Announcements Today

[Ian Royal]

I too would have liked us to have signed some more players (there's still a chance we have or will), but I'm not going to act like a little bitch and have a massive hissy fit because we haven't spent like QPR. It's embarrassing.

+1

Some more players? The manager made it quite clear that the job had not been completed with the early signings. And since that date we have signed no effing players. All Hammond accomplished was the sale of two, the departure of which has left us very weak in terms of cover for a critical position.

We didn't need to spend like QPR to improve on that. And having been left three players short of what he wanted, I wouldn't blame Adkins at all if he is throwing a hissy fit today.

I think our squad's ok. I'm not in any particular hurry to bounce back although soon would be nice. I'm also quietly confident that we will have new faces in the squad before our next match.

[John Peel]

The rhetoric has certainly changed over the past couple of weeks. Early doors there was talk about bringing in more players and that we did not have to sell players (we would only sell them if they didn't want to be here). Then it was mentioned that two out of the current first team squad would have to leave to make room for any new signings (one in/one out principle).
There has since been talk of Adkins wanting to add two or three players, with Adkins stating that loan signings were not of interest as the club preferred to promote the Academy players. Now, in another about-turn, there is renewed talk of loan signings and possible free agents (i.e. Sissoko). The only truth in all of this so far has been the sale of two 'first team' players, namely Kebe and Mariappa.

To be honest, the goalposts keep shifting and the promotion of whichever policy we choose to stick by for that particular day succumbs to extremely poor media spin, which smacks of desperation on the club's behalf to want to come up with excuses, for whatever reason.

I don't mind following the club if it is honest and tries to do business with a degree of success AND failure, but its constant attempts at making it sound like it is performing brilliantly are nothing short of cringeworthy. Surely RFC cannot seriously believe that we do not realise we are being lied to.

The big question is, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO ABOUT IT???

piss and moan ineffectually
While bending over to recieve our shafting?

Got it in one. We will do what we always do as Reading fans - become resigned to and cynical about the situation. And the club knows it. However if we show similar ambition in January and we fail to challenge for promotion you could see people talking with their feet next year. I'm not even sure this would happen though! At least not significantly.

[mr_number]

'People voting with their feet' in this way pretty much never happens at football clubs. Reading's no different.

[JIM]

ANNOUNCEMENT. CPalace sign 15 players to stay in premier. Reading sign 3 sell2 to seek promotion logic out window.

[Hoop Blah]

The rhetoric has certainly changed over the past couple of weeks. Early doors there was talk about bringing in more players and that we did not have to sell players (we would only sell them if they didn't want to be here). Then it was mentioned that two out of the current first team squad would have to leave to make room for any new signings (one in/one out principle).

We haven't had to sell players to fill the black hole as we used to do. We've only sold players who didn't want to be here, they wanted Premier League football. I've not seen any one in/one out principle quotes from the club, but I do expect that whilst we're paying the wages of Pogrebnyak and Roberts but not getting anything out of them we're not quite as free to commit to further wages.

That seems sensible though.

There has since been talk of Adkins wanting to add two or three players, with Adkins stating that loan signings were not of interest as the club preferred to promote the Academy players. Now, in another about-turn, there is renewed talk of loan signings and possible free agents (i.e. Sissoko). The only truth in all of this so far has been the sale of two 'first team' players, namely Kebe and Mariappa.

Adkins said loan players would have to be players that made a real difference, not that he wasn't interested in them full stop. He said he'd rather give the youngsters a chance instead of taking a squad filler loan signing.

To be honest, the goalposts keep shifting and the promotion of whichever policy we choose to stick by for that particular day succumbs to extremely poor media spin, which smacks of desperation on the club's behalf to want to come up with excuses, for whatever reason.

I think you're getting yourself confused by reading things into comments that aren't really there. Giving youngsters a chance and not being interested in average loan signings isn't the same thing as not being interested in signing experienced and proven players on free transfers.

I don't mind following the club if it is honest and tries to do business with a degree of success AND failure, but its constant attempts at making it sound like it is performing brilliantly are nothing short of cringeworthy. Surely RFC cannot seriously believe that we do not realise we are being lied to.

The big question is, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO ABOUT IT???

I don't think the club have tried to pretend that the last few days of the transfer window has been a success. The problem, if anything, is that they've been a bit too honest and open over the summer and allowed the fans to know that, ideally, they'd be looking to add more players to the squad than they have. I'd expect they probably thought they might lose one or two more (one of the keepers, perhaps a forward, and maybe one of the right backs).

[Platypuss]

There has since been talk of Adkins wanting to add two or three players, with Adkins stating that loan signings were not of interest as the club preferred to promote the Academy players. Now, in another about-turn, there is renewed talk of loan signings and possible free agents (i.e. Sissoko). The only truth in all of this so far has been the sale of two 'first team' players, namely Kebe and Mariappa.

To be honest, the goalposts keep shifting.

