The Pog has been a shrewd acquisition
by Bob Lethaby
Many football supporters could be forgiven for thinking that after their last day demise from the Premiership in 2008, little Reading would be lining up against Basingstoke Town in the Conference South this season, however, prudence, frugality and a structured management set up at the Madjeski Stadium has seen an unprecedented return to the big time that has coincided nicely with new investment from Russian owners who on the face of it, seem sensible as opposed to suffering from crazed megalomania.
The Royals suffered a hangover equivalent to eight pints of keg bitter followed by a bottle of cheap red wine after the loss to Swansea in the 2011 Play-Off final and languished desperately in the lower reaches of the Championship before a remarkable recovery sent them surging towards not only promotion, but the Championship trophy, with much of credit (perhaps a bit too much) going towards the inspired signing of veteran striker Jason Roberts from Blackburn Rovers. But now the tickertape has cleared and the champagne has stopped flowing, how will the bookies red hot favourites for the drop fair in the Premier League?
This, It has to be said, is something of a million dollar question as many of the current squad are either untried at this level, or at the very best, tried and failed at this level. Jobi McAnuff, Mikele Leigertwood and Jason Roberts were all key members of the squad last season, but only their closest family would claim they are proven Premiership players, whilst Ian Harte, a one time European Cup Semi-Finalist, is at an age where he appears to be running in hob nail boots with a piano strapped to his back. Having a sweet delivery with his left foot will not be enough at the highest level; no one will convince me otherwise.
There are new signings of course and good ones too, Pavel Pogbryenak will be a handful for anyone and Danny Guthrie from Newcastle has good pedigree. Also joining the Royals are Gareth McLeary and Chris Gunter from Nottingham Forest along with Adrian Marriappa from Watford, all of them are genuine talents who were all sought by other clubs from the lower end of the Premier League. However, the bulk of the squad that served Brian McDermott so well will deservedly remain in place meaning (as is always the case with promoted teams) there are key borderline areas where the difference between success and failure will lie. It doesn’t take a trained rocket scientist (who is now a hedge fund manager) to calculate that the main area for concern will be in defence.
Nicky Shorey (who has flattered to deceive at several clubs) has returned to his first club to compete with Ian Harte at left back so that area looks particularly exposed and whilst Gorkks and Pearce as a centre back pairing had a fine season last term, their lack of pace is a an obvious concern; Mariappa needs to be as good as many predict he will be. Shaun Cummings and Chris Gunter will vie for the right back birth and whilst both offer promise, neither have genuine top flight experience. It is in these areas where McDermott will be banking on players stepping up to the plate, but if they do not adapt quickly, it could get ugly and Adam Federici (a decent if not brilliant keeper) will be spending his season picking the ball out of the net.
It is hoped that in midfield Guthrie can add guile to the industry of the busy yet raw talent of Karacan and the ball winning and square passing of Leigertwood, whilst Kebe, McAnuff and McLeary will all offer genuine pace. To those who do not know Kebe, he can take on the world one week and be as much use as a one legged man in an arse kicking competition the next. McAnuff and Robson-Kanu can be equally as frustrating, but every club has wingers with that affliction, anyone who watches Ashley Young or Theo Wallcott on a regular basis will confirm that.
Up front Pogbreynak may well be a star turn and Jason Roberts will add vital experience whilst Le Fondre could potentially be the Grant Holt of next season; either that or he will fail miserably and get loaned to Bristol City with a view to a permanent deal. Noel Hunt and Simon Church have been loyal hard working players for the Royals but frankly, they (particularly Church) look ill equipped for the Premier League which is probably the cause for continued speculation about bids for Rhodes (Huddersfield) and Zaha (Palace).
There may still be a few comings and going yet, but I feel with momentum and management changes at WBA, Norwich and Swansea along with the ongoing pilfering of talent at Wigan, Reading may, with a decent start, just keep them selves above the abyss.
My heart says 15th, my head says 16th.
Style of Play: 4-4-2 counter attacking, uglier than Swansea, prettier than Stoke
League Position: 16th
Player to watch: Pavel Pogbreynak/Jimmy Kebe
Concourse alcohol: Courage Best Bitter (£3.80 and awful) Fosters Lager (£3.80 and awful) Red or White Wine (£? and Rancid)
Food: Waitrose Chicken Curry pies (£? Of moderate quality but heated on the surface of the sun)
Most inane chant: 106, 106, we’ve got the record, 106 (reference to 2006 Championship points tally)
Most popular taunt by away fans: Premier League, you’re having a laugh
Most spiteful match: Chelsea (remember Stephen Hunt on Peter Cech?)
Most common McDermott cliché: “Listen…these players are an honest group of lads.”
Most common pundit cliché : “Reading are a breath of fresh air to the premier League.”
Predicted game of the season: Southampton (a lot of history from last year)
hhoinnnngggg! not bad plastic wasp .
How do opinions like this manage to be posted? Clearly knows nothing about Reading/ or football and does the bookie approach and assume. We have the better defence of all three departments and a work horse midfield and clinical strikers.
Nowich players had very little experince at top flight so having experince at top flight is not important or can be an advantage. Look at QPR they had a lot of prem experince but they struggled the most. That is just a few examples if you look over the entire of prem exsistance it is the team with the least known about or the ones “guranteed to go down” do a lot better than expected.
