Lita for Norwich

[Vision]

Ask yourselves the question honestly.

If, heaven forbid , Doyle or even N Hunt suffered a lengthy injury who would you put the responsibility on to provide the best chance of replacing them.

Long?
Lita?
Mooney?
Church?
New Striker?

For me if the option is a New Striker then clearly we cash in on Lita to part finance it.

However if you're looking at the players already on our books then the Lita option has more going for it than the others in my view.

[Woodcote Royal]

Whatever happens, the only answer is a new striker but until one arrives, the dissappointing Long will remain ahead of the next to useless (for us) Lita.

[Vision]

Whatever happens, the only answer is a new striker but until one arrives, the dissappointing Long will remain ahead of the next to useless (for us) Lita.

No guarantee that a new striker would be able to come straight in and give us what we need.

I'm playing devils advocate a bit here but i would doubt that if we did buy a new striker that he would have anything like Lita's record at this level. We know Lita can score regularly enough at this level . We know he has scored regularly enough for us at this level. The only evidence we have that he can't do it in the current set up is 3 solitary games at the start of the season when incidently Doyle didn't score either.

I would still maintain that given a situation where one of Doyle/Hunt weren't available an in-form/match fit Leroy Lita with the motivation of being a free agent at the end of the season would comfortably the best option.

As i say its devils advocate stuff to a degree, Is really only an issue if Doyle/Hunt are injured and the debate is largely redundant if Coppell has decided to wash his hands of him but I can't believe people think its less effective than any of the other options.

[2.8 lita injection]

Their really isnt much point in buying another striker unless he is better than we currently have and that will cost a few quid plus its going to be hard to find a striker who is happy to be sub as long as hunt & doyle are fit. Im sure one of Long,Mooney or Church are up to the job if required.

[papereyes]

If Lita wanted to, he should be the answer. He is a better striker than Long and could easily be part of a very effective unit of four strikers.

I just don't think he does want it, with us.

In which case, we should move him on and look to improve what we've got.

[rhroyal]

Coppell doesn't like Lita and won't play him. He'll be sold in January. Rightfully so. All players go through good and bad patches. You just have to look at how they react to them. Last season Lita and Doyle were both having a tough time. Lita began sulking and looking like he didn't care when he got his chances in the team. Coppell never saw fit to put him even on the bench at some stages. I remember after the game against Middlesborough Dillon was asked about why Long was put ahead of Lita, and he basically replied "You don't see what we see every day in training." It was obvious that his attitude left a lot to be desired and that is why we keep shipping him out on loan, he's not the sort of player you want around the rest of your squad and being a negative influence.

Compare this to Doyle. You could see the confidence leaving him. His decision making and conviction really suffered, he stopped making the right choices and moves naturally. However you could see a burning desire to set the record straight and he worked so hard all season to fix it. It meant so much to him scoring on the final day at Derby. His attitude through times of adversity is also matched by his attitude when times are good. He stays focussed on what is ahead and doesn't take things for granted. What really impresses me is how he seems to accept a degree of accountability for our relegation last season and wants to set it right himself. He knows that header against Fulham could have made all the difference and indeed other chances.

Who would you rather have at your club? And then you just have to look at scoring records quoted on here. Doyle has scored 3 leagues goals less in half a season so far than Lita has in his entire Reading career, and that stat doesn't even take into consideration how much more work Doyle does for the team.

Long's attitude is also impressive in my view, and he wants to prove he is capable. I wasn't impressed by him against Birmingham, but I know that he will continue to strive to improve and he will happily try and make an impact in 10 minutes to try and help the team. People say they would rather have Lita for back up if Doyle or N. Hunt are injured. However look at it the other way. If they are fit, who would you rather have come off the bench? What has Lita ever done from the bench? Nothing. He'll just sulk and unsettle the team if he's on the bench. Long will come on and do his best to make an impact. And he does make an impact. He scored against Norwich and Burnley. He won a penalty at Watford. He scored against Newcastle last season, as well as setting up Hunt against Sunderland, setting up a sitter for Hunt against Blackburn. I remember him turning the game against Bolton a couple of years ago. These aren't isolated examples, he often makes a big impact in just 15 minutes or so. I'd rather have that on my bench than Lita any day.

Maybe if Doyle or Hunt picks up an injury he can lift his game. It could be his chance to prosper, in a confident team playing well with plenty of chances being created. I'd rather have Long over Lita any day and anybody who rates Lita do so because they haven't seen him play for so long.

What happened in Lita's most recent game for Reading? He missed a great chance to win us the game in extra time at Stoke, before putting his penalty over the bar to send us out. Let him go.

