i was well excited over Lita and i let him know that i think he is the type of player i like to see at the club a goal poacher, fast,deadly and a little arogant on the ball always believes he will score,
not to mention he has a 1 in 2 goal record in this league and he scored in the prem he looks great at u21 i just wished we had done it earlier and for longer
I think the fear with Lita is that he is too much of a Bertie Bigbollocks with the attitude of Marcus Bent rather than Darren Bent.
I rate the bloke and dearly hope that he comes to us determined to prove to Coppell that he was wrong to lend him to a Championship Club.
Coppell isn't stupid either. He will have a recall clause in place so that if Lita DOES perform he can get him back pronto. They want to stay in the Prem.
So to answer AFKA's question I don't think it is apathy as such but, in the aftermath of a disappointing result, a feeling of too little too late.
[cite]Posted By: WSS[/cite]read a couple of Reading boards and they seem a little bit pissed off that SC has let him go. Maybe because they are struggling at the moment:
Jesus the old royals aren't to happy think he could be a major player if he gets his attitude think LV would be the perfect partner for him as well as the pace of them two should murder most defences
I haven't had as much chance to see him as I'd like this year, but we sometimes get the U-21 games on TV over here (in addition to the Prem matches from last year), and he did look impressive to me. In any event, at this stage, pacey depth up front can only be an asset. Hopefully, he will see this as the opportunity that it is. I'm hoping to be there for the Southampton match, and it would be great to see him still at the Valley, banging in goals!
the problem is Lita still has to get the ball. Who plays up front with him? A very good signing but to late to adjust the team. pards is confused enough. Still could score that vital goal in the play offs though.
Just been speaking to my Boss & apparently Lero Lita is a Canterbury boy & used to go out with his Daughter (Who is well fit by the way). So do we actually stand a fair chance of signing him permanently if both parties suit ?
[cite]Posted By: Ketman[/cite]Just been speaking to my Boss & apparently Lero Lita is a Canterbury boy & used to go out with his Daughter (Who is well fit by the way). So do we actually stand a fair chance of signing him permanently if both parties suit ?
cue "he's from Canterbury but we never signed him! what's wrong with our scouting systems" type moans ; - )
[cite]Posted By: Imissthepeanutman[/cite]Assuming ZZ and Holland in central midfield I would freshen it up from the start with a front line of Lita and Gray supported by Sinclair and Ambrose.
I would have Varney, Thomas,Semedo and Thatcher as subs with the same back four.
Lita has to start but I'd play him with varney as he's not done anything to warrant being dropped.
I'd also be tempted to rest 1 of ZZ and Holland and bring in Semedo. Possibly rest both and move Ambrose into the middle.
"I know a few of the Charlton boys, too, like Jon Fortune, Lloyd Sam, Jerome Thomas and Chris Dickson, and I'm looking forward to going into training on Thursday."
I wouldnt play Gray at the moment he was very bad last night his mind is else where me thinkshow many times was he the wrongside of the defender for throw ins and through balls i think i only saw him win 1 header
[cite]Posted By: Henry Irving[/cite]Don't know if Magic is going to be fit but I would put him back in and I'd be tempted to put Samedo in the midfield as well.
I guess Lita would start but difficult to say who should play up with him. Varney maybe too similar but would give us two players with pace, Gray looks lacking in confidence, Iwelumo has done OK and might be a good foil for Lita.
Sinclair didn't impress when he came on but I'm hoping/praying there is more to come from him.
I agree with most of that but I'd rather have Semedo in instead of Samedo......:-) (Unless you mean Lloyd Samedo?).....:-)
"I know a few of the Charlton boys, too, like Jon Fortune, Lloyd Sam, Jerome Thomas and Chris Dickson, and I'm looking forward to going into training on Thursday."
Andy Gray was rated second best Championship player behind Kevin Phillips. I dont think we have seen the best of him yet. Would agree about the positional stuff behind the defender though.
Many on here suggest Lita is top drawer and better than any of our other striker options so I dont think we can afford to wait.
Similarly Sinclair should be quality. Its a tough call but for me if we have to drop anybody it would be Iwelumo, Varney and Thomas.
Pards has certainly brought in plenty of competition lately.
That should keep players on their toes.
