Mateovsky

[brendywendy]

he was bought for the prmeiere league
to give us the extra options we needed in the prem, like 433, 4411, 451, etc
when we changed that system vs swansea we looked a proper team.
just didnt get the chance in th eprem as he came into a misfiring and low on confidence team, at a bad time
we would be crazy to let a midfielder of his class go if we are going up IMO

[Scarface]

It does appear Coppell is not a good enough manager to fit Marek into the Reading style of football, however I'd rather we kept him on the off chance we get promoted as I can see us playing 4-5-1 next season a lot.

[brendywendy]

its what i would go with away to any of the top half teams
he would also help coming on midway through games into a 451 to shore things up
or 433 to push for a win

[floyd__streete]

Where's the Matejovsky will tear up this division nonsense fromt he summer gone then?

He was never going to be able to fit in in the harum-scarum Championship in our side with its direct style of play. I don't doubt this bloke is a decent player, but he gives the ball away a hell of a lot. But then, as we saw at Swansea, our players aren't on the same wave-length as skilfull, passing footballers. Another poor big money signing from our management team. No wonder Madejski is so tight with the purse strings.

[Woodcote Royal]

Totally agree with the main thrust of your post but I doubt that there are many Chairmen up and down the country who don't envy the protection JM's wallet enjoys from Steve Coppell's frugality.

Even expensive failures like Halford and Faye have had most of their fees recovered in the transfer market.

With any sale of Hunt in the current window almost certain to bring this seasons proceeds from selling players we bought for shirt buttons to within a whisker of £20m, I feel sure this will be viewed as one sector of JM's business interests that is little short of miraculous in it's success, especially given the current climate.

[IMAMATEOFJOVSKY]

Where's the Matejovsky will tear up this division nonsense fromt he summer gone then?

He was never going to be able to fit in in the harum-scarum Championship in our side with its direct style of play. I don't doubt this bloke is a decent player, but he gives the ball away a hell of a lot. But then, as we saw at Swansea, our players aren't on the same wave-length as skilfull, passing footballers. Another poor big money signing from our management team. No wonder Madejski is so tight with the purse strings.

The guy cost £1m - which in this days of £100m transfers, wouldnt even pay for the after transfer champagne

We dont do flair players at Reading ,thats the problem - industrious hard- working comes before cultured, creative in Royals requirements

You can have cultures/creative in Marek or you can have industrious hard- working in the rest of Reading centre midfield??????

[SteveRoyal]

To be honest, I think it's because Coppell (unlike other managers) doesn't like us playing in a different formation.
He's always been a 4-4-2 manager, and when he tries something different , this happens (I know it was Man U, but the point still stands).
If we played a 4-3-1-2 formation with Matejovsky in the free role, I'm sure he'd be fantastic.

---------Fed---------
-Ro--Bik--Ingi--Ar-
--Tabb--Harp--Cis--
---------Mat---------
---N H--------Doy---

... never going to happen.
you could always replace the central 3 with 2 wingers and a dm.

[Toon Toon Blue army]

Passing it on the floor with Matejovsky and Cisse in CM >>>>> Hoofing it to the wings with Harper and Cisse in CM.


Also on the changing the formation debate, did we not change to 4-5-1 again Chelsea and Man Utd 2 seasons ago and managed a draw at Chelsea and narrowly lost away at United?

[daveewington]

I believe that if we really are a club looking to establish in the Prem then we need strength and depth in all areas and just because someone isn't playing doesn't mean he's not a key member of the squad. I agree that Mateovsky's game doesn't suit the Championship style, but I don't think SC was planning on being in the Championship really. The problem isn't the formation either, its more that Mateovsky's and Harps' styles don't compliment each other on the pitch.. and while Harper isn't on great form at the moment (despite his "wonder assist" recently lol) I do still feel he brings an awful lot to the team. How long Mateovsky will sit on the bench for is another matter all together...

Views?

[LoyalRoyalFan]

By the way it's Matejovsky... not Mateovsky.

[rg6royal]

To be honest, I think it's because Coppell (unlike other managers) doesn't like us playing in a different formation.
He's always been a 4-4-2 manager, and when he tries something different , this happens (I know it was Man U, but the point still stands).
If we played a 4-3-1-2 formation with Matejovsky in the free role, I'm sure he'd be fantastic.

