RFC - a total shambles

[Dr Hfuhruhurr]

I asked the question how will they react, not for a mini-diatribe about how spoilt they are.

Can you answer the question?

The only outcome that I can foresee is that the club will fall apart the very fabric of its being.

It is sadly the only way to progress, we either choose to do that or we dont. I could be persuaded to join the 'dont' camp, btw, but lets not pretend that we have a fabulous transfer record since we've joined the Premiership. We have a god awful one.

[Gordons Cumming]

I have to agree with Mr Angry again.

He speaks for me, OK, Platypuss?

[Alan Partridge]

Firstly, I'm certainly not saying that people aren't entitled to their opinions, nor that being more worried at this time than someone else means someone is "less" of a fan; I'm just trying to give a bit of balance to the non-stop pessimism that appears to be all pervading on here at the moment.

Positives??

1. We are 13th, 4 points of being 11th.

2. We have players wanted by other teams in our Division.

3. We have an experienced, succesful Manager that has proved his worth to us time and time again.

4. We have money available to spend on the RIGHT players.

5. We have plans to expand the stadium and improve the fabric of the club off the pitch.

6. We have players coming through from the Academy knocking on the door for selection in the first team for League games.

7. We have senior management in place that doesn't panic and make knee jerk decisions based on the rantings of fans on phone ins or on internet forums.

To be brutally honest, I would rather be a Reading supporter RIGHT NOW then the supporter of pretty well any other team in the prem rather than maybe Villa or Everton (who seem to me to be on the verge of breaking the 4 team stranglehold on the top of the Premier League); lets just get some perspective on the current situation.

OR

1. We are 13th, 4 points of being 11th. - We are 2 points off the bottom 3, with two of the top 3 in our next two fixtures.

2. We have players wanted by other teams in our Division. And a good possible chance we could lose some of our better players.

3. We have an experienced, succesful Manager that has proved his worth to us time and time again. YEp, but he's also proved this season to be totally unwilling to change anyone playing poorly, and he hasn't signed anyone good in about a year.

4. We have money available to spend on the RIGHT players. Will we ever spend it? And do you trust them to buy someone who can play NOW and improve the team?

5. We have plans to expand the stadium and improve the fabric of the club off the pitch. The sheer whole point of doing it surely has to be questioned? Especially if we go down.

6. We have players coming through from the Academy knocking on the door for selection in the first team for League games. I'd like to know who! All I've seen is a team missing every possible centre back they could choose, and still avoid playing someone from the youth system.

7. We have senior management in place that doesn't panic and make knee jerk decisions based on the rantings of fans on phone ins or on internet forums. We have senior management that also have to take their responsibility for the lack of new faces, and the fact our team now is weaker than the team that thumpd Derby 2 seasons ago. While they focus on the stadium and it's unneccesary HUGE expansion, the team that plays in it slumps to another hammering on the road.

Just putting the negative side (Devils Advocat) across...I'm somewhere in the middle!

[brendywendy]

I asked the question how will they react, not for a mini-diatribe about how spoilt they are.

Can you answer the question?

The only outcome that I can foresee is that the club will fall apart the very fabric of its being.

It is sadly the only way to progress, we either choose to do that or we dont. I could be persuaded to join the 'dont' camp, btw, but lets not pretend that we have a fabulous transfer record since we've joined the Premiership. We have a god awful one.

the club has broken its transfer record at least 4 times in the last three years

[Dr Hfuhruhurr]

But in the meantime giving the team anything other than 100% support for their honest endeavours seems futile and feeble. The players are only as good as they are, and, in my opinion they are good enough to stay up - just.

Honestly Ill do what I like, rather than what you like and if that means sitting in my seat grumbling when our once good left back has suddenly forgotten how to play, or how our forward now wants to play for someone else. Or when Coppell starts with Gunnarson. Yet. Again. (Especially when we've apparently bought lots of midfielders recently, though I havent seen much evidence of that), then you know what, thats exactly what Ill do, regardless. Much more funny than RL's 'Jolly Well' is any assertion that we have to watch what we say on an Internet Forum in case it upsets a passing player.

