Okay, this team, to me, looks set. I think we're better than last season. With everyone, aside from Little, getting healthy right now. Keeper: Marcus looks healthy, but we've now got really good competition for the second shirt, and Federici and Stack will be a good enough if he goes down. The battle to replace Marcus is on, and may happen this year. But right now, I think he's showing he can still do the job. I think we're deeper here than last year, because both backups are better. Hope Marcus is fully back. But this is, to my mind, unsure. This is one concern for us. Our back line, imo, is very solid. Shorey - Bikey - Ingamarrson (soon Sonko) and Murts. with Golb, DLC, Duberry and Mate all in the picture, not bothered about depth. Bikey is turning into a total stud. He's always had some class on the ball, but he's got that calm, I'm in charge thing going on this summer (which was lacking last year). Shorey is justifiably feeling great about his game, and right now it looks like we'll get another quality year from Murts/DLC. Also, is Golbourne ready to step up? I think so. Logjam of talent at the back, and I think in six months, Bennett is ready for the prem, he's been improving so fast. I think we're better here than last year, and maybe by a bunch. If we bring inwhat's his name from fulham, another step up. Oh, and Halls. Midfield: Right now, with Fae in, feeling very good here. Hated to lose Sids, but right now he doesn't look any better at ball-winning than Cisse, who is also classy on the ball. Hunt is very confident, Convey is coming back, Gunn is a great all purpose guy. Oster is a great guy to throw into the attack and has shown he can do a job at right or center. I guess I'm thinking Convey is just about fully healthy, which makes me very, very positive about the midfield. We will miss Little, but we missed him for long stretches last year, and i think we've got better cover this year. I also think sulky was injured and too tired (from no break) much of last season. I think he stays, and improves, this year. I think this midfield is an upgrade. If Fae and Cisse live up to billing, maybe a huge upgrade. Striker: nuff said. We're hitting on all cylanders, huge confidence and talent. Long is better prepared, so a slight upgrade myabe, but we're set here. In Jnauary, someone in for Kitson, if he doesn't seem strong enough to handle the game. All in all, I think we're better. Don't think that means we finish higher, but I expect top 12. Last year, I was hoping for top 17. I think we're better.
A little perspective. If someone asked a pundit where Reading would finish without Sonko, Convey and Kitson for most ot the 06/07 season, he probably would have said, "Fighting to avoid relegation", and I'd be hard pressed to disagree. As you mentioned, this club has something it didn't have last season. Depth. Depth across the board. Coppell had some pretty big boots to fill with the absence of Sids, but he's had his eye on Fae for quite some time, and paid some decent coin (by Reading's standards) to get him. From what I've heard, Fae has pace and should fit right in. Last season, I had no expectations, just a wish that they could manage to stay in the Prem. Call me optimistic, but I'd be disappointed if Reading are not fighting for a Euro spot come April.
I think Reading are quite capable of fighting for Euro. Just uneasy about the bounces going against us, and climbing out of a hole after August. But I think Sids _ while a fine player _ was on his way out. He was a great worker, could not be counted on to score and while he could help control the pace of the game couldn't be counted on to direct the flow of it. Cisse, in the little bit I've seen of him this summer, is pure class. He was spraying some dazzling passes around against Lyon _ and that isn't bad. If Fae can play the right as well as hammond says he can, our depth is very, very impressive. Still, playing devil's advocate to our arguments, there are some potential issues. I think we overcome because Coppell is trully amazing, but I have a feeling we've seen the last of Little in 2007, and maybe forever at this level. if Seol is sulking and wants to leave, that's a hole on the right. Is Oster able to produce week in, week out? Esp as he'd be in front of Murty or DLC, two very solid but aging players, both with fine but not great pace? And Marcus is reaching the age where at some point, he's going to start declining (but that year is not this year!). Fae and Cisse are unproven, until they prove themselves in the prem. Convey is not fully back yet. Kitson is fragile, and Lita runs hot and cold. I
The previous posts have pretty much covered everything. I agree that the team probably does have more quality now, the only big worries for me being injuries/aging (of course), Oster being able to do well as the starter if he has to, and the much talked about second year blues. We have a pretty good back four, my only concern there is if both De La and Murts end up declining this year. The central midfield is probably at least as good, and maybe better than last yea, and having Convey back will help on the left, whether it ends up being as a starter or as an attacking replacement. The forwards are very good, as was mentioned. The only worry there is that they end up attracting buyers, but that shouldn't effect this season (and hopefully it doesn't happen at all). As long as we stay up I'll be relatively happy, but I'll predict a top 14 finish with a good chance of making a run at the European places if things go right.
