oster??

[Hoop Blah]

Frankly, I think Seol is going to start somewhere but Coppell will not have kept Oster without rating him far higher than some of the garbage on this thread seems to suggest.

As I said before, our manager doesn't sign 3rd choices and Oster is only here because Coppell feels he has a part to play, and I would see his contributions to last season as the minimum expected for this one.

At the current time, with everyone fit, how do you rank our right midfield options then Woodcote, in either your eyes or your interpretation of Coppell's thinking?

How would you rank our centre midfield options?

How would you rank our left midfield options?

Personally, I think Oster would be currently be 3rd choice at best in any of these positions. Due to the limited size of our squad he could quite possibly fill in at right midfield as 2nd choice because, for example Little and Convey were injured and Seol was filling in on the left. He's still a 3rd choice though, but also a valuable part of the squad in either the first XI or as a valid option to bring off the bench.

[glass half full]

...oster was good at getting the balls into the box but they seemed to go nowhere.

What exactly does this mean? Do you think he's a good crosser or just whacks it in there willy nilly!

Getting good balls into the box, will lead to goals and he is also competition for Seol. Seol gets an injury then we have back up.

Have you forgotten about perhaps our best player last season, a certain Mr Little. Oster will be our thrid choice right winger next season.

If you look at last seasons goals you will see more of our goals came from Oster crosses (from his limited appearances) than did from either Blakey or Bobby crosses!!!

You are right, he isnt going to be first choice and nor will he set the premiership alight. But he has decent enough pace to beat a man and put in a cross. Yes, some of his crosses are crap, but he does deliver a decent cross a lot of the time which is sadly not seen by the blinkered 'boo boys'.

Are you mad? Little was our most creative player by a mile last season.

Oster was a decent squad player and the pressure he put on Little may have been key to his excellent performances, however, Oster offered very little protection to Murty when he played and was often guilty of giving possession away to cheaply with an attempted flick or just by being lightweight.

Its also odd that, with so many people wondering aloud at our lack of experience at Premiership level, one of the few who has any is regularly slated.

A good pro and an asset for the team, squad and club.

True, even if his previous Premiership experience isn't that positive, at least he knows what to expect and that can only help the squad. I think he's worth his one year extension, although I don't expect him to get that much of a look in for Premiership games.

The key words here are 'help the squad'. Oster perhaps will not be much more than a backup player for much of the season but his presence and ability on the ball should ensure that he is worthy of consideration. If he is not gaining a regular place by Christmas, he has the option to leave, probably for a Championship club.

[wehateoxford]

IMO, prem experience Vs heart, heart wins. i'd rather a unproven prem player (e/g little) who was lots of heart and gives his all for the team as first choice than someone who doesnt (e.g Oster) also, as pointed out seoul has international and champs league experience

[HighburyRoyale]

I am happy to accept that we all misjudged Convey (who, by the way, was one of the worst players I have ever seen in his first season at the club), however, I still feel strongly that Oster just isn't good enough. I will be backing him and all the others though and genuinely hope he changes my opinion in the same way Convey did.

[Woodcote Royal]

I think those observations regarding Convey's first season says much about your judgement whilst offering undue praise to countless players past and present.

[Only one Trevor Morley]

IMO, prem experience Vs heart, heart wins. i'd rather a unproven prem player (e/g little) who was lots of heart and gives his all for the team as first choice than someone who doesnt (e.g Oster) also, as pointed out seoul has international and champs league experience

Unsure what evidence you have for suggesting that Soter lacks heart - he always seems committed to me when he plays?

[Hoop Blah]

Frankly, I think Seol is going to start somewhere but Coppell will not have kept Oster without rating him far higher than some of the garbage on this thread seems to suggest.

As I said before, our manager doesn't sign 3rd choices and Oster is only here because Coppell feels he has a part to play, and I would see his contributions to last season as the minimum expected for this one.

At the current time, with everyone fit, how do you rank our right midfield options then Woodcote, in either your eyes or your interpretation of Coppell's thinking?

How would you rank our centre midfield options?

How would you rank our left midfield options?

Personally, I think Oster would be currently be 3rd choice at best in any of these positions. Due to the limited size of our squad he could quite possibly fill in at right midfield as 2nd choice because, for example Little and Convey were injured and Seol was filling in on the left. He's still a 3rd choice though, but also a valuable part of the squad in either the first XI or as a valid option to bring off the bench.

