Doyle bags three as Royals beat Palace

Kevin Doyle returned to form in spectacular style on Saturday as Reading came from behind to thump Crystal Palace 4-2 at the Madejski. Doyle was always busy and posed a constant threat offering glimpses of him at his very best. Jimmy Kebe was outstanding and caused problems all afternoon with his pace and direct running as the Royals looked a potent counter-attacking force. With three players making their league debuts it was a new look side, but after a brief scare when the Eagles took the lead in the second half it was an assured and confident performance. Alex Pearce in particular impressed but Jem Karacan set up Doyle's second. Noel Hunt replaced a lacklustre Shane Long on and although he failed to make the most of two good chances he will surely be pressing Long for a starting place. With one day to go before the transfer window closes it's still unclear if we'll lose anymore players, but with Leroy Lita not even on making the bench his future must remain in doubt.

Superman joins Kitson at Stoke!

In a somewhat unlikely move, Ibrahima Sonko has signed for Stoke City in deal worth in the region of £2.5m. Reading's top scorer this season has had a pretty indifferent 12 months in which his Superman reputation has become a little tarnished. Despite his solid form over the first few games this season I think the deal has to be seen as pretty good business for a player still struggling to find his best form, however with Michael Duberry out for a few weeks it seems we are a little depleted now in central defence. 

Royals raid Blades to sharpen up defence

The Royals finally got their man when left back Chris Armstrong signed from Sheffield United this on Tuesday, ending weeks of speculation. The 26 year old looks certain to feature against Crystal Palace on Saturday when he'll face  a side managed by his former gaffer Neil 'Colin' Warnock. Armstrong is a hard working and experienced player but it'll be tough to fill the boots of Nicky Shorey (in his prime). That said I feel a lot better now a genuine left back is playing in that position, Stephen Hunt has been OK in an unfamiliar role, but I'd prefer to see him where he can be most effective and that's further up the pitch.

Royals thump Hatters in Carling Cup

Reading romped to a 5-1 win over struggling League Two outfit Luton Town. Goals from both Hunts, Jem Karacan, James Henry and Alex Pearce ensured a young Royals side eased past the Hatters and into the third round in front of 7,500 fans at the Madejski Stadium.

Royals pay the penalty at the Valley

Reading went down 4-2 in an incident-packed game at the Valley on Saturday. Kevin Doyle missed the chance to cancel out Charlton's opener but saw his penalty slam against the bar. The home side went further ahead on 42 minutes but Sonko levelled with a powerful header on the stroke of half time. In the second half Stephen Hunt had more joy than his compatriot from the spot but needed two attempts to level things, however it was Charlton who came back stronger and finished us off with goals from Luke Varney and Hameur Bouazza.

So the harsh truth is that we failed our first real test in the Championship this season, and once again Doyle's form comes under scrutiny, especially with Noel Hunt looking lively and hitting the bar when he joined the action. It would be far too easy to blame one person, but who knows how the game might have panned out had we got level at 1-1? As it was we were always chasing the game. Perhaps a bigger concern is the conceding of four after two games of pretty solid defending. Steve Coppell has this at the forefront of his mind too:

"Last week people were complimenting us for our clean sheets - now it's the opposite end of the spectrum."

Maybe we need to find that left back sooner rather than later Steve? We have to bounce back strongly against Palace next week in front of the faithful, especially as we already find ourselves five points behind pacesetters Bongo FC.

Doyle drops exit hints

Comments from Kevin Doyle strongly suggest he could be on his way before the transfer window closes, with Villa and Sunderland still the main contenders for his signature. This seems entirely plausible after the signing of Doyle's compatriot Dave Mooney earlier in the week. Apparently he (Doyle) expects 'something to happen in August'...so do we Kev, how about a goal, or even something resembling a decent performance!? In light of his, let's be honest, wretched form over the last 12 months a fee of around £7m would be too good to turn down. If he is on his way then we can certainly reflect that we got two excellent seasons from him that probably exceeded our expectations. Don't expect another signing though, we'll probably use the money to do 'remedial work' on the stadium...

Royals do a Mooney

Reading have raided Cork City once more and landed Dave Mooney, a 23 year old striker who has been on target 15 times in the Irish league this season. Mooney's addition means we've certainly got options up front now, and with Lita and Doyle looking distinctly average thus far it can only add pressure on them to perform. Coppell may also be close to signing Chris Armstrong from Sheffield United who doesn't seem to be part of Kevin Blackwell's plans at Bramall Lane. He'd be a direct replacement for Nicky Shorey, although this rumour has been on and off for some time now. The cost for Armstrong could be around the £500k mark, Mooney's fee is undisclosed but thought to be near to £200k.