Well let's look at what Adkins actually said:

At my previous club the first loan deal I got was Richard Chaplow and he was great for us and we took him on a permanent deal. But here, with Category 1 status, we`ve got own youngsters so we`ll use our own. That`s what they are there for. If we`re going to get a loan in it would have to be a top, top player.'

'If it would enhance the group, then that would be beneficial. But as a whole you try to deal with the players you`ve got unless something pops up and you`ve got a big injury problem and a youngster is not available to cover. Then you might have to dip into it."

If we do end up loaning-in the equivalent of Bas Savage then feel free to call Adkins on it.

[Snowball]

"Adding" or "Signing" 1-2-3 players can mean, BUYING, getting-in-on-a-free, or loaning.




So far we have lost Jimmy Sick-Note (and got Drenthe instead)... even a rabid Kebe fan
can't think we've lost THAT much (or we might, of course, have GAINED overall)

We had "lost" Pearce ("definitely going to Liverpool") and didn't.

We were about to lose HRK to some bottom-half Prem club. (We didn't)

We signed a former England and Man City left-back, stealing him from 'Arry.

We've got in a quality Bundesliga AM, who will be excellent for us.

Karacan is blossoming under Adkins.

We held on to our best keeper and have fantastic strength in depth in goal.

We kept ALF.

We have McAnuff, McLeary, Obita, HRK, Drenthe, Karacan, Williams, Guthrie and Leigertwood in the middle of the park.

If we can get The Pog to start playing again, we look solid.

[Mike Hunt]

we look solid.

Until Pearce and Morrison run into each other and break their shins.

[Royal Rother]

Got it in one. We will do what we always do as Reading fans - become resigned to and cynical about the situation. And the club knows it. However if we show similar ambition in January and we fail to challenge for promotion you could see people talking with their feet next year. I'm not even sure this would happen though! At least not significantly.

Nothing is perfect but have you not, at the very least, enjoyed a fair amount of the last 10 years? Or have you constantly been thinking about the things that could have been done if only the club had shown some ambition?

[Todd Margaret]

we look solid.

Until Pearce and Morrison run into each other and break their shins.

Then we plug Pog in at center back. He'd be immense.

[Gordons Cumming]

we look solid.

Until Pearce and Morrison run into each other and break their shins.

Then we plug Pog in at center back. He'd be immense.

I believe the centre back role requires heading ability.

[Esteban]

Essentials are:

CB
ST

Nice to haves:

AM
LB

Use the loan system to fill the essentials and the youngsters to fill the nice to haves.

Sissoko would add a quality DM to the midfield, allowing others to get forward a bit more and support the attack. Bringing him in could improve us defensively and offensively at the same time. Well worth having here.

[RockheadRumple]

Sissoko would add a quality DM to the midfield, allowing others to get forward a bit more and support the attack. Bringing him in could improve us defensively and offensively at the same time. Well worth having here.

Much like Leigertwood when he arrived in January 2011.

[Mr Angry]

Who really gives a stuff about activity (or a lack of it) on TDD? Maybe those morons (as seen at QPR amongst other places) who want to get on the telly behind some poor Sky hack trying to make standing around outside a training centre in the middle of the night appear to be the most exciting thing EVER!!!

The activity, ideally, would have been earlier in the window, and the fact that we haven't got what we need (and funnily enough, I suspect that Adkins and Hammond know where we need to strengthen more than any fan) is likely to be down to a number of factors, the least of which is either incompetence or laziness by the either of those guys.

The statement from the club is actually quite positive; in the recent past I have wondered why we haven't made more use of the loan system when it has brought in some genuinely influential players (Salako, Kevin Watson and Upson to name but 3) - Coppell especially seemed quite against using it - and its also good to hear that the club will be blooding youngsters from our Academy.

I hope we get a new striker, a quality centre back and a left full-back as cover as loans, but if we don't we will make do with what we have got and which of the Academy lads can step up.

I'm amazed that anyone is so stressed out by the lack of huge sums of money being spent; thats never been our way and is never likely to be. Its even more bizarre when you look at the quality (rather than the size of transfer fee) of the 3 guys we did bring in to the club; I feel we are a couple of players short of being genuine top 6 contenders at this time, and right now, I don't feel that such a position is really that big a problem.

[southbank1871]

This is the most disappointed I've been in Noel Gallagher since Be Here Now.

[paddy20]

"Adding" or "Signing" 1-2-3 players can mean, BUYING, getting-in-on-a-free, or loaning.




So far we have lost Jimmy Sick-Note (and got Drenthe instead)... even a rabid Kebe fan
can't think we've lost THAT much (or we might, of course, have GAINED overall)

We had "lost" Pearce ("definitely going to Liverpool") and didn't.

We were about to lose HRK to some bottom-half Prem club. (We didn't)

We signed a former England and Man City left-back, stealing him from 'Arry.

We've got in a quality Bundesliga AM, who will be excellent for us.

Karacan is blossoming under Adkins.

We held on to our best keeper and have fantastic strength in depth in goal.

We kept ALF.

