if he'd been the one to get the break Doyle got when he first come here we wouldn't be seeing stories of other clubs wanting him now.

He either needs to be played or moved on though - I don't see the point in him always just getting 15/20 mins every other game.

100%. Spot. On.

Should have been loaned while we were in the prem at some stage. Needs to be loaned or earn his spurs in our team for 10 - 15 games in a row. If he hasn't managed that by the end of the season he'll need to move on. If he's lucky, at that point he may be able to ressurrect his career, but I have my doubts.