Most underrated/"does a job" player for Reading?

[Hendo]

Joey had a really good pass on him tbf. Quality player, once he got those first few bad performances out of his system.

VdB was a convenient scapegoat. For a cheap punt, he did all right.

+1 to that, I never, ever got the JvdB hate.

[Snowflake Royal]

Joey had a really good pass on him tbf. Quality player, once he got those first few bad performances out of his system.

VdB was a convenient scapegoat. For a cheap punt, he did all right.

+1 to that, I never, ever got the JvdB hate.

+1

When you consider some of the wasters he played with!!

[From Despair To Where?]

Joey had a really good pass on him tbf. Quality player, once he got those first few bad performances out of his system.

VdB was a convenient scapegoat. For a cheap punt, he did all right.

+1 to that, I never, ever got the JvdB hate.

He was Dutch and a ball playing defensive midfielder, therefore the embodiment of Stam's philosophy.

[John Smith]

Anyone on here even attempting to defend the ability of Joey van den Berg has no idea of football whatsoever. Atrocious technically, even worse mentally with the composure of a drunk bloke having an argument in a pub. Probably the same level of grace as well. Not a footballer and his career progression proved that. I will never forget on the last day of the season at Cardiff where we needed to be at our most disciplined, that bloke haring around like Gazza, chopping people down and getting away with a blatant handball in the box.

[From Despair To Where?]

His career progression proved what?


That he spent the bulk of his career in the Dutch top flight including 2 very comfortable mid table finishes with newly promoted clubs before moving to England in his 30s?. That would suggest a good career as a solid pro footballer at a decent level but granted, he's no Sone Aluko.

Not entirely sure what your point is, there John other than demonstrating a fundamental lack of basic knowledge.

[Snowflake Royal]

His career progression proved what?


That he spent the bulk of his career in the Dutch top flight including 2 very comfortable mid table finishes with newly promoted clubs before moving to England in his 30s?. That would suggest a good career as a solid pro footballer at a decent level but granted, he's no Sone Aluko.

Not entirely sure what your point is, there John other than demonstrating a fundamental lack of basic knowledge.

JS likes to get in every post how little everyone else knows and how superior he is whilst simultaneously knowing the square root of oxf*rd all.


anyone want that open goal?

[John Smith]

His career progression proved what?


That he spent the bulk of his career in the Dutch top flight including 2 very comfortable mid table finishes with newly promoted clubs before moving to England in his 30s?. That would suggest a good career as a solid pro footballer at a decent level but granted, he's no Sone Aluko.

Not entirely sure what your point is, there John other than demonstrating a fundamental lack of basic knowledge.

It's quite clear what my point is: he couldn't cut it at Reading so had to move to the second tier of Dutch football - a notoriously poor and inferior league. Whereas other players from that squad, e.g. Lewis Grabban have continued to forge a career at promotion chasing Championship clubs, van den Berg have to go back to Holland. I don't think he'd even have got a move to a National League club he was that bad.

[From Despair To Where?]

Lewis Grabban was a loanee and younger. Again, what is your point?

We signed Van Den Berg as a cheap journeyman at a time when we had fcuk all money and had finished in the bottom 6 3 years running. He did alright.

Lewis Grabban cost Premier League Bournemouth £6m, has a record for us comparable to Joseph Mendes and has been slumming it in the Championship ever since.

[South Coast Royal]

VdB was a convenient scapegoat. For a cheap punt, he did all right.

+1 to that, I never, ever got the JvdB hate.

He was Dutch and a ball playing defensive midfielder, therefore the embodiment of Stam's philosophy.

But so, so slow he would have made Charlie Adams look quick.

[Wycombe Royal]

I'm going to throw Jem Karacan into the mix....haven't read the whole topic so he might already be in it.....

[leon]

Mick Gooding.

This totally.

I don't think RFC fans ever appreciated fully what a great player he was. Even after another shit team performance post 95 you'd say "Gooding was ok though"

I don't think he ever put in a less than 7/10 performance and did pretty much everything he was asked to.

[From Despair To Where?]

Gooding was an excellent player, but bit to be fair, a lot of fans did seem to acknowledge that. As you say though, always the last player you'd point the finger at after a poor team performance

[Forty]

Has surely to be Tabb, but Newman's a decent shout.

As is Neil Smith....

[SouthDownsRoyal]

Jay Tabb?

[SouthDownsRoyal]

Hope Akpan?

[Simmops]

His career progression proved what?


That he spent the bulk of his career in the Dutch top flight including 2 very comfortable mid table finishes with newly promoted clubs before moving to England in his 30s?. That would suggest a good career as a solid pro footballer at a decent level but granted, he's no Sone Aluko.

Not entirely sure what your point is, there John other than demonstrating a fundamental lack of basic knowledge.

It's quite clear what my point is: he couldn't cut it at Reading so had to move to the second tier of Dutch football - a notoriously poor and inferior league. Whereas other players from that squad, e.g. Lewis Grabban have continued to forge a career at promotion chasing Championship clubs, van den Berg have to go back to Holland. I don't think he'd even have got a move to a National League club he was that bad.

Yes the same Dutch league where multiple premier league and lower league players have failed in.