Back from the game..... Donny Rovers

[PEARCEY]

Rodgers = potential

Or from an STG point of view Rodgers=potential disaster.

[AthleticoSpizz]

even Sir Alex had to start somewhere

[ONLY 1 ROBIN FRIDAY]

Howard was Man of the Match and will be our player of the season this year, after another ex Sheff Utd player in Armsrong last year! Harper back and player of season in 2010/11!!

[Whore Jackie]

Indeed. Little old Doncaster are a decent enough team - only M'Boro and Newcastle have conceded fewer goals than them so far this season.

They looked to be giving us a pretty comprehensive lesson on how to play passing football IMO. Just lack a decent threat upfront.

They were exactly the same last season. We didn't deserve all three points then.

[winchester_royal]

Rodgers = potential

Or from an STG point of view Rodgers=potential disaster.

Fascinated as to how you'd support a claim like that.

[Ryn]

Rodgers = potential

Or from an STG point of view Rodgers=potential disaster.

Fascinated as to how you'd support a claim like that.

Erm, our results so far this season? The league table doesn't lie.

[rhroyal]

How long did it take Fergie to get Man Untd 'bedded in''????

How can you compare Reading to ManU, and how can you compare Rodgers to Ferguson??
Ferguson had taken Aberdeen to European cup glory, in the process beating both Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, BEFORE he joined Manchester United. You could say he was already an accomplished manager, and highly rated.
Rodgers on the other hand has done NOTHING, he hasn't even managed for a full season yet.
The two are entirely opposing entities.

Fergie had never managed a club anything like the size of Man Utd. For all they knew he could have bottled it at a bigger club with far greater expectations and pressure. Some managers do that. They gave him time and their faith was definitely repaid.

Rodgers has managed a club similar to our size. He may have only spent 6 months there, but I'd say that they were a successful 6 months. He's inexperienced, but it is perfectly acceptable to look use his time at Watford as an indicator as it was in the same division with a similarly sized club. To expect somebody to be successful at Man Utd just because they can work wonders at Aberdeen on the other hand, is ever so slightly naive.

Fergie needed time, so does Rodgers. The words I hear on this board are represent the modern day mentality of needing success now, a mentality that is ruining the game in my view.

[winchester_royal]

Erm, our results so far this season? The league table doesn't lie.

16 = disaster does it??

Young squad, rebuilding a team, learning to play a new style of football.....it all means we'll take time to get to the place we once were.

Rodgers turned Watford around eventually, and he'll turn us round. There has been absolutely nothing so far to suggest we'll be relegation fodder come March.

[papereyes]

The big negative was the thrashing on television, imo. Because people saw us get utterly done over by a Premiership midfield.
Also, I think, people got suckered into thinking that maybe we'd see Newcastle implode rather than, well, us.

And also that more people saw that game than, say, this weekends.

We're also not scoring and this needs sorting - are we persisting with a formation in spite of the players we have? That would be stupid unless we're looking for the right striker to come in ASAP.

I think we'll see a gradual improvement over the season and perhaps spring a surprise or two as we hit the last handful of games.

[Archie's penalty]

The big negative was the thrashing on television, imo. Because people saw us get utterly done over by a Premiership midfield.
Also, I think, people got suckered into thinking that maybe we'd see Newcastle implode rather than, well, us.

And also that more people saw that game than, say, this weekends.

We're also not scoring and this needs sorting - are we persisting with a formation in spite of the players we have? That would be stupid unless we're looking for the right striker to come in ASAP.

I think we'll see a gradual improvement over the season and perhaps spring a surprise or two as we hit the last handful of games.

Yep so you're thinking about 10-12th regarding final position? Me too.

We're not that bad and we're not that good.

Nhunt is a very good striker for this level. With him and Rasiak up front I would begin to be positive.

Hate having one up front when neither of the players can do it. Oh and if the one up front is not a certain Nicky Forster.

[papereyes]

Yep so you're thinking about 10-12th regarding final position? Me too.

We're not that bad and we're not that good.

It depends on our attitude towards the end of the season. Had we snatched a goal against Doncaster, we'd be around there already. I reckon it'll be rocky for a few more weeks - maybe avoiding Newcastle-style thrashings but we're getting our act together in the harsh light of a season in progress.

But say we're 10th-ISH with 6 games to go.

The attitude of the club then could be the difference between a surprisingly good season and a mediocre one.

[Archie's penalty]

Yep so you're thinking about 10-12th regarding final position? Me too.

We're not that bad and we're not that good.

It depends on our attitude towards the end of the season. Had we snatched a goal against Doncaster, we'd be around there already. I reckon it'll be rocky for a few more weeks - maybe avoiding Newcastle-style thrashings but we're getting our act together in the harsh light of a season in progress.

But say we're 10th-ISH with 6 games to go.

The attitude of the club then could be the difference between a surprisingly good season and a mediocre one.

Well if we are 10th-ISH with 6 games to go we will most probs have a chance of the playoffs...

