Shane long

[playoffs or layoffs]

If he comes on and plays like he did both times against Derby last season, then he'll do well.

To me, Coppell's reaction to his header against Derby at home said it all.

[Y21_Royal]

I can see him having a similar season to last year. Starting the season very much as the reserve player, maybe with the odd sub apperance here and there and then getting an opportunity toward the end of the season through injury or suspension and making himself undroppable.
I have very high hopes for him, I haven't been as impressed by a young player at Reading in all the years I've been watching

[southbank1871]

If he comes on and plays like he did both times against Derby last season, then he'll do well.

To me, Coppell's reaction to his header against Derby at home said it all.

The main flaw in your point is that Derby are an average Championship side at best. Also not sure how Coppell's reaction proves that he can cut it in the Premiership

[strap]

If he comes on and plays like he did both times against Derby last season, then he'll do well.

To me, Coppell's reaction to his header against Derby at home said it all.

To quote Theo Foley* : "I could watch that all day long!"

*(Simon Osbourn's header from Scott Taylor's cross v Wolves the match after FSB left)

[SpaceCruiser]

Simon Osborn.

[playoffs or layoffs]

If he comes on and plays like he did both times against Derby last season, then he'll do well.

To me, Coppell's reaction to his header against Derby at home said it all.

The main flaw in your point is that Derby are an average Championship side at best. Also not sure how Coppell's reaction proves that he can cut it in the Premiership

Just my opinion. I'd love to see Shane Long do well this season, and he's not alone in having to prove himself at this level.

Having said that, I've not seen Coppell react to a goal in that way all season

[fallen angel]

Now a year and a few months on we should be confident in the young lad to start any game.Hes filled out a bit more ang a little taller even though he still looks like a choirboy

[Hoop Blah]

Now a year and a few months on we should be confident in the young lad to start any game.Hes filled out a bit more ang a little taller even though he still looks like a choirboy

But still looks like a fish out of water when he plays against half decent sides.

He can certainly take his chances well, but his ability to win and keep possession isn't good enough yet.

[Alan Partridge]

Now a year and a few months on we should be confident in the young lad to start any game.Hes filled out a bit more ang a little taller even though he still looks like a choirboy

But still looks like a fish out of water when he plays against half decent sides.

He can certainly take his chances well, but his ability to win and keep possession isn't good enough yet.

Long is a very handy sub. He comes on and is fresh and lively. He's full of pace and energy (sometimes misguided energy) and when he is in the box i back him t hit the target.

He has yet to have the saem influence when he starts games and like Lita at this stage last season his first touch desperately needs work!

He had a run of games at the start of the seaosn and had hardly 1 chance at all in all of those games. I'd say he's still behind the other 3 at the minute.

[Woodcote Royal]

Now a year and a few months on we should be confident in the young lad to start any game.Hes filled out a bit more ang a little taller even though he still looks like a choirboy

But still looks like a fish out of water when he plays against half decent sides.

A bit like Leroy on Satuday, then.

[bobby m's syrup]

But he may just have scored the most important Reading goal so far this season.

[rg6royal]

But he may just have scored the most important Reading goal so far this season.

yeah

good player with talent but still learning. we need to keep on to him in my opinion. he's a player who will come on for 10/15 mins and just keep running and maybe add a goal like he did against Newcastle

[Alan Partridge]

Now a year and a few months on we should be confident in the young lad to start any game.Hes filled out a bit more ang a little taller even though he still looks like a choirboy

But still looks like a fish out of water when he plays against half decent sides.

A bit like Leroy on Satuday, then.

BEcause he missed two chances?

I've seen Leroy net against Liverpool, Man Utd, Chelsea along with many International u21 sides.

I think i'll forgive him 2 misses.

[Huntley & Palmer]

Now a year and a few months on we should be confident in the young lad to start any game.Hes filled out a bit more ang a little taller even though he still looks like a choirboy

But still looks like a fish out of water when he plays against half decent sides.

A bit like Leroy on Satuday, then.

BEcause he missed two chances?

I've seen Leroy net against Liverpool, Man Utd, Chelsea along with many International u21 sides.

