Promotion: Yea or Nay

Are Reading FC getting promoted this year

Yes
25
27%
No
48
52%
Ian Royal
19
21%
 
Total votes: 92
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genome
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Re: Promotion: Yea or Nay

by genome » 10 Jan 2017 15:29

paultheroyal
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Ian Royal To be fair, the question wasn't do you want to get promoted. It was will we get promoted.

You can finish 3rd and still not go up. You can be 3rd for three quarters of a season, let alone 2 and a half months, and finish 7th.

I didn't say we're currently in a false position.


Exactly. We are only a couple of poor results from falling out of the top 6 altogether. We shouldn't get complacent thinking the play-offs are a certainty for us unless we have a total collapse. We don't need to have a total collapse to be out the play-offs. Fulham, Leeds, Huddersfield, Sheffield Wednesday and Derby are consistently posting good results each week. If we let our standards slip, we will be out the top 6 off the back of one or two poor results.

We have not been all that convincing away from home. We needed last minute winners at Blackburn and Bristol City. Fulham thumped us at the cottage and played us off the park at home before the referee rescued us by abandoning the match at half time so we can restock and go again against Fulham hopefully in better shape next time.

We were lucky to beat Sheffield Wednesday. We were fortunate to beat Norwich. We were lucky against Bristol City at home as well.

We are far from convincing. We have been lucky. The question is will the luck run out?


Jesus Jay, I had to check the table as thought we were in the relegation zone and this has all been a dream.


We are Paul, remember, we're in a false position.

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Re: Promotion: Yea or Nay

by Woodcote Royal » 10 Jan 2017 15:31

Ian Royal I don't think we're strong enough to sustain a push for the whole season and win the play offs, let alone automatic.

I wouldn't fear losing too many players either. We have relatively few standouts IMO, just a good group. Too early for Swift and Evans to go yet. No obvious striker.

I think failing to go up this season and improving the side further would work out better in the long run anyway.


Going up this season, getting no points and losing every match 10-0 would be better than your blinkered option :P

The huge cash injection alone makes this a no brainer, especially as we are about to lose our final parachute payment which will render our current wage bill completely unsustainable without the goodwill of current and/or future owners. It could well be a case of who we can afford to keep more than who wants to leave and this almost certainly explains the delays in new contracts being offered to players no one wants to lose

Apart from that look at the table. What makes us any less ready than the other clubs in the play off positions? Meanwhile, the mighty Newcastle with their huge resources may only be 3pts in front of us by Friday morning.................................and I strongly suspect they will still feel they're "ready" :P

To state the blindingly obvious, picking and choosing when would be best to gain promotion is a luxury no Championship club can afford and no one with their best interests at heart would wish upon them.

One day we will go up and stay up but if we have to yo-yo in the interim like so many before us, so be it.

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Re: Promotion: Yea or Nay

by Half Biscuit » 10 Jan 2017 15:56

It's nothing but a prediction; anything could happen in the next four months.
I look at it from the players' point of view.
If they vote Yes, they succumb to complacency and it all goes pear-shaped.
If they vote No, they succumb to a self-defeating negative spiral.
So they decide to keep options open, play each game as it comes, and all vote for Ian Royal.

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Re: Promotion: Yea or Nay

by paultheroyal » 10 Jan 2017 16:22

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How many games before we decide whether or not what we're doing is sustainable? I'd say half a season is a decent sample size tbf :roll:

Anyway, we're definitely getting to the playoff final as we're away on a family holiday in Cornwall. We probably won't win it though, as any Reading fan kno

Do we want to get promoted? Stupidest question ever

To be fair, the question wasn't do you want to get promoted. It was will we get promoted.

You can finish 3rd and still not go up. You can be 3rd for three quarters of a season, let alone 2 and a half months, and finish 7th.

I didn't say we're currently in a false position.


Exactly. We are only a couple of poor results from falling out of the top 6 altogether. We shouldn't get complacent thinking the play-offs are a certainty for us unless we have a total collapse. We don't need to have a total collapse to be out the play-offs. Fulham, Leeds, Huddersfield, Sheffield Wednesday and Derby are consistently posting good results each week. If we let our standards slip, we will be out the top 6 off the back of one or two poor results.

We have not been all that convincing away from home. We needed last minute winners at Blackburn and Bristol City. Fulham thumped us at the cottage and played us off the park at home before the referee rescued us by abandoning the match at half time so we can restock and go again against Fulham hopefully in better shape next time.

