According to the Leicester mercury we are closing in on Shane Long http://www.thisisleicestershire.co....signing-Long/story-13062503-detail/story.html
I don't really know what to think about this one. On the one hand he looked a top championship player - scored a lot of goals, held it up well, worked hard, used his pace to good effect. He's probably better than what we've got here. On the other hand, it smells of panic buy. I don't believe Sven invisaged being one week before the first game without the quality striker he was looking for and having to throw £7m at Reading for Long. I've said it before but I don't understand why Sven rates Long £3m higher than he rates Maynard. There's also a question mark about whether last season was just a flash in the pan, can he do the same this season? I can also see those games in midweek when we are trying to break a team down, is he going to offer us that moment of magic to set us (and him) apart from the rest? I just can't help feeling that we lack that bit of magic in the final third, someone who can make something out of nothing. I'd take Long ahead of the other strikers we've been linked with (bar Maynard) but I think if we get him (big if at this point) things haven't gone to plan. But I would take him now because we need a striker and quick IMO. On a side note, the Reading game is being listed as a Gold fixture. I remember last season our first home game against Boro was a platinum fixture, resulting in a disappointing crowd. So it seems the club have learnt their lesson somewhat.
It would be a great signing for us, hope sven can use his magic to persuade him that here is the place to be Newcastle seem to be in a mess and Big Sam will kill football at w.ham! and who in there right mind would want to go to the baggies except that thug we used to have.
I'm pretty sure i heard that he wasn't being sold to anyone in the Championship...i'd prefer him to stay there though, he's in my fantasy football team and i already have too many Leicester players!
Yes lets compile the list now shall we: 1) Reading wont sell to a rival club (Matt Mills) 2) Moving to LCFC is a sideways move at best, even though reading were in the play offs last year. At least we can say with some confidence that neither LCFC or Reading are bigger than Bristol
Reading are bigger then Bristol and stand alot better chance of going up then Bristol. Matt Mills was settled there and still choose to come to us. I think Maynard wants to come but i dont know about Shane Long yet. He said he would consider West Ham so he would probaly at the least consider us and if we get a bid accepted he would at least listen to what we have to say
The thing with these price tags is that they're all relative to performance. It's all well and good saying he's overpriced and we shouldn't go near him but if Long scores the goals that get us promotion and £90 million+ then it'll be £7 million well spent. So it comes down to whether it's worth the gamble and I'd say yes we should go for him and take that risk because another striker is needed in my opinion and this is one who's proven to score at Championship level. And for those who say he's had one good season only, well Maynard has only scored 20+ goals once in the Championship as well and in both their 'big' seasons, Long scored more than Maynard. As for Sven not going back in for Maynard, maybe Sven rates Long higher but only went for Maynard first because he would have been cheaper but now thinks it's worth spending the extra money to get the better player?
Skysports.com understands Sven Goran Eriksson's ambitious Leicester have bid for Reading striker Shane Long. Long: Hot property West Brom, Fulham, Everton, Newcastle and West Ham are all also interested after the 24-year-old scored 28 goals in all competitions last season. Long has previously admitted West Ham would be something he would have to consider after reports of a £7million bid, but he has also maintained he is happy at Reading. Leicester, though, are favourites for the Championship title after Eriksson's summer squad remodel. Eriksson has previously admitted Long is a target, but Leicester have now taken the decision to make an offer and the Swede's summer spending could top £15m as a result. http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19...tml?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
Worth 7M. No around 3-4M i say Chances of it happening, will have a better idea tommorow Better choice then Maynard? I would prefer Maynard but Long doesnt have the injury record that Maynard has
I know squat about either of them in terms of pitch abilities in different circumstances. All i can say is we have money forever.. 7.5 million for a npower player.. Is it worth buying the 3 top scorers in leagues 1 and 2 (whoeva they are)? We are far better off buying 2 proven wingers from watever league for 8 mil and the yak. Whos gona play on the wings now? Oaks, king? Gally, wellens, abe, fernandes Is dyer our only winger?
I think Dyer is our only proven winger. Moussa can play on the wing but he isnt really proven at this level and will probaly go out on loan. Schlupp can also play on the wing. N'Guessan hasnt been given a squad number so he more then likely doesnt have a future
I'd feel a touch embarrassed if we spent 7 million on a striker for 2nd tier football, and all the rants from other fans about spending more than a players worth will be more and more justified (not that I think we have at the moment, but 7 mil for Long would be an example of that)
IF we get in the prem we will be chucking sums of 10 mil about if this summer is any thing to go by. Then IF we are a mid table team, looking to get in europe, it´ll be 15 mil. KINGPOWER "COOOOOME OOOOON YOOOOOU BLUUUUUES"
Do we need wingers? I mean, ok a George Best would be nice, and maybe a Ryan Giggs. But two wingers and a tank of a centre forward - is this the way to go? I think not, we need quality midfielders who can get forward and score goals, others that can link the play, others to defend, and full backs to bomb on. C'mon guys, this is 2011, not the 1950's. Stanley Matthews has retired you know! It's all about interchangeabilty, being fluid, and moving the oppositon arouind to create space. Full backs marking wingers? Both standing there waiting for the ball to arrive in their quadrant? It's not subbuteo!!
This is off the Reading website on the player profiles page. Their fans have the number 13 and here is why What can be said about our number 13? Without doubt one of the most important players at the Club, and they never miss a game home or away. Has played every game since 1871, and shows no signs of missing one either! There's been some debate over his best position - is he a defender, defending the Royals at every opportunity? Or is he an attacker - doing everything he can to help get goals for the team? Whatever position he or she plays, she always gives 100%! The idea of Royals fans taking the number 13 squad number came from supporter Andy Manson in the summer of 2001 when the number 13 was left vacant by boss Alan Pardew after the departure of Keith Scott. Soon after the idea was implemented, England boss Sven Goran Eriksson held a Royals shirt with '13 Sven' on the back before an England under 21 international at Madejski Stadium! Promotion was secured in number 13's first full season, and since then he has been playing on a permanent rolling contract, experiencing great highs in the Football League, Premier League and FA Cup.
I can see Neil Danns being played on the wing this season. Should we sign a central striker, I think our wide men will be picked from Danns, Gallagher and Nugent depending on form, injury etc. Anyway, I say wide men but in truth we will be more relying on full-backs to provide width and the 'wingers' coming inside to support the striker - something we didn't do enough of against Madrid meaning Nugent was very isolated at times.
