Whats the best combination?

[SCIAG]

Having said this...i feel that letting Kitson, the only striker that is taller than 6ft. go was a huge mistake, especially seeing as we replaced him with somebody who is shorter than Lita, Doyle and Long. We need a striker who is big, strong and that can hold the ball up, with a proven calibre at this level or higher. I think that Shola Ameobi could be a good addition if we could make a last minute swoop and take him from Ipswich.

No we didn't, Hunt is taller than Lita
No way. Plus, Ipswitch won't let him go, they've only just signed him. We might as well try for Rob Hulse, for the good it will do.

[Jank]

Having said this...i feel that letting Kitson, the only striker that is taller than 6ft. go was a huge mistake, especially seeing as we replaced him with somebody who is shorter than Lita, Doyle and Long. We need a striker who is big, strong and that can hold the ball up, with a proven calibre at this level or higher. I think that Shola Ameobi could be a good addition if we could make a last minute swoop and take him from Ipswich.

No we didn't, Hunt is taller than Lita
No way. Plus, Ipswitch won't let him go, they've only just signed him. We might as well try for Rob Hulse, for the good it will do.

Ok...sorry. Hunt may be an inch taller but that inch isnt quite what we should have been looking at. My main point is that we needed and still do need a big striker rather than another short arse striker which we have in abundance. Until that happens i feel Lita and Doyle are the strongest partnership.

[kwik-silva]

Jank do you mean somebody like Kitson?? Or Crouch??

[Whore Jackie]

Lita is proven at championship level

But is he? He's only had one and a bit seasons at Championship level.

2005/06 – 32 games, 15 goals
2007/08 – 8 games, 3 goals (at Charlton)
2008/09 – 2 games, 0 goals

You could argue that he's had one cracking 'debut' season at the higher lever, after Bristol City and League 1, and then been relatively average ever since. The same argument holds true for Doyle too. FWIW, I think Lita will do well this season. Far less optimistic about Doyle, let's hope I'm proved wrong there.

[howser]

would really like to see Noel Hunt for a full 90 minutes first team opportunity, have good knowledge of him from watching him up here, he's a good player good vision, good leap, doesn't spend his time falling over, and will work his arse off, he can also take penalties pretty well too. Given the chance he will do well, and will probably prove to be one of the better players to come down south from the Scottish Premier League, he is a good signing.

[kwik-silva]

Lita is proven at championship level

But is he? He's only had one and a bit seasons at Championship level.

2005/06 – 32 games, 15 goals
2007/08 – 8 games, 3 goals (at Charlton)
2008/09 – 2 games, 0 goals

You could argue that he's had one cracking 'debut' season at the higher lever, after Bristol City and League 1, and then been relatively average ever since. The same argument holds true for Doyle too. FWIW, I think Lita will do well this season. Far less optimistic about Doyle, let's hope I'm proved wrong there.

Doyle - 2005/06 - 41 (4) games - 18 goals
Kitson (not that it matters) - 2005/06 - 27 (7) games - 18 goals
Lita - 2005/06 - 22 (4) games - 11 goals

Those are just from the League and just our 3 'major' strikers

[Jank]

Jank do you mean somebody like Kitson?? Or Crouch??

Yes that is what i mean. Somebody that is tall, has decent ability in the air, strong, can hold the ball up, but also is good with the ball on the deck.

[Jank]

Those are interesting stats as well. Makes me wonder how many goals Lita would have bagged had he played as many games as Doyle. Although Doyle is the better overall player, Lita provides the biggest threat infront of goal. And because Doyle has the best all-round game out of all of our strikers, Doyle would be infront of Shane Long and N. Hunt.

Whereas Long does not pose as much a threat infront of goal as Lita and his overall game is not as good as Doyle's. Therefore Shane Long does not deserve to be starting instead of those two.

N. Hunt hasnt had the chance yet and when he gets the chance he will need to prove himself. But there is no need to rush him in and disrupt the harmony and momentum of the team until there is an injury/suspension or the team goes on a horrible run without scoring/winning.

[Woodcote Royal]

Doyle - 2005/06 - 41 (4) games - 18 goals
Kitson (not that it matters) - 2005/06 - 27 (7) games - 18 goals
Lita - 2005/06 - 22 (4) games - 11 goals

Those are just from the League and just our 3 'major' strikers

Those are interesting stats as well. Makes me wonder how many goals Lita would have bagged had he played as many games as Doyle.

Whereas as they would make some of us wonder why Long isn't included in them.

Although Doyle is the better overall player, Lita provides the biggest threat infront of goal

So you keep telling us but when exactly has Lita ever been a bigger threat in front of goal than all of his rivals at this club?

And because Doyle has the best all-round game out of all of our strikers, Doyle would be infront of Shane Long and N. Hunt.

I can't say I know enough about Hunt's all round game to make that judgement but as far being a threat in front of goal is concerned, isn't he our only striker to have actually scored in a competitive match this season

Whereas Long does not pose as much of a threat infront of goal as Lita and his overall game is not as good as Doyle's. Therefore Shane Long does not deserve to be starting instead of those two.

So how come Long scored more goals than Lita last season?

