Joao Replacement

[royalp-we]

I mean, it’s a bit of a risk with his injury record but I’m confident he’ll want to impress just as Drinkwater will.

The club can still sign unattached players so could well end up with Andy Carroll and Daniel Sturridge up top

[SCIAG]

Pete O'Rourke reporting we are in negotiations with Andy Carroll.

It is easy to laugh at Andy Carroll and call him a flop but on his day and when fit he is a force.

A fully fit Carroll could well score for fun at Champ level - given we can only sign him for a year on minimal salary, I would not be against it.

I can only assume the club don't think they can get in a loanee that meets the need today so are going for the best option free agent.

Five years ago I think you’d have been right, but he’s struggled for goals even when fit recently and I don’t think we play to his strengths.

It could be a huge success, but I’m not confident of that.

[Stranded]

Pete O'Rourke reporting we are in negotiations with Andy Carroll.

It is easy to laugh at Andy Carroll and call him a flop but on his day and when fit he is a force.

A fully fit Carroll could well score for fun at Champ level - given we can only sign him for a year on minimal salary, I would not be against it.

I can only assume the club don't think they can get in a loanee that meets the need today so are going for the best option free agent.

Five years ago I think you’d have been right, but he’s struggled for goals even when fit recently and I don’t think we play to his strengths.

It could be a huge success, but I’m not confident of that.

That's kind of my point, given we can only sign him for a year - if it goes terribly we are only tied in until June next year and will only be paying him 8.5k pw max.

Flip side is if he is successful, we likely have to wave him off to another club who can double his wages.

[savage 4 england]

A mess on and off the pitch, would be a joke signing

Firmly agreed.

Agree. Complete mess.

[windermereROYAL]

Moore fancies himself sometimes as a striker, stick him up top with Puscas to feed of his nuisance value.

[NathStPaul]

Moore fancies himself sometimes as a striker, stick him up top with Puscas to feed of his nuisance value.

Might be one of the worst suggestions in modern history.

[windermereROYAL]

Moore fancies himself sometimes as a striker, stick him up top with Puscas to feed of his nuisance value.

Might be one of the worst suggestions in modern history.

Yep. you are too young to remember a certain Steve Hetzke who did exactly that.

[NathStPaul]

Moore fancies himself sometimes as a striker, stick him up top with Puscas to feed of his nuisance value.

Might be one of the worst suggestions in modern history.

Yep.

Which is probably why Paunovic will go for it

[Zip]

If we don’t get a striker in Pauno is going to have to change the formation and play two upfront.

[Nameless]

Moore fancies himself sometimes as a striker, stick him up top with Puscas to feed of his nuisance value.

Might be one of the worst suggestions in modern history.

Yep. you are too young to remember a certain Steve Hetzke who did exactly that.

Didn’t Mike Kearney do the reverse ?

[MM]

When I heard yesterday that Sima from Slavia Prague was about to be signed by Brighton, I thought 'if only we could sign him immediately on loan' to help him settle in to his new surroundings. I had a word with myself and thought there is no chance we could be so lucky and get something like that done in time. I was incredibly disappointed to learn today that Brighton wanted to do this very thing to suit their needs and that Stoke have got him. On a loan, I feel sure that we could have done that one within the financial limits in place. And he could have started week in and week out.

If no striker comes in to replace Joao (and I said this was needed on the how many players will sign thread before he got injured) then we are in serious trouble. It's not about having a striker, it's about having the right striker. We had one in Joao and needed another. Now we have none. Given the restrictions, it will be a massive fail if a suitable striker is not signed.

IMHO other than a left-back, it was the only position we absolutely needed to fill in this window. The rest of the new players may be good or may not, but they were not essential and my fears before the season that we would struggle have been surpassed with a serious expectation of a relegation battle. Hoping optimistically that Joao and/or Meite come back early and fit enough when there are sufficient points to play for.

[Snowflake Royal]

Moore fancies himself sometimes as a striker, stick him up top with Puscas to feed of his nuisance value.

Might be one of the worst suggestions in modern history.

I'm all for it if it gets him out of defence.

[morganb]

So, how do we get out of the embargo?

I guess it will take a long time but if we escape it before January I assume we will then be able to sign any free agent striker straight away on better than 8.5k a week.

[Brogue]

well we signed 6 players and let's say they all signed on the 8.5k pw

8.5k x 52 weeks is 442k x 6 players = 2.6 million added to the wage bill. I still think we have a long way to go yet to get out of this mess.

[Donny Ironside]

Moore fancies himself sometimes as a striker, stick him up top with Puscas to feed of his nuisance value.

[Snowflake Royal]

So, how do we get out of the embargo?

I guess it will take a long time but if we escape it before January I assume we will then be able to sign any free agent striker straight away on better than 8.5k a week.

By playing the youth and shifting players on big money. Not panic signing a bunch of short term midfielders.

[Sutekh]

Moore fancies himself sometimes as a striker, stick him up top with Puscas to feed of his nuisance value.

Wasn’t it Paul Warhurst who got pushed up front from defensive duties on a fairly regular basis at Sheff Wed? Seem to recall something about him converting roles anyway.

[Pepe the Horseman]

Moore fancies himself sometimes as a striker, stick him up top with Puscas to feed of his nuisance value.

Wasn’t it Paul Warhurst who got pushed up front from defensive duties on a fairly regular basis at Sheff Wed? Seem to recall something about him converting roles anyway.

He began his career at the club as a solid defender, but midway through his second season, injuries to David Hirst and Mark Bright saw Warhurst deployed as an emergency striker. In a phenomenal sequence, he scored 12 goals in as many games, and after four years as a defender, was called up to the England national team as a striker

Lovely stuff

[morganb]

Just looked this up and we actually have a prolific goal scorer in the academy at the moment (and it isn't Clarke) 14 goals in 21 games:

https://www.flashscore.co.uk/player/ehi ... /8tK5EH5T/

2021/2022 - Reading U23 - Premier League 2 - Games 3 - Goals 3
2021/2022 - Reading U18 - Premier League U18 - Games 1 - Goals 1
2020/2021 - Reading U18 - Premier League U18 - Games 17 - Goals 10

Ladies and gentlemen I give you Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan

He's a few months older than Clarke but appears to have been overlooked. Does anyone know much about him and why he isn't even making the bench? Guess the coaches see him in training and have decided he's not ready...

[Hound]

think he has made the bench once or twice hasn't he?

think he is in the thoughts but probably still too young really. Clarke is possibly a bit more physically ready