Summer Rebuild

[Ian Royal]

The board quite obviously! Or perhaps also Adkins for selling Alfie & bringing in Cox? Who in Jan is going to let a decent striker go for peanuts? It's all very well moaning about not having one but none of us know what real options we had.

The club knew all along Murray was going back in Jan. So why weren't moves being made to replace him? Clarke wouldn't have even been in the job at that point.

I really hope we have some decent scouts in place this summer!

Cox scored 8 goals under Adkins, hard to criticise him for a signing he was getting the goods from when in charge.

He had a purple patch for the first 2 months and then dried up. If he was doing that well Adkins wouldn't have been booted.

Come on now, don't be blinkered. He got 2 goals in August, 2 goals in September, 1 goal in October, 2 goals in November and a goal in December.

[MmmMonsterMunch]

I'm really trying not to be blinkered....but Cox had his initial welcome home party and his performances dipped after that. I guess you could argue that was the team as a whole though.

[Ian Royal]

I'm really trying not to be blinkered....but Cox had his initial welcome home party and his performances dipped after that. I guess you could argue that was the team as a whole though.

That I can buy. Cox was definitely tailing off a bit even with Adkins here, though no strong reason to think Adkins couldn't have done something about that. He was decent when it came to attacking play, given our limited options.

This may come across as patronising, if so I'm sorry that's not the intent. But I know you were behind Adkins to start with, and I can't help but feel you're suffering a little from a 'hero to villain' betrayal and rebounding to the next saviour.

Mind you, you at least have an excuse if that's the case. I'm just a dick.

[@sonkimarsson]

Looks like Edwards is gone. Not that that means too much but, hey, news is news.

http://www.theroar.com.au/2015/04/28/ed ... ning-move/

[MmmMonsterMunch]

I'm really trying not to be blinkered....but Cox had his initial welcome home party and his performances dipped after that. I guess you could argue that was the team as a whole though.

That I can buy. Cox was definitely tailing off a bit even with Adkins here, though no strong reason to think Adkins couldn't have done something about that. He was decent when it came to attacking play, given our limited options.

This may come across as patronising, if so I'm sorry that's not the intent. But I know you were behind Adkins to start with, and I can't help but feel you're suffering a little from a 'hero to villain' betrayal and rebounding to the next saviour.

Mind you, you at least have an excuse if that's the case. I'm just a dick.

I was massively behind Adkins. Why wouldn't I be with his previous record? Even when we lost out on the final day I had absolute faith he'd turn it around this season. No one expected the team to capitulate like they did - did they?? The performances became more comical by the week & he had to go.

Lets not forget the impact of Murray. We would not have been where we are now if we could have kept him.

[Ian Royal]

I'm really trying not to be blinkered....but Cox had his initial welcome home party and his performances dipped after that. I guess you could argue that was the team as a whole though.

That I can buy. Cox was definitely tailing off a bit even with Adkins here, though no strong reason to think Adkins couldn't have done something about that. He was decent when it came to attacking play, given our limited options.

This may come across as patronising, if so I'm sorry that's not the intent. But I know you were behind Adkins to start with, and I can't help but feel you're suffering a little from a 'hero to villain' betrayal and rebounding to the next saviour.

Mind you, you at least have an excuse if that's the case. I'm just a dick.

I was massively behind Adkins. Why wouldn't I be with his previous record? Even when we lost out on the final day I had absolute faith he'd turn it around this season. No one expected the team to capitulate like they did - did they?? The performances became more comical by the week & he had to go.

Lets not forget the impact of Murray. We would not have been where we are now if we could have kept him.

I didn't expect it to be as bad as it was, but given the finances I fully expected no chance of better than 12th. 14th was my pick and that's roughly where he had us most of his reign this season.

I know you disagree, but I still think he was finally (and slowly) starting to improve things defensively (I see more evidence for it than Rodgers alleged turnaround, but maybe I'm biased). Only to completely fall apart in one game. That might have been a return to norm or a descent to worse, but it might have also been a blip on the road to recovery. We'll never know now.

I don't think you can highlight that without Murray Adkins would be worse and excuse Clarke that with him he'd be better off. The fact is, Adkins signed him and Clarke signed Yakubu. If Adkins had had Chalobah from the start of the season things might have been better. Now Clarke clearly didn't have the same resources and opportunity as Adkins had in the last couple of the weeks of the summer. But I can't help but think Adkins wouldn't have signed Yakubu and would have got in someone he'd actually play. And or given Samuel pitch time.

[MmmMonsterMunch]

We'll agree to disagree on him sorting the defence out!

6-1 @ St Andrews? And that god awful abortion of a game at Brentford. Throwing it away v Wolves, capitulating against Bournemouth just off the top of my head. It was Sunday league stuff.

[genome]

Interesting comments from Jem on Get Reading

[MmmMonsterMunch]

Looks like Edwards is gone. Not that that means too much but, hey, news is news.

http://www.theroar.com.au/2015/04/28/ed ... ning-move/

[MmmMonsterMunch]

Interesting comments from Jem on Get Reading

At least it sounds like he cares. He obviously wants to stay but taking the emotion out of it - can we really afford to offer him more than a year?

If I had to bet, I reckon him Pearce & Feds are all out of the door.

[Lower West]

We'll agree to disagree on him sorting the defence out!

6-1 @ St Andrews? And that god awful abortion of a game at Brentford. Throwing it away v Wolves, capitulating against Bournemouth just off the top of my head. It was Sunday league stuff.

