Long - Time to go.

[Maguire]

Have put ten sheets on Long to score today. If he doesn't then i'm folding this thread.

[Wimb]

Have put ten sheets on Long to score today. If he doesn't then i'm folding this thread.

'grats Mags, returns?

Anyway another good display by Mr Long doing all his does best. Have to admit he's really growing into the lead striker role and if only the boy could put away a chance we'd have quite a player.

[Wycombe Royal]

Have put ten sheets on Long to score today. If he doesn't then i'm folding this thread.

'grats Mags, returns?

Anyway another good display by Mr Long doing all his does best. Have to admit he's really growing into the lead striker role and if only the boy could put away a chance we'd have quite a player.

I'm beginning to see more and more of a likeness to Emile Heskey in the way Long plays and the way the fans love him........

[Wimb]

A good comparison actually.

When his team wins it's all about Heskey's ability to hold up the ball and provide chances/space for others but when they lose it's 'Heskey can't score, useless ratio' etc etc.

[Wycombe Royal]

Oh and just in case anyone thinks I am criticising Long there, my comparison to Heskey is a compliment. The problem we have is that we have been using Long as a lone striker and are therefore expecting him to score goals, when scoring goals is noit one of his best attributes.

[Big Foot]

Once again he proves his phobia of scoring from open play. There was 2 seconds yesterday which summed Shane up as a player - his sublime chest control from Harte's ball in and then his freezing like a hedgehog caught halfaway across the road preparing to die when the keeper came towards him and saved his poor shot.

[Snowball]

Once again he proves his phobia of scoring from open play. There was 2 seconds yesterday which summed Shane up as a player - his sublime chest control from Harte's ball in and then his freezing like a hedgehog caught halfaway across the road preparing to die when the keeper came towards him and saved his poor shot.

And of course, not wanting to miss, will have nothing to do with fans on his back.

[Wimb]

God Snowball the man gets paid £10k a week or there abouts to play football and part of that job is to deal with a few idiots on his back. If he hasn't got the mental toughness to deal with that then he won't go far.

[Big Foot]

Once again he proves his phobia of scoring from open play. There was 2 seconds yesterday which summed Shane up as a player - his sublime chest control from Harte's ball in and then his freezing like a hedgehog caught halfaway across the road preparing to die when the keeper came towards him and saved his poor shot.

And of course, not wanting to miss, will have nothing to do with fans on his back.

I refer you to my post back on page 50

Long had a great game up until Church went off, his attitude suddenly changed and he looked sluggish and disinterested.

Wonder how many more interviews he's gonna give to the press about "dis next game will be da oine for me to make moi mark"

Well like us he knows there's a lot more variety and space-making 442, and that being the 1 in 451 is a hard slog... Also when we looked like we were gonna try to nick the 1-0, maybe that's a downer for a striker

Either way, I'd call his professionalism into doubt

[Snowball]

God Snowball the man gets paid £10k a week or there abouts to play football and part of that job is to deal with a few idiots on his back. If he hasn't got the mental toughness to deal with that then he won't go far.

A few? A FEW!


Where does it say that the amount of money you are paid is inversely proportional
to your propensity to feel pressure, hurt, dismay or any other such emotion?

If booing a player or applauding his substitution HAS NO EFFECT why do so many drongos do it?


Did you see Hodgson's face on TV when they were chanting "Dalgleish"?

What's he on, 5 Million a year... and he's old, hard, wise, about 60. Tell me it didn't hurt and wouldn't affect him.


Why are Reading fans called the 13th man? Because how the crowd behaves can affect how the players play.

You can't have it both ways.

[Snowball]

God Snowball the man gets paid £10k a week or there abouts to play football and part of that job is to deal with a few idiots on his back. If he hasn't got the mental toughness to deal with that then he won't go far.

and please don't use my real name in public

[PEARCEY]

Thing is that anyone who has seen Long play this season will have seen he has given 100% every time,given the opposition centre-half a really hard time and won a number of penalties.He should have scored in open play yesterday but credit to the Norwich keeper for making the save. Playing all three of Hunt,Long and Church will I'm sure result in more gaols being scored. All three have now started to find the net and I see no reason why that won't continue.
After a shambolic first-half its the defense that now worries me.

