6 wins in 24 games for JFH and 1 win in 7. But it's not his team? whereas NW unbeaten in 11 matches with 6 wins/5 draws, only 7 goals conceded. That's not his team either.
Looking at our squad I'd say it maybe many a year before we're challenging play-offs again. This should have been the season where we were competing but decisions off the pitch really put paid to that & alongside the team I'd say that CR, JFH, LF & TF have all underperformed. Just look at what NW has done with Rotherham & with an inferior squad to see what an experienced manager at this level can do
I agree with that BF. It also saddens me that when we under perform/lose people say the seasons over so not worried? We pay good money for our season tickets for players just to give up. We need to be building confidence for next season not throw the towel in. I am worried about next season because i can see the same as what we have at present.
When the players run out in August for the first game of a new season, will their performances in April make any difference to their confidence four months later?
For younger players where experience is important then quite possibly yes. We're already doing a good job of destroying Washington's confidence, whether he's good enough or not remains to be seen but a run of games & a goal or two would surely set him in going stead for next season as opposed to just being given a few minutes here or there.
Yep overall it's a great plan Take a west London team with a great heritage dress them like pirate clowns, spend a fortune, promise the world with a large slab of corporate fluff and ego and onwards towards Caterham it's a wonderful story Looking forward already to the next twist in the tale What I can't stomach is the story fed by the in house media ... We have some real idiots at the club there
We need to get relegated this season to have any chance of challenging for the play-offs next time around, Soops.
With the players we have bought that may have been the plan, Baldrick could have been more cunning...
Surely it is all about what happens in the summer? Let's see what team we have come August this year.
So far it would seem that we are **** and JFH hasn't made any difference. We'll see what August brings. But I wish I didn't have tickets for Bristol City!
You could run a competition, Col. First prize could be a ticket for the Bristol City game, second prize could be two tickets for the Bristol City game...
Other than Phillips and possibly Luongo I didn't see players who were not trying but players who were simply not good enough. In particular, if we go into next season with a defence still 'marshalled' by Onuoha then we can expect more of the same. In midfield, despite my being an avid admirer of his, Ale Faurlin needs to get himself fit enough to see out 90 minutes or should not be offered a new contract. Up front it is ludicrous to look at Polter as lone striker as his touch and control is nowhere near good enough. And the managers tactics are simply not flexible enough.
Don't really know what to make of yesterday's game. End of season match with nothing whatsoever riding on the outcome, it was a tepid affair at best. Ingram looks as though he will be more than adequate backup for Smithies, although he didn't have a great deal to do yesterday in truth. The players did nothing to lift the crowd and as a result it was incredibly flat both on and off the pitch, a draw a fair reflection of that. Probably slightly unfair, but I'm going to single out Polter as being the worst of a bad bunch, his touch was abysmal. Can someone tell me what on earth is the point of bringing on Washington with only 5 minutes remaining? 7th May can't come quick enough when we can draw a line under this season and renew our hopes for August.
I think all this negativity around yesterday's performance is overdone. My son and I agreed at half time that it had been an entertaining 45 minutes with some attractive football and good chances created. The second half degenerated as the game went on with too much head tennis and balls lobbed up in the general direction of Polter. There's the rub: to kill off this all-too-easy tactic, JLH should have changed things after 65 minutes and brought on Washington so that we did what we did quite well in the first half: play some short sharp passing movements on the ground. JLH was also late in taking off Phillips and Gladwin, neither of whom contributed much during their time on the pitch. Gladwin, at least, is, in my opinion, worth persevering with. Phillips, we should sell. With the familiar exception of Phillips, there was no lack of effort yesterday and several players showed a fair amount of skill and determination. Sure, Polter was almost ridiculously clumsy at times but he held the ball up well, battled away and was involved in a handful of good moves. He does a job for us and I hope we can help him to improve his technical ability. Gladwin showed some flashes; unfortunately, there were as many bad flashes as good. Phillips was his usual disinterested self and hasn't now beaten a man or put in a decent cross since the early part of last year. Whilst he is a poor captain and leader, Onuoha also battled away, winning many decent headers, as did Hall. Kpekwa showed real promise. Perch continued his recent good form. After a few iffy performances, Faurlin was again his usual composed self and ran the game until he seemed to tire in the second half. Luongo showed great skill at times and won a handful of notable tackles. Chery was again excellent, at the heart of most of our best attacking moves. Whilst I was never a fan of Ramsay, I said to my son that he and SLF deserve credit for bringing in players like Luongo, Chery and Hall to the club. If we exclude Phillips, I would retain ten of yesterday's starting eleven and I think these give JLH a basis for a good team next year. A couple of wise acquisitions and a decent pre-season and we should be challenging for the play-offs in 2016/17. To me, JLH has not been wholly convincing but, given time, I think he may develop these players into a useful team.
I took my kids to this game and they had a great time. Nothing to do with the football mind, but a large Reading fan in the lower school end offering out the whole Ellerslie road stand - and getting it back in spades - until he was taken away by the stewards after about 70 minutes. It says everything about the football that after 5 minutes the chant went up 'bring him back, bring him back, bring him back'......
Yes it's called a 'winning mentality'. Unless of course you think players should give up in March /April.