Hammond To Reading?

[Fox Ulike]

Cmon.. is that really meant to be a commendation? One whole month!

Listen, I've never slated Hammond... he came into the squad last season when needed and did well.

But I don't and never have subscribed to this view that the Premiership isn't 'all that'. To compare the likes of Hull, West Brom, West Ham etc with the Championship sides is folly IMO. I think it's going to be tougher than many are saying and players like Hammond, for example, I don't think will be good enough. Not bad, but not good enough. Same with Wood.

 

“Folly” eh?

 

You’re talking about our fourth choice midfielder. Is he really any worse than Stoke’s Glenn Whelan, Barry Bannon of Palace, or Karl Henry of QPR?

 

No he’s got “good enough” to play 38 league games and drive our midfield all season. But yes he is “good enough” to be a squad player who steps in for the odd game or comes on at the end of a game to shore up midfield in a boring way.

 

You seem to imply that all other Premiership sides have 25 top-of-the-range galacticos all oiled like Greek Gods in their prime.  And it’s simply not the case. Alex Bruce is a Premiership player. ALEX BRUCE!!

 

Apart from the big boys everybody else’s squad is made up in the same way as ours. A team of quality players and then a set of back-up players which includes players like Hammond.

 

If our star players get injured then we’ll be weaker. But, guess what, that’s exactly the same for every other team in our position.

 

Chillax about Dean Hammond.

[Dickov22]

“Folly” eh?

You’re talking about our fourth choice midfielder. Is he really any worse than Stoke’s Glenn Whelan, Barry Bannon of Palace, or Karl Henry of QPR?

No he’s got “good enough” to play 38 league games and drive our midfield all season. But yes he is “good enough” to be a squad player who steps in for the odd game or comes on at the end of a game to shore up midfield in a boring way.

You seem to imply that all other Premiership sides have 25 top-of-the-range galacticos all oiled like Greek Gods in their prime. And it’s simply not the case. Alex Bruce is a Premiership player. ALEX BRUCE!!

Apart from the big boys everybody else’s squad is made up in the same way as ours. A team of quality players and then a set of back-up players which includes players like Hammond.

If our star players get injured then we’ll be weaker. But, guess what, that’s exactly the same for every other team in our position.

Chillax about Dean Hammond.

Good post, I agree.

If we do play a three man midfield though at some points, we could perhaps do with someone better than Hamond and King. And I think we'll get him.

No problem with Hammond doing a job though. Prefer him to Kingy actually.

[Fosse93]

Cmon.. is that really meant to be a commendation? One whole month!

Listen, I've never slated Hammond... he came into the squad last season when needed and did well.

But I don't and never have subscribed to this view that the Premiership isn't 'all that'. To compare the likes of Hull, West Brom, West Ham etc with the Championship sides is folly IMO. I think it's going to be tougher than many are saying and players like Hammond, for example, I don't think will be good enough. Not bad, but not good enough. Same with Wood.

It's 'one whole month' more than most of the squad, he was in exactly the same scenario at Southampton as to what we find ourselves in now. Has any other player in our squad apart from GTF been promoted to the prem before? I think not. Their experience, however small, will be invaluable to us.

 

As for the comment about the Premier League, I've not seen one poster on here say that it won't be tough so not sure where that comment has come from. 

 

I wouldn't compare the likes of Hull, West Brom or West Ham to Championship sides but I do believe the gulf in class has dramatically decreased over the years.

[LCCFox96]

For me it's all about adding to the squad we already have, whether that be within the starting 11 (*) or the first option of the bench or rotation option in any position (**). (this can be seen in our strengthening so far - *Albrighton, Ulloa or **Hamer whereas we have still kept Logan and Smith). It's no good adding to the top of a squad while the bottom of it is falling away if we are concerned about our squad being thin on the ground. Selling Hammond and bringing in another player leaves us in exactly the same situation as before if, god forbid Drinkwater or James are injured - with 4 central midfielders. We need another addition there and to keep hold of the squad players like Hammond.

[Stevosevic]

He's no Esteban.

[Kitchandro]

For me it's all about adding to the squad we already have, whether that be within the starting 11 (*) or the first option of the bench or rotation option in any position (**). (this can be seen in our strengthening so far - *Albrighton, Ulloa or **Hamer whereas we have still kept Logan and Smith). It's no good adding to the top of a squad while the bottom of it is falling away if we are concerned about our squad being thin on the ground. Selling Hammond and bringing in another player leaves us in exactly the same situation as before if, god forbid Drinkwater or James are injured - with 4 central midfielders. We need another addition there and to keep hold of the squad players like Hammond.

