Doyle is great. What happened last year?

[Archie's penalty]

Well people. I thought I'd revive an old chestnut. Doyle is clearly a great striker, arguably the best we have ever had at the club. He has scored 48 goals in 108 starts in the premier league and the championship.

The question is what went wrong for him last year? Was it bad service, bad form, bad managerial decisions or a mixture of the three? Why has he been so successful this year?

I am happy to see Doyler back to his best. He cut a dejected figure last year at times.

[Soul Man]

Crap player any prem club would be mad to come in for him

[SpaceCruiser]

Doyle is clearly a great striker, arguably the best we have ever had at the club.

I'd dispute that. Jimmy Quinn scored 40 goals in one season for us. And then there's Ronnie Blackman, Trevor Senior and Jamie Cureton.....

[AlexY25]

Confidence was low, applies to most of the team.

He got a goal early on the year this year, against palace, then got the hat-trick, confidence for him and has carried on scoring.

Wouldn't say hes top prem quality, but would be good at a prem team in the bottom half of the table.

[Starfish]

I'd dispute that. Jimmy Quinn scored 40 goals in one season for us

You may be right Spacey but there is always the argument that 13 (?) Premiership goals (and out for a couple of months injured) > 35 league goals in (essentially) the third division.

[SpaceCruiser]

I'd dispute that. Jimmy Quinn scored 40 goals in one season for us

You may be right Spacey but there is always the argument that 13 (?) Premiership goals (and out for a couple of months injured) > 35 league goals in (essentially) the third division.

That maybe so, I seem to recall that he scored against Premiership opposition in that same season, a goal against Manchester City!

[RG1 Export]

Low confidence as well as a lack of delivery. Our right wing has greatly improved and obviously Hunt is able to perform better at this level meaning he's got a lot more to work with.

[The Prisoner]

Dunno what happened last year, but he has just signed a contract extension until 2011!!!

"I hope that signing this new deal will take away speculation surrounding my future and allow me to focus totally on returning to the premier league"

[1960]

Er...last year he was playing against Premier League defences, this year against Championship defences. HTH

[brendywendy]

last year he was playing in a malfunctioning team
this year the team functions perfectly

[ankeny]

Doyle is clearly a great striker, arguably the best we have ever had at the club.

I'd dispute that. Jimmy Quinn scored 40 goals in one season for us. And then there's Ronnie Blackman, Trevor Senior and Jamie Cureton.....

Most accomplished striker we ever had in my opinion was Kerry Dixon,people tend to forget about him

[PieEater]

The thing I noticed was that last season he was noticeably slower at everything he did than this season or the first in the prem.

Quite why is a mystery, he didn't seem to be able to outpace anyone.

[Ian Royal]

I also disagree he's clearly the best striker we've ever had. Just from the last 5 seasons I think Kitson is a better player.

Then you have the likes of Senior, Dixon and Blackman too. Curo I'd discount though, and probably Quinn too.

[westendgirl]

I am happy to see Doyler back to his best. He cut a dejected figure last year at times.

Don't forget he also had to cope with a family tradegy last season, I understand that although he insisted on playing despite it he was really hit by it.

[SLAMMED]

I think Kitson is a better player.

are you mad...

[Ian Royal]

I think Kitson is a better player.

are you mad...

No and his record at Reading speaks for itself. Top scorer for the club in 3 of his 4 full seasons, despite having a significant lay off due to injury in every full season. The 4th being the one he spent virtually all season on the treatment table. A goal to game ratio close to 1 in 2 and still playing in the prem. Scalped by a prem team in preference to Doyle.

Those are just the indisputable facts. I'd also argue he has a much better all round game than Doyle, though I'll grant you Doyle is more of an out and out striker. His passing and version are second to none that I've seen play for Reading and as good if not better than most I've seen play against Reading.

And I've seen the likes of Cantona, Giggs, Ronaldo & Rooney to name a few so it's not like I've only seen shit.

[Archie's penalty]

I also disagree he's clearly the best striker we've ever had. Just from the last 5 seasons I think Kitson is a better player.

Then you have the likes of Senior, Dixon and Blackman too. Curo I'd discount though, and probably Quinn too.

Did I say he was clearly the best striker we have ever had? I said arguably. And I would stand by the fact that you could argue he is the best we have ever had in terms of his goalscoring record purely in the top two leagues. But everyone is free to disagree.

Have to add into the mix that Doyle is a regular for his country.

[Victor Meldrew]

The thing I noticed was that last season he was noticeably slower at everything he did than this season or the first in the prem.

Quite why is a mystery, he didn't seem to be able to outpace anyone.

No great mystery-Premiership defenders are quicker and much better.
Strikers depend on chances and with Oster and Hunt as our wide men in The Premiership chances for Doyle were few and far between.
In the previous season we had Little and Convey both playing well and of course the vibrancy of the unreplaced Sidwell driving us on through the middle in tandem with the similarly energetic Harper.

[Ian Royal]

I also disagree he's clearly the best striker we've ever had. Just from the last 5 seasons I think Kitson is a better player.

Then you have the likes of Senior, Dixon and Blackman too. Curo I'd discount though, and probably Quinn too.

Did I say he was clearly the best striker we have ever had? I said arguably. And I would stand by the fact that you could argue he is the best we have ever had in terms of his goalscoring record purely in the top two leagues. But everyone is free to disagree.

Have to add into the mix that Doyle is a regular for his country.

My mistake. Fair enough, you could argue it, but I think you'd be wrong still
Kitson would have played for Ireland had he accepted their offer and wa on the verge of an England call up, allegedly, briefly.

I think barring his injuries he'd have been at a prem club by the time we got promoted, and probably finished top scorer for the whole championship at least once. And because of that probably played for England a few times. But then I think he's a better player than Crouch ever was.

[seahawk10]

I like both Kitson and Doyle as players. But isn't Doyle 3 years younger or so? I think long-term he will prove the better player.