Transfer Policy and Squad Size - what do you read into it?

[papereyes]

Shorey
Man City away



Some of the most fantastically awful defending ever.

[Royalee]

Good on him for looking like an out of place teenager when he was supposed to be promoting our new shop in town?

Good on him for ignoring a prize idiot when he sees one...and also for choosing the better himself at a more ambitious club with a better manager.

[Denver Royal]

I think Doyle had a poor season but always seemed to try his hardest.

Not sure thats true, or whether its a good thing even if it is.

You try your hardest and yet you are still poor?

Hey, if they gave me a game I'd try my hardest too.

People said the same of Andy Hughes.

[brendywendy]

I think Doyle had a poor season but always seemed to try his hardest.

Not sure thats true, or whether its a good thing even if it is.

You try your hardest and yet you are still poor?

People said the same of Andy Hughes.

i always used to get an A for effort in PE, but a D for achievemnet,which made me sound like a right div.

[Sarah Star]

Why is it that Doyle is trying hard but poor, but Shorey is not trying hard enough? How do you know the difference?

[Denver Royal]

Why is it that Doyle is trying hard but poor, but Shorey is not trying hard enough? How do you know the difference?

The difference is that Doyle is the blue eyed boy in these parts.

That is, until he too announces that he wants to leave.

[Royalee]

Why is it that Doyle is trying hard but poor, but Shorey is not trying hard enough? How do you know the difference?

They don't.

[Rev Algenon Stickleback H]

Why is it that Doyle is trying hard but poor, but Shorey is not trying hard enough? How do you know the difference?

They don't.

some players just give the impression of not being too bothered, while others look really depressed about how things are going. Players who aren't trying tend to fit in the former description, those that are off form, the latter. Shorey looked more like the former, and Doyle the latter.


Of course, some people just like to assume anyone off-form doesn't care and wants to leave.

[andrew1957]

The difference for me is summed up in the last two games.

Shorey's delivery against Tottenham was awful and some numpties in the crowd booed. Shorey just laughed at them. (not condoning the booing by the way - but for me his reaction said "who cares I am off anyway".

On the other hand when Doyle eventually scored against Derby he went mad, ripped his shirt on and ran into the crowd - it seems to me he really cares. He gave his all during the season even when it did not go well for him.

[Ian Royal]

The difference for me is summed up in the last two games.

Shorey's delivery against Tottenham was awful and some numpties in the crowd booed. Shorey just laughed at them. (not condoning the booing by the way - but for me his reaction said "who cares I am off anyway".

On the other hand when Doyle eventually scored against Derby he went mad, ripped his shirt on and ran into the crowd - it seems to me he really cares. He gave his all during the season even when it did not go well for him.

Exactly.

Doyle clearly tried very hard but most of th etime it didn't work.

How many aimless punts into the box did Shorey put in? How many shit corners or free kicks that didn't beat the first defender? Scores! One of Shorey's trade marks is dropping his shoulder, cutting inside on a driving run and create something. He did sod all of that this season.

It was exactly that sort of thing that turned our first prem season around. We were dead and buried against Boro, Shorey thinks "oxf*rd it, whats the worst that can happen?" Jinks inside goes on a mazey run and creates a chance. We miss, but within about 10-15 minutes we're suddenly level because the team has woken up.

[1871royals]

I think everyone is disappointed in the way Shorey has performed this season but some people need to gain some perspective. IMO it was obvious that he wasn’t giving it all. But he still managed to get the most assists for a defender in the prem and most assists in our team. That emphasises how good he is, he can get the most assists than any other player we have got, when he isn’t giving 100%?

It’s absolutely hilarious that Shorey can set up so more goals from a more defensive position than our POTY who should be a creative outlet.

Anyone criticising Shorey set piece delivery need to look at the other options we have got especially Mr Hunt.

[Ian Royal]

I think everyone is disappointed in the way Shorey has performed this season but some people need to gain some perspective. IMO it was obvious that he wasn’t giving it all. But he still managed to get the most assists for a defender in the prem and most assists in our team. That emphasises how good he is, he can get the most assists than any other player we have got, when he isn’t giving 100%?

It’s absolutely hilarious that Shorey can set up so more goals from a more defensive position than our POTY who should be a creative outlet.

Anyone criticising Shorey set piece delivery need to look at the other options we have got especially Mr Hunt.

Hunt isn't a specialist set piece player. His set pieces were diabolical as were pretty much everyone's. The possible exception being Oster, who didn't take many but still got at least 2 assists from them.

