Shane Long

[hughsies no.1]

i think there must only be one royal who thinks shane long should start on saturday!

and thats shane LOLong!

[Victor Meldrew]

Both Lita and Long have something to offer RFC as they are different types of striker; personally, I think it would be better if we actually kept hold of some of our younger strikers and saw their development and maturity through to something approaching the finished article - which neither Lita or Long are at this time.

Our recent past has been littered with discarded younger strikers who have pushed on and developed with other clubs; Henderson, Tyson and Cox being 3 that come immediately to mind (and a case could be made for Morgan as well).

I would like to think that both will play a part for us during the rest of the season.

Like you I would have preferred Church for example to have been fast-tracked like Karacan,Pearce and Kelly.
From the little I have seen of him he is a different option from our four small strikers.
Long and Lita IMHO have had loads of chances to prove their worth but I think they don't bring enough to the team and if we go up I feel that those two should be left behind somewhere in the Championship if somebody wants them.

In my view Long just isn't a footballer-he might be a gymnast or a Gaelic footballer or an athlete but as far as football is concerned he is manufactured.
I remember seeing Lita for the first time in a away game for Bristol City at Tranmere and he looked quick.
Since being with us he looks to have become over-muscled and is now not that quick.
Without great pace he now looks cumbersome and although from time to time he may get goals (if you are on the pitch long enough and you are not Robbie Keane most people will eventually score goals) I just don't think he is skillful enough .
N Hunt may not prove to be up to Premier League standard but for the moment:-
N Hunt>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Long or Lita.

[Platypuss]

“Noel is back in the squad, but I don’t know exactly what I’ll do but he will certainly be in the mix."

“Leroy’s workrate was right up there at QPR. He’s got to reproduce that and I will probably go with him this Saturday.

“All of them know there is real competition. Goals are the solution to all our problems. We need our people up front to be creating and scoring goals. The pressure is on for everyone.”

Well played Snowball and Woodcote. Glad to see SC has taken advantage of your wisdom.

[Man Friday]

You can hardly complain that Leroy didn't score against QPR when our most prolific striker didn't either.

He would have if Lita had passed to him.

[Man Friday]

There is more to being a striker than goals and assists.

[Woodcote Royal]

Or, Lita knows that the worst thing for him and Reading is that he stagnates on the bench, and asked, rather than demanded, that he go out on loan. The loan spell maintained his match sharpness at this level, as well as proving he can score goals in the Championship. 8 of them, which is more than 5.

Or, Lita was a selfish twat who, unlike Long and the rest of the squad, put his interests before the team.

Actually, Lita, unlike some of his dim witted fans, has already admitted his poor attitude in this respect which should help his future here far more than some of the pathetic, unjustified hero worship above.

[Man Friday]

“Noel is back in the squad, but I don’t know exactly what I’ll do but he will certainly be in the mix."

“Leroy’s workrate was right up there at QPR. He’s got to reproduce that and I will probably go with him this Saturday.

“All of them know there is real competition. Goals are the solution to all our problems. We need our people up front to be creating and scoring goals. The pressure is on for everyone.”

Well played Snowball and Woodcote. Glad to see SC has taken advantage of your wisdom.

Unfortunately he hasn't. We'll find out tomorrow if SC's right or, once again, has misplaced confidence in Leroy.

[Snowball]

Or, Lita knows that the worst thing for him and Reading is that he stagnates on the bench, and asked, rather than demanded, that he go out on loan. The loan spell maintained his match sharpness at this level, as well as proving he can score goals in the Championship. 8 of them, which is more than 5.

Yes 8 goals but in 20 + 4 sub games

You cannot properly compare players in terms of goals and assists and ignore the fact
that one player has started 20 times, the second 3 times




Hey Jones, Smith's wall is two times higher than yours. Yes Boss, I know but he works 6 days a week, and I just cover Sundays

[Snowball]

Or, Lita knows that the worst thing for him and Reading is that he stagnates on the bench, and asked, rather than demanded, that he go out on loan. The loan spell maintained his match sharpness at this level, as well as proving he can score goals in the Championship. 8 of them, which is more than 5.

Or, Lita was a selfish twat who, unlike Long and the rest of the squad, put his interests before the team.

Actually, Lita, unlike some of his dim witted fans, has already admitted his poor attitude in this respect which should help his future here far more than some of the pathetic, unjustified hero worship above.

If you have seen games, or read the reports
Long is known to pass to a striker better positioned
rather than go for glory himself.

Read the Wolves 0-3 Reading report, for example where he unselfishly set-up Cisse


Lita did precisely the opposite at Swansea and prevented a highly likely equaliser by Doyle.

[Woodcote Royal]

“Noel is back in the squad, but I don’t know exactly what I’ll do but he will certainly be in the mix."

“Leroy’s workrate was right up there at QPR. He’s got to reproduce that and I will probably go with him this Saturday.

“All of them know there is real competition. Goals are the solution to all our problems. We need our people up front to be creating and scoring goals. The pressure is on for everyone.”

Well played Snowball and Woodcote. Glad to see SC has taken advantage of your wisdom.

Like he listens to you on a regular basis.

I would be starting Hunt if he's fully fit but Coppell is clearly backing Lita after he did OK on Saturday.

If he lets him down it won't be for the first time, as was the case with half of last season's team, when many of us were desperate for him to show less loyalty to his favourites.................and we all know that, that's why we are where we are now.

All I ask is that he makes changes tomorrow BEFORE it's too late if things aren't working.

