Clear out

[floyd__streete]

Struck me last night how much mediocrity we have in our squad. We're on course for our worst league finish since we came back to this level and - assuming we manage to survive - looking at the squad last night there are a number of players I'd happily see us bin off.

From those who played last night: Kelly, Blackman, Pogrebnyak. I rate Pog highly but his interest seems to wax and wane. Be nice to think we could use his wages to buy a Kitsonesque young and hungry lower division bargain.....one who has the right qualities, ie. not another Nick Blackman. Of the substitutes Mackie should not be signed permanently, he hasn't done remotely enough. Yakubu I think will be sitting on a beach sooner rather than later on the evidence of his condition last night, good of us to offer a pre-retirement whip-round for him eh. I think that Norwood is a moderate 'sideways' footballer, if he is happy with no guarantee of a starting place he can stay. No-one would be sad to see Akpan go. And it is probably high time that HRK moves on.

Of those who can't even muster up the fitness or ability to get into our XVIII these days it has to be a not-so-fond goodbye and thanks-for-nothing to Danny Guthrie and Anton Ferdinand. Jake Taylor probably needs to follow Blackman and Akpan out of the club in terms of being at an age where they require regular first team football but not being of a standard to expect that at a Championship club.

We could build a top 6 side around the current 'keeper, 3/4 of the current back 4, Williams, maybe Karacan, McCleary out wide and potentially Cox playing behind a younger and hungrier striker. Wouldn't mind Chalobah on a season long loan next season. In other words, we're maybe 3 players away from having a top 6 side. If we can't afford some quality new additions having allowed those 9 highlighted above to leave the club then the Thais have no business being here tbh.

[melonhead]

agreed

[arthurfondrelli]

I feel Norwood is perhaps a better player than you give him credit for there, but agree on most.

Astonishing that I am a season ticket holder who has missed two games this season and I have yet to see Ferdinand play for us.

[melonhead]

tbf to him, he looked the best CD at the club for the twenty minutes he managed to play

[Angry Shed Sex]

I feel Norwood is perhaps a better player than you give him credit for there, but agree on most.

Astonishing that I am a season ticket holder who has missed two games this season and I have yet to see Ferdinand play for us.

Interestingly enough I've only been twice this season and I've seen every one of Ferdinand's golden minutes.

[blueroyals]

You'll get stick about Pog but the fact is he's on too much money. He takes up the wage of two players and hasn't exactly got the stats to justify it.

[Forbury Lion]

Agree with the opening post, other than I might consider sending Taylor out on loan to see if first team football can help him develop into a better player than he currently is.

[Forbury Lion]

You'll get stick about Pog but the fact is he's on too much money. He takes up the wage of two players and hasn't exactly got the stats to justify it.

However, when his contract is up he might be willing to sign a standard wage deal, assuming Anton hasn't invested in another club and wants to offer him crazy money again.

[Sanguine]

I'd add Ryan Edwards to the Jake Taylor category of floyd's OP.

[SCIAG]

Strange how fickle you're being on Pog, Floyd. When we signed, you were a lone cynical voice (rightly, as it has turned out). Last week you thought he was a great striker who clueless HNA posters were writing off. One forgettable performance and now he doesn't care?

I don't think we'll be able to shift Pogrenyak or Ferdinand; I don't think we need to shift Taylor but I also wouldn't extend his contract. Probably offers decent value for money but we also wouldn't miss him.

With that in mind, senior squad for next season:
Federici, Lincoln; Pearce, Gunter, Hector, Obita, Ferdinand, Cooper*, Dickie*, Watson*, new left back; McCleary, Williams, Norwood, new left winger, Karacan (hopefully), Kuhl*, Tshibola*, Stacey*, Taylor; Cox, Tanner*; Pogrebnyak, new striker, Cardwell*

Those with asterisks would also play in the U21s when possible.

[Ian Royal]

Yep. Anything that sees more fun from the youth is good. Pog won't go anywhere and although he's not awful he simple has never justified his wage so should be a priority to shift even though it won't happen.

Upfront and left wing is our biggest area of weakness as we don't have enough coming through from the youth either. We need to reduce the midfield bloat too. Not looking good for Jem. Williams and Norwood worth keeping but not sure about them as a partnership.

[fruits]

I have been saying this for ages, after a win or after a defeat. The squad is 3/4 crap far too much deadwood. Think we have just enough points to escape relegation , then a good clearout in the summer. Get players in who want to play for the club, not prima donnas just here for the money. Pog and Guthrie to name but two.

[floyd__streete]

Strange how fickle you're being on Pog, Floyd.

