it has been a successful transfer window!!!

[mikey0406]

Forget all the negative comments on here about us strengthening.... we have kept all of our players, we have one of the strongest squads in the division and once fit will still be strong enough to challenge for promotion.

end of

[blueroyals]

Agreed

Why sign the likes of Hobbs when they can be signed for less or even nothing in the Summer? We're not desperate.

[Loyal royal 247]

Yep we are starting to play well and we kept Alf McCarthy and mcleary happy days

[RoyalBlue]

Forget all the negative comments on here about us strengthening.... we have kept all of our players, we have one of the strongest squads in the division and once fit will still be strong enough to challenge for promotion.

end of

Are you a member of the club's media department or have you just completely swallowed the insulting shyte that they have come out with this morning.

We are meant to be grateful that we didn't sell anyone? That after the club's Chairman had assured everyone that Adkins would have funds to strengthen the squad this window and then spectaculary failed to deliver on that assurance to the extent that we weren't even able to sign Baird and/or Sharp?!

Once our players are fit? How many of those that are injured do you think will return in time to make any meaningful impact this season? Have you forgotten how short of cover we are in terms of strikers and central defenders? What if we pick up inuries and/or suspensions in those positions? No doubt the club will then refer to the fact that we still have Jason Roberts as some form of consolation!

And do you think that if we fail this season our best players will hang around for another go? No, it will be cheerio McCarthy, McCleary, Pog, ALF etc.

Not selling any players yesterday was just putting off the inevitable, given that Adkins was not allowed to strengthen the squad as he wanted to.

[Big Ern]

I remember a similar happy clappy thread proclaiming our success in the last January transfer window and look what happened then.

Fact is, all our play off rivals added to their squads, we didn't and have stood still while other will have got better.

Yet again we were fed the usual PR bullshit about money being available only to be told there wasn't a pot to piss in. They should have come out earlier and said that to manage the clubs expectations.

The mighty Doncaster were able to acquire a player we clearly wanted and there was nothing we could do about it.

Yes we kept our players, but as Nigel Howe stated solely for the reason other clubs didn't offer enough money.

There are still gaping holes in our team such as left back and striker coverage and a player or 2 would have given the squad a lift and more depth.

I find it difficult to proclaim this transfer window as a success as we have not progressed while other have.

[blueroyals]

The point is: we weren't going to get promoted this season anyway. Therefore what's the point overspending on players who otherwise would be available in the summer for less/nothing? It makes no business sense. January is a stupid window to get involved in.

[Big Ern]

The point is: we weren't going to get promoted this season anyway. Therefore what's the point overspending on players who otherwise would be available in the summer for less/nothing? It makes no business sense. January is a stupid window to get involved in.

So Jason Roberts had no effect when we signed him in a previous January transfer window?

Stupid to say we are not going up when we are in the chasing pack, on that basis we should never ever sign a player again as there is never every any guarantee.

But tuck into your bullshit on toast and hold those rumblestixs with pride.

[royalgrumpy]

Forget all the negative comments on here about us strengthening.... we have kept all of our players, we have one of the strongest squads in the division and once fit will still be strong enough to challenge for promotion.

end of

Can't argue with that. There should be no excuses for not finishing in the top six; we're more than good enough, it's just hard work and togetherness now. I'm feeling really positive about the rest of the season!

[blueroyals]

The point is: we weren't going to get promoted this season anyway. Therefore what's the point overspending on players who otherwise would be available in the summer for less/nothing? It makes no business sense. January is a stupid window to get involved in.

So Jason Roberts had no effect when we signed him in a previous January transfer window?

Stupid to say we are not going up when we are in the chasing pack, on that basis we should never ever sign a player again as there is never every any guarantee.

But tuck into your bullshit on toast and hold those rumblestixs with pride.

And how did that turn out? Getting promoted with a squad that wasn't ready for PL football?

I've had enough of the rat race for promotion. How about we take a few seasons to assemble a squad capable of staying up?

[Big Ern]

I've had enough of the rat race for promotion. How about we take a few seasons to assemble a squad capable of staying up?

It is a wonderful world you must live in.

So we assemble a squad over a few year?? don't you think our best player will get picked off during that time, plus we will have to do it on a shoe string budget with much cloth cutting.

The time to push to go back up is when you have just been relegated as you will retain some of your better players and have parachute payments to help.

[andrew1957]

The point is: we weren't going to get promoted this season anyway. Therefore what's the point overspending on players who otherwise would be available in the summer for less/nothing? It makes no business sense. January is a stupid window to get involved in.

You seem to be missing the point completely. We either have to be promoted this season or to find new owners with much deeper pockets - or else most of the current squad will leave in the summer. IMO the club have taken a big risk by not strengthening as promotion could be essential. Otherwise we will be rebuilding with a few professionals and youth players.

[Lower West]

or else most of the current squad will leave in the summer.

To where? Seems as if there's a bond building between a sizable group of the players and Atkins. Both Akpan and Blackman are developing well. Drenthe is another waste of space. All promise but no final product.

[Big Ern]

Otherwise we will be rebuilding with a few professionals and youth players.

Come on, I think you are going a little over the top there., it won't get that bad, although I do agree that if we don't go up this season we will start losing our better players and even more if we fail the following season.

[andrew1957]

Otherwise we will be rebuilding with a few professionals and youth players.

