Are Reading really this bad?

[Kitsondinho]

So to get back to my original point (and amend it slightly), West Ham have been more involved in the trasnfer market than us this year and therefore have a stronger team. I think they'll make top six (which will make my Irons loving grandad proud!). We should not expect to just roll them over like we did last year. between 11th and 17th should be our target for the season.

[SL]

Solano was a freebie and Freddie was £2m rising to a possible £3m.

No-one can deny that weve have spent money this summer but on the other hand its also a fact that we have recovered the vast amount of it from the sale of existing players.

[SL]

So to get back to my original point (and amend it slightly), West Ham have been more involved in the trasnfer market than us this year and therefore have a stronger team. I think they'll make top six (which will make my Irons loving grandad proud!). We should not expect to just roll them over like we did last year. between 11th and 17th should be our target for the season.

No way will we make top 6 - IMO.

[Hoop Blah]

West Ham will be a top 6 side this year. they have spent more money than our entire playing staff would cost. We are not going to do as well this year. If we lose to Derby, Sunderland, Brum etc then I will panic. Staying up should be our only goal. We got done like this last year and came back and we can do so again!

I'd be surprised if we did. As for the money we spent well that's rubbish, we spent only £11 million and £7mil of that is out for the season with another £6 mil out until christmas at least.

How can you only have spent £11m if £13m of it is out injured?

[Hoop Blah]

Solano was a freebie and Freddie was £2m rising to a possible £3m.

No-one can deny that weve have spent money this summer but on the other hand its also a fact that we have recovered the vast amount of it from the sale of existing players.

True

So to get back to my original point (and amend it slightly), West Ham have been more involved in the trasnfer market than us this year and therefore have a stronger team. I think they'll make top six (which will make my Irons loving grandad proud!). We should not expect to just roll them over like we did last year. between 11th and 17th should be our target for the season.

No way will we make top 6 - IMO.

And true. You looked a pretty good side, but I think top 6 would be really pushing it. Top 10 should be do-able, but there are a lot of good sides who look to be chasing those UEFA cup spots and I think Everton, Newcastle, Spurs, Villa and Blackburn have a strong case for finishing above West Ham.

[79Royal]

maybe he hasn't been good so far this season but if you look at it we have have had a rather difficult start.

Supporting the team is one thing, but get your head out of your arse. Doyle and Shorey all need dropping, as they miles away from the form and effort showed last year.

For me Shorey and Doyle are only doing the bare minimum they have to in games (compared to last year), so the management either sort them out or drop them both.

I agree with the Shorey part. A spell on the sidelines might make him a bit hungrier for football. That said, Shorey must have been unsettled by all the transfer talk about him joinging West Ham, so I'll forgive him a little for Saturday's performance. As for Doyle, with our right wing issues at the moment, I wonder if he might make a decent replacement? Worth a try, maybe against Liverpool?

To be fair, the more I think about the game, the less worried I am. We still created a few chances and we got ourselves in good positions to cross the ball. It was the delivery that was lacking. We had 14 corners, but again, the delivery was poor.

I don't think the defence has a terminal problem and we've been vaunerable on the break for a while now, this isn't the first time we've found that. Usually though, it's us who are doing the breaking and keeping the opposition on the back foot.

Bellamy's early goal set the tone, we were chasing too hard after that. Coupled with the poor performances we saw across the park, I'm not surprised we got well beaten. On another day though, we may have got a couple of goals and the outcome could have been different.

[SL]

Solano was a freebie and Freddie was £2m rising to a possible £3m.

No-one can deny that weve have spent money this summer but on the other hand its also a fact that we have recovered the vast amount of it from the sale of existing players.

True

So to get back to my original point (and amend it slightly), West Ham have been more involved in the trasnfer market than us this year and therefore have a stronger team. I think they'll make top six (which will make my Irons loving grandad proud!). We should not expect to just roll them over like we did last year. between 11th and 17th should be our target for the season.

No way will we make top 6 - IMO.

And true. You looked a pretty good side, but I think top 6 would be really pushing it. Top 10 should be do-able, but there are a lot of good sides who look to be chasing those UEFA cup spots and I think Everton, Newcastle, Spurs, Villa and Blackburn have a strong case for finishing above West Ham.

Thats how I see it too.

Everton are looking V good imo.

[brendywendy]

maybe he hasn't been good so far this season but if you look at it we have have had a rather difficult start.

Supporting the team is one thing, but get your head out of your arse. Doyle and Shorey all need dropping, as they miles away from the form and effort showed last year.

For me Shorey and Doyle are only doing the bare minimum they have to in games (compared to last year), so the management either sort them out or drop them both.

