Squad review now transfer window has closed

[BenSmith91]

I'm sure if you offered most fans at the end of last season that we kept hold of McCarthy, Hal-Robson Kanu, Le Fondre, McCleary and Pearce signed a new deal plus the additions of Drenthe, Bridge and Williams they'd be pretty damn happy. Must admit generally I'm satisfied with the squad. We have two fine goalkeepers, solid central defenders in Pearce/Morrison and I can't grumble at having Kaspars as back up in the Championship. I feel like KG gets unnecessary abuse from some fans. He's solid in this league and most clubs in this division would have him.

I'm gonna miss Jimmy but, like most of us here, am really excited by McCleary. Not surprised there was supposed interest in him during the transfer window.

Up front I don't think there is a lack of options, but certainly a lack of quality. Hopefully we can get a striker in on loan.

All in all, not as bad as some fans are making out.

[tmesis]

Lots of praise for the centre of midfield.

I agree that man for man it looks good, but to be honest, it still doesn't seem to work.

Teams still dominate our midfield far too easily, stampeding through at will like wildebeest on the Serengeti, we struggle to break with any kind of understanding, and lack creativity.

[RoyalBlue]

I'm sure if you offered most fans at the end of last season that we kept hold of McCarthy, Hal-Robson Kanu, Le Fondre, McCleary and Pearce signed a new deal plus the additions of Drenthe, Bridge and Williams they'd be pretty damn happy. Must admit generally I'm satisfied with the squad. We have two fine goalkeepers, solid central defenders in Pearce/Morrison and I can't grumble at having Kaspars as back up in the Championship. I feel like KG gets unnecessary abuse from some fans. He's solid in this league and most clubs in this division would have him.

I'm gonna miss Jimmy but, like most of us here, am really excited by McCleary. Not surprised there was supposed interest in him during the transfer window.

Up front I don't think there is a lack of options, but certainly a lack of quality. Hopefully we can get a striker in on loan.

All in all, not as bad as some fans are making out.

I'm pretty sure if you look back you will find that most fans wouldn't have been happy with that because they already recognised that our strike force was nowhere near strong enough. We then made matters worse by deciding not to offer Hunt a contract good enough to keep him at the club.

The situation now is every bit as bad as fans are making out. Just two fit established and proven strikers, one of whom doesn't want to be here, plus Blackman. And just three experienced centre backs (courtesy of Hammond's fantastic work yesterday) one of whom appears well past his best before date. Any successful manager will tell you that is nowhere near enough cover for two critical positions and that to stand a decent chance of success you need four very good strikers and four very good central defenders.

[Elm Park Kid]

It's pointless judging the team unless you state what standard it is you're looking for.

If it's a team that going to survive in the Championship and push for a play off place then I think it's fine (assuming we're not unlucky with injuries). We need either Pog or Roberts to come good, and we need to stop playing Blackman, but apart from that we're going to be better than 75% of teams in the Championship.

If it's a team that is going to challenge for the league title and the survive in the Premier league it's clearly inadequate. Pearce and Morrison would be ok partnering a quicker CB however together they're not good enough. Bridge will do a job this season but not beyond, both Kelly and Gunter were let go by premier league teams. I consider Guthrie to be a class player however Karacan is not talented enough to play at the highest level. I think the rest of the first team have yet to prove themselves either way.

[ItsAdzy]

For this level, on paper, our strongest 18-man squad is exceptional, as others have said, without any injuries to key men, we should be looking at a play off place at the very minimum, shame the game isn't played on paper...

[One8Seven1]

CB
LB
ACM
ST
ST

missing.

I really cannot see us doing much better than 5th at best this season, and that's if injuries are kind to us. We keep hearing how we've learned lessons. Clearly we haven't learnt a thing.

[Royal Ginger]

CB
LB
ACM
ST
ST

missing.

I really cannot see us doing much better than 5th at best this season, and that's if injuries are kind to us. We keep hearing how we've learned lessons. Clearly we haven't learnt a thing.

We play one up top, what are we supposed to do with five strikers?

[One8Seven1]

CB
LB
ACM
ST
ST

missing.

I really cannot see us doing much better than 5th at best this season, and that's if injuries are kind to us. We keep hearing how we've learned lessons. Clearly we haven't learnt a thing.

We play one up top, what are we supposed to do with five strikers?

Two league games now we've started with two strikers..

[ddetisi]

I like the look of our midfield. Especially that young Icelandic lad. I forget his name.

