Building for next season

[Hoop Blah]

Remainder should be given an opportunity. Cooper was a classic example of Stam letting a player go who wasn't a good enough technical footballer. Yet is proving himself more than able to play at Championship level. Change needs to be gradual. We need to build systematically and develope a style. Which is played throughout the whole club at every level.

But also player development is a strange thing. Watson and Richards both came through out of nowhere.

Who would have expected Dai, Vancooten, Shaughnessy and MacDonald to end up with league careers when others like Jack Mills and Scott Davies dropped like a stone.

I take your point, it is very difficult to predict who will and won’t make it, especially if you’re buying into the PR and hype that comes out of the club (or used to at least).

Of those you mention above though, none have yet had a consistent league career, and none have played as much as or as long at Davies in the league, so it’s a bit early to compare them (and MacDonald was one that was pretty highly rated through the system too, so possibly negates the argument a tad too).

Talent is what gets them the chance though, but it’s the attitude, application and mental strength that sees them make the most of the opportunity as and when it comes along. That’s pretty much impossible to judge from the outside too.

[Lower West]

Remainder should be given an opportunity. Cooper was a classic example of Stam letting a player go who wasn't a good enough technical footballer. Yet is proving himself more than able to play at Championship level. Change needs to be gradual. We need to build systematically and develope a style. Which is played throughout the whole club at every level.

But also player development is a strange thing. Watson and Richards both came through out of nowhere.

Who would have expected Dai, Vancooten, Shaughnessy and MacDonald to end up with league careers when others like Jack Mills and Scott Davies dropped like a stone.

I saw Darren Caskey make his debut for Tottenham. Many players have the ability. What's lacking is character and mental strength. That determines the level that they ultimately achieve, eg. Murty.

Stoke's signings are an example of big money doesn't buy you success. Millions down the drain.

[royalp-we]

Some midfielders with bite needed which can complement and nuture Swift and Kelly. I think Clayton would be a good buy.
A really good bit of business would be Joe Allen from Stoke. I just think he could bring out the best in Edwards and the others.
Although we would probably end up with Charlie Adam.

Wouldn't be surprised if we have some conversations around a few Swansea players too, should they get relegated next week.

[Denver Royal]

I saw Darren Caskey make his debut for Tottenham. Many players have the ability. What's lacking is character and mental strength. That determines the level that they ultimately achieve, eg. Murty.

Yep, Murts is a good example.

So was Parky. Obv not the most talented or skillful of players, but boy did he bring it on Saturday's. Led by example, pride in performance, kept himself in tremendous shape, when some didn't. I was playing footy at the time, and I remember getting there early and watching his warm ups before a game. It was quite something, and I actually took notes! A players pro, who got the most out of his (limited) ability.

Speaking of Tottenham, they had a few such players down through the years...Perryman, Mike England, Dave Mackay, etc. players who always put in a shift.

Then there is C. Ronaldo who I think Sir Alex said, despite all the talent, was very disciplined, a fitness freak, hated to miss training, and was very competitive in practice games. He wasn't the tallest, but he actually made himself a great header of the ball thru sheer hard work and study. It was one of the few parts of his game that wasn't really strong early doors, and he could have rested on his laurels and other attributes, but he got there.

[Libertine]

I m not sure how close, or far from, this team is being either good or poor. I don't think they were as good they ended up being Stam's first season. But I don't think they were as bad as their results were this past season.

We definitely need a striker and defensive midfielder who can do the job at this level. And I am still not completely sold on Clement. Has the pedigree but hasn't yet shown he can do the job at any of his stops. Tbf he did do enough to keep us up so I am willing to give him a fair shake next season...maybe this is the right place for him if he is given time and allowed to build a squad to fit his philosophy.

[Sutekh]

Reading need to be quick out of the blocks and sort their transfer activity as quickly as possible as doesn't the window close sometime around 13th August for PL and FL clubs given all the moaning some clubs kicked up last year about it being ridiculous the window was still open after the season had started (of course if they scrapped transfer windows altogether... but then that's another story).

However with the World Cup going on that might prove challenging for some clubs.

[Royalwaster]

Reading need to be quick out of the blocks and sort their transfer activity as quickly as possible as doesn't the window close sometime around 13th August for PL and FL clubs given all the moaning some clubs kicked up last year about it being ridiculous the window was still open after the season had started (of course if they scrapped transfer windows altogether... but then that's another story).

