Team 'Strenghtening'...

[Stranded]

I just think that you wouldn't be playing DLC at left back if you had a left footed player that is natural in that position that was up to the job.

I agree and Golbourne probably isn't up to it as of now. In a year, two years with some more 1st team experience behind him, he may well be.

[Im Spartacus]

You can't pick names. Position wise we need to strengthen in the following areas if the correct personnel is availble

Goalkeeper to challenge Marcus, ideally between the age of 25-28 and has been a 1st choice at his club

Left back, possibly in his late 20's to cover Shorey and give him some competition.

Central midfielder, probably the hardest to fill. Ideally one who is creative and links up the play between defence and attack.

Left or Right winger. Someone to give Seol a kick up the arse, and replace Little in the next few seasons. Preferably between 20-23 and has been seen as a good prospect/starter at his current club.

That would be my shopping list.

surely we need a young understudy for shorey, no-one will want to come in at the peak of their career and play second fiddle to our nicky

The only current youngster that plays left back and has a left boot is Bale who is being touted for £10 million. You aren't going to find a young left back for the sort of money we are talking

We already have one - Golbourne.

i think that if the management believed him to be a realistic option at left back then we would not keep farming him out on loan to Wycombe.

He's a young left back, he's not even 19!
We don't need another one at this moment.

It would be really irresponsible if Coppell didn't loan him out.

He must be worth something to the Club as they see him as someone who has potential but requires 1st team matches, hence the loan to Wycombe.

If he was 26 odd years of age, then I would agree that the club possibly don't see a future for him.
But at 18, it's really important to blood potentially good players like Golbourne by sending them on loan, so they get the 1st team matches, and they don't stagnate.

With Golbourne, it's far too early to make assumptions that he cannot replace Shorey at some stage in the future.

Good post.

I would rather we loaned out a few more players, especially the younger ones.

One of the very few drawbacks about the prem is that it restricts oppertunities for the youngsters. SC has done well blooding Long this season considering the stakes are so high.

[readingbedding]

Alex Pearce has gone to the Cobblers on loan.

He's got potential too.

[readingbedding]

I just think that you wouldn't be playing DLC at left back if you had a left footed player that is natural in that position that was up to the job.

I agree and Golbourne probably isn't up to it as of now. In a year, two years with some more 1st team experience behind him, he may well be.

Yeah, but do we really need another young left back???

[percy freeman fanclub]

When he left W.W after his last loan spell they were gagging to sign him,also his departing gift to them was what many called a "wonder goal." Did anyone take the time to see him play against Cheatski? He was great.Personally I'd give hima try any time as opposed to stella.
Give the guy a break.
Don't foget,SC brings in hugry,young,raw,talent,sometimes needing time to mature,not old,tired,money grabbing "has beens"

[Huntley & Palmer]

I just think that you wouldn't be playing DLC at left back if you had a left footed player that is natural in that position that was up to the job.

He's obviously seen as too young and raw at this stage of his career.

He cannot be discounted in the future, just because he getting 1st team football at a League 2 side at the age of 18.

Then surely the real problem for Coppell is this. DLC is at the back end of his career, may have no more than a season or two left in him at this level. Do we gamble on Golbourne being ready by then? Or do we sign an interim player until he is? That's why I think we need a happy medium, a player around 27-28 that has played regularly at say Championship or lower Premiership level to fill the void and still has at least three or four seasons left in him

[Turns8]

I wouldn't be surprised if Copps converts Halford into the Central Midfielder we are all waiting for....if so it's yet another shrewd bit of business by Hammonnd and Copps, buying in a young English talent and then moulding him into a future star...everyone knows he has potential, but I bet they convert him into the Centre...

[Huntley & Palmer]

I'm plumping for Murty replacement myself, with a bit of centre back grooming as well with his height.

[readingbedding]

I just think that you wouldn't be playing DLC at left back if you had a left footed player that is natural in that position that was up to the job.

He's obviously seen as too young and raw at this stage of his career.

He cannot be discounted in the future, just because he getting 1st team football at a League 2 side at the age of 18.

Then surely the real problem for Coppell is this. DLC is at the back end of his career, may have no more than a season or two left in him at this level. Do we gamble on Golbourne being ready by then? Or do we sign an interim player until he is? That's why I think we need a happy medium, a player around 27-28 that has played regularly at say Championship or lower Premiership level to fill the void and still has at least three or four seasons left in him

Who knows

Everything is risk and a gamble.