We were lucky to beat Sheffield Wednesday. We were fortunate to beat Norwich. We were lucky against Bristol City at home as well.

We are far from convincing. We have been lucky. The question is will the luck run out?


and on another note - when we don't need our luck and we actually become good off own merit, we are going to be some force. Exciting times.

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Re: Promotion: Yea or Nay

by BR0B0T » 10 Jan 2017 16:24

Half Biscuit It's nothing but a prediction; anything could happen in the next four months.
I look at it from the players' point of view.
If they vote Yes, they succumb to complacency and it all goes pear-shaped.
If they vote No, they succumb to a self-defeating negative spiral.
So they decide to keep options open, play each game as it comes, and all vote for Ian Royal.


that's cos they want to bum him!


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Re: Promotion: Yea or Nay

by Stranded » 10 Jan 2017 16:55

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How many games before we decide whether or not what we're doing is sustainable? I'd say half a season is a decent sample size tbf :roll:

Anyway, we're definitely getting to the playoff final as we're away on a family holiday in Cornwall. We probably won't win it though, as any Reading fan kno

Do we want to get promoted? Stupidest question ever

To be fair, the question wasn't do you want to get promoted. It was will we get promoted.

You can finish 3rd and still not go up. You can be 3rd for three quarters of a season, let alone 2 and a half months, and finish 7th.

I didn't say we're currently in a false position.


Exactly. We are only a couple of poor results from falling out of the top 6 altogether. We shouldn't get complacent thinking the play-offs are a certainty for us unless we have a total collapse. We don't need to have a total collapse to be out the play-offs. Fulham, Leeds, Huddersfield, Sheffield Wednesday and Derby are consistently posting good results each week. If we let our standards slip, we will be out the top 6 off the back of one or two poor results.

We have not been all that convincing away from home. We needed last minute winners at Blackburn and Bristol City. Fulham thumped us at the cottage and played us off the park at home before the referee rescued us by abandoning the match at half time so we can restock and go again against Fulham hopefully in better shape next time.

We were lucky to beat Sheffield Wednesday. We were fortunate to beat Norwich. We were lucky against Bristol City at home as well.

We are far from convincing. We have been lucky. The question is will the luck run out?


No team is lucky over 24 games and 5 months. It just doesn't happen over that period of time. Where I do agree is that no one should get complacent and I don't think anyone is.

We are 3rd on merit and home wins for us and Leeds on Thursday/Friday would see us 9 points clear of 7th (8 at worst if Barnsley beat Fulham) having played a game less than our rivals. A very strong position and a good cushion if we have a blip.

You say that Weds, Fulham, Huddersfield, Leeds and Derby are picking up strong results but we have taken more (or the same) points that all of those clubs over the past 10 games. Whilst we are not guaranteed a play-off place or better, is undoubtedly in our hands and a win on Thursday night will go a long way to helping to firm that up.

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Re: Promotion: Yea or Nay

by Ian Royal » 10 Jan 2017 17:39

Jay, please don't agree with me and then post shite. I struggle enough without your help.

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Re: Promotion: Yea or Nay

by CountryRoyal » 10 Jan 2017 17:52

:lol:

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Re: Promotion: Yea or Nay

by BR0B0T » 10 Jan 2017 18:13

Why can't a team get 'lucky over 24 games and 5 months. It just doesn't happen over that period of time.'?


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Re: Promotion: Yea or Nay

by Royality creeps In » 10 Jan 2017 18:55

Obviously I'm up for promotion and the financial gains it brings, seeing great players in fabulous arenas.
Although I was thoroughly depressed last time, as we got our arses kicked week in week out :cry: I was sort of pining for competitive games again.

Then there is the Circus that is the Premier League including stupid kick off times, days and prices.
Before you jump down my throat. I know I know Man U at 1230, QPR on a Thursday and expensive prices at one or two championship clubs.

My final say on the matter is that its great to get there............ But it isn't really all that!

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Re: Promotion: Yea or Nay

by Lower West » 10 Jan 2017 19:26

Hampshire Royal I think we will go up this year.

I've seen a steady improvement in the way the team plays using the current system, from AFC Wimbledon to now. We shouldn't be discouraged by the comprehensive defeats against Arsenal and United,


Or Newcastle, Brentford and Fulham. Nor are we going to turnaround 2 goal deficits as was the case at Brizzle City. Come a long way since Wimbledon but the same defensive fragililties currently exist. Some more strengthening of the squad, along with some of squad gaining more experience and physical strength required.

