Favourite signing of the summer

Jagermesiter1871 · by **Jagermesiter1871** » 12 Aug 2019 18:38

stealthpapes wrote:Yes, pretty much. Not in 05-06, but certainly from Summer 2007 onwards, when he came back from the U-21s in Holland that summer.

I see you've given up on defending his mediocre strike rate. Good to see.

I didn't ever say he had an incredible strike rate. You were the one who explicitly stated he only scored 6 goals in a month and nothing else, which simply isn't true. He was a key part of the squad that got us to the Premier League and the one that finished 8th. I think to suggest he was a failure is laughable. £1million was a reasonable amount in the championship, but it was screw all in the Prem even back then and he certainly paid for himself by being part of that promotion team.

stealthpapes · by **stealthpapes** » 12 Aug 2019 18:55

This is what I stated when I took it seriously enough put numbers on it.

11 in the league in the promotion. Broken ankle in March but that's still well down on Lita and Kitson. Promising, but remember he's a club record fee at this point.
Premier League season 1 - One good month. Nothing either side.
Next two seasons? One goal in each. Practically nothing? Cheers. Thanks for your efforts.
On top of that, throw in a relentlessly poisonous attitude in the dressing room.

For a club record signing, in a team on its uppers, I can't see how you describe his time here positively. Even ruling out the back two seasons, when he was on loan in part and there were issues behind the scene, he was not a good return on a club record signing for - and this is important - a goal scorer.

Why do I care?

Because if fans keep defending mediocrity, we just end up mediocre.

Lita was mediocre, at best.

stealthpapes · by **stealthpapes** » 12 Aug 2019 19:03

I think that point about the scrappy goals is what gets me the most. When the going got tough and we needed goals - the right one goal in 07-08 and we stay up, he played no more than 15 games in long seasons and scored once in both.

Long started the first three games of 07-08 and was so transparently out of his depth, its a testament to his character and mental strength he kept at it. He got three goals, not great, but contributed.

Lita?

Lita did not.

Snowball · by **Snowball** » 12 Aug 2019 19:05

I never like him because he scored in the 96th minute (v Watford I think)
to make it 4-0 when 3-0 (Armstrong first goal) was about to earn me more than £2K

Two minutes earlier I'd cheered a brilliant save by the Watford Keeper!

tmesis · by **tmesis** » 12 Aug 2019 20:00

Snowflake Royal wrote:Matejovsky simply couldn't cope with the pace of the game. Technically decent, but wasn't up to the PL and couldn't hack the Championship.

I think he was just the wrong player for the team. He could have been a success in a team that played a different style, but he was a round peg in a square hole for us.

In that sense, even though I liked him, he'd definitely have to be called a flop.

Overall though, I feel that whereas fans of other clubs seemed convinced an expensive buy will be a good player, I always react to news of us signing an expensive player with a feeling of dread, expecting disaster.

From Despair To Where? · by **From Despair To Where?** » 08 Sep 2019 11:35

stealthpapes wrote:This is what I stated when I took it seriously enough put numbers on it.

11 in the league in the promotion. Broken ankle in March but that's still well down on Lita and Kitson. Promising, but remember he's a club record fee at this point.
Premier League season 1 - One good month. Nothing either side.
Next two seasons? One goal in each. Practically nothing? Cheers. Thanks for your efforts.
On top of that, throw in a relentlessly poisonous attitude in the dressing room.
For a club record signing, in a team on its uppers, I can't see how you describe his time here positively. Even ruling out the back two seasons, when he was on loan in part and there were issues behind the scene, he was not a good return on a club record signing for - and this is important - a goal scorer.

Why do I care?

Because if fans keep defending mediocrity, we just end up mediocre.

Lita was mediocre, at best.

..and his two goals in his final 2 seasons were both in the 90th minute of 4-0 wins.

Snowball · by **Snowball** » 08 Sep 2019 13:49

From Despair To Where? wrote:
stealthpapes wrote:This is what I stated when I took it seriously enough put numbers on it.

11 in the league in the promotion. Broken ankle in March but that's still well down on Lita and Kitson. Promising, but remember he's a club record fee at this point.
Premier League season 1 - One good month. Nothing either side.
Next two seasons? One goal in each. Practically nothing? Cheers. Thanks for your efforts.
On top of that, throw in a relentlessly poisonous attitude in the dressing room.
For a club record signing, in a team on its uppers, I can't see how you describe his time here positively. Even ruling out the back two seasons, when he was on loan in part and there were issues behind the scene, he was not a good return on a club record signing for - and this is important - a goal scorer.

Why do I care?

Because if fans keep defending mediocrity, we just end up mediocre.

Lita was mediocre, at best.
..and his two goals in his final 2 seasons were both in the 90th minute of 4-0 wins.

The one versus Watford was 94 or 96 minutes and lost me £2,000+

I had Armstrong FG and 3-0

Westwood52 · by **Westwood52** » 08 Sep 2019 15:56

Surprised at the answers.

For me Ejaria,then Morrison.

Snowflake Royal · by **Snowflake Royal** » 08 Sep 2019 16:08

Miazga and Morrison are both excellent, but McIntyre and Moore are also both good.
Ejaria is great, but we are a bit open to being dominated at times with him and Swift paired
Pele is good but not significantly better than Rino IMO
Adam is a bit rubbish so far
Boyd isn't doing much so far, Barrett seems more effective.
Puscas and Joao both look very positive and Puscas could very well get there, but Meite, Loader, Baldock and Nova are all at least decent.

