Lita for Norwich

[exileinleeds]

I think it a shame that Lita is unlikely to play for us again.

He has always been a brilliant poacher of goals, and it would be fantastic to see what he would make of the service from people like Kebe Cisse and Marek... can't now see it happening, so I just wish him good luck, and hope he finds a club that suits him.

[Baines]

"Scorer" rather than "poacher". His best goals, Man City away and West Brom in the cup at home certainly weren't poacher's goals.

[rabidbee]

Add to that the overhead against Palace.

[Alan Partridge]

Add to that the overhead against Palace.

I always liked the goals against PNE, the 2 there were good but the one that literally arrowed into the corner when we beat them 2-1 was class. We sat right in line with that and it curled back in right into the side part of the net.

[John 3:16]

Header against Chelsea was special as well, but he's still a cock.

[rabidbee]

I always regret that - after Ian Wright was bigging up Coppell on telly - nobody approached Wrighty to ask him to be involved in our set-up in some way. It could have been relatively informal, to allow him to continue his showbiz "career", but I really think somebody like Ian Wright could have had a massive influence on Leroy, on and off the pitch. That is the kind of player I think Leroy wasnts to be.

[Dirk Gently]

I always regret that - after Ian Wright was bigging up Coppell on telly - nobody approached Wrighty to ask him to be involved in our set-up in some way. It could have been relatively informal, to allow him to continue his showbiz "career", but I really think somebody like Ian Wright could have had a massive influence on Leroy, on and off the pitch. That is the kind of player I think Leroy wasnts to be.

Certainly Lita joined us because of Coppell - because he knew that SC discovered Wright and Wright is LL's absolute idol.

[Hoop Blah]

I always regret that - after Ian Wright was bigging up Coppell on telly - nobody approached Wrighty to ask him to be involved in our set-up in some way. It could have been relatively informal, to allow him to continue his showbiz "career", but I really think somebody like Ian Wright could have had a massive influence on Leroy, on and off the pitch. That is the kind of player I think Leroy wasnts to be.

Certainly Lita joined us because of Coppell - because he knew that SC discovered Wright and Wright is LL's absolute idol.

I don't buy that.

It's a lovelly sound bite and I'm sure Lita has indeed said it, but the real reason he came here was because we were just about the only club seriously in for him.

If it was, for example, us and Wolves after him he wouldn't have chosen us because Coppell was Ian Wrights manager the best part of 20 years ago!

Lita is history as far as Reading are concerned as he thinks he's too good to be on our bench and Coppell lost patience with him ages ago.

I'm sure there are plenty of decent players we could get on loan from the top end of the Premiership if we really wanted to. Hull did it with Campbell last year, Birmingham with the likes of Larsson and Bendtner before that. It's just a case of knowing who is coming through and working the market well enough.

[Archie's penalty]

The only thing with a successful loan is that, although it might take us up, we would lose the said player when we got back to the premiership. At least then we would be in the premiership and would have more time to find a permanent replacement for Leroy.

[Hoop Blah]

The only thing with a successful loan is that, although it might take us up, we would lose the said player when we got back to the premiership. At least then we would be in the premiership and would have more time to find a permanent replacement for Leroy.

We probably can't afford or attract the type of players that we'd need to strengthen us for the Premiership anyway so I don't see that as an issue.

Better to go up and worry about it next season when we've become a Premiership club again and can attract and afford the better players than sit around with the likes of Mooney and Long as back up to Doyle and Hunt (who himself doesn't look good enough for the Premiership).

[Archie's penalty]

The only thing with a successful loan is that, although it might take us up, we would lose the said player when we got back to the premiership. At least then we would be in the premiership and would have more time to find a permanent replacement for Leroy.

We probably can't afford or attract the type of players that we'd need to strengthen us for the Premiership anyway so I don't see that as an issue.

Better to go up and worry about it next season when we've become a Premiership club again and can attract and afford the better players than sit around with the likes of Mooney and Long as back up to Doyle and Hunt (who himself doesn't look good enough for the Premiership).

Yep you're probably right. I think Coppell might unfortunately think in the way I have outlined above though.

