January transfer window is vital

[SPARTA]

And yet Adam Federici pleads don't splash the cash because it could unsettle the team.

The funny thing with that is, if we go down, Feds will be first in the queue to leave the club.

If we want any chance of staying up, we have to spend in January and bring in 3-4 new faces. The players that got us up have had their chance. Some have taken it, some have looked like a fish out of water, and new players are desperately needed.

[Divvy]

Funnilly enough that's exactly what I thought when I read his comments earlier. The team needs several new faces. What we have isn't good enough. You should want to se your club invest and improve, not the opposite.

I wouldn't mind seeing Federici flogged for a million or so and that go towards the new players we do need. Andersen is more than suitable as the new number two, and McCarthy is the clear number one now.

[Jay o/]

And yet Adam Federici pleads don't splash the cash because it could unsettle the team.

The funny thing with that is, if we go down, Feds will be first in the queue to leave the club.

If we want any chance of staying up, we have to spend in January and bring in 3-4 new faces. The players that got us up have had their chance. Some have taken it, some have looked like a fish out of water, and new players are desperately needed.

Exactly. He'd be straight on SSN selling his soul.

We're crying out for 4 or 5 new players.

[Cobi]

And yet Adam Federici pleads don't splash the cash because it could unsettle the team.

The funny thing with that is, if we go down, Feds will be first in the queue to leave the club.

If we want any chance of staying up, we have to spend in January and bring in 3-4 new faces. The players that got us up have had their chance. Some have taken it, some have looked like a fish out of water, and new players are desperately needed.

He's probably in fear one of those new players will be a goalie to replace him.

Not wanting us to invest is ridiculous. It's clear as day we need a few new players. The core of the squad simply isn't good enough, so unsettling them is just tough luck. You have to improve in every window or you fall even further behind your rivals. We wasted the summer window. We can't afford to do it again in January.

[mr_number]

Think he said some sensible things TBH - we don't wanna try doing a QPR and just bringing in a load of people on loads of money who aren't going to fit in. Brining in say 3 players who can add to the team and are going to fit in with it seems a sensible approach to me. I suspect he's not too worried about us bringing in another keeper, since he's already aware that there's quite a lot of competition at the club...

[melonhead]

And yet Adam Federici pleads don't splash the cash because it could unsettle the team.

The funny thing with that is, if we go down, Feds will be first in the queue to leave the club.

If we want any chance of staying up, we have to spend in January and bring in 3-4 new faces. The players that got us up have had their chance. Some have taken it, some have looked like a fish out of water, and new players are desperately needed.

Exactly. He'd be straight on SSN selling his soul.

We're crying out for 4 or 5 new players.

2

[Focher]

[melonhead]

gif gives me motion sickness

[sandman]

Yay, yet another "Let's have a pop at Federici" thread. Three points off 17th with a game in hand.

He's absolutely right we don't need a whole new team just a couple more additions in key areas who fit in with the ethos of the club. Something which the manager has done during the season before.

[redscot]

What players would want to come to a club that is due to be regulated?!? You need to find players whom are hungry for success and want to take a step up even if it might only be for a few months. So it will be a risk and the new players might turn out to be the wrong players.
No point in spending millions on say "Kitson" who then turns out to have a gigant ego rather than proven talent and in anycase prefers to play for a club somewhere in league one.

[RoyalBlue]

Yay, yet another "Let's have a pop at Federici" thread. Three points off 17th with a game in hand.

He's absolutely right we don't need a whole new team just a couple more additions in key areas who fit in with the ethos of the club. Something which the manager has done during the season before.

I've supported Feds up until now and haven't been party to the pop at Federici campaign. However, fears of destroying team unity and unsettling the camp are more than a bit rich coming from him!

[sandman]

Yay, yet another "Let's have a pop at Federici" thread. Three points off 17th with a game in hand.

He's absolutely right we don't need a whole new team just a couple more additions in key areas who fit in with the ethos of the club. Something which the manager has done during the season before.

I've supported Feds up until now and haven't been party to the pop at Federici campaign. However, fears of destroying team unity and unsettling the camp are more than a bit rich coming from him!

You've supported him but now he doesn't agree with you that we should bring in 5 or 6 players in January you're perfectly happy to use rumours from random internet people to slate his opinion.

Lather, rinse and repeat time. We are three points from safety, we have a game in hand and we're not getting smashed every week like some. We need tweaking not wholesale changes. Certain new signings have (alledgedly) disrupted things this season already so it's not beyond the realms of possibility that too many new signings could disrupt the squad further.

