BFTG - MK Dons, home, 22 Aug 2015

[Esteban]

Having watched the game and read all the posts....This is the sort of game we should have won. The message from the Thai's is "we want premier league football and we want to stay there". Well lady Thai and consortium, a decent striker currently costs between 5 and 10 million. If you can't or won't pay the fee for a striker then shut up and I'll carry on reading these forums. End of.

Just because Rhodes and McCormack went for crazy money doesn't mean that's the actual going rate that you have to pay for most good Championship level strikers.

Daryl Murphy and Chris Martin both scored lots of goals last season. Free transfers. Deeney's been knocking in goals for ages ad didn't cost Watford big bucks. Then there's Danny Ings who cost Burnley nowt. Nugent for Leicester the same. Plus a host of undisclosed fees.

I'd have thought Reading fans would have learnt by now that breaking transfer records is no guarantee of quality.

The same was said when Reading had a reported interest in Calum Wilson. Coventry wanted what was then thought to be big money for a lower league striker, we got frighten off and Wilson went to Bournemouth for 1 million. The general consensus on here still seems the same, "you don't need to spend money to be successful" and we're still plodding along nicely while Wilson's value has tripled and we're still searching for that gem of a striker on a free.

At least do some research before you post. Wilson moved for £3m, 5 weeks after we sold Le Fondre to keep the club afloat and 10 weeks before the Thais officially completed their takeover. We had no chance of signing Wilson.

[Oilroyal]

At least do some research before you post. Wilson moved for £3m, 5 weeks after we sold Le Fondre to keep the club afloat and 10 weeks before the Thais officially completed their takeover. We had no chance of signing Wilson.[/quote]

At the time we wee showing an interest the figure being mentioned was 1mil. He eventually went for an undisclosed figure thought to be around 3 mil. I'm guessing this would include add ons such as goals scored and promotion to the PL. 20 odd goals and a promotion in his first season would have ensured the final top end figure of 3 mil was achieved. And it doesn't matter who was running the club at the time my point is we're always looking to buy on the cheap, which IMO has cost us dear in the long run.

[semtex1871]

we wee

lol

[Nameless]

I'm guessing

Usually the way with these things.....

And of course if the club had no cash then splashing a million or more as a gamble would be daft. Like sticking a tenner on a10-1 shot rather than feeding your kids.....

[RoyalBlue]

Bond's kicking ability has a lot to be desired, I genuinely got worried nearly everytime the ball was passed back to him, hopefully won't always be like that, he is decent enough in other areas and will keep us in matches, defenders need to head the ball back to him to so he can pick the bloody ball up instead.

.

If that really is the case (and Clarke said after the game that he had already told his defenders not to pass the ball back to Bond's left foot! ) then he shouldn't be playing as a first choice goalkeeper for a team in The Championship!

No wonder our national team are so shyte when academies are still churning out young professionals who can't kick well with both feet. It's not a difficult skill to acquire if you work at it from a young age.

[harry]

Bond's kicking ability has a lot to be desired, I genuinely got worried nearly everytime the ball was passed back to him, hopefully won't always be like that, he is decent enough in other areas and will keep us in matches, defenders need to head the ball back to him to so he can pick the bloody ball up instead.

.

If that really is the case (and Clarke said after the game that he had already told his defenders not to pass the ball back to Bond's left foot! ) then he shouldn't be playing as a first choice goalkeeper for a team in The Championship!

No wonder our national team are so shyte when academies are still churning out young professionals who can't kick well with both feet. It's not a difficult skill to acquire if you work at it from a young age.

On the subject of two-footedness I was pleasantly surprised by Gunter yesterday who on a couple of occasions cut inside and crossed with his left. At least one of them was better than anything he tried with his right last season.

[Man Friday]

...it doesn't matter who was running the club at the time my point is we're always looking to buy on the cheap, which IMO has cost us dear in the long run.

Unquestionably. We might do Ok for a season or two by spending relatively small but we'll never achieve sustained long term success by not spending big. On the other hand, it's a lower risk option so depends what you're after.

[Zammo]

Tshibola fulfilling his potential so far, great to watch.
Williams MOTM.
Back 4 solid, McShane better than Pearce.

Did a lot right.

Robson Kanu is a useful utility winger/sub, not a striker. We need a striker.

^ this. Very impressed with Tshibola. HRK is one of the most frustrating players ever to play for the club. Sa did well. Would prefer an out and out winger than Quinn.

[Bob1871]

Bond makes me extremely nervous!

Back 4 were superb especially McShane!

