Return of Leroy Lita?

[Wycombe Royal]

We've got a young striker that has a habit of scoring goals, he's not the best player in the world but he has a knack of being in the right place at the right time, when he gets chances he can score goals. Proven, yet we seem happy to turn our back and get rid already. I'd love to see him get another chance here he definitely has something to offer and i think he improves our squad. Whether that will happen remains to be seen. If we have to play any length of this season with Shane Long a regular starter then we will have a serious problem imo.

Lita's problem at this club has very little to do with his ability as a footballer but more his attitude to both his football and life in general. He just doesn't fit with the culture of the club (I'm sure someone will do the obvious with that).

[wolsey]

We've got a young striker that has a habit of scoring goals, he's not the best player in the world but he has a knack of being in the right place at the right time, when he gets chances he can score goals. Proven, yet we seem happy to turn our back and get rid already. I'd love to see him get another chance here he definitely has something to offer and i think he improves our squad. Whether that will happen remains to be seen. If we have to play any length of this season with Shane Long a regular starter then we will have a serious problem imo.

Lita's problem at this club has very little to do with his ability as a footballer but more his attitude to both his football and life in general. He just doesn't fit with the culture of the club (I'm sure someone will do the obvious with that).

Doesn't sound like Coppell is wishing the days away until he returns (from GetReading):

Royals also had Leroy Lita to thank as the on loan Norwich striker rattled in a hat-trick in a 5-2 win over Wolves.

Coppell said: “He wants to play, he wants to score goals and he did that tonight so that has helped us, but first and foremost it’s helped him.

“I have no idea when his loan spell is up but we’ll cross it when it comes up.”

[Huntley & Palmer]

The thing that stuns me more than anything, is that the club has had three transfer windows to try and flog him to a club. Yet he remains an employee being farmed out on loan constantly, much like Sodje and Bennett. I know the club likes to dictate the price for players being sold but I can understand the players becoming very frustrated if the club refuses to lower their valuations to a level where someone can be free to find first team football elsewhere. Smacks of double standards to be honest

[brendywendy]

theyve just made a financial decision-they feel that its worth more to them to have leroy available to them if required, than sell at a loss.

[andrew1957]

Reading fans are so fickle. Lita scores a hat trick and many of you clamour to have him back.

Lita has done virtually nothing for us in the last 18 months. He had loads of chances and simply failed to take them.

Why on earth would we bring him back to sit on the bench. When he comes off the bench he is worse than when he starts a game and Long is a far better impact sub that Lita has ever been. Lita actually seems to play best as the sole striker in a 4-5-1 judging by some of his best PL matches and we play 4-4-2 mainly.

The truth is that Lita at times looks world class but not very often. He is obviously going to score goals at this level but is probably not going to be consistent enough at PL level.

I hope that he scores loads of goals at Norwich as we will then be able to sell him for a much higher fee in January but I hope he does not play for Reading again. If Doyle goes we need a better replacement to improve the squad for the PL assuming we get promotion - unless of course Mooney turns out to be good enough. We will find out in due course.

[Tony Le Mesmer]

Lita is damaged goods beyond repair at Reading.

I think he will be gone in January, but we need a replacement.

Long isn't good enough, and i doubt Mooney is/will be either. If Mooney had shown anyhting in training and for the reserves he would be on the bench.

Lets hope Simon Church starts banging the goals in for Wycmobe, we could have a ready made replacement.

[Schards#2]

Totally agree with most of the above, must not forget that this was his only impact so far this season, still cant see him coming back, too many personal issues for this club, and at the end of the day Mooney was bought in as a fifth striker, how many times has SSC said that four strikers are enough.

If you have 4 good strikers then absolutely right.

Apart from today just having a read of the Norwich fans reviews of Lita's loan as a whole and they are resigned that there is 'no chance of us signing him' and he's been 'immense' probably still blinkered after yesterday's game but even so, nice to hear. Lita has done well in this division for us, Charlton and now Norwich in terms of goals to game it's around 1 in 3.

We've got a young striker that has a habit of scoring goals, he's not the best player in the world but he has a knack of being in the right place at the right time, when he gets chances he can score goals. Proven, yet we seem happy to turn our back and get rid already. I'd love to see him get another chance here he definitely has something to offer and i think he improves our squad. Whether that will happen remains to be seen. If we have to play any length of this season with Shane Long a regular starter then we will have a serious problem imo.

Spot on AP, we currently only have two strikers in the squad who have demonstrated that they are up to this level and one of those is almost certain to leave in January. If whatever Lita's off field issues are can be overcome, i'd have him back as he is capable enough in this division. If that can't be done we need to replace him in january IN ADDITION to any replacement for Doyle that may be required.

[brendywendy]

'gree with that 100%

+1

[Royal Rother]

Reading fans are so fickle. Lita scores a hat trick and many of you clamour to have him back.

Lita has done virtually nothing for us in the last 18 months. He had loads of chances and simply failed to take them.

I agree with that.

I hope he does not play for Reading again.

I don't agree with that. My hope is that he comes back bursting with confidence, gets some games for us and scores hatfuls. (I don't think it'll happen like that but I really hope it does.)

[Schards#2]

I think i'm right in saying that Lita has scored as many goals in the last twelve hours as Long has in the last twelve months.

Lita>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> X 100 Long

[Alan Partridge]

Reading fans are so fickle. Lita scores a hat trick and many of you clamour to have him back.

Lita has done virtually nothing for us in the last 18 months. He had loads of chances and simply failed to take them.