However with the World Cup going on that might prove challenging for some clubs.

9th August - end of August for loans:

https://www.readingfc.co.uk/news/2018/m ... n-2018-19/

[SCIAG]

Cooper was a classic example of Stam letting a player go who wasn't a good enough technical footballer. Yet is proving himself more than able to play at Championship level.

Cooper was more than good enough technically, certainly head and shoulders above McShane (no pun intended). His issue was that he had utterly terrible concentration and couldn't deal with pacey strikers running at him. Every match he'd have a serious lapse in judgement which would cost a goal or something similar. He just wasn't good enough.

A really good bit of business would be Joe Allen from Stoke.

Allen is being linked to several Premier League clubs and will probably go for £20m+.

[72 bus]

Of those you mention above though, none have yet had a consistent league career, and none have played as much as or as long at Davies in the league,

Really ?
Angus Macdonald has 62 championship games for Barnsley and Hull plus England caps at u16 & u19
Scott Davies has 4 championship games, the majority of his career has been non league

[SCIAG]

As for who to keep or let go, I'm basically of the view that most of our players are talented enough to be part of a promotion push. I'm not especially keen to get rid of any of the first-team players.

I don't see a future for Pelle Clement or Andy Rinomhota, so I'd get rid of both. Sam Smith would probably be close behind. I'd also clear out Jaakola, Bond, and Legg, and I don't want Martin anywhere near the club despite his talent. And Mendes, Gravenberch, and Wieser were gambles that never looked like coming off and who most of us have forgotten about.

Of the senior players, I'd be particularly keen to keep Moore, Obita, Gunter, Evans, Kelly, Swift, and Barrow. Everyone else is dispensable, but could be useful or even crucial. The likes of Ilori, Blackett, and Aluko had bad seasons and crucial flaws, but all have ability and have shown the could be harnessed by the right manager.

Key signings should be a right winger and a striker. That right winger could be McCleary, Harriott, Popa, or Meite if Clement is confident in their ability and fitness, but I think it's likely to have to be someone external (ideally we sign one winger and keep one of the existing ones around). Novakovich and Loader could maybe be part of our strike force, but I'd still like to bring in someone else to compete with JDB - ideally a Forster/Long type who is quick but also capable of playing as a lone striker.

[Victor Meldrew]

Cooper was a classic example of Stam letting a player go who wasn't a good enough technical footballer. Yet is proving himself more than able to play at Championship level.

Cooper was more than good enough technically, certainly head and shoulders above McShane (no pun intended). His issue was that he had utterly terrible concentration and couldn't deal with pacey strikers running at him. Every match he'd have a serious lapse in judgement which would cost a goal or something similar. He just wasn't good enough.

A really good bit of business would be Joe Allen from Stoke.

Allen is being linked to several Premier League clubs and will probably go for £20m+.

I think this season has shown that Cooper is clearly good enough-a bit like Flint at Bristol City, somebody who needs a quick fellow central defender alongside him and in Liam Moore we have that player.

I do agree on your point about concentration which has been so lacking in many of our players this season and in particular, Gunter, Blackett, Kelly and Swift and it is important for Clement to get all of our players to be much more focused for the whole game and to get them to take responsibility rather than pass the buck which has happened far too much this season.

Hopefully Swift (and Obita) will be fitter and Kelly will knuckle down rather than think that every country wants him to play for them-unfortunately his head was turned and this season he went backwards in his development.

[John Smith]

As for who to keep or let go, I'm basically of the view that most of our players are talented enough to be part of a promotion push. I'm not especially keen to get rid of any of the first-team players.

Are you on a wind up? We nearly got relegated!

Key signings should be a right winger and a striker. That right winger could be McCleary, Harriott, Popa, or Meite

Good news - they already play for Reading so we wouldn't need to make them new signings.

I'd still like to bring in someone else to compete with JDB - ideally a Forster/Long type who is quick but also capable of playing as a lone striker.

Nicky Forster retired years ago

[maffff]

I'd still like to bring in someone else to compete with JDB - ideally a Forster/Long type who is quick but also capable of playing as a lone striker.

Nicky Forster retired years ago

So what you're saying is he'd be cheap?

