Rivals to the "106" team?

[Ian Royal]

Centre Midfield : Legs and Jem have been tremendous, but I can't quite see them matching the partnership of Sids and Harps. 2-0 to 05/06

A Sidwell & Karacan partnership would ave been my preference.

Harper, Leigertwood and Sigurdsson for me.

[Tails]

Feds over Marcus. I always forget how young Feds is - much more comfortable at crosses and equal to Marcus' shot stopping [better distribution too].

Full backs from 2006.

Pearce + Gorkks over Inga + Sonko. The former are much more likely to cause havoc in the opposition's half and maintain control in their own whilst under pressure.

Centre pairing of Legs and Sidwell...but I can't help but think that it was Harper's presence that encouraged us to use the full backs.

Wide men from 2006. [Though I would love to have found a way of having Kebe and Little in the same team].

Roberts and Doyle upfront.


As a unit 2006 just clicked though, it was the balance that pundits like Lawrence never could and never will appreciate....they just can't see past the top 6 in the premiership.....oh and also LOLiverpool....chortle.

[sheshnu]

Interesting one - from the 06 team, who would walk into the team now? Shorey and Kitson almost certainly, but would you take out Kebe for Little? Karacan for Sidwell? Goes without saying they would make the squad better but the team is buzzing right now (cheers Jase!)

I'd have Harper in the squad any day of the week actually, possibly the most underrated player of the last decade (unless any of you didn't rate Goater).

[URZZ]

Hahnemann
Murty (C), Ingimarsson, Pearce, Shorey
Kebe, Karacan, Sidwell, McAnuff
Doyle, Kitson

Subs, Feds, Gorkss, Harper, Little, Roberts

IMHO the defence of 05/06 cannot be replaced... except Sonko. And that is to no offence of his huge contribution to that season but I genuinely feel more comfortable with Pearce; the defence was the easiest selection for me.

I feel bad leaving Convey out completely, feels a bit ironic when he was actually my favourite player of 05/06. Also feels stupid not having one of either Convey or Little in the starting XI, however I had to go with Jobi and Jimmy because I do actually feel they are the greater option! As for centre-mid, that was my biggest problem... Settled with Jem and Sidders. Feel it would be a good balance. Karacan and Harps were a complete parcel together, the tackler and the scorer from the same pos, but Jem edged it for me... Which would allow Sidwell even more freedom to do what he did best imho. Forward line, had to consist of the two who proved themselves for consecutive years, despite Roberts' emphatic entrance to the club, feel as if Kitson deserves it on that basis.

Providing he was still here I would put Shane in, without fail if I'm completely honest. I wouldn't put him in on a 05/06 point of view but certainly if he was a part of today's squad. He would take Doyle's place in my XI... Last season I feel he was what Doyle never could quite be, albeit they are pretty similar football players technically. Though I always found Shane more exciting. Faster than Doyle, and deceptively strong and what I admired most was the way he worked the flanks and was never afraid to go out wide and collect the ball. Always doing work he didn't have to do.

Good thread btw

[sheshnu]

Sonko is probably the most amazing athlete I've seen play for Reading. Explosive, strong and guaranteed to start at a disadvantage. Really, really sad to watch him after his injury.

[pea]

Centre Midfield : Legs and Jem have been tremendous, but I can't quite see them matching the partnership of Sids and Harps. 2-0 to 05/06

A Sidwell & Karacan partnership would ave been my preference.

Harper, Leigertwood and Sigurdsson for me.

Anyone who doesn't put Sidwell in that team shouldn't be allowed to post on this forum

[JC]

Centre Midfield : Legs and Jem have been tremendous, but I can't quite see them matching the partnership of Sids and Harps. 2-0 to 05/06

A Sidwell & Karacan partnership would ave been my preference.

Harper, Leigertwood and Sigurdsson for me.

As far as I remember Sigurdsson was not in the 106 team

[parky]

The thing that impressed me most about the 05/06 team was the atmosphere there was around the club, and the to players that added most to this were Harper and Little, so to leave them out would be crazy in my opinion, therefore my team would look like this.