[Wimb]

and please don't use my real name in public

ok that was actually pretty funny

A few? A FEW!


Where does it say that the amount of money you are paid is inversely proportional
to your propensity to feel pressure, hurt, dismay or any other such emotion?

If booing a player or applauding his substitution HAS NO EFFECT why do so many drongos do it?


Did you see Hodgson's face on TV when they were chanting "Dalgleish"?

What's he on, 5 Million a year... and he's old, hard, wise, about 60. Tell me it didn't hurt and wouldn't affect him.


Why are Reading fans called the 13th man? Because how the crowd behaves can affect how the players play.

You can't have it both ways.

I'm not saying it doesn't affect him, however a players ability to deal with said pressure is part of what makes up his value to the team and quality as a professional footballer.

Everyone is human and the fact is 0 people booing Shane Long will benefit him more then 10,50, 500, 1000 people booing him. HOWEVER people pay their money and are entitled to (within reason) voice their pleasure or displeasure with the product displayed. If someone doesn't like Long and choses to boo him then that's their choice.

We'd all like every fan to get 100% behind the team but that's not always possible and if it effects Long that much then he's in the wrong business, the same way a Lion Tamer is probably in the wrong business if he's afraid of large animals with big teeth, it goes with the territory.

[Snowball]

Thing is that anyone who has seen Long play this season will have seen he has given 100% every time,given the opposition centre-half a really hard time and won a number of penalties.He should have scored in open play yesterday but credit to the Norwich keeper for making the save. Playing all three of Hunt,Long and Church will I'm sure result in more gaols being scored. All three have now started to find the net and I see no reason why that won't continue.
After a shambolic first-half its the defense that now worries me.

Agreed. A couple of times in the first half, the "three-some" looked like it could work really, really well.

When a striker plays well, laying off etc (Long did) wins a penalty and scores it (Long did)
and has at least two other shots both needing decent saves (Long did), sets up one on a
plate (Long did) I begin to wonder what it is fans expect from a Championship player.

Perhaps he should change his name to Doyle. Had Doyle done no more or less than Long
did yesterday, this lot would have creamed themselves and said the other ten let him down.

[Snowball]

Everyone is human

I dispute that

We'd all like every fan to get 100% behind the team but that's not always possible and if it effects Long that much then he's in the wrong business, the same way a Lion Tamer is probably in the wrong business if he's afraid of large animals with big teeth, it goes with the territory.

I think the players should come in half an hour early and stand outside the players' entrance
and boo all the fat, ugly and stupid people. They'd need to do it in shifts though, so as not to get tired out.

[Wimb]

Everyone is human

I dispute that

We'd all like every fan to get 100% behind the team but that's not always possible and if it effects Long that much then he's in the wrong business, the same way a Lion Tamer is probably in the wrong business if he's afraid of large animals with big teeth, it goes with the territory.

I think the players should come in half an hour early and stand outside the players' entrance
and boo all the fat, ugly and stupid people. They'd need to do it in shifts though, so as not to get tired out.

[Ian Royal]

snowball seems to be genuinely heading towards some sort of mental collapse at the moment.

[Wimb]

snowball seems to be genuinely heading towards some sort of mental collapse at the moment.

Do you have any stats to back that up Ian

[Snowball]

snowball seems to be genuinely heading towards some sort of mental collapse at the moment.

Did you hear that on the radio, Ian?

I'm really a happy, contented bunny right now. Watched a flesh and blood game in the outdoors yesterday (with real people kicking an actual ball)
came home to a nice meal with some nice wine, fell asleep on the sofa, woke up to Shane lacing home that penalty.

Went to be and slept well, nice bacon butty for brekkie, do a couple of hours A-Level maths with my daughter,
wrote a few words for the writing school I run, doodle here for a bit, then get ready to watch Arsenal on the box.


My friend Leonardo is coming round later to show me his new pink time-machine.

[Wimb]

You know

As much as I find Snowball utterly utterly infuriating with his stats and his demeanour to being questioned on said stats.

He's actually sparked more debate/discussion on this board over the last month or so then anyone else and made it compulsive daily reading