---------Fed---------
-Ro--Bik--Ingi--Ar-
--Tabb--Harp--Cis--
---------Mat---------
---N H--------Doy---

... never going to happen.
you could always replace the central 3 with 2 wingers and a dm.

I'm loving the look of that formation. If Harps goes though stick karacan in there.

[statto]

"but his body-language suggests he's fallen out with SC"

Another totally unfounded statement, unless you are a body language expert, which I very much doubt.

[Victor Meldrew]

but his body-language suggests he's fallen out with SC,

Do you watch them two in training every day?

Spacey,
It's THOSE two,not THEM two or if you wanted to have the meaning of "also" it would be "too" not "two".
Yes,I know it's infuriating but you need to feel what others feel when you correct them when it has no great significance in a debate.

[Snowball]

"but his body-language suggests he's fallen out with SC"
Another totally unfounded statement, unless you are a body language expert, which I very much doubt.


Bad Luck, Sunshine. I AM well-trained in body-language. I have three degrees, two in psychology.

And I know how to spell Matejovsky, too, but we all make typos.

You only have to look at Matejovsky warming up to see he knows he has about a 1% chance of getting on.

And whether you "believe in" Matejovsky or not, it's common-sense to know that he will lack some
confidence after being overlooked so often. He would improve with a run in the team. I don't want to
second-guess SC, and, funny this, but I think he knows more about professional football than I do... so
I have to presume he knows what he's doing. It looks, though, as if Matejovsky is unhappy, and I would
not be surprised to see him leave.

I am not anti-Harps or Cisse, but Harps looks to me as if he's not really got his head right this season.
He looks more like a player "going through the motions" than imposing himself on games. As some have
said though, that might be due to SC's game-plan and manager's instructions.

But the big difference watching Reading compared to an awful lot of Championship sides is our MF
rarely/never seems to "take control" and run a game and we seem to be lost against a 5 man MF on form
or two very good men in the middle.

I've seen every home league game this year plus the games at Cardiff, Wolves and Brum. Away we've looked good,
but how many games have we played at home, been out-played or edged before snatching a goal out of nothing
and then going ahead for a good win.

eg the latest. There was nothing in it and it looked like 0-0 for half-time until Armstrong's goal v Watford. Yes,
they eventually folded but that was the second 4-0 that flattered us.


I know our results, our goal difference, our league position, but why do I watch games and worry about
our lack of control? We were outplayed by Swansea Away, Saints Home and Away... Cardiff should have
been a 0-1. They say the table doesn't lie, but we could easily be a lot lower. Lose to Cardiff 0-1, fail
to get that last minute equaliser at Saints...

Does anyone seriously doubt that our main problem (if you can have a problem and be second...) is midfield?

[Ian Royal]

Yes.

[SteveRoyal]

Yes.

I like the squad. It's definitely a class championship team, but if we go up next season we need at least one flair player in each section of the field.
We've got... Marek.

[Wizard]

I think he could be briliant in a 5-man midfield in the Premiership next year, if of course we go up. Tucked in between Doyle and the middle of midfield anyway.

[statto]

Wow, a statement based on knowledge, it had to happen sooner or later, you become a bit cynical reading some of the garbage on here.

I'm not a Harper fan, I can see what he does organisationally, but feel he could do more when he has the ball, and what exactly does a non-tackling non-passing, non-noticeable defensive midfielder add to a team? he's OK at this level but I don't think he can cut it in the prem.

It pains me that this team isn't built around Matejovsky, but that said, he doesn't help himself by being very sloppy when he plays with some of his passing, and as for his Scholes-esque tackling........


If he was more consistent, he probably wouldn't play for us, but he's a great player to have

[SLAMMED]

Matejovsky's value will be more evident if we get back to the premier league - he is arguably the only central midfield player we have that can be as creative as we will need to make a good fist of it second time around.

Im pretty sure next year would be our third year in the premier league? Or am i mistaken.

[SLAMMED]

"but his body-language suggests he's fallen out with SC"
Another totally unfounded statement, unless you are a body language expert, which I very much doubt.


Bad Luck, Sunshine. I AM well-trained in body-language. I have three degrees, two in psychology.

!!!SLAMMED!!!