1) Goalkeeping - no problems from me in this department. Hahnemann still has what it takes to play at this level, although his error on Sunday was almost unforgivable. He has a more than adequate understudy in Federici, and we have other young goalkeepers behind him in Andersen and Hamer, the latter of which has shown he can hack it at League 2 level. Whether he can progress from there remains to be seen.
2) We have a relatively solid defence - we conceded only 40 goals this season, which is 2nd only to Birmingham and Sheffield United. A sound defensive footing is something Coppell teams are based on, so I do not expect this statistic to change a great deal if the current managerial incumbent stays. Some of the defensive players may not be the best with the ball at their feet, but their defensive abilities are, on the whole, pretty sound. Our full backs need to have a bit more nous about them, and more of an understanding with the wingers. Shorey/Convey and Murty/Little had this, and I'm yet to see a Reading foursome with such an inside-out knowledge of each others game. In that aspect, Rosenior and Armstrong really need to up their games.
3) We have some very good strikers, an attacking force that most teams in the Championship would pay a lot of money for - Kevin Doyle, we know, can score goals. He averages 1 in every 3 games, although his goals over the past 3 years have come in fits and spurts. Noel Hunt has shown he can stick a chance away, and for a shortish striker is phenomenal in the air. Shane Long has 9 goals this term, by far and away his best return in professional football and could easily go on and have a 20+ season in this division. Despite the lack of goals recently, we still ended up with the 2nd best goalscoring record in the division behind Wolves. Taking chances is not necessarily a problem with the current team.
4) Here's the main aspect of the debate in my opinion - the midfield.
a) Our central midfield pairing has been chopped and changed throughout the season. Whatever midfield pairing we have had has big flaws, be it vulnerability to a counter attack (Gunnarsson/Matejovsky), a failure to dominate and dictate a game (any midfield with Harper in it), a failure to be able to last 90 minutes (any pairing with Gunnarsson in it), a lack of muscle and height (Tabb/Karacan), a lack of creativity (Cisse/Harper). The analysis could be endless, but with the central midfield players we have, I believe a settled pairing is capable of dominating a game whatever formation they come up against, and my own personal preference would be Matejovsky and Karacan, the latter who I believe could grow to be a homegrown replacement for Steve Sidwell given an opportunity. However, the midfield pairing should be able to defend well (with Matejovsky in the team this aspect would fall on the shoulders of his partner) and assist the wingers in creating chances, or opening up space for them to play.
b) Our wingers are massively overrated and inconsistent, despite notching up far and away the most assists for any team in the division. Given wingers with more ability to create something when they are constantly marked throughout a game and denied space, we would have created more chances in the 2nd half of the season. Hunt and Kebe both shown that they are not up to this job, and therefore need to be replaced ASAP. To carry on from the strikers, creating chances has suddenly become a big problem with this team and to me it is clear that the wingers have been given special treatment by opposition tacticians. If you deny Hunt and Kebe space to play by pushing them up the field or doubling up on them, you seriously handicap Reading.
I think, looking back at the 46 games I've seen this season, the wingers should be replaced as a matter of urgency, and the ageing squad players should be gradually replaced over the next 12 months. Some, such as Gunnarsson, may be good enough to fill a place on the bench or as an emergency starter over the next season, but will need to be replaced as a secondary priority. I'd be happy for the ageing defensive players to stay if we stay in the Championship, they're more than adequate. The attack needs no tinkering because it just oozes goals given the chances (and if Doyle in particular decides to stay).
Rip that to shreds if you can be arsed to read it