We have McAnuff, McLeary, Obita, HRK, Drenthe, Karacan, Williams, Guthrie and Leigertwood in the middle of the park.

If we can get The Pog to start playing again, we look solid.

Quite a lot of positivity there

1. See how many games Drenthe plays first
2. Pearce retained - good as Morrison is still making lots of mistakes.
3. If we could have got some money from him that would have been great - not consistent and been very poor so far this season
4. Bridge - good acquisition
5. Jurys still out on Williams
6. Wouldn't say so. 100% tryer but not quality
7. Agree good keepers but cant see Feds being happy
8. Alf - good sub or in 442 but massively short of a striker
9. Midfield not bad but lack quality on the defensive side
10. Pog could be good but Adkins and him need to swallow pride first

[Victor Meldrew]

"Adding" or "Signing" 1-2-3 players can mean, BUYING, getting-in-on-a-free, or loaning.




So far we have lost Jimmy Sick-Note (and got Drenthe instead)... even a rabid Kebe fan
can't think we've lost THAT much (or we might, of course, have GAINED overall) AGREED,DRENTHE A VERY EXCITING PLAYER AS JIMMY USED TO BE

We had "lost" Pearce ("definitely going to Liverpool") and didn't. LOAD OF HYPE-MODERATE LOWER CHAMPIONSHIP PLAYER ,NEVER WANTED BY LIVERPOOL

We were about to lose HRK to some bottom-half Prem club. (We didn't) SHAME WE DIDN'T-MASSIVE UNDERACHIEVER

We signed a former England and Man City left-back, stealing him from 'Arry.32 YEAR OLD FROM BRIGHTON LAST SEASON,NO LONGER UP TO PREM STANDARD

We've got in a quality Bundesliga AM, who will be excellent for us. IF ONLY HE PLAYED

Karacan is blossoming under Adkins.HAS HAD ONE GOOD GAME UNDER ADKINS

We held on to our best keeper and have fantastic strength in depth in goal.YOU CAN ONLY PLAY ONE KEEPER

We kept ALF.AND NOW PLAY HIM UP FRONT ON HIS OWN

We have McAnuff, McLeary, Obita, HRK, Drenthe, Karacan, Williams, Guthrie and Leigertwood in the middle of the park.NUMBERS WITH 2 OLD 'UNS PLUS 2 YOUNGER ONES YET TO IMPRESS REGULARLY

If we can get The Pog to start playing again, we look solid.

IF.IF AND MORE IF

You failed to mention Morrison who has much to prove, Gorkss who struggled at relegated Wolves and Gunter who can't defend.
Other than all of that we looked nailed on for promotion because people at the club say that the Premier League is where we want to be?

It is clear from all the slightly different topics that most of us would have settled for a couple of years or so building a side that might be ready for the Premier League ,giving our youngsters a chance to shine, but we get a load of tosh from the club about ambition, signings etc. which we fall for every time a window comes around as we waste another day of our short lives glued to media outlets waiting for the news that never comes.
Even though we should be cynical we like to think that the club is not just leading us on again,that maybe a Lescott, O'Neill, Taylor , Cahill or their like will be arriving rather than that one of the dirtiest players ever to grace the Premier League has been talking to our people and MIGHT be signing in a position that is far from being our weakest.

Sorry,I don't buy that this is a strong squad and both pre-season losses and the real thing have already shown glaring weaknesses for a team supposedly going for promotion.
I'll settle for mid-table and youngsters getting a game but am already regretting backing us for promotion based on the Russian hype of this summer,hype that somebody of my age and experience should have seen through but unfortunately I am just a fan who wants to believe the hype.

[Norfolk Royal]

Sure the answer for you Victor is not to get taken in by the hype, such as it is.

It's easy to believe that the hysteria on here is in some way representative of the majority of fans. I don't think it is.

Beyond the hype, it should be enough to buy a season ticket to be sometimes entertained and thrilled, or dejected on occasion, without the need to call for millions to be spent here on there.

Why do people want that? So they can go running around boasting about their team? Probably.

[Royal Rother]

Good post.

[Ian Royal]

Sure the answer for you Victor is not to get taken in by the hype, such as it is.

It's easy to believe that the hysteria on here is in some way representative of the majority of fans. I don't think it is.

Beyond the hype, it should be enough to buy a season ticket to be sometimes entertained and thrilled, or dejected on occasion, without the need to call for millions to be spent here on there.

Why do people want that? So they can go running around boasting about their team? Probably.

I bought a season ticket because I was doing alright and I was fed up of sitting on the side lines. I thought we were in for a good season and it would be great value.

I've already seen a game that was better than virtually everthing I've seen in the last 10 years. And in our worst result in 14 years, I had a oxf*rd great time.

I'm not drawn in by the what the club says. I make my own mind up. If you want to be a lamb, led around by the nose taking everything Fox News says as gospel? Well more fool you. Grow the hell up. Have an idea about what reality is, grow a functioning sense of perspective and enjoy the ride. Or shut up and oxf*rd off out of my face.