Sidwell

[Behindu]

So 3 games in, a decent start to the season and are we missing Mr Sidwell or has he gone to join Dick Spiers, Dennis Butler, Paul Lemon and Jimmy McIntyre as just a name in a David Downs book ?

[bigmike]

I think that him leaving has left a big hole however it is allowing Harper to get forward.

I think that Hunt and Harps will get the goals that Siddy would have got

[Alan Partridge]

So 3 games in, a decent start to the season and are we missing Mr Sidwell or has he gone to join Dick Spiers, Dennis Butler, Paul Lemon and Jimmy McIntyre as just a name in a David Downs book ?

A very strange inclusion if you were trying to say 'just another player' considering Spiers appearances and contribution to RFC at the time.

Sidwell has been missed i think, not just on the pitch but he seemed well liked. It's still too early to tell at this stage i'd say.

[Behindu]

A very strange inclusion if you were trying to say 'just another player' considering Spiers appearances and contribution to RFC at the time.
.

A purely random list of names, and to be honest for the majority of fans Spiers would mean no more than Lemon these days, which was kind of the point !

[Skin]

I think that him leaving has left a big hole however it is allowing Harper to get forward.

I think that Hunt and Harps will get the goals that Siddy would have got

I'd would not have got

[Winchester Royal]

Steve Who?

[SpaceCruiser]

I reckon you need to ask this question after a few more games. I still haven't seen Fae play and I saw bits of Cisse. When I saw Cisse play, I thought that his first touch wasn't very good, he gave away the ball, but other than that, he seemed competent. I think we'd need to give both players some games to see if either can fill the void of Sidwell.

[Behindu]

I thought it interesting to ask it now.
After 3 tough games I've not seen a single comment on HNA that we had missed him, or that if Sidwell had been here still things would have been different. Which I thought was informative.

I'm not seen enough of the games to really judge but on the face of it there doesn;t seem to be a huge post Sidwell gap in the team.

I am sure he is missed in many ways, but it's not seen us implode.

[Hoop Blah]

I think we've missed Sidwell's driving runs into the oppositions penalty box.

A number of times against Everton we only had one player in there, and the times that Harper does get there he doesn't look like he's going to get on the end of things in the way Sidwell could.

Would we have had more points with Sidwell in the squad this season? I doubt it, although we might well have held on against Chelsea.

I guess it's still too early to say.

[thefruits]

Given that he was substituted against us for apparently 'having a mare'.. and didn't even get a sniff yesterday against Liverpool.. even as a sub.. I wonder if he isn't having 2nd thoughts about his move now.

At reading he was guaranteed (when fit) a starting place.. got to battle against the best players and in a Reading side which battles for everything (apart from the 4-0 Arsenal debacle) he enjoyed the week in week out cut and thrust of first team action.

Wonder if we could spring a surprise and go back to sign him on loan for the remainder of the season ?

[Ashfordroyal]

Very strangely my son said he saw Sidders in a nightclub in Ibiza on Saturday night, reckons he bought him a drink!
Dont know if my son was slaughtered, on some illusionary substance or if its true, `dont think he played yesterday, was he on the bench, dropped or injured?

[Bacon Double Cheese]

I reckon you need to ask this question after a few more games. I still haven't seen Fae play and I saw Cisse's bits. When I saw Cisse play, I thought that he looked very French, but other than that, he seemed competent. I think we'd need to give both players some games to see if either can fill the void of Sidwell.

I don't think Sidwell was missed. Chelsea played a lot better when he wasn't on the pitch too. I agree with S/Cruiser that we can't yet judge who will be best in midfield.

[Franchise FC]

Given that he was substituted against us for apparently 'having a mare'.. and didn't even get a sniff yesterday against Liverpool.. even as a sub.. I wonder if he isn't having 2nd thoughts about his move now.

At reading he was guaranteed (when fit) a starting place.. got to battle against the best players and in a Reading side which battles for everything (apart from the 4-0 Arsenal debacle) he enjoyed the week in week out cut and thrust of first team action.

Wonder if we could spring a surprise and go back to sign him on loan for the remainder of the season ?

Er, no. What sort of message would that give to the ones we've kept or signed. Not the Coppell way.

Besides SC doesn't like loans.

It would be the biggest surprise since selling our record signing.

[Archies Volley]

i dont think we have missed him so far and didnt think we would

typical of most of the media nad fans of other clubs to single him out as when we came up he had played for the under 21s when few of our other players where know by anyone

he was / is obviously a good player but never was as central to our team as say Mat Le Tiss was to Saints in the 90's - but many people (not connected with the club seemed to think he was)

am i right i thinking harper started every prem game last season whilst sidders obviously missed a few due to injury and suspension

would be interesting to see how we did in the games he didnt start in last season (i know this should be easy to work out but i am too lazy!)

[poohs pure]

Given that he was substituted against us for apparently 'having a mare'.. and didn't even get a sniff yesterday against Liverpool.. even as a sub.. I wonder if he isn't having 2nd thoughts about his move now.

At reading he was guaranteed (when fit) a starting place.. got to battle against the best players and in a Reading side which battles for everything (apart from the 4-0 Arsenal debacle) he enjoyed the week in week out cut and thrust of first team action.

Wonder if we could spring a surprise and go back to sign him on loan for the remainder of the season ?

JM will by now of realised he has bought a pup. Good luck to him in trying to loan him out on his vastly inflated wages. If Sidwell is happy to warm the bench (or more likely a seat in the stands somewhere!) for £50k a week then fair play to him i say. i believe however that he will miss the cut and thrust of first team football regardless of the amount of wonga he is on.

[Jackson Corner]

We are 4 points better off than when he was in the team! Dare I say we may be better off without him?

[Behindu]

I'd suggest to write Sidwell of at Chelsea so soon is also premature.

He's a really gutsy type and will battle it out there for sure.

I wish him well, and am pleased at how we have got on with the job without him - typical RFC style to be honest.

[Royalwaster]

I'd suggest to write Sidwell of at Chelsea so soon is also premature.

He's a really gutsy type and will battle it out there for sure.

I wish him well, and am pleased at how we have got on with the job without him - typical RFC style to be honest.

Nice one - totally agree. I also hope that he does well unlike some of the infantiles on this site.

[Top Flight]

I actually thought, we missed Sidwell in the game against Chelsea.

I thought we would have been stronger with Sidwell in our midfield.

However in the games against United and Everton when Gunnarsson played it didn't look like we missed Sidwell at all.

Also last season when Sidwell was dropped for a few games and Gunnarsson and Oster filled in, in the middle, Sidwell wasn't missed.

That basically means Cisse just needs to learn how to fit into our style of play. Gunnarsson and Oster know exactly how to play CM for Reading and look just as strong as Sid. Cisse, I believe once he settles in and becomes accustomed to British Football could be a sound replacement. Fae as well, haven't seen him to judge, but I'm sure after he has had time to settle in will be a more than adequate, maybe better replacement for Sid.

I think Sid will get frustrated though...... If he had stayed with Reading he would have got a game on Saturday. Now he is gonna struggle to get many games with Chelsea. By the end of the season Harper will have 2 years Premier League experience and Sidwell will only have 1 year Premier League experience.

In a short football career, surely its better to play than to sit on a bench or play for the reserves and pick up large paycheques.

[Mr Angry]

I thought the player we REALLY missed against Chelsea was Robin Friday......imagine what HE would have done against that dodgy Chelsea defence!!