Watching Reading crumble this afternoon against Newcastle reminded me of how silly Steve Coppell must feel at times. By not strengthening his side last summer with the class of players that were needed to keep the Berkshire club as a competitive side, the Reading side has failed to impress this season and are even tinkering with relegation. Luckily for Coppell and the Royals, the teams beneath Reading are just as bad if not worse.
How a Reading side could succumb to Newcastle and fail to mount few serious challenges against the Tyneside club is beyond me. The Reading side of last season was pure class. This year, the team’s defense have been equivalent to a schoolboy side at times while the attackers offer few options. Of course it didn’t help that Reading let go of attacking midfielder Steve Sidwell last year to Chelsea.
Reading’s Steve Coppell has a lot of work to do this summer to bring in better quality defenders and a new striking partner for Kevin Doyle and/or Dave Kitson. While the Berkshire club can’t compete with the top clubs in the transfer window, they should be able to find talented players. Hopefully Coppell already has his scouts hard at work.
8 responses so far ↓
1 TheScout // Apr 5, 2008 at 8:16 pm
It seems to me that their two big problem areas are in central defense and midfield. Otherwise the team isn’t that bad. Doyle and Kitson are decent poachers when they get proper service.
2 BORIS THE BLADE // Apr 6, 2008 at 4:04 am
“How a Reading side could succumb to Newcastle and fail to mount few serious challenges against the Tyneside club is beyond me”
Just to reming you Reading have NEVER won at St James Park so the rsult (if not the lacklustre performance) was to be expected.
3 Ivan // Apr 6, 2008 at 6:19 am
The Scout i agree Central Defence they have a problem. They have decent team. Shorey is a very good player, Roseinor is serviceable. In midfield i slightly disagree in that i think they are capable. Czech bloke Matejovski is a good player, Hunt has slowed down but was probably early on their best footballer and ive been impressed by some of Harper’s contribution. I know Doyle had a good season last year but i still think they need some quality forwards.
4 Dave's Football Blog // Apr 6, 2008 at 11:26 am
Maybe they can pull Jimmy Bullard out of Fulham this summer? He’s not quite Sidwell, but he would give them the attacking midfielder they need.
5 The Gaffer // Apr 6, 2008 at 8:48 pm
Dave,
Jimmy Bullard would be a fantastic purchase for Reading. I’ve read that Jimmy has told Fulham fans that he plans on staying with the club even if/when they get relegated to the Championship.
But why stop at Reading? I could see Bullard shining at Liverpool, Blackburn and many other Prem sides.
Cheers,
The Gaffer
6 BillE Shears // Apr 6, 2008 at 9:56 pm
I think there are worse sides in the Prem. They will have the odd ugly defeat but they also win their fair share too. Which, as it will be the case again this season, should keep them up.
I agree about Bullard as well. I think he could play for probably any side not the Big Four or Tottenham.
7 Which Premier League Clubs Will Get Relegated? | EPL Talk // Apr 13, 2008 at 6:30 am
[…] Yesterday, the Cottagers performed so well at the Madejski Stadium that the final result could have easily been 4-0 to Fulham (the side hit the crossbar three times). Brian McBride and Jimmy Bullard, especially, were pivotal. Reading, meanwhile, continue their sorry run of form and are playing like a team that’s already relegated. Even at home, the Royals looked miserable especially in the back, which has been their downfall all season. […]
8 blueboi // Apr 14, 2008 at 1:49 pm
who cares who goes down all of the teams in the bootom 7 deserve 2 be there most of them are so rubbish they could be near the botom of the Championship, but I think that Fulham (the bad side of West London) and Bolton or Birmingham will go down.
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