Reading Football Club News

• Nickname:Royals
• Founded:1871
• Manager:Brian McDermott

• Ground:Madejski Stadium
• Capacity:24,200

Coppell warning for Lita

15 Nov 2007 - 09:40:58

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Reading striker Leroy Lita has been warned by manager Steve Coppell to improve his performances if he expects to get back into the starting eleven quickly.

The England Under-21 international has scored just once in eight appearances this season and was left out of the squad for the 3-1 home defeat by Arsenal on Monday evening.

Coppell told the club's official website: "Leroy hasn't been playing well. I need him to be on the end of things, scoring goals.

"We're all judged on results, if I don't get results I'm out. It's the same for strikers, it's a competitive situation.

"I'm looking for combinations that are effective, scoring regularly and making a full contribution.

"Kevin Doyle has scored goals and Dave Kitson gives us something the others don't.

"Shane Long has been our most effective sub, as he showed with his role in our goal against Arsenal. He's scored off the bench and also made an impact.

"In the previous home game against Newcastle he scored the winner. He's our supersub, but he won't thank me for saying that."

Lita joined Reading for £1million from Bristol City in the summer of 2005 and has scored 30 goals in 79 appearances in total for the Royals.