[melonhead]

I'm sure if you offered most fans at the end of last season that we kept hold of McCarthy, Hal-Robson Kanu, Le Fondre, McCleary and Pearce signed a new deal plus the additions of Drenthe, Bridge and Williams they'd be pretty damn happy. Must admit generally I'm satisfied with the squad. We have two fine goalkeepers, solid central defenders in Pearce/Morrison and I can't grumble at having Kaspars as back up in the Championship. I feel like KG gets unnecessary abuse from some fans. He's solid in this league and most clubs in this division would have him.

I'm gonna miss Jimmy but, like most of us here, am really excited by McCleary. Not surprised there was supposed interest in him during the transfer window.

Up front I don't think there is a lack of options, but certainly a lack of quality. Hopefully we can get a striker in on loan.

All in all, not as bad as some fans are making out.

quite a good post.

[melonhead]

I'm sure if you offered most fans at the end of last season that we kept hold of McCarthy, Hal-Robson Kanu, Le Fondre, McCleary and Pearce signed a new deal plus the additions of Drenthe, Bridge and Williams they'd be pretty damn happy. Must admit generally I'm satisfied with the squad. We have two fine goalkeepers, solid central defenders in Pearce/Morrison and I can't grumble at having Kaspars as back up in the Championship. I feel like KG gets unnecessary abuse from some fans. He's solid in this league and most clubs in this division would have him.

I'm gonna miss Jimmy but, like most of us here, am really excited by McCleary. Not surprised there was supposed interest in him during the transfer window.

Up front I don't think there is a lack of options, but certainly a lack of quality. Hopefully we can get a striker in on loan.

All in all, not as bad as some fans are making out.

I'm pretty sure if you look back you will find that most fans wouldn't have been happy with that because they already recognised that our strike force was nowhere near strong enough. We then made matters worse by deciding not to offer Hunt a contract good enough to ikeep him at the club.

The situation now is every bit as bad as fans are making out. Just two fit established and proven strikers, one of whom doesn't want to be here, plus Blackman. And just three experie nced centre backs (courtesy of Hammond's fantastic work yesterday) one of whom appears well past his best before date. Any successful manager will tell you that is nowhere near enough cover for two critical positions and that to stand a decent chance of success you need four very good strikers and four very good central defenders.

Steve Coppell and Brian McDermott disagree

[Jink]

All please don't forget Leighterwood can play in central defence once back from injury. Maybe the best place for him position wise and makes sense if we have not bought a replacement for Mariappa? Just my thoughts please don't shoot me down!

[RoyallyFcuked]

Once again, we've done our business early. But it wasn't enough.

[BORING 1-0]

I would've preferred two more signings but with Sissoko (still an if) we have four quality signings; we've lost Kebe who I believe we've seen the best of (i remember saying something similar when Sonko left) he is now so injury prone and Mariappa who judging by his inept display at Peterborough has lost his commitment to the Club.

We have enough strikers and options on who and how to play; from what I've seen we've not dominated the midfield as much as we need to (for example how would Karacan and Guthrie cope up against Barton and Henry?- I know our lads are better footballers but they'd be bullied out of their stride)

We didn't lose McCarthy when I thought we would; we didn't lose Pearce and I thought we would; we didn't 't lose Alf and I thought we would and we didn't lose HRK and I thought we would. I think Pog may be shocked into doing something special in those games that he plays in between now and January

Sissoko would be an excellent signing and with five in midfield and two wide players; Drenthe behind a lone striker and Sissoko as the holding midfielder protecting the back four and bringing Guthrie in to the play early will be exciting.

I believe we'll concede fewer goals and be more successful.

Quality rather than quantity

[Millsy]

I'm sure if you offered most fans at the end of last season that we kept hold of McCarthy, Hal-Robson Kanu, Le Fondre, McCleary and Pearce signed a new deal plus the additions of Drenthe, Bridge and Williams they'd be pretty damn happy. Must admit generally I'm satisfied with the squad. We have two fine goalkeepers, solid central defenders in Pearce/Morrison and I can't grumble at having Kaspars as back up in the Championship. I feel like KG gets unnecessary abuse from some fans. He's solid in this league and most clubs in this division would have him.

I'm gonna miss Jimmy but, like most of us here, am really excited by McCleary. Not surprised there was supposed interest in him during the transfer window.

Up front I don't think there is a lack of options, but certainly a lack of quality. Hopefully we can get a striker in on loan.

All in all, not as bad as some fans are making out.

NONSENSE. Sorry.

