Aluko and Readings promotion hopes.

[FFC14]

Suprised to see Reading 11 points off of 6th after 10 games. Albeit you have a game in hand.

Wouldn't write you off just yet, I think Stam will turn things around. But as you are all watching your club week in week out you'll be the better judge of that I suppose. So do you feel you'll climb the table?

And Aluko, how has he settled?

Aluko is missed by us, he's one of the best players in the league until the end product in my opinion. He will create chances and put defenders on their toes. But sadly struggle to score more than 5 goals! If his shooting hasn't improve on last season.

And Fulham, it's difficult to tell with a few key players out. But we seem to have learnt how to win ugly.

I'm sure with your new owner things will be on the up soon.

[Hound]

Fulham looked good to me on to the other night. Be surprised if you aren't in the play off mix again

Our promo hopes are rapidly disappearing . What looked like good signings haven't improved the side and we've missed Kermogant, Obita and Swift (all various injuries) massively

Aluko looks a good player who hasn't fitted our system. Strangely the one thing that has been good is his 'end product' and has 3 assists on 3 games. Missed a couple of good chances as well though. Stam needs to use him a lot better, currently again not an improvement on what we had

[genome]

Aluko has his critics already. I think some are a little bitter than we didn't use the money for him to get a striker, and seem to have it in for him as a result, when it's not his fault at all.

As Hound mentioned, he has 3 assists in the last 3, so he's starting to settle and I think will get better still.

[FFC14]

To be fair (digging out last year's stats)

He scored 8 and got 10 assists. A similar return again will be welcome to Reading, and at the minute he looks set to better the assist ratio. Still early as you say, and I believe he will only settle in better.


+ Regarding Fulham looking good. Maybe it's because it's my own team and I'm a pretty pessimistic supporter myself. Must admit I focus more on the negatives with my own team, and it's not healthy lol.

Though I've seen us play and batter teams to attain 1 point or lose in the past. The QPR game felt like 2 average teams, where maybe we edged it for most the game. But it was like we tried our best to throw it away at the end.

They'd be a handful of other teams, including Reading that would've taken points from us on Friday in the same circumstances. IMHO.

[Hound]

They'd be a handful of other teams, including Reading that would've taken points from us on Friday in the same circumstances. IMHO.

Ha, most definitely not on recent performances.

[Sutekh]

Aluko is a big waste of money. We already have several (I think better) players that do what he does, and are also quite capable of consistently putting the ball into row z if they put their minds to it, so why on earth the club went and splaffed all that money on another one - and give him a 4 year deal in the process - is utterly bewildering. Would much rather the money had been put towards a striker or a real young bright prospect from the PL than a 28 year old with about as much end product as a crate of empties stashed behind your local boozer.

Still all that money is not his fault and I shall support him, and hope he suddenly finds a pair of shooting boots, so long as he turns out for the team - although i don't think Stam is helpng things by trying to play him as a striker on occasion.

[Hound]

Tbf the only time I can remember him taking a shot was when he smashed the bar from 25 yards and he hasn't been hoofing crosses or chances into the crowd

The disappointing thing has been the thing I thought he'd bring in spades which was movement and invention

[muirinho]

Aluko is a big waste of money. We already have several (I think better) players that do what he does, and are also quite capable of consistently putting the ball into row z if they put their minds to it, so why on earth the club went and splaffed all that money on another one - and give him a 4 year deal in the process - is utterly bewildering. Would much rather the money had been put towards a striker or a real young bright prospect from the PL than a 28 year old with about as much end product as a crate of empties stashed behind your local boozer.

Still all that money is not his fault and I shall support him, and hope he suddenly finds a pair of shooting boots, so long as he turns out for the team - although i don't think Stam is helpng things by trying to play him as a striker on occasion.

Three assists though. That freekick last game was perfect. It is not his fault he is not a striker.

[Snowflake Royal]

Agree Aluko was a waste of money. He's good, but not good enough for that price tag or to fill the hole we had. Barrow, Popa, McCleary, Harriott, Beerens and occasional assistance from Clement and Swift is more than enough to cover our wide forward requirements.

