Long - time for a change?

[Ian Royal]

Amen.

I like howard hes just extremely inconsistant.On his day he can be a match winner although its something we dont see very often.

Name 1 game where Brian Howard has been the matchwinner for Reading.

The only game where he even comes close is Doncaster away last season, but that wasn't a 1 man matchwinning performance it was a team performance.

Set up the winning goal against Leicester.

[Big Foot]

I like howard hes just extremely inconsistant.On his day he can be a match winner although its something we dont see very often.

Name 1 game where Brian Howard has been the matchwinner for Reading.

The only game where he even comes close is Doncaster away last season, but that wasn't a 1 man matchwinning performance it was a team performance.

Set up the winning goal against Leicester.

I don't want details of his goals and assists, I want a "matchwinning performance"

Let me reprhase it, when did you come away from a game saying "Howard really bossed that game" or "Howard was easily man of the match".

[Ian Royal]

So don't ask for one game where he was a matchwinner then. Ask for one game where he had a match winning performance.

I thought he was pretty good against Burnley. Played some nice stuff, key role in two of the goals - first and last...

He isn't a standout player. He's another like Harper who enhances everyone else around him and improves the team. He is the only central midfielder we have with any real clue about playing a passing game.

He's not quite the complete article and inconsistent, but then if he wasn't he'd be playing in the Premier League.

[zummerset]

Pedantsville again.........

[super darren caskey]

So don't ask for one game where he was a matchwinner then. Ask for one game where he had a match winning performance.

I thought he was pretty good against Burnley. Played some nice stuff, key role in two of the goals - first and last...

He isn't a standout player. He's another like Harper who enhances everyone else around him and improves the team. He is the only central midfielder we have with any real clue about playing a passing game.

He's not quite the complete article and inconsistent, but then if he wasn't he'd be playing in the Premier League.

+1

[Ian Royal]

And just for the record only Long has as many assists as Howard this season so far, only Long has been positively involved in the build up to more of our goals.

[Woodcote Royal]

He is the only central midfielder we have with any real clue about playing a passing game

I don't get to many games these days but whenever I listen to match commentary the next player to touch the ball after Howard is invariably on the opposing side.

Even "No nothing" Dellor felt inclined to say he couldn't recall one successfully completed pass by Howard up at Hull.

[Snowball]

Long and Kebe among 2010's best

Royals duo Shane Long and Jimmy Kebe are both among the top ten goalscorers in the Championship for the calendar year 2010.

Long scored a total of 14 League goals, with Kebe one behind on 13.

23-year-old Long was therefore the joint fifth highest scorer for the year, and scored the same number as QPR's Adel Taarabt among others.

Jimmy was joint eighth and would surely have been higher but for a six-week injury lay-off from mid-October onwards.

Long also scored three goals in the FA Cup and two for Ireland, while Jimmy also notched twice in the FA Cup.

Simon Church was not too far behind with ten League goals, plus two in the FA Cup.

1) Danny Graham, Watford, 19 (7 in 09/10, 12 in 10/11)
2) Jay Bothroyd, Cardiff 18 (5 in 09/10, 13 in 10/11)
3) Kris Commons, Derby, 15 (2 in 09/10, 13 in 10/11)
=) Andy King, Leicester, 15 (6 in 09/10, 9 in 10/11)
5) Shane Long, Reading, 14 (6 in 09/10, 8 in 10/11)
=) Adel Taarabt, QPR, 14 (3 in 09/10, 11 in 10/11)
=) Richard Cresswell, 14 (10 in 09/10, 4 in 10/11)
8) Jimmy Kebe, Reading, 13 (8 in 09/10, 4 in 10/11)
=) Andy Carroll, Newcastle, 13 (all in 09/10)
=) Jamie Mackie, Plymouth/QPR, 13 (4 in 09/10, 9 in 10/11)

Thanks to Sky Sports' Football League Weekend for the stats.

[Snowball]

Long and Kebe among 2010's best


Jimmy was joint eighth and would surely have been higher but for a six-week injury lay-off from mid-October onwards.

Thanks to Sky Sports' Football League Weekend for the stats.

Long missed 4-5 games through suspension, 1 through injury, was sub about 3+2 times

[Ian Royal]

He is the only central midfielder we have with any real clue about playing a passing game

I don't get to many games these days but whenever I listen to match commentary the next player to touch the ball after Howard is invariably on the opposing side.

Even "No nothing" Dellor felt inclined to say he couldn't recall one successfully completed pass by Howard up at Hull.

Haven't seen the Hull game yet, and Howard can be pretty wayward with his passing on occasion, but he is still the only central midfielder we have who always looks to keep the ball moving and on the deck.

[Snowball]

Tabb tries to play it on the floor

[Ian Royal]

Tabb tries to play it on the floor

Really? The games I've seen he seems to be just as guilty as Karacan of punting, or head down charging forward.

[facaldaqui]

Just watched the interview with Freddie Sears on BBC Sport. He makes Long and Church seem prolific. People who predict that Long and Church will end up in the lower leagues should note the Freddie Searses of this world.

[FiNeRaIn]

Just watched the interview with Freddie Sears on BBC Sport. He makes Long and Church seem prolific

Tbf, people don't tend to score many during interviews.