The understanding surrounding Brian's loss is that we sacked Brian as a departure from the Reading way. Brian was a small club manager who did great performing miracles with a shoestring budget but evidently had no ability or balls to spend big and build a Prem side. Getting Adkins was a sidewards step in terms of managerial ability nd achievement arguably but here is a man who was able to spend a good few million and attract players, even whilst languishing in League 1!! He built a Prem squad in League 1 with enough money and know how and they shot up to the Prem like hot knife through butter. This, at least for me, was the ONLY mitigating factor for Brian's shocking sacking: we were departing from the Reading way and finally got a manager who knows what to do with cash. We were told clearly and loudly that we would look to bounce straight back to the Prem, we were told there was definitely money sitting there untouched that Brian refused to spend and therefore applying not too difficult logic, bringing in a big spending manager we had every expectation that Adkins would use those untouched millions plus parachute payments to fund new players, as well as keep our own and we'd bounce straight back up. It might have been said in so many words but the expectation was blatantly obvious and nothing in the slightest was done to deny it.

So given that we were expecting to keep our squad and spend at least a few million in order to bounce back up no one at that point could be happy with what we have. Unless they knew Anton was talking utter BS.

How horribly horribly wrong this has turned out to be.

Instead we have a manager who is used to spending big and seems to have been mikhailoved into joining us and finds himself unable to bring anyone in. We kept hold of people we assumed we would keep hold of and lost people we didn't believe we would lose. I mean, the iconic Kebe? Maps our only decent defender? It seems the transfer fee for these two alone is several times the transfer fees of bridge, Drenthe and Williams together. We lost proven STAR winger, a proven STAR defender and we have gained another star winger (not proven yet for us or at this level mind) and a good defender and a possibly-good midfielder. We also lost Hunt, a known half decent striker at this level. All in all therefore we have a net transfer fee deficit and a squad comparable/ not quite as good. In fact a squad that is DANGEROUSLY low in key areas, namely he strike force and centrebacks. Forget quality, we just don't even have the quantity for a long season like this.

Yet here we were being promised a BETTER squad- one that could jump straight back up to the Prem AND STAY THERE like Adkins' Southampton. Last seasons squad was an embarrassment in the Prem, probably couldn't get up without changes and certainly wouldn't have stayed there, so it needed to be improved on. Instead Anton got a lot richer and the squad has at best stayed about the same, but had probably gone backwards.

Don't tell me anyone could be anywhere near happy with this.

F**king bullsh*t is what describes this situation most accurately and I REALLY REALLY feel for poor old Adkins. And even Madejski, who will have honestly thought he was passing the reins onto someone who could take us further... Not some clueless spoilt kid.

[BORING 1-0]

I'm sure if you offered most fans at the end of last season that we kept hold of McCarthy, Hal-Robson Kanu, Le Fondre, McCleary and Pearce signed a new deal plus the additions of Drenthe, Bridge and Williams they'd be pretty damn happy. Must admit generally I'm satisfied with the squad. We have two fine goalkeepers, solid central defenders in Pearce/Morrison and I can't grumble at having Kaspars as back up in the Championship. I feel like KG gets unnecessary abuse from some fans. He's solid in this league and most clubs in this division would have him.

I'm gonna miss Jimmy but, like most of us here, am really excited by McCleary. Not surprised there was supposed interest in him during the transfer window.

Up front I don't think there is a lack of options, but certainly a lack of quality. Hopefully we can get a striker in on loan.

All in all, not as bad as some fans are making out.

NONSENSE. Sorry.

The understanding surrounding Brian's loss is that we sacked Brian as a departure from the Reading way. Brian was a small club manager who did great performing miracles with a shoestring budget but evidently had no ability or balls to spend big and build a Prem side. Getting Adkins was a sidewards step in terms of managerial ability nd achievement arguably but here is a man who was able to spend a good few million and attract players, even whilst languishing in League 1!! He built a Prem squad in League 1 with enough money and know how and they shot up to the Prem like hot knife through butter. This, at least for me, was the ONLY mitigating factor for Brian's shocking sacking: we were departing from the Reading way and finally got a manager who knows what to do with cash. We were told clearly and loudly that we would look to bounce straight back to the Prem, we were told there was definitely money sitting there untouched that Brian refused to spend and therefore applying not too difficult logic, bringing in a big spending manager we had every expectation that Adkins would use those untouched millions plus parachute payments to fund new players, as well as keep our own and we'd bounce straight back up. It might have been said in so many words but the expectation was blatantly obvious and nothing in the slightest was done to deny it.

So given that we were expecting to keep our squad and spend at least a few million in order to bounce back up no one at that point could be happy with what we have. Unless they knew Anton was talking utter BS.

How horribly horribly wrong this has turned out to be.