Watching Thomas last night, I thought his first 45 mins was quality on the ball but again we don't give him enough of the ball - and the 2nd half we barely gave him any service at all. Why not? City couldn't handle him. Waste.
But my point: much improved performance and attitude from Thomas now that Cook & Sinclair are here.
Anyway, back to Lita. Somebody mentioned here that if he hasn't played lately, he must be short of match practice.
According to their message board, Lita's scored 5 goals in 2 or 3 reserve games very recently:
"Coppell tells the players on the fringe 'do well in the reserves' Lita goes away and nets 5 in 2 or 3 games and doesn't make the bench at Boro. absolute JOKE."
PS: They're not happy, are they? Royally upset, perhaps?
Interesting that a few people have questionned his attitude. I have two (somewhat negative - sorry) points to make about this:
1. Would Gary Johnson have signed him? It seems like he's masterminded quite a turnaround at Bristol City and if you read the article about it on the BBC site he talks a lot about signing players for their character. Curbs also used to have the same theory.
2. We have several other loan players at the moment and people don't seem to think that they are playing up to their full potential. Are loan players from The Premiership really motivated enough?
3. I think Coppell is a class act. If he doesn't want him - why?
Going back to AFKA's comment about the apparent apathy....Dan I think its because we all got a buzz when we signed Gray, Cook etc and they havent been any better than what we already had...you'd think with the squad we have, there would be the utmost competition for all positions in the team...and yet Pards then says...maybe they were a bit tired....well mate, Im afraid that goes for every team/player in this league...we all play the same number of games, so its a somewhat lame excuse. Dan, you also said the penny has finally dropped...we arent good enough...mate youre right after the last 4/5 performances, the penny has dropped for me...Undoubtedly Lita is a great player...but there again Cook, Gray, Sinclair etc etc etc were all billed the same. We were lucky not to lose last night, thats the only positive to come out of this game. I thought we were taught a lesson last night...lets hope we have learnt something from it.
If you read the Reading message board linked above they claim that Bristol City went for him in January but Lita or reading turned them down. Don't know if that is true
Good point about the loans. I guess it's how much they have to prove. Halford and Lita maybe need to show that they can cut it, Sodje I can't fault for effort, Cook not seen too much of to comment but he has been injured for a long time so is he here to get fit or play for us, Mills certainly was committed.
Agree that Coppell is a class act. Interesting to read the Reading board as so many of their fans are slagging him off despite him being the most successful manager in their history. Maybe a little like us and Curbs. It's for 28 days so maybe it's a calculated risk from Coppell to get him out on loan, score a few and then take him back to help Reading stay up or, as is suggested on the Reading board, he's fallen out with Coppell
If Lita scores the goals to take us up then great but I'm as guilty as any of expecting miracles of new players straight away. Gray and Sinclair didn't do well IMHO against City but maybe they will still come good. I hope so.
I like your point asking whether Johnson would have signed Lita.
Johnson's a bit like Curbs: no stars, just hungry journeyman players. Team ethic is everything.
That's not a criticsm , by the way.
A lot of people think/thought Curbs was a class act. He'd sign players based on character but would still fall out with some of them. And then there was no way back. I guess that's the Coppell/Lita situation?
Lita's an interesting signing. Wasn't Pards the Reading manager who signed Lita from Bristol Rovers?
So I read Lita's come to Charlton only because Pards is here.
Lita's motivated enough to put himself in the shop window at the very least. He wasn't going to get a game again in the Prem for Reading - and the player said in interview that he's "...a footballer, I need to play football. That's what I do."
Let's see if he's hungry enough.
I like your point asking whether Johnson would have signed Lita.
Johnson's a bit like Curbs: no stars, just hungry journeyman players. Team ethic is everything.
That's not a criticsm , by the way.
A lot of people think/thought Curbs was a class act. He'd sign players based on character but would still fall out with some of them. And then there was no way back. I guess that's the Coppell/Lita situation?
Curbs was a class act (up until about 03/04), there's no denying it.
Johnson's just like him- as you say, hungry, journeyman players. 'With a point to prove' Curbs used to say.
Coppell may still have the last laugh. Loan Lita to us for a month, get him scoring again, bring him back, say now let's see if you can do it in The Premiership and then saves them from relegation. Then again maybe Coppell has Curbs' weakness: a stubborn, unforgiving sod.