Has he though, really? He got 1 game maybe 2 if he was lucky and if he didn't score then he didn't play for months as he was never named as a sub. He made 10 starts in the league last season for Reading, I wouldn't say that's 'loads of chances' over the course of a year and a 38 game season. 3 starts when in all honesty the team as a whole wasn't really functioning early doors. I think if you put Lita into the team now he'd play a lot better and almost certainly notch a few goals.

For me he should be 3rd choice for us currently, that means a bench spot at least and I must say I'd feel a whole lot better with Lita on the field than Long but there we go, have to see what they do at the end of the loan.

[soggy biscuit]

I pray that never ever see Lita again in a Reading shirt.

[Thaumagurist*]

I think i'm right in saying that Lita has scored as many goals in the last twelve hours as Long has in the last twelve months.

Lita>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> X 100 Long

What's more, ever since Lita went on loan to Charlton (8th March) and Long scored against Manchester City on that day, Long has scored just two goals (including the one against Man City), whereas in the same period of time, for three different teams Lita has scored 7 goals.

Therefore, it's definitely Lita >>>>>>>>>> Long.

Having said that, I wonder if Long would score a few more goals if he went on loan?

[weybridgewanderer]

...
Plus what is saved on the transfer fee is demanded by the player as a personal signing on fee anyway
...

In this sentence you kind of answered your own question!

what player and agent would accept a move in january if they knew that the transfer fee on offer would be available as additional income to the player just a few months later.

rather than arrange a tranmsfer in jabnuary, lita will be free to talk to other clubs and sign a pre contract agreement in the first half of next year

[weybridgewanderer]

Reading fans are so fickle. Lita scores a hat trick and many of you clamour to have him back.

Lita has done virtually nothing for us in the last 18 months. He had loads of chances and simply failed to take them.

Why on earth would we bring him back to sit on the bench. When he comes off the bench he is worse than when he starts a game and Long is a far better impact sub that Lita has ever been. Lita actually seems to play best as the sole striker in a 4-5-1 judging by some of his best PL matches and we play 4-4-2 mainly.

The truth is that Lita at times looks world class but not very often. He is obviously going to score goals at this level but is probably not going to be consistent enough at PL level.

I hope that he scores loads of goals at Norwich as we will then be able to sell him for a much higher fee in January but I hope he does not play for Reading again. If Doyle goes we need a better replacement to improve the squad for the PL assuming we get promotion - unless of course Mooney turns out to be good enough. We will find out in due course.

people either love or hate lita

so those of us in the love lita camp have an opportunity to say he's not so bad after all

what i do find bemusing the difference in attitude and treatment of lita and doyle. lita doesn't score in 3, dropped completely and shipped out on loan. doyle doesn't score in what, 18 games?, and he continues to have chance after chance.

looks like both players started scoring again.

Lita may not have the work rate of a long or a doyle or either hunt, but he is the most natural goalscorer at the club!

[AlexY25]

If doyle leaves in January

Lita comes back from loan in high confidence in scoring form

Noel Hunt and Leroy Lita, could be a ready made partnership, never played before together, so who knows

first game in january is fa cup 3rd round, coppell could give them 2 a go

Unless Doyle stays, then lita will probably leave

Lita's future could depend on Doyles future

[Yorkshire Royal]

Lita's problem at this club has very little to do with his ability as a footballer but more his attitude to both his football and life in general. He just doesn't fit with the culture of the club (I'm sure someone will do the obvious with that).

Of course, because you watch Reading train. And all the reserves play. And no doubt are friends with Coppell / Hammond / AN OTher at RFC. Another HobNob poster with the inside track on Lita. It astounds me that people judge people so much, that they have never met nor had any dealings with.

Lita was dropped because he was not very good - see Stoke away. Not because of his perceived attitude. He was even worst than Long. Lita is farmed out on loan and returns with his confidence and pride back in place. He comes off the bench for Reading. Scores a wonder goal.. and we all live happily ever after.

Simply put, Shane Long is not a professional footballer. Lita is. Ergo, Lita is better on the bench than Long.

[RG30]

It's nice to see Lita scoring goals and with a smile on his face, too many times for the past 18 months has he not done that. Let him get to the end of his loan, we'll see what yesterday's performance does for his confidence and a decision will be made come January where his future lies.

[AlexY25]

Norwich have 2 more games in october, it all depends on how he does, next game for them is at home to doncaster, see how many he scores in comparison to us last night

They have a game on 1st november, which is when his deal ends, does anyone know if he can play in that one?

[Wycombe Royal]

Lita's problem at this club has very little to do with his ability as a footballer but more his attitude to both his football and life in general. He just doesn't fit with the culture of the club (I'm sure someone will do the obvious with that).

Of course, because you watch Reading train. And all the reserves play. And no doubt are friends with Coppell / Hammond / AN OTher at RFC. Another HobNob poster with the inside track on Lita. It astounds me that people judge people so much, that they have never met nor had any dealings with.

Lita was dropped because he was not very good - see Stoke away. Not because of his perceived attitude. He was even worst than Long. Lita is farmed out on loan and returns with his confidence and pride back in place. He comes off the bench for Reading. Scores a wonder goal.. and we all live happily ever after.

Simply put, Shane Long is not a professional footballer. Lita is. Ergo, Lita is better on the bench than Long.

Be careful you don't fall off that high horse.

I have never claimed to have any inside knowledge, but it doesn't take even a child to work out from all the various media reports (interviews with Coppell, interviews with others, news stories and all the rumours) that he does have an attitude issue and that Coppell doesn't particularly like it.