Reading - Good Result but ...
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He made 2 saves I wouldn't expect any 'normal' championship keeper to make. The rest would all have been errors if they'd gone in IMO.
We looked more threatening with 2 attack minded wingers and Ralls gave us the energy and drive that's been so absent from the Middle. His 2 set piece assists mean there is no reason whatsoever to put Whits back in. Malone is good enough that Fabio won't be missed. Gunnar had his best game for a long time.
Mason must be dropped, his confidence is gone. Looked like Saadi had done a hamstring but there was a little bit of promise before he started limping.
I thought Ralls really stepped up to the plate today. Slade should look to build the middle of the team around him and either Gunnar or Dika.
KWJ is absolutely crucial, that scares me, but right now I'm just over the moon he's back.
We looked more threatening with 2 attack minded wingers and Ralls gave us the energy and drive that's been so absent from the Middle. His 2 set piece assists mean there is no reason whatsoever to put Whits back in. Malone is good enough that Fabio won't be missed. Gunnar had his best game for a long time.
Mason must be dropped, his confidence is gone. Looked like Saadi had done a hamstring but there was a little bit of promise before he started limping.
I thought Ralls really stepped up to the plate today. Slade should look to build the middle of the team around him and either Gunnar or Dika.
KWJ is absolutely crucial, that scares me, but right now I'm just over the moon he's back.
We won a game I thought we'd lose - that's a start. Keeping a clean sheet out of that lot had so much to do with Marshall's heroics again. in all honesty it could have finished 4-4.
As it was the two set piece goals and Marshall saw us home but it was far from a convincing win in sheer footballing terms. Noone had his best game this season (didn't have to improve much to achieve that) and Gunnar showed some resemblance to his old form with Ralls alongside him instead of Whitts.
Besides Marshall, Connolly has proved to be a tower of strength at the back and it's noticeable how he's changed his style to carry the ball out of defence (a la Caulker) instead of lumping it. The problem has been he has very few options when he gets into the middle third. Ralls is there now to help matters and should stay there. I don't know what to say about Whitts returning other than Ralls and Gunnar deserve another shot at it together.
Up front we are way way off the mark in quality. The trouble is that unless Slade is very astute in the January window, anything better than what we've got is sure to cost some serious money. Recent figures for strikers at this level bandied about makes it doubtful that Tan would consider providing it.
As it was the two set piece goals and Marshall saw us home but it was far from a convincing win in sheer footballing terms. Noone had his best game this season (didn't have to improve much to achieve that) and Gunnar showed some resemblance to his old form with Ralls alongside him instead of Whitts.
Besides Marshall, Connolly has proved to be a tower of strength at the back and it's noticeable how he's changed his style to carry the ball out of defence (a la Caulker) instead of lumping it. The problem has been he has very few options when he gets into the middle third. Ralls is there now to help matters and should stay there. I don't know what to say about Whitts returning other than Ralls and Gunnar deserve another shot at it together.
Up front we are way way off the mark in quality. The trouble is that unless Slade is very astute in the January window, anything better than what we've got is sure to cost some serious money. Recent figures for strikers at this level bandied about makes it doubtful that Tan would consider providing it.
Personally i'm not so sure about Connolly, he's a good center half but has a tendency to make a big mistake during a game giving the opposition a good chance to score, if we didn't have Marshall i doubt that he'd be thought of as a rock in defence.
as far as strikers go i'd like to see how Idriss 'the Arabian prince' Saadi does before judging whether or not we need a new striker as Joe Mason is good backup IMO but can't play in the first team from the start because of his complete lack of pace.
Ralls and Gunnar should be played alongside eachother with dikgacoi coming in for gunnar if there is a lack of form, injury or suspension
Most defenders have a mistake in them and Connolly is no exception, but for me he's been my outfield player of the season so far. Morrison is far more variable in form, and with Manga and Turner both crocked, we'd have been right in the **** without Connolly coming good.
I agree about wanting to see how Saadi acquits himself with a few outings under his belt, but if you don't think we need quality up front, we've been watching different games. Mason tries and has a cool head but his first touch lets him down too often and chances go begging. Revell should still be playing for Rotherham, and Doyle was a panic buy.
Macheda is a sick note, and Bambi on ice Ameobi looks to me to have been a bad call. Only Jones has any real goal scoring credibility. In all honesty we're desperate for Saadi to come good, but that's a big gamble if we're going to challenge toward the top this season.
Agree totally about Connolly. Apart from Fabio he is our stand out outfield player so far.
There is a knob head who sits behind me who persists in calling Connolly "Brain dead". I think the idiot should be looking in a mirror when hurling such abuse. I missed Saturday but would have liked to see his reaction when Connolly scored.
There is a knob head who sits behind me who persists in calling Connolly "Brain dead". I think the idiot should be looking in a mirror when hurling such abuse. I missed Saturday but would have liked to see his reaction when Connolly scored.
Whittingham cannot just walk back into the team. The midfield deserves another few run out's.
Ralls was excellent, Gunnarrson had his best game for ages. Noone and Pilkington were good.
Ameobi and Mason were awful. City desperately need a new striker in January if Macheda is a long term sick note. Saadi needs time to get used to this league.
ps. What did Marshall have to do not to get a perfect TEN from the Western Mail ratings?
Ralls was excellent, Gunnarrson had his best game for ages. Noone and Pilkington were good.
Ameobi and Mason were awful. City desperately need a new striker in January if Macheda is a long term sick note. Saadi needs time to get used to this league.
ps. What did Marshall have to do not to get a perfect TEN from the Western Mail ratings?
It wasn't a 10/10 performance because of the only thing that'll stop Marshall playing for an absolutely top side. His distribution is ****ing terrible. Even allowing for that he's far too good for the Championship and any PL side outside the top 6 that needs quality in goal should have him at the top of their list. With the crazy values of players due to the ever increasing Sky money we should be asking £10m plus in January. A little less in the summer in fairness to the player.
I think it a little unfair to say Marshall saved us against Reading, they only really pressurised our goal when they were 2 - 0 down if Saadi had bagged his chance then they would have rolled over. Marshalls saves were very good but lets give credit where its due eh. We played well and it makes a huge difference when KWJ is on the park as he scares the life out of most defenders.
Amazing really....who would have thought playing a right winger on the right wing, a left winger on the left wing, two industrious up-and-down midfielders in central midfield and a striker who can actually score, would make a difference. Now why didn't anyone think of that before. Astounding.
It was actually far more radical than that. The really amazing ploy was in fact to play a left footed winger on the right and a right footed winger on the left.
Now if we could find a spot for Revell to show his true potential, we'd be steaming ahead - any ideas?
Now if we could find a spot for Revell to show his true potential, we'd be steaming ahead - any ideas?
It really is that simple
I couldn't help but notice that the players who looked most comfortable on the ball and wanted possession have all struggled to get in the side in recent weeks too.....
Malone, Ralls and Pilks all actively sought possession rather than the head down hiding in the corner approach we've seen from others in recent weeks. Ralls in particular was a revelation in the way he offered himself for the ball. I know Hilts has championed him for a good while and suggested building around him in the middle. It's definitely the way forward based on that performance.
Have to agree with Steve's last point.
I hadn't rated Ralls until this season. He has taken on more responsibility and come on leaps and bounds. A rall model for Revell. Pun intended.
I hadn't rated Ralls until this season. He has taken on more responsibility and come on leaps and bounds. A rall model for Revell. Pun intended.