-----------------------Feds---------------------------
Murts----------Sonko-------Gorkss---------Shorey
Little-----------Harper-----Sidwell---------Convey
-----------------Doyle-------Roberts----------------

Bench: Hahnemann, Long,McAnuff,Karacan, Kebe.

Squad Players:
GK: McCarthy
Def: Cummings,Connolly, Halls, Pearce, Mills, Harte
Mid: Tabb, Gunnarsson, Leigertwood, Kanu,
Att: Le Fondre, Kitson, Lita, Church

Manager: BMcD
Assistant: Nigel Gibbs
First Team Coach: Wally Downes
GK Coach: Sal Bibbo (EDIT: Have learnt on the OS he joined the club full time in 2006, I thought he was GK Coach in 05/06 and thus the only surviving member of backroom staff, am I wrong?)
Kit Man: Ron Grant
Physio: John Fearn

I came so close to putting Cummings in the starting line up and leaving Murty out, but in the end just couldn't change the Wing Backs if I kept the midfield the same. Also, our most common substitions in 05/06 were Long on for a striker, and then the two wingers being replaced by Oster and Hunt respectively, therefore I need to have two wingers on the bench.

[URZZ]

Steve Coppell >>>> McD

Just putting that out there btw. I love McD but I have never loved a manager more than Coppell

[Forbury Lion]

Centre Midfield : Legs and Jem have been tremendous, but I can't quite see them matching the partnership of Sids and Harps. 2-0 to 05/06

A Sidwell & Karacan partnership would ave been my preference.

Harper, Leigertwood and Sigurdsson for me.

Well if we're bringing in players who are neither in this team nor in the 106 team then I'd stick Matthew Upson on the bench as backup.

[Maguire]

Sonko is probably the most amazing athlete I've seen play for Reading. Explosive, strong and guaranteed to start at a disadvantage. Really, really sad to watch him after his injury.

He was never a footballer though, that was his problem.

Had a decent game for Ipswich at the Madejski this season, pretty solid.

[Samrfc01]

Federici

Murty
Gorkks
Ingimarsson
Shorey

Little
Leigertwood
Sidwell
Convey

Doyle
Roberts

That was actually harder than i thought

[Archie's penalty]

Feds
Cummings
Gorkss
Pearce
Shorey
Mcanuff
Kebe
Sidders
Harps
Doyle
Roberts

7-4 to the current crop for me. Remember we're thinking about balance and how the team would play together.

Sidders, Harps, Doyle and Shorey clearly the standout performers of that promotion team. Although Legs almost trumps Harps. I would have put in Little but I think Kebe needs to be in and he couldn't play in the same team as the mighty Glen.

Cummings and Murts is a tough one but I've gone for Cummings due to his athleticism and the possibilities he brings in the future.

[Rawlie19]

Feds

M-U-R-T-Y
Ingi
Pearce
Shorey

Little
Legs
Sid
Kebe

Doyle
Roberts

Bench: Hahnemann, Superman, Harper, Convey, Kitson

[marcusopp]

The current squad is definitely better and more balanced, we were very lucky regarding injuries to key players in 2006.

[SCIAG]

GK Coach: Sal Bibbo (EDIT: Have learnt on the OS he joined the club full time in 2006, I thought he was GK Coach in 05/06 and thus the only surviving member of backroom staff, am I wrong?)
Also, our most common substitions in 05/06 were Long on for a striker, and then the two wingers being replaced by Oster and Hunt respectively, therefore I need to have two wingers on the bench.

You are wrong, Bibbo, Gibbs and McDermott all survive from 05/06. Bibbo was definitely goalkeeping coach then.

Long didn't come on very often that season, he was fourth choice remember. More likely to see Gunnarsson come on, or the third striker (whoever that was at the time).

