Shane Long - New Contract

[wolsey]

Should've ditched this clown and given Rasiak a new contract, at least he'd have scored some goals.

Are you insane.....rasiak was slow but always got goals, but id rather have long...at least he's young and will terrorise defences, rasiak was more likely to have a sleep in the centre circle then pop up with a goal when he could be bothered

long isnt brilliant but he's a good squad player to have as he adds something different to out setup

Agree with all that, but the main reason is....

Brian rates his value to the team and Lee doesn't.

[Scarface]

Great, another 2 years of watching Shane Long not score goals and balls bounce of his legs, thigh and chest as he tries to control it.

They'll be offering Alex Pearce a new contract next.

[londinium]

Great, another 2 years of watching Shane Long not score goals and balls bounce of his legs, thigh and chest as he tries to control it.

They'll be offering Alex Pearce a new contract next.

Don't agree with you about Long... his control is 100 times better than it used to be and he has had a pretty thankless task recently being just a target man (which I think he has done well).

Also remember him being the only one in the team (including the likes of Doyle and Hunt) that made any effort to keep us in the play offs 2 seasons ago from February onwards when the rest of the team conspired to throw away a perfect oportunity to bounce back to the Premiership by playing sh1t.

Can't disagree with you about Pearce though......... to slow, no mobility and can't read the game!!!!!

[Pablo]

Rasiak played 18 (18) = 21 games for us and scored 10 goals

That's not bad is it?





But he wasn't pretty...

Snowball do you have the goalscoring list for Reading for this calandar year?

[andrew1957]

Great, another 2 years of watching Shane Long not score goals and balls bounce of his legs, thigh and chest as he tries to control it.

They'll be offering Alex Pearce a new contract next.

Is that the same Alex Pearce who is already contracted until June 2013?

[Snowball]

These managers and coaches, dey doan no nuffin

[Ian Royal]

Great, another 2 years of watching Shane Long not score goals and balls bounce of his legs, thigh and chest as he tries to control it.

They'll be offering Alex Pearce a new contract next.

Is that the same Alex Pearce who is already contracted until June 2013?

And iirc won a player of the month award didn't he?

[jonboy29red]

good decision to give him a new contract what people forget is who found shane long... BMD so he must of seen sometihng in him to bring him over also dont forget he came in to football late as his background was playing hurling yes he is raw but that will help him

[Snowball]

Agreed, Ian. Pearce is a good player. We have a lot of promising kids and the future looks bright.

The transition will be tricky, going from having Griffin, Harte, Ingi, Gunnarson, Zurab, Howard, Armstrong, McAnuff and Kebe as old hands,
so I expect to miss out this year, possibly struggle a bit next year with an overall too-young side, but then?

-------------Federici (25)
Cummings (21) --- Pearce (21) --- Mills (24) --- Kelly (21)
Antonio (20) --- Tabb (26)--- Karacan (21)--- HRK (21)
---------Long (23) ---- Church (21)

If Kelly was fit for a season, or Williams got some real form, that side could
hold mid-table couldn't it? (if Cummings can play like he did in his recent run)

Average age 22!!!


and

26 Noel Hunt
24 Williams
18 Jake Taylor
20 Bignall

etc

[prostak]

Most of those younger players (19 and 20-year-olds) have been unconvincing at this level. I don't want to write any of them off, but it doesn't seem unreasonable to expect at least one of them to have made an impact already.

[Snowball]

Most of those younger players (19 and 20-year-olds) have been unconvincing at this level. I don't want to write any of them off, but it doesn't seem unreasonable to expect at least one of them to have made an impact already.

Cummings (21) was being raved about when he metamorphosised into a player. Karacan (21) is definitely good enough to play in the championship. I think Pearce (21) is an amazing centre-back for his age and I'd be happy to see him come in right now for Millsy. At 25 he will be much better. HRK will be a very good winger at this level. He has skill and power, he just needs games. I think Antonio (20) might be a lot better than this level. he's raw as hell but he has something special. My guess is, if we don't lose him, he'll replace Kebe and be as good as him. Not see enough of an unijured Kelly to be sure. Mills (24) will be a much better CB when he's matured mentally.

[Wimb]

Most of those younger players (19 and 20-year-olds) have been unconvincing at this level. I don't want to write any of them off, but it doesn't seem unreasonable to expect at least one of them to have made an impact already.

Cummings (21) was being raved about when he metamorphosised into a player. Karacan (21) is definitely good enough to play in the championship. I think Pearce (21) is an amazing centre-back for his age and I'd be happy to see him come in right now for Millsy. At 25 he will be much better. HRK will be a very good winger at this level. He has skill and power, he just needs games. I think Antonio (20) might be a lot better than this level. he's raw as hell but he has something special. My guess is, if we don't lose him, he'll replace Kebe and be as good as him. Not see enough of an unijured Kelly to be sure. Mills (24) will be a much better CB when he's matured mentally.

For twice in the space of 3 days I'm actually going to have to agree, at least in part, with Snowball

I think Karacan and Church have already made a decent impact at this level, the same with Mills and Long. They aren't quite there yet but I'd argue they've certainly broken through. There's also been glimpses from HRK, Antonio, Kelly while Williams and Cummings aren't the worst I've ever seen at this level.

[Snowball]

Steady on, Wimb!

[Alan Partridge]

Blimey just seen the goal, 'what a hit son, what a hit' .

[Snowball]

Bloke next to me had just said, "Long scores all his goals from six yards."

[Alan Partridge]

Bloke next to me had just said, "Long scores all his goals from six yards."

Before that he might have had a point! He's never hit one like that beforem not that i can remember anyway. Great goal.

[brendywendy]

Great, another 2 years of watching Shane Long not score goals and balls bounce of his legs, thigh and chest as he tries to control it.

They'll be offering Alex Pearce a new contract next.

Don't agree with you about Long... his control is 100 times better than it used to be and he has had a pretty thankless task recently being just a target man (which I think he has done well).

Also remember him being the only one in the team (including the likes of Doyle and Hunt) that made any effort to keep us in the play offs 2 seasons ago from February onwards when the rest of the team conspired to throw away a perfect oportunity to bounce back to the Premiership by playing sh1t.

Can't disagree with you about Pearce though......... to slow, no mobility and can't read the game!!!!!

harsh-hed actually looked commanding in his last three games, and i think is now better than mills who is going backwards

[brendywendy]

Bloke next to me had just said, "Long scores all his goals from six yards."

Before that he might have had a point! He's never hit one like that before not that i can remember anyway. Great goal.

seen him score a few from the edge of the box.
but probably not as good as that

[Snowball]

Bloke next to me had just said, "Long scores all his goals from six yards."

Before that he might have had a point! He's never hit one like that before, not that i can remember anyway. Great goal.

He had a goal versus Derby last year, got the ball 30 yards out, beat his man, shot and scored, say 28 yards.

I could only find one other 30 yarder which forced a good save.

He doesn't take lots of long pot-shots that go to waste...

[Snowball]

seen him score a few from the edge of the box.
but probably not as good as that

I couldn't find them, Brendy. I posted all his goals and distances in the "Long, Time to Go" thread