 

Well, not if he's a better player than Hammond it doesn't.

 

We need to be adding quality to the squad, not just bodies. We should be aiming to improve on the starting 11, competition for places and all that. Hammond will do no good to the squad at all, he is unworthy backup and certainly won't be pushing Drinkwater & James for their place. He's a waste of space in a league where we must have a squad with players capable of competing in it.

[Guest Col city fan]

Well, not if he's a better player than Hammond it doesn't.

We need to be adding quality to the squad, not just bodies. We should be aiming to improve on the starting 11, competition for places and all that. Hammond will do no good to the squad at all, he is unworthy backup and certainly won't be pushing Drinkwater & James for their place. He's a waste of space in a league where we must have a squad with players capable of competing in it.

I completely agree and tried to make this point quite early in the summer. It's NOT only about bodies. Lose Drinkwater and/or James and King/Hammond WILL NOT do as good a job. Or if they did, I'd be surprised.

Lose Morgan and Moore and Upson WILL NOT come in and do as good a job. Again, if he did, I'd be surprised. Lose DeLaet and who plays right back? Moore? Is he a good as RDL in that position.

The only position we have improved our squad is in the strike force, with the signing of Ulloa. Lose Vardy/Nugent and in comes Leonardo, no problem. Indeed, he might even start.

So... Where's the strength in depth? Not just the depth, but the strength in depth? The two are very different. That's my worry at present. Not that our subs, individually, are pants.. But are they good enough to step in for our best players when they aren't available?

[Les-TA-Jon]

What are you on? Are you actually saying we wouldn't be able to get someone better than Hammond, so we should therefore keep him?

 

I'm saying that, given that NP's strategy is to only sign players that are good enough for the starting XI, in order to replace Hammond, we'd need to sign someone as good as or better than James/Drinkwater. That, for a young promising versatile central midfielder, would be at least £6-8m plus? I don't see us making that kind of signing

[DANGEROUS TIGER]

Getting a tad concerned that we aren't strengthening the defence as of yet.

 

 I really hoped we would have gone for Caulker, and now QPR have landed a gem.

 

Back to Hammond though. I just believe he will get found out, along possibly, with King, and we will be in all kinds of trouble. I'm backing Pearson all the way, and believe he is the right man for the job, but am getting a little nervous about the lack of depth in defence, as are others.  

[Bettsj2]

LB

Konch

Schlupp

CB

Wes

Was

Moore

Upson

RB

De Laet

So if we sign a back up right back, peeps will chillax??

[Vicki Vixen]

STH me.

 

I said last season, he has improved dramatically and his defending is much better, but this is the Premier League now, if he has a bad patch of form, or get's injured like we know he can, then who you going to play there? 

 

Wouldn't want Moore or Wasilewski starting at RB. De Laet needs proper competition, he is the only player in the side who doesn't have competition for his place, nearly all Premier League teams will have four full-backs, at the minute we only have three.

 

Totally agree.  Lack of cover at RB is a big concern.  When RDL was injured last season we struggled to cope against teams that were smart enough to exploit us down that side, e.g. Brighton away when Wasiliewski played at right back.  

[LCCFox96]

Well, not if he's a better player than Hammond it doesn't.

 

We need to be adding quality to the squad, not just bodies. We should be aiming to improve on the starting 11, competition for places and all that. Hammond will do no good to the squad at all, he is unworthy backup and certainly won't be pushing Drinkwater & James for their place. He's a waste of space in a league where we must have a squad with players capable of competing in it.

I agree with you. My point was not quantity over quality. Why would I disagree with an ethos that has served us so well in the past?

My point is what's the issue with Hammond staying as 5th choice backup and adding a player of Drinkwater and James' quality that you alluded to in your post? I agree Hammond is not the best but as 5th choice backup he is cheap and fairly dependable so to keep him for one more year can't hurt. He would purely be cover for a worst case injury/suspension scenario.

[TheUltimateWinner]

Once the deals for Mackie and Ferdinand are confirmed, Reading will turn their attentions to Leicester City midfielder Dean Hammond.

When asked about the 30-year-old, Adkins said: "Dean was an unbelievable captain and leader of Southampton.

