Fae gone to Nice

[Archie's penalty]

Unmotivated? I don't think that was the problem. I just think our overachieving CCC squad was thoroughly outplayed by two teams full of international players that underachieved for most of the season.

both Bolton's and Fulham's teams were and are MILES better than Reading's team.

I will leave the original question out there.

[Alan Partridge]

If you wish, although the answer is above. It had absolutely nothing to do with motivation. Reading were motivated just totally outplayed twice, actually 4 times including the away games. But we showed we were far better than bottom 3 material

[londinium]

Sort of sums it up that 2 of our 'better performances to show we are far better than bottom 3 material' were losses.

Reading lost the 2nd most amount of games in the league, and were 2nd in goals conceeded. They weren't better than bottom 3 material.

It was blatantly obvious to anyone who watches Reading that a central midfielder of proven quality was needed, it was blatantly obvious that we needed a decent right winger. The deadwood wasn't cleared last season, Coppell put faith into some players that have NEVER been good enough (Oster for example) and Reading went down. The whole squad lacked a freshness and a bit of quality. I am still amazed that a manager with his experience and nouse couldn't see that, it's all well and good saying it now, it's far too late. The January window was critical to Reading's season, everyone on here and at the games I spoke to said the same thing. Just like from our first transfer window being a Premiership club, we failed. Reading went down because of it.[/quote]

I still think we were good enough to stay up with the squad we had. The reason we didn't is due to the players and the manager. The key matches were clearly those two games against Bolton and Fulham at home. My question is how come the players were so unmotivated in those two games? Can anyone answer this? Please don't go back to the January transfer window again. I was SO bored of all the discussion in January. Can't we change the record?

Once again why were the players so unmotivated in those two crucial games?[/quote]

Unmotivated? I don't think that was the problem. I just think our overachieving CCC squad was thoroughly outplayed by two teams full of international players that underachieved for most of the season.

both Bolton's and Fulham's teams were and are MILES better than Reading's team.[/quote]

Firstly Bolton and Fulhams teams were not MILES better than our as their points and final position relative to ours clearly shows.

Secondly you cannot have it both ways...

We finished third bottom because we deserved it, we finished 8th because we were good.

Or we overacheived and finished 8th and underachieved and finished 18th.

You cant say that we deserved 18th and over achieved to finish 8th or I will say we deserved 8th and underachieved to finish 18th.

You get what you get and that is it.

[Thaumagurist*]

.

[Archie's penalty]

I'm off to AE. Can you let me know when you're done discussing last season.

Sorry Spacey. I missed all of this discussion as I was in Poland when we went down.

I just think we were good enough to stay up that's all - whatever the other AP says about it.

[Thaumagurist*]

.

[Alan Partridge]

Fulham's end of season form, coincided with them a) having all their best players back and b) their January signings stepping up and keeping them up. Their final team consisting of a midifled Davies - Bullard - Murphy - Dempey Is absolutely MILES better than anything we could conjure up. 3 International midfielders + Bullard who is probably the best out of the 4 of them. Fulham underachieved all season, there is no way a squad as good as theirs should have been in the bottom 4 as their form and performances showed at the end of the season. Bolton similarly have very good players, the likes of Nolan, Matty Taylor, Cahill, Steinsson, both goalies they shouldn't have been down there. When the big games came up and they REALLY mattered, their big players rose to the occasion. Bolton beat us, won at Boro, won against Sunderland and got a point at Chelsea. Fulham won at Reading, won at Pompey and beat Birmingham. Our players froze. That's what £'s buy. They buy you quality and they buy you survival in most cases.

LOL @ Spacey. What else is there to talk about? Our new signings? new kit? Or what this thread is about, another failed signing, it just rolls over to a discussion about Reading FC last season, sort of what this board is for.

I'm sure someone has a washing machine that needs fixed on AE or somethin else similarly riveting.