[loyalroyal4life]

I am sure they have agreed 1st rights on any permanent for him come Jan

HE has to be sold in Jan need at least a bit of dosh for him

[brendywendy]

I always regret that - after Ian Wright was bigging up Coppell on telly - nobody approached Wrighty to ask him to be involved in our set-up in some way. It could have been relatively informal, to allow him to continue his showbiz "career", but I really think somebody like Ian Wright could have had a massive influence on Leroy, on and off the pitch. That is the kind of player I think Leroy wasnts to be.

didnt he come in for a training session once?maybe?
said on the radio at the time that it wasnt really his thing though, so hardly the clubs fault!

[rabidbee]

OK - I regret that it didn't happen/work. I wasn't having a go at the club, anyway.

[Dr Hfuhruhurr]

Lita is a spent force with Reading - there is no way he will integrate back into the team. No matter how good he is or how many goals he gets for Norwich, Noel Hunt will always be infinitely more important to us.
Personally speaking, Norwich can have him. A nominal fee would be nice but, when push comes to shove, not necessary.

And you know what, and this may be heresy, Shane Long is good enough for our bench as well.

[RoyalBlue]

It's not just heresy!

The description of 'impact sub' really is in danger of a visit from the Advertising Standards Authority soon!

When we are struggling to find a goal/opening up front how many people are really sitting there thinking 'no problem he'll bring Long on soon and that will do the trick'?!

[John 3:16]

Lita is a spent force with Reading - there is no way he will integrate back into the team. No matter how good he is or how many goals he gets for Norwich, Noel Hunt will always be infinitely more important to us.
Personally speaking, Norwich can have him. A nominal fee would be nice but, when push comes to shove, not necessary.

And you know what, and this may be heresy, Shane Long is good enough for our bench as well.

I agree, Shlong is good enough for our bench. It's when he starts I have a problem. If he's happy to be Reading's version of Ole and have a cameo every game or so then that's great as far as I'm concerned. I don't think he will like that for long (sic) though.

[Platypuss]

Long definitely needs to do a lot more learning regarding the art of the striker - the kind of learning you can only get through starting in a decent run of games. He really won't continue to develop much more without it.

[Dr Hfuhruhurr]

It's not just heresy!

The description of 'impact sub' really is in danger of a visit from the Advertising Standards Authority soon!

When we are struggling to find a goal/opening up front how many people are really sitting there thinking 'no problem he'll bring Long on soon and that will do the trick'?!

The alternative is the 'Lita Scenario'. We buy someone with some pedigree behind them, who cant get in the team because Doyle and Hunt are racking up the goals on a weekly basis (leading to the Division's best goal difference), gets frustrated with his place on the bench and demands to be loaned out to another CCC club. Its a waste of everybody's time and money. On top of that Long isnt THAT bad, certainly as a third placed striker. I accept what you say about not being an 'Impact' substitute, but so far this season we've hardly missed having an impact striker - we're usually ahead at that stage of the game!

And oh, he'll start a few games - Doyle and Hunt just dont have 46 games in them - no strike partnership does. Wouldnt be surprised if he starts tonight or at Norwich.

Of course, Id like to see a 19yo superstar on the bench, but they're in a bit of a short supply.

[Ian Royal]

Long definitely needs to do a lot more learning regarding the art of the striker - the kind of learning you can only get through starting in a decent run of games. He really won't continue to develop much more without it.

The problem is he's been diabolical when starting and we don't have the time to let him bed in and improve. We need to be scoring and winning week in week out.

Whilst I think he's a useful sub he isn't an impact sub. And his appearances to goals show it.

Long: 2005/6 - 1(10) - 3, 2006/7 - 9(12) - 2, 2007/8 - 7(22) - 3, 2008/9 - 2(15) - 1.

Ok so it looks ok in the first two seasons, but since then he's had as many if not many more sub appearances in a season and has done no better and thats with quite a few starts in the Prem. Ok so it's a different level of play. But unless you're saying he gets more assists than goals (which I doubt) he really isn't an impact sub.