Post Summer Transfer Window Predictions/Expectations

[CountryRoyal]

Got to be aiming for top 6 so 7th or above good. 10th acceptable if it takes a while to gel or there's a flop or two / major injuries.

Anything less is now clear and imo unacceptable failure.

And I'm pretty forgiving when it comes to league placing

Thing is, we have to be going for it this year, we lose Vydra if we don't.

[andrew1957]

I heard some of the interview with Lady Sasima this morning on BBCRB and she made it very clear that the target this season is promotion. They have invested heavily and added players with this in mind. I got the impression that a near miss would be forgiven but then Clarke would be expected to deliver next season latest.

[CountryRoyal]

I heard some of the interview with Lady Sasima this morning on BBCRB and she made it very clear that the target this season is promotion. They have invested heavily and added players with this in mind. I got the impression that a near miss would be forgiven but then Clarke would be expected to deliver next season latest.

Link?

[WoodleyRoyal]

I heard some of the interview with Lady Sasima this morning on BBCRB and she made it very clear that the target this season is promotion. They have invested heavily and added players with this in mind. I got the impression that a near miss would be forgiven but then Clarke would be expected to deliver next season latest.

Link?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p031cnqy#play

[CountryRoyal]

I heard some of the interview with Lady Sasima this morning on BBCRB and she made it very clear that the target this season is promotion. They have invested heavily and added players with this in mind. I got the impression that a near miss would be forgiven but then Clarke would be expected to deliver next season latest.

Link?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p031cnqy#play

Ta.

[72 bus]

Sasima sounds like she is absolutely loving being an owner of RFC.
Good interview, good questions asked and she seems to understand what the club needs to advance.

[Ian Royal]

Got to be aiming for top 6 so 7th or above good. 10th acceptable if it takes a while to gel or there's a flop or two / major injuries.

Anything less is now clear and imo unacceptable failure.

And I'm pretty forgiving when it comes to league placing

Thing is, we have to be going for it this year, we lose Vydra if we don't.

We'll still have less rebuilding to do and be stronger than we were at the start of this season though.

It's hardly win or bust.

[Forbury Lion]

We've won the title with a lesser team than we now have, perhaps with lesser competition.

I will be unhappy finishing outside of the top 10, content with playoffs but happy with promotion but overjoyed to win the league.

[loyalroyal4life]

Nothing less than winning it now!

[andrew1957]

When I look back at the squad that won this division in 2011/12 it still astounds me that Brian McDermott managed to get that lot in the top half let alone top! He was truly a miracle worker and his reward was the sack.

However, moving on the current squad looks so much better to me than the one which won the title just over 3 years ago. The only position we are less strong in is obviously the goalkeeping one.

Squad then (subs in brackets):
Fed (McCarthy/Andersen)
Cummings
Pearce Gorkks (Connolly/Gunarsson)
Harte (Joe Mills)
Legs Karacan (Mullins/Tabb)
McAnuff Kebe (HRK)
Roberts Hunt (ALF)

[Ian Royal]

When I look back at the squad that won this division in 2011/12 it still astounds me that Brian McDermott managed to get that lot in the top half let alone top! He was truly a miracle worker and his reward was the sack.

However, moving on the current squad looks so much better to me than the one which won the title just over 3 years ago. The only position we are less strong in is obviously the goalkeeping one.

Squad then (subs in brackets):
Fed (McCarthy/Andersen)
Cummings
Pearce Gorkks (Connolly/Gunarsson)
Harte (Joe Mills)
Legs Karacan (Mullins/Tabb)
McAnuff Kebe (HRK)
Roberts Hunt (ALF)

That's just a demonstration that a) its the TEAM that's key, not the individuals b) mental strength makes a stupendous difference if you can kick a run of form off

[SCIAG]

When I look back at the squad that won this division in 2011/12 it still astounds me that Brian McDermott managed to get that lot in the top half let alone top! He was truly a miracle worker and his reward was the sack.

However, moving on the current squad looks so much better to me than the one which won the title just over 3 years ago. The only position we are less strong in is obviously the goalkeeping one.

