So we look to entertain one of last seasons losing semi finalists on Saturday. Good news is Garner being back, Bish getting minutes and apparently after one thread I started on TWTD - I'm Currie10.... looking more back to his old self. Listened to Benjamin Bloom's podcast with a dude who was at the Boro sat - there is news going around that Didsy MAY WELL be back Saturday - Which I certainly think is good news whether from the off or more likely the bench - we need all our big hitters fit for the season to have any hope. Reading are improving - however 10 off play offs, 11 off the drop. Seem the epitome of midtable this season to date. IF Reading are going to be the ONE SIDE that will come from nowhere to sneak top 6, probably a game they need win. Clear as day, we need a W to undo Boro - with 3 winnable H games this month and perhaps a write off at Wolves to come, decent chance of a good month points wise. That said, funny feeling this will be a draw - helping no one. 1-1. Should that be the case, need to hope PNE beat T'Blades.... they ( Sheff Utd ) seem our most likely avenue to the top 6 - have to say the other 5 are looking increasingly likely......... Anyone going?
As I touched upon elsewhere, it'll be interesting to see how we will fare against Reading, a side that has recently started playing a more 'attractive', on-the-ball style of football that we traditionally have struggled against in recent years (particularly this season). There does seem to be a debate over whether McGoldrick is a positive influence on the team or whether he slows down the tempo of our play and makes the team more unbalanced. I personally believe that, as a technically proficient player and a player in good form, he should be involved. I'd like to see him take the Huws role as an advanced midfielder in the middle and drop Huws back alongside Connelly in central midfield. Connelly could play the Skuse role and may lead to more agile central midfield duo behind the attackers. Agreed this is a must win game if we want to have a chance of play offs come May. Personally, I think we can edge this, 2-1 Town. It gets easily forgotten, but Reading were play off finalists last season.
Ahhh so they did, losing to Huddersfield in the final! Didsy is an interesting one - however he's at worst part of the 14, 25 minutes off the bench and at best he's an absolutely fundamental way of the way we play. Would be fantastic to have Didsy/Huws AND Celina all in the same 11 somehow..... it's a nice problem to have if he's finally back for Saturday though. We've not had too many attacking alternatives / selection headaches for many a year. A few at the Boro spoke quite highly of Bishop off the bench, and said while still short of fitness, not back to his best by any stretch of the imagination he was much better and offered intent. How are we going to line up for this do we feel? Garner back in the 11, 'Waggy' back out wide? Who'd drop out, maybe Celina unless Huws isn't 100%?
I like the idea of Connolly and Huws together, anything to get rid of Skuse, who just doesn't do enough. Garner I'm not particularly worried about, I'm not a fan. I did like the work that Bish did coming off the bench last week. He was positive and carried the ball forward, I'm not surprised some of the 'boro fans commented on him.
Will be interesting to see who Mick lines up with.. Does Garner come straight back in? If so, then who misses out? does Waggy get a spot on the right or behind Garner... Or does he change the formation to try and accomodate Garner, Waghorn, Hughes et al. If I was to guess I'd expect Ward to miss out and Garner to lead the line. Need a win really, as I think we'll lose next week which would mean going into Christmas off the back of 3 defeats and probably 9+ points off 6th which would pretty much see our season all but over (unsurprisingly) and would certainly reduce any enthusiasm from the supporters through until May, therfore I think we'll scrape an ugly win 2-1 with Waghorn and Spence with the goals.
I thought the side against Forest looked quite balanced,but Mick won't leave Chambers out ,,obviously and also expect him to bring back Garner(not a great fan either)
Agreed that Ward looks likeliest to be sacrificed with Garner up top and Waghorn out wide. I guess we can't complain with Waghorn out wide as he has scored and assisted several goals from that position, but I feel Garner's form has dropped since the opening month or two when he was scoring frequently. Garner is still a nuisance, and I guess you could call him a poor man's Diego Costa (in a nice way), so he could be quite effective against the Reading defence.
What we are all talking about is quite rare this last few years. Which quite talented players to leave out!! This is a must win, returning quickly to the kind of form we have showed glimpses of this season. Not often enough when we just dont show up at the races. I too am not happy that Chambo is still MM fave, cue, we will score with a thunderous header and get the crowd roaring! Every time I have said this line... once this season, and once last, he has indeed scored! 2-1, and clawing at the promotional hopefuls skirts again!
I've heard Garner's been playing a lot of this season needing an operation,,,, the injury he's just back from is a different one, however I think if his shoulder goes wrong a bit more he'll be out for the season - potentially why Moore is coming back.... Listened to Benjamin's podcast and he said Reading like to mess around with the ball, play out from the back and Cardiff were catching them for fun by a high press. This SHOULD suit us well, so perhaps more upbeat than I previously was. You'd have to think defeat for this and a couple more bad results would be the end for Stam - or if not Stam, the ' Royals' ' Super Reading ' ( god I hate that plastic club's ) season. You have to think we NEED to win this to keep intouch with Wolves A after.... that looks FUN to say the least......
Boring game in the end. Reading had all the ball but did nothing with it. Second half was tedious as we sat back and Reading passed it about with no real threat. Good result
A good win. Well done to all. Very likely defeat at Wolves next Sat I would imagine - I have the joys of going but you never know. That'll be the half way point - we've positioned ourselves into the mixer somehow.... Sheff Utd host Villa next Sat so a free hit. We're going to have finished 50% A MAXIMUM FOUR points off the play offs....... COYB.
Great result against one of our bogey teams! Tougher test next but after that a few winnable Home games to ease us into the New Yesr!
Forum is a bit quiet this evening. Good result against a team we typically struggle against, not to mention the style of football Reading play. We adopted a similar style of play against Boro in that we sat back and invited pressure and let them have possession but hit them on the counter. Difference is Boro had a good threat in final third, Reading meanwhile struggled to hit the target. Two points of play offs but can't see us getting anything against Wolves. Expect another defensive performance.
Forums are a lot quieter after a win than defeat. People have more to say upon defeat, some people have naff all positive to say frankly at times and I'm a little bit at the end of my tether with posting thoughts online at times to be honest. If we'd lost today, I know for an absolute fact we'd have a lot more posts than 19 - we'd be going on about certain players and it would be a f***ing lovely place to be around on a Saturday night. We all know that. Anyway, onto Wolves A sat - which looks mission impossible, however Sunderland drew there and I think I'm right in saying Mick hasn't lost to Wolves since he left them - so you never know. Funny game football.