As for Pards: I still have faith. I'm sure if we give him time he'll sort it out.
There's one thing Curbs, Coppell and Johnson have in common: they we're given time to build teams and were not burdened by over-expectation. Are we doing the same for Pards?
After signing on-loan with Charlton Athletic, Leroy Lita has hit out at his Reading gaffer Steve Coppell.
"Yeah definitely, there has been opportunities for me to come back in," Lita told Sky Sports News. "The gaffer said last week he was going to make changes and I expected to be involved at Middlesbrough, but once again he pulled me and I said I would not be involved and basically he made it clear he wanted me to move.
"He came out last week saying, 'Leroy is not the answer' he singled me out and that was a bit harsh," added Lita. "He has criticised me all season I have seen little bits of his comments and it just shows he does not see me as an option for him.
"There is no point me sitting at home watching TV I want to go out on loan and play some football.
"It got too much to be honest. I like playing football and I have been missing a lot of football this season.
"It is frustrating and it has been the most frustrating season of my career so far. Good players have to deal with these kind of situations I have kept my head and got on with my business and kept quiet and not said anything.
"The gaffer has not put me back in and that is fair enough. I asked him on Monday if I can go out on loan and he came to me on Tuesday with Charlton so I said if I was not available to him I want to go out and play football for the rest of the season.
"He has thrown me in for a couple of games and taken me out again which is a bit harsh. It just shows sometimes it takes a bit longer than that, other players have had that opportunity but I haven't.
"I am not going to point the finger but as I said I deal with it.
"I don't like to talk, I just like to get on with my business and everyone who knows me knows I am a serious guy and I love my football and love playing football and I just want to get on with it."
Comments
http://hobnob.royals.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=72958
i was well excited over Lita and i let him know that i think he is the type of player i like to see at the club a goal poacher, fast,deadly and a little arogant on the ball always believes he will score,
not to mention he has a 1 in 2 goal record in this league and he scored in the prem he looks great at u21 i just wished we had done it earlier and for longer
I rate the bloke and dearly hope that he comes to us determined to prove to Coppell that he was wrong to lend him to a Championship Club.
Coppell isn't stupid either. He will have a recall clause in place so that if Lita DOES perform he can get him back pronto. They want to stay in the Prem.
So to answer AFKA's question I don't think it is apathy as such but, in the aftermath of a disappointing result, a feeling of too little too late.
I heard they have had a major fall out, and Coppell just wants rid.
We done well to get this one. Other rivals were interested.
I would have Varney, Thomas,Semedo and Thatcher as subs with the same back four.
It has to be Lita and Gray.
Can't see Pardew not giving Gray a longer run now to try and justify paying a bundle of cash for him.
cue "he's from Canterbury but we never signed him! what's wrong with our scouting systems" type moans ; - )
Lita has to start but I'd play him with varney as he's not done anything to warrant being dropped.
I'd also be tempted to rest 1 of ZZ and Holland and bring in Semedo. Possibly rest both and move Ambrose into the middle.
"I know a few of the Charlton boys, too, like Jon Fortune, Lloyd Sam, Jerome Thomas and Chris Dickson, and I'm looking forward to going into training on Thursday."
See you in Embassy on Friday then Leroy
LOL!
Many on here suggest Lita is top drawer and better than any of our other striker options so I dont think we can afford to wait.
Similarly Sinclair should be quality. Its a tough call but for me if we have to drop anybody it would be Iwelumo, Varney and Thomas.
That should keep players on their toes.
Watching Thomas last night, I thought his first 45 mins was quality on the ball but again we don't give him enough of the ball - and the 2nd half we barely gave him any service at all. Why not? City couldn't handle him. Waste.
But my point: much improved performance and attitude from Thomas now that Cook & Sinclair are here.
Anyway, back to Lita. Somebody mentioned here that if he hasn't played lately, he must be short of match practice.
According to their message board, Lita's scored 5 goals in 2 or 3 reserve games very recently:
"Coppell tells the players on the fringe 'do well in the reserves' Lita goes away and nets 5 in 2 or 3 games and doesn't make the bench at Boro. absolute JOKE."