I think i'll forgive him 2 misses.

Agreed AP, this is the man that stepped up to the plate when we needed him most last season and scored some excellent goals to achieve some excellent results. But it's alright, people prefer strikers that run around rather than those that have a natural ability to finish in front of goal.

[Woodcote Royal]

Now a year and a few months on we should be confident in the young lad to start any game.Hes filled out a bit more ang a little taller even though he still looks like a choirboy

But still looks like a fish out of water when he plays against half decent sides.

A bit like Leroy on Satuday, then.

BEcause he missed two chances?

I've seen Leroy net against Liverpool, Man Utd, Chelsea along with many International u21 sides.

I think i'll forgive him 2 misses.

I saw Shane Long net within 10 seconds of coming on against Newcastle, after Lita had huffed and puffed all afternoon whilst missing the kind of chances that strikers 2 divisions below would have buried with ease.

If Leroy would kindly refrain from publishing videos of his sex life, I'm sure "forgiving" him will not prove too difficult.

However, it's high time his fan club took a reality check.

On current form, Lita should be our fourth striker behind Long.............who just happens to be a full international.

[rotherwick_royal]

Coppell said he's not worried about strikers missing chances but more concerned if they don't create chances in the first place. For this reason Lita is currently ahead of Long. He always creates chances and when he hits form he'll be burying them. Then everyone on HNA will be saying what a great player he is

Like a number of people have said Shane is an impact player at the moment. Hopefully there'll come a time when he can have an impact over a full 90 minutes, but not yet.

[Woodcote Royal]

Agreed AP, this is the man that stepped up to the plate when we needed him most last season and scored some excellent goals to achieve some excellent results. But it's alright, people prefer strikers that run around rather than those that have a natural ability to finish in front of goal.

Some of us prefer strikers who have scored in the league this season as opposed to those have not and, more worringly, those who, as recently as last Saturday, are still showing no signs of breaking their duck in the current campaign.

PS. Right now, and based on what I saw last Saturday, I'd take Keith Scott's "natural ability to finish in front of goal" rather than Leroy's.

[Archie's penalty]

Seems like the whole board is talking about Lita's form but under different headings;)

[Woodcote Royal]

Coppell said he's not worried about strikers missing chances but more concerned if they don't create chances in the first place. For this reason Lita is currently ahead of Long. He always creates chances and when he hits form he'll be burying them. Then everyone on HNA will be saying what a great player he is

Like a number of people have said Shane is an impact player at the moment. Hopefully there'll come a time when he can have an impact over a full 90 minutes, but not yet.

Sorry but that is just "I love Leroy" nonsense.

It was a only a few weeks ago that Lita didn't make the bench but Long did and, whilst Coppell undersandably wanted to suppoort Lita after a poor afternoon, this certainly doesn't mean that those glaring misses will fail to knock him down the pecking order.

Long might be doing well as an "impact" player but Lita in his current form is having little impact in front of goal full stop

Long is in far better form than Lita and, whatever Coppell may say, that will not be ignored.

[Huntley & Palmer]

Agreed AP, this is the man that stepped up to the plate when we needed him most last season and scored some excellent goals to achieve some excellent results. But it's alright, people prefer strikers that run around rather than those that have a natural ability to finish in front of goal.

Some of us prefer strikers who have scored in the league this season as opposed to those have not and, more worringly, those who, as recently as last Saturday, are still showing no signs of breaking their duck in the current campaign.

PS. Right now, and based on what I saw last Saturday, I'd take Keith Scott's "natural ability to finish in front of goal" rather than Leroy's.

Some of us prefer a striker that can do it over 90 minutes, rather than just as a sub. Seriously, how many games can you pick out where Shane played 90 minutes and scored? He's a good prospect but by no means anywhere near the ability of our other three strikers yet. His best use is as a sub to inject some fresh legs and pace in the last 20 minutes. I'd pick Leroy over and above Shane every time to start a match as he creates more chances for himself and usually despatches them.

For a man that harks on about giving people a chance based on their historic performances on the pitch, I'm surprised you discount how key Lita's form was for us from December to February last season.