Second season success stories

[KC Royal]

Doyle started off on the bench and it was only an injury to Kitson against Burnley that got him starting games. He started scoring pretty much as soon as he got in the starting lineup.

Yes that’s how I remember it.

And he changed that game against Burnley when he came on. I remember saying during the game he's a future Irish international, though I wasn't expecting it to happen so soon!

[From Despair To Where?]

I think Doyle was bought very much as one for the future. We already had Kitson and had spent big on Lita and he got and took his chance because of injury. That team had goals all over the place.

Our forwards got over 50 between them but the midfield chipped in with well over 30 as well

[JimmytheJim]

Seem to remember Kevin Doyle struggled initially. Couldn't hit a barn door. Providing he works hard. Puscas will come good in the right formation. Bowen can only set the team up with the players available to him.

I'm more frustrated with Ovie Ejaria.

Doyle won player of the season and made the championship team of the season in his first year with us.

Hardly a struggle.

[paultheroyal]

With regards to the thread title and content - might of been mentioned but Graeme Murty springs to mind.

Came to us for a sizeable fee and in and out of the team because of injury and form, the rest is history.

[paultheroyal]

We also have a habit of taking on good players and then fans lose patience, they leave and come good elsewhere or even not the same ever again.

Vydra, Murray springs to mind although Murray record for us was decent but a proportion of fans never warmed to him.

Then there was Jon Salako, awesome on loan, we were gifted money to buy him and we never saw that Salako again.

[Snowflake Royal]

Doyle started off on the bench and it was only an injury to Kitson against Burnley that got him starting games. He started scoring pretty much as soon as he got in the starting lineup.

Incorrect. He started the first game against Plymouth. Kits wasn't fit for the start of the season.

[From Despair To Where?]

Isn't that my point though. He was bought as backup and only played against Plymouth because of injury. As soon as Kitson was fit, he dropped to the bench, until Kitson got injured again. He started scoring pretty much as soon as he started getting regular game time.

[Greatwesternline]

I thought Glen Little was shit in his loan spell - next season he was unplayable.

Puscas needs some real coaching to get him working effectively in the formations we play. He also needs to improve his work rate and movement.

I have no idea what we can do with him but I think he can play. We have to unlock it.

Puscas reminds me a bit of Defoe. Quite good when facing goal with the ball, decent finish, but a bit slow, and not very good at link up play or receiving the ball with his back to goal.

[leon]

Doyle started off on the bench and it was only an injury to Kitson against Burnley that got him starting games. He started scoring pretty much as soon as he got in the starting lineup.

Incorrect. He started the first game against Plymouth. Kits wasn't fit for the start of the season.

Incorrect.

Kitson was on the bench for the first game, so technically fit. He came on for Little.

As FDTW points out Doyle then mostly played as a sub until he came off the bench and scored the winner against Burnley.

[leon]

I thought Glen Little was shit in his loan spell - next season he was unplayable.

Puscas needs some real coaching to get him working effectively in the formations we play. He also needs to improve his work rate and movement.

I have no idea what we can do with him but I think he can play. We have to unlock it.

Puscas reminds me a bit of Defoe. Quite good when facing goal with the ball, decent finish, but a bit slow, and not very good at link up play or receiving the ball with his back to goal.

Yeah he needs a partner.

[Snowflake Royal]

Doyle started off on the bench and it was only an injury to Kitson against Burnley that got him starting games. He started scoring pretty much as soon as he got in the starting lineup.

Incorrect. He started the first game against Plymouth. Kits wasn't fit for the start of the season.

Incorrect.

Kitson was on the bench for the first game, so technically fit. He came on for Little.

As FDTW points out Doyle then mostly played as a sub until he came off the bench and scored the winner against Burnley.

Don't think Kits was fully match fit, otherwise there's no way he wouldn't have started.

Just pointing out that Doyle did start the first game of the season, which was probably one of the ones I'd been talking about.

[Pepe the Horseman]

I believe John Swift will be sold in the summer, yes. Not because of his ability or form but because a big offer will come in.

Only 2 years left on his contract - his value will probably just start to inch down during next season unless he signs a new deal

Would think he would be offered a new contact in the summer.

Think he is a shoe-in for POTS.

He should be, but I can see the kids voting for Ejaria because of his fancy feet

[NewCorkSeth]

Only 2 years left on his contract - his value will probably just start to inch down during next season unless he signs a new deal

Would think he would be offered a new contact in the summer.

Think he is a shoe-in for POTS.

He should be, but I can see the kids voting for Ejaria because of his fancy feet

Kids dont vote. Havent you been paying attention?

[Snowflake Royal]

Also, it's usually goals that get votes and Swift is getting more, and has almost as fancy feet.

At the moment it's got to be Swift then probably two from: Morrison, Meite, Pele, Moore and Cabral.

A good run from most of the others til the end of the season could likely see them move into contention though.

[Forbury Lion]

Graeme Murty - plagued by injuries for his first two seasons, so perhaps more of a third season success story

[Old Man Andrews]

Also, it's usually goals that get votes and Swift is getting more, and has almost as fancy feet.

At the moment it's got to be Swift then probably two from: Morrison, Meite, Pele, Moore and *Cabral.

A good run from most of the others til the end of the season could likely see them move into contention though.

*Rafael

[Forbury Lion]

We also have a habit of taking on good players and then fans lose patience, they leave and come good elsewhere or even not the same ever again.

Vydra, Murray springs to mind although Murray record for us was decent but a proportion of fans never warmed to him.

Then there was Jon Salako, awesome on loan, we were gifted money to buy him and we never saw that Salako again.

That could be down to the coaching/training - You get a player in on loan and they're habbits are going to be based around whats been coached into them before they came in, you sign them up and you then have more time to coach your way of playing.

On that Peter Crouch podcast (highly recommended BTW), Peter Crouch talked about his dry spell at Liverpool and how it was down to the manager telling him to play that way for the team yet the media and the fans were judging him on his lack of goals. In the end he just ignored the manager and played his own game and the goals came back..... Maybe Salako was coached more into the Reading way of playing as a perm player and as a result looked less impressive as an individual?

I remember Salako was in great form but due to reach a number of games that would have triggered a contract extension so the club stopped playing him (not sure if it was Pardew or Hammond/Howe) , I think they said he could play again if he negotiated this clause out of his contract as they didn't want him next season.... the irony is, he may have been playing that well because he wanted a contract extension