[Archie's penalty]

I think we are best rid of Lita but would like someone to replace him. Fryatt of Leicester anyone?

[Plymouth_Royal]

Coppell doesn't like Lita and won't play him. He'll be sold in January. Rightfully so. All players go through good and bad patches. You just have to look at how they react to them. Last season Lita and Doyle were both having a tough time. Lita began sulking and looking like he didn't care when he got his chances in the team. Coppell never saw fit to put him even on the bench at some stages. I remember after the game against Middlesborough Dillon was asked about why Long was put ahead of Lita, and he basically replied "You don't see what we see every day in training." It was obvious that his attitude left a lot to be desired and that is why we keep shipping him out on loan, he's not the sort of player you want around the rest of your squad and being a negative influence.

Compare this to Doyle. You could see the confidence leaving him. His decision making and conviction really suffered, he stopped making the right choices and moves naturally. However you could see a burning desire to set the record straight and he worked so hard all season to fix it. It meant so much to him scoring on the final day at Derby. His attitude through times of adversity is also matched by his attitude when times are good. He stays focussed on what is ahead and doesn't take things for granted. What really impresses me is how he seems to accept a degree of accountability for our relegation last season and wants to set it right himself. He knows that header against Fulham could have made all the difference and indeed other chances.

Who would you rather have at your club? And then you just have to look at scoring records quoted on here. Doyle has scored 3 leagues goals less in half a season so far than Lita has in his entire Reading career, and that stat doesn't even take into consideration how much more work Doyle does for the team.

Long's attitude is also impressive in my view, and he wants to prove he is capable. I wasn't impressed by him against Birmingham, but I know that he will continue to strive to improve and he will happily try and make an impact in 10 minutes to try and help the team. People say they would rather have Lita for back up if Doyle or N. Hunt are injured. However look at it the other way. If they are fit, who would you rather have come off the bench? What has Lita ever done from the bench? Nothing. He'll just sulk and unsettle the team if he's on the bench. Long will come on and do his best to make an impact. And he does make an impact. He scored against Norwich and Burnley. He won a penalty at Watford. He scored against Newcastle last season, as well as setting up Hunt against Sunderland, setting up a sitter for Hunt against Blackburn. I remember him turning the game against Bolton a couple of years ago. These aren't isolated examples, he often makes a big impact in just 15 minutes or so. I'd rather have that on my bench than Lita any day.

Maybe if Doyle or Hunt picks up an injury he can lift his game. It could be his chance to prosper, in a confident team playing well with plenty of chances being created. I'd rather have Long over Lita any day and anybody who rates Lita do so because they haven't seen him play for so long.

What happened in Lita's most recent game for Reading? He missed a great chance to win us the game in extra time at Stoke, before putting his penalty over the bar to send us out. Let him go.

+1

[1871royals]

I'd rather have Long over Lita any day and anybody who rates Lita do so because they haven't seen him play for so long.

It is absolutely ridiculous to slate Lita this season. He’s gone out on loan and scored goals for a poor team. He has proven this season he can score goals at this level. I know its hypothetical but does anyone believe Long would have scored as many goals for Norwich? I certainly don’t.

Lita doesn’t deserve to start, but should be ahead of Long.

Fair enough he scored a free kick on Sat but N Hunts performances have been poor in recent week. He hasn’t got any serious competition, (imo a bit of complacency set in). Long has been here years and never managed to start. There’s a major reason for that, obviously the management don’t rate him highly enough. He may be young but Long is now 21 by this team Leroy had scored 30 +for Bristol City and scored 15+ for Reading.

In 19 league starts Noel Hunt has got 9 goals

In 14 league starts for Norwich Lita has got 7 goals. Considering Leroy is playing in a much poorer team his goal record is extremely impressive.

[Woodcote Royal]

Whatever happens, the only answer is a new striker but until one arrives, the dissappointing Long will remain ahead of the next to useless (for us) Lita.

No guarantee that a new striker would be able to come straight in and give us what we need.

I'm playing devils advocate a bit here but i would doubt that if we did buy a new striker that he would have anything like Lita's record at this level. We know Lita can score regularly enough at this level . We know he has scored regularly enough for us at this level. The only evidence we have that he can't do it in the current set up is 3 solitary games at the start of the season when incidently Doyle didn't score either.

I would still maintain that given a situation where one of Doyle/Hunt weren't available an in-form/match fit Leroy Lita with the motivation of being a free agent at the end of the season would comfortably the best option.

As i say its devils advocate stuff to a degree, Is really only an issue if Doyle/Hunt are injured and the debate is largely redundant if Coppell has decided to wash his hands of him but I can't believe people think its less effective than any of the other options.

