Take away the pens and free kicks....

[KC Royal]

I think the reason why he was so highly regarded was because he scored 20 goals from midfield last season in a largely struggling team, for someone so young that was an amazing achievement. The fact he's come through from the academy counts for something too. Its easy to forget his assists too, don't know what his final assist tally was last season but it must have been around double figures. Its also the excitement of his potential, he's bound to improve.

Both his goals this season have come from open play as it happens, classy finishes too, an example of why he's the most technically gifted player at the club. I don't think that scoring free-kicks should be knocked. In both games i've seen this season (Scunny and Leicester) i've started to think we're becoming a one man team, and yes i'd agree in both those games he has gone missing at times.

Very sad to see him go, he's the finest central midfielder i've seen at the club, wasn't expecting him to go until at least Jan, or more likely next summer, but definitely expected this to be his last season with us. 6m is a good deal for the club though, wasn't expecting more than 3 or 4m at this stage of his career, and he's got the big move i always hoped he would when he eventually left (ie top half prem or equivalent in this case). I do think we'll play more 4-4-2 now, particularly at home, which I consider a good thing. He was one of the main reasons imo why we played 4-5-1, especially at home.

[TBM]

......that Sig scored for us, was he actually that much better than what we already have?

He was good im not denying that but at £6m he wasn't THAT good

Ian Harte will bang in the free kicks and pens for us now, hopefully it will also allow Howard to get forward more which i believe is his better position - defensively he's shaky.

Nothing against Ian Harte but if he is that damn good, why did we not sign him in the first place, rather than using one of the two signings Madejski permitted in order to sign Williams?

That has nothing to do with what i said

I was simply saying that Sig delivered a cracking free kick/penalty and that Ian Harte is just as good, if not better than Sig at doing the same.

[Pablo]

......that Sig scored for us, was he actually that much better than what we already have?

He was good im not denying that but at £6m he wasn't THAT good

Ian Harte will bang in the free kicks and pens for us now, hopefully it will also allow Howard to get forward more which i believe is his better position - defensively he's shaky.

Nothing against Ian Harte but if he is that damn good, why did we not sign him in the first place, rather than using one of the two signings Madejski permitted in order to sign Williams?

That has nothing to do with what i said

I was simply saying that Sig delivered a cracking free kick/penalty and that Ian Harte is just as good, if not better than Sig at doing the same.

We will see

[SCIAG]

Ian Harte won't get in the team ahead of Zurab and Mills though, and he isn't a left back any more!

Is Harte "even better" at free kicks than Gylfi? Hard to say- we don't know how many of his goals were headers (he estimates 9 or 10), and if he simply had more penalties then the amount he scored is pretty irrelevant. Besides, Gylfi's penalty contribution was a very small part of his game, he split duties at least four ways last season with Long, Howard and Church.

[TBM]

Look im not saying Sig was shit or anything - just that at £6m, thats a hell of alot of money and IMHO he is not worth that. Yes he was important for us but i believe we have the players to replace what he did. I think we will see a lot more from Howard now he will be able to get forward and who knows if Hendry signs then he might surprise a few people.

Just trying to cheer everyone up - we've now ballanced the books so no need to sell McAnuff, Mills, Fed, Kebe etc in January.

[SCIAG]

He clearly was worth that, Hoffenheim paid it.

[TBM]

He clearly was worth that, Hoffenheim paid it.

Only cos thats what we asked for - doesn't mean his performances were that of a £6m player

[brendywendy]

A year from now he'll be worth twelve.and in 4 years will play at the highest level.

[Horsham Royal]

...and in 4 years will play at the highest level.

Iceland at the World Cup ?

[joe999]

...and in 4 years will play at the highest level.

Iceland at the World Cup ?

Barcelona. Im serious.

[Horsham Royal]

...and in 4 years will play at the highest level.

Iceland at the World Cup ?

Barcelona. Im serious.

I think WC > La Liga, but hey ho.

[joe999]

I think WC > La Liga, but hey ho.

Yes but Barcelona > Iceland. That's what I meant. I don't deny the world cup is a bigger event, I was talking about the team.

[Kitson12]

Exactly.

It's like the Romans. What did they do for us?

You are Adam Heart-Davis AICMFP.

[Horsham Royal]

I think WC > La Liga, but hey ho.

Yes but Barcelona > Iceland. That's what I meant. I don't deny the world cup is a bigger event, I was talking about the team.

I know. It's late. Sorry.

[Pseud O'Nym]

Exactly.

It's like the Romans. What did they do for us?

You are Adam Heart-Davis AICMFP.

No, I am Adam Hart-Davis, and so is my wife.

[Woodcote Royal]

He picked out passes nobody else would see. He tried through balls rather than the long ball. He could get past players with ease.

Marek Matejovsky could pick out passes nobody else would see and try through balls rather than the long ball too

The trouble was Marek couldn't quite grasp the fact that none of his team mates were sat in the front row of the East Stand.....................................

[buzzbee]

TBH, I think we all knew Gylfi would be gone within the next 12 months. We'd have loved to have kept him, but he was attracting plenty of attention. £7m (Was it £7m? For some reason, I thought it was £6m, but the REP says £7m) for a young championship player is extremely high. I wonder if Royals set the price high to try to discourage clubs from signing him? Hasselhoffenheim have a sugar-daddy who is forking out money for fun right now. If he is going to offer more than the current market value, it's right to take the money, because if we wait until next season, we are unlikely to get more than that, even if he has another season like last term. If he doesn't do so well, we will not get anywhere near that. I would say there is no chance that we would ever get more, so I think it makes financial sense to take that price. There's also a respect issue for the player, who has done well for the club. We always knew we would lose him pretty soon. He has the chance to earn a decent pay-packet, playing for the leaders of the German league. It's a big opportunity for him.

