RUMOUR - Simon Church

[Royal Ginger]

No-one would be happier than me if Church suddenly turned into a goal machine and earned his place in the team. But this is one game and it's not going to happen. No-one's denying that he works hard, it's just that he appears to any kind of killer instinct. If there's one we should be sitting up and noticing, its Antonio who put in a good performance off the back of a very good loan spell.

There are some pretty shallow minded neanderthals on here suggesting that he's now better than Hunt and Roberts because they didn't score...prats.

[marekisgod]

Church hat-trick , it really does seem he's found his level

15min hat-trick against a poor league 2 side struggling for players in the 2nd half !!

[akranes]

Church hat-trick , it really does seem he's found his level

15min hat-trick against a poor league 2 side struggling for players in the 2nd half !!

*claps*

[JS28ZoD]

Church could be on the bench for Reading next year or, we could push the boat out and pay up for Rhodes. When the season starts, who would you rather have?

Church.

[Dare to Dr£am]

Church could be on the bench for Reading next year or, we could push the boat out and pay up for Rhodes. When the season starts, who would you rather have?

Church.

If Church makes it onto the bench next season then we'll be picking three strikers as subs, because Roberts and Pog are starters, and Hunt is 100% ahead of Church, as is Le Fondre.

Church needs a season of first team football, and he wont get that here. Time to move on.

[NR_Royal]

We need to loan him out to a Championship club. I wouldn't get rid just yet; if we get relegated and lose Pog and Roberts...we're going to need him.

[Reading4eva]

We need to loan him out to a Championship club. I wouldn't get rid just yet; if we get relegated and lose Pog and Roberts...we're going to need him.

Ditto

[andrew1957]

I know I am going to get shot down for this, but the more I think about it I hope we keep Church in our 25 - at least until January anyway.

I think he is one of those players that will score “some” goals at every level - even PL - but without ever being prolific.

However, he does have some great attributes - hard working and he can be in the right place at the right time occasionally. Why not give him 6 months to see what happens and we could always loan/sell in January if he does not make an impact.

Who knows he might surprise us all. I really hope he does.

[pea]

I know I am going to get shot down for this, but the more I think about it I hope we keep Church in our 25 - at least until January anyway.

I think he is one of those players that will score “some” goals at every level - even PL - but without ever being prolific.

However, he does have some great attributes - hard working and he can be in the right place at the right time occasionally. Why not give him 6 months to see what happens and we could always loan/sell in January if he does not make an impact.

Who knows he might surprise us all. I really hope he does.

Agreed, plus its a different style of play and I'm intrigued at how he might link up with Guthrie...

[Ian Royal]

It's a +1 from me too.

He's a pretty good 5th choice striker, even at PL level.

[UpThePrem]

Question is, will he ever make it on to the bench??

[Ian Royal]

Question is, will he ever make it on to the bench??

With 7 spots up for grabs? I'd be surprised if he isn't on the bench for Stoke. Unless we sign another striker.

[Royal Ginger]

Question is, will he ever make it on to the bench??

With 7 spots up for grabs? I'd be surprised if he isn't on the bench for Stoke. Unless we sign another striker.

I think you're probably both right. Without Roberts there's a gap, but long term he'll struggle, especially considering that McCleary and HRK can both fill in at striker too.

[Royal Ginger]

I think you may be under-estimating the importance of Hunt & Alfie. There seems to be an assumption that all of the goals are going to come from Roberts/Pogrebnyak, and the other guys will be bit players and also-rans. We have 4 starting strikers who are set to play a huge part in the season + Church & backups. We're never going to play more than 2 strikers at a time (except chasing a game with 10 minutes to go), so I think an additional lead striker may tip the balance from "competition for places" to "fighting for an appearance" which would be bad for team morale. We'd have to ship one of the 4 out first.

There's enough goals in our current stock.

[BrockManson]

Church is one of the best Reading players i've seen when it comes to charging down and pressurising the other team when they're in possession. Alright maybe that's a slight exaggeration but he's very good at upsetting a defence and caused other teams last season to make a few mistakes that the team could capitalise on.

He was good towards the end of the season when BM brought him on to do just the above - unsettle teams in the last 15 mins so they're less likely to hold on to meaningful possession and score an equaliser.

Unfortunately for Church, Reading may not often be in the luxurious position of holding onto a lead so his main strength isn't particularly called for. At this stage the club need strikers who can score out of nothing, which is simply something Church cannot do. He has no natural instinct - he has to think about what to do when he has the ball and at Premiership level it'll just be whipped off him.

He needs a year out on loan because he simply won't get playing time this coming season.

[Snowball]

Siege, like you my gut instinct has been that maybe Church isn't good enough

But two seasons ago his stats were very VERY good for his age and last season
his goals per minute ratio was an awful lot better than Noel Hunt

And in a lot of games he was brought on to protect a lead and NOT to try and get goals.

My gut might say he's not good enough, but the stats (IMO) rarely, if ever, lie

55 (49) 4952 Minutes for 21 Championship Goals (1 every 229 Minutes [2.5 games]) isn't bad striking and he's just 23

(and note his figures are dragged down by his bad season 2010-11)



IMO he has the clear potential to be AT LEAST a goal every two games Championship striker
and as probably 5th choice after Pog-Roberts-Hunt/Alf that's not shabby

Of COURSE if we could ship in someone like Defoe or Fletcher and he moved on or went on loan for a season,
I'd "get it" but I really think he (Church) is better and will be even better, than 98% of RFC fans think

That's my colours nailed to the mast. I realise he MIGHT go out on loan or get sold
but I predict, if he does, he'll be a very VERY solid Championship striker

[Cobi]

he isn't good enough for a top end Championship club, let alone the Premier League. i like him as a player but there comes a time when you need to part ways, and this is it.

[Royals-lad14]

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11688/7985973/
just what he needs a season in the championship playing 40+ games trying to finally prove himself!
good luck to him.

[jazz]

[quote="Royals-lad14"]http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11688/7985973
just what he needs a season in the championship playing 40+ games trying to finally prove himself!
good luck to him.[/quote

Exactly right. Church has got to make it or break it. Prove that he can be considered for the Prem within a season from now, or settle for middle Championship level at best. He's been at a plateau for too long now.

[Dare to Dr£am]