Instead we have a manager who is used to spending big and seems to have been mikhailoved into joining us and finds himself unable to bring anyone in. We kept hold of people we assumed we would keep hold of and lost people we didn't believe we would lose. I mean, the iconic Kebe? Maps our only decent defender? It seems the transfer fee for these two alone is several times the transfer fees of bridge, Drenthe and Williams together. We lost proven STAR winger, a proven STAR defender and we have gained another star winger (not proven yet for us or at this level mind) and a good defender and a possibly-good midfielder. We also lost Hunt, a known half decent striker at this level. All in all therefore we have a net transfer fee deficit and a squad comparable/ not quite as good. In fact a squad that is DANGEROUSLY low in key areas, namely he strike force and centrebacks. Forget quality, we just don't even have the quantity for a long season like this.

Yet here we were being promised a BETTER squad- one that could jump straight back up to the Prem AND STAY THERE like Adkins' Southampton. Last seasons squad was an embarrassment in the Prem, probably couldn't get up without changes and certainly wouldn't have stayed there, so it needed to be improved on. Instead Anton got a lot richer and the squad has at best stayed about the same, but had probably gone backwards.

Don't tell me anyone could be anywhere near happy with this.

F**king bullsh*t is what describes this situation most accurately and I REALLY REALLY feel for poor old Adkins. And even Madejski, who will have honestly thought he was passing the reins onto someone who could take us further... Not some clueless spoilt kid.

What is wrong with you 'clueless spoilt kid'! We have a better squad now than we had twelve months ago; every transfer window since I can remember has been met with the same negative response from many fans; Coppell, Rogers, McDermott, Hammond and JM have all been slated over the years; get a grip; we shall be financially secure and we've kept players that most 'pundits' and fans thought we'd lose; and we have some top class players at the Club and we've got Brighton and Leeds coming up soon to test us; contrary to the Green Party and many of our fans; the end of the world is NOT nigh...

[melonhead]

Yup I bet km is hankering for the days of bailing us out with five million a year, and is actively seeking ways he could give the money back

[kwik-silva]

Basically we need ALF to find his form, but from a start. Pog to start looking interested and begin to bang them in, and then none of our first choice CBs/LB to get injured and we're all set. Hoping we find cover for that defence in the loan market. Would like another striker, but if Adkins can convince Pog to play I honestly think we have enough up there.

[andrew1957]

I would've preferred two more signings but with Sissoko (still an if) we have four quality signings; we've lost Kebe who I believe we've seen the best of (i remember saying something similar when Sonko left) he is now so injury prone and Mariappa who judging by his inept display at Peterborough has lost his commitment to the Club.

We have enough strikers and options on who and how to play; from what I've seen we've not dominated the midfield as much as we need to (for example how would Karacan and Guthrie cope up against Barton and Henry?- I know our lads are better footballers but they'd be bullied out of their stride)

We didn't lose McCarthy when I thought we would; we didn't lose Pearce and I thought we would; we didn't 't lose Alf and I thought we would and we didn't lose HRK and I thought we would. I think Pog may be shocked into doing something special in those games that he plays in between now and January

Sissoko would be an excellent signing and with five in midfield and two wide players; Drenthe behind a lone striker and Sissoko as the holding midfielder protecting the back four and bringing Guthrie in to the play early will be exciting.

I believe we'll concede fewer goals and be more successful.

Quality rather than quantity

I think that getting Sissoko is now completely unrealistic. We might have had a chance yesterday but now he is a free agent he will receive lots of offers and simply take the highest wages. My guess is that he will be offered at least 40/50K a week by someone and I cannot see us going down that road again after Pog. He is now simply out of our price range. And is he really what we need at this level? IMO it would be hard to justify those wage levels anyway.

In many ways I would rather see us use our own Academy players or bring is younger players we have a chance of developing. I think in my own mind I have rather written off promotion now unless everything goes our way like 2011/12.

[Ian Royal]

I was going to deconstruct why you've described your own post in your first word 2ww1wc. But really, I'd be pissing into the wind. So I can't be arsed.

I'll just point out that sacking McDermott was entirely in the Reading Way. See Bullivant, Burns, Rodgers.
I'll add that our wage bill is consistently in the top half dozen or so in this league. Wages are more important than transfer fees. So it is an utter fallacy that McDermott operated on a shoestring budget.
It is not a miracle to take a team who finished in the top six and got to the Play Off Final the previous season to promotion. It's a miracle to take a team who finished 21st the previous season to promotion, without a significant increase in wages.

Finally. At no point, has anyone at the club said there will be a change in the Reading Way. In fact quite the reverse. Zingaravich has been quite clear the club will be run in the same way. The only differences are, higher wage bill, investment in infrastructure and the club can run at a loss if necessary without having to tout players to make up the short fall.


If you are more than mildly disappointed in this start and transfer window. Then you only have yourself to blame for deluding yourself into thinking something significantly different would happen.

"100 goals and 21 clean sheets" I hear you cry. "Champions" you say. Grow up, and stop taking everything at face value, I say.