I agree with the Shorey part. A spell on the sidelines might make him a bit hungrier for football. That said, Shorey must have been unsettled by all the transfer talk about him joinging West Ham, so I'll forgive him a little for Saturday's performance. As for Doyle, with our right wing issues at the moment, I wonder if he might make a decent replacement? Worth a try, maybe against Liverpool?

To be fair, the more I think about the game, the less worried I am. We still created a few chances and we got ourselves in good positions to cross the ball. It was the delivery that was lacking. We had 14 corners, but again, the delivery was poor.

I don't think the defence has a terminal problem and we've been vaunerable on the break for a while now, this isn't the first time we've found that. Usually though, it's us who are doing the breaking and keeping the opposition on the back foot.

Bellamy's early goal set the tone, we were chasing too hard after that. Coupled with the poor performances we saw across the park, I'm not surprised we got well beaten. On another day though, we may have got a couple of goals and the outcome could have been different.

i concur

decent balanced appraisal

we hit the bar and missed apenalty FFS

[Hoop Blah]

I'm not too worried about Shorey at the moment.

He's not lived up to his form of last season yet but I think he'll knuckle down now the window has closed. Obviously if his form doesn't improve then Coppell will have to take some action, but I think a poor Shorey is still better than a good Golbourn or Rosenior.

Doyle's form concerns me a lot more. Now that he might have a decent partner upfront, instead of carrying Long for 90 minutes, we might see a bit more from him but so far he's been pretty poor and is living off last seasons success so far. I wonder if he's carrying an injury or maybe that first week or so just flogged him too hard, because he doesn't look like the Doyle of the last two years.

[79Royal]

I'm not too worried about Shorey at the moment.

He's not lived up to his form of last season yet but I think he'll knuckle down now the window has closed. Obviously if his form doesn't improve then Coppell will have to take some action, but I think a poor Shorey is still better than a good Golbourn or Rosenior.

Doyle's form concerns me a lot more. Now that he might have a decent partner upfront, instead of carrying Long for 90 minutes, we might see a bit more from him but so far he's been pretty poor and is living off last seasons success so far. I wonder if he's carrying an injury or maybe that first week or so just flogged him too hard, because he doesn't look like the Doyle of the last two years.

A lot of teams will have worked out how to defend against him as well. He needs a goal to boost his confidence and some decent service wouldn't go amiss.

[Alan Partridge]

I'm not too worried about Shorey at the moment.

He's not lived up to his form of last season yet but I think he'll knuckle down now the window has closed. Obviously if his form doesn't improve then Coppell will have to take some action, but I think a poor Shorey is still better than a good Golbourn or Rosenior.

Doyle's form concerns me a lot more. Now that he might have a decent partner upfront, instead of carrying Long for 90 minutes, we might see a bit more from him but so far he's been pretty poor and is living off last seasons success so far. I wonder if he's carrying an injury or maybe that first week or so just flogged him too hard, because he doesn't look like the Doyle of the last two years.

A lot of teams will have worked out how to defend against him as well. He needs a goal to boost his confidence and some decent service wouldn't go amiss.

That's the major point. Where's it going to come from?

[Vision]

Solano was a freebie and Freddie was £2m rising to a possible £3m.

No-one can deny that weve have spent money this summer but on the other hand its also a fact that we have recovered the vast amount of it from the sale of existing players.

True

So to get back to my original point (and amend it slightly), West Ham have been more involved in the trasnfer market than us this year and therefore have a stronger team. I think they'll make top six (which will make my Irons loving grandad proud!). We should not expect to just roll them over like we did last year. between 11th and 17th should be our target for the season.

No way will we make top 6 - IMO.

And true. You looked a pretty good side, but I think top 6 would be really pushing it. Top 10 should be do-able, but there are a lot of good sides who look to be chasing those UEFA cup spots and I think Everton, Newcastle, Spurs, Villa and Blackburn have a strong case for finishing above West Ham.

Thats how I see it too.

Everton are looking V good imo.

That can't be right. We beat them and 7 pages of expert opinion on this thread tells you we are utter horse shit.

[pardew'spony]

West Ham will be a top 6 side this year. they have spent more money than our entire playing staff would cost.

I'll have a pint of whatever it is you're drinking!

Mid table is where we'll finish.

[79Royal]

I'm not too worried about Shorey at the moment.

He's not lived up to his form of last season yet but I think he'll knuckle down now the window has closed. Obviously if his form doesn't improve then Coppell will have to take some action, but I think a poor Shorey is still better than a good Golbourn or Rosenior.

