That position is a bit of an issue isn’t it, I’m not even sure coyle os the answer. I suspect we’ll see that improved in the summer as a priority
The discussion was about how we started, not about what happened after 30 mins!!! I'm sure we'd have loved to have got up and at em, carrying on where we left off v Peterborough. But we weren't capable. It's not simply about what we want to do - there's always another team out there with their own game plan. They were just too good for us.
Yeah the individual gap in quality was too big. Other games with this gap for example Bournemouth we have ridden our luck through either Baxter coming up big (big miss currently) or sometimes dodgy decisions going our way. And then we’ve also had the one good chance taken.
Take solace from the fact (maybe) that Readings next games are Forest, Bournemouth, Blackburn, Barnsley, Stoke, Cardiff, Sheffield United, Swansea, then us... Derby's are equally tough, so are Barnsleys...
Next 5 are huge for us, if we can keep he gap the same we should be all good. Definitely some winnable games coming up too. Brum, Cov, Luton and Hudds and Boro all got the pressure of maintaining form to try get into play offs. Personally in my opinion the best teams to play in a run in. Would take 5 points from the next 5.
If City get another 5 points in the last 10 games that will take us on to 42. To catch us, Derby would then need to win six of their last 10 games (or win five and draw three). Can’t see that happening. And the other two are goners after today.
Wba played second half in second gear , felt they could have stepped it up if needed . Maybe Bruce didn’t want to hammer us but we were no threat to them . Easy to say after but just because we win -“3-0 against a ****e team shouldn’t automatically mean unchanged , they where strong and physical and Smith and Slater out their depth, men v boys . Huddlestone should have been on at half time , too much aimless hoofing
I’m amazed Huddleston isn’t used more, yes he’s not as mobile as some on here like but **** me he’s better than the rest of the midfield put together. A guy behind me didn’t want tom on because he slows us down. I wanted to ask: Is that because he slows our quick passing game down….even though he’s the only one that can see a pass? Or does he slow the long aimless ball to the forward down? The 3 wba centre backs were big units, we knocked aimless balls upto smith. He had no chance of been effective
we prat about much to much along the back line - we're not good enough and we get pushed further back and either get the keeper to hoof it or someone else panics and hoofs it - I really think Greaves is massively over rated - he can't head the ball with any accuracy and prats about too much with the ball ie gives penalties away - we definitely need a top centre back - plus we're still missing a central striker - all this Eeeeeeaves stuff is bull **** - he really is no better than league 2 standard - on top of that todays ref was **** = maybe he thought if he could endear himself to Bruce he may sign the match programme for him
The long ball thing cannot be part of our game plan, it was totally pointless launching it up to Smith. For all Smallwood's experience, he gives the ball away far too much and for every killer ball, there are three or four key mistakes. The likes of Huddlestone, Slater (when not being played at RWB), Cannon et al should be knocking on the manager's door and asking what they need to do to displace him because he seems undroppable. We lack a final ball something chronic. We aren't too bad moving the ball about on the ground, especially when we are breaking, but we are still far too over reliant on crossing the ball, we don't mix it up enough. The players get into half decent positions and then they don't know what to do. The biggest thing for me is that if we're going to play with WBs, they need to start taking on their men more. Far too often we see them storm forward, get to their opponent, stop, put their foot on the ball and work it backwards, which gives the opposition time to get back and defend. The likes of KLP, Fleming and Longman should be trying to skin people if the option is on and if they're further up the park, otherwise we end up going side to side and not really going anywhere. If he's fit, Longman should be on the right with Slater in the middle. Or, when he's fit, Williams. Both of them can skin people for fun. Allahyar keeps being played in central midfield, not sure why, he's a forward player and should be playing upfront. On the plus side, the midfield did move and support the wide men a lot better than it did against Barnsley. Thought Macca should have got MoTM really, I'm glad he's finally showing what he can do at this level after a rocky start. Next game, 3-4-3 for me. Allahyar, KLP and Eaves up front, Fleming and Longman at WB, Doc and Honeyman in the midfield, today's back 3 and whichever goalkeeper is fit.
Greaves was our best attacker toady. All our forwards are l2/l1 strikers, championship goal scorers don’t come free. Eaves has had a purple patch, nothing more than that
Was saying to our kid today, there'll be a clearout in the Summer, it doesn't matter if we finish 21st on goal difference, we might just need to limp over the line. In addition to a proper striker, I think we need a better creative midfielder. Either KLP can play there, or we need a Koren type player who can produce something a bit special to lift the game when we're struggling.
I think you're being unkind to Fleming there. Maybe he had a poor day ???... but he does exactly what we would hope of an attacking wing back...