So for me, it's Cabral that has most improved the side compared to what else we had, as he's streets ahead of Virginia and Walker.

URZZZZ · by **URZZZZ** » 08 Sep 2019 17:58

No doubt about it, it’s Michael Morrison. He’s your “win 1-0 away from home, deal with long balls” centre half. It’s no coincidence that in the two away games he’s played, we’ve kept a clean sheet and we were two minutes away in the other one barring a stupid tackle from Ejaria. He also looks dangerous offensively

When you think about some of the poor options we’ve had in centre half the last couple of seasons (Ilori, a regressing McShane, O’Shea, Blackett) it’s refreshing to see someone so solid at the back

skipper · by **skipper** » 08 Sep 2019 18:11

I'm surprised so few have said Rafael, since he's been an important part of keeping those clean sheets.

He's been excellent since he stepped up and hasn't made any mistakes of note. (remind me if he has)

He's up there for me, him and Ovie.

windermereROYAL · by **windermereROYAL** » 08 Sep 2019 18:56

I don`t think they can afford him.

Fenerbahçe had scouts watching George Pușcaș against Spain and could make a move for him in January. [

leon · by **leon** » 09 Sep 2019 00:56

skipper wrote:I'm surprised so few have said Rafael, since he's been an important part of keeping those clean sheets.

He's been excellent since he stepped up and hasn't made any mistakes of note. (remind me if he has)

He's up there for me, him and Ovie.

He would be my choice. Solid. What we needed. The lad from Everton is out of his depth.

Ejariah im still not sure about. He needs some end product.

Snowball · by **Snowball** » 09 Sep 2019 08:37

leon wrote:
Ejariah im still not sure about. He needs some end product.

5 games, 2 goals from a midfielder isn't end-product?

Hendo · by **Hendo** » 09 Sep 2019 08:37

leon wrote:
skipper wrote:I'm surprised so few have said Rafael, since he's been an important part of keeping those clean sheets.

He's been excellent since he stepped up and hasn't made any mistakes of note. (remind me if he has)

He's up there for me, him and Ovie.
He would be my choice. Solid. What we needed. The lad from Everton is out of his depth.

Ejariah im still not sure about. He needs some end product.

2 goals in the first month of the season not quite enough?

John Smith · by **John Smith** » 09 Sep 2019 09:42

skipper wrote:I'm surprised so few have said Rafael, since he's been an important part of keeping those clean sheets.

He's been excellent since he stepped up and hasn't made any mistakes of note. (remind me if he has)

He's up there for me, him and Ovie.

Rafael is my choice. In any successful team you have to start at the back and for the few games that Virginia was playing I honestly thought we looked doomed.

In addition, I would say Virginia is probably the worst player to ever put on a Reading shirt.

skipper · by **skipper** » 09 Sep 2019 09:47

John Smith wrote:
skipper wrote:I'm surprised so few have said Rafael, since he's been an important part of keeping those clean sheets.

He's been excellent since he stepped up and hasn't made any mistakes of note. (remind me if he has)

He's up there for me, him and Ovie.
In addition, I would say Virginia is probably the worst player to ever put on a Reading shirt.

That might be stretching it John, there's definitely been worse.

Van der Kwaak? Elroy Kromheer? Mass Sarr? (I could look up the correct spellings, but decided not to) that whole era was atrocious.

John Smith · by **John Smith** » 09 Sep 2019 10:17

skipper wrote:
John Smith wrote:
skipper wrote:I'm surprised so few have said Rafael, since he's been an important part of keeping those clean sheets.

He's been excellent since he stepped up and hasn't made any mistakes of note. (remind me if he has)

He's up there for me, him and Ovie.
In addition, I would say Virginia is probably the worst player to ever put on a Reading shirt.
That might be stretching it John, there's definitely been worse.

Van der Kwaak? Elroy Kromheer? Mass Sarr? (I could look up the correct spellings, but decided not to) that whole era was atrocious.

Possibly...I'll get back to you on that.

What about that Icelandic lad that played one or two games on loan under Brian (i), notably Blackpool away? A horrific excuse for a footballer.

leon · by **leon** » 09 Sep 2019 15:23

Hendo wrote:
leon wrote:
skipper wrote:I'm surprised so few have said Rafael, since he's been an important part of keeping those clean sheets.

He's been excellent since he stepped up and hasn't made any mistakes of note. (remind me if he has)

He's up there for me, him and Ovie.
He would be my choice. Solid. What we needed. The lad from Everton is out of his depth.

Ejariah im still not sure about. He needs some end product.
2 goals in the first month of the season not quite enough?

Ok I was thinking more about his final ball and passing but yes 2 goals is good.

NewCorkSeth · by **NewCorkSeth** » 09 Sep 2019 15:34

leon wrote:
Hendo wrote:
leon wrote:
He would be my choice. Solid. What we needed. The lad from Everton is out of his depth.

Ejariah im still not sure about. He needs some end product.
2 goals in the first month of the season not quite enough?

Ok I was thinking more about his final ball and passing but yes 2 goals is good.

Who needs a final ball when you score 2 goals from 7 shots!