The Chairman speaks...

If you happened to hear John Madejski on the radio before the game on Saturday you would not have been surprised to hear him repeating his favourite mantra, which goes something like this: player's wages are obscene, we don't have as much money as you might think even though the club is run on a good business model, we won't spend heaps of cash on players, and so on. Nothing new there you might have thought, but even after the trousering of some £8m odd in cash from the sale of Kitson and Shorey one could be forgiven for thinking that we might delve into the piggy bank and splash out on a couple of players. Well, it appears that this unlikely to happen, and let's face it this isn't really a surprise. It's admirable that the club has used it's scouting system well to seek out emerging talent to great effect, most notably with the signings of Kevin Doyle, Dave Kitson, Shane Long et al. That said with a windfall of cash and Premier League parachute payments you can't help feeling we should be looking to be bolder in the transfer market and look to proven Championship players rather than speculative loan deals or players from League Two. 

Who really knows what's going on behind the scenes, but it was Steve Coppell who said he wanted to be 'the predator' with regards to transfers, but has he got the backing of the chairman, and how far does that backing go? The chairman has made no secret of his desire to sell the club to a super-rich benefactor, but until that person comes along might it not make sense to invest in players to ensure we can get back into the Premier League and become a desirable club to actually buy? Let's hope so.

Venezuelan youngster trains with the Royals.

Reading are looking at Venezuelan starlet Alejandro Valldeperas. The 17-year-old midfielder, who currently plays for Centro Italo in Caracas, has been recommended to The Royals and he's now training with our youth squad. He possesses a Spanish passport so he can move here without a work permit and his agent is hopeful a deal can be struck. 

Arsenal youngster set for loan?

Rumours abound that we're on the verge of signing promising young Arsenal left back Kieron Gibbs on a season-long loan from the Emirates. Gibbs has already impressed on loan at Norwich and Arsene Wenger is keen to get him some more first team experience. Sounds like a good deal as there doesn't seem to be an awful lot of good left backs around waiting to be signed up, and as solid as Hunt Sr. has been filling in there following Shorey's departure it's not ideal playing people out of position. Watch this space.

19,000 see Sonko bag a brace as Royals ease past Argyle

Ibrahima Sonko (The Player Formerly Known As Superman but is now dusting down the cape) found the net twice with both goals coming from corners as we started the home campaign with a comfortable win. We probably should have had more, Kalifa Cisse, who enjoyed a pretty solid afternoon in midfield, went close towards the end and Stephen Hunt could only head the ball over from a superb Jimmy Kebe cross. The lanky winger from Mali really impressed with some purposeful bursts down the right, and his pace and trickery caused problems all afternoon for the visitors. Marcus had little to do in goal and although we didn't create too many chances ourselves, we were well worth the win without really getting into second gear. Argyle offered very little going forward and simply didn't have enough of the ball to cause any real problems. The biggest concern is that Doyle and Lita did very little and need to improve soon if they are to keep Long or Hunt Jr. - who they were replaced by - out of the starting eleven.

A decent crowd of 19,000 (no doubt boosted by the 'bring a friend for half price' deal) watched it, but the atmosphere was a little subdued as the realisation that we are now back in the Championship really sunk in.

Kitson blames those confounded egos

Ex-Royal and self-styled loose cannon, Dave 'Bargain' Kitson has a had a swipe at his ex-team mates and blamed 'egos' for our relegation last term. The Ginger Potter opined about why things went downhill after such a good start to life in the Premier League.

"This changed in our second season. Suddenly we had flash cars, images, egos and everyone knew who we were, and when we didn't freshen things up with new players we were in a dangerous situation."

Um, and you were all playing really badly too.

"There was a real 'Lord of the Flies' split, which I had never experienced before. We didn't feel we were all together and I was partly to blame

See how Dave cleverly shows off his literary knowledge? So who was Piggy then? He may be sticking the boot in, but there's a slight admission of culpability there. Very noble, Dave.

Talking of egos, I seem to recall a Reading player receiving a driving ban after refusing to co-operate with the police - and basically telling the local constabulary how the law works.

When all is said and done, Kitson was a good player and a loyal servant to the club. Perhaps we should forgive him this parting shot when we consider he has a very lonely season of chasing lost causes ahead of him, with one inevitable outcome in May next year. I wonder who or what he might be looking to blame then?

Coppell to play 'safe' with Cisse?