I think all the previous posts have it spot on. Since Reading is a more established team than some of the teams that have replaced their entire lineup, I think that should work in their favor. Here's to hoping that both Convey and Seol have better seasons this time around (and Kitson as well). Top 10 finish isn't out of reach for us.
If everything breaks right, they can certainly compete for a European slot. But it would take a lot of luck. I think it's arguable that they're better in an objective sense, but the thing is that I think the same is true for a lot of their competition. There are not many teams in the league that I think couldn't compete for a top 6 or 7 spot, if things broke well for them. The thing is that, while there were plenty of troubles last year, in almost every case a new player stepped in and performed admirably. The real question is whether these guys are actually as good as they performed last year or whether they were playing over their heads a bit. I think the former is true, but I'm not completely dismissing the latter.
interesting news.... http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11673_2640570,00.html I would say i've heard of him but i aint. Then again i had never heard of adu before joining BS and he's supposed to be the new Pele..........(went to Benfica for a couple of mill ) JK
And he's a right back, correct? Would feel better about the coming season with a young project RB on the team (I mean, if Copps wasn't bothered about Halford leaving, I'm not, but I liked the idea of having one for the future on board).
Does he have a club right now, or would he be free? Anyway, agree that we should give him a chance if he'll come.
Well aside from John Carter's write up on Reading's future this season that over-glorifies Sidwell (although it was finished before news of the Fae transfer broke) and tells us that second season syndrom is a serious affair, Le Tissier feels we shouldn't be worried. http://www.skysports.com/experts/expert_story/0,19793,12085_2638511,00.html
Sids was a big loss, but Cisse and Fae seem like decent/good signings. Bikey is settling in as a very nice Premiership defender. The overall depth seems greater this season, even without a "Big Name" signing. All in all, I am cautiously optimistic. Personally, I believe Reading need one or two more years in the Premiership to establish themselves. That steady stream of income will then allow them to take some risks, and buy some "Big Names." However, Copps has done an excellent job in the past of finding discount diamonds, and I think that will continue. Not to be negative, but I just want another season of avoiding relegation troubles again. Flirting with Europe would be a major bonus, but staying up is still the campaign goal for me. Of course, setting the bar low means I have a plenty of chances to be pleasantly surprised.
Sids is a loss. No question. He won balls in the middle, spread it to the wings quickly, helped start the attack, and always annoyed the other side, defensively. From watching Reading last year, though, I don't think he's impossible to replace. And from watching them online this summer, I think Cisse might be better. From the early games I've seen, he looks bigger, stronger, faster and harder than Sids. He's also very composed, and already he's produced a couple incredibly sweet long passes _ something Sids was not doing too often last year. For all the talk about how much we'll miss him, Copps had him playing a very limited role, without too much responsibility for driving the team forward, more stopping things from collapsing. I think he played his role very well, and was important to our finish. but I think Copps has found another gem in Cisse. I'm a big believer that teams overcome individuals, and I think a number of teams this summer are making huge mistakes by bringing in entirely new casts. Coppell had a hole in the squad, and he filled it, as well as filling the hole that existed all of last year as well (we needed another CM last season, so two does us well). Long term, Shorey and Lita might be issues, but right now, they're ours and they'll be committed (if not to the club, then their own futures, but either way the club benefits). Little is a huge loss, if he's out for a long spell (or forever). But Seol is healthier than he was last year, and Oster is not as nifty, but causes problems in a different manner. We do need Sonko and Convey to come back fully, but it looks as if they are. And if they're back in top form, this is a very good team. No idea where they finish, but i won a bit on a top 14 finish last year and I think I'll repeat that.
I recon Lita and Shorey have their eyes on europe next season or the one after. They both know we have no chance of the prem title but europe is not such a pipe dream. Double your stake and change your bet to top 10. (plus an extra 50 quid on us the get into the uefa cup).....Have faith mate
A whole summer of creating a mental block to hide how close that shot was to sending Reading to Europe, and you go and destroy it in one post!
Nice little run-down there, Mr. Mod. I like the part about the team overcoming the loss of individuals. Regardless of who was on the pitch last season, Reading tended to look organized (Obviously, not always, but usually). Copps seems to be a master of developing a system of play and drilling it into his players. Further, he has had a lot of success finding players that fit into that system. I have hope that Cisse fits in. Further, if he does have a more creative spark when it comes to distributing the ball, we may soon forget Sids name all together.
Looks like we're going to start where we left off injury-wise. The club's leading striker is apparently going to miss a month. So much for hoping we stay healthy. Is it too late to change my vote?
Lita's typically been third choice, and I'd be surprised if that situation wasn't a factor in him wanting to keep his options open. He was almost certainly bought to start ahead of Doyle, but it didn't turn out that way.
i think Reading is quite good this year. i was fourtunate enough to be in england for their open practice