Seeing that you feel Leroy is our biggest threat in front of goal, can you tell us how many league goals he scored for us last season?

[stl_royal]

lita and doyle or lita and hunt

always have and probably always will rate lita as our best. he had a bad last season with what little chance he had...but i think he'll come good again, especially after his loan spell and good pre season.

long still doesnt seem ready to be in the starting 11 to me.

juries still out on hunt...not enough times gone by to see what he's capable of. but i dont think id be too upset to see him start.

trust doyles abilities, so he and lita should keep me happy.

[seahawk10]

Lita and Hunt.

[Sarah Star]

I can't help thinking that you're placing too much emphasis on how Lita and Long did two seasons ago, and not how they're doing now.

[Alan Partridge]

Doyle - 2005/06 - 41 (4) games - 18 goals
Kitson (not that it matters) - 2005/06 - 27 (7) games - 18 goals
Lita - 2005/06 - 22 (4) games - 11 goals

Those are just from the League and just our 3 'major' strikers

Those are interesting stats as well. Makes me wonder how many goals Lita would have bagged had he played as many games as Doyle.

Whereas as they would make some of us wonder why Long isn't included in them.

Although Doyle is the better overall player, Lita provides the biggest threat infront of goal

So you keep telling us but when exactly has Lita ever been a bigger threat in front of goal than all of rivals at this club?

And because Doyle has the best all-round game out of all of our strikers, Doyle would be infront of Shane Long and N. Hunt.

I can't say I know enough about Hunt's all round game to make that judgement but as far being a threat in front of goal is concerned, isn't he our only striker to have actually scored in a competitive match this season

Whereas Long does not pose as much of a threat infront of goal as Lita and his overall game is not as good as Doyle's. Therefore Shane Long does not deserve to be starting instead of those two.

So how come Long scored more goals than Lita last season?

Seeing that you feel Leroy is our biggest threat in front of goal, can you tell us how many league goals he scored for us last season?

During that spell in December/January in the first season in the Prem.

[Southbank Old Boy]

Now that Kitson has left Doyle is our best centre forward.

He might not score the most goals but he is the best of the bunch but that doesn't mean that sometimes the team might be better served if he is rested or dropped every now and again when his form dips or if the side needs something different against the opposition. That was a major problem last season, too many players were allowed to play through bad form, partly because we didn't have enough decent options to replace them.

I don't think the forwards we've got make any decent partnerships because they're all pretty similar. Whats the solution? Bring in someone a bit different and pair him with one of the others and have enough pressure on the players in possession of the shirt to make them perform or lose their place.

To answer the original question though, the best combination from what we currently have is Doyle and Lita.

[kwik-silva]

I can't help thinking that you're placing too much emphasis on how Lita and Long did two seasons ago, and not how they're doing now.

Well, these are the Premier League stats for all four strikers, with the Long's championship data as well

Doyle

2006/07 - 28 (4) games - 13 goals
2007/08 - 34 (2) games - 6 goals

Lita

2006/07 - 22 (11) games - 7 goals
2007/08 - 10 (4) games - 1 goal

Kitson

2006/07 - 9 (4) games - 2 goals
2007/08 - 28 (6) games - 10 goals

Long

2005/06 - 1 (10) games - 3 goals
2006/07 - 9 (12) games - 2 goals
2007/08 - 7 (22) games - 3 goals

Overall Reading Careers (In the league):

Doyle

105 (10) games - 37 goals (0.32 a game)

Lita

56 (19) games - 19 goals (0.25 a game)

Kitson

111 (24) games - 54 goals (0.4 a game)

Long

17 (45) games - 8 goals (0.12 a game)

[Negative_Jeff]

Lita and Doyle played together in a magnificent team performance away to Ipswich, winning 3-0 in 2005,but we need to look at the stengths of four strikers.

Doyle works the channels well,is strong and quick and likes to drag defenders wide.
Lita thinks he is Ian Wright and plays off the last defender.A predator.
From his display at Dagenham N. Hunt might be able to drop off the defence and help develop the play with his back to goal. He also managed to lose his marker with several runs into the box.
The unorthodox Long has some aerial ability and is pacey,but inconsistent.

This is all pretty academic though, because until a definate pattern of play emerges for the whole team we might see a period of chop and change.

[Sarah Star]

I guess Lita's goals for Charlton could also be included in that list - if you counted those not for Reading.

[SCIAG]

Lita is so inconsistant. I think he's had two or three good spells in his time with us- start of 05/06, just before his injury in 05/06, and Jan/Feb in 06/07. Other than that he's been terrible for us. Doyle has been consistant, as has Long- for 5/6ths of his Reading career, Doyle has scored goals, wheras with Lita it's more like 1/6th. Long hasn't really had a Reading career- but then again, he's started 18 league games in three years to Lita's 32 in two years and has scored the same amount of goals.

[kwik-silva]

I guess Lita's goals for Charlton could also be included in that list - if you counted those not for Reading.

Lita's loan to Charlton - 8 games - 3 goals

[Archie's penalty]

I think we have our default strike pairing.

Take a bow Doyler and Nhunt...