Keep, Sell, Loan or Leave.

by - May 09, 2019


2018/2019 has certainly been an exciting season for Reading. Three managers, almost inevitable relegation, loan stars, glorious safety and Club 1871. It's been one to remember. However, with the end of a season, comes the end of a number of players' Reading FC careers. Here's my take on how I think Reading should thin out their squad this summer...

Goalkeepers

Anssi Jaakkola - With his contract expiring in the summer and Gomes openly expressing his desire to either retain Emi Martinez or sign a new goalkeeper, Jaakkola's time at Reading is done. He managed to amass 15 appearances over the 18/19 season and seemed like the best way to paper over the cracks of our goalkeeping troubles prior to the January transfer window. However, just 3 clean sheets and being unable to adapt to playing out from the back really cost him. Leave.

 Sam Walker - Sam Walker's signing always seemed like an odd one when two other 1st team quality keeper's were already at the club. He had his moments, starting a few games here and there, but was hardly something to write home about. Will make a fine 2nd choice for next season. Keep.

 Vito Mannone - First choice at the start of the season but his performances experienced a drastic decline from what we'd come to expect from the previous season. He currently finds himself on loan at Minnnesota united until December and with his contract up in June 2020, I'd be very surprised if we ever saw him in a Reading shirt again. Loan.

Luke Southwood - Spent the second half of the season out on loan and impressed in an Eastleigh side that managed to reach the play-offs. It's a bit soon for him to start making a first-team impact so I'd send him out on loan with an option to recall if we had a horror injury situation. Loan.

Defenders

Paul McShane - The club captain was an absolute stalwart under the stewardship of Jaap Stam but his slow decline culminated in the 2-2 draw to Blackburn at Ewood park this season. (Who gives away 2 penalties in 25 minutes?!) He's just announced he is leaving the club in the summer, hardly surprising given he's the 2nd highest defensive earner. Leave.


Jordan Obita - Obita has been injured for well over a year and a half now but we all know how good a player he can be. There's only one more year left on his contract and given his problems, very few teams would even consider coming in for him. It seems very low risk to keep him on for one more year in the event that he may make a comeback. Keep.

Omar Richards - One of many academy graduates to see game-time this season, although he hasn't personally made a tremendous impact. Seems a little light-weight for left-back but recently has been making the transition to left-wing which I think could be much more fruitful. He possesses a good cross, pace, dribbling ability and always liked going forward way more than going back - it'll be interesting to see what the new position brings. Keep.

Tyler Blackett - Signed as a 22 year old as part of Jaap Stam and Brian Tevreden's dutch revolution, he's had a few years to settle in. At times frustrating, but his spells of frequent inconsistency seem to be coming to an end and he has proved himself enough to warrant being a squad member. Plus, he's got a cracker of a cross on him. Keep.


Andy Yiadom - The one shining light from the summer transfer window. Andy Yiadom has been a mainstay this season, being just 90 minutes off a maximum 4140 for the season. Most blocked crosses; 8th most dribbles and 9th most tackles in the division - the stats speak for themselves. Keep.

Chris Gunter - Gunter is a player I feel has been undervalued by a lot of Reading fans, he's never been a flashy attacking right back, but has always done a job. A fantastic servant to the club but Yiadom has overtaken him in the pecking order and Tennai Watson is coming back from loan, it's time for him to move on somewhere he'll get more opportunity. Sell.

Tennai Watson - As previously mentioned, he's coming back from his loan at AFC Wimbledon where he made an impressive 24 appearances over the course of the season. Watson could be a good understudy to Yiadom and allow us an attacking full back option if Yiadom plays CB in a back 5 again. Keep.

Liam Moore - Our star defender whose shown just how much he cares about the club in the recent months. However, greatness commands a great fee and due to the financial situation the club has been put in under the Gourlay administration, I can see him being sold for the good of the team. Maybe the pull of being club captain could incentivise him to stay? FFP Dependent.


Gabriel Osho/Tom McIntyre - Both defensive academy graduates looked decent in the short amount of game time they were afforded. Though come September, there'll probably only be space for one of them to fight for the first team and so there's no need to stunt the other's development. Keep one loan the other.

John O'Shea - It's nice to know we played a small part in a good footballing career. O'Shea seemed like a model professional this season and I thought when called upon he was pretty decent. It would be nice to see him occupy a backroom coaching role as has Gomes has discussed. Retiring.

Danzell Gravenberch - Couldn't even tell you what Gravenberch is good at given how much he's played, there's no way he's getting a new contract in the next month. Leave.


Midfielders

David Meyler - For some reason or another it just never really quite went right for David Meyler. His loan out to Coventry is pretty indicative of Gomes' thoughts about him as a player; maybe Fifa YouTube is his way forward. Sell.

Adrian Popa - Another of Stams' remaining contingent and another one who has lost favour since he removed from his post. Popa is all but out the door this summer with speculation already circling about a possible return to eastern Europe. Even if he was to stay, I'd rather youth players such as Michael Olise were ahead of him in the queue. Sell.