[grey_squirrel]

Let's not make many new signings because egos might get in the way is like building a boat but keeping it in the harbour cos it's safer there.

I thought it was part of the Manager's (and to a degree the Club Captain's, DOF) role to 'manage' players egos?

I'm sick and tired of this 'Reading Way' bullshlt and about the 'harmony in the group'. Clearly that's absolute balloney - hence Feds' SSN plea last year, Pearce's contract shambles, Fed's WAG's outburst, Guthrie's "injury", and god knows how many more behind the scenes "issues". Don't recall much publicised dis-quiet from many other Prem teams

Premiership footballers come part and parcel with an ego. I think the 'new powers that be' recognise this but Nicky and McDermott are failing to learn yet another lesson from the last time we o*ford up our Prem status. They had better wise up and deal with it better and quickly.

[akranes]

I think Brian goes a bit too far with the whole "respect the squad" and "we don't (won't) spend". Unless we honestly have nothing in the bank, we need a player or two. Hell, I wouldn't mind a slightly egotistical captain to lead this club upwards.

[redscot]

Good luck to finding the players whom will make a change. Stoke thought they had found a brilliant striker....
Not saying it is impossble to find good players, but need to take risks and the better players are the ones that have not tasted Premership football before. They work harder as they are on the up.

[akranes]

Good luck to finding the players whom will make a change. Stoke thought they had found a brilliant striker....
Not saying it is impossble to find good players, but need to take risks and the better players are the ones that have not tasted Premership football before. They work harder as they are on the up.

Agreed. Admittedly, I secretly would like Arshavin at Reading, but that's only because my inner child want us to be something we're not, a big club. However in reality I don't think Arshavin would help at all, or any similar players, ignoring finances - I just can't find a reason for him to, i) play for us and ii) care about the team.

[Cypry]

Don't get the hate for Feds at all - as far as I'm concerned he's done nothing wrong - there seems to be a general thought that in some way he's undermined team spirit - on what evidence? Yes, he posted a photo of his #1 shirt with a comment about short memories, but I believe that wasn't meant as a comment on the club, rather a response to various trolls who were rejoicing in his being dropped on various social media platforms...misguided perhaps, but understandable...

His girlfriend was obviously more outspoken, but you can hardly blame him for her behaviour.....

As for his comments about January, I think he's absolutely right. It seems that Antons comments about Arshavin and a short-list have had an impact - McDermott played them down at the weekend, and now Feds comes out with this - seems like it might be orchestrated by the club to set realistic expectations for the fans in January as much as anything. Suspect Anton will be advised to get some media training as he seems to be less savvy than many at the club....

[RoyalBlue]

Yay, yet another "Let's have a pop at Federici" thread. Three points off 17th with a game in hand.

He's absolutely right we don't need a whole new team just a couple more additions in key areas who fit in with the ethos of the club. Something which the manager has done during the season before.

I've supported Feds up until now and haven't been party to the pop at Federici campaign. However, fears of destroying team unity and unsettling the camp are more than a bit rich coming from him!

You've supported him but now he doesn't agree with you that we should bring in 5 or 6 players in January you're perfectly happy to use rumours from random internet people to slate his opinion.
.

Rumours from random internet people? WTF?!! I'm talking about the stuff he has said himself.

As for getting things straight - the famed RFC team spirit didn't keep us up last time - probably because cracks were starting to show in it through the likes of Shorey. This time around the cracks are showing very early (not helped by the way the club have publically handled contract disputes with players who have been at the club since they were youngsters) and the team/squad is nowhere near as talented as it was last time around.

Over the course of a season team spirit (even if it exists in abundance) will not be sufficient to ensure survival when there is a significant deficit in quality, ideas and creativity. And before anyone quotes the Crazy Gang - the game at the top level has moved on an awful lot in terms of quality since those days.

[BraisingsteakRoyal]

If we're not going to spend big and Brian insists we keep faith in "his boys", then all we really need in January is a magic amulet that:

Slims Fedders down to a svelte size 10 and gives him the reactions of an electrified cat.
Swaps Leigertwoods asthmatic lungs for those of a young Lance Armstrong.
Makes Pearce loves us again.
Turns SImon Church into Shane Long.

Easy.

[Cypry]

I'm talking about the stuff he has said himself.

What is it he's said? I must've missed something....