Injury table and expected return....

[Nameless]

Would tend to agree - things have passed him by and if all our midfielders were fit I'm not sure Guthrie would even make the bench.
Which kind of makes the debate a bit meaningless. Although often the best debates are the ones where there is actually nothing at stake except a good argument !

As for whether Guthrie is faking it I do think there are two extremes. Some players will try and play at all costs, hiding their true fitness because they just want to play. At the other end are the players who need to feel niggle free to play! and worry about minor injuries. Different but neither are faking anything. I'm sure we all know people who struggle in to work with flu and others who can't function with a slight cold....

[GH Royal]

Would tend to agree - things have passed him by and if all our midfielders were fit I'm not sure Guthrie would even make the bench.
Which kind of makes the debate a bit meaningless. Although often the best debates are the ones where there is actually nothing at stake except a good argument !

As for whether Guthrie is faking it I do think there are two extremes. Some players will try and play at all costs, hiding their true fitness because they just want to play. At the other end are the players who need to feel niggle free to play! and worry about minor injuries. Different but neither are faking anything. I'm sure we all know people who struggle in to work with flu and others who can't function with a slight cold....

Good point, I think the best example of that is McCleary playing a big part of the end of last season with pretty much a broken back, absolute madness. Then Guthrie just seems to have a conveyerbelt of 'little niggles'.. One extreme to the other. Oh well, I think I prefer Norwood from what i've seen so far this season anyway, younger and more accurate with the cross-field passes.

[Royalwaster]

Any news on the Ferdinand injury?

[tidus_mi2]

Would tend to agree - things have passed him by and if all our midfielders were fit I'm not sure Guthrie would even make the bench.
Which kind of makes the debate a bit meaningless. Although often the best debates are the ones where there is actually nothing at stake except a good argument !

As for whether Guthrie is faking it I do think there are two extremes. Some players will try and play at all costs, hiding their true fitness because they just want to play. At the other end are the players who need to feel niggle free to play! and worry about minor injuries. Different but neither are faking anything. I'm sure we all know people who struggle in to work with flu and others who can't function with a slight cold....

Good point, I think the best example of that is McCleary playing a big part of the end of last season with pretty much a broken back, absolute madness. Then Guthrie just seems to have a conveyerbelt of 'little niggles'.. One extreme to the other. Oh well, I think I prefer Norwood from what i've seen so far this season anyway, younger and more accurate with the cross-field passes.

iirc, the club didn't know he had a back injury, they just knew he had a problem but as he was able to continue playing I suspect they didn't realise how serious it actually was.

[Magic Hat]

http://www.getreading.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/reading-fc-injury-latest-garath-8057230

Reading FC injury latest: Garath McCleary back in contention; Anton Ferdinand and Pavel Pogrebnyak set to return

Jamaica winger set to provide Royals with a timely boost, while duo should overcome setbacks ahead of weekend game with Charlton Athletic

Garath McCleary has been given the green light to play for Reading once again.

The Jamaica winger, therefore, has an outside chance of making the matchday squad for Saturday's game with Charlton Athletic at Madejski Stadium (3pm kick-off).

Royals boss Nigel Adkins said: "Garath has got the all clear (from the surgeon), so he can now become available (for selection)."

McCleary has not played at all this season having had surgery after breaking a bone in his back at the end of last season.

Meanwhile, defender Anton Ferdinand, who made his first start for Reading in the 3-0 win over Rotherham United on Tuesday night, should also be in contention for this weekend's game.

The 29-year-old lasted 45 minutes before being replaced at half time by Michael Hector.

Adkins said: "He's been out for a long, long time.

"I put him in on Tuesday night and he's felt something in his calf in the first half.

"So I made the call to bring him off.

"Hopefully there's no damage in there and we're hoping he's available for the weekend."

Striker Pavel Pogrebnyak missed Tuesday night's win with a back injury, but Adkins added: "Pav was feeling his back and could hardly move on Monday.

"I could have potentially put him on the bench but all being well he should be fine."

One player who remains on the sidelines is club captain Jem Karacan.

The midfielder has not played for Royals since suffering knee ligament damage in the win over Leeds United last September.

The 25-year-old had targeted a comeback in the Charlton game, but the manager says he is still a time from full fitness.

"Jem is still a few weeks away," confirmed Adkins.

"But he's been good and he's stepping up his training.