What especially rankles me this year is the assertion that finishing above Sunderland, Derby and AN Other somehow constitutes an applaudable season. I honestly dont care if we go down, in fact it seems more fun down there - especially if life in premiership involves setting your standards so low. And is there any standard lower than finishing above the teams that got promoted last year?[/quote]

yes, finishing below any of them

[Schards#2]

"The trademark feeble response to anyone who takes issue with platypuss.

Less effort than discussing the issues I suppose."

It's my standard response to people who have amply proven that they are incapable of discussion, yes.

Is there a problem with that?

No, just overwhelming indifference.

Obviously.

I can honestly say I NEVER saw that coming. No, really, it genuinely wasn't the most predictable post ever made.

[Dr Hfuhruhurr]

I asked the question how will they react, not for a mini-diatribe about how spoilt they are.

Can you answer the question?

The only outcome that I can foresee is that the club will fall apart the very fabric of its being.

It is sadly the only way to progress, we either choose to do that or we dont. I could be persuaded to join the 'dont' camp, btw, but lets not pretend that we have a fabulous transfer record since we've joined the Premiership. We have a god awful one.

the club has broken its transfer record at least 4 times in the last three years

Well that just damns them a bit more doesnt it?

[Platypuss]

"The trademark feeble response to anyone who takes issue with platypuss.

Less effort than discussing the issues I suppose."

It's my standard response to people who have amply proven that they are incapable of discussion, yes.

Is there a problem with that?

No, just overwhelming indifference.

Obviously.

I can honestly say I NEVER saw that coming. No, really, it genuinely wasn't the most predictable post ever made.

It didn't really deserve anything else, though, did it?

Keep up the indifference, it's rather amusing.

[Hoop Blah]

Got a bit ahead of myself on the whole Sunderland thing – just following on really from my points about the smug attitude any Reading fans have towards Sunderland’s transfer policy. Sidwell will be a bonus to their midfield (can’t find the loan on BBC mind you) and I would not assume they will finish the season below us.

Agreed. As I said on another thread last week, the money they spent on Gordon, Richardson, Jones and Chopra was pretty much money well spent. I think it will ultimately keep them up.

They've been very unfortunate to have missed Richardson and Edwards for basically the whole season and I can see their results picking up from here on in.

As for the rest of the debate I'm firmly in the 'we're in trouble, and it's mostly of our own making' camp I'm afraid.

I think it all stems from not pushing for that European spot last season and the just happy to be here and survive mentality that seems to have crept in. We had to strengthen in the summer and we didn't. We're paying the price for that now and we're lucky that somany other teams have been so poor this season.

I still think we're going to pull safe, but anyone that can't see we're in serious trouble is deluding themselves, and for the thought police to castigate fellow fans for daring to have an opinion on how we've got into this situation is just plain daft.

[Platypuss]

I asked the question how will they react, not for a mini-diatribe about how spoilt they are.

Can you answer the question?

The only outcome that I can foresee is that the club will fall apart the very fabric of its being.

It is sadly the only way to progress, we either choose to do that or we dont. I could be persuaded to join the 'dont' camp, btw, but lets not pretend that we have a fabulous transfer record since we've joined the Premiership. We have a god awful one.

the club has broken its transfer record at least 4 times in the last three years

Funnily enough, that actually makes it worse.

[Royal Rother]

But in the meantime giving the team anything other than 100% support for their honest endeavours seems futile and feeble. The players are only as good as they are, and, in my opinion they are good enough to stay up - just.

Much more funny than RL's 'Jolly Well' is any assertion that we have to watch what we say on an Internet Forum in case it upsets a passing player.

Did somebody assert that on this particular Internet Forum?

[Huntley & Palmer]

I asked the question how will they react, not for a mini-diatribe about how spoilt they are.

Can you answer the question?

I'd like to think they would put the extra effort in to prove that they are the better player and would show the manager that they should start in front of them. I can honestly say that I don't think any of our players have had to worry about doing this when they have seen the performance of our siginings this season.

[brendywendy]

Got a bit ahead of myself on the whole Sunderland thing – just following on really from my points about the smug attitude any Reading fans have towards Sunderland’s transfer policy. Sidwell will be a bonus to their midfield (can’t find the loan on BBC mind you) and I would not assume they will finish the season below us.

