Before the beginning of the season I was convinced we would be mid-table at best and at worst following Leeds, Nottm Forest, Leicester and Southampton (almost!) into the abyss whence we came. When RTG numpties came on here and said we would bounce straight back I laughed myself stupid.
Wrong! There's no guarantee that we won't slump and end up mid-table, but the potential is obviously there to manage the play-offs at least and even maybe a top two spot. If we can keep up our devastating home form we must have a chance.
There was also a thread about whether we minded being relegated and I thought "too right I minded. The Premier League is the place to be."
Wrong again! I still want to get back up, but the fun of watching sides taken apart at the MadStad and goals piling in is something we could never hope for in the Prem (excepting West Ham and Derby of course).
Then of course there was the great Coppell debate. I was on the No side - he had taken us up, sure, but he had brought us down with a tired lack of imagination and ambition and we needed to move on and start from scratch.
Wrong, wrong, thrice wrong. He has got us playing with verve and excitement again and has given us a good chance. If we do make it, though, he has got to have learnt lessons from last year.
So what assessments have the rest of you Nobbers made after 10 games?
10 games in - time to re-assess?
pretty good so far
the new signings and youth players seems to have gelled well
Nhunt, armstrong, karacan and pearce have been vital so far and i hope they continue to impress
some players we already had have improved - kebe, rosenior
doyle, shunt, USA are also playing really well
if we can keep are squad together in january i see no reason why we wont get promoted
the new signings and youth players seems to have gelled well
Nhunt, armstrong, karacan and pearce have been vital so far and i hope they continue to impress
some players we already had have improved - kebe, rosenior
doyle, shunt, USA are also playing really well
if we can keep are squad together in january i see no reason why we wont get promoted
I've concluded that it might be wise to wait for the 10th (league) game to be played before posting on this thread...
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cmonurz
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Pleasantly surprised so far. I'll happily admit that I saw Hunt as a mediocre striker playing in a mediocre league, but he has been brilliant and should form quite a partnership with Doyle.
I've also been excited to see the younger players coming into the side, something we haven't seen much of in recent seasons at Reading. Henry, Pearce and Karacan have 12 or so appearances between them already, and hopefully one or all of them can cement places in the side during the season.
I still worry what might happen should we lose our best players, Doyle, Hunt and Bikey could all go in January. Then what? I don't have much faith that we would reinvest so in that sense we are already relying on the likes of Hunt, Mooney and the kids.
But, a great start.
I've also been excited to see the younger players coming into the side, something we haven't seen much of in recent seasons at Reading. Henry, Pearce and Karacan have 12 or so appearances between them already, and hopefully one or all of them can cement places in the side during the season.
I still worry what might happen should we lose our best players, Doyle, Hunt and Bikey could all go in January. Then what? I don't have much faith that we would reinvest so in that sense we are already relying on the likes of Hunt, Mooney and the kids.
But, a great start.
I agree with a lot of what you say. However it's only 10 games. In fact it's only 9, Burnley on Saturday is the 10th. I thought we'd make a slow start and then find our feet and push on to challenge for the play-offs in the second half of the season. I was wrong. I guess the opening 3 games were a slow start, but this team is playing exciting, dangerous football already.
I'm enjoying the Championship without a doubt. However I dream of us establishing in the Premiership and looking good, and some dull seasons where we've lost a lot of games before they've kicked off will be necessary in terms of us getting there, and in reality I wish we were still scrapping at the bottom of the big league. (although then we may not have got rid of the ego crowd.)
As for Coppell, I always wanted him to stay. End of. I think there's every chance he will walk at the end of this season, when his contract expires. I think that would be for the best. I'm not convinced he has learnt from his mistakes. He only changed the squad that let us down last season as much as he had to. The way he's integrated new signings and youth products has been excellent and we're seeing the results on the pitch. He's the best man to take us back up. However last season was not the first time he showed too much loyalty to under performing players. He did exactly the same with Palace after their success and I think he lacks a ruthless streak required to keep us afloat at the top. A new manager in the Premiership who can take an objective look at our squad may be necessary. But lets not get ahead of ourselves.
I'm enjoying the Championship without a doubt. However I dream of us establishing in the Premiership and looking good, and some dull seasons where we've lost a lot of games before they've kicked off will be necessary in terms of us getting there, and in reality I wish we were still scrapping at the bottom of the big league. (although then we may not have got rid of the ego crowd.)
As for Coppell, I always wanted him to stay. End of. I think there's every chance he will walk at the end of this season, when his contract expires. I think that would be for the best. I'm not convinced he has learnt from his mistakes. He only changed the squad that let us down last season as much as he had to. The way he's integrated new signings and youth products has been excellent and we're seeing the results on the pitch. He's the best man to take us back up. However last season was not the first time he showed too much loyalty to under performing players. He did exactly the same with Palace after their success and I think he lacks a ruthless streak required to keep us afloat at the top. A new manager in the Premiership who can take an objective look at our squad may be necessary. But lets not get ahead of ourselves.