Woodcote???

If you're so adament that Oster isn't third choice any chance you might answer my questions? I'm curious.

[Woodcote Royal]

Oster isn't 3rd choice just like no one else in our first team squad is 3rd choice before the season has even started, and, as I've now said several times, I don't believe that either Coppell or the man himself would have agreed to a contract exention if that was the case.

Oster will be doing his best to prove that he's worth a start and, if Coppell is convinced, that is what will happen.

Last seasons pecking order is irrelevant and Seol is just a likely to start on the left as the right.....................meanwhile...................Little is injured

[Hoop Blah]

Oster isn't 3rd choice just like no one else in our first team squad is 3rd choice before the season has even started, and, as I've now said several times, I don't believe that either Coppell or the man himself would have agreed to a contract exention if that was the case.

Oster will be doing his best to prove that he's worth a start and, if Coppell is convinced, that is what will happen.

Last seasons pecking order is irrelevant and Seol is just a likely to start on the left as the right.....................meanwhile...................Little is injured

Considering it was the same manager selecting from the same players I can't see how you can say last seasons pecking order is irrelevant.

Obviously form and fitness might influence things, which is why I stated with everyone fit, but I can't believe you live in such a cuckoo land that you think the manager hasn't already got a formation and prefered selection of players in his mind. I'm sure pre-season form can influence it, but not by a great deal.

I'm amazed that you feel that people having an opinion on Oster not being as good as other players in the squad is such a negative at this time of the season.

You're insistance that Coppell doesn't sign 3rd choices isn't backed up by any substance, and I'd suggest that any manager signs players to bolster the squad, ie second or third choice players. Surely thats just sensible, especially if you can't afford the players to come straight into the starting XI. If that wasn't the case we wouldn't have all of Makin, Halls or Golbourne in the squad would we?

This thread hasn't seen any real negatives against Oster apart from the fact that he might not get in the side above our other wingers. I just don't get your bullish stance against non-apparent negativity and the realistic probability that the lad is third choice.

[Woodcote Royal]

I feel sure that you believe there are fairies at the bottom of your garden.

Considering it was the same manager selecting from the same players I can't see how you can say last seasons pecking order is irrelevant.

This may seem strange, but most managers pick their team on merit and Steve Coppell might just feel that what is happening now is more important than what happened back in May................are you for real?

[Royalee]

I feel sure that you believe there are fairies at the bottom of your garden.

Considering it was the same manager selecting from the same players I can't see how you can say last seasons pecking order is irrelevant.

This may seem strange, but most managers pick their team on merit and Steve Coppell might just feel that what is happening now is more important than what happened back in May................are you for real?

May was the last time we played a competitive game.

[Hoop Blah]

This may seem strange, but most managers pick their team on merit and Steve Coppell might just feel that what is happening now is more important than what happened back in May................are you for real?

It might just give you an insight into how he rates the two players though, considering Glen was an automatic choice to start even when he wasn't 100% fit. Do you not agree?

I've never said that Oster isn't going to be considered if his form is better than Little's, but you can't seem to accept that Oster is most likely behind Little and Seol in the race for the right midfield berth. Why?

[rabidbee]

This may seem strange, but most managers pick their team on merit and Steve Coppell might just feel that what is happening now is more important than what happened back in May................are you for real?

It might just give you an insight into how he rates the two players though, considering Glen was an automatic choice to start even when he wasn't 100% fit. Do you not agree?

I've never said that Oster isn't going to be considered if his form is better than Little's, but you can't seem to accept that Oster is most likely behind Little and Seol in the race for the right midfield berth. Why?

Woodcote, do you think that all of the players are equally talented, because that is the point that everyone is making. Form is important, but if Little and Oster were equally fit and equally on form in the friendlies, how would you chose which of them starts? Most people posting here seem to agree that Little is more talented than Oster, whilst we're still unsure about where Seol fits into the pecking order. That is not the same as saying that Oster isn't good enough to be in the squad, let alone that he isn't good enough to play in the Prem; we just don't think that he's better than Little. All teams have players of varying abilities, that is normal.

[Woodcote Royal]

My main point is that neither Coppell or Oster would have wanted the latters contract extended if it was a foregone conclusion that he would be 3rd choice.

