Reading Between The Lines

Reading need more signings. Groundbreaking assessment I know. Last season we had to work with an extremely thin squad but despite that still recorded a hugely impressive 7^th place finish. The spine

Currently we are still working to replace players we have lost over the last 12 months more than growing what was a very thin squad last season. After some good early recruitment, the priority is clearly at the top end of the pitch with the squad looking particularly thin out wide and up top. Out wide in we especially could do with a range of options. Wide players are often the decisive difference makers in a game but at our level naturally have weaknesses and/or inconsistencies. Last’s seasons overreliance on Camara, Campbell & Kelvin highlighted that an inability to ‘shake things up’ out wide can mean an inability to find that badly needed spark in some games. That’s an area where depth next year would be very welcome.

Given the thin squad last year, there was a need for young players to step up and play more than would otherwise be expected. In general, I think we can look back on their contributions very proudly. A credit to this and our former manager has been the way a seemingly endless conveyor belt of young talent has been called upon to play when needed and largely looked solid. Stickland received plenty of praise for his handful of games at the tail of the season and now looks to be firmly in the 1^st team picture. Akande didn’t play as much as he or some fans wanted but was a bright presence when called upon. Rushesha looked a perfectly competent L1 player whenever drafted into the team and Wareham did an admirable job trying to fill Sam Smiths boots from Jan onwards.

Last season we were over reliant on youth, something we should actively recruit to avoid next year, that is clear. However, it did confirm for me a long-held belief that this team can absolutely rely on academy prospects as 3^rd choice in most positions without it derailing a season. I think that idea is especially true when we are talking about players playing a few games due to injury and fading back again. There is of course room for nuance, and we need to assess the options in 1^st and 2^nd spot ahead of them. 3^rd choice in most positions shouldn’t expect to play much so if the two ahead are covering multiple positions or have ropey injury records then further depth is needed. Equally it would be remiss not to the assess the quality of who we have waiting in wings from the academy. For example, the academy looks thin out wide with Osho/Ahmed playing there of late so by all means bring in several external options there. What isn’t needed, or even possible, is covering for every eventual injury and especially when they there are multiple in a position. Losing Elliot, Knibbs and Savage at the same time would be massively detrimental to our starting XI but that shouldn’t mean we bloat the squad in case that ever happened. Even if we could cover that with senior players, we would never be able to get close to their quality while keeping those players happy on the sidelines waiting for their shot.

I do not want to go back to the days earlier in Dai’s ownership when we had to have an injury crisis before we even started to see some academy players on the bench. It’s a waste of money and it renders having a Cat 1 academy pointless if there is no pathway. Over the course of a whole season, our success next year is not going to hinge on Academy Player A being drafted in to play 3 games in somebodies’ absence. Our squad building needs to continue. It should focus on filling the gaps in our starting XI and on providing quality squad options that we will need to rely on. What it shouldn’t try to solve is “what happens if O’Connor, Burns and Dorsett all pick up an injury at the same time. Let’s not fall into traps of old with squads bloated by mediocre players on high wages. Let’s also take what we learned from last year, these boys can play a role when needed.

JC

Photo Credit – Matthew Williamson