Middle 4 played well. I thought Tsishbola was the stand out amongst them.

Sa played well, ran the channels & held it up much better than any striker we've had here in years. Should probably work on shooting with his left foot in training as it appears he doesn't want to use it!

HRK! What is the point of him. Missed a sitter, gave away countless free kicks and was cheered when taken off, surely Clarke could see/hear this!

Cox/Blackman both showed as subs that they have got no future at the club, both with little effort and no quality.

If we had won 1-0 yesterday, this thread would be reading very differently about an extremely solid performance. It didn't quite go in yesterday despite numerous attempts and a clear penalty, it will come, but everyone needs to get off of Clarkes back!

[Nameless]

Cox/Blackman both showed as subs that they have got no future at the club, both with little effort and no quality.

That's Blackman who had the forty yard run and 20 yard shot their keeper just about parried away ?

Sometimes it feels like people just slate Blackman automatically. Don't think he did much wrong at all yesterday.

[winchester_royal]

Cox/Blackman both showed as subs that they have got no future at the club, both with little effort and no quality.

That's Blackman who had the forty yard run and 20 yard shot their keeper just about parried away ?

Sometimes it feels like people just slate Blackman automatically. Don't think he did much wrong at all yesterday.

Yep he made a real impact.

Cox on the other hand... Well he's just not a particularly good footballer is he?

[loyalroyal4life]

Cox/Blackman both showed as subs that they have got no future at the club, both with little effort and no quality.

That's Blackman who had the forty yard run and 20 yard shot their keeper just about parried away ?

Sometimes it feels like people just slate Blackman automatically. Don't think he did much wrong at all yesterday.

He's one of the only players who is not afraid to shoot, something we lack throughout

[Lower West]

If that really is the case (and Clarke said after the game that he had already told his defenders not to pass the ball back to Bond's left foot! ) then he shouldn't be playing as a first choice goalkeeper for a team in The Championship!

Clarke said that at half time I suspect. Something to work on in training. The whole team is a work in progress. Early stages are that it looks extremely good. Reminds me of Pardew shutting up shop. Making the team difficult to beat. May not be pretty. But a good platform on which to move forward.

[RoyallyFcuked]

I thought we looked decent until we got to the final third, so not much has changed really.

Bond looked shaky but I think he will get better. Defence was solid. I thought we were better in the first half than the second, but we were in charge and certainly had the better of the game overall. Their only real chance was when Church hit the post.

Orlando looked good on the ball again, unlucky to be blocked and not get his shot off a couple of times. I think he will do well when he gets the right service. We are still pretty clueless in attack, and never play through the middle. We've been getting the ball wide and crossing since the McD days, we overuse it and its quite predicatble.

Still need another striker and someone to play behind in the no10 role who can create chances.

[melonhead]

...it doesn't matter who was running the club at the time my point is we're always looking to buy on the cheap, which IMO has cost us dear in the long run.

Unquestionably. We might do Ok for a season or two by spending relatively small but we'll never achieve sustained long term success by not spending big. On the other hand, it's a lower risk option so depends what you're after.

depends if you have lots of money, but didnt want to spend too much. Or just had none to spend.

In the latter situation you ain't got no choice

[West Stand Man]

Cox/Blackman both showed as subs that they have got no future at the club, both with little effort and no quality.

That's Blackman who had the forty yard run and 20 yard shot their keeper just about parried away ?

Sometimes it feels like people just slate Blackman automatically. Don't think he did much wrong at all yesterday.

School starts again next week so hopefully the children will be limited to evening access to the web?

[marcusopp]

Haven't been yet this season, but the impression I get is that we look solid but too slow and predictable. McCleary and Hurtado will sort this out. Getting Pog and Samuel back will give Clarke more options too.
I'm very optimistic about the season ahead. Feel the club have recruited very well and Feds apart have improved squad over those who left.

[brighton_royal]

Cox/Blackman both showed as subs that they have got no future at the club, both with little effort and no quality.

That's Blackman who had the forty yard run and 20 yard shot their keeper just about parried away ?

Sometimes it feels like people just slate Blackman automatically. Don't think he did much wrong at all yesterday.

School starts again next week so hopefully the children will be limited to evening access to the web?

TBF that 40 yard run and shot was a moment of brilliance that had been missing from almost everything else he did. More displays of shambles than brilliance, like normal.

[brighton_royal]

McCleary will be key to converting these solid defensive/midfield displays into wins.

[Angry Shed Sex]

McCleary will be key to converting these solid defensive/midfield displays into wins.

Is he going in goal?