Agreed. As I said on another thread last week, the money they spent on Gordon, Richardson, Jones and Chopra was pretty much money well spent. I think it will ultimately keep them up.

They've been very unfortunate to have missed Richardson and Edwards for basically the whole season and I can see their results picking up from here on in.

As for the rest of the debate I'm firmly in the 'we're in trouble, and it's mostly of our own making' camp I'm afraid.

I think it all stems from not pushing for that European spot last season and the just happy to be here and survive mentality that seems to have crept in. We had to strengthen in the summer and we didn't. We're paying the price for that now and we're lucky that somany other teams have been so poor this season.

I still think we're going to pull safe, but anyone that can't see we're in serious trouble is deluding themselves, and for the thought police to castigate fellow fans for daring to have an opinion on how we've got into this situation is just plain daft.

agree with the eupropean thing


would have made attracting players that little bit easier wouldnt it

[Schards#2]

"The trademark feeble response to anyone who takes issue with platypuss.

Less effort than discussing the issues I suppose."

It's my standard response to people who have amply proven that they are incapable of discussion, yes.

Is there a problem with that?

No, just overwhelming indifference.

Obviously.

I can honestly say I NEVER saw that coming. No, really, it genuinely wasn't the most predictable post ever made.

It didn't really deserve anything else, though, did it?

Keep up the indifference, it's rather amusing.

The tragedy is that you appear to consider these sort of purile responses clever in some way.

But that your tragedy, not mine, I really don't care beyond making passing comment whilst holding on the phone. It's that or stare into space but if it makes you feel good, you knock yourself out.

[Bacon Double Cheese]

Just putting the negative side (Devils Advocat) across...I'm somewhere in the middle!

Make mine a snowball, I can't drink it neat.

[Royal Rother]

I asked the question how will they react, not for a mini-diatribe about how spoilt they are.

Can you answer the question?

I'd like to think they would put the extra effort in to prove that they are the better player and would show the manager that they should start in front of them. I can honestly say that I don't think any of our players have had to worry about doing this when they have seen the performance of our siginings this season.

I would hope so too, and you do have a point in your 2nd sentence!!

[Alan Partridge]

Just putting the negative side (Devils Advocat) across...I'm somewhere in the middle!

Make mine a snowball, I can't drink it neat.

a month too late BDC!

[Hoop Blah]

I asked the question how will they react, not for a mini-diatribe about how spoilt they are.

Can you answer the question?

I'd hope that they try to prove they're as good if not better than the new arrival.

I'd hope that they prove their worth and importance to the team and then go to the club and ask for parity with those players they feel of equal worth to.

As we spend longer in this division, hopefully that is, we'll have to pay closer to the going rate. With the extra revenue that'd coming in that shouldn't be too hard even if we don't have a sugar daddy willing to match some of the less frugal owners in the league.

[strap]

Hard to disagree with the thread title as we lump to yet another all too predictable away defeat.

Kitson - In trouble and, if I was him and read some of the responses from "supporters" on here, would be gone in a shot.

Doyle - Wants to go to a top 4 side

Hunt - Won't rule out going to Sunderland

Lita - Wants to go anywhere

Coppell - Hinted at leaving at the end of the season

Shorey - Seems seduced by West Ham overtures

Murty, Little, Hanehmann, Ingermarrson, De La Cruz - all approaching sell by date

Signings of proven talent - Not a chance

It'll be too late to save it soon.

I fear we have already reached the event horizon

[Platypuss]

"The trademark feeble response to anyone who takes issue with platypuss.

Less effort than discussing the issues I suppose."

It's my standard response to people who have amply proven that they are incapable of discussion, yes.

Is there a problem with that?

No, just overwhelming indifference.

Obviously.

I can honestly say I NEVER saw that coming. No, really, it genuinely wasn't the most predictable post ever made.

It didn't really deserve anything else, though, did it?

Keep up the indifference, it's rather amusing.

The tragedy is that you appear to consider these sort of purile responses clever in some way.

But that your tragedy, not mine, I really don't care beyond making passing comment whilst holding on the phone. It's that or stare into space but if it makes you feel good, you knock yourself out.

While of course I am hanging on your every word and am not treating this as a petit divertissement at all.