forward position future

easxmn · by **easxmn** » 02 Oct 2006 16:30

It now sounds as though Dave Kitson will be back playing within a month. i would expect he would begin by coming off the bench, but eventually i would think he should be fit to return to his starting job...

Leroy Lita has played well in his absence...

Kevin Doyle has clearly earned his starting job...

Shane Long has been deserving of the time he has seen, playing with much skill and heart, especially against the hammers. and he has had many appearances as of late...

So the question is, who should have their time on the field cut? Can Coppell work two of them in off the bench? Mid-day boredom, Looking for opinions...

TFF · by **TFF** » 02 Oct 2006 16:36

easxmn It now sounds as though Dave Kitson will be back playing within a month. i would expect he would begin by coming off the bench, but eventually i would think he should be fit to return to his starting job...

Leroy Lita has played well in his absence...

Kevin Doyle has clearly earned his starting job...

Shane Long has been deserving of the time he has seen, playing with much skill and heart, especially against the hammers. and he has had many appearances as of late...

So the question is, who should have their time on the field cut? Can Coppell work two of them in off the bench? Mid-day boredom, Looking for opinions...

It's half past four.

HTH

Ian Royal · by **Ian Royal** » 02 Oct 2006 16:40

easy. Lita will go to the bench should Kitson play well in his appearances and long will head back to the reserves.

Although the decision was made for us pretty much all last season with other injuries and suspensions as which ever striker was out returned. Maybe the same will happen this year.

easxmn · by **easxmn** » 02 Oct 2006 16:40

i woke up late

xtreme rebel · by **xtreme rebel** » 02 Oct 2006 16:42

I haven't as much knowledge as some of you guys about Reading but here's what I think:

I think Kevin Doyle is first choice. I think its obvious Coppell thinks the same given that Doyle always starts and is very seldom subbed.

I don't rate Lita at all. I've watched many Reading games, allbeit only on TV, and Lita never impresses me. He come across as a headless chicken....he never looks to find a team-mate and is a glory hunter. I know many forwards can be selfish but Lita takes it a bit too far. It's amazing to think Reading paid Â£1m for him in my opinion, especially when you compare him and his price tag to to Doyle and Kitson.

Shane Long will be a good player. He has pace and seems to be doing well for the reserves. He'll is probably be 4th choice but I can see him eventually over-taking Lita.

When Kitson gets fit, he and Doyle is the way to go. Doyle seems to play better with Kitson alongside him.

Blue and White Toucan · by **Blue and White Toucan** » 02 Oct 2006 17:19

I don't rate Lita at all. I've watched many Reading games, allbeit only on TV, and Lita never impresses me. He come across as a headless chicken....he never looks to find a team-mate and is a glory hunter. I know many forwards can be selfish but Lita takes it a bit too far. It's amazing to think Reading paid Â£1m for him in my opinion, especially when you compare him and his price tag to to Doyle and Kitson.

I have to disagree. To be honest he has very few chances this season to score. He has , since his rollocking, worked hard in every game and I am still amazed how he was beating Ferdinand and Vidic in the air against Man U.

Mind you as you have only watched from TV I will let you off, as you dont see all the off the ball work that the strikers have to do at this level.

PieEater · by **PieEater** » 02 Oct 2006 17:24

Lita needs to turn his improved work rate into goals or he'll lose his place to Kitson. Long will probably drop to the reserves.

Blue and White Toucan · by **Blue and White Toucan** » 02 Oct 2006 17:27

I think Lita knows he needs goals, he is a striker after all, so all he can do is keep working hard.

Maybe he is due a brace against Chelsea

with Doyle getting the third.

xtreme rebel · by **xtreme rebel** » 02 Oct 2006 18:44

Blue and White Toucan I have to disagree. To be honest he has very few chances this season to score.

Thats the thing. As long as he continues to be selfish and ignore obvious passes to team-mates in order to keep a move going, he'll never score. One knack of being a good striker is being able to get into the right positions and taking the chances when they come.

Take the last minute against Wigan for example? When he had just the keeper to beat to make it 1-1 and he hit a woeful effort straight at the keeper. Would Doyle or Kitson have scored that? I think they would.

I don't think Lita has the same skill as other Reading striker. Work rate is one thing, but as supporters a high work rate from a player is the minimum you should expect.

Blue and White Toucan Mind you as you have only watched from TV I will let you off, as you dont see all the off the ball work that the strikers have to do at this level.

No problem mate! Based in Ireland so only get to see (most) games on TV or on the internet but nevertheless you can still judge how a player is doing.

bottom left hand corner · by **bottom left hand corner** » 02 Oct 2006 19:09

I really hope when kitson comes back shane long dont get droped but i reachen he will and it'll be doyle, kitson start and lita on the bench. Because i don't think copple reachen long can play at this leval but i reachen long has shown he can.