Last edited by rhroyal on 02 Oct 2008 17:22, edited 1 time in total.
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chilipepper91
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Assessments:
1 - if we lose Doyle we are screwed.
2 - Rosenior gets better every game, think Murty's time may have come.
3 - Shrewd new signings, Coppell's purple patch continues. Noel Hunt looks the perfect foil for Doyle, and Armstrong is quietly effective.
4 - The youth looks very promising, finally. In this respect, glad we got relegated - Coppell would not have tried them in the Prem.
5 - We'll get promoted.
1 - if we lose Doyle we are screwed.
2 - Rosenior gets better every game, think Murty's time may have come.
3 - Shrewd new signings, Coppell's purple patch continues. Noel Hunt looks the perfect foil for Doyle, and Armstrong is quietly effective.
4 - The youth looks very promising, finally. In this respect, glad we got relegated - Coppell would not have tried them in the Prem.
5 - We'll get promoted.
Skyline I've concluded that it might be wise to wait for the 10th (league) game to be played before posting on this thread...
Oops! I'm living in a time warp. I thought we'd already played Burnley. Stupid, I know.
From what I've see I'm pretty impressed. Hopefully that win at Wolves will spur on our away form to top our excellent home form.
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SteveRoyal
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Skyline I've concluded that it might be wise to wait for the 10th (league) game to be played before posting on this thread...
D'oh!
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Gordons Cumming
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One good win and HobNob is all cosy and optimistic again.
Good grief.
What a load of inconsistent knee jerkers.
0-1 home defeat to Burnley and we'll be back to normal.
Good grief.
What a load of inconsistent knee jerkers.
0-1 home defeat to Burnley and we'll be back to normal.
1960Skyline I've concluded that it might be wise to wait for the 10th (league) game to be played before posting on this thread...
Oops! I'm living in a time warp. I thought we'd already played Burnley. Stupid, I know.
What was the score? I'm just out me way down to bookies.
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Elm Park Old Boy
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- Location: Lewisham, London
chilipepper91 Assessments:
1 - if we lose Doyle we are screwed.
5 - We'll get promoted.
...ergo, Doyle's staying? That's cheering.
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H-Town Royal
- Member
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chilipepper91 Assessments:
2 - Rosenior gets better every game, think Murty's time may have come.
3 - Shrewd new signings, Coppell's purple patch continues. Noel Hunt looks the perfect foil for Doyle, and Armstrong is quietly effective
5 - We'll get promoted.
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chilipepper91
- Hob Nob Regular
- Posts: 2158
- Joined: 03 Mar 2005 20:30
Elm Park Old Boychilipepper91 Assessments:
1 - if we lose Doyle we are screwed.
5 - We'll get promoted.
...ergo, Doyle's staying? That's cheering.
Weeeeeeelll...
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Dick Habbin's hairdo
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1960 and chillipepper: considered, balanced and you admit your shortcomings of not being a fully signed up RTG. Fact is we would be nowhere without SSC. Thank the Lord for the CPC.
We might make the play-offs but the future with SSC, Squeaky and Eamonn Dolan - and yes, the Mad Man - is bright.
Heaven knows, if we do go up this year, the Mad Man may even get his wish and find an appropriate and desirable multi-billion backer to take us to the next level.
The issues is though: That is probably when I bail out of RFC. And I'll have to get my tattoo re-inked.
We might make the play-offs but the future with SSC, Squeaky and Eamonn Dolan - and yes, the Mad Man - is bright.
Heaven knows, if we do go up this year, the Mad Man may even get his wish and find an appropriate and desirable multi-billion backer to take us to the next level.
The issues is though: That is probably when I bail out of RFC. And I'll have to get my tattoo re-inked.
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andrew1957
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Well done 1960 for being one of very few STG's who have come on here to say you may have been wrong.The negativity spouted against the RTG's over the last 2 season has been a little unfair. I am a little surprised that quite a few of the STG's seem to have left without trace recently. Probably shows that the really do revel in Reading doing badly which as fan I really don't understand.
As others have said it is early days but if anything the team has begun to gel even more quickly than I hoped it would. I thought there would be a slow start and that we would come good after 15 games or so. Coppell is doing a great job and made some hard decisions - like letting Sonko go - which I applaud. He has also made some very good purchases like Armstrong and Hunt junior.
Come on URZZZZZZZZZZZZ back to the PL next season.
As others have said it is early days but if anything the team has begun to gel even more quickly than I hoped it would. I thought there would be a slow start and that we would come good after 15 games or so. Coppell is doing a great job and made some hard decisions - like letting Sonko go - which I applaud. He has also made some very good purchases like Armstrong and Hunt junior.
