Striker PRIORITY

Top Flight
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Striker PRIORITY

by Top Flight » 09 Aug 2016 13:06

In my opinion, after the Liam Moore deal completes, a striker has to be the priority.

A top striker will be the difference between a season of mediocrity or one of a reasonable push to be in the top half or even attempt a challenge for the play offs.

You look around the Championship and there is some real talent in the attacking areas at our rival clubs. Sheffield Wednesday are blessed with Forestieri, Hooper and Steven Fletcher who looked a real handful against the Villa on Sunday. Villa have McCormack and Gestede who are lethal in this division. Wolves have Jon Dadi Bodvarsson who scored an absolute blinder on Saturday. Rangers have Polter who caused Leeds a whole manner of problems on Sunday.

Even Preston have Jermaine Beckford who would be a useful player if we had him in our front line. Norwich are well equipped up top, Newcastle look a little short but I'm sure they will equip themselves in the next couple of weeks. We know what threats Derby possess in attack. Brighton in Glenn Murray and Hemed are also looking dangerous in the front areas.

We look like we are probably a little bit short up top at the moment. I say probably because I have no idea how good Mendes or Meite are going to be. But Rakels and Kermorgant will not pose the kind of threat that exists elsewhere in the Championship at the clubs who are gunning for promotion. If we are to gun for promotion at some point, we need reinforcements in the striker area. I'm reasonably happy with the way the rest of the team is shaping up, there is room for improvement, but we look adequate across the rest of the team.

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royalsroyalsroyals92
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Re: Striker PRIORITY

by royalsroyalsroyals92 » 09 Aug 2016 13:42

Watford have a handy striker, proven champ record... what's his name? Vydra or something....


But I agree. Especially now it seems we have service into the box and better wingers, a striker to finish the chances is key

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Re: Striker PRIORITY

by maffff » 09 Aug 2016 13:47

Maybe we should be scouring the lower leagues for talent that'll step up and do well at this level.

There was this kid that really shone over the last couple of seasons in League One.

Scored 6 in 13 at the end of 2014/15 for Coventry, joining at the very end of January left at the beginning of April after getting injured.

in 2015/16 he scored 7 in 25 at Gillingham between November and April, although I think he got injured there too, against Coventry if I remember correctly.

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Re: Striker PRIORITY

by allwite » 09 Aug 2016 13:53

maffff Maybe we should be scouring the lower leagues for talent that'll step up and do well at this level.

There was this kid that really shone over the last couple of seasons in League One.

Scored 6 in 13 at the end of 2014/15 for Coventry, joining at the very end of January left at the beginning of April after getting injured.

in 2015/16 he scored 7 in 25 at Gillingham between November and April, although I think he got injured there too, against Coventry if I remember correctly.


Oh i heard about him....... What was his name again???? Didn't he also score a brilliant goal in preseason in The Netherlands?

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Re: Striker PRIORITY

by windermere_royal » 09 Aug 2016 14:01

maffff Maybe we should be scouring the lower leagues for talent that'll step up and do well at this level.

There was this kid that really shone over the last couple of seasons in League One.

Scored 6 in 13 at the end of 2014/15 for Coventry, joining at the very end of January left at the beginning of April after getting injured.

in 2015/16 he scored 7 in 25 at Gillingham between November and April, although I think he got injured there too, against Coventry if I remember correctly.


Wrap him in cotton wool and we might just have a chance of getting 15 games a season out of him


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Re: Striker PRIORITY

by NewCorkSeth » 09 Aug 2016 14:03

Not a LB? We have 3 senior fullbacks and 5 senior forwards? You can argue all you want about quality in those positions but the coverage is abundantly clear.

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Re: Striker PRIORITY

by tidus_mi2 » 09 Aug 2016 14:36

maffff Maybe we should be scouring the lower leagues for talent that'll step up and do well at this level.

There was this kid that really shone over the last couple of seasons in League One.

Scored 6 in 13 at the end of 2014/15 for Coventry, joining at the very end of January left at the beginning of April after getting injured.

in 2015/16 he scored 7 in 25 at Gillingham between November and April, although I think he got injured there too, against Coventry if I remember correctly.

Heard he was injured.

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Re: Striker PRIORITY

by maffff » 09 Aug 2016 14:55

Makes a change.

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Re: Striker PRIORITY

by Ian Royal » 09 Aug 2016 18:22

I think you're massively over stating the quality of some of those options and placing too much weight on one off performances.

I mean Beckford? Wasn't his last good season about 5 years ago?

I don't rate Kermie much, but he does have it in him to perform. The others are largely unknowns.

We're certainly suspect upfront, but that's news to exactly no one. Unless there's a stand out option I think we need to actually try what we have or it's a waste having them. We hould have better goal support from midfield and forwards now too.

I think we'd be better off keeping the squad tight and focusin where we dont even have options.

We already know we're going no where so bed in our changes and have another look iin Jan


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Re: Striker PRIORITY

by seahawk10 » 09 Aug 2016 18:34

Is it possible that the strikers we have will perform better since we have improved our midfield? They should get better service and more support with the formation we are playing too.

Not to say we shouldn't bring someone in but I have hope for more goals regardless.