"He was in a team that got promoted again to the Premier League last season.

"He's a top man. That's all I'm going to say."

 

http://www.getreading.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/reading-fc-transfers-nigel-adkins-7582240#.U-ToFyjomio.facebook

[theessexfox]

I think had Hammond had the same run in the side that James and Drinkwater had, people would have seen the qualities that he displayed as a leader of a promotion-winning Southampton, and I think he would have done well for us. However, we simply had two better, younger midfielders ahead of him, so we didn't see enough of him. 

[Robin JD Popley]

Think Hammond gets some unfair stick as a player, but if we do end up signing Cambiasso, there is almost zero chance of him getting game time unless there are injuries. Perhaps this is why Adkins feels confident?

[NewburyFox]

Think Hammond gets some unfair stick as a player, but if we do end up signing Cambiasso, there is almost zero chance of him getting game time unless there are injuries. Perhaps this is why Adkins feels confident?

Pretty much agree with this. He did a solid job for us last season, providing much needed experience in the dressing room and a calm head when looking to close out a game. However, he's not blessed with great talent or athleticism and I'd be concerned if he's featuring regularly for us this season. He'd do a good job for Reading and with his history with Adkins and the potential Cambiasso signing, I'd say it's quite likely to happen.

[Bryn]

Whelan, Bannan and Henry are all shitloads better than Hammond.

[ATLFox]

Thanks.

 

I think we need another midfielder anyway, regardless if Hammond leaves or not. Sanchez looked very good at the World Cup, I saw somewhere Elche are asking for £4m. I also wouldn't mind looking at James McArthur, we could get him for about £3m or Jordan Veretout as we all know Pearson likes his French players, good young central midfielder currently playing for Nantes could possibly get him for about £5m

 

These prices are realistic for us now, we paid £8 million for Ulloa, we can surely pay a few million for a couple of players.

 

 

Jordan Veretout - Great shout but I think he has just signed an extension until 2017

[ImBlue]

Often brought on to see a game out, but his lack of mobility just meant that we sunk deeper and deeper.

Looked out of his depth last year, so right to move on.

[MC Prussian]

Jordan Veretout - Great shout but I think he has just signed an extension until 2017

He was supposed to according to latest rumours, but he hasn't signed a new Nantes deal as of yet.

[ktfox59]

Have to say I thought Dean Hammond was one of our more technically gifted players last season. One of the reasons i paid for a season ticket was to be able to just watch him warm up

[Fox Ulike]

Cmon.. is that really meant to be a commendation? One whole month!

Listen, I've never slated Hammond... he came into the squad last season when needed and did well.

But I don't and never have subscribed to this view that the Premiership isn't 'all that'. To compare the likes of Hull, West Brom, West Ham etc with the Championship sides is folly IMO. I think it's going to be tougher than many are saying and players like Hammond, for example, I don't think will be good enough. Not bad, but not good enough. Same with Wood.

 

Is that  Chris Wood our match-saving goalscorer....

 

I completely agree and tried to make this point quite early in the summer. It's NOT only about bodies. Lose Drinkwater and/or James and King/Hammond WILL NOT do as good a job. Or if they did, I'd be surprised.

Lose Morgan and Moore and Upson WILL NOT come in and do as good a job. Again, if he did, I'd be surprised. Lose DeLaet and who plays right back? Moore? Is he a good as RDL in that position.

The only position we have improved our squad is in the strike force, with the signing of Ulloa. Lose Vardy/Nugent and in comes Leonardo, no problem. Indeed, he might even start.

So... Where's the strength in depth? Not just the depth, but the strength in depth? The two are very different. That's my worry at present. Not that our subs, individually, are pants.. But are they good enough to step in for our best players when they aren't available?

 

... aaaaand do you mean Andy King our  MoTM....?

 

.... and all in one day. Col, mate, I'll call you a taxi .

 

It's all gone quiet on the Dean "Hamster" Hammond thread...

[hackneyfox]

Motm

That's one game, let's wait a bit and see how he continues shall we?

[Fox Ulike]

Motm

That's one game, let's wait a bit and see how he continues shall we?

 

Just out of interest.... How many times does he have to be the best player on the pitch to be considered "good enough" to even be on it?

[hackneyfox]

Just out of interest.... How many times does he have to be the best player on the pitch to be considered "good enough" to even be on it?

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