Shane Long

**theworm2345** · 09/03/2008, 12:37 AM

Originally Posted by billybunter

worm man - let it go. david connolly is history . shane long is the future.

THIS HAPPENS EVERY GODDAMN TIME, I DID NOT BRING UP CONNOLLY

**Stuttgart88** · 10/03/2008, 3:15 PM

I thought Long took the chance very well, along the ground back where the keeper was coming from, giving him no chance. Maybe it's because I was shockingly inept in front of goal that I appreciated the finish more than good amateurs would have, but I though a lot of the print media's (and eirebhoy's!) description of the goal as a "tap in" was a bit unfair. The Telegraph extract that Owls Fan posted in another thread referred to it as an expert finish was ;probably a bit OTT but I thought it was well taken. I've seen forwards miss that type of chance.

**DmanDmythDledge** · 10/03/2008, 3:25 PM

I thought it was a very good finish myself. Came at him at pace, at an awkward angle and he had to re-adjust his feet quickly to get a shot on goal, and still managed to get right into the corner.

**OwlsFan** · 13/03/2008, 3:13 PM

Originally Posted by theworm2345

I DID NOT BRING UP CONNOLLY

No, hopefully his parents did.

Sorry, I'll get my coat....

**kingdom hoop** · 13/03/2008, 11:21 PM

You don't deserve a coat!

**eirebhoy** · 15/03/2008, 3:58 PM

Apparantly Long had a bit of a tantrum when subbed today. Hopefully it was because of his performance rather than the decision. I didn't see the game to know how well he played though.

**jmurphyc** · 15/03/2008, 4:07 PM

Originally Posted by eirebhoy

Apparantly Long had a bit of a tantrum when subbed today. Hopefully it was because of his performance rather than the decision. I didn't see the game to know how well he played though.

He didn't play great. Did more than Doyle though, who was completely anonymous. Hunt was definitely the best of the three. I didn't see exactly what happened, but I think he took his shirt off when sitting in the dugout and Coppell had to repeatedly ask him to put it back on if I'm not mistaken.

**tricky_colour** · 15/03/2008, 4:26 PM

I didn't see exactly what happened, but I did see a Reading shirt on the ground, which must have been Longs so it looks at if he threw it on the ground at some point. I recorded the stream so I will see if I can get another look at it:-

It didn't really show it on camera but a 'cheer' went up from the Liverpool fans
just after he came off then it cut to someone (steward/policeman) picking his shirt up
from what was said to be in front of Coppel, then there is a clip of Coppel having
a word with Long.

**co. down green** · 15/03/2008, 6:49 PM

Reading boss Steve Coppell moans at the referee and striker Shane Long:

"That penalty was stitched on, the ball was heading for goal and it struck Steven Gerrard's arm.

"Shane was frusrated with the officials but I've told him I never want to see anything like that again, and I won't."

**tetsujin1979** · 15/03/2008, 10:07 PM

Coppell's post match interview on Sky Sports: http://www.skysports.com/video/0,202...307508,00.html
Mentions the Long incident on about 2:10

**SkStu** · 15/03/2008, 10:29 PM

saw that game this morning and have to say that Hunt is a terrible player, a complete waste of space. I know he has his fans here but he really is a shocking player lads.

I like the look of Long, i think he will turn out to be a very good player and i dont think the referee or the linesman gave him one decision all afternoon - in fact he was penalised 4 or 5 times in a row for what looked like just honest physical battles for the ball played into the channels... he was subbed shortly after and i think that all that might have been the reason for his mini-tantrum...

Doyle is half the player he was last year and seems to have beefed up a bit too much. Just a thought.

**tricky_colour** · 15/03/2008, 11:59 PM

Hunt is currently the 51st best player in the Premiership according to Actim index.
One above Frank Lampard, and Irelands second best Irish player in the Index.
He got a decent rating on Sky, only the goal scorer and keeper rated higher.

**SkStu** · 16/03/2008, 12:09 AM

Originally Posted by tricky_colour

Hunt is currently the 51st best player in the Premiership according to Actim index.
One above Frank Lampard, and Irelands second best Irish player in the Index.
He got a decent rating on Sky, only the goal scorer and keeper rated higher.

with all due respect, id rather make my valuation of a player based on what i see and not by the Actim index nor Sky Sports ratings.

**tricky_colour** · 16/03/2008, 12:18 AM

Originally Posted by SkStu

with all due respect, id rather make my valuation of a player based on what i see and not by the Actim index nor Sky Sports ratings.

Well those ratings pretty much match up with what I have seen of him too.

Liverpool obviously fear him if they were driven to chanting "There's only one scruffy b******". Made me laugh.

**SkStu** · 16/03/2008, 12:55 AM

Originally Posted by tricky_colour

Well those ratings pretty much match up with what I have seen of him too.

Liverpool obviously fear him if they were driven to chanting "There's only one scruffy b******". Made me laugh.

lol i wasnt too sure what they were chanting - i actually thought they were chanting "there's only one Robbie Savage" in reference to both players being long harired and hated... but i think thats giving too much credit to the intelligence of Liverpool fans! lol...

fair enough, he's a premiership quality player alright - or should i say - hes the type of player that the Premiership fans will love and love to hate. I still dont rate him highly though. I think hes all brawn, no brain. And most of what i have seen backs this up (in my opinion)...

**shakermaker1982** · 16/03/2008, 10:13 AM

well he's been Reading's best player this season (look on any Reading fans forum) and each match report from the guardian/observer lists Hunt as MOM most weeks so he must be doing something right.

**theworm2345** · 20/03/2008, 2:23 AM

Originally Posted by shakermaker1982

well he's been Reading's best player this season (look on any Reading fans forum) and each match report from the guardian/observer lists Hunt as MOM most weeks so he must be doing something right.

Are you serious? Please send me a link, I find this incredibly hard to believe considering he couldn't get a game for awhile.

**irishfan86** · 20/03/2008, 2:56 AM

Originally Posted by theworm2345

Are you serious? Please send me a link, I find this incredibly hard to believe considering he couldn't get a game for awhile.

Think there's a mix up here. He's saying HUNT is Reading's player of the season, not LONG.

**theworm2345** · 20/03/2008, 3:54 AM

Originally Posted by irishfan86

Think there's a mix up here. He's saying HUNT is Reading's player of the season, not LONG.

Now that makes sense

**seahawk** · 13/03/2009, 3:22 PM

Shane Long has been on fire recently for Reading scoring

In the Charlton game he started off hitting the post on a looping cross by Stephen Hunt. Then at the start of the 2nd half he drew a penalty only :10 in, he took and nailed the penalty (even though Stephen Hunt tried to grab the ball and take the shot). Then he scored off a corner (taken by Jay Tabb) on a bullet header. So in a 2-2 game he scored both goals for Reading.

Two games previously against Sheffield United he slotted home the game winner being setup on a nice pass by Stephen Hunt.

Reading have brought back Dave Kitson on loan for the rest of the season in hopes of him enhancing their promotion push. But I really don't see how Coppell can remove Shane Long from the starting XI as he is playing so well.

So Reading now have five strikers: Kevin Doyle, Noel Hunt, Shane Long, Dave Kitson and Leroy Lita. Who gets the starts from here on out will be interesting.