Back from the game - Cardiff City

[Kitson12]

Well I'd argue that Church & certainly Pearce have already done plenty to prove themselves as useful players at this level.

Agree with that.

[Snowball]

I will however go out on a limb and predict that Church,Robson-Kanu,Antonio,Bignall and Pearce will never be much cop but I very much hope,for the sake of our club,that they go on to excel for us.

Church needs to learn to head the ball and be sharper for the snap-shots.
If he does he's decent premiership standard.

Next year he will be a comfortable Championship-level player.


Antonio, barring serious injury is probably Kebe's replacement but we won't be able to hang on to him. He could go all the way if his temperament and off-the-field behaviour are right. (No reason as yet to think they aren't)


Pearce would be a monster stand-out Team of the Week CB now in League One and could hold a regular place in the Championship. I'm beginning to think he's better overall than Mills (today)... but sheesh he's 21 which is CB Kindergarten. At worst he will be a top half Championship CB.

HRK can beat a man, has raw speed, and he looks like he is going to be a BIG 25 year old, with loads of power and strength. Lately he's been hitting his crosses too early. I think that might be "instructions". He's another I'd expect to be a very, very decent player. What he has which some others don't is that power and weight that the bottom half of the Prem seems to like.

Don't know enough about Bignall but in one game I thought he looked a great prospect.

[West_Reading]

I will however go out on a limb and predict that Church,Robson-Kanu,Antonio,Bignall and Pearce will never be much cop but I very much hope,for the sake of our club,that they go on to excel for us.

Church needs to learn to head the ball and be sharper for the snap-shots.
If he does he's decent premiership standard.

Next year he will be a comfortable Championship-level player.


Antonio, barring serious injury is probably Kebe's replacement but we won't be able to hang on to him. He could go all the way if his temperament and off-the-field behaviour are right. (No reason as yet to think they aren't)


Pearce would be a monster stand-out Team of the Week CB now in League One and could hold a regular place in the Championship. I'm beginning to think he's better overall than Mills (today)... but sheesh he's 21 which is CB Kindergarten. At worst he will be a top half Championship CB.

HRK can beat a man, has raw speed, and he looks like he is going to be a BIG 25 year old, with loads of power and strength. Lately he's been hitting his crosses too early. I think that might be "instructions". He's another I'd expect to be a very, very decent player. What he has which some others don't is that power and weight that the bottom half of the Prem seems to like.

Don't know enough about Bignall but in one game I thought he looked a great prospect.

Sean Evers would love you if you posted when he played for us.

[brendywendy]

I will however go out on a limb and predict that Church,Robson-Kanu,Antonio,Bignall and Pearce will never be much cop but I very much hope,for the sake of our club,that they go on to excel for us.

Church needs to learn to head the ball and be sharper for the snap-shots.
If he does he's decent premiership standard.

Next year he will be a comfortable Championship-level player.


Antonio, barring serious injury is probably Kebe's replacement but we won't be able to hang on to him. He could go all the way if his temperament and off-the-field behaviour are right. (No reason as yet to think they aren't)


Pearce would be a monster stand-out Team of the Week CB now in League One and could hold a regular place in the Championship. I'm beginning to think he's better overall than Mills (today)... but sheesh he's 21 which is CB Kindergarten. At worst he will be a top half Championship CB.

HRK can beat a man, has raw speed, and he looks like he is going to be a BIG 25 year old, with loads of power and strength. Lately he's been hitting his crosses too early. I think that might be "instructions". He's another I'd expect to be a very, very decent player. What he has which some others don't is that power and weight that the bottom half of the Prem seems to like.

Don't know enough about Bignall but in one game I thought he looked a great prospect.

see nowt to disagree with there

[Maguire]

I agree with Victor. Antonio can't even platy football.

And Church being a Premiership standard goalscorer? Please.

[Snowball]

I can't platy much either. But when I played...

As for these guys, I shall put your comments on the shelf marked, "Kebe will never be a footballer."

[Hoop Blah]

I don't want to appear to be negative towards these youngsters but I do think snowballs appraisal is a little over positive.

I agree Church is already a reasonable Championship forward and should be able to sustain a career at this level but I don't think he'll be a real regular or mainstay of a top half Championship side. He doesn't have anything quite good enough in his locker to set him apart, but he does everything well enough to be a good enough player at this level. If he could score more goals, which I don't think he really has in him, then I'd say he could move on to the next level though.

I don't think Robson-Kanu is really going to kick on that much. He's a strong and powerful player yes, but his not got the all round game of a player at this level and although he should still improve I think he'll have to step down a league to find his level.

Antonio could be a bit of a surprise package. I don't rate him at all because he just doesn't have any real technique but his physical presence and raw pace could see him do well for himself. I think without the ability and nouse that someone like McAnuff has he could well just fall like a stone and end up back in non-league in 5 or 6 years like Trevor Benjamin did after looking a real handful as a raw youngster.

Pearce is an interesting one though. He'll always be hampered by his lack of pace, but I do think that with the right partner alongside him and the right full back he can be a pretty good defender at this level. He'll struggle to become more agile and quicker on his feet but he does the basics well and seems a very level headed and consistent performer. In terms of potential he's not as good as Mills but as a defender temprament, consistency and maintaining a level of performance is more important for a long and successful career. You only have to look at Ingimarsson to see that you don't have to be exceptional to be a very good defender and he's the ideal role model for Pearce.

Are any of these good enough to play in a team that will challenge for the title at this level? I doubt it, but that isn't going to be our level for the foreseeable future so a few of them will probably do just fine.

[Maguire]

I can't platy much either. But when I played...

As for these guys, I shall put your comments on the shelf marked, "Kebe will never be a footballer."