With Marek sidelined for some time the spotlight inevitably falls on our options in midfield. Since the departure of Steve Sidwell things haven't looked right in the centre of the park, signings that were made to fill the void left by the ginger dynamo simply haven't worked. Emerse Fae who was tracked for over a year never got a run in the team and maybe there's a good reason for that that we will never find out. However it did seem strange that in the early part of last season Bryn Gunnarson, as hard working as he is, was preferred to a record signing who seem to promise so much. Kalifa Cisse also seemed to have been brought in as a Sidwell replacement, but his performances have been sporadic at best, and aside from a useful day's work deputising as a central defender against Man Yoo last season, he's fallen short of expectations. So what next? Now that Marek's 'bright inventiveness' (to quote Coppell) is not available for a few weeks at least, will he give youth a chance as he suggested he might? Jem Karacan's good showing against Villa in the recent friendly certainly caught the eye, but it seems unlikely that SC will move away from the Harper/Cisse combination. Maybe it'll prove solid enough against Championship opposition but it simply doesn't set the pulse racing to say the least, and certainly Sunday's showing did not bode well. It's a bit early to start worrying, but we need to impose ourselves quickly on the division and our lack of creative options in this area gives some cause for concern.

Stoch in a moment?

Interesting rumour circulating (which seems to have originated on HNA) that we may be on the verge of an sealing a loan deal for talented Chelsea youngster Miroslav Stoch. The Slovakian has been turning heads already in pre-season and if it actually comes to anything it sounds exciting. It'd be nice to sign anyone at this stage frankly, can't help feeling that we just need a couple of new faces to freshen things up a bit.

Greening wants to 'do a Reading'

Baggies skipper Jonathan Greening wants Albion to emulate us and avoid a relegation battle in their first season back in the Premier League. I suppose he doesn't mean that next year they should invest little, play poorly and then go down on the last day of the season?

Hunt Junior grabs a late winner

Noel Hunt sealed the win in the 89th minute as the Royals progressed to the second round of the Carling Cup against Dagenham & Redbridge. Hunt lined up along side Shane Long in a pretty strong team to face the league two side and marked his debut with a winner following good work from Long. Youngster James Henry's opener was cancelled out by Solomon Taiwo's 25 yard effort, but it was the Royals' who eventually progressed into the second round.

The starting eleven were: Hahnemann; Kelly, S Hunt, Pearce, Ingimarsson; Harper (c), Cisse, Henry, Convey; N Hunt, Long.

Looks like SC decided to give a few of the first team a run out after the somewhat lacklustre display on Sunday. Or perhaps he fancies we can go all the way...

Marek injured again in goalless opener

On the positive side it was a clean sheet and a point gained, and on the negative side Marek Matejovsky is going to be sidelined for 'several weeks' with another ankle injury. Many people have tipped Marek to be pivotal in our aim to return to the top flight so it's a real blow to see him stretchered off after half an hour with damage to the ankle he hurt at the Euro's. It does beg the question as to whether he was quite ready to play, but either way we do now look a bit threadbare in midfield, and it's hard to see where the creativity will come from. Kevin Doyle saw a late effort well saved but aside from that there was not an awful lot to report. We need to improve and start the campaign off at home with a win against Plymouth.

Derby done by Donny...

So the new Cokey Coley Championship season finally got under way on a damp autumnal afternoon in August...and the big shock came at Pride Park. I don't suppose it's entirely surprising that Derby County lost again, but 33,000 fans might have been expecting a swift upturn in their fortunes after relegation, and what could be better for the confidence than a home game against newly promoted opposition? They went down 1-0. Jewell had a lot of new faces in the starting eleven, but but as mitigating circumstances go that will hardly appease the Derby faithful. Other new boys Swansea lost, Bongo FC sneaked it against the Blades and the other Sheffield lot spanked Burnley. Other stuff happened too. 

All of that is all very well but the real action starts tomorrow lunchtime, and I'm dead excited - and nervously optimistic. Bring it on!

Harper too pricey for Southgate?

I always said he was a genius that Steve Coppell bloke, his cunning ploy of increasing the price of our players as we get closer to the CCC kick-off seems to have put Gareth Southgate off coming in for James Harper. That said Southgate looks in dire need of someone in midfield with Arca sidelined for weeks, so perhaps he'll come back with more cash if he gets desperate next week. It goes without saying that to lose someone else now would be a blow, as it is I think we can reasonably pleased with way we have managed to retain most of our players thus far, but it'd be nice to see a couple of new faces soon...

That Leroy Lita

Leroy could have a career in the circus to erm, fall back on...

Roy's keen on Kev?

Is Kevin Doyle the next player on his way out this week? The Daily Mail think Roy is, um, keen on the Irish International, but hasn't Keane been linked with almost everyone, almost all of the time? Also, my mother told me never to believe anything written in the Daily Mail, ever.