"He's still got to progress to competitive training, but he's progressing in the right manner.

"There's been no ill effects to his knee at the moment so he's got to keep going through the stages.

"It's frustrating for Jem and all of us, but there's light at the end of the tunnel which is great."

[Jimbo]

Having Williams, Gareth and (soon) Jem back is great news and now all of a sudden we've got a team with a bit of depth and balance.
However, I hope this isn't used as an excuse not to strengthen in January.......

[Pepe the Horseman]

Cummings and McCleary both played 45 mins tonight. Had three trialists playing as well.

[RoyalBlue]

Cummings and McCleary both played 45 mins tonight. Had three trialists playing as well.

Trialist?

I thought Ched Evans was training with Sheffield United!

[Y21]

Looks like Akpan has oxf*rd his shoulder....one more to the treatment room.

[RoyalBlue]

Apparently fractured his shoulder whilst with Nigeria. F*cking great - the injury jinx continues, one back, another out. Good job the Thais are going to back Adkins in the transfer market. Now need Hammond to deliver.

As for the moron(s) on Facebook celebrating Akpan's injury..............

[AthleticoSpizz]

Facebook

A bit like when we don't play...we can't lose

Now they will have to revue their scapegoat

[Pepe the Horseman]

Apparently fractured his shoulder whilst with Nigeria. F*cking great - the injury jinx continues, one back, another out. Good job the Thais are going to back Adkins in the transfer market. Now need Hammond to deliver.

As for the moron(s) on Facebook celebrating Akpan's injury..............

Another injury caused by Adkins' training regime.

[AthleticoSpizz]

[Pepe the Horseman]

Akkers out for three months.

[Ian Royal]

Whilst I'm sorry for Akpan, I'm pleased that we can't keep falling back on giving him yet more chances. I just don't think he's ever going to be good enough without taking a step down and starting again elsewhere.

Fingers crossed Williams stays fit and Tshibola, Kuhl and Karacan are all soon available. And Norwood stays fit too obvs.

[melonhead]

Done à good job at times, and is a decent foil for norwood. Williams jem and norwood all ahead of him when fit though

[Royal Lady]

Pog and Mackie injured in training apparently - FFS!

[Pepe the Horseman]

Lol. Anton Ferdinand got injured in his 5 minute cameo at Norwich

http://www.readingfc.co.uk/news/article ... 22144.aspx

Defender to miss Trotters clash

Nigel Adkins has confirmed that Anton Ferdinand will not be available for Saturday's game with Bolton after aggravating an injury to his calf muscle.

The central defender did feature late on in last weekend's victory over Norwich, but the manager admitted that he has had further trouble in the run up to the clash with the Trotters.

"Ferdinand is not fit. He’s not going to figure, he’s got an issue with his calf that was picked up on Saturday," said Adkins.

"There’s something not quite right with his calf quite clearly. But we have Pearcey coming back into the squad - he would have come back in regardless."

The boss also gave an update on the other first team stars progressing in their rehabilitation.

"Danny Guthrie is up at St George’s Park for a couple of days, the home of English football, hopefully when he comes back he can step up and become a bit closer to joining the first team in training. He’s not going to be available for the weekend. Neither is Jamie Mackie who is recovering from a hamstring. Pavel missed one game feeling his knee, he recovered but went for a run on his own on the Saturday and felt something in his calf. It's a shame, that was just his desire to be out there back fit - so he won't be available. Obviously Hope has had his operation and will be out for potentially three months, whilst Jem is back out on the grass again which is good."

In more welcome news, Nick Blackman and Simon Cox have avoided suspension after the first disciplinary cut off point of the campaign came and went. Both were on four bookings prior to the trip to Carrow Road - with any player collecting five bookings before Sunday 30th November picking up a one game suspension. The deadline has now been extended, with those picking up ten cautions before 12th April 2015 receiving an automatic two match ban

[Sanguine]

Jesus Christ.

What I find perplexing is that surely (surely?) Ferdinand has completed plenty of training sessions at 100% before being thrust into a game. Yet he can't play a competitive match without being injured.

[Eddie RFC]

I've just seen posts on the Internet when he was at Sunderland. It looks like it was a similar story then. Despite not being able to break into a run he seems to have picked up injuries quite frequently especially if they were loosing! I think he's. Waste of space and money! How long is his contract?