Squad Watch 2022/23

[Hendo]

That was last week. Seems they've been doing a lot of travelling together.

Of course. Surprised they didn't swing by Bentonville...

He's going to retire there so we can grow old together in Eureka Springs.

[Stranded]

Today is a good day to be a Reading fan.

Top marks to the Twitter admin for the tease and announcement and fair play that Long was happy to join in with it.

Yep, delighted with the signing but almost as whelmed that we seem to have found a social media dude who knows how it works

For someone who hasn't bothered following this - Is it something to do with the old joke about how "my brother saw X player in The Oracle this morning"?

More to do with the old joke that I saw Shane Long in the Oracle.

[South Coast Royal]

[quote="YorkshireRoyal99"]Happy with it. The obvious nostalgia aside, I think anyone would be happy to sign an experienced striker who has played the last decade in the PL on a free transfer at this level really. It should give everyone a nice boost going into the season now as well and should spell the end for Puscas who just needs to find a move.

Has anyone moaned that he isn't a left back yet?[/quote ]

Let's hope that it works out better than the returns of Kitson and Senior and the signing of Prem old-timers in Yakubu and Ferdinand.
A good PR signing for the fans -although not a legend IMHO he was very popular here and he will no doubt still run all day, albeit a bit slower.

As the aim is for a season of survival with no long term plan, the signings are as good as we could hope for ahead of the following season when (supposedly) it all changes and we sign players for the medium/ long term future rather than just patching things up as per last and the coming season.

[SCIAG]

This deal makes total sense. Long had his best form when partnered with Noel Hunt, who is already at the club.

[Snowflake Royal]

Yep not the best kept secret ever

Anyway he’s back. Let’s hope it gives everyone a lift

Good old Paul, completely ruining the club's major feel good announcement and all the work they've put into it, just so he can get some itk brownie points on the web.

[fred sharpes nose]

Any chance this excellent list can be updated for the occasional viewer/hard of hearing given all the comings and goings with senior and junior players ?

Now we're seeing the first new signing and players renewing, thought it might be nice for a thread dedicated to how the squad is shaping up for the new season.

Any corrections welcome.
Academy players
Actively looking to move on

Goalkeeper
Lumley
Southwood
Andresson
Boyce-Clarke

Fullbacks
Yiadom
Abrefa
Samuels

Centrebacks
Dann
McIntyre
Holmes
Moore
Dorsett
Abbey
Stickland

Midfield
Tetek
Osorio - offered, not sure if accepted

Wide
Ejaria
Meite
T Ince
Scott
Leavy(?)

Strikers
Joao
Puscas
Clarke
Melvin-Lambert
Ehibhatiomhan


Plus offers to Hoilett, Rinomhota, Camara and Azeez.

Midfield and left back look the most pressing priorities right now.

[Rax]

Courtney Friday is the source for the Shane Long return rumours reported 7 hours ago..

On that basis alone I'm inclined to disbelieve it!

He was first with the news.

Yes, but is it news - or utter bo*fords??

Am more than happy to be proved wrong on this - kudos Courtney!

[Rax]

He was first with the news.

Yes, but is it news - or utter bo*fords??

Am more than happy to be proved wrong on this - kudos Courtney!

Oh and PTR of course!

[blythspartan]

I am assuming that now we’ve signed Long we won’t be pursuing Wickham. Having said that once Puscas leaves maybe we’ll offer him a contract too. I know he played yesterday so I guess he’s still with us for the time being.

[Snowflake Royal]

Any chance this excellent list can be updated for the occasional viewer/hard of hearing given all the comings and goings with senior and junior players ?

I can no longer edit the original post, but here's an update for you.

Updated:


Academy players
Actively looking to move on

Goalkeeper
Lumley
Bouzanis
Southwood
Andresson
Boyce-Clarke

Fullbacks
Yiadom
Abrefa

Centrebacks
Dann
McIntyre
Holmes
Moore
Dorsett
Abbey
Stickland

Midfield
Tetek
Fornah
Hendricks
Osorio
Craig

Wide
Ejaria
Meite
T Ince
Azeez
Hoilett
Camara
Scott
Leavy(?)

Strikers
Joao
Long
Puscas
Melvin-Lambert
Ehibhatiomhan
Clarke

Team?
.......................Lumley
Yiadom, Holmes, Dann, McIntyre
...........Hendricks, Fornah
Ince.................Ejaria..............Meite
.........................Joao

Subs: Bouzanis, Abrefa, Dorsett, Tetek, Hoilett, Long, Azeez

[Zip]

So including Tetek as a senior player we now have 19 senior players.

[Lower West]

So including Tetek as a senior player we now have 19 senior players.

Expect some departures given the unbalanced nature of the squad.

[Zip]

So including Tetek as a senior player we now have 19 senior players.

Expect some departures given the unbalanced nature of the squad.

Obvs Puscas and maybe Southwood.

[fred sharpes nose]

So including Tetek as a senior player we now have 19 senior players.

Expect some departures given the unbalanced nature of the squad.

Realistically its 16 senior players - expect 4 more needed

[Snowflake Royal]

Yeah still need two LBs a CM or two and maybe a CB.

Only real departures we can afford are Puscas, Moore and Southwood, plus a small handful of Academy loans out.

The only place we're well stocked on senior players is wide, and several of them cover other positions.

[blythspartan]

Yeah still need two LBs a CM or two and maybe a CB.

Only real departures we can afford are Puscas, Moore and Southwood, plus a small handful of Academy loans out.

The only place we're well stocked on senior players is wide, and several of them cover other positions.

I agree with this but do you think they might still be tempted to bring in another striker i.e. Wickham or the chap from Barnsley that we’ve been linked to?

[paultheroyal]

Need a quality centre back now and left back. Key positions. Just worries me that defence looks very similar to last year, a team who shed so many goals and needs freshening up. Having said that, Drinkwater, Laurent and Rhinomota could of been the problem....

[Einstein agogo]

Long is a oxf*rd legend , he will do well in this type of physical league

[YorkshireRoyal99]

Yeah still need two LBs a CM or two and maybe a CB.

Only real departures we can afford are Puscas, Moore and Southwood, plus a small handful of Academy loans out.

The only place we're well stocked on senior players is wide, and several of them cover other positions.

I agree with this but do you think they might still be tempted to bring in another striker i.e. Wickham or the chap from Barnsley that we’ve been linked to?

I get the feeling we might sign one of Wickham or the lad from Barnsley whilst we sell Puscas. I'd personally prefer the guy from Barnsley as he is significantly younger and can cover a few more positions and doesn't have a long list of injury issues like Wickham, but obviously money will be the main factor.

I know we are only planning on starting with 1 forward, but I think we need 3 senior strikers, with the likes of Clarke being on the fringes or involved, just to give us the options from the bench, as I do imagine we will be spending a lot of this season chasing games.

Alongside that, if we can bring in at least 1 LB, 1 CB and 1 CM (preferably creative, but I wouldn't complain if we were to sign someone like Fulton), then I think we have a pretty decent squad come that point that may just need tweaking wherever. That would include the departure of Puscas as well and hopefully we can shift Moore on in January which may allow us the wiggle room to bring another player or two in January to improve weakness areas.

[Hound]

Would be ok with Hutchinson, Jeanvier and the Barnsley chap

Then obvs spend a bit more on the LB and maybe sign BOO as well

Would be about ok then I think. Keep a couple of loans for emergencies before the window shuts