Come on URZZZZZZZZZZZZ back to the PL next season.
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Seaside Royal
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looking back the debates on here that have frustrated me were..
Low points:
1) Some fans slagging JM for not spending big after cashing in (BIG TIME) in on 3 surplus players
2) Complaints about Hammond not being good at his job
3) Calls for Coppell to go
4) Demands for big signings
5) Uncertainty over the recent additional signings
High points
1) JM holding on to club funds and not spending freely to ensure the club survive even back then when the credit crunch was little talked about (much to the disapproval of some fans)
2) Hammond completing the sale of 3 players for TOP money that couldn't be achieved in this next transfer window (quality deals)
3) Coppell showing once again that he's the master of this division with a real desire to take us back up whilst working within the chairmans carefully planned financial restraints (mature partnership)
4) Has there even been a need to sign players for millions when we have Coppell at the helm?
5) IMO Armstrong is as good a player at this level as Shorey and our other summer signings aren't too shabby either (Gaols and clean sheets speak for themselves)
Unfinished business (IMO)
*) Lita - we need to offload him
**) Emerse Fae - The credit crunch may scupper this loan deal with an option to buy (cant see this deal happening)
***) losing star performers (Doyle & Hunt) not likely happen now. Reading's price tag will be too high (as we don't need the money) certainly for those clubs who where interested and the 2 players know that playing for Reading in the premiership next season is a safe bet.
On the business side I'm completely confident that Reading is in safe hands.
On the playing front I'm completely confident we have one of the best managers in the England.
Will we go up? well I believe that everything is in place to ensure we do..
What next..? More of the doubters get behind our Team. club, chairman and manager.
(I await the onslaught of negativity from those who slag JM, NH, Coppell and true Royal fans)
Low points:
1) Some fans slagging JM for not spending big after cashing in (BIG TIME) in on 3 surplus players
2) Complaints about Hammond not being good at his job
3) Calls for Coppell to go
4) Demands for big signings
5) Uncertainty over the recent additional signings
High points
1) JM holding on to club funds and not spending freely to ensure the club survive even back then when the credit crunch was little talked about (much to the disapproval of some fans)
2) Hammond completing the sale of 3 players for TOP money that couldn't be achieved in this next transfer window (quality deals)
3) Coppell showing once again that he's the master of this division with a real desire to take us back up whilst working within the chairmans carefully planned financial restraints (mature partnership)
4) Has there even been a need to sign players for millions when we have Coppell at the helm?
5) IMO Armstrong is as good a player at this level as Shorey and our other summer signings aren't too shabby either (Gaols and clean sheets speak for themselves)
Unfinished business (IMO)
*) Lita - we need to offload him
**) Emerse Fae - The credit crunch may scupper this loan deal with an option to buy (cant see this deal happening)
***) losing star performers (Doyle & Hunt) not likely happen now. Reading's price tag will be too high (as we don't need the money) certainly for those clubs who where interested and the 2 players know that playing for Reading in the premiership next season is a safe bet.
On the business side I'm completely confident that Reading is in safe hands.
On the playing front I'm completely confident we have one of the best managers in the England.
Will we go up? well I believe that everything is in place to ensure we do..
What next..? More of the doubters get behind our Team. club, chairman and manager.
(I await the onslaught of negativity from those who slag JM, NH, Coppell and true Royal fans)
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Platypuss
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And it was all going so well until the last two lines.
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chilipepper91
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Dick Habbin - can't work out if you were being sarcastic earlier. I don't consider myself an RTG or an STG, just matter-of-fact, and as impartial as it's possible to be about a club you love. I honestly believe we'll get promoted though - I said it pre-season out of hope, admittedly, and the hangover was obviously there in the first few games. But the last few have proven just how good I knew we were. On paper, we are still one of the strongest teams in the Championship. And it's finally coming to fruition. Everyone seems to be sticking together and working for each other, a real team spirit that was obviously lacking towards the end of last season. On this form, we'll get promoted.
Seaside Royal - I agree with most of your points. I wouldn't have said that Kits and Shorey were "surplus", but the arrival of Armstrong and Hunt has added eagerness and hunger - everyone says it but it really is true.
I think Coppell will leave at the end of the season. It seems right. I just hope we find a suitable replacement.
Seaside Royal - I agree with most of your points. I wouldn't have said that Kits and Shorey were "surplus", but the arrival of Armstrong and Hunt has added eagerness and hunger - everyone says it but it really is true.
I think Coppell will leave at the end of the season. It seems right. I just hope we find a suitable replacement.
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Terminal Boardom
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9 games in and what's the difference? Confidence. Pure and simple.
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