Coppell !! . . Has he lost it ?

[Dirk Gently]

For me, though, the real low point was last week. Tuesday 10th March was the real watershed day for Reading FC - the day when I knew we weren't going up. I cannot tell you just how much contempt and loathing I have for Steve Coppell's "Blues Brothers" idea of getting the old band back together. It shows utter desperation and is a public declaration that there just no strategy and that the ideas have completely run out. Totally short-term thinking I'm still utterly apoplectic about it 5 days later.

The person I feel sorry for in all this is Noel Hunt - how much effort has he put in for the team just for Kits to waltz straight in?!?

I am still happy to see Kits back but am not sure the timing is right for his return.

and Long, where my prediciton was utterly correct. The first opportunity Coppell got to put Doyle and Kitson together he did, and Long was one of the few having a decent game. I bet Doyle and Kitson start Tuesday.

Let's not forget James Henry, to whom the message is effectively "You're doing really well, but you're not going to get a chance here. Instead we've brought back a player who's only played 1 complete 90 minutes in the past 2 years and he'll be an automatic starter now!"

[Alan Partridge]

'With so few games left it would have been pointless bringin him in and putting him on the bench'

Coppell on Kitson. Funny how it's different rules for different people, we scored 2 midweek and hit the post 3 times. Kitson playing slowed everything down, Long was the only person with any pace in our front 6 (inc the midfield) and it showed. Taking him off and playing Kitson 90 was insane but not quite as comical as Little and Boris playing 90.

There are so many young players here that are out at other lcubs doing the business. Davies at aldershot has double figures goals scored, Sigurdsson has been immense for Crewe, that's before we get to Henry and now Mooney as well.

These lads are supposed to be the lads to take the torch and to replace the ageing legs. The team that ended the game yesterday was old, slow and unfit. Who takes the blame for that?

[Ian Royal]

Fragile team hits woodwork early on then resorts to hoofball from the back. Ipswich were pretty shit and got lucky with a goal early in the second half.

Nothing Coppell could do about that. Didn't agree with all of the changes but fair enough, we looked pretty good for a while early on.

Duberry must be dropped, he was atrocious and largely responsible for move to desert using our midfield about 15 minutes into the game. A second set of sweeping changes aren't needed. Plenty of people weren't good enough, but lets give that a chance to settle in. My only changes would be Gunnarsson out and Cisse in. Gunnar's legs went and he made some piss poor mistakes.

Marek gave the ball away stupidly more in his sub appearance than Harper did all game, but I'd consider him in instead of Cisse. It might force us to play it short more, obviously tackling then becomes an issue. Long's first touch (was surprised to see he had one early on) deserted him before half time.

Rosenior was poor. The best you can do is describe Armstrong, Hahnemann, Harper and Doyle as ok.

Hahnemann let in the goal through his hands but it was very close and hit very hard. he also pulled off a great save.

Signs of promise early on which fell apart. Bikey must start. I'd be inclined to bring Doyle in as well, but Long may deserve one more go.

[chilipepper91]

'With so few games left it would have been pointless bringin him in and putting him on the bench'

Coppell on Kitson. Funny how it's different rules for different people, we scored 2 midweek and hit the post 3 times. Kitson playing slowed everything down, Long was the only person with any pace in our front 6 (inc the midfield) and it showed. Taking him off and playing Kitson 90 was insane but not quite as comical as Little and Boris playing 90.

There are so many young players here that are out at other lcubs doing the business. Davies at aldershot has double figures goals scored, Sigurdsson has been immense for Crewe, that's before we get to Henry and now Mooney as well.

These lads are supposed to be the lads to take the torch and to replace the ageing legs. The team that ended the game yesterday was old, slow and unfit. Who takes the blame for that?

CBA to trawl through, but Mooney has scored 2 in 2 for Norwich.

[Agent Balti]

Aside from the huge chuck of the dice to get Little and Kitson back on loan (our scouting system ROCKS!), I'm really wondering if Coppell has lost the dressing room. Once upon a time, players walked into the XI and stayed there - consistency reigned. Now, you must be a genius to work out the XI.

Defence, whilst pretty solid, is missing the likes of Bikey who clearly has done something to upset the hierarchy. I can't see why he doesn't play either in midfield for a bit of steel or in defence. Errors or not, he gives us something different instead of the indentikit players we do have. Like AP said in a previous post, you can chuck a blanket over Cisse, Harper, Karacan, Gunnarsson. Matejovsky is not our Sidwell, but he has to be utilised more than he has previously.

Players seem to be flying in and out of the 16 with no regular pattern and it's now clear that Coppell seriously doesn't have a Plan B. Why Tabb can't fit in (when providing an assist for Long against Charlton) the entire squad is baffling. Why can't SHunt be dropped? Why can't NHunt now get sniff? Why can't the team be built around Matejovsky instead hoping he just clicks into the existing system (sorry, ONLY system) we play.

I seriously thought that the win against Sheff Wednesday would have restored some confidence, there's nothing like an away win to galvanise...Plymouth was a decent point, but we should be winning there. I can only think that there is major uncertainty with HOW the decisions are made and what we actually practise in training. Someone mentioned earlier that it's not Coppell's fault our free kicks can't get past the first man, true; but it IS Coppell's training methods that they employ. Sometimes you do ask yourself, what is it they actually DO in training as I'm sure fitting the first man isn't it.