For me:
Marcus > Feds
Murty > Cummings
Sonko > Pearce
Ingimarsson < Gorkss
Shorey > Harte
Little > Kebe
Sidwell > Karacan
Harper < Legs
Convey > McAnuff
Kitson > Roberts
Doyle > Hunt

Stack < McCarthy
Gunnarsson > Tabb
Oster > Cywka (not that any comparison can be made)
Hunt < HRK
Lita > Le Fondre

Makin < Griffin
Long = Church
Halls < Connolly
Golbourne < Mills

05/06 12 - 7 11/12
Slightly disappointed that the two of the XI from 05/06 I rated lower than their closest current counterparts were the two most reliable performers I've seen for Reading, at their peak both were guaranteed to play well week in, week out.
The first team and bench were stronger in 05/06 but the fringe players are stronger now, not that Scott Golbourne or John Halls had much impact in our promotion chase.

I think people really underestimate how good that side was, particularly Sonko, the wingers and the strikers.

[Caskeys Lovechild]

Rivals? Yes. Better? No. More special? Just maybe.

I've been a Reading supporter for 25 years, and I've had a couple of seasons where I've felt a real bond to the players.

The ill fated play-off season vs. Walsall season was probably my first experience of a team I could really call my own - Butler, Curo, Whitehead, Parky, etc etc - The day we lost at Cardiff really hit me hard (hence full page colour spread in the Reading Chronicle complete with tears..... B******S!)

05/06 - I don't think any Reading supporter could deny that this was the best squad unit we've ever had, or are likely to have.

This season though - from a starting point which was almost like starting with a negative point tally, this squad (limited as it is) has been absolutely magnificent. Indeed, If we can get over the finish line in 2nd, or even as champions, I think this will potentially eclipse the achievement of 05/06 - which we all knew was coming (although it didn't stop me drinking like we'd won the league for the last 6 games).

More importantly, this season, they've pre-dominately done it without me bellowing from the East Stand. As my life changes (for the better in some respects) I've found myself less able to commit to football every single week - so my measly record of 6 home games, and 2 away days will not be being repeated next season, whichever league we're in.

And the final point. The party. If we do this, all of the emotion of 6 weeks of build up from last time round, is going to be compacted into one big party. I forsee an absolutely EPIC party night in Reading on the day it's secured.....and I wouldn't miss that one, for a marriage (which is what it'll potentially cost me!)

[Forbury Lion]

Cummings and Murts is a tough one but I've gone for Cummings due to his athleticism and the possibilities he brings in the future.

If your looking at the future then the 106 Murts future is already determined - He had a storming season in the Premier League & had Christian Ronaldo in his pocket.

[parky]

GK Coach: Sal Bibbo (EDIT: Have learnt on the OS he joined the club full time in 2006, I thought he was GK Coach in 05/06 and thus the only surviving member of backroom staff, am I wrong?)
Also, our most common substitions in 05/06 were Long on for a striker, and then the two wingers being replaced by Oster and Hunt respectively, therefore I need to have two wingers on the bench.

You are wrong, Bibbo, Gibbs and McDermott all survive from 05/06. Bibbo was definitely goalkeeping coach then.

I said Bibbo is the only survivng backroom staff, meaning in the same job, obviously I know McD and Gobbs were here then. Secondly it is from the OS that I read that Bibbo joined in 2006 as my post says and that I thought he was. Don't just categorically tell me I'm wrong, without reading.

[SCIAG]

GK Coach: Sal Bibbo (EDIT: Have learnt on the OS he joined the club full time in 2006, I thought he was GK Coach in 05/06 and thus the only surviving member of backroom staff, am I wrong?)
Also, our most common substitions in 05/06 were Long on for a striker, and then the two wingers being replaced by Oster and Hunt respectively, therefore I need to have two wingers on the bench.

You are wrong, Bibbo, Gibbs and McDermott all survive from 05/06. Bibbo was definitely goalkeeping coach then.

I said Bibbo is the only survivng backroom staff, meaning in the same job, obviously I know McD and Gobbs were here then. Secondly it is from the OS that I read that Bibbo joined in 2006 as my post says and that I thought he was. Don't just categorically tell me I'm wrong, without reading.

I was backing you up on Bibbo actually (as you can see I didn't delete that part of your post), it is McD and Gibbs that I was saying you were wrong about. I don't think you can question my reading comprehension as you didn't say "in the same role", but I apologise if I offended you if that is what you meant.