He looks sharp, but doesn't convince me he'll deliver much in open play. Three assists though, so can't complain much and he's not exactly got high performing players around him right now either. Him and Barrow looked a right handful in the first couple of games together.

We'll be extremely lucky to make the top 10 after this poor start. Especially seeing as there's no imminent sign of improvement. If we had this many points having lost 4 out of the first 5, it might be different. But the fact is we haven't won for six in all competitions, losing four. And virtually no one has had to play particularly well to beat us, nor create the chances they've scored themselves.

We shouldn't go down. But you never can tell. If the player's heads go completely because our game is so reliant on playing well to succeed we're fooked. If you play the system well it's brilliant. If you play it decently it's very good. But if you play it badly it's a total shambles. IMO it's easier to play badly in a more agricultural style and still get the odd lucky break to pick up points.

[6 Million Dollar Man]

Aluko is not a central striker...which is where he's been deployed on most, if not all, of his starts

Neither is he a deep midfielder, which is where he's had to go just to get involved in games.

I feel really sorry for him, because he just isn't going to flourish in this system, and he more than most looks like he really isn't enjoying this style of football

[Jack Celliers]

How much was he? The fee that was going through my mind during his Saturday horror-show was £7.5 million.

I was so pleased we got him, and I am sure he will be good for us, but he's got to look for goal a bit more. We didn't buy him to beat players on the half-way line. I don't think it is Stam's fault really. Aluko just has to play a bit better.

[LWJ]

How much was he? The fee that was going through my mind during his Saturday horror-show was £7.5 million.

That was the fee that the newspapers reported.

In reality it was no where near, even if you include the add-ons.

[Theroyalbox]

I have it on reasonable authority that with add ons etc the whole transfer was around £4.5 million

[Hound]

How much was he? The fee that was going through my mind during his Saturday horror-show was £7.5 million.

That was the fee that the newspapers reported.

In reality it was no where near, even if you include the add-ons.

its one of those where someone speculated that amount and suddenly it becomes fact

[John Smith]

How much was he? The fee that was going through my mind during his Saturday horror-show was £7.5 million.

I was so pleased we got him, and I am sure he will be good for us, but he's got to look for goal a bit more. We didn't buy him to beat players on the half-way line. I don't think it is Stam's fault really. Aluko just has to play a bit better.

You do realise he's not an out an out striker, don't you? He's doing his job with 3 assists already.

[LWJ]

I have it on reasonable authority that with add ons etc the whole transfer was around £4.5 million

Yup similar to what I've heard

[Hound]

I think he'll work well with Barrow. He needs to go right on to the full back, not pi$$ing about in CM or CF

Its almost like things started going wrong for us the minute Barrow went off against Brizzle.

Barrow Yann Aluko front line is probably where we want to end up. McCleary and Popa as cover and also as wing backs if we want to go 3-5-2. Dadi cover for Yann.

[John Smith]

I think he'll work well with Barrow. He needs to go right on to the full back, not pi$$ing about in CM or CF

Its almost like things started going wrong for us the minute Barrow went off against Brizzle.

Barrow Yann Aluko front line is probably where we want to end up. McCleary and Popa as cover and also as wing backs if we want to go 3-5-2. Dadi cover for Yann.

If anyone was wondering what a coherent and sensible post looks like then this is it. Gold star Hound.

We will be on fire in November when the squad is fully fit.

[topfuller]

I think he'll work well with Barrow. He needs to go right on to the full back, not pi$$ing about in CM or CF

Its almost like things started going wrong for us the minute Barrow went off against Brizzle.

Barrow Yann Aluko front line is probably where we want to end up. McCleary and Popa as cover and also as wing backs if we want to go 3-5-2. Dadi cover for Yann.

If anyone was wondering what a coherent and sensible post looks like then this is it. Gold star Hound.

We will be on fire in November when the squad is fully fit.

Lets hope so