Has the money just been pocketed? I guess some has, but it was money the club needed. However, some has been invested back. We may not have gone and signed someone for £7m, but we now have Harte, Zurab, probably Hendrie and BM has said he will be looking at who fails to make their premier league 25, with a view to taking someone else on loan. All in, it looks like we will have a higher wage bill as a result. Some of the £7m we got for Gylfi will go on player wages.

Like everyone, I am gutted to see Gylfi go, but I am starting to think we have come out of the final day of the transfer market in a better situation. If we get Hendrie and he is anything like a 33 year old version of the Villa Hendrie, he will be a decent replacement for Gylfi and I think he would provide a better link to Shane Long. He would just be that bit more advanced. As has been said, Harte is a free kick specialist and penalty taker, so we haven't lost that. I have been disappointed with Williams and think Harte is a big upgrade on him and Zurab will make a big difference in the centre

We lost our best player and have not signed anyone as good. But we have signed guys that will improve our problem areas and collectively go some way to filing the hole that Gylfi leaves. So, as a whole, I think we have a better team

I am optimistic. I know it bucks the trend - Sorry

[Millsy]

TBH, I think we all knew Gylfi would be gone within the next 12 months. We'd have loved to have kept him, but he was attracting plenty of attention. £7m (Was it £7m? For some reason, I thought it was £6m, but the REP says £7m) for a young championship player is extremely high. I wonder if Royals set the price high to try to discourage clubs from signing him? Hasselhoffenheim have a sugar-daddy who is forking out money for fun right now. If he is going to offer more than the current market value, it's right to take the money, because if we wait until next season, we are unlikely to get more than that, even if he has another season like last term. If he doesn't do so well, we will not get anywhere near that. I would say there is no chance that we would ever get more, so I think it makes financial sense to take that price. There's also a respect issue for the player, who has done well for the club. We always knew we would lose him pretty soon. He has the chance to earn a decent pay-packet, playing for the leaders of the German league. It's a big opportunity for him.

Has the money just been pocketed? I guess some has, but it was money the club needed. However, some has been invested back. We may not have gone and signed someone for £7m, but we now have Harte, Zurab, probably Hendrie and BM has said he will be looking at who fails to make their premier league 25, with a view to taking someone else on loan. All in, it looks like we will have a higher wage bill as a result. Some of the £7m we got for Gylfi will go on player wages.

Like everyone, I am gutted to see Gylfi go, but I am starting to think we have come out of the final day of the transfer market in a better situation. If we get Hendrie and he is anything like a 33 year old version of the Villa Hendrie, he will be a decent replacement for Gylfi and I think he would provide a better link to Shane Long. He would just be that bit more advanced. As has been said, Harte is a free kick specialist and penalty taker, so we haven't lost that. I have been disappointed with Williams and think Harte is a big upgrade on him and Zurab will make a big difference in the centre

We lost our best player and have not signed anyone as good. But we have signed guys that will improve our problem areas and collectively go some way to filing the hole that Gylfi leaves. So, as a whole, I think we have a better team

I am optimistic. I know it bucks the trend - Sorry

Good post thanks.

I especially like the theory about getting moe than was worth for Gylfi.

I guess one player never makes a team.

[Y21_Royal]

TBH, I think we all knew Gylfi would be gone within the next 12 months. We'd have loved to have kept him, but he was attracting plenty of attention. £7m (Was it £7m? For some reason, I thought it was £6m, but the REP says £7m) for a young championship player is extremely high. I wonder if Royals set the price high to try to discourage clubs from signing him? Hasselhoffenheim have a sugar-daddy who is forking out money for fun right now. If he is going to offer more than the current market value, it's right to take the money, because if we wait until next season, we are unlikely to get more than that, even if he has another season like last term. If he doesn't do so well, we will not get anywhere near that. I would say there is no chance that we would ever get more, so I think it makes financial sense to take that price. There's also a respect issue for the player, who has done well for the club. We always knew we would lose him pretty soon. He has the chance to earn a decent pay-packet, playing for the leaders of the German league. It's a big opportunity for him.

Has the money just been pocketed? I guess some has, but it was money the club needed. However, some has been invested back. We may not have gone and signed someone for £7m, but we now have Harte, Zurab, probably Hendrie and BM has said he will be looking at who fails to make their premier league 25, with a view to taking someone else on loan. All in, it looks like we will have a higher wage bill as a result. Some of the £7m we got for Gylfi will go on player wages.

Like everyone, I am gutted to see Gylfi go, but I am starting to think we have come out of the final day of the transfer market in a better situation. If we get Hendrie and he is anything like a 33 year old version of the Villa Hendrie, he will be a decent replacement for Gylfi and I think he would provide a better link to Shane Long. He would just be that bit more advanced. As has been said, Harte is a free kick specialist and penalty taker, so we haven't lost that. I have been disappointed with Williams and think Harte is a big upgrade on him and Zurab will make a big difference in the centre

We lost our best player and have not signed anyone as good. But we have signed guys that will improve our problem areas and collectively go some way to filing the hole that Gylfi leaves. So, as a whole, I think we have a better team

I am optimistic. I know it bucks the trend - Sorry

PotD I think!

[AbovetheI]

He picked out passes nobody else would see. He tried through balls rather than the long ball. He could get past players with ease.

Hang about...

When Matejovsky did that for us, everyone hated him.