Reading have the ability of when the task looks impossible the better we achieve. We were guranteed to have gone down last time we got promoted and we managed 8th. Reading are stronger as a club now so I can see us sitting comfortably in mid table.
Are you going to do a post at the end of season of how you talked utter jibberish?
Im sure Blackburn, Wolves and Bolton struggled more than QPR.
They struggled the most out of the three promoted teams last season. But I thought having loads of experience helps…. So QPR must have been about 10th?
Nick Shorey’s first club was Leyton Orient.
Spacey, you are quite correct mate, though Reading is where he made a name for himself, with all due respect to Leyton Orient, I had totally forgotten that….oops!
Aaron, I have been a season ticket holder for ten years and a regular home and away supporter since 1979. Personally I am not sure that Hunt, Church or indeed Roberts will be clinical in the PL, though the Pog might well be. Is what you describe as a work horse midfield going to be enough?
Our defence may or may not step up, no one knows as yet but in my opinion there is an issue with pace at centre back (enter Marriappa). Time will tell, I hope I am proved wrong, but there were many desperately narrow escapes in tight games last year that will get punished at a higher level.
Your assessment of a mid table finish is a fair one and I agree with your line “Reading have the ability of when the task looks impossible the better we achieve” but your prediction is, I assume, based on all the new signings performing well and the existing group stepping up a level.
Otherwise, in reality, you are talking jibberish.
You a Reading fan? Well you fooled me… And you are going on assumption. You THINK our defence will struggle. We have a strong back line which was the best in the championship, have a little more faith in our champions winning side. Work horse midfield does work. Do you watch much football?
With Guthrie in the middle now we got a ball player which we have been missing. So creativity and having the knack to push balls through to strikers are no longer a problem.
Pog and Le Fondre will score goals now with Guthrie and McCleary looks absolute great and could set up a great partnership with Gunter on the right side.
Reading have strong squad with having two players in each position which produces competition which is key as all players are fighting for a place.
Mid table finish 9th to 13th. So looking forward to it but I bet you are not.
Aaron “You THINK our defence will struggle
BL:Our defence may or may not step up, no one knows as yet
Aaron: Pog and Le Fondre will score goals
BL:Up front Pogbreynak may well be a star turn and Jason Roberts will add vital experience whilst Le Fondre could potentially be the Grant Holt of next season
Aaron:With Guthrie in the middle now we got a ball player which we have been missing
BL:It is hoped that in midfield Guthrie can add guile to the industry of the busy yet raw talent of Karacan
Aaron: McCleary looks absolute great
BL: Kebe, McAnuff and McLeary will all offer genuine pace
Aaron: So looking forward to it but I bet you are not.
BL:There are new signings of course and good ones too.
Aaron: Do you watch much football?
BL:Only since the late 70’s
Aaron: I want to start an online argument for arguments sake.
BL: I can’t be arsed
Aaron: I didn’t even read the first post that carefully
BL: Thought not
Aaron: However, I know everything about Reading and I am disgusted that anyone else has an opinion.
BL: Thought so
Aaron: I think it’s time for my injection.
I stand corrected Spacey, I totally forgot that Shorey was at Leyton Orient at the start of his career. It has surprised me that he never really went on to be the player we all thought he would after he left.Maybe coming back to his second club will reinvigorate him?
An odd/blinkered view by Aaron. I thought Bob’s preview was pretty decently balanced but obviously Aaron would have preferred it if it had written about how Reading were going to be challenging for the Champions League places!
An odd view? Balanced in what way? Pessimistic way? Not very balanced. He thinks Reading don’t have enough pace so we will struggle or we don’t enough experience which is utter gibberish.
Look at what has happened in past years and it is a fact that you don’t need a fast back line to achieve; our back line is not even slow. (STOKE a huge example of that and MANY more) or have any experience in your team when you get promoted ( Teams who had little or none in there team when been promoted and was very successful in there first season and some carried that on Reading, Swansea, Norwich, Hull, Wigan, Stoke ect.) Just need a belief to go out every game looking to win which Mcdermott is a true believer of that.
I can’t believe a so called Reading fan can have such a pessimistic attitude. We are a stronger club and squad then last time so i see no reason to struggle. To make it balance, the only department we may need strengthen is upfront but if Le Fondre and Pog set up a great partnership which they look already as if they have been playing with each other for years we will only need back ups which we could use youth players coming through.
Champions league places??? Or he could have actually done a balanced view instead of thinking we are all ready in a relegation fight.
Aaron, Harte is slow, Shorey is slower than his first stint, Pearce has come on way above what I expected, but I still think he and Gorkks may have problems getting turned at pace, which is why Mariappa is there I guess.
If you asked McDermott, his first target would be 17th, I am not pessimistic I have gone for 15th and I think we have a great chance of staying up and whilst mid table is certainly possible it is not a foregone conclusion.
I am relieved to see McDermott is a “big believer in belief” I always thought he approached a game thinking we didn’t have a fucking chance and told the players to hope for the best.
106 Point song being our “most insane” chant – listen to this one then: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RCE_J-hLbs (The Bill Oddie Song)