I am a Pog fan tbh. I think he's a quality player. I didn't realise when we signed him what kind of player we had bought, I assumed with his height and build he was going to be like a Russian Kevin Davies. I have been pleasantly surprised with and have thoroughly enjoyed his flicks and backheels and willingness to try something different which 90% of our players couldn't even dream of pulling off; his backheeled goal against QPR in the League Cup I shall always treasure. I have less enjoyed the lack of commitment shown at times, the ocassional reckless challenge, the barely concealed sense of being too big for the club and also the links to the useless Zingarevich regime. He has shown some of the very best quality I have ever seen in a Reading player with the probable exception of Seol and the possible exception of Sigurdsson. But he has shown it only fitfully.

I'll always remember him fondly, mind.

[SCIAG]

Strange how fickle you're being on Pog, Floyd.

I am a Pog fan tbh. I think he's a quality player. I didn't realise when we signed him what kind of player we had bought, I assumed with his height and build he was going to be like a Russian Kevin Davies. I have been pleasantly surprised with and have thoroughly enjoyed his flicks and backheels and willingness to try something different which 90% of our players couldn't even dream of pulling off; his backheeled goal against QPR in the League Cup I shall always treasure. I have less enjoyed the lack of commitment shown at times, the ocassional reckless challenge, the barely concealed sense of being too big for the club and also the links to the useless Zingarevich regime. He has shown some of the very best quality I have ever seen in a Reading player with the probable exception of Seol and the possible exception of Sigurdsson. But he has shown it only fitfully.

I'll always remember him fondly, mind.

Certainly a point of view I can sympathise with, except for the suggestion that Seol was better than Sigurdsson. Would add Matejovsky, Bikey and Carrico to that list of players with that extra spark of quality, as well as Little and Convey obviously. And Drenthe and Lambert.

[Z175]

I think its hard to disagree with much of the above. I think Jake Taylor is worth keeping around though. He doesn't seem to have kicked on enough to warrant getting first team football elsewhere at this level, like Antonio, Henry etc, and is a tidy and useful squad player for us - just look what injuries can do.

I'm hopeful that with the massively high earners all gone this summer, we will have some room for Kitson like signings and the old "reading way" can make a timely come back. Sadly I think the reality is that the massive reduction in parachute payments for the 3rd year will probably negate the release of Pogrebnyak, Guthrie etc and we may well be faced with shipping out anyone on a large contract, McCleary, Williams, Gunter etc with some sort of bland club statement on how this what the "reading way" means these days.

So lets not discount the horrible likelihood of watching Blackman and HRK for a another couple of seasons...

[Brum Royal]

I tweeted Adie on Tuesday night after the game saying that our season now hangs on Saturday. If we win, great, but if we lose I want to see more of the youngsters between now and the end of the season. We won't go down, we'll bumble around in (lower) midtable obscurity so with 16 games left it is an ideal opportunity to play at least one youngster every game and really look to build for next season / the future. I'm not saying we should have two or three like we had to at the start of the season due to the injuries, but there's certainly no reason why the likes of Cooper or Kuhl shouldn't get a lot more game time between now and the end of the season.

I generally agree with much of what Floyd says though, and his players to be got rid of. Taylor and Edwards either need to be loaned out or sold I think, not sure we're going to get a lot more out of either of them.

[SydenhamRoyal]

tbf to him, he looked the best CD at the club for the twenty minutes he managed to play

Twenty five. You are forgetting his 5 minute late appearance where he somehow injured himself. To be fair I dont remember much about it, cos I cant remember who the oxf*rd we were playing

[Portsmouth Royal]

I was under the impression Pog has another year with us yet. So whilst a player who (for his definite quality) does not justify the wage he does get...is not someone who is eligible to be part of the clear out, as we have no say in whether he stays or goes unless we pay him off.

For my own part there is not a single member of the squad as it stands for whom it would be a big shock if they left. Either as they are not 'better enough' than their reserves to justify their wages, or they are relatively easily replaceable. We may even cash in on McCleary given a decent enough offer.

There really isn't anybody i would be that sad to see go...I have little affinity for our current squad really, though thats been true for the most part since the mid 90's to be honest....

[blythspartan]

I mostly agree with the opening post but in my opinion the squad has been mediocre in modern times for quite a while now, even the last Championship winning team.

Unfortunately, some pretty poor decisions have left us with some pretty average players.

I can honestly say that it's been ages since I really enjoyed a game. The last time I enjoyed watching us was during the season Gylfi broke into the first team and we had just turned the corner after looking like we were relegation certs for a while.

[SCIAG]

I can honestly say that it's been ages since I really enjoyed a game. The last time I enjoyed watching us was during the season Gylfi broke into the first team and we had just turned the corner after looking like we were relegation certs for a while.

You didn't enjoy beating West Brom 3-2?