[papereyes]

If we pay a record, or near record, sum on a player, they should be expected to improve the first team.

If they don't, then the transfer was not a success.

If, afterwards, we get some money for them, then that is a bonus but can in no way be described as making up for the poor transfer.

For what's it worth, I agree with you, we were comfortably in midtable before Christmas.It's the period after Christmas that everything went tits up.

We weren't comfortable, though, were we. The Liverpool game put a gloss on some mediocre performances and we only ever about 2 poor weeks away from struggling. And, interestingly, you accept that its after Christmas and the transfer window that it went tits up yet think discussing our failure to really strengthen in that window is boring? It might be boring but if you genuinely can't imagine that there might be some link, some thread between "failing to prepare" and "preparing for the championship next season" then I'm a bit and a bit .

[papereyes]

Fulham's end of season form, coincided with them a) having all their best players back and b) their January signings stepping up and keeping them up. Their final team consisting of a midifled Davies - Bullard - Murphy - Dempey Is absolutely MILES better than anything we could conjure up. 3 International midfielders + Bullard who is probably the best out of the 4 of them. Fulham underachieved all season, there is no way a squad as good as theirs should have been in the bottom 4 as their form and performances showed at the end of the season. Bolton similarly have very good players, the likes of Nolan, Matty Taylor, Cahill, Steinsson, both goalies they shouldn't have been down there. When the big games came up and they REALLY mattered, their big players rose to the occasion. Bolton beat us, won at Boro, won against Sunderland and got a point at Chelsea. Fulham won at Reading, won at Pompey and beat Birmingham. Our players froze. That's what £'s buy. They buy you quality and they buy you survival in most cases.

LOL @ Spacey. What else is there to talk about? Our new signings? new kit? Or what this thread is about, another failed signing, it just rolls over to a discussion about Reading FC last season, sort of what this board is for.

I'm sure someone has a washing machine that needs fixed on AE or somethin else similarly riveting.

Had Bullard and McBride been fit all season, then Sanchez would have lead Fulham to safety. Two best players out injured and it is no surprise that they struggled.

[Archie's penalty]

Look you guys you won right. We got relegated. Just accept other views ok?

[Archie's penalty]

Fulham's end of season form, coincided with them a) having all their best players back and b) their January signings stepping up and keeping them up. Their final team consisting of a midifled Davies - Bullard - Murphy - Dempey Is absolutely MILES better than anything we could conjure up. 3 International midfielders + Bullard who is probably the best out of the 4 of them. Fulham underachieved all season, there is no way a squad as good as theirs should have been in the bottom 4 as their form and performances showed at the end of the season. Bolton similarly have very good players, the likes of Nolan, Matty Taylor, Cahill, Steinsson, both goalies they shouldn't have been down there. When the big games came up and they REALLY mattered, their big players rose to the occasion. Bolton beat us, won at Boro, won against Sunderland and got a point at Chelsea. Fulham won at Reading, won at Pompey and beat Birmingham. Our players froze. That's what £'s buy. They buy you quality and they buy you survival in most cases.

LOL @ Spacey. What else is there to talk about? Our new signings? new kit? Or what this thread is about, another failed signing, it just rolls over to a discussion about Reading FC last season, sort of what this board is for.

I'm sure someone has a washing machine that needs fixed on AE or somethin else similarly riveting.

Had Bullard and McBride been fit all season, then Sanchez would have lead Fulham to safety. Two best players out injured and it is no surprise that they struggled.

And Sidwell sold, Little injured - two best players. It's no wonder we struggled all year...

[papereyes]

Look you guys you won right. We got relegated. Just accept other views ok?

Actually, we lost.

On an nearly weekly basis.

Oh, I agree Mr penalty. I'd add Lita to that (lost to hype). Replace anyone of those three players, either in the first January, when it was clear Sidwell was leaving, in the summer or in the second January, and we'd have stayed up.

We did nothing and went down.