[John Smith]

I'd still like to bring in someone else to compete with JDB - ideally a Forster/Long type who is quick but also capable of playing as a lone striker.

Nicky Forster retired years ago

So what you're saying is he'd be cheap?

Exactly. And twice as good as Bodvarsson

[Stranded]

At least good to see that the club are announcing friendlies already. Trip to Eastleigh scheduled for June 30th. Kick off at 12.30, so as not to clash with World Cup games I assume.

[Hoop Blah]

Of those you mention above though, none have yet had a consistent league career, and none have played as much as or as long at Davies in the league,

Really ?
Angus Macdonald has 62 championship games for Barnsley and Hull plus England caps at u16 & u19
Scott Davies has 4 championship games, the majority of his career has been non league

Ah yeah, 'll give you MacDonald. For some reason I looked at Wiki for his stats and they didn't include his Barnsley games.

He's still a behind Davies on league appearances, but that's splitting hairs really as he's certainly established himself at a higher level than Davies ever did.

His caps for England are exactly what I meant by him being highly rated coming through the system though. I don't see him as an obvious surprise act of someone who made it without any signal to that as he came through.

[Sutekh]

Remainder should be given an opportunity. Cooper was a classic example of Stam letting a player go who wasn't a good enough technical footballer. Yet is proving himself more than able to play at Championship level. Change needs to be gradual. We need to build systematically and develope a style. Which is played throughout the whole club at every level.

But also player development is a strange thing. Watson and Richards both came through out of nowhere.

Who would have expected Dai, Vancooten, Shaughnessy and MacDonald to end up with league careers when others like Jack Mills and Scott Davies dropped like a stone.

I take your point, it is very difficult to predict who will and won’t make it, especially if you’re buying into the PR and hype that comes out of the club (or used to at least).

Of those you mention above though, none have yet had a consistent league career, and none have played as much as or as long at Davies in the league, so it’s a bit early to compare them (and MacDonald was one that was pretty highly rated through the system too, so possibly negates the argument a tad too).

Talent is what gets them the chance though, but it’s the attitude, application and mental strength that sees them make the most of the opportunity as and when it comes along. That’s pretty much impossible to judge from the outside too.

As shown by Alfie Mawson who Reading released when he was only 15.

[Forbury Lion]

Cooper was a classic example of Stam letting a player go who wasn't a good enough technical footballer. Yet is proving himself more than able to play at Championship level.

Cooper was more than good enough technically, certainly head and shoulders above McShane (no pun intended). His issue was that he had utterly terrible concentration and couldn't deal with pacey strikers running at him. Every match he'd have a serious lapse in judgement which would cost a goal or something similar. He just wasn't good enough.

There are techniques that can be used to improve concentration levels - clearly Stam was unable to help here otherwise he would have employed these techniques on the current defencers whose lapses in concentration cost us points through the year.
I'm also surprised Stam couldn't coach the defenders more on how to deal with pacey strikers as he had experience to draw upon.

[Armadillo Roadkill]

"Lack of concentration,' like "poor decision making," are both just short hand for "not very good at football." Both often sit alongside things like "low on confidence." They are both things that otherwise excellent players suddenly seem to develop when playing for England. Fear of failure? Pressure?

Agreed they can both be improved by coaching, which is what Clement is good at, so maybe given time he can address this.

However, it will take some really serious coaching / managerial excellence to turn this lot into confident winners.

[Zip]

Cooper was a classic example of Stam letting a player go who wasn't a good enough technical footballer. Yet is proving himself more than able to play at Championship level.

Cooper was more than good enough technically, certainly head and shoulders above McShane (no pun intended). His issue was that he had utterly terrible concentration and couldn't deal with pacey strikers running at him. Every match he'd have a serious lapse in judgement which would cost a goal or something similar. He just wasn't good enough.

A really good bit of business would be Joe Allen from Stoke.

Allen is being linked to several Premier League clubs and will probably go for £20m+.

Yep no way we will come close to getting Joe Allen. I have also seen Joe Ralls and Gary Madine mentioned. No chance we will get Ralls. He is highly rated at Cardiff and treated as one of their own as he came through their Academy. Madine cost Cardiff £6 million in January and has done absolutely nothing. He may be a possibility for us but would we want to splash out much of our transfer kitty on him?