The most important thing is to have a settled team, start fighting for each other and having two up front imho.

Buck needs to stop spouting crap and get down to the business of scrapping for points...

[statto]

Ideal makes a valid point, it's all very well "rebuilding" however, we've got to win games and collect points along the way, otherwise we could see a scenario where we're 13th or so in February and for whatever reason lose a few games, nerves start to kick in and a group of very inexperienced players suddenly find themselves in a relegation battle.

With the disaster of the last relegation campaign fresh in the mind, it all goes tits up and Reading end up back in Division 2.

I don't think it'll happen, but it's another scenario isn't it?

My own hope is that the games at least get more interesting than Saturdays, which was horribly boring.

I can't imagine too many people will be wrapped up in Reading FC if it's clear from Christmas we'll finish mid-table.

[Ian Royal]

There is a major problem with these "future points" arguments.
They are based on the presumption that we will amass a huge number of points in the future.
What makes it so easy to presume we can just go and grab points at our own will, when we are struggling to do so now?

Time is now. The point of league play is to gain points consistently throughout a season. If we don't start picking up points, very soon the alarmbells should be ringing for everyone, also the RTGs.

Why does everyone seem to assume that we shall, as if by magic, suddenly get into form as the season progresses and win win win? Why should it be easier then? Will not the opposing teams also come into form? It's the same for everyone, every team will be more match fit - not just us. So why should it be so much easier to win?

Because we've young players, plenty of new signings, a new manager, a new system and new tactics.

We were always going to start slowly. We will improve. Currently all of the bottom 8 or 9 are on near certain relegation form, and most the top 8 are close to auto promotion form. It's SIX games. Our only defeats came against two teams that will be contending for the title. We're already proving that we can match the teams we are likely to be competing with this season.

Once we settle on a consistent first eleven with players that compliment each other we'll do alright.

And to whoever said the League table doesn't lie. Well it does at this stage, because the sample of games is insignificant. I point your attention to Burnley and Sunderland who have both recently started out at the bottom in the first few games and ended promoted. Did the table not lie about their prospects?

[Royal Lady]

when, for example, Coppell was a new manager, with new tactics, and he brought in new players, how did we fare early doors? I don't know the answer, so I'd be interested to see if it was a comparable start to this one. If not, it rather blows that idea out of the water, of course. If it was the same sort of start, then it should give us a glimmer of hope that things can get better.

[Vision]

There is a major problem with these "future points" arguments.
They are based on the presumption that we will amass a huge number of points in the future.
What makes it so easy to presume we can just go and grab points at our own will, when we are struggling to do so now?

Time is now. The point of league play is to gain points consistently throughout a season. If we don't start picking up points, very soon the alarmbells should be ringing for everyone, also the RTGs.

Why does everyone seem to assume that we shall, as if by magic, suddenly get into form as the season progresses and win win win? Why should it be easier then? Will not the opposing teams also come into form? It's the same for everyone, every team will be more match fit - not just us. So why should it be so much easier to win?

I don't think there are too many clubs whose management and playing personnel has changed as drastically as ours has in the last few months. Surely it's not entirely outrageous to suggest that it will take a bit of time for it all to settle down and we start to see improvements.

We've picked up 4 points from our last 2 games by the way, its not like we're in the middle of a massive slump.

Seems to me it's been so long since we've been in this situation that some fans seem to have forgotten how long it takes to build a successful side if you're not simply going to throw extortinate amounts of money at it.

I've said before but if you think about the 3 most successful periods in our modern history then McGhee, Pardew & Coppell all took 3 seasons (with several peaks and troughs) to build and refine their teams until they got to their peak.

Quite why people expect Rodgers to have it sussed within 6 games is a mystery really unless they secretly all believed in what Royalee and Woodcote were predicting before the start of the season.

[AthleticoSpizz]

(in response to RL)
I recall a succession of 3-0 defeats to the likes of Wimbledon and Palace who were languishing in the relegation zone.

[Ian Royal]

(in response to RL)
I recall a succession of 3-0 defeats to the likes of Wimbledon and Palace who were languishing in the relegation zone.

Can't remember when he started, Think he did allright in the first few games, not great, not awful. But we did slump massively in December and January. Those 3 awful 3-0s and I'm not sure we won in eithe of those months.

I know a lot of people (myself included) weren't happy with him at the time. I know I wanted someone who showed a bit more passion and determination and gave the players a verbal kicking when needed.

We all make mistakes.

[AthleticoSpizz]

(in response to RL)
I recall a succession of 3-0 defeats to the likes of Wimbledon and Palace who were languishing in the relegation zone.

According to soccerbase it looks like you recalled very wrong. (posted the actual results)

Seems Mr. Coppell won 8 out of 11 matches when he took over??

look a little further into the season..try a month or so, three successive 3-0 reversals (at least two of which were at home.....how can anyone who was there forget those?)

[Ryn]

How long will it take for the entire new team to 'bed in' though? That is what concerns me.

How much allowance do we make? Do we still say, come Christmas, that Rodgers just needs some time?