[Alan Partridge]

Fulham's end of season form, coincided with them a) having all their best players back and b) their January signings stepping up and keeping them up. Their final team consisting of a midifled Davies - Bullard - Murphy - Dempey Is absolutely MILES better than anything we could conjure up. 3 International midfielders + Bullard who is probably the best out of the 4 of them. Fulham underachieved all season, there is no way a squad as good as theirs should have been in the bottom 4 as their form and performances showed at the end of the season. Bolton similarly have very good players, the likes of Nolan, Matty Taylor, Cahill, Steinsson, both goalies they shouldn't have been down there. When the big games came up and they REALLY mattered, their big players rose to the occasion. Bolton beat us, won at Boro, won against Sunderland and got a point at Chelsea. Fulham won at Reading, won at Pompey and beat Birmingham. Our players froze. That's what £'s buy. They buy you quality and they buy you survival in most cases.

LOL @ Spacey. What else is there to talk about? Our new signings? new kit? Or what this thread is about, another failed signing, it just rolls over to a discussion about Reading FC last season, sort of what this board is for.

I'm sure someone has a washing machine that needs fixed on AE or somethin else similarly riveting.

Had Bullard and McBride been fit all season, then Sanchez would have lead Fulham to safety. Two best players out injured and it is no surprise that they struggled.

And Sidwell sold, Little injured - two best players. It's no wonder we struggled all year...

Never replaced either. My original point. Cheers.

[Archie's penalty]

Look you guys you won right. We got relegated. Just accept other views ok?

Actually, we lost.

On an nearly weekly basis.

Oh, I agree Mr penalty. I'd add Lita to that (lost to hype). Replace anyone of those three players, either in the first January, when it was clear Sidwell was leaving, in the summer or in the second January, and we'd have stayed up.

We did nothing and went down.

You're much more pleasant to argue with then Alan Partridge! I agree with all that. I hope that being in the championship will be the shot up the arse that big-head Lita needs. No-one will probs come in for him after the sh*te season he's had. I bet he'll score a tonne in the championship!

[Alan Partridge]

Look you guys you won right. We got relegated. Just accept other views ok?

Actually, we lost.

On an nearly weekly basis.

Oh, I agree Mr penalty. I'd add Lita to that (lost to hype). Replace anyone of those three players, either in the first January, when it was clear Sidwell was leaving, in the summer or in the second January, and we'd have stayed up.

We did nothing and went down.

You're much more pleasant to argue with then Alan Partridge! I agree with all that. I hope that being in the championship will be the shot up the arse that big-head Lita needs. No-one will probs come in for him after the sh*te season he's had. I bet he'll score a tonne in the championship!

I'm hurt! Not said anything nasty or spiteful, my own personal view. Which mirrors papereyes and most people's view I'd guess.

[Archie's penalty]

I'm hurt! Not said anything nasty or spiteful, my own personal view. Which mirrors papereyes and most people's view I'd guess.

Ok you're not that bad. It's just the moral rectitude with which you sometimes state your opinion which irritates me and others I reckon.

Anyway we're all on the same side at the end of the day.

Mission: Get Reading back in the prem where (I think) they belong.

[rabidbee]

I'm not withdrawing the tw@t comment because, when it comes to the French, you really are a total twa@t.

I'm very disappointed in your attitude, I was quite restrained in my response to your insult. There was hardly much francophobia in my original statement.

I just meant generally, Spacey.

[floyd__streete]

Mission: Get Reading back in the prem where (I think) they belong.

Good grief - it is chilling that people actually think like this.

[Rev Algenon Stickleback H]

Once again why were the players so unmotivated in those two crucial games?

once again, there are reasons why teams can play badly other than being unmotivated.

[rg6royal]

Mission: Get Reading back in the prem where (I think) they belong.

Good grief - it is chilling that people actually think like this.

It's a hard one tbh. As we absolutely destroyed the Championship and then struggle in the prem...