Einstein agogo · by **Einstein agogo** » 02 Oct 2006 19:09

Lita is a good finisher
he is not getting any balls in the box of quality that he can latch onto
this is due to the fact that.. the teams we are playing are so much better than the teams we played last year.. the wingers like delivering crosses ..which he is never going to connect with.. and sidwell and harper don't know a creative/forward pass if it slapped them in the face.

solution
1.change the way we play... not gonna happen. it's working for us at the moment
2. get a creative midfeilder in jan (possible)
3. lita has to grow 6 inches..

4. say thanks for your efforts but buy another big guy as back up to kitson ( 99% sure that's what will happen )*
5. harper and lita learn how to make use of space at premiership level ( who knows..)

*don't mean get rid of lita..he is young and as squad improves he may fit in to certain plans in future

I'm not really that critical..we have a game plan that works at the moment for the squad we have.. everyone is working hard BUT it's mainly a defensive containment tactic, coupled with some direct play that just doesn't suit our current front line.. to continue this tactic has to mean a target man.. i'd wager that coppell is on the look out for such a player

Ian Royal · by **Ian Royal** » 02 Oct 2006 19:10

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Lita and Doyle are both very good strikers but they just don't complement each other well enough. In a team running rings round the Championship this wasn't an issue. In the premiership it's hurting us, though we are getting by at the moment.

I would be more than happy with either Lita or Doyle starting with Kitson. Kitson completely changes the team and makes us play so much better. Doesn't mean I don't think Doyle is a better striker. But Kits brings more to our overall game and I think we play better when he's on the pitch. Oh and he has been top scorer 2 seasons running.

Millsy · by **Millsy** » 02 Oct 2006 19:18

That Friday Feeling
easxmn It now sounds as though Dave Kitson will be back playing within a month. i would expect he would begin by coming off the bench, but eventually i would think he should be fit to return to his starting job...

Leroy Lita has played well in his absence...

Kevin Doyle has clearly earned his starting job...

Shane Long has been deserving of the time he has seen, playing with much skill and heart, especially against the hammers. and he has had many appearances as of late...

So the question is, who should have their time on the field cut? Can Coppell work two of them in off the bench? Mid-day boredom, Looking for opinions...

It's half past four.

HTH

I started work at 5pm. Still not mid-day for me

easxmn · by **easxmn** » 02 Oct 2006 19:34

2 world wars, 1 world cup I started work at 5pm. Still not mid-day for me

thats rough mate. anway if the consensus is that shane long will drop to reserves, what is his future past that? ever first team or will someone have to be moved out. because, this kid is more than decent...

Im Spartacus · by **Im Spartacus** » 02 Oct 2006 19:48

I think Long has had more time on the pitch this season than he expected. I'm not convinced about him at this level yet, although he is getting invaluable experiance he has looked a little out of his depth.

Considering how little 1st football he had last year it's hardly suprising that he is finding the jump to the Premiership a challange.

Im Spartacus · by **Im Spartacus** » 02 Oct 2006 19:50

But don't want to lose him, a loan to a Championship team seems a good option.

Platypuss · by **Platypuss** » 02 Oct 2006 20:21

xtreme rebel
Blue and White Toucan I have to disagree. To be honest he has very few chances this season to score.

Thats the thing. As long as he continues to be selfish and ignore obvious passes to team-mates in order to keep a move going, he'll never score. One knack of being a good striker is being able to get into the right positions and taking the chances when they come.

Take the last minute against Wigan for example? When he had just the keeper to beat to make it 1-1 and he hit a woeful effort straight at the keeper. Would Doyle or Kitson have scored that? I think they would.

Just like Doyle did against Man U with only Van der Sar to beat from 6 yards? A far easier chance.

Both Doyle and Lita look better players alongside Kitson.

xtreme rebel · by **xtreme rebel** » 02 Oct 2006 20:44

Platypuss
Just like Doyle did against Man U with only Van der Sar to beat from 6 yards? A far easier chance.

True but a much tougher chance, Doyle had a spit second to react, take a touch and when he did that the keeper was on top of him.

Lita on the other hand, doesn't look like a striker who will score.

One thing Lita is supposed to have is pace, IMO it isn't seen enough or else it isn't there. I think he's out of his depth at Premiership level but I'd love him to prove me wrong!

yorksroyal · by **yorksroyal** » 02 Oct 2006 21:34

IMO Lita is a finisher. He should not be playing with his back to goal or trying to link up play. I like to think of him as similar in that way to Jamie Cureton, who I always thought was much more dangerous coming off the bench. Lita should be a tactical substitute, told to go on towards the end of games and get onto loose balls in the box from tired defenders. Then I think we'd see his goal count shoot up.

easxmn · by **easxmn** » 02 Oct 2006 21:58

agreed. he would be good coming off the bench, but i think that would push long away from making progress, as he has appeared in nearly every game. though as someone stated earlier, a loan for long would be god

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