Shorey's delivery is one of his best assets, yet virtually all season it was appalling.

[facaldaqui]

I have taken the last two summers' relative inactivity in the transfer market calmly, because I sympathised with Coppell's position: it is very hard to find the right player for a team like Reading at Premiership level and, as the Fae case showed, it would have been only too easy to make mistakes. But I am going to get very nervous if the same happens this summer. I am already worried that the chairman's sell-first policy will paralyse us from action and lead to passivity, so that we miss opportunities to acquire good players.

I am not as confident as some Hobnobbers that we can jump back up. It's true that if we field many of the team that won promotion a couple of years ago, they might well do the same again. But we all noticed a falling off in the performances of some of the championship-winners this last season. To be fair, that may be due to injury: can Murty, Convey, Sonko find their old form after all their injuries? I doubt it. Can Little stay fit? Can Ingimarsson regain his old command?

At this level there is a market we can take part in with more confidence, and, if we are going to be tight about it, there are always bargains to be had. I would like Coppell to start rebuilding, at least partially, and I hope he doesn't intend to fall back on the same old trusted faces all the time. That could work, of course; but again it could not: we have seen them lose to teams like Fulham and Bolton, and there are teams as good as those two in the Championship. (Bites nails.)

[Rev Algenon Stickleback H]

the problem is, until we know who is going, we don't know who to replace, or how much money we'll have to replace them with. I think we'll need to wait at least a month before it becomes clearer where we need to buy and where we don't.

[brendywendy]

i reckon we'lkl se ethe same number coming in as the last few seasons
3 ish-depending on who goes

the only real gaps for us are LB so far

the rest depends on who leaves

[papereyes]

i reckon we'lkl se ethe same number coming in as the last few seasons
3 ish-depending on who goes

the only real gaps for us are LB so far

the rest depends on who leaves

We could try rectifying last seasons mistake and buying a decent or promising central midfielder? Maybe?

[brendywendy]

i reckon we'lkl se ethe same number coming in as the last few seasons
3 ish-depending on who goes

the only real gaps for us are LB so far

the rest depends on who leaves

We could try rectifying last seasons mistake and buying a decent or promising central midfielder? Maybe?

yes mr eyes

correct

i was simply pointing out that actually we have only got the shorey shaped hole to fill so far
in terms of actual numbers required

of course we will need a quality midfielder-whitehead in the deal for hunt when/if he goes? or is cisse, harper, marek, karacan, brynn, bikey, enough

plus the LW to replace hunt



oh, and maybe if we dont think little, kebe and henry is enough,a RW too!

at least we are ok at CB and RB

if we lose harper, doyle, lita, kitson, sonko, marek we will have to be very busy, or we are screwed

[papereyes]

i reckon we'lkl se ethe same number coming in as the last few seasons
3 ish-depending on who goes

the only real gaps for us are LB so far

the rest depends on who leaves

We could try rectifying last seasons mistake and buying a decent or promising central midfielder? Maybe?

yes mr eyes

correct

i was simply pointing out that actually we have only got the shorey shaped hole to fill so far
in terms of actual numbers required

of course we will need a quality midfielder-whitehead in the deal for hunt when/if he goes? or is cisse, harper, marek, karacan, brynn, bikey, enough

plus the LW to replace hunt



oh, and maybe if we dont think little, kebe and henry is enough,a RW too!

at least we are ok at CB and RB

if we lose harper, doyle, lita, kitson, sonko, marek we will have to be very busy, or we are screwed

But its never just a case of numbers - especially given that we went into last season having lost our best midfielder and then had neither Cisse or Fae replace him sufficiently. So we're really down a midfielder from that first Premiership season, given that Fae would be off and given that Gunnarson is another year older. You list 6 players, of which one didn't impress at central midfield (Cisse) and one who has not, to my best knowledge, played afirst team game for us (Karacan), plus Brynn who is a year older. So its a real choice of 4, with a couple of those who might not be good enough. There is no point in having 6 midfielders if 2, 3 or even 4 of them really aren't going to be suitable or good enough. What's the point in having the numbers then?

One more, either ready-made or promising all-action central midfielder who turn a solid midfield into a good one.

[Southbank Old Boy]

i was simply pointing out that actually we have only got the shorey shaped hole to fill so far
in terms of actual numbers required

Did you not watch or learn anything from last season?

We need to improve the squad and the team irrespective of the shaped holes that are apparent.

[Old Biscuitman]

Have a guess about how many new players will appear in the starting line-up for the opening game of next season. Mine, I'm depressed to say, is two.