Summer Rebuild

[Nameless]

I have absolutely no idea how those motm awards were decided or voted upon but wasn't one of them the 4-0 defeat away at forest? So yeah, really effective.

Kuhl's performances were his first at a senior level whereas Chalobah has had pretty much a full season. He's also older isn't he ?
Bit unfair to compare really.
But Kuhl has the potential to be a much better player than Chalobah, as anyone who has watched the U21's play will attest.

[MmmMonsterMunch]

Clarke (with Chalobah, Ake, Knight, Yakubu, Travener, and whatever other superstars he brought in) 25 games, 25 points.

Superstars?! ROFL

And Adkins had Murray - one very important loanee you conveniently forgot to mention. Clarke was left with no decent strikers at all.

[Royal Rother]

Glad the irony came across.

[Royal Rother]

I have absolutely no idea how those motm awards were decided or voted upon but wasn't one of them the 4-0 defeat away at forest? So yeah, really effective.

How effective was Chalobah in the 3-0 home defeat by Forest?

[southsideroyal]

Can't be bothered to go back through the entire thread, but rumoured targets seem to indicate that Clarke prefers older journeymen from the championship or prem (or just Irishmen from Hull) to younger prospects from the lower leagues. Not saying this is the wrong path, just not the one I'd like to see Reading pursue.

[loyalroyal4life]

Can't be bothered to go back through the entire thread, but rumoured targets seem to indicate that Clarke prefers older journeymen from the championship or prem (or just Irishmen from Hull) to younger prospects from the lower leagues. Not saying this is the wrong path, just not the one I'd like to see Reading pursue.

Mix that with some prem starlets on loan may work well (that is if we can afford to get any in)

[Lacoste]

Reports up north saying both Mcshane and Quinn have signed for Leeds having given up on Royals move.

[WoodleyRoyal]

Reports up north saying both Mcshane and Quinn have signed for Leeds having given up on Royals move.

[Hoop Blah]

I have absolutely no idea how those motm awards were decided or voted upon but wasn't one of them the 4-0 defeat away at forest? So yeah, really effective.

Kuhl's performances were his first at a senior level whereas Chalobah has had pretty much a full season. He's also older isn't he ?
Bit unfair to compare really.
But Kuhl has the potential to be a much better player than Chalobah, as anyone who has watched the U21's play will attest.

It is a bit unfair to compare the two of the really, but you do kind of have to when people are saying we should play our academy graduates over and above those of other teams who Clarke can potentially pull a few strings to loan in.

To say Kuhl has the potential to be a much better player than Chalobah is a little hyperbolic considering that for years Chalobah has been talked about as being the brightest star of his age group. He was playing for England u16's when he was 13, the under 17s when he was 14, was a key player when that side won the Euro U17s Championships and went to the World Cup as captain of that side. He's pretty much captained every side he's played for along the way too.

I've not been his biggest fan as I don't particularly like the way he plays, but to say Kuhl has the potential to outshine him is being a little optimistic.

[Royal_jimmy]

I have absolutely no idea how those motm awards were decided or voted upon but wasn't one of them the 4-0 defeat away at forest? So yeah, really effective.

Kuhl's performances were his first at a senior level whereas Chalobah has had pretty much a full season. He's also older isn't he ?
Bit unfair to compare really.
But Kuhl has the potential to be a much better player than Chalobah, as anyone who has watched the U21's play will attest.

It is a bit unfair to compare the two of the really, but you do kind of have to when people are saying we should play our academy graduates over and above those of other teams who Clarke can potentially pull a few strings to loan in.

To say Kuhl has the potential to be a much better player than Chalobah is a little hyperbolic considering that for years Chalobah has been talked about as being the brightest star of his age group. He was playing for England u16's when he was 13, the under 17s when he was 14, was a key player when that side won the Euro U17s Championships and went to the World Cup as captain of that side. He's pretty much captained every side he's played for along the way too.

