Gelled as a team

[royalsroyalsroyals92]

I think today proved that the Reading approach can work... since we got promoted to the premiership, we have been a team where the team is greater than the sum of its individual parts.
I don't want this turning into a slating madejski thread for not spending, but i just wanted to highlight that what reading do works, i at least think. We may lack stars in the team, but i think thats a good thing! I can imagine it may become slightly demoralising for players who work hard and play well week in and week out to lack some of that praise that they may deserve due to focus shifted to the Shane Long's and Gylfi Siggurdson's. I think leicester proved that a team full of inflated ego's can often fall apart.
Its good to see that our game plan worked today, and i hope that as long as we can keep this team relatively fit then we may stick to this 5th place, or thereabouts to the end of the season.

[Royal_Delight]

One swallow. Summer. Etc etc.

[peterroyal76]

I think today proved that the Reading approach can work... since we got promoted to the premiership, we have been a team where the team is greater than the sum of its individual parts.
I don't want this turning into a slating madejski thread for not spending, but i just wanted to highlight that what reading do works, i at least think. We may lack stars in the team, but i think thats a good thing! I can imagine it may become slightly demoralising for players who work hard and play well week in and week out to lack some of that praise that they may deserve due to focus shifted to the Shane Long's and Gylfi Siggurdson's. I think leicester proved that a team full of inflated ego's can often fall apart.
Its good to see that our game plan worked today, and i hope that as long as we can keep this team relatively fit then we may stick to this 5th place, or thereabouts to the end of the season.

The way we do things MAY prove to work, but lets not get carried away yet.
Its a bit too early to judge yet, but this was an excellent result.

[royalsroyalsroyals92]

well it did work last year tbh... i never rate teams that spend spend spend... and i think from a fans POV id hate it to watch a team and see 10 new faces in the team come the next year.

[facaldaqui]

well it did work last year tbh... i never rate teams that spend spend spend... and i think from a fans POV id hate it to watch a team and see 10 new faces in the team come the next year.

I think some managers make wheeler-dealering work, and provide entertaining football--Redknapp and Holloway spring to mind. Sven needs to watch himself, though--he's an excellent manager, but this isn't the division for off-the-peg managing. He thought Leicester would kick on once he signed the likes of Yakubu and Vassell last season, but it never happened. Jones must have thought Bellamy would make the difference, but he didn't. Buyer beware.

[sandman]

We don't need to spend, spend, spend but we do need to supplement what we already have.

[Avon Royal]

well it did work last year tbh... .

Not quite.

[The Real Sandhurst Royal]

Early days..... don't get carried away there will lot's of up and downs this season.

[royalsroyalsroyals92]

well it did work last year tbh... .

Not quite.

from the start of that season, if anyone told most fans we would end in the playoffs i think they would of been a little shocked, especially after sig went

[peterroyal76]

well it did work last year tbh... .

Not quite.

from the start of that season, if anyone told most fans we would end in the playoffs i think they would of been a little shocked, especially after sig went

Are you suggesting that we wouldn't have spent all the Sig money on new transfers?

[pea]

One swallow. Summer. Etc etc.

+1

The last few seasons have also shown us falling at the final hurdle time and time again.

[facaldaqui]

We don't need to spend, spend, spend but we do need to supplement what we already have.

You'd think so, and Brian sounds like he will make additions, but he clearly believes the players he's got can do him a job. If it turned out (big ifs, admittedly) that HRK can convert to centre forward, that Obita can graduate on the wing, and that Morrison is a useful third centre back, the team could conceivably build on its achievements last season. McDermott's philosophy, as far as it trickles out from his interviews, is that talent is only the icing on the cake--he believes that his group of able but not brilliant players can achieve success through hard work, team work, and team spirit. Shane Long proved him right--not a naturally gifted player but one who kept trying till he succeeded. McDermott looks for others to do that. The way reserves came in and did us proud in the cup and during our great run shows that this homely credo can produce results.

[brendywendy]

One swallow. Summer. Etc etc.

Lol. At reading fans hoping for failure

[sandman]

One swallow. Summer. Etc etc.

Lol. At reading fans hoping for failure

Where did he say that?

