If, and a big if, we stay up what are next season's hopes

[East Stand Royal 500]

Coppell has eluded to the fact the he needs a break.

Is that Freudian? I think you meant "alluded to" meaning hinted; but "eluded" implying he was evasive and didn't answer the question may have an element of truth in it as well.

[weybridgewanderer]

next years objective must be to stay up

[Tommy Youlden's Ears]

I hope that the current 'suits' and team management stay.

That we keep building sensibly - and by that I mean a team that can get create three new players a season (this year being Bikey, Liam, MM) from whatever means (transfer, progression from reserves/youth development).

I like Reading doing it Mr Mad's brick by brick way.

I'm enjoying this season (in a masochistic, nail biting, c'mon you urzz kinda way). In all truth, if Newcastle and Spurs can at times be in the sh*t, then we must expect to be too. This is the way it will be for a good few years. So bring it on.

[readingbedding]

Coppell will not leave at the end of the season.
Why would he?
He loves it.

[Uke]

I think the days of Coppell being our manager are numbered..............and not a great deal of them either.

Why so, GC?

Because GC has more negativity in his little finger than most have in a lifetime...

Mr GC's wine glass

[brendywendy]

I hope that the current 'suits' and team management stay.

That we keep building sensibly - and by that I mean a team that can get create three new players a season (this year being Bikey, Liam, MM) from whatever means (transfer, progression from reserves/youth development).

I like Reading doing it Mr Mad's brick by brick way.

I'm enjoying this season (in a masochistic, nail biting, c'mon you urzz kinda way). In all truth, if Newcastle and Spurs can at times be in the sh*t, then we must expect to be too. This is the way it will be for a good few years. So bring it on.

this is a great point

reading fans would do well to observe the league- these two "giants" of the game have been below us for periods this season, after spending millions.
if coppell keeps us up, its his greatest achievement in my eyes

[brighton_royal]

We are 8:1 to get relegated on bet 365 at the mo. Actually quite a tempting bet; might pay for next yrs season ticket.

[brendywendy]

We are 8:1 to get relegated on bet 365 at the mo. Actually quite a tempting bet; might pay for next yrs season ticket.

except bookies only pay out if you win the bet

they are usually not well known for throwing money away, so if they say 8-1 , it pretty close

[Gordons Cumming]

I think the days of Coppell being our manager are numbered..............and not a great deal of them either.

Why so, GC?

Because GC has more negativity in his little finger than most have in a lifetime...

That old chestnut.

Give me some evidence.

[brendywendy]

I think the days of Coppell being our manager are numbered..............and not a great deal of them either.

Because GC has more negativity in his little finger than most have in a lifetime...

That old chestnut.

Give me some evidence.

its probably less of a "hunch" than your assertion

[elrey]

Personally we have two important matches, against fulham and against derby on the last day. These are matches that are must win matches. We and bolton have 6 matches left, 6 points ahead of bolton. If we win these two, bolton have to win four matches to get the equal number of points as us.

Yeah they are playing Villa at a time when they are not playing well, but are bolton? And it is away.
West ham at home, they probably can't get more than a draw
Middlesbrough away, they won't win that.
Tottenham away, won't win that.
Sunderland at home, well, sunderland are rubbish away, probably a draw.
And chelsea away on the last day of the season, no chance.

So, i predict maximium draw, win, lose, lose, win, lose which is seven points, we only need two points to get better than that.

With the defence being frugal at the moment, we can get a draw at newcastle, win at home to poor fulham who couldn't even beat derby, lose to arsenal unless they beat liverpool and will have a big match only a few days later to chelsea, wigan away, draw, tottenham home, draw, they have nothing to play for by then and derby away, who might be looking to get their points above sunderland's famous low and will be nervous, making mistakes and the like, so we can get 8 or 9 points by the end of the season, though i predict we'll get 6 and it'll be enough!

[Ian Royal]

Expectations for next season should we stay up: More of the same, but hopefully a little less relegation worry and a little more consistency in results and performance.

Players:
Keeper - Hahnemann + A Newbie(loan?), Fed to go on loan

Fullbacks - De La Cruz moved on/kept as LB cover, Murty used as cover, Rosenior first choice. Shorey first choice unless he is sold, in which case bring in new LB (Matty Taylor as a possible? mentioned as a bit of a wing back and could be looking for a new team) depending on whether Golbourne is worth keeping use as cover or release.

Centrebacks - Sonko, Ivar, Bikey, Pearce & Cisse as cover (if Pearce not up to it A Newbie) move on Duberry, Bennett & Sodje if he hasn't gone already... I've lost track.

Central midfield - Matejovski, Harper, A Newbie, Fae/Another Newbie depending on whether he's coming good and Cisse & Oster as cover here too. Karacan 6 month loan and see where he goes from there. Sadly move on Gunnarsson and possibly Fae.

Wingers - Little, Hunt, Convey & Henry possibly depending on takers and how they're looking. Henry to go on loan if we do keep him. Oster for cover, A Newbie for right wing and another if Convey goes for left too. Kebe either moved on or kept to develop if he looks promising

Strikers - Doyle, Kitson A Newbie & Another Newbie. Lita moved on and Long on loan.

That makes about 5 signings ignoring players not being up to standard and being got rid of and players being sold. A couple of signings could be held off in the right circumstances as well but thats my general feeling for a big enough and good enough squad to be a fairly solid mid-table team.