But I backed Kebe to the hilt from the beginning, even when it made me an outcast from my social circle and society at large.

Pretty much agree with Hoop Blah's assessment

[Focher]

I don't want to appear to be negative towards these youngsters but I do think snowballs appraisal is a little over positive.

I agree Church is already a reasonable Championship forward and should be able to sustain a career at this level but I don't think he'll be a real regular or mainstay of a top half Championship side. He doesn't have anything quite good enough in his locker to set him apart, but he does everything well enough to be a good enough player at this level. If he could score more goals, which I don't think he really has in him, then I'd say he could move on to the next level though.

I don't think Robson-Kanu is really going to kick on that much. He's a strong and powerful player yes, but his not got the all round game of a player at this level and although he should still improve I think he'll have to step down a league to find his level.

Antonio could be a bit of a surprise package. I don't rate him at all because he just doesn't have any real technique but his physical presence and raw pace could see him do well for himself. I think without the ability and nouse that someone like McAnuff has he could well just fall like a stone and end up back in non-league in 5 or 6 years like Trevor Benjamin did after looking a real handful as a raw youngster.

Pearce is an interesting one though. He'll always be hampered by his lack of pace, but I do think that with the right partner alongside him and the right full back he can be a pretty good defender at this level. He'll struggle to become more agile and quicker on his feet but he does the basics well and seems a very level headed and consistent performer. In terms of potential he's not as good as Mills but as a defender temprament, consistency and maintaining a level of performance is more important for a long and successful career. You only have to look at Ingimarsson to see that you don't have to be exceptional to be a very good defender and he's the ideal role model for Pearce.

Are any of these good enough to play in a team that will challenge for the title at this level? I doubt it, but that isn't going to be our level for the foreseeable future so a few of them will probably do just fine.

^^^
yup

[Snowball]

Some of you people should go back and look at what was said about Churchy early last season

[Wimb]

I don't want to appear to be negative towards these youngsters but I do think snowballs appraisal is a little over positive.

I agree Church is already a reasonable Championship forward and should be able to sustain a career at this level but I don't think he'll be a real regular or mainstay of a top half Championship side. He doesn't have anything quite good enough in his locker to set him apart, but he does everything well enough to be a good enough player at this level. If he could score more goals, which I don't think he really has in him, then I'd say he could move on to the next level though.

I don't think Robson-Kanu is really going to kick on that much. He's a strong and powerful player yes, but his not got the all round game of a player at this level and although he should still improve I think he'll have to step down a league to find his level.

Antonio could be a bit of a surprise package. I don't rate him at all because he just doesn't have any real technique but his physical presence and raw pace could see him do well for himself. I think without the ability and nouse that someone like McAnuff has he could well just fall like a stone and end up back in non-league in 5 or 6 years like Trevor Benjamin did after looking a real handful as a raw youngster.

Pearce is an interesting one though. He'll always be hampered by his lack of pace, but I do think that with the right partner alongside him and the right full back he can be a pretty good defender at this level. He'll struggle to become more agile and quicker on his feet but he does the basics well and seems a very level headed and consistent performer. In terms of potential he's not as good as Mills but as a defender temprament, consistency and maintaining a level of performance is more important for a long and successful career. You only have to look at Ingimarsson to see that you don't have to be exceptional to be a very good defender and he's the ideal role model for Pearce.

Are any of these good enough to play in a team that will challenge for the title at this level? I doubt it, but that isn't going to be our level for the foreseeable future so a few of them will probably do just fine.

'greed, very good summary of the situation hoop

[BR2]

Well I'd argue that Church & certainly Pearce have already done plenty to prove themselves as useful players at this level.

Do you really mean that Ian?
You ought to go to more games.

[Snowball]

Much as it pains me to ever agree with a man who watches the radio and cuddles plastic trees, Pearce is, at the very worst, a low-end championship centre-back.

[b]EDIT: He's just 22 and 3-4 days[/b], a veritable baby in centre-back terms. I think he's a very good centre-back and barring serious injury will be a legend by the time he's 28.



What's Churchy got to do to convince? 12 goals last season from 27 (15) and 3 this season from 6 (10)

15 goals from 33 (25) = 37 games is pretty damn good for a kid of 21*.


Church has it in him to be a very special player.


(Church will be 22 on 10th December 2010, at precise 03:12:36, although doctor and midwife have argued as to whose watch was most accurate)

[Snowball]

Incidentally, the rule of thumb applied to Church's appearances has 6 (10) = 7.67 games or 690 minutes.

Church has played 724 minutes. One of his games had extra time and he played 120 minutes.

690 + 30 = 720 Dang it, four minutes out!

[Focher]

[Svlad Cjelli]

[Ian Royal]

Well I'd argue that Church & certainly Pearce have already done plenty to prove themselves as useful players at this level.

Do you really mean that Ian?
You ought to go to more games.

Well plenty seem to be agreeing with me to a certain extent.

I note Snowball is as accurate as ever, claiming a man born in November 1988 is 21.

[Man Friday]

Well I'd argue that Church & certainly Pearce have already done plenty to prove themselves as useful players at this level.

Do you really mean that Ian?
You ought to go to more games.

Well plenty seem to be agreeing with me to a certain extent.

I note Snowball is as accurate as ever, claiming a man born in November 1988 is 21.

If >13 Nov then yes.

[Snowball]

Plastic Tree Hugging man discovers that Pearce has 22nd birthday a few days ago and when poster says "21" he was out by a coupla days.

Shock horror

And, since we are talking about Pearce PLAYING as a centre-back, he has never played for RFC in the first team as a 22year old.


Royal you must be the saddest individual in the world. Do you still live with Mumsy?

[Snowball]

To be fair to the sad plastic tree man I was 4 days out in 8,035 or so days




Unforgiveable