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Re: Striker PRIORITY

by Ian Royal » 09 Aug 2016 19:42

NewCorkSeth Not a LB? We have 3 senior fullbacks and 5 senior forwards? You can argue all you want about quality in those positions but the coverage is abundantly clear.

Sorry, who's the third fullback?

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Re: Striker PRIORITY

by NewCorkSeth » 09 Aug 2016 20:18

Ian Royal
NewCorkSeth Not a LB? We have 3 senior fullbacks and 5 senior forwards? You can argue all you want about quality in those positions but the coverage is abundantly clear.

Sorry, who's the third fullback?

Gunter, Obita and Watson (I include him as he has a squad number and made the bench for our first game)

If anything your omission of him highlights the need even further!

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Re: Striker PRIORITY

by Ian Royal » 09 Aug 2016 21:56

NewCorkSeth
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NewCorkSeth Not a LB? We have 3 senior fullbacks and 5 senior forwards? You can argue all you want about quality in those positions but the coverage is abundantly clear.

Sorry, who's the third fullback?

Gunter, Obita and Watson (I include him as he has a squad number and made the bench for our first game)

If anything your omission of him highlights the need even further!

Yeah, Watson's on the cusp...but I'm not sure I'm ready to think of him as a senior full back yet. Looks to have done himself a lot of good this week though. Much better prospect than Griffin and Long IMO. Probably too much to hope for him to dump Gunter out of the side just yet though. :wink:


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Re: Striker PRIORITY

by NewCorkSeth » 09 Aug 2016 21:58

Ian Royal
NewCorkSeth
Ian Royal Sorry, who's the third fullback?

Gunter, Obita and Watson (I include him as he has a squad number and made the bench for our first game)

If anything your omission of him highlights the need even further!

Yeah, Watson's on the cusp...but I'm not sure I'm ready to think of him as a senior full back yet. Looks to have done himself a lot of good this week though. Much better prospect than Griffin and Long IMO. Probably too much to hope for him to dump Gunter out of the side just yet though. :wink:

So all in all you would agree that having 2 senior (TESTED) fullbacks calls for more immediate attention than our striking department?

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Re: Striker PRIORITY

by Ian Royal » 09 Aug 2016 22:00

NewCorkSeth
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NewCorkSeth Gunter, Obita and Watson (I include him as he has a squad number and made the bench for our first game)

If anything your omission of him highlights the need even further!

Yeah, Watson's on the cusp...but I'm not sure I'm ready to think of him as a senior full back yet. Looks to have done himself a lot of good this week though. Much better prospect than Griffin and Long IMO. Probably too much to hope for him to dump Gunter out of the side just yet though. :wink:

So all in all you would agree that having 2 senior (TESTED) fullbacks calls for more immediate attention than our striking department?

oxf*rd yeah. Wasn't disagreeing with your point, just checking who you thought the third FB was.

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Re: Striker PRIORITY

by NewCorkSeth » 09 Aug 2016 22:04

Ian Royal
NewCorkSeth
Ian Royal Yeah, Watson's on the cusp...but I'm not sure I'm ready to think of him as a senior full back yet. Looks to have done himself a lot of good this week though. Much better prospect than Griffin and Long IMO. Probably too much to hope for him to dump Gunter out of the side just yet though. :wink:

So all in all you would agree that having 2 senior (TESTED) fullbacks calls for more immediate attention than our striking department?

oxf*rd yeah. Wasn't disagreeing with your point, just checking who you thought the third FB was.

I rest my case your Honour.

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Re: Striker PRIORITY

by harry » 10 Aug 2016 06:42

NewCorkSeth Not a LB? We have 3 senior fullbacks and 5 senior forwards? You can argue all you want about quality in those positions but the coverage is abundantly clear.


I'd agree on LB.
I don't think playing Gunter on the wrong side is the answer if Obita isn't available.
Gunter with Watson as cover seems ok at RB. Dickie & Keown can cover there if needed as well.
At LB we've only got Obita, upgrading a kid or playing the likes of Gunter or Quinn (currently injured) out f position.

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Re: Striker PRIORITY

by The Real Sandhurst Royal » 10 Aug 2016 08:15

I struggle to see why we need a striker as the style of play we are opting for does not bring a striker into play other than tracking back to the the half way line to pass it it back.

You could see the frustration last night when Yann Kermorgan continually made runs last night against Plymouth off the last defender for the ball go backwards.

'

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Re: Striker PRIORITY

by mikey0406 » 10 Aug 2016 08:21

There is still the potential of sales in the team with Gunter and Williams, that has to be taken into consideration, but I believe the two priorities is left back cover and striker. If Bamford for all accounts is available for 3 million that has to be considered!! He has great proven record at this level and the potential to get better, the left back cover can be a youth loan from premier league who would not cost a lot.

If those positions were to be filled it would be the most productive transfer window for Reading ever in my opinion. Think Brian deserves a lot of credit for the processes he has delivered this summer. Not many managers these days can say all their transfer targets came through

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Re: Striker PRIORITY

by Sutekh » 10 Aug 2016 09:08

royalsroyalsroyals92 Watford have a handy striker, proven champ record... what's his name? Vydra or something....


But I agree. Especially now it seems we have service into the box and better wingers, a striker to finish the chances is key


Actually wonder how Vydra would do with this team rather than last season's mess. Shame we'll never know.

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