Come on, I think you are going a little over the top there., it won't get that bad, although I do agree that if we don't go up this season we will start losing our better players and even more if we fail the following season.

I think you are being optimistic - failure to go up and out of a squad that currently numbers 25 ALF, McCarthy, Pog, McCleary and Gunter will all want to move up to the PL and who can blame them

Roberts, Legs, Bridge, McAnuuff, Gorkks, S.Taylor are all out of contract and unlikely to be re-employed. Hector also out of contract unless he re-signs.

That leaves Fed, Cummings, Kelly, Pearce, Morrison, Obita, Guthrie, Williams, Akpan, HRK, Blackman, Karacan, Drenthe and J.Taylor (also out of contract and may or may not stay).

That is one big rebuilding job IMO!

[Royalwaster]

Did Burnley sign any players in this window? And they've just held QPR to a draw and still in the chase ....

[Harpers So Solid Crew]

Only if the players we have improve will anyone want to sign them for the Prem, Alf may be fine with us, but how many Champ strikers have really made it in the Prem, even Shane struggles with the wrong team. None of our players will make a top six side yet. McC may one day, but like many before he may not.

[MmmMonsterMunch]

Reading some of the posts on this forum does make we wonder if some contributors actually have any brain cells.

Do they not realise that bar QPR we have the highest wage bill in the division? Where does all this imaginary money come from?! Does it come from 14000 STH at an average of say £15 a game?? Get real FFS.

Look how many youngsters are now getting a run out - real signs of progress on that side of the club along with the Cat A upgrade but no....people would rather focus on "Wah wah wah I want us to spend loads of money now it's all so unfair. I've never been so depressed in my 5 years as a season ticket holder blah blah blah".

To be honest, some 'fans' will just moan regardless & cannot accept we are already spending beyond our means.

Like I've said many times before, there's not loads of billionaires queuing up to throw money down the toilet by buying Reading FC, so frankly, we ought to be grateful we have the squad we do!

It's nothing to do with buying the PR spin from the club, it's just basic fcuking common sense.

[Big Ern]

Reading some of the posts on this forum does make we wonder if some contributors actually have any brain cells.

Do they not realise that bar QPR we have the highest wage bill in the division? Where does all this imaginary money come from?! Does it come from 14000 STH at an average of say £15 a game?? Get real FFS.

Look how many youngsters are now getting a run out - real signs of progress on that side of the club along with the Cat A upgrade but no....people would rather focus on "Wah wah wah I want us to spend loads of money now it's all so unfair. I've never been so depressed in my 5 years as a season ticket holder blah blah blah".

To be honest, some 'fans' will just moan regardless & cannot accept we are already spending beyond our means.

Like I've said many times before, there's not loads of billionaires queuing up to throw money down the toilet by buying Reading FC, so frankly, we ought to be grateful we have the squad we do!

It's nothing to do with buying the PR spin from the club, it's just basic fcuking common sense.

There are some fans that want us to spend money for the sake of it as it is always exciting getting a new player, however most of the critics including myself are more frustrated by the. Iced message coming out the club. The club were stupid to the extreme to announce money would be available to strengthen only to be told later there was no cash. They would have known full well the expectations of the fans after such comments and when we saw Sharp going to Doncaster, it was rubbing salt int the wounds.

You are right we have a good squad, a squad that stands a good chance of making the playoffs, but everyone can see we are still a coupe of players short from being a really solid and consistent team.

[maffff]

Have to say, it could have been a lot worse.

Whilst many fans, myself included, want to see new players in we've done well to keep what we have and having some stability/a settled side is starting to work in our favour.

We had QPR enquiring after Jordan Obita - not the first time that Redknapp has tried to get Jordan and if they go up/we don't I wouldn't be shocked to see him go there in the summer.

Some of you might recall Jordan Obita once recalling the time when he was 15? 16? and not officially in contract with us but considering his first pro deal, he had a lot of interest from some of the biggest clubs in England and Harry Redknapp turned up on his doorstep trying to get him to turn us down and join Spurs.

As well as the Cardiff bid for Le Fondre we rebuffed League interest in McCarthy, McCleary and Pogrebnyak. If we really were in a position where AZ could sanction any deal he wanted to line his pockets then he had the perfect chance for a fire sale and £12-15m+ going his way.

Wouldn't be shocked to see some loans in later.

Out of interest, before the one just one when is the last window that we didn't sign someone.... anyone?

[Cypry]

I'm fairly happy with the way it turned out - a lot has changed during the Window - at the start I'd have said that signing a left back was a priority, but in the last few weeks Obita has come into that role and shone - with Bridge as well we look well covered at LB now.

We now seem to have decent first choice options in every position on the pitch, and with the exception of strikers, we also have good cover in almost every position.

The only place where we're potentially going to struggle is with strikers in the event of suspension or injury (particularly a long term injury to ALF or Pog) - HRK can probably do a job, Blackman or possibly one of the youngsters (Tanner perhaps?). The thing is, both ALF and Pog are playing well right now, and seem to be developing a good partnership, so even if we had seen another striker come in, it'd almost certainly be for "third choice"..

Having said that I'd be quite happy to see some form of experienced striker come in during the emergency loan window, just in case....

As for all of our competitors strengthening, I'm not so sure - a lot of them seem to have been buying to cover for key players who they lost this window, or covering for injuries.

For me, to not lose some key players was the most important thing this window, and in that respect, it's been a success...