Little has just had his best season ever and Oster rightly had to take 2nd place but that doesn't mean that either, this will also be the case next season or, that Little has more talent than Oster.

Frankly, last season was Glen Little's only good season in a Reading shirt and I've still witnessed more poor performances from him than Oster.

[RG30]

Good to see the boo boys/slaggers get started on John Oster again, only months after he was knocked for his performance against Watford in March.

When will people realise we can't afford to let players go because of our worrying lack of numbers. A squad of 23 may have gone to Sweeden but the likes of Long and Cox are such a distance from the standard we need to compete at this level.

[Hoop Blah]

Good to see the boo boys/slaggers get started on John Oster again, only months after he was knocked for his performance against Watford in March.

When will people realise we can't afford to let players go because of our worrying lack of numbers. A squad of 23 may have gone to Sweeden but the likes of Long and Cox are such a distance from the standard we need to compete at this level.

I can't be bothered to re-read the thread but I can't remember Oster get slated on here. A few have pointed out that he's probably not as good as Little or Seol and that sometimes his defending is found wanting. Thats not really slagging him off though, I think it's just honest opinions on one of our players.

My main point is that neither Coppell or Oster would have wanted the latters contract extended if it was a foregone conclusion that he would be 3rd choice.

Little has just had his best season ever and Oster rightly had to take 2nd place but that doesn't mean that either, this will also be the case next season or, that Little has more talent than Oster.

Frankly, last season was Glen Little's only good season in a Reading shirt and I've still witnessed more poor performances from him than Oster.

Little has only played two seasons Woodcote! He may not have set the world alight during his first season but he was by no means poor (unless you set extremely high standards of course!). I'm not surprised you've seen more poor games by Little than Oster, did you realise that he's played about 6 times as many games!

Why are you so critical of Little then? He was our most creative player last season and all you seem to want to do is put him down in favour of Oster.

Coppell wanted Oster as part of his squad. Oster was happy to be part of that squad. Thats why he got his extension. He may be able to compete for a place in the side but the general opinion, and I'd hazard the opinion of Mr Coppell, is that Little and Seol, when fit, are both ahead of him in the queue for a starting place.

[wehateoxford]

IMO, prem experience Vs heart, heart wins. i'd rather a unproven prem player (e/g little) who was lots of heart and gives his all for the team as first choice than someone who doesnt (e.g Oster) also, as pointed out seoul has international and champs league experience

Unsure what evidence you have for suggesting that Soter lacks heart - he always seems committed to me when he plays?

he gives the ball away carelessly and doesnt try to win it back, he doesnt back track to defend, his support to murty isnt terrific. he can play well but blakey closes down, makes tackles and always seems determined to beat his man whereas oster seems to shake it off like better luck next time

[wehateoxford]

Good to see the boo boys/slaggers get started on John Oster again, only months after he was knocked for his performance against Watford in March.

When will people realise we can't afford to let players go because of our worrying lack of numbers. A squad of 23 may have gone to Sweeden but the likes of Long and Cox are such a distance from the standard we need to compete at this level.

i dont think anyones actually calling for oster to be chucked from the squad, its more a debate about his position in the pecking order... personally i recognize he does a job for us, but my preference lies clearly with blakey... its all about the second season anyway, convey and little showed that, hopefully oster/hunt will prove it to

[Wycombe Royal]

It might just give you an insight into how he rates the two players though, considering Glen was an automatic choice to start even when he wasn't 100% fit. Do you not agree?

Convey wasn't first choice at left wing in his first season with us, but started last season as first choice.

Things change and just because Glen was automatic first choice last season doesn't mean he will this season. The way he, Oster and Seol perform pre-season will have a huge bearing on that.

[rabidbee]

Convey wasn't first choice at left wing in his first season with us, but started last season as first choice.

Given that he was competing with the apparently non-existant Brooker (well, did any of you ever notice him on the pitch, 'cause I certainly never did!), I was always bemused that he wasn't first choice. I remember being really impressed by his couple of games ("gee, somebody who can cross!") and disappointed when he disappeared again. He looked powderpuff in defence, but good going forward; perhaps somebody can tell me how Brooker faired in either of those departments, bcause he always seemed to be standing in my blind spot...