Losing The Doyler would be a blow as it would leave us looking a bit limited up front, for all his problems last season he's been there and done it in the Championship and I'd like to think he can regain his form and do it again for us.

He's Villa...he knows he is, he's Shorey is...

The summer's third longest transfer saga seems to be drawing to a close as almost everybody is reporting that Nicky Shorey is 'having a medical' at Villa Park. The fee is rumoured to be around £3.5m. So it's entirely possible that Hunt Senior will be playing left back at the City Ground on Sunday. Oh good.

Hunt Senior could play Left Back...is it just me?

Steve Coppell says "I know he's uncomfortable there but if he continues and grows into it that would save us grief.

Sorry Steve?

"I would like to stay within the squad for a solution rather than having to find someone else at the last minute."

Right, I gotcha...

Sooo...let's start the season by playing someone completely out of position then. I had hoped we were eyeing up replacements for some time - or is this just Steve's fabled dry wit coming to the fore?

Sonko was Superman, now, erm, he isn't.

What happened to Ibrahima Sonko? Once one of the most formidable central defenders in the Premiership. It would putting it kindly to say that when he arrived at the Royals he wasn't quite the finished article and looked a bit clumsy and uncomfortable on the ball. However, before too long he went on to forge surely the best defensive partnership we have ever had with Ivar. As the team struggled to cope during last season his form suffered more than most with rumours surfacing that he 'liked to go clubbing a bit too much', soon the 'Sonko is Superman' unwanted  t-shirts were stacking up in the Megastore (pictured, yeah I just wanted to get this lame gag in here). I watched him at Arsenal in March and he was painfully exposed and out of position on more than one occasion, no shame at the Emirates you might say but only 12 months earlier he looked like the real deal, a Premier League defender of the highest order. Let's hope he gets himself back in the team and playing well this season, because The Scourge of Every Right-Minded Pitchside Paramedic has shown he can play in that role and do a decent enough job. 

Kebe in 'quite good' shocker as Royals draw with Villa

Yesterday's friendly with Villa at the Mad Stad ended in a creditable 1-1 draw. The Royals' goal came courtesy of a tap-in for academy signing Jem Karacan who had come on for Kalifa Cisse. Stephen Hunt saw his penalty saved by Villa debutante, Brad Friedel. Hunt Jr., Noel came on as a sub and saw his first touch hit the post, but perhaps the most surprising thing was the impressive display from Jimmy Kebe. Fair to say he never quite looked like he could make an instant impact in the Premier League, and at times looked like an unsteady newborn foal on the ball. Let's hope this is a sign for the forthcoming campaign as Glen Little's departure means there's a vacancy down the right that needs filling quickly.

The 5 best Reading FC You Tube videos

1. Relegation song

One man's musical lament - funny, strangely moving and quite brilliant:

'...we face the future with no malice, even though we must play Palace....'

2. 'Downfall'

Clever, witty and the Kebe bit is genius. Nice nod to the new sponsors too. Oh, and Downfall is a cinematic tour de force in case you didn't know already.

3. The Murty Penalty

There's quite a few videos of Murts' penalty in our final game of the legendary promotion season, but this one taken from the North Stand is my favourite: the lack of any sound lends the whole scene a surreal quality, and it takes on the air of a silent movie homage as the Keystone Cops (the rest of the team and Kingsley) give chase to Buster 'Murts' Keaton!

4. That season

Lest we forget, and just remember, that's what happened last time we were in the CCC.

5. The Wigan Game

One unbelievable night. Shame we lost the final. What about Forster, Butler, Cureton...goals for fun that season in Ye Olde Division Three.

Shorey to leave...finally?

The ongoing saga concerning Nicky Shorey's future at the club seems to be coming to a conclusion finally. It seemed certain at one stage earlier in the year that he'd be bound for West Ham, but more recently it's been Pompey who have shown the most interest, and now it seems to be a two-horse race between 'Arry's lot and Villa.

Let's be honest, he was poor last season and looked anything but an England left-back (actually, maybe he fitted right in!) and he doesn't want to play for us so we just need to get the deal done, for at least £4.5m.

In fairness to him, Nicky Shorey in his prime was one of the most solid dependable players who has ever worn the hoops. It won't be easy to fill his boots, but at least we should have the cash to get a decent replacement and let's hope that happens soon after his departure. 

Welcome

Welcome to the newest space on the Interweb devoted to all things Reading FC. The aim is to to do something slightly different from the established and well known sites out there already. 106 points will be collaborative, but there's no message board; if you want to have a moan about things then go here . There will be rumours, match reports, opinion, stories and more - all served up with the customary wry wit that Royals fans are well known for. Anyway, that's the plan - let's see how it goes.