If you saw the 6-0 defeat away at Peterborough in the League Cup. You knew then something was wrong. Something that never was corrected. The squad had a soft underbelly.

[bcubed]

We'll agree to disagree on him sorting the defence out!

6-1 @ St Andrews? And that god awful abortion of a game at Brentford. Throwing it away v Wolves, capitulating against Bournemouth just off the top of my head. It was Sunday league stuff.

This

I also thought Adkins was a good move (until I heard his press conferences!)

But I saw absolutely no sign of defensive improvements
And no one who went to Birmingham could be in any doubt Adkins time was up
7 attacks 6 goals! (I make it up and cba to look it up but every attack from Brum looked likely to succeed)

If Clarke has done nothing else he has tightened up the defence and showed he can get tactics right, at least in cup games

I am happy to give him a transfer window, let him build his own side and then if it is not working out, call for his head with the rest of the mob

[Harpers So Solid Crew]

Defenses under pressure in teams that can't score concede silly goals shocker

Nope one nil to the arsenal didn't score or concede many.

[Harpers So Solid Crew]

Had a Southampton fan telling me we shouldn't have sacked Adkins and that Clarke would fail because he's an assistant manager, not a manager.

He completed ignored me telling him performances under Adkins had been steadily declining, which cumulated in the 6-1 defeat while Adkins has shown promising signs, although it being painfully clear we lack a decent goal-scorer.

I can't help but feel Steve Clarke is the defensive coach Nigel Adkins desperately needed.

Most sensible post ever Ian from you.

[Harpers So Solid Crew]

Looks like Edwards is gone. Not that that means too much but, hey, news is news.

http://www.theroar.com.au/2015/04/28/ed ... ning-move/

Did we really have almost 30k against Wigan

[PieEater]

I really hope Pearce goes, he's a shambles of a footballer and a liability as a defender. Not too bothered about Feds and Jem, they'll be on pretty decent money but I think we can get players as good for less.

For them to scoff a "paultry" offers of upwards of £200k pa just shows what an inflated opinion they have of their abilities, and Feds aside, they've not shown it for a couple of seasons.

[tee peg]

I really hope Pearce goes, he's a shambles of a footballer and a liability as a defender. Not too bothered about Feds and Jem, they'll be on pretty decent money but I think we can get players as good for less.

For them to scoff a "paultry" offers of upwards of £200k pa just shows what an inflated opinion they have of their abilities, and Feds aside, they've not shown it for a couple of seasons.

Feds aside, the likes of Pearce, Jem and HRK have been too comfortable in a familiar environment earning big
bucks. Time to move on for their own good and the good of the club.

[maffff]

I really hope Pearce goes, he's a shambles of a footballer and a liability as a defender. Not too bothered about Feds and Jem, they'll be on pretty decent money but I think we can get players as good for less.

For them to scoff a "paultry" offers of upwards of £200k pa just shows what an inflated opinion they have of their abilities, and Feds aside, they've not shown it for a couple of seasons.

Feds aside, the likes of Pearce, Jem and HRK have been too comfortable in a familiar environment earning big
bucks. Time to move on for their own good and the good of the club.

Can't agree with Jem. He's had so much adversity he always seems to be pushing. Pearce and HRK I agree. Both will do better elsewhere.

[andrew1957]

My take on this summer is that the RFC management team from board downwards have the toughest set of decisions to make that I can ever recall. I think it is fair to say that we have more players in the squad that “should” move on for one reason or another than ever before. Some are not bad payers, but just don’t fit with the club and what we need right now.
BUT the biggest problem is that a lot of the players that I think should move on are under contract until 2016 and it will be hard to get them to leave.

Frankly I think we have to give SC two seasons to sort this mess out. As far as I can see it will not be HIS squad until at least Aug 2016.

For that reason I am somewhat concerned about next season and I doubt we can make the top half unless a lot of money is spent (which is difficult under FFP).

So for that reason I will say in advance that I will not get on the manager’s back next season as I think he needs to be given a couple of years at least and success or failure might well come down to successful inward loan moves next season – and with his contacts it can only be a good thing that we have him as our manager at this difficult period in the club’s history.

[Hoop Blah]

Feds aside, the likes of Pearce, Jem and HRK have been too comfortable in a familiar environment earning big
bucks. Time to move on for their own good and the good of the club.

Can't agree with Jem. He's had so much adversity he always seems to be pushing. Pearce and HRK I agree. Both will do better elsewhere.

I'd disagree on all 3 really.

Pearce has done a steady job which is exactly what you want from a centre half. Sure he's made a few errors along the way and lost his man once or twice, as all centre halfs will do at some point but he's a decent defender at this level and he's undervalued by many Reading fans IMO.

I really hope he and Jem get offered and accept new deals. The team needs a heartbeat and for players who really want to play for the shirt and I think those two obviously do. It'll presumably all come down to how much the club are willing to pay them and how much they're willing to take a drop in wages to stay.

Ideally I'd like to see Clarke add an experienced defender who organises the back four to add some real competition for places with Pearce and Hector effectively battling to play alongside that new player. Cooper would then be a reasonable 4th choice and potentially get a little time out on loan.

Federici is most likely off, unfortunately. I'm not his biggest fan but he's a decent keeper at this level (not as good as many make out and certainly not the best outside the Premier League as we're often told. I'd quite like to see Anderson step up if Clarke thinks he's good enough, he's been patiently waiting for his chance and if he doesn't get it then surely he'll be off this summer too.