It's a balancing act, if DLC is gone in June 2009 Golbourne will then be 21.
Golbourne will certainly expect a few 1st team games for Reading between then and August 2007, if not he'll be unsettled.

At this stage, (barring injuries etc, and assuming Coppell is happy with the progress Golbourne is making) there is no problem at the left back position.

If Coppell feels as though Golbourne is ready he'll play him as and when.

It's down to Golbourne next year to really challenge Shorey for that position.

If he's not going to make it, then we'll sell him and find a suitable player who can.

It's just way too early to tell whether he can at this moment, so I'm prepared to give Golbourne the benefit of doubt.

[Huntley & Palmer]

I'm just glad that this has been an intriguing comparison on viewpoints. I am waiting for some of our younger members to start sounding off about players they have signed on Champ Manager

[Forbury Lion]

I am waiting for some of our younger members to start sounding off about players they have signed on Champ Manager

I've just found a young Swedeish striker in my Champ Man 1982 game, Definately worth looking at. I think his name is Henrik Laarson.

[Wax Jacket]

Competition in Central Midfield. As admirable as they are in back-up, Oster and Gunnarsson don't provide real competiton.

Competiton/Replacements for goalkeeper and right-back. Murts and Marcus are great servants who are both enjoying great seasons at a time in their careers they might otherwise not have expected. however if we stand on sentiment for too long we'll be in danger of not finding suitable replacements when they're needed.

A big, noisy, domineering centre-half. We now have millions of centre halves but this team will change,a nd will need a new leader to be hung on, plus we need senior competition for our centre halves.

One striker. To keep the others on their toes. Could be a long-term signing, a short-term loanee of exceptional quality like Montella, whatever. Strikers need the pressure.

[readingbedding]

I am waiting for some of our younger members to start sounding off about players they have signed on Champ Manager

I've just found a young Swedeish striker in my Champ Man 1982 game, Definately worth looking at. I think his name is Henrik Laarson.

Be good for our Under-12's.

[readingbedding]

Competition in Central Midfield. As admirable as they are in back-up, Oster and Gunnarsson don't provide real competiton.

Competiton/Replacements for goalkeeper and right-back. Murts and Marcus are great servants who are both enjoying great seasons at a time in their careers they might otherwise not have expected. however if we stand on sentiment for too long we'll be in danger of not finding suitable replacements when they're needed.

A big, noisy, domineering centre-half. We now have millions of centre halves but this team will change,a nd will need a new leader to be hung on, plus we need senior competition for our centre halves.

One striker. To keep the others on their toes. Could be a long-term signing, a short-term loanee of exceptional quality like Montella, whatever. Strikers need the pressure.

Football teams like us don't rely on sentiment.

We've never had the opportunity too.

Saying that, perhaps buying Senior back was all about Sentiment...

Anyway, look at the fall of Leeds from 1976, how many ex-players becoming the Manager trying to recapture the 'magic' of Revie.

That's relying on sentiment.

It's strange that people on one hand see the strength of the squad yet also see lots of new blood needed.

If we get a replacement/competition for Marcus, Murty, Shorey, Harper, Sonko, Inga, Sidwell, Harper... what does that say for the 'quality' of our squad?

Also we have 4 strikers, 4!
At this stage, that's plenty...
All at different stages of their career, but all quality.
There aren't many clubs that have 4 strikers that have all scored in the Premiership this year.

To suggest that we need a short-term loanee of exceptional quality like Montella, or a long term signing at this moment would be a waste of money and more seriously would get our strikers becoming unsettled.
Four quality strikers are enough, and 5 into 2 certainly don't go.

If I had a magic wand, I would go for Mensah again in the Summer.
That would be a big + to our squad

Aside from that, if Sidwell goes, we would need a CM.

Not to much aside from that, I am confident in the size and ability of our squad, but not too shortsighted that we also need a couple of new players, but not wholesale.

[Joe]

Competition in Central Midfield. As admirable as they are in back-up, Oster and Gunnarsson don't provide real competiton.

oster and gunnaersson do provide real compitition in midfield, Gunnarson was prefered in CM for some games last season and oster stepped into the role admirably against birmingham away and no doubt has the potential to fill in, halford may well also compete for the coverted central midfield slot.

