Changes to end poor run !

[readingbedding]

I have no doubts they will but it is better for the mentality of the players to keep pushing on, so to suggest we need to drop Sidwell to try others as our season is over is totally the wrong mindset.

Definitely, Sidwell has a contract with us until June 2007, so to suggest dropping him, (our best ever midfielder) is completely stupid.

Sometimes people forget how professionally run the club is.

[Fred Sharpe's Nose]

Ken Dodd says that changing the team to end a poor run would be nothing but a knee jerk reaction. We've had these so-called 'poor runs' before, SC has maintained the faith and we've pulled out of them. And we will do so again.

On the other hand, failing to find a role for people who have been on top form (like Gunnarsson and Oster) could prove a big, big mistake - as is evident in Oster's recent comments about leaving. I would definitely have accommodated them in the starting lineup (instead of Hunt? Harper? etc.) to see if they could continue their form.

[Arch]

This so-called poor run includes two games against Man U where we did ring the changes and an away trip to Arsenal. Those games aside, a narrow defeat at Boro and a 0-0 against Portsmouth hardly constitute a reason to get away from what's worked for two years, and a big part of what's worked is the Sidwell/Harper tandem in midfield. Anyone who thinks that dicking with that is going to produce long-term benefits better have a damn good argument.

[Super_horns]

Poor run lads?

Wish we had one like you!

[Gordons Cumming]

Poor run lads?

Wish we had one like you!

[Super_horns]

Poor run lads?

Wish we had one like you!

Well seeing as we have only won 3 games all season I would love to be holding the likes of Man U away and only just losing at Arsenal/Boro.

[phil in cornwall]

I have no doubts they will but it is better for the mentality of the players to keep pushing on, so to suggest we need to drop Sidwell to try others as our season is over is totally the wrong mindset.

Definitely, Sidwell has a contract with us until June 2007, so to suggest dropping him, (our best ever midfielder) is completely stupid.

Sometimes people forget how professionally run the club is.

How does every thread revert to Sidwell???

He is only one player in a great team.

[readingbedding]

Sure, you're right.

[Woodcote Royal]

It would also hit morale and team confidence. If we were to bring a player in now for Sidwell, just because he's leaving and it doesn't work out how do you think it will effect not just that player but the mindset of fans going in to next year.

Now that is a tough one

So, if we drop the one player who has refused to sign a new deal all season STILL prefering to play Billy Big Bollox, replacing him with someone who knows he wants to play for this club and has commited himself to it beyond the end of the season this, apparantly, would shatter team moral

I read tonight that John Oster is considering a move at the end of the season due to lack of first team opportinities.

What, roughly, Mrs Sidwell, do you think the effect of playing John Oster (who has played central midfield in the cup and reserves) at Tottenham in place of your dear hubby would have on his moral

We have too many fans like you who seem quite prepared to disregard the loyalty of just about every other member of the squad if it means keeping alive the faintest chance of holding on to Steve Sidwell

And, using team moral as the most pathetic of excuses for pandering to the one player who has yet to show any loyalty whatsoever, just about says it all.

I hope the greedy one finds room for you and reddingbeddingsidders in his suitcase because I doubt either of you could face life without him.

[Stranded]

Lovely piece of editing there.

If you'd bothered to actually take the point in I was making. You said our season was over, the point I was making is that if the club even contemplate that then we will struggle for the rest of the season. A poor run will dent team morale, as extended runs of poor form do. This could easily have an adverse effect on next season as many people in the game say, how you end a season often shapes how you start the next.

I love the way that just because I feel your position is really quite flawed and have given reasons (which you choose to ignore) why I'm a Sidwell lover.

I couldn't give a flying one about the Sidwell situation, he's made his choice to decide his future in June and fair enough, I know you don't like it but well that's tough. Until that point he is a Reading player and part of a successful midfield, dropping him persee may not effect team morale but doing so because "our season is over" could very well.

Re: Oster, would I like him to play yes but would I like to play him just so he stays no - I want him to play on merit as I'm sure he would. Playing him for any other reason is almost as stupid as dropping Sidwell for reasons beyond performances.

[Woodcote Royal]

I understand your point but see it as flawed from start to finish.

We mustn't drop Sidwell because team moral would suffer if we started to lose matches without him even though we've played how games with him since we last won

Only someone who shines a torch for Sidwell would show such disregard for other more committed players to indulge someone who has shown all season, if not longer, that his loyalties lie much closer to home, wherever that might be next season.

[Stranded]

As is yours.

You can drop anybody's name in to the mix really - should we for example play Halford over Murty now. We've paid £2.5m for him and he see's himself as Murty's replacement, why not stick him now as Murty's not getting any younger.

Of course we won't as Murty has done nothing to be dropped. You pick your best team for footballing reasons alone - anything beyond that and you are in danger of unbalancing a squad.

[Stranded]

Also with regard to this paragraph,

Only someone who shines a torch for Sidwell would show such disregard for other more committed players to indulge someone who has shown all season, if not longer, that his loyalties lie much closer to home, wherever that might be next season.

Any discussion regarding this becomes moot with you as you see anybody who disagrees with Sidwell being dropped as shining a torch for him. I will state again, I want us to pick the best team for each game picked - if Sidwell is in that team sobeit, if he's not fine. As I've said before you pick from the available squad and he is in that.

If you think any player at our football club is not just after the best deal for themselves then you need a bit of a reality check. The players that have signed have not done so out of greater loyalty to the club they've done so because the deal offered was right for them (and may well have been the only available).

