Reading second favourites to win league

[Oxon_Royal]

Which is why we'll probably see some quite different odds coome August/September.

At the moment we are in one of the best positions to get promoted. Staying that way depends on who we release, who we sell, who we buy, squad confidence and how we start.

It's the same for everyone, but we start slightly ahead with a couple of others.

Nail. Hit. Head.

Very clever.

[earleyroyal]

Stick your money on Derby.

I presume this is ironic?

Unless you mean Derby to go down?

If it's not either of those then

[earleyroyal]

It also helps to have wide players who possess a lot of skill and good decision making. Let's hope Kebe's the man.

Skill and Kebe in the same sentence? Run that one past me again?

[zummerset]

It also helps to have wide players who possess a lot of skill and good decision making. Let's hope Kebe's the man.

Skill and Kebe in the same sentence? Run that one past me again?

Forced to agree he looks hopeless. I had a trial at RFC 20 years ago and scored two goals in an hour and did not make the grade - but I would have kicked Kebe back to the stone age with his control (or lack of)

[Royalee]

Stick your money on Derby.

I presume this is ironic?

Unless you mean Derby to go down?

If it's not either of those then

You're forgetting Derby actually have funds to spend on new players and a better manager than us - its only May.

[Royal Rother]

Okay then I'll gor for it, just for fun; what achievements place Jewell above Coppell?

[londinium]

Stick your money on Derby.

I presume this is ironic?

Unless you mean Derby to go down?

If it's not either of those then

You're forgetting Derby actually have funds to spend on new players and a better manager than us - its only May.

Has Paul Jewell left then?...who is their manager now then??

[Royalee]

Okay then I'll gor for it, just for fun; what achievements place Jewell above Coppell?

He's managed to survive two relegation battles from the Premiership, which is two more than Coppell. Didn't take him as long as Coppell to get promoted from the Championship at Wigan, had poorer resources than Reading at Bradford and took them up and has also managed to guide his team to a cup final. I just believe he's a better manager and I expect that to be reflected come the end of next season.

[londinium]

Okay then I'll gor for it, just for fun; what achievements place Jewell above Coppell?

He's managed to survive two relegation battles from the Premiership, which is two more than Coppell. Didn't take him as long as Coppell to get promoted from the Championship at Wigan, had poorer resources than Reading at Bradford and took them up and has also managed to guide his team to a cup final. I just believe he's a better manager and I expect that to be reflected come the end of next season.

What has he achieved again that is comparable to Coppell?

Coppell took a cash strapped Palace to top flight football (twice) and kept them there for 4 years.
Took them to 3rd place finish and into an F.A. cup final.
Took Reading to the top flight for the first time in there history and finished 8th.
Record points scorers in the second flight of English football.
Current % of wins at Reading under Coppell = 45%

Current % of wins at Derby under Jewell = 0%

Coppell >>>>>> Jewell

[Ian Royal]

If Derby win the league I'll never be rude to anyone on HNA again. Utter dreamland.

[RobRoyal]

Okay then I'll gor for it, just for fun; what achievements place Jewell above Coppell?

He's managed to survive two relegation battles from the Premiership, which is two more than Coppell. Didn't take him as long as Coppell to get promoted from the Championship at Wigan, had poorer resources than Reading at Bradford and took them up and has also managed to guide his team to a cup final. I just believe he's a better manager and I expect that to be reflected come the end of next season.

Looking forward to dredging this one up in 12 months. Could be right up there with "Forster to get 15..."

[rhroyal]

Londinium, you're' absolutely right. RFC's recent success has been all about neat play down the flank. Full back to midfielder to winger to forward ... and goal. Not always a deep cross into the box. Just sharp passing, great movement and real understanding between the players.

If we can return to that then we'll go up no problems. But I fear it's a bit of an elusive formula, as much of last season showed. It also helps to have wide players who possess a lot of skill and good decision making. Let's hope Kebe's the man.

I think our chances next season will be so much higher if Convey can finally shake off this knee injury. I'm not so confident on that front......

[Rev Algenon Stickleback H]

Okay then I'll gor for it, just for fun; what achievements place Jewell above Coppell?

He's managed to survive two relegation battles from the Premiership, which is two more than Coppell. Didn't take him as long as Coppell to get promoted from the Championship at Wigan, had poorer resources than Reading at Bradford and took them up and has also managed to guide his team to a cup final. I just believe he's a better manager and I expect that to be reflected come the end of next season.

regardless of whether he is a better manager or not (and he had more money at wigan to keep them up, and spent more a Bradford to take them up), the fact is Derby have a worse team by far, and have apparently already spent their parachute money.

It does depend a lot on what our team will be come August, but unless he pulls of the flukiest of back-door play-off finishes, the only thing pointing to Derby finishing above us, let alone taking Derby up next year is that fact that Jewell has been telling everyone they are going straight back up. A huge number of Derby fans are questioning him, saying if he's such a good manager then why did Derby not improve in the slightest after he took over, and also after he signed players in January?

Something tells me that if you were a Derby fan you'd hardly be acclaiming him as the man to lead Derby back up.

[rg6royal]

I see us missing out on automatic promotion on goal difference and going up via the play-offs...Happy days...

[Apocalypse Now]

Jewell isn't fit to wipe Coppell's backside.

He got Wigan up because they outspent everyone and he did a decent job keeping them up in their first season but he got lucky in 2007 and then walked away.

His tenure at Derby has been up there with the worst in the history of football, he failed to win a single game in over 20 attempts. Even the woeful Billy Davies managed to win a game.

[Mad Dog's Ghost]

Billy Davies deserved a knighthood for taking that Derby team up.

I was being somewhat tongue in cheek when i suggested Kebe would be a saviour on the wing. Maybe Henry could do a job but reports from Norwich fans were that he was lightweight and out of his depth when he got a game. We can't bank on Little ever being properly fit again so I think we're going to have to buy in a decent wide player. It's such an important position to RFC.

[Arnie_Pie]

Third favourites now...................

http://www.oddschecker.com/football/eng ... win-market

[SteveRoyal]

Can I just ask why people are so negative about Kebe?
We've hardly seen anything of him in since January and when he has played he has shown he has some skill.
He's also been called up for International duty (even if it is a small country) over Cisse.
He must have something.

[Arnie_Pie]

Can I just ask why people are so negative about Kebe?
We've hardly seen anything of him in since January and when he has played he has shown he has some skill.
He's also been called up for International duty (even if it is a small country) over Cisse.
He must have something.

I have said it before and I will say it again. Kebe will shine in the Championship you all wait and see!

[Millsy]

Can I just ask why people are so negative about Kebe?
We've hardly seen anything of him in since January and when he has played he has shown he has some skill.
He's also been called up for International duty (even if it is a small country) over Cisse.
He must have something.

Well said. I've been impressed with him in the Prem to be honest. Fast, exciting, makes something out of nothing. Might be good in the Championship too.