January Transfer Window

[jellytot]

I suppose we will be watching other clubs doing the buying whilst we sit on our hands. Surely we need to keep Baird and Sharp. I do think that we will lose 3 or 4. ALF and McCarthy are likely to be off. We shall see. Unless we spend I cannot see us sneaking a play off spot. We will probably finish around 10th unless we add.

We need a CB, another striker and probably another creative midfielder.

Do we have any spies in and around the Mad Stad during January to keep us posted?

[SPARTA]

We need a CB, another striker and probably another creative midfielder.

You wont see a CB come in. Not when Hector is coming back and Morrison is only weeks away from a return. A LB is far more a priority.

I expect we'll keep Sharp and Baird, bring in a LB and that's it. Guthrie could and should be pushed further up field to be the creative link between midfield and striker. Baird and Williams can be the central two.

[Barry the bird boggler]

Before anything else we need a twenty goal a season striker, a left back, an attacking midfielder and could do with an additional centre back

We need to shift on a keeper, a midfielder and probably could lose a couple of wingers and one of Alf or Blackman (apparently NA really rates Blackman by the way) if Sharp joins full time.

I expect sod all to happen January by way of new faces, Baird and Sharp if we're lucky, therefore finishing in the top 6 would be quite an achievement given our form so far.

[Harpers So Solid Crew]

hooray another thread talking about how we wont do anything in Jan.

[CountryRoyal]

I'm a bit confused about Blackman.

Is he a striker or a winger? I only ask because he obviously doesn't score any goals (bar a penalty and a scuffed finish when we'd already won and he acted like a oxf*rd) nor does he get any assists?

Being deadly serious btw, not Blackman Bashing.

[SPARTA]

I'm a bit confused about Blackman.

Is he a striker or a winger? I only ask because he obviously doesn't score any goals (bar a penalty and a scuffed finish when we'd already won and he acted like a oxf*rd) nor does he get any assists?

Being deadly serious btw, not Blackman Bashing.

He played a lot at Sheff Utd out wide but he favoured a striker role. He scored a lot of his goals from the penalty spot. Adkins has been telling local media that Blackman is immense in training and a truly gifted player. Maybe some of us should try backing the guy and stop barracking him when their beloved Alfie doesn't start in front of him. (not aimed at you, obviously)

[Victor Meldrew]

The lad from Coventry who plays up front with Clarke looks decent-let Blackman go there on loan as some exchange deal.
I'm not 100% about Sharpe but it's pointless keeping Alf on the bench.
Baird is o.k. but is he yet another injury-prone player as we already have plenty of them?

It might be a case of wheeling and dealing and perhaps some other club has seen HRK have that rare decent game and the same goes for Akpan in his Crawley days.
I hope there will be a number of comings and goings, some of which will be affected by the fitness of Bridge and Ledge and I wouldn't want us to try to get by with no left-back cover and just 3 centre-backs.

[jellytot]

Our main problem is creating anything. For the last 18 months we have been rubbish in front of goal. We rarely have more than a handful of chances on target and there lies the main frustration. Under BM we hoofed it and created little under NA we pass it (though most of our players don't seem to get the concept, all other teams seem to) and also create little. What to do?

To be fair we are a bunch of moaners at RFC. However, shots on target are needed! No one want to pay £25 to £35 to watch cold performances in cold weather.

[Handsome Man]

Get shot of Alf and Pogrebnyak. Ship out a winger or two on loan. Buy Sharp and forget about Baird. Cancel Drenthe's contract and loan out Williams. Buy a couple of young players I have never heard of. Keep McCarthy.

[Royal91]

Get shot of Alf and Pogrebnyak. Ship out a winger or two on loan. Buy Sharp and forget about Baird. Cancel Drenthe's contract and loan out Williams. Buy a couple of young players I have never heard of. Keep McCarthy.

You're a complete mug

[Royal91]

Extend Sharp and Baird

Realistically we need four players,

LB, CAM, CB, FAST STRIKER

[Handsome Man]

Get shot of Alf and Pogrebnyak. Ship out a winger or two on loan. Buy Sharp and forget about Baird. Cancel Drenthe's contract and loan out Williams. Buy a couple of young players I have never heard of. Keep McCarthy.

You're a complete mug

It's just a personal wishlist. There is nothing particularly controversial here. Alf should go becuase we don't want him, but his premiership goals record should get him a new club. Progrebnyak's wages aren't sustainable in the Championship. We have too many wingers and Obita might benefit from another loan spell. Drenthe is a disaster, Williams is probably not up to the Championship. Sharp is Ok; Baird is a bit shit.

[Handsome Man]

Extend Sharp and Baird

Realistically we need four players,

LB, CAM, CB, FAST STRIKER

How is this realistic? It's just a championship manager shopping list. Would the CAM, FAST STRIKER and Sharp all play in the same team? I don't think you have thought it through at all.

[Royal Dee]

Extend Sharp and Baird

Realistically we need four players,

LB, CAM, CB, FAST STRIKER

What about Theo robinson? Looked very dangerous against us, had bags of pace and made chances out of nothing by getting the ball and actually running at the defense rather than waiting there like most of our strikers do... wouldn't cost a huge amount too I guess.

[jellytot]

We need to actually create more. No point signing a world class finisher with the speed of Usain Bolt if we can't feed him the ball. There is not enough running off the ball, hitting the by line and whipping crosses in to create much. I would not be surprised to see the Pog go. He has been good for us but if an offer comes in I imagine he will go. He is earning too much. Think we will try to keep Sharp and ALF will be sold.

[SPARTA]

@maffff 1h
Looks like Sharp permanent and another expected in by the end of next weekend.... no imminent outs. #readingfc

@Jordo79 @maffff Baird?

‏@maffff @Jordo79 no, but we do want him to stay and he wants to.

Good news. That'll be at least three in next month.

[windermere_royal]

Do we have any spies in and around the Mad Stad during January to keep us posted?

Can`t wait till Jan 1st when Reading4eva appears with his numerous reliable sources with news of our impending signings

[Pepe the Horseman]

Do we have any spies in and around the Mad Stad during January to keep us posted?

Can`t wait till Jan 1st when Reading4eva appears with his numerous reliable sources with news of our impending signings

He's moved on to filmmaking now.

[howser]

In an ideal world I would ditch Cummings, Kelly, HRK, Pearce, Roberts & Drenthe ...............................but this is Reading, whose history in recent windows suggest we will bump up our squad in numbers with unheard of lower league, stars ?? we done it once with Doyle and Long and keep trying to re-write history with trying to do it again and in general terms pretty unsuccessfully.

[peterroyal76]

Do we have any spies in and around the Mad Stad during January to keep us posted?

Can`t wait till Jan 1st when Reading4eva appears with his numerous reliable sources with news of our impending signings

I miss the siege.