[Snowball]

Long has only started 4 games in the Championship

3-1 v Stoke (his first start aged 19)
4-2 v Palace (came off after 58 minutes)
3-1 v Burnley (he scored, came off after 65 minutes)
1-1 v Southampton (he scored, winning a precious point)

So he has scored in 2/4 starts in the Championship (actually played 3.5 games for two goals)

When Long has started in a Championship game, Reading have not lost. EVER. W3 D1 11-5

So how EXACTLY is that "can't play well when he starts"?

[cmonurz]

Woodcote is becoming very aggressive on this thread. Why is the belief that Lita is a better option than Long 'pathetic hero worship?'

[Snowball]

Long has only started 4 games in the Championship

3-1 v Stoke (his first start aged 19)
4-2 v Palace (came off after 58 minutes)
3-1 v Burnley (he scored, came off after 65 minutes)
1-1 v Southampton (he scored, winning a precious point)

So he has scored in 2/4 starts in the Championship (actually played 3.5 games for two goals)

When Long has started in a Championship game, Reading have not lost. EVER. W3 D1 11-5

So how EXACTLY is that "can't play well when he starts"?

OOPS. I got that wrong. I thought his game v Burnley was a start because I had him down as playing 65 minutes.
In fact he came on after 25 mins when Hunt was injured.

He started in the defeat at Ipswich


Or to make it even more interesting, ignoring a game 4 seasons ago when he was just 19


THIS SEASON

0-2 Ipswich
4-2 v Palace (came off after 58 minutes, we were winning 3-2))
1-1 v Southampton (he scored, winning a precious point)
3-1 v Burnley (he scored, came ON after 25 minutes)

[Snowball]

Woodcote is becoming very aggressive on this thread. Why is the belief that Lita is a better option than Long 'pathetic hero worship?'

Because he's not interested in signing for us and has scored two goals in two seasons?

He's hero worshipped because of what he did fours seasons/3 ago

[Baines]

Interesting posts snowball, but everyone knows Lita's better than Long, don't they?

[Snowball]

Forgetting overall form, is anyone surprised that SSC is talking of starting Lita tomorrow?

If he dropped Lita again for Noel, Noel would think, "I'm automatic choice when not injured"
just like Doyle thinks it's Doyle plus one other.

Lita is bound to be fired up. If he does well, gets goals then his price (money to HIM) goes up
and if he gets 1-2 goals he'll keep the shirt.

Personally I think Noel Hunt is a far better player than Lita but it's good to feel worried.

[brendywendy]

Or, Lita knows that the worst thing for him and Reading is that he stagnates on the bench, and asked, rather than demanded, that he go out on loan. The loan spell maintained his match sharpness at this level, as well as proving he can score goals in the Championship. 8 of them, which is more than 5.

Or, Lita was a selfish twat who, unlike Long and the rest of the squad, put his interests before the team.

Actually, Lita, unlike some of his dim witted fans, has already admitted his poor attitude in this respect which should help his future here far more than some of the pathetic, unjustified hero worship above.

didnt he just said before i just wanted to play, if it wasnt here i needed time on loan, now he has realised it is better to stay and fight for a place
i see nothing in this that admits poor attitude, just that his desperation to play took precedence before

[Hoop Blah]

I don't understand the reception that Lita's received when he's been on the pitch to be honest, but I guess it's just down to the fact that he's an enigmatic character and he's scored some cracking goals for us as part of the most successful side the clubs ever seen.

On here he's taken a lot of stick for his on and off field behaviour so I don't think all this hero worship rubbish being spouted is anywhere close to the mark. He gets a lot of stick, but there are also some that stand up for him, but no more than others really.

On this thread the 'Lita hero worship' is basically a load of sensible posters saying he's a better player than Long. I don't think that many have even gone so far as to say he's the answer to our lack of goals recently or that he's the best thing since sliced bread, it's just people stating an opinion that between Long and Lita the latter is the better player.

[Snowball]

Or, Lita knows that the worst thing for him and Reading is that he stagnates on the bench, and asked, rather than demanded, that he go out on loan. The loan spell maintained his match sharpness at this level, as well as proving he can score goals in the Championship. 8 of them, which is more than 5.

Or, Lita was a selfish twat who, unlike Long and the rest of the squad, put his interests before the team.

Actually, Lita, unlike some of his dim witted fans, has already admitted his poor attitude in this respect which should help his future here far more than some of the pathetic, unjustified hero worship above.

didnt he just said before i just wanted to play, if it wasnt here i needed time on loan, now he has realised it is better to stay and fight for a place
i see nothing in this that admits poor attitude, just that his desperation to play took precedence before

That is plain DAFT.

SSC brought him back because he couldn't stay at Norwich on any
other terms other than loan to season's end or a full transfer.

It wasn't Lita CHOOSING to come back. Read the stuff he said at Norwich

[brendywendy]

[quote="Woodcote Royal

Or, Lita was a selfish twat who, unlike Long and the rest of the squad, put his interests before the team.

Actually, Lita, unlike some of his dim witted fans, has already admitted his poor attitude in this respect which should help his future here far more than some of the pathetic, unjustified hero worship above.

didnt he just said before i just wanted to play, if it wasnt here i needed time on loan, now he has realised it is better to stay and fight for a place
i see nothing in this that admits poor attitude, just that his desperation to play took precedence before

That is plain DAFT.

SSC brought him back because he couldn't stay at Norwich on any
other terms other than loan to season's end or a full transfer.

It wasn't Lita CHOOSING to come back. Read the stuff he said at Norwich[/quote]

if you could kindly just show me where i put anything to do with lita choosing to return, and ill gladly admit im daft
otherwise be prepared for some allegations of daftness coming right back atcha you statistically challenged newcomer.

i was simply challenging your assertion that lita had admitted his attitude had been poor.
whether he chose to return or not is totally irrelevant-hence why i never even mentioned it