SoneAluko

23 hours ago, Alty_Ram said:

Regardless of penalties I think Reading were also just a better side than they had been showing and the previous manager was just not getting anything like the best out of them . Top striker back and showing some spirit and fight as a team so fair play, they did what we couldn't do and picked up consistent points at the sharp end of the season whereas our away form has just killed us. Sadly if we'd even been lower mid-table on away form we'd probably have made it.

What I will say though is that Birmingham City are lucky sods. Without the deductions for ourselves and Reading they would surely be going down. They're a mess off the pitch and in really poor form on it, getting absolutely battered on it on Monday by a Blackpool team in poor form themselves. Seems pretty toxic with the fans there at the moment although they seem like a pretty toxic bunch at the best of times.

That’s exactly what happened with Reading, can confirm that is the case. Still shaky defensively, but our players stepped up. Drinkwater went from being a waste of space to a quiet but very effective midfielder, Tom Ince has stepped up in Swifts absence (say as you will with him, but I haven’t felt as if he didn’t want to change the results we were getting), Laurent has been a revelation (he’s played as a no.8 recently just as well as he did playing centre half earlier on) and Joao, well you’re all keen admirers of him so I won’t add anything. The only difference between now and then for Reading is that the desire was there along with Joao coming back. 

Probably can tell by my name and profile I very occasionally post here as a Reading fan. Just wanted to say good luck and see it as an opportunity to rebuild. For some clubs it forced a change of direction that ended up helping them rise even stronger than before. Brentford, Brighton and Southampton I’m sure don’t remember their years fondly but probably would acknowledge that was the league where the foundations were set for them to thrive. And the examples do not stop there either.

1 hour ago, angieram said:

I know. You're in a much stronger position than us, but then every team in the league is. 

So what you're saying is, you have two injuries of people who would be selected if fit? Same as us, then.

In terms of quality and form yes this would be our best team, although I suspect Moore/Morrison and Meite would potentially get in because of favouritism by the manager over actual quality or form! 

1 hour ago, Sparkle said:

In terms of points deductions the EFL make the rules up as they go along even if everything you have done is perfectly legal and once other clubs have their teeth into you, you are doomed one way or another - expect to be In The same situation in a year or two ! 
we only have a few old ( but good ) men and a few kids which Rooney seems to be doing an excellent job with but we have no goal scores - yes we have Baldock on no more than £4,500 per week and probably less than that but he scrats around but he is no goal scorer based on what I have seen. 

I think as we have no real defence and thus aren’t challenging it I hope they’ll leave us alone. We haven’t spent a single penny on transfers since covid, so they’ve been onto us for a while. Although I suspect our dealings with Chelsea raised a few eyebrows (the club has held very good relations with them in recent years), but equally one can point out they were in Greece and Turkey last season so can’t be on that much over here!
 

Baldock unfortunately is only suited to a two striker formation feeding off a goal scorer. Never really shone for us as after we got rid of Clement every manager favoured a 4231 formation. 

27 minutes ago, angieram said:

You have 13 players injured and can still field a team? Hope you're not looking for sympathy! 

We are only allowed 23 registered players and half of them are kids. The others are on the mature side. 

Why would I be looking for sympathy considering I said of all the 8 more serious injuries only 2 we really could be doing with? Not to mention, going to a Derby forum in general let alone at this point in time and looking for it would be a really strange thing to do! 

1 hour ago, RoyMac5 said:

Bloody hell, how many have they got?! ?

I’ve been lurking on this forum last hour being a Reading fan curious to see what people were saying then I remembered as you could probably tell by the username I set up an account to post something about a game we played, I think we won 4-2 having been 3-0 up. Was convinced we turned a corner with how good we had been lately at the time and that the playoff hangover was over, ended up surviving on goal difference. ?

Its actually as many as 13. 4 should be back this weekend. You can’t play a Warnock team and not get a few injuries. Southwood, Hoilett and Tetek all picked up injuries but are expected to be back for today. Dann is touch and go, but may be rushed to partner Josh Laurent at centre half.

The rest of the injuries are mainly within the central areas. Moore, Morrison, Holmes and McIntyre our centre halves are all injured at the moment, won’t be playing today. Rinomhota is touch and go, could be on the bench. Azeez and Joao are significant injuries that hurt us, again not back. Otherwise Araruna hasn’t been fit for ages and we all knew for a while Meite won’t be fit this season. 
 

If they were all fit I’d say only Joao and Holmes would warrant a place in the starting 11 at the minute. The summer signings have fit in really well, Drinkwater hasn’t headbutted someone yet and is very positively contributing so all looking very rosy in that regard. We’re all expecting to survive this season despite our points deduction, but expectations aren’t very high.

Also re points deduction, it’s looking like 6 deducted and 3 suspended according to one local journo. I still wouldn’t rule out a full points deduction however.