McLeish Comments

[facaldaqui]

I don't agree with the word "clinical" for Reading yeaterday. "Brilliant" would be a better word for our finishing. I suppose you could call our conversion rate clinical, because we didn't have that many shots. But the goals themselves were amazing. First we had Noel bending a free kick over the wall into the corner, which we would be purring about if it was by Beckham. Then we had Doyle executing a complex technical header from a difficult angle. Finally, best of all, we saw him beat two men on the corner flag and send over a wicked cross that curled away from the keeper and defenders at the crucial moment. These were not clinical finishes, they were masterpieces of skilful play.

[TFF]

As more of his comments are revealed it becomes clear why we shouldn't get too excited by his opinion...

THEY do the simple things well, are super-efficient and possess pace throughout the side – that was Alex McLeish’s verdict on Reading.

The Royals leapfrogged Blues into second place in the Championship and are now being tipped as potential title winners after the way they won at St Andrew’s.

McLeish said: “I think they are a super-efficient team. They do the simple things very well.

“I don’t think they’re a beautiful football team. They knock balls in the channels, they chase it down, they know what they’re doing. Kevin Doyle gets on the end of things, he holds the ball up extremely well for them. That’s worth its weight to any team.

“The best footballing team? I don’t know, I think it’s too close to call.

“There have been others. Swansea, for instance, are a marvellous footballing team. They’re the best we’ve played football-wise.

“But Reading are very clinical. They play a classical 4-4-2 – they have a great understanding of their system.

“And I also think there’s a good element of speed in their game, in most of the positions, which is a big factor in being a successful team.”

http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingha ... -22529788/

[Thaumagurist*]

In football, quantity is more important than quality. The number of goals can win you games and the more games you win, you get many points and the most points helps to win the championship and/or promotion. No matter how pretty the football is.

[Royal Rother]

The number of goals can win you games and the more games you win, you get many points and the most points helps to win the championship and/or promotion.

Great sentence that.

[Hoop Blah]

McLeish has described us perfectly.

I don't see why anyway would argue against what he says. He's not even slagging us off, he's just saying we're good at what we do and it's effective.

[Thaumagurist*]

The number of goals can win you games and the more games you win, you get many points and the most points helps to win the championship and/or promotion.

Great sentence that.

Yeah, I used too many ANDs.

[Great Knolly]

I like the way we play. Same as I prefer to watch ManU than Arsenal. Arsenal are pretty but can be over-elaborate. ManU try to create chances quickly and seem to have more ways of creating chances.
If we can create a chance by Kebe running the ball 60 yards and then cutting it back, then why not. Or a create a chance directly from a Federici pass...
We create chances. We don't do attempts. Anyone can have lash from 35 yrds with a 1 in a 100 chance of it going in. Without trying to walk it into the net, Coppell's teams try to create chances that have a good chance of becoming goals.

Has McLeish seen us against Swansea, or Sheff Wed or Derby or Burnley ...... ?

[floyd__streete]

I like the way we play. Same as I prefer to watch ManU than Arsenal. Arsenal are pretty but can be over-elaborate. ManU try to create chances quickly and seem to have more ways of creating chances.

Have to say that I agree with that, every word.

[Stranded]

As more of his comments are revealed it becomes clear why we shouldn't get too excited by his opinion...

THEY do the simple things well, are super-efficient and possess pace throughout the side – that was Alex McLeish’s verdict on Reading.

The Royals leapfrogged Blues into second place in the Championship and are now being tipped as potential title winners after the way they won at St Andrew’s.

McLeish said: “I think they are a super-efficient team. They do the simple things very well.

“I don’t think they’re a beautiful football team. They knock balls in the channels, they chase it down, they know what they’re doing. Kevin Doyle gets on the end of things, he holds the ball up extremely well for them. That’s worth its weight to any team.

“The best footballing team? I don’t know, I think it’s too close to call.

“There have been others. Swansea, for instance, are a marvellous footballing team. They’re the best we’ve played football-wise.

“But Reading are very clinical. They play a classical 4-4-2 – they have a great understanding of their system.