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Re: Promotion: Yea or Nay

by SCIAG » 10 Jan 2017 19:57

genome
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Jesus Jay, I had to check the table as thought we were in the relegation zone and this has all been a dream.


We are Paul, remember, we're in a false position.

The most important thing to remember is that fourth from bottom would be massively overachieving.

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Re: Promotion: Yea or Nay

by loyalroyal4life » 10 Jan 2017 22:17

We will come close, by that I mean close to 2nd but in the end will fall short in the Playoffs.


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Re: Promotion: Yea or Nay

by From Despair To Where? » 10 Jan 2017 22:22

As it stands, If we went up, we'd be come straight back down but, as long as we paid the tax man and didn't spaff all our money on geriatrics and wasters, I think long term, the experience would do us good.

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Re: Promotion: Yea or Nay

by leon » 10 Jan 2017 22:53

LUX
Green Since you're offering - I'll take a day in the Bree Louise and losing at Wembley.




what, again?


I'm literally waiting in the gents for you guys

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Re: Promotion: Yea or Nay

by John Smith » 11 Jan 2017 09:05

Royality creeps In Obviously I'm up for promotion and the financial gains it brings, seeing great players in fabulous arenas.
Although I was thoroughly depressed last time, as we got our arses kicked week in week out :cry: I was sort of pining for competitive games again.

Then there is the Circus that is the Premier League including stupid kick off times, days and prices.
Before you jump down my throat. I know I know Man U at 1230, QPR on a Thursday and expensive prices at one or two championship clubs.

My final say on the matter is that its great to get there............ But it isn't really all that!

This is absolutely true. But when it happens again, this season or another, we must MUST stay for an extended period of time. No reason why we can't become another Stoke.

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Re: Promotion: Yea or Nay

by genome » 11 Jan 2017 11:11

Royality creeps In Obviously I'm up for promotion and the financial gains it brings, seeing great players in fabulous arenas.
Although I was thoroughly depressed last time, as we got our arses kicked week in week out :cry: I was sort of pining for competitive games again.


Because we wasted money on Championship-standard players and played a suicidal 4-4-2 system. That's why it was depressing.

There's a lot more money on offer for promotion now and I think Stam's system would be effective in the Prem if he brought the right players in beforehand.

If you don't want us to get promoted you're an massive helming spazmist

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Re: Promotion: Yea or Nay

by Ian Royal » 11 Jan 2017 13:23

The problem is that no matter how much more money is now available for promotion it all gets gobbled up on transfers and wages trying to compete with everyone else.

If we went up there won't be any windfall. Our wage bill will double / treble. And if we go down it won't reduce as much as our income does so we'll end up stuck with overpaid wasters like last time and losing more money.

Even if we made £10m profit it wouldn't offset the losses of the last couple of years or what we'd lose in the next couple.

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Re: Promotion: Yea or Nay

by Stranded » 11 Jan 2017 13:56

Ian Royal The problem is that no matter how much more money is now available for promotion it all gets gobbled up on transfers and wages trying to compete with everyone else.

If we went up there won't be any windfall. Our wage bill will double / treble. And if we go down it won't reduce as much as our income does so we'll end up stuck with overpaid wasters like last time and losing more money.

Even if we made £10m profit it wouldn't offset the losses of the last couple of years or what we'd lose in the next couple.


Whilst probably true, the situation is similar staying where we are. So surely better to try and get up and look to consolidate like say Stoke. One of the biggest mistakes the club made was not investing smartly after we finished 8th in the PL. If we had, whilst we may still have got relegated at some point would have been after a few years on the PL gravy train.

Being at the top of the Championship is great but as we've experienced in the past two seasons it is very easy to suddenly be a team bobbing along in 17th place. So I'd rather take the "risk" of going up at some point again, so why not this year.

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Re: Promotion: Yea or Nay

by Ian Royal » 11 Jan 2017 16:47

It's hard to avoid making a loss in the chump, and there's always the trapdoor risk. I think the volumes are easier to manage and prevent unexpected escalation.

Getting up isn't bad, it's how you get up and what you then do that's crucial.

You can refuse to play the game, maybe piss off your players, definitely piss off out fans, and get smashed straight back but with a big profit.

This is why I think going up this season could be dangerous as we're still a work in progress and the risks of coming straight back with a vastly inflated wage bill are greater as a result.

Generally I'm optimistic about our chances to compete for promotion, which is why I'd be happy to miss out this year. I think we should be better placed to achieve it next year, and much much better placed to make it stick.

It's not going up that's particularly good for a club, it's staying up, providing you don't do it by massively spending every year.

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