I've not been his biggest fan as I don't particularly like the way he plays, but to say Kuhl has the potential to outshine him is being a little optimistic.

I agree with this. I don't think we can say Kuhl will definitely be a better player than Chalobah. With games he will certainly improve and gain maturity.

I think it is silly to loan in someone elses youngsters when we have our own, we invest an awful lot into our academy. But sometimes if ours are not good enough then you have to go elsewhere. I agree that it is unrealistic to build an entire team from youth and expect them all to cope with the demands of championship football. Even if they potentially could all step up and be good enough, it is a risk putting lots in because if we get a few stuffings it will smash their moral and it could hinder their development.

The best thing we can do is give players like Kuhl, Fosu, Stacey, Samuel and maybe Cardwell cameos for much of next season and let them bed in. Knocking their confidence with a run of defeats could be a disaster for us.

We need 5-6 experienced signings. We need to try and loan players like Akpan out who I doubt will get much game time. I'd rather play the likes of Kuhl or Tshibola over him.

[Pepe the Horseman]

Can't be bothered to go back through the entire thread, but rumoured targets seem to indicate that Clarke prefers older journeymen from the championship or prem (or just Irishmen from Hull) to younger prospects from the lower leagues. Not saying this is the wrong path, just not the one I'd like to see Reading pursue.

Quinn's hardly a journeyman.

[Mr.Swainey]

(or just Irishmen from Hull)

Racist.

[NewCorkSeth]

(or just Irishmen from Hull)

Racist.

Can Irish men even be born in Hull?

[3points]

I do not know much about various team's academies and U21 football, but surely if Reading's academy players were good enough for the Premier League then they would have already been snapped up, much like Sterling and Ibe were by Liverpool? I personally thought Chalobah and Ake looked very tidy playing for us and you could see their thought processes were different on the pitch than most of our players. but I also liked what Cooper and Kuhl did when they played. It was a pity that Kuhl didn't get any more game time towards the tail end of the season.

Sometimes players need to be thrown in at the deep end - some will thrive and others will sink. I think we may be about to witness this somewhat this season. If they are good enough, they are old enough!

[SCIAG]

I think Kuhl did quite well, but I think it's fair to say he got a lot of those MoM votes for sentimental reasons.

I accept that is possible, I don't think it's true. He completely changed the game against Huddersfield and very much deserved his award. Didn't go to Forest, but he was singled out by the HNA report too. Obviously that isn't free of bias either.

Everyone wanted our little crusty the clown

You don't watch the Simpsons, do you?

[Franchise FC]

(or just Irishmen from Hull)

Racist.

Can Irish men even be born in Hull?

They can be born in Maidstone, so why not Hull - east is east and all that

[SCIAG]

I do not know much about various team's academies and U21 football, but surely if Reading's academy players were good enough for the Premier League then they would have already been snapped up, much like Sterling and Ibe were by Liverpool?

I don't think anyone's seriously suggesting any of our Academy players, bar perhaps Obita and Hector if you count them, are already good enough for the Premier League.

If you mean in terms of potential, there are plenty of examples of Premier League players who came through at Football League clubs. Theo Walcott, Ashley Young, Adam Lallana, Gareth Bale, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Joe Allen, Aaron Lennon, Fabian Delph, Ashley Westwood, Nick Powell, Victor Moses, Wilfried Zaha, Nathaniel Clyne, Phil Jagielka, Leighton Baines, Joleon Lescott.

Several of our young players have already been courted by Premier League sides, but have stuck with us - probably because they think they'll have a better chance of displace Hal Robson-Kanu and Oliver Norwood than Alexis Sanchez and Aaron Ramsey.

[WoodleyRoyal]

you're beginning to sound like Ian Royal SCIAG....

[Sutekh]

Just for the record, what does SCIAG stand for exactly ? Anything ?

[WoodleyRoyal]

I'm going for 'Steve Coppell is a god'