“And I also think there’s a good element of speed in their game, in most of the positions, which is a big factor in being a successful team.”

http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingha ... -22529788/

I also thought Swansea were one of the better footballing teams we've played. They just had no cutting edge up top where as we had plenty. Soton also played some excellent football on the day against us but can't do consistantly.

[Ark Royal]

I downloaded a vid of the entire game and after watching it, I thought that we were more direct than I would have cared for, but it worked perfectly against what was a pretty poor Brum side. How the hell have they done as good as they have?

Also, nice to see Quashie again in his Annual Battle Against Promotion.

[Ian Royal]

I'm assuming West Brom will be buying him in January so he can confirm their relegation.

[Franchise FC]

I don't think McLeish was being particularly derogatory, but if he was, then let him carry on.

If he thinks that the only reason they lost was because we out-clinic'ed them, then he won't notice the Brum deficiencies and that'll let us pull away quite nicely.

[rg6royal]

I downloaded a vid of the entire game and after watching it, I thought that we were more direct than I would have cared for, but it worked perfectly against what was a pretty poor Brum side. How the hell have they done as good as they have?

Also, nice to see Quashie again in his Annual Battle Against Promotion.

Where did you get this video of the game from?

[FiNeRaIn]

LOL@ his comments today.

" You saw from their performances against both cardiff and southampton that their league position is higher than the should be, reading have one or two good individuals and a manager who i deeply respect, but I can't see a side that can only take 1 point off a relegation team in two games being our main rivals for second place. I am expecting to make some signings in janaury but I can't see steve bringing anyone in, reading like to do things on the cheap and thats a large part of why they were relegated last season".

Thats bound so spice things up a bit.

[brendywendy]

LOL@ his comments today.

" You saw from their performances against both cardiff and southampton that their league position is higher than the should be, reading have one or two good individuals and a manager who i deeply respect, but I can't see a side that can only take 1 point off a relegation team in two games being our main rivals for second place. I am expecting to make some signings in janaury but I can't see steve bringing anyone in, reading like to do things on the cheap and thats a large part of why they were relegated last season".

Thats bound so spice things up a bit.

ouch mcleish you little bitch!!

shows weve rattled them
and his own players will see through that bluster and realise that even their manager is worried

[Bristol Paul]

LOL@ his comments today.

" You saw from their performances against both cardiff and southampton that their league position is higher than the should be, reading have one or two good individuals and a manager who i deeply respect, but I can't see a side that can only take 1 point off a relegation team in two games being our main rivals for second place. I am expecting to make some signings in janaury but I can't see steve bringing anyone in, reading like to do things on the cheap and thats a large part of why they were relegated last season".

Thats bound so spice things up a bit.

and where did that supposedly come from?

[kwik-silva]

LOL@ his comments today.

" You saw from their performances against both cardiff and southampton that their league position is higher than the should be, reading have one or two good individuals and a manager who i deeply respect, but I can't see a side that can only take 1 point off a relegation team in two games being our main rivals for second place. I am expecting to make some signings in janaury but I can't see steve bringing anyone in, reading like to do things on the cheap and thats a large part of why they were relegated last season".

Thats bound so spice things up a bit.

and where did that supposedly come from?

And Swansea being all over them shows at they deserve to be promoted?! That man should shut the oxf*rd up and go back to being Scotland manager

[royalguy]

You have to laugh as I think they are the team that is not showing their true place.

Every time I have watched them they have looked pretty average and are lucky to even be third.

[Chaney]

gotta take those comments with a pinch of salt until I see where it came from,

[S09Royal]

LOL he's so concerned about us that he can't even talk to his own team and get them to beat Swansea.

"but I can't see a side that can only take 1 point off a relegation team in two games"

LOL. Cardiff aren't a relegation team and WE dumped Soton into the bottom 3 AFTER the game.
He really is cr*pping himself.

They can't beat Swansea, yet they (Brum) think they're better than us. We creamed (swansea) 4-0, they draw 0-0.
Only if they beat Sheffield Wednesday at home 6 bloody nil will i take notice and start to believe what he's saying, cos everything that's coming out of his mouth has been sucked from his thumb. (Providing he did actually say that...)