PS: They're not happy, are they? Royally upset, perhaps?
1. Would Gary Johnson have signed him? It seems like he's masterminded quite a turnaround at Bristol City and if you read the article about it on the BBC site he talks a lot about signing players for their character. Curbs also used to have the same theory.
2. We have several other loan players at the moment and people don't seem to think that they are playing up to their full potential. Are loan players from The Premiership really motivated enough?
3. I think Coppell is a class act. If he doesn't want him - why?
If you read the Reading message board linked above they claim that Bristol City went for him in January but Lita or reading turned them down. Don't know if that is true
Good point about the loans. I guess it's how much they have to prove. Halford and Lita maybe need to show that they can cut it, Sodje I can't fault for effort, Cook not seen too much of to comment but he has been injured for a long time so is he here to get fit or play for us, Mills certainly was committed.
Agree that Coppell is a class act. Interesting to read the Reading board as so many of their fans are slagging him off despite him being the most successful manager in their history. Maybe a little like us and Curbs. It's for 28 days so maybe it's a calculated risk from Coppell to get him out on loan, score a few and then take him back to help Reading stay up or, as is suggested on the Reading board, he's fallen out with Coppell
If Lita scores the goals to take us up then great but I'm as guilty as any of expecting miracles of new players straight away. Gray and Sinclair didn't do well IMHO against City but maybe they will still come good. I hope so.
I like your point asking whether Johnson would have signed Lita.
Johnson's a bit like Curbs: no stars, just hungry journeyman players. Team ethic is everything.
That's not a criticsm , by the way.
A lot of people think/thought Curbs was a class act. He'd sign players based on character but would still fall out with some of them. And then there was no way back. I guess that's the Coppell/Lita situation?
Lita's an interesting signing. Wasn't Pards the Reading manager who signed Lita from Bristol Rovers?
So I read Lita's come to Charlton only because Pards is here.
Lita's motivated enough to put himself in the shop window at the very least. He wasn't going to get a game again in the Prem for Reading - and the player said in interview that he's "...a footballer, I need to play football. That's what I do."
Let's see if he's hungry enough.
Curbs was a class act (up until about 03/04), there's no denying it.
Johnson's just like him- as you say, hungry, journeyman players. 'With a point to prove' Curbs used to say.
Coppell may still have the last laugh. Loan Lita to us for a month, get him scoring again, bring him back, say now let's see if you can do it in The Premiership and then saves them from relegation. Then again maybe Coppell has Curbs' weakness: a stubborn, unforgiving sod.
As for Pards: I still have faith. I'm sure if we give him time he'll sort it out.
There's one thing Curbs, Coppell and Johnson have in common: they we're given time to build teams and were not burdened by over-expectation. Are we doing the same for Pards?
Lite Royal
Valley Riot
'With his yellow boots, diamond ear studs and Hummer with personalised number plate, Leroy Lita is every bit the modern footballer'
Oh dear......
"Yeah definitely, there has been opportunities for me to come back in," Lita told Sky Sports News. "The gaffer said last week he was going to make changes and I expected to be involved at Middlesbrough, but once again he pulled me and I said I would not be involved and basically he made it clear he wanted me to move.
"He came out last week saying, 'Leroy is not the answer' he singled me out and that was a bit harsh," added Lita. "He has criticised me all season I have seen little bits of his comments and it just shows he does not see me as an option for him.
"There is no point me sitting at home watching TV I want to go out on loan and play some football.
"It got too much to be honest. I like playing football and I have been missing a lot of football this season.
"It is frustrating and it has been the most frustrating season of my career so far. Good players have to deal with these kind of situations I have kept my head and got on with my business and kept quiet and not said anything.
"The gaffer has not put me back in and that is fair enough. I asked him on Monday if I can go out on loan and he came to me on Tuesday with Charlton so I said if I was not available to him I want to go out and play football for the rest of the season.
"He has thrown me in for a couple of games and taken me out again which is a bit harsh. It just shows sometimes it takes a bit longer than that, other players have had that opportunity but I haven't.
"I am not going to point the finger but as I said I deal with it.
"I don't like to talk, I just like to get on with my business and everyone who knows me knows I am a serious guy and I love my football and love playing football and I just want to get on with it."