[leicsRoyal]

The thread title says it all.

Just back from the game and as per that thread, we looked a team.

Leicester, well I wouldn't want any one of them in the trenches alongside me.

[Shackleton Royal]

I think we have managed to build a strong team spirit, helping our team gell quickly. I'm quietly optimistic about Pearce and Khumalo as a pair as Khumalo looks like he can make up for Pearce's lack of pace. On the whole our team has played together for a while, I think it was a master stroke to get Manset in January, I can already see we are making him the player that we want (rather than splashing the cash we've invested in potential that we can mould).

Team spirit is there 100%.
Team gelled... not quite but more gelled than Leicester that's for sure!!

[Man Friday]

One swallow. Summer. Etc etc.

Lol. At reading fans hoping for failure
Simon --abused, and liked it, as a boy ,by the priest ,in the rectory of his local- Church

Where did he say that?

On another post.
Cr@p every which way you turn. Can't be bad.

[Cypry]

We don't need to spend, spend, spend but we do need to supplement what we already have.

You'd think so, and Brian sounds like he will make additions, but he clearly believes the players he's got can do him a job. If it turned out (big ifs, admittedly) that HRK can convert to centre forward, that Obita can graduate on the wing, and that Morrison is a useful third centre back, the team could conceivably build on its achievements last season. McDermott's philosophy, as far as it trickles out from his interviews, is that talent is only the icing on the cake--he believes that his group of able but not brilliant players can achieve success through hard work, team work, and team spirit. Shane Long proved him right--not a naturally gifted player but one who kept trying till he succeeded. McDermott looks for others to do that. The way reserves came in and did us proud in the cup and during our great run shows that this homely credo can produce results.

Thing is, looking at today's performance, I can't see that Brian will want to start any team other than those who started today (injuries aside), especially with the limitations of only 5 subs.
We have strength in depth up front, four strikers (including HRK) should be sufficient - Hunt is obviously first choice, Manset and HRK are showing they can do a job, Church looks most likely to be warming the bench once he's fit, so any new signing is likely to find themselves in the reserves until we get some kind of injury crisis.

We have loads of strength in depth in midfield, not only Kebe, McAnuff, Leigertwood and Karacan (obviously the preferred starting line up) but Obita, Gunarsson, Tabb, Howard, Taylor, Antonio etc - can't see where or why we'd need to add there, and again, any addition is likely to be sitting in the reserves...

Back four is the only place where I can see possible strengthening - Kumalo and Pearce seem to be preferred CB pairing and having seen how they seem to have worked today (despite Kumalo being on International duty this week) I'm comfortable with that - Morrison is a bit of an unknown quantity, and Kumalo should go to the ACoN in January, so we might need to look there, however, with the aforementioned reduction in subs, Gunarsson seems to be making the bench on the grounds that he can cover anywhere at the back, or defensive midfield, so once again, if we make a new signing, he's likely to be in the reserves.
At right back, Griffin is Brians first choice, with an easy option in Cummings in case of injury.
The only place where we could be considered to have inadequate cover is left back, if Harte gets injured could Williams do a job? One option might be Tabb in that situation perhaps - can't see how else Tabb will get in the team otherwise (other than perhaps an injury to Karacan).

I guess the point I'm making is that I can't see that we'll make any big signings, not for financial reasons, but more because the new subs rule will make it hard to attract players, if they think that all they'll do is end up in the reserves...

Perhaps, sitting on most of the cash, enabling us to make "strengthening" signings in January, or bringing loans in at will through the year if deemed necessary might not be such a bad option - might also mean that next Summer, rather than having to sell, we can hang on to our best players and continue to remain competitive rather than fading away into obscurity...

[Terminal Boardom]

I don't think that anyone doubts the value of having an incredibly strong team spirit. BMcD has given the youngsters a proper chance and they know that if they apply themselves to the full, their chance will come. Results like Saturday's will provide far more in the way of confidence than we can imagine.

[Wycombe Royal]

Let's all just see how the season progresses before we go off in either direction "oh, we are going down" or "yes, this is great we are going up"..
It's a bit early to tell just yet.

Wise words........but don't expect many to take any notice.