Have Reading done enough this transfer window?

[Hoop Blah]

Why the bickering about cox again? surely it's been done to death by now?

As far as I'm aware Cox isn't on the transfer list, we didn't make a bid, the tranfer window is now closed so we couldn't put a bid in even if we wanted to and he's not coming back.

Some people still don't get it RwC!!!

[Still Hate Futcher!]

[quote="Hoop Blah
Cox's half against Spurs in the cup was the perfect launch pad for him to be given a short run in the side and he could've been the catalyst (in terms of pure energy and workrate as well as technical strengths and weaknesses) to kick start our form.[/quote]

Disagree. He had a very lively 45 minutes but his final ball let him down every time. I've not seen much of him since then but I don't think there was much of a case to bring him in at that time.

[Hoop Blah]

He wasn't perfect no, but he showed enough promise to suggest he could've been a better option (even in the short term) than the others who were consistently letting us down on the right and upfront.

It was not giving him the chance to prove it either way that was the error.

[Royal_Delight]

People may disagree with me but I say no, the club has not done enough this transfer window. The fact that we still have not found an capable left winger and a striker capable of scoring goals at this level proves that we are going nowhere. Look at Ipswich, they are 3 points ahead of us but they have strengthened their side considerably. IMO, by bringing Healy in, they have showed that they want to stay in this division while we only have Thorvaldsson who has not enough experience playing in a competitive league such as ours.

Sigurdsson is not a left winger and Kebe is up to expectations. Missed a lot of great signings( esp. McSheffrey ) and I hope that BM can step up and bring in some quality players during the loan window.

[Wycombe Royal]

IMO, by bringing Healy in, they have showed that they want to stay in this division while we only have Thorvaldsson who has not enough experience playing in a competitive league such as ours. .

Healy has started 15 league matches in the last 2 and a half years. Hardly a ringing endorsement of his abilities. He only seems to be able to play well for NI.

We signed a much needed right back, a much needed versatile defensive player (both very experienced) and a striker, who like Healy, has lost his way a bit in recent years.

We also didn't let anyone go, Ipswich loaned out Tamas Priskin.

[Hampshire Royal]

Exactly - Ipswich have 'strengthened their side considerably' and are still only three points ahead of us!!

[Hoop Blah]

IMO, by bringing Healy in, they have showed that they want to stay in this division while we only have Thorvaldsson who has not enough experience playing in a competitive league such as ours. .

Healy has started 15 league matches in the last 2 and a half years. Hardly a ringing endorsement of his abilities. He only seems to be able to play well for NI.

We signed a much needed right back, a much needed versatile defensive player (both very experienced) and a striker, who like Healy, has lost his way a bit in recent years.

We also didn't let anyone go, Ipswich loaned out Tamas Priskin.

To be fair though that's a league above ours and for a team that has changed manager and spent a hell of a lot of money on forwards during his time there.

Of course he doesn't guarantee goals, but at this level I think he'd pretty a pretty good bet to score on a consitent basis given the kind of service the likes of Rasiak, Church and Long have had this season.

The defensive strengthening is much welcomed and certainly needed, but I do worry that the lack of another useful winger and that centre forward we so desperately and obviously need might just come back to haunt us in May.

[andrew1957]

People may disagree with me but I say no, the club has not done enough this transfer window. The fact that we still have not found an capable left winger and a striker capable of scoring goals at this level proves that we are going nowhere. Look at Ipswich, they are 3 points ahead of us but they have strengthened their side considerably. IMO, by bringing Healy in, they have showed that they want to stay in this division while we only have Thorvaldsson who has not enough experience playing in a competitive league such as ours.

Sigurdsson is not a left winger and Kebe is up to expectations. Missed a lot of great signings( esp. McSheffrey ) and I hope that BM can step up and bring in some quality players during the loan window.

You are right Sig is not a left winger but we have decided to play with less width - so we are playing just a right winger. This makes us stronger in the centre and Sig has been quite effective coming into the centre from the left. Kebe has played well as sub when we have moved Sig inside. The reason is that we have not been strong enough in the centre and Sig may not be fast enough to cover the ground in CM. But he is a regular scorer and creator of goals so we cannot afford to drop him.

We don't need a new LW if we play this way.

[Hoop Blah]

We could do with some cover/competition though.

If either of Sigurdsson or McAnuff pick up an injury or drastically lose form what are we left with?

[andrew1957]

We could do with some cover/competition though.

If either of Sigurdsson or McAnuff pick up an injury or drastically lose form what are we left with?

Tabb, Henry, Robson-Kanu and Kebe at the moment and Bignall has also played on the left.

[Hoop Blah]

Any of them up to the task though?

Personally I say no they're not. What do you think?

[Wycombe Royal]

IMO, by bringing Healy in, they have showed that they want to stay in this division while we only have Thorvaldsson who has not enough experience playing in a competitive league such as ours. .

Healy has started 15 league matches in the last 2 and a half years. Hardly a ringing endorsement of his abilities. He only seems to be able to play well for NI.

We signed a much needed right back, a much needed versatile defensive player (both very experienced) and a striker, who like Healy, has lost his way a bit in recent years.