You also suggest playing Oster instead of Sidwell - Oster has signed for another year but with a clause that he can walk away in the summer if a better offer arises for him, pretty much a similar situation but Oster has taken the option of having an extra years security.

[WTRoyal]

we have had a blip in our results od late admittly against good oppostion but feel it is about time we start to use our large squad. Hunt works but i feel Oster would be a better replacement, Harper is hopeless bring on Bryan! Also i wouldn't mind seeing Halford in there somewhere even if on the bench but give the lad more than a min on the pitch! Hopefully this will be resolved at spurs if not i fear this could be the end of our season !
Do u argee ?

Who's Bryan?

I'm Bryan, and so is my wife.

No I am Bryan. (as is my wife).

Glad to see people looking on the bright side of life for a change... come on, big nose, let's haggle...

[Woodcote Royal]

As is yours.

You can drop anybody's name in to the mix really - should we for example play Halford over Murty now. We've paid £2.5m for him and he see's himself as Murty's replacement, why not stick him now as Murty's not getting any younger.

Of course we won't as Murty has done nothing to be dropped. You pick your best team for footballing reasons alone - anything beyond that and you are in danger of unbalancing a squad.

Why the fcuk would we drop Murty (you must be getting desperate)

The only player "in the mix" is the one who hasn't signed up to be here next season.

I note with interest that your response to Coppell's assertion that we're not ready for European football is to dismiss it as a means of lowering expectations..........................well, lets face it, if he means it this wouldn't leave much to play for, would it

We don't have to lower our standards just because Sidwell isn't in the side and we could raise them for next season by opening up his place for someone to establish himself before we play some fixtures that have something riding on them (for us)

Did we play our strongest team in the cup games?

What did they do for moral?

Not only did they produce some of the highlights of the season, they made players like Oster and Gunnarsson serious contenders for a place in the first team.

This is what should be built on now rather than your ridiculuus insistance that Sidwell has to play if he's part of our strongest side.

Next season's strongest team is what matters now and those who won't be here should be playing 2nd fiddle to those who will, which would provide the same boost to moral (for those who want to play for us) as those cup games.

[Woodcote Royal]

If you think any player at our football club is not just after the best deal for themselves then you need a bit of a reality check. The players that have signed have not done so out of greater loyalty to the club they've done so because the deal offered was right for them (and may well have been the only available).

You also suggest playing Oster instead of Sidwell - Oster has signed for another year but with a clause that he can walk away in the summer if a better offer arises for him, pretty much a similar situation but Oster has taken the option of having an extra years security.

If you see Oster's position as in anyway similiar to Sidwell's, I'm not the one in need of a reality check.

Firstly, all Oster wants is first team football and, despite getting precious little since the day he arrived, he's still signed up for another season....................play him and he'll stay..................does this apply to Sidwell........not on planet Earth but wherever you are, who knows

Of course most players want the best deal they can get but only Sidwell has turned down all the countless offers he's been made. He should now be treated accordingly given that our season is almost over and we have already achieved everything that we could have hoped for in our wildest dreams.

[Stranded]

We're going round in circles here and it's getting pointless.

The simple fact is my stance, and it would appear the stance of the management team, is that they pick the team to win a particular game from those available and planning for next season at this time is pointless.

For a start, we don't know who will be here. Sidwell? Probably leaving agreed as his contract is ending.

We have no idea who will be here from the rest of the squad though - if a decent bid were to come in for say Shorey, Lita, Sonko - well any player we may well take it - the management team may also have targets in mind, players who will come in to the team next year and make some squad players surplus to requirements - that's why IMO you plan for next season in preseason when you have a clearer idea of who the personnel you actually have are.

By your assertation that Sidwell should be removed from the 1st team as his contract is up - then the same assertation could be levied at Steve Coppell who to date hasn't agreed a new contract despite the club's wish for him to do so. We all expect him to sign but in all reality we have as much idea of his intentions come June as we do of Sidwells.

[Woodcote Royal]

Not that old chestnut for the umpteenth time

When did Coppell ever say "I'm not signing until the end of the season and I'm going to see whats on offer before making a decision"

There has never been any doubt that Coppell would re-sign, it's always happened before the season's end and there's never been the slightest suggetion from him that we would be tempted to go elsewhere if a better offer was forthcoming.......................and now, there's even talk of him signing for 2 years!!!

Again, none of this compares remotley with the Sidwell situation and I really can't believe an impartial observer would make such a suggestion.

Yes, Coppell picks the team and I'll be watching his selections over the next 8 games with much interest.

[Stranded]

Hence why I said could. Did you actually read what I said or what you think I said.

I even said I expect him to sign but none of us know his intentions at this time and none of us really know Sidwell's intentions that is the similarity between them.

We all know what we expect to happen but none of us know what will. Coppell could turn around tomorrow and annouce his retirement, an offer could come in they he feels he can't turn down or we could get the expected announcement he's signed for 1 or 2 years.

Similarly, Sidwell could turn round tomorrow and say I've decided to sign a new two year deal or we could get the expected announcement that he's off to Villa or Everton.

We may even get an announcement that JM is selling to a new owner which changes all situations.

None of us know the intentions of either person and I'm sure we have contingency in order but I stand by the point that you do the majority of your planning for a season in preseason when you know what you have to work with not what you might have to work with.

[Woodcote Royal]

By your assertation that Sidwell should be removed from the 1st team as his contract is up - then the same assertation could be levied at Steve Coppell who to date hasn't agreed a new contract despite the club's wish for him to do so. We all expect him to sign but in all reality we have as much idea of his intentions come June as we do of Sidwells.

This is what you wrote about Coppell's contact and it's utter nonsense to suggest that it compares with the Sidwell situation.