John Swift - I've never understood why Swift is such a hot or cold issue for fans, he  can unpick a defence unlike the rest of our midfielders. I always thought that his problems were a product of the system he was played in - if given the license to break forward and roam without defensive responsibility he has the ability to be a star. That being said if a £7 million bid came in, like the papers suggest, I could see him leaving for the good of FFP. FFP Dependent.

Joey Van Den Berg - The ex-pizzeria dishwasher was an unsung hero in the team that managed to finish 3rd in the Championship. However, the rugged midfielder, who's most memorable quality was a yellow card a game, has run his course and much like Meyler, is surplus to the defensive midfielder requirements. Leave.

Liam Kelly - The new kid on the block just a couple of years ago has fallen off his perch. Bar a good passing range, it seems that Kelly doesn't have much else to offer. His attitude doesn't seem in the right place either, turning down a loan move in January that could have given him the opportunity to mature and prove himself. He needs to move on for the good of himself as well as the club. Sell.

Garath McCleary - It's been McCleary's best season in a few years but with over half his appearances coming from the bench, I can't help but feel that that slot might be taken by a youngster next year. I'd love him to fulfil his contract but if those wages would be better spent somewhere else then it'd free up a space for fresh blood, like the aforementioned Richards. FFP Dependent.

 Andy Rinomhota - I don't need to tell you this one. Player of the season, star academy graduate, pride of the club etc. etc. etc. Keep.


Michael Olise - At 17 years and 98 days, Olise wasn't even old enough to wear the Sky Bet patches on his shirt when he made his first team debut. Impressing Gomes enough to earn game time before our Championship survival was assured and he's shown us why. He's got all the traits to make a good attacking player: pace; tight ball control and creativity and will no doubt continue his blooding into first team football next season because of it. Keep.

Josh Barrett - Barrett had been waiting since the days of Brian McDermott's second spell in charge to make his return to the first team. I thought that technically he's very good but his selfishness was notable, getting in the way of teammates shots or not passing it to open men. It's something he'll need to iron out of his game and we unfortunately don't have the opportunity to afford him the time to whilst our priority is survival. Hopefully, a loan, as well as a rigorous fitness regime in pre-season, would help to improve his physique as well as allow him the chance to make his mistakes in less testing atmospheres. Loan.

Callum Harriot - He's recently announced he will be leaving Reading when his contract expires in the summer. Injury really hampered his chances of making a claim for a first team spot in the past couple of years and unfortunately hasn't shown enough to warrant giving him a new contract, I'm not surprised we're moving him on. Leave.

Forwards


Sam Baldock - Brought in for a fee believed to be around £3 million mark, but has hardly been worth the money. I'm not quite sure why we spent so much on him in the first place given he's only managed one season above 12 goals in his 14 year long professional career. Recoup as much of our investment as possible to reinvest. Sell.

Marc McNulty -  Hardly got a look in under Clement, playing just 412 minutes of championship football, but has really found his feet at Hibernian where he managed 6 goals and 4 assists in 10 games. It seemed like he was dying for a strike partner in a Reading shirt but always had to make-do playing alone, which hardly plays to his strengths. It'd be good to see him come back and have the chance to play off Meite/Barrow/Bodvarsson before making a call on his future, although given Gomes' philosophy I'm not sure how likely that is to happen. Keep, sell in January if it doesn't work out. 

Yakou Meite - We were all questioning the club's decision to give Meite a new contract in October but he has certainly proved his worth. He's got power and pace making him a force to be reckoned with, but he's still a little rough around the edges, spurning more than a few chances over the course of the season. If he can work on his finishing then there's no reason he can't become a 20 goal a season striker. Keep. 


Jon Dadi Bodvarsson - He offers something a little different thanks to good hold up play and a real aerial threat. It was a shame to see his season so disrupted but hopefully he'll be back with more of the form that saw him score 6 in 9 games at the start of this season. Keep

Sone Aluko - I have never been convinced by Aluko at any point in his career and that hasn't changed since seeing him in the blue and white hoops. The owners have said that they will have to come up with 'creative' solutions to out problems; I wouldn't be surprised if we saw him moved to Beijing Renhe permanently to get his wages off the Reading books. Sell.

Danny Loader - We were waiting for what seemed like an eternity for Loader to make his debut and whilst he may not have provided the instant goal scoring impact we were hoping for, he's a  great player in the making. I'd like to see him more as cover for John Swift next season rather than the 4th/5th choice striker as he likes to drop deep, push the team forward with pace and intricate passing making him ideal for that number 10 role. Keep.

 Andrija Novakovich - Spending the last two seasons on loan in the Netherlands, Novakovich is going to arrive back at Reading as though he were a new signing. Bagging 28 goals in 62 games across the two spells this year, including 9 in the dutch top flight, hopefully he's now well prepared for life in the championship. I'm very much excited to see him back in a Reading shirt for the first time since 2015. Keep. 

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2 comments

  1. Anonymous10 May 2019 at 09:22

    Shame about Harriot, he looked like he had something before he got injured. If we want to do well we need to keep Moore and Swift

    ReplyDelete
  2. Jbrown2910 May 2019 at 13:12

    Would you find Miete's apparent interest from Lille as worrying? Also how would you rate the loanees we signed in Jan if you could keep them on?

    ReplyDelete