Doyle's form concerns me a lot more. Now that he might have a decent partner upfront, instead of carrying Long for 90 minutes, we might see a bit more from him but so far he's been pretty poor and is living off last seasons success so far. I wonder if he's carrying an injury or maybe that first week or so just flogged him too hard, because he doesn't look like the Doyle of the last two years.

A lot of teams will have worked out how to defend against him as well. He needs a goal to boost his confidence and some decent service wouldn't go amiss.

That's the major point. Where's it going to come from?

We've got players who can deliver a good ball, we've seen it over the past couple of seasons. Some hard work on the training ground should help find that form.

[RoyalBlue]

Drop Shorey? And who plays at Left Back?

Rosenior until Shorey sorts his attitude out.

Isn't Rosenior a right back?

In fact, I wondered who would play right wing since we stupidly let Seol go to Fulham. I blame the booers.

Seol wanted out I don't blame Coppell for selling him, however with Little's long term injury he should of signed a replacement early in the summer.

And the boy boos may well have contributed to him wanting out.

Doyle's form concerns me a lot more. Now that he might have a decent partner upfront, instead of carrying Long for 90 minutes, we might see a bit more from him but so far he's been pretty poor and is living off last seasons success so far. I wonder if he's carrying an injury or maybe that first week or so just flogged him too hard, because he doesn't look like the Doyle of the last two years.

A lot of teams will have worked out how to defend against him as well. He needs a goal to boost his confidence and some decent service wouldn't go amiss.

That's the major point. Where's it going to come from?

We've got players who can deliver a good ball, we've seen it over the past couple of seasons. Some hard work on the training ground should help find that form.

And the players who can deliver a good ball are?

Little can't even get onto the training ground.

[Dr Hfuhruhurr]

West Ham will be a top 6 side this year. they have spent more money than our entire playing staff would cost. We are not going to do as well this year. If we lose to Derby, Sunderland, Brum etc then I will panic. Staying up should be our only goal. We got done like this last year and came back and we can do so again!

I'd be surprised if we did. As for the money we spent well that's rubbish, we spent only £11 million and £7mil of that is out for the season with another £6 mil out until christmas at least.

How can you only have spent £11m if £13m of it is out injured?

I think thats a good question which needs a reply.
Of course, thats only part of the equation - we need to look at the money going to the players. Lundburg may have involved giving nothing to Arsenal but if his wages are a fraction of what they are reported to be, then he certainly 'costs something'.

As for how bad we are - yes we are that bad. We may have to lower our expectations 20 points this year compared to last year.

[79Royal]

And the players who can deliver a good ball are?

Little can't even get onto the training ground.

Do you think that Little is the only player we have who can put in a decent cross? He may be the best, but not the only one.

Convey, Shorey, Murty, Oster. All can put in a decent cross. Maybe not as consistenly as Glen, but they can do it. Plus we're yet to see Rosenior play.

[RoyalBlue]

And the players who can deliver a good ball are?

Little can't even get onto the training ground.

Do you think that Little is the only player we have who can put in a decent cross? He may be the best, but not the only one.

Convey, Shorey, Murty, Oster. All can put in a decent cross. Maybe not as consistenly as Glen, but they can do it. Plus we're yet to see Rosenior play.

I certainly wouldn't put Murty in the decent crossing group. I can visualise him jumping in frustration when one of his crosses goes too deep or swings into the stand - it has happened that frequently. That's why it scares me when people suggest he might be able to take over the right ring role.

[watfordroyal]

I don't see that our crosses were so bad, only that Curbs had done his homework on us, and playing Neill, Upson & Ferdie, trying to reach Lita & Doyle with high balls was never gonna work. The game was crying out for Kits to stir it up & notice the difference, all too late.

2nd goal was the killer, how were they able to pick out the lone Welsh Bellend so easily on halfway line!

Oh well, put to bed & bring on Sunnerlun!

[KC Royal]

only falling back from the high standards in the last 2 games

after the everton game everything seemed fine

the worring thing is that we seem to be going in the wrong direction....

i was expecting 0 points from the first 3 games and then hoping for 4 from the next 2

Agreed. 4 pts from 5 games and 18th place was exactly what I was expecting at the start of the season. I'm not worried yet though, the time to worry is if we're still in the bottom 3 at Christmas. It was always going to be a long hard season, I predicted us to be in a relegation dogfight and finish around 15th/16th.

In many ways we're having the season I was worried we may have last season, ie losing players to injury/suspension and a dip from the high levels of the previous season.

The main difference between this season and last season is that the Premiership is stronger overall this season, and consequently we are being punished for poor performances. Last season, with the exception of Arsenal at home, that wasn't the case.