We also didn't let anyone go, Ipswich loaned out Tamas Priskin.

To be fair though that's a league above ours and for a team that has changed manager and spent a hell of a lot of money on forwards during his time there.

Of course he doesn't guarantee goals, but at this level I think he'd pretty a pretty good bet to score on a consitent basis given the kind of service the likes of Rasiak, Church and Long have had this season.

The defensive strengthening is much welcomed and certainly needed, but I do worry that the lack of another useful winger and that centre forward we so desperately and obviously need might just come back to haunt us in May.

Assuming we are still talking about Healy the fact remains that he hasn't ever really been prolific except for NI. He has only socred something like 85 league goals in his career and he is in his 30's now. That is a far poorer scoring rate than Rasiak.

People's views on Healy are clouded by his great record for NI, when for his clubs he has never reched the same levels of performance.

[andrew1957]

Any of them up to the task though?

Personally I say no they're not. What do you think?

None are outstanding but all can do a job. Our problem is we have lots of good players but not many stand out ones, but from what I have seen that applies to most sides in the Championship. The standard this year has generally been low - which is why it is even more disappointing that we are where we are. I just don't think there are better players around that are affordable and available.

[Hoop Blah]

Fair enough Andrew, personally I think those players you list are miles away from being adequate back up for McAnuff and Sigurdsson (who as you pointed out isn't a traditional winger himself anyway) and I think it's just a risk at a time when we can't afford to be significantly weakened for any games as the points available for us to win gets smaller and smaller.

Can we afford better? Who really knows, the noises from the club are that we still have the ability to get at least one additional loanee in.

[Hoop Blah]

Assuming we are still talking about Healy the fact remains that he hasn't ever really been prolific except for NI. He has only socred something like 85 league goals in his career and he is in his 30's now. That is a far poorer scoring rate than Rasiak.

People's views on Healy are clouded by his great record for NI, when for his clubs he has never reched the same levels of performance.

I know what you mean WR, but I think that's being a bit harsh.

At the times when he's played a decent number of games for a club he's scored well, admittedly that's only really been at Leeds and Preston where he managed 70 goals in 185 starts (plus about 50 sub appearances).

I think he's been one of those players that has suffered from not settling at a club and staying there and also through the modern trend for asking more of forwards than just scoring goals.

He's a good goalscorer, no doubt about that in my mind, but like some in the mold of a Cureton, he doesn't quite do enough to justify his place in a team with better more rounded forwards. In comparison to Rasiak he's the more rounded and mobile, hardworking forward though!

With NI he was the main man and they didn't have the option to play anyone else, and he didn't have the option to move somewhere else at the next level up and so played in a consistent side.

[Vision]

Assuming we are still talking about Healy the fact remains that he hasn't ever really been prolific except for NI. He has only socred something like 85 league goals in his career and he is in his 30's now. That is a far poorer scoring rate than Rasiak.

People's views on Healy are clouded by his great record for NI, when for his clubs he has never reched the same levels of performance.

I know what you mean WR, but I think that's being a bit harsh.

At the times when he's played a decent number of games for a club he's scored well, admittedly that's only really been at Leeds and Preston where he managed 70 goals in 185 starts (plus about 50 sub appearances).

I think he's been one of those players that has suffered from not settling at a club and staying there and also through the modern trend for asking more of forwards than just scoring goals.

He's a good goalscorer, no doubt about that in my mind, but like some in the mold of a Cureton, he doesn't quite do enough to justify his place in a team with better more rounded forwards. In comparison to Rasiak he's the more rounded and mobile, hardworking forward though!

With NI he was the main man and they didn't have the option to play anyone else, and he didn't have the option to move somewhere else at the next level up and so played in a consistent side.

To be fair in defending his record you've made a very good case as to why he probably wouldn't make a very good loan signing for us at this time.

[Hoop Blah]

I thought someone might say that, but I don't think he needs to be settled in before he does the goods, I think he just needs to be playing and not in and out of the side.

If he were to come here (which he obviously isn't and so it's another pointless discussion) he would only be worth bringing in if he was going to be starting every week and given a consistent run.

I didn't mean he had to have his feet right under the table and feel all warm, cosy and well loved before the goals flowed.

EDIT: He scored 5 goals in his first 8 games when he first went to Preston....told you he could do it!!!

[Royal With Cheese]

Why the bickering about cox again? surely it's been done to death by now?

As far as I'm aware Cox isn't on the transfer list, we didn't make a bid, the tranfer window is now closed so we couldn't put a bid in even if we wanted to and he's not coming back.

We could quite easily sign him on loan.

Is he available for loan - or should I answer that myself?

[Wycombe Royal]

EDIT: He scored 5 goals in his first 8 games when he first went to Preston....told you he could do it!!!

You don't mention when that was though. I believe it was at the start of 2001 - 9 years ago.

[brendywendy]

pretty happy with the signings

adressed the most important gaps in our squads, and brought in much needed experience to bolster the kids
in the current financial circumstances i think BM has done pretty well with his aquisitions