Competiton/Replacements for goalkeeper and right-back. Murts and Marcus are great servants who are both enjoying great seasons at a time in their careers they might otherwise not have expected. however if we stand on sentiment for too long we'll be in danger of not finding suitable replacements when they're needed.

We do need cover at right back with the ending of DLC and murts careers over the next few years, however to replace hahneman would be ludicras, ok he's dropped the ball once or twice but all goalkeepers do that you just only spot it when it is your own (anyone else remeber how useless robinson's distribution was against us etc) his overall performance is still outstanding, and this is baked up by the figures which rate him the 4th best keeper in the prem, Federici also looks competant and will hopefully grow to fill marcus' gloves

A big, noisy, domineering centre-half. We now have millions of centre halves but this team will change,a nd will need a new leader to be hung on, plus we need senior competition for our centre halves.

I agree we may perhaps need a new leader but why can it not come from the wealth of players whom we already have, sonko and ingirmarson are solid, then bikey, pearce, sodje, halford can all come in and perform to at a high level.

One striker. To keep the others on their toes. Could be a long-term signing, a short-term loanee of exceptional quality like Montella, whatever. Strikers need the pressure.

We have, doyle,lita,kitson and long four class strikers, if we sign someone else one of these players will end up getting frustrated and leaving, we can't afford to buy anyone with as much class and skill as we have already so again it should be left.

So in conclusion, we don't need any new "team" players, what we need to do is build for the future by investing in top quality young players who don't cost the world.(i.e not ashley young)....this Coppell is already doing and can be seen in the signing of the australian winger, and that icelandic u17/8/9 striker both players who have the potential to be world class.

[Shaka's Giant Hands]

Just to confirm (if any of the players are reading!) I dont have any particular grumbles about the time and am as proud as any Reading fan about the season so far.

[Hoop Blah]

Who knows

Everything is risk and a gamble.

It's a balancing act, if DLC is gone in June 2009 Golbourne will then be 21.
Golbourne will certainly expect a few 1st team games for Reading between then and August 2007, if not he'll be unsettled.

At this stage, (barring injuries etc, and assuming Coppell is happy with the progress Golbourne is making) there is no problem at the left back position.

If Coppell feels as though Golbourne is ready he'll play him as and when.

It's down to Golbourne next year to really challenge Shorey for that position.

If he's not going to make it, then we'll sell him and find a suitable player who can.

It's just way too early to tell whether he can at this moment, so I'm prepared to give Golbourne the benefit of doubt.

Surely DLC will be gone at the end of this season or have I missed him signing a new contract? We'll then be left with Murty and Halford as our right backs, with Halls still hanging about it unless we can offload him too. Although he might've had a decent game againt Sheff Utd he's still not the quality we need

Golbourne will still be a little to young and raw from what I've seen of him (and from Coppell's comments I think he has as similar opinion) and so we're left with Shorey at left back with little cover. With that in mind I'd agree with H&P that we need to bring in a left back as cover/competition for Shorey.

[readingbedding]

I said IF DLC is gone in 2009.

Anyway that is the reason why Golbourne is on loan, to get experience, to also grow up.

How do you know that he won't be ready with a good pre-season behind him to act as cover for the irreplacable Shorey next season?

[Huntley & Palmer]

I said IF DLC is gone in 2009.

Anyway that is the reason why Golbourne is on loan, to get experience, to also grow up.

How do you know that he won't be ready with a good pre-season behind him to act as cover for the irreplacable Shorey next season?

I think the answer to that merges in with a thread started a while back about players we have sent out on loan. Has there been an occassion when we haven't then released said player at the end of the season?

[KC Royal]

I said IF DLC is gone in 2009.

Anyway that is the reason why Golbourne is on loan, to get experience, to also grow up.

How do you know that he won't be ready with a good pre-season behind him to act as cover for the irreplacable Shorey next season?

I think the answer to that merges in with a thread started a while back about players we have sent out on loan. Has there been an occassion when we haven't then released said player at the end of the season?

I agree with you Huntley, the fact that he played against Burnley but was then sent back on loan for the rest of the season I found odd. I just don't get the impression Coppell rates him highly. If he did he'd still be at the club imo, as since Makin left we've had less cover at left-back than any other position.