[brendywendy]

pretty decent assessment there


important to hold onto nicky, not just for the current team, but for the possible signings to see aswell,
and for the quality of those coming in being at least as good or higher than those in the team

i reckon 3-4 signings, four if it was me, 3 for coppell maybe!

with long staying here(good enough 4th choice), and one less coming in up front as a result.

and maybe for coppell to rely on fed to be good enough to force his way into the team, but at least keep hanneman on his toes, unless its realistic for us to be getting a quality replacement for less than 2-3 million

coppell is going to have to be ruthless this summer whatever happens

[Only one Trevor Morley]

I'd be looking to uinvest all our cash on a decent right winger and a decent striker

The decent right winger argument ios well rehearsed

But I think we need a shake up in attack - i'd be looking to sign a quality striker as since the turn of the year we havent scored many. I think that Doyle has been worked out and Kitson is a form player - brilliant when on song - but we cant gurantee that. so he we need a more consistent type - Long is improving and Lita will go, so I think there is a real case for getting a quality attacker to really challenge those three.

Ideally they'll be a natural goalscorer but with some physical presence - am struggling to think who fits the bill at present. I have a concern that Clinton Morrison might be seen as the answer......

What is clear is that we need to freshen up the strikeforce - the 6-4 andf 7-4 have disguised the fact that we havent scored that many over the course of the season and I think our striker have scored 2 between them since the turn of the year....

We have freshened up the defencek and the centre of midfield and that has worked.....

[andrew1957]

I will probably be shot down in flames but I think Reading are only one or two players short of being a top 10 PL side again next year.

The defence is now looking much stronger with Bikey and Rosenior and barring injury the current back 4 will be first choice next season.

The midfield is looking much better with the addition of Matejovsky. Little is returning from injury and we have yet to see how good Kebe can be. We may need a new right winger but we may be ok.

The attackers have had a difficult year but DK is still amongst the top PL scorers and Doyle will come good again next season. Long is a great substitute as he has so much pace. Not sure if we need a 4th striker or not. Obviously injuries are a concern.

All I would like to see is the addition of another central midfielder with a little more bite in the tackle. I would go for Matt Taylor if Bolton are relegated and may also look at Cahill as well to give us more support at centre back.

Hopefully Shorey will stay but we will of course need replacement if he goes.

Personally I would sell Sonko as with the best will in the world he does not look PL standard and clearly some of the other squad players will leave. I would also sell Lita as he seems to have no future at the club.

Taking all this into account I think we have every hope of a much better season next time round.

[Only one Trevor Morley]

I'd be looking to uinvest all our cash on a decent right winger and a decent striker

The decent right winger argument is well rehearsed

But I think we need a shake up in attack. I'd be looking to sign a quality striker. Since the turn of the year we havent scored many. I think that Doyle has been worked out (i'm not faulting his effort) and Kitson is a form player - brilliant when on song - but we cant gurantee that all season as witnessed this season. So we need a more consistent type - Long is improving and Lita will go, so I think there is a real case for getting a quality attacker to really challenge those three.

Ideally they'll be a natural goalscorer but with some physical presence - am struggling to think who fits the bill at present. I have a concern that Clinton Morrison might be seen as the answer......

What is clear is that we need to freshen up the strikeforce - the 6-4 andf 7-4 have disguised the fact that we havent scored that many over the course of the season and I think our striker have scored 2 between them since the turn of the year....

We have freshened up the defence and the centre of midfield and that has worked.....

[biscuitsrus]

I also believe that SC statement was a fore runner to him resigning at the end of the season.

[hiro]

Well, after surviving 2008-09 season of Premiership, another invitation to Peace Cup Korea will arrive.

Last time I only saw handful supporters from England there, and I hope it will double the number this time. ...20 URZ?

[RTFC Drummer]

Reading will have to invest in the team if they have any chance of staying up next season. All they really need is a new goalkeeper (maybe try and buy Luke Steele from Barnsley, Roy Carrol from Derby, maybe Keller from Fulham or Al Habsi and Walker from Bolton) 3 new defenders not sure on them, 2 new midfielders ( Davies from Bolton, Jimy Bullard from Fulham, maybe Robbie Savage from Derby, 3 new strikers Earnshaw from Derby,Marcus Bent from Wigan, Derbyshire from Blackurn. )

[andrew1957]

Reading will have to invest in the team if they have any chance of staying up next season. All they really need is a new goalkeeper (maybe try and buy Luke Steele from Barnsley, Roy Carrol from Derby, maybe Keller from Fulham or Al Habsi and Walker from Bolton) 3 new defenders not sure on them, 2 new midfielders ( Davies from Bolton, Jimy Bullard from Fulham, maybe Robbie Savage from Derby, 3 new strikers Earnshaw from Derby,Marcus Bent from Wigan, Derbyshire from Blackurn. )

I really cannot see many of those you suggest as taking us forward.

We already have a young goal keeper in waiting - Federici - he has done well whenever called on - we should give him first chance to replace USA when needed. USA is probably player of the season and we need to give him a one year extension. That gives us 12 months to find a replacement.

Your suggestions in midfield are mainly past their best and as for Earnshaw - are you having a laugh - nowhere near as good as we have already. Bent - not sure about him either. Derbyshire is good but why on earth would Blackburn sell him?