Squad then (subs in brackets):
Fed (McCarthy/Andersen)
Cummings
Pearce Gorkks (Connolly/Gunarsson)
Harte (Joe Mills)
Legs Karacan (Mullins/Tabb)
McAnuff Kebe (HRK)
Roberts Hunt (ALF)

That first eleven is stronger than the current one in most positions imo, though it's lacking the depth that the current squad seems to have. I'd argue it has better depth up front and at right back.

You're missing some of the backup players, most notably Griffin and Church.

[Lower West]

That first eleven is stronger than the current one in most positions imo, though it's lacking the depth that the current squad seems to have. I'd argue it has better depth up front and at right back.

Different era. Quality of the leagues has improved since then. Pace of the game has picked up in the Championship.

[3points]

When I look back at the squad that won this division in 2011/12 it still astounds me that Brian McDermott managed to get that lot in the top half let alone top! He was truly a miracle worker and his reward was the sack.

However, moving on the current squad looks so much better to me than the one which won the title just over 3 years ago. The only position we are less strong in is obviously the goalkeeping one.

Squad then (subs in brackets):
Fed (McCarthy/Andersen)
Cummings
Pearce Gorkks (Connolly/Gunarsson)
Harte (Joe Mills)
Legs Karacan (Mullins/Tabb)
McAnuff Kebe (HRK)
Roberts Hunt (ALF)

It goes to show, it's not always about having the best players / squad but having a cohesive team with a great spirit. I think that is one area that a team with a lot of loan signings potentially has a distinct downside.

McDermott got them playing to a system. Everyone knew their role, and if a player was injured or suspended, there was little to no tinkering with the formation. A player stepped in and did a job. Since Brian left we have not had a defined way of playing. Adkins was awful and would change his team to counter what the opposition did. Clarke still hasn't worked out his best team / formation; so I feel it could be Christmas before our team and style settles down and therefore a struggle to be challenging this year to make top 6

[If you still hate Futcher]

We've won the title with a lesser team than we now have, perhaps with lesser competition.

I will be unhappy finishing outside of the top 10, content with playoffs but happy with promotion but overjoyed to win the league.

Definitely lesser competition, our main rivals were West Ham and a team managed by Adkins

Top 6 for me but the main aim has to be to make us more entertaining

[From Despair To Where?]

I'd kind of expect Top 6 but would be happy with Top 10 if we are watching a cohesive team playing decent football and building a platform for a serious promotion push next season.

[Willos]

Sasima sounds like she is absolutely loving being an owner of RFC.
Good interview, good questions asked and she seems to understand what the club needs to advance.

Totally agree, after listening to the interview any last lingering doubts of "let's hope this isnt another Zingarevich" just evaporated, they talk a very good game in terms of the business side and have shown the ambition with the backing we've all been crying out for ages. This has been better than anything anyone could have expected for a club that not so long ago was on sale for a quid!

It's pretty obvious from answers she gave that indicated that IF we went up in the next season or 2 then they know full well we have to invest further to stay there unlike previous promotions where we "cut the cloth" and been prudent which has ultimately led to relegation.

Undeniably exciting times to be a Reading Fan, the next game(s) can't come soon enough.

[Platypuss]

Sounds as similarly heartening as the interview on the offish site from last week?

http://www.readingfc.co.uk/news/article/lady-sasima-in-depth-interview-2654440.aspx

[melonhead]

I expect to slowly improve over the next month or two while Clarke works out what the best 11/formation is.
then I firmly expect us to be in the top 6 by the end

[Elm Park Kid]

I think top 6 is do-able. Bookies see top 2 as a two horse race between Middlesborough and Hull.

Have Hull done anything to warrant this? Apart from sell a lot of their players?

They've also retained a lot of their players including;

Curtis Davis
Michael Dawson
Mo Diame
Jake Livermore
Abel Hernandez
Robert Snodgrass
Ahmed Elmohammady

... those are quality players for this level. Then there is Steve Bruce who has 3 promotions to the premier league in his name, twice with Brum, and conceivably could be twice with Hull.

The problem is with this league is that there are so many big clubs (not saying Hull is one) and so much quality. Derby just brought in Bradley Johnson..

I agree. You can't look at Reading in isolation, it's not enough to say 'so and so is a decent player', you've got to compare them to the best at other clubs. We've now arguable got a top half standard squad, which combined with a decent manager and a stable environment at the club should mean we can push for top 6 - but nothing's guaranteed.