Replacements for Long (if he goes)

[Cypry]

The greater worry is Long's overall team play. Pace, strength, deceptively good in the air and a great work rate. We don't really have another striker with all this.

Although watching Hunt last night, he was playing the "Long role" pretty well - high work rate, winning headers, little flicks for Williams to run onto - if he can sustain the work rate, and stay injury free he might help fill this gap...

[Hiram K Hackenbacker]

I agree

[The Prisoner]

BMcD now saying we could bring someone in if/when Shane goes, just that it won't be "like for like" as Shane is irreplaceable. Ahhhhhh.

http://www.getreading.co.uk/sport/football/readingfc/s/2097596_brian_mcdermott_keen_for_shane_longs_future_to_be_sorted

[Victor Meldrew]

Brian's comments are quite understandable in that "like for like" is almost impossible.
Most of our attacking play has been based on hitting teams on the break both home and away using the pace of both Long and our two wingers.
At Liverpool they have pushed the boat out to get players in to provide crosses for the big striker-perhaps we would now go that way if Long were to go and that might mean a slower approach to forward play.
Amongst the rest of our strikers we don't have a hold-up central striker like a Grant Holt or Graham so I wouldn't be surprised if we went for that sort of player.
If we want to get somebody similar to Long the obvious one is the much mentioned Simon Cox.
He may not be as strong as Long both in the air and in closing down defenders but he is just as quick and probably has better control and is not so weak on his left side.
As far as finishing goes Cox might be better and from the Irish manager's perspective (as mentioned in one of the many Long topics) Cox looks to be ahead of Long based on the very important recent Euro qualifier when Long was available.

With the window closing in just over 3 weeks' time we have to hope that Long doesn't get injured as the club surely does not wish to miss out on the £3 or £4 million of transfer fee when we would get nothing at the end of the season.

[Extended-Phenotype]

Why the heck wasn't his contract renewed last season?

"Well run club" is the excuse we are given when we don't invest money in the team. But now we are being forced to sell our best player because nobody thought to put a reminder in Outlook?

FFS.

[M-U-R-T-Y]

Why the heck wasn't his contract renewed last season?

Because it didn't make a blind bit of difference for Gylfi/Hunt/Doyle who all left after being given new contracts, so the club probably wants to save his wage increase. For now.

[Cypry]

Why the heck wasn't his contract renewed last season?

Because it didn't make a blind bit of difference for Gylfi/Hunt/Doyle who all left after being given new contracts, so the club probably wants to save his wage increase. For now.

and at this time last year, who would have predicted that Long would be worth what he is now....?

[Hoop Blah]

If I remember rightly Long did sign a new contract last season, not long before Christmas wasn't it?

The club and the player agreed on new terms and a length to suit both sides of the deal.

[specialjon]

If we want to get somebody similar to Long the obvious one is the much mentioned Simon Cox.
He may not be as strong as Long both in the air and in closing down defenders but he is just as quick and probably has better control and is not so weak on his left side.
As far as finishing goes Cox might be better and from the Irish manager's perspective (as mentioned in one of the many Long topics) Cox looks to be ahead of Long based on the very important recent Euro qualifier when Long was available.

I don't think they're similar players and you've just outlines why. I think Long is a hold up central striker and Cox isn't.

[Hoop Blah]

Long doesn't really hold the ball up though. He does occassionally of course, but his strength, and the way we use him most, is running in behind the back four and working down the channels to try and produce something.

He's decent in the air, especially for his height, and so he'll win a fair number of flick on's but he doesn't generally play with his back to goal and retain possession to link up with the midfield as you'd expect a 'hold up' forward to do.

I wouldn't say Cox is much more inclined to do it either but he is much more likely to drop deep, put his foot on the ball and link up with the midfield. He's a more skillful/technical player than Long.

[No Fixed Abode]

On SS1 a short time ago talking about Shane Long.

"I'm sure the manager would like to keep him, but every player has a price, especially in the Championship. If he does go, the manager will be thinking he can bring in 2 to 3 players with that money. That's how us managers look at it."

[AthleticoSpizz]

I guess he's referring to managers of teams


not short-term incumbants

[No Fixed Abode]

I guess he's referring to managers of teams


not short-term incumbants

[leww_rfc]

and thats why Cardiff nearly hit administration..

[AthleticoSpizz]

Teams (like) Chelsea have a totally different view of things

[No Fixed Abode]

and thats why Cardiff nearly hit administration..

Yes - but assuming you get £8m for Long say......surely about £3m of that could be reinvested in the squad, but the team won't see a penny of it. It will all go into this black hole.

[rhroyal]

Just voted for Manset.

[SouthDownsRoyal]

lol@ people manset scores 2 goals and he is top quality

quaLOLity more like

[Snowball]

4 (11) for 4 goals and just 22, still raw. He's going to be an excellent player

[Schards#2]

4 (11) for 4 goals and just 22, still raw. He's going to be an excellent player

Do you have some sort of spreadsheet from which you could easily glean Reading's record for games in which Pearce starts compared to games he hasn't since his debut?

My perception is that the former would be far worse than the latter and just wondered if this was an accurate perception.