I think it's far more important than you suggest.

If one of Hunt or Doyle gets injured we don't have anyone who looks likely to fill the void.

It's not just the first 3 games of this season in which Lita never looked like scoring for us, he managed just one league goal in injury time of the final fixture for the whole of the last campaign, whereas Doyle still managed 6 despite having his most baron season so far at RFC.

Meanwhile, I have to agree with those who feel that Long is currently making no progress at all.

I'd far rather we took a punt on Coppell's astute judgement in the transfer market than rely on either Long or Lita as back-up.

And, lets be honest here, everything suggests that SC has already made his decision regarding Leroy, so I'm guessing that a new striker is already top of next months shopping list

[Ian Royal]

I'd rather have Long over Lita any day and anybody who rates Lita do so because they haven't seen him play for so long.

It is absolutely ridiculous to slate Lita this season. He’s gone out on loan and scored goals for a poor team. He has proven this season he can score goals at this level. I know its hypothetical but does anyone believe Long would have scored as many goals for Norwich? I certainly don’t.

Lita doesn’t deserve to start, but should be ahead of Long.

Fair enough he scored a free kick on Sat but N Hunts performances have been poor in recent week. He hasn’t got any serious competition, (imo a bit of complacency set in). Long has been here years and never managed to start. There’s a major reason for that, obviously the management don’t rate him highly enough. He may be young but Long is now 21 by this team Leroy had scored 30 +for Bristol City and scored 15+ for Reading.

In 19 league starts Noel Hunt has got 9 goals

In 14 league starts for Norwich Lita has got 7 goals. Considering Leroy is playing in a much poorer team his goal record is extremely impressive.

Very impressive, although at least one factual inaccuracy. It does however completely fail to address the issue that Norwich and Reading do not play the same system of football and are not the same club.

Lita may be flourishing in Norwich's system, a system that almost has to be at least partially built around him, as just about their only striker capable of scoring. But he's shown he's not the player for us.

In addition he's openly said he doesn't want to go back to us to sit on the bench, which is exactly where he'd go. NHunt offers more to the team and has scored more goals this season. In OUR team, playing OUR system.

Long is not as good as Lita, but is more useful because he is willing to wait for his chances and try and take them when he gets them. His pace and work ethic brings more to the team than Lita can bring if he isn't scoring.

I'd much rather have neither and instead a good third choice striker who wants to be here. But given the history I'd take Long over Lita for this season.

[Y25]

Apparently his price tag is £300,000 - so ITV say anyway. I assumed we would at least get what we bought him for back. That tells me Reading want rid now.

[S09Royal]

Apparently his price tag is £300,000 - so ITV say anyway. I assumed we would at least get what we bought him for back. That tells me Reading want rid now.

Surely it's better to get something for him in January than nothing at the end of the season?

[Ian Royal]

Maybe Coppell has a replacement lined up, but needs to get rid of a striker before he can bring another in. Maybe he needs to get rid of a couple to bring a new one in...

[rg6royal]

Maybe Coppell has a replacement lined up, but needs to get rid of a striker before he can bring another in. Maybe he needs to get rid of a couple to bring a new one in...

Lets get rid of LOLong then.

[Franchise FC]

Maybe Coppell has a replacement lined up, but needs to get rid of a striker before he can bring another in. Maybe he needs to get rid of a couple to bring a new one in...

David Nugent anyone ? May be a more expensive option, but has a great record at this level, and may complement our current crop. He doesn't seem to be getting a look-in at Pompey, so they must be ripe for taking the money.

[moo]

Moment of my life was Leroy sipping a Smirny Ice in Chameleon, Wokingham and then getting twatted.

[SteveRoyal]

Maybe Coppell has a replacement lined up, but needs to get rid of a striker before he can bring another in. Maybe he needs to get rid of a couple to bring a new one in...

David Nugent anyone ? May be a more expensive option, but has a great record at this level, and may complement our current crop. He doesn't seem to be getting a look-in at Pompey, so they must be ripe for taking the money.

No. Ebanks-Blake.
It's bound to be another foreigner nobody has ever heard of.
Maybe even out of favour Andy Keogh from Wolves?
Pah.

[Archie's penalty]

Maybe Coppell has a replacement lined up, but needs to get rid of a striker before he can bring another in. Maybe he needs to get rid of a couple to bring a new one in...

David Nugent anyone ? May be a more expensive option, but has a great record at this level, and may complement our current crop. He doesn't seem to be getting a look-in at Pompey, so they must be ripe for taking the money.

Completely forgot about him. Would definitely be up for getting him in now. He must be chomping at the bit.