[handbags_harris]

I will say again - Brian Howard is exactly the sort of midfielder that Reading fans never take to. Previous incumbent of the Howard role - James Harper. Previous to that - Keith Jones. I quite like him. He is far from perfect, that is obvious, but what he does bring is something neither Tabb, Leigertwood or Karacan bring - the will to pick the ball up off the back four and set up attacks with an intelligent pass. Without Howard we turn into long ball merchants, with Mills particularly profligate with possession. That is exactly what happened at Hull, and despite Howard being wasteful on occasion we looked a much much better side with him on the pitch.

Just watch what happens when we start with Leigertwood and Karacan, and then Howard comes on. Instantly we will have a better and more penetrative style.

[Snowball]

Just watch what happens when we start with Leigertwood and Karacan, and then Howard comes on. Instantly we will have a better and more penetrative style.

That's because we're playing with 12 men.

[Snowball]

I will say again - Brian Howard is exactly the sort of midfielder that Reading fans never take to. Previous incumbent of the Howard role - James Harper. Previous to that - Keith Jones. I quite like him. He is far from perfect, that is obvious, but what he does bring is something neither Tabb, Leigertwood or Karacan bring - the will to pick the ball up off the back four and set up attacks with an intelligent pass. Without Howard we turn into long ball merchants, with Mills particularly profligate with possession. That is exactly what happened at Hull, and despite Howard being wasteful on occasion we looked a much much better side with him on the pitch.

Just watch what happens when we start with Leigertwood and Karacan, and then Howard comes on. Instantly we will have a better and more penetrative style.

I was fairly happy with Howard a while back but he rarely wins ball, often goes missing,
has games where he can't pass. He rarely tackles and gives away too many important
free-kicks and pens. QPR, Swansea, Leeds, Doncaster to name 4.

We DO need a player who can play balls like Howard at his best, or Matejovsky at his best,
or Gylfi, but they have to also be able to do the work, win tackles fairly when it's important.

Or we have to go 451 and learn to carry the flair player.

[Big Foot]

I will say again - Brian Howard is exactly the sort of midfielder that Reading fans never take to. Previous incumbent of the Howard role - James Harper. Previous to that - Keith Jones. I quite like him. He is far from perfect, that is obvious, but what he does bring is something neither Tabb, Leigertwood or Karacan bring - the will to pick the ball up off the back four and set up attacks with an intelligent pass. Without Howard we turn into long ball merchants, with Mills particularly profligate with possession. That is exactly what happened at Hull, and despite Howard being wasteful on occasion we looked a much much better side with him on the pitch.

Just watch what happens when we start with Leigertwood and Karacan, and then Howard comes on. Instantly we will have a better and more penetrative style.

As I've said elsewhere, we looked more threatening at Hull because McAnuff went in the middle and we had the energy of Antonio being on too.

Mills is wasteful in possession whether Howard is on the pitch or not - Howard played yesterday and I reckon Mills was comfortably into double figures for number of hopeless clearances going straight back to Mills.

[No Fixed Abode]

Would have added this to the original thread but it appears to have been locked.

Another game, another two points spaffed away due to Long's inability to hit the target. His workrate up to the 18 yard line is unquestionable and often is performing a thankless task, however he is first a foremost a striker and a striker's ultimate role is to score goals.

It appears the cliched nickname of "Jigsaw" is currently the most accurate summation of his efforts this season in front of goal - 4 goals in 19 league games is atrocious (especially when 3 of those goals were from the penalty spot) for the "number one striker" at any football club.

No doubt Snowball will be all over this thread like a rash stating how Long is actually not going through a bad patch and that he's actually in good form, but the biggest thing for me is the number of points we have failed to pick up recently due to Long's poor finishing. He's missed glorious chances against Cardiff, Norwich, Watford and now Coventry and, as 2-0 alludes to on another thread, it looks more and more like we are going to have to settle for a season of mid table mediocrity.

Time for a change? Well, I certainly think so and I'd venture I'm not in the minority. Whether Brian McDermott agrees remains to be seen but I'm sure there's many a Reading fan that is hoping that Santa brings them an early Christmas present - that being Shane Long being dropped to the bench at Pride Park next Saturday.

[readingbedding]

Would have added this to the original thread but it appears to have been locked.

Another game, another two points spaffed away due to Long's inability to hit the target. His workrate up to the 18 yard line is unquestionable and often is performing a thankless task, however he is first a foremost a striker and a striker's ultimate role is to score goals.

It appears the cliched nickname of "Jigsaw" is currently the most accurate summation of his efforts this season in front of goal - 4 goals in 19 league games is atrocious (especially when 3 of those goals were from the penalty spot) for the "number one striker" at any football club.

No doubt Snowball will be all over this thread like a rash stating how Long is actually not going through a bad patch and that he's actually in good form, but the biggest thing for me is the number of points we have failed to pick up recently due to Long's poor finishing. He's missed glorious chances against Cardiff, Norwich, Watford and now Coventry and, as 2-0 alludes to on another thread, it looks more and more like we are going to have to settle for a season of mid table mediocrity.

Time for a change? Well, I certainly think so and I'd venture I'm not in the minority. Whether Brian McDermott agrees remains to be seen but I'm sure there's many a Reading fan that is hoping that Santa brings them an early Christmas present - that being Shane Long being dropped to the bench at Pride Park next Saturday.

Time for you to shut the phuck up methinks.

Oh yes!