Confidence is a huge, huge part of the game and we've lost it - I think the whole crux of this desperate run is that Coppell can't lift the players with his quiet demeanour, so much so, with all this tinkering, even they don't know if they're in the squad, let alone to XI.

[brendywendy]

I cannot tell you just how much contempt and loathing I have for Steve Coppell's "Blues Brothers" idea of getting the old band back together. It shows utter desperation and is a public declaration that there just no strategy and that the ideas have completely run out. Totally short-term thinking I'm still utterly apoplectic about it 5 days later.

i hate to say it, and i still think it could go either way, and was a low cost gamble

but your reservations looked prophetic on saturday dirk

[Woodcote Royal]

'With so few games left it would have been pointless bringin him in and putting him on the bench'

Coppell on Kitson. Funny how it's different rules for different people, we scored 2 midweek and hit the post 3 times. Kitson playing slowed everything down, Long was the only person with any pace in our front 6 (inc the midfield) and it showed. Taking him off and playing Kitson 90 was insane but not quite as comical as Little and Boris playing 90.

There are so many young players here that are out at other lcubs doing the business. Davies at aldershot has double figures goals scored, Sigurdsson has been immense for Crewe, that's before we get to Henry and now Mooney as well.

These lads are supposed to be the lads to take the torch and to replace the ageing legs. The team that ended the game yesterday was old, slow and unfit. Who takes the blame for that?

Agree with all of that.

Whose fault is it? The man who has now been here too long.

When the ludicrous decision to remove Long was made, with Little clearly shot, that to me was goodbye 3pts, goodbye promotion and goodbye, Steve.

[Sarah Star]

I seriously thought that the win against Sheff Wednesday would have restored some confidence, there's nothing like an away win to galvanise...Plymouth was a decent point, but we should be winning there. I can only think that there is major uncertainty with HOW the decisions are made and what we actually practise in training. Someone mentioned earlier that it's not Coppell's fault our free kicks can't get past the first man, true; but it IS Coppell's training methods that they employ. Sometimes you do ask yourself, what is it they actually DO in training as I'm sure fitting the first man isn't it.

What does this mean? Just curious. Not a criticism.

[papereyes]

swap the f for an h

IMO, its remedial stuff and desperate that we still get it wrong.

[Agent Balti]

I seriously thought that the win against Sheff Wednesday would have restored some confidence, there's nothing like an away win to galvanise...Plymouth was a decent point, but we should be winning there. I can only think that there is major uncertainty with HOW the decisions are made and what we actually practise in training. Someone mentioned earlier that it's not Coppell's fault our free kicks can't get past the first man, true; but it IS Coppell's training methods that they employ. Sometimes you do ask yourself, what is it they actually DO in training as I'm sure hitting the first man isn't it.

What does this mean? Just curious. Not a criticism.

Typo. Should be hitting.

It was pointed out that our free kicks/crosses don't get beyond the first defender. i.e. Into the box, the near the target.

[brendywendy]

just think its all mental weakness from the players. and its contagious
now if we dont score within twenty they all go doolally and start playing like oxf*rd aldershot

[Sarah Star]

Ah!

Thanks, +1, and agreed...unless it's when the ball sails over everyone, of course.

[Sarah Star]

just think its all mental weakness from the players. and its contagious
now if we dont score within twenty they all go doolally and start playing like oxf*rd aldershot

I'm never sure if this is a lack of confidence or whether it's that they each put it upon themselves individually to turn the game around to the confusion of everyone else.

[Agent Balti]

just think its all mental weakness from the players. and its contagious
now if we dont score within twenty they all go doolally and start playing like oxf*rd aldershot

You are right, but it's not a weakness - it's just football. It is highly contagious which is why I found it puzzling why 4 points out of 6 away from home couldn't restart our home form. Mentally we're running on empty and it needs something major to kick it all back into gear again.

Personally, I don't think Coppell has the stomach to do it all again next season, no matter which division we're in.

[Ian Royal]

We started pretty well, then just randomly started lumping it forward. I think Doobs started it. Then everyone else got increasingly desperate and followed suit. Kebe and Marek tried to keep it short, but kept giving the ball away just as cheaply as if they'd played it straight down the keepers throat. Little's set pieces were piss poor.

Once it became hoofball, Harper was bypassed, despite being the one midfielder who was passing relatively accurately and short. And sometimes joining teh forwards for an attack. I think Coppell might have to try Marek and Harper and hope it keeps the ball well enough to make up for the lack of tackling. Oh and Bikey, given doobs was the main hoofball culprit

[Rev Algenon Stickleback H]

just think its all mental weakness from the players. and its contagious
now if we dont score within twenty they all go doolally and start playing like oxf*rd aldershot

funnily enough, right back in the days when we were stuffing everyone in sight, somebody pointed out that in almost all of our victories we'd scored in the first 20 minutes, and had quite a poor record if we didn't.

[The Quiet Man]

Totally agree withthe first 20 minutes bit there Revd. We also had Doyle and SHunt who were just a bit better than anything in the division in our good spell and who have both been w*nk since Boxing Day.

As for changing the manager - fine but I can't really see a long list of canditates who won't be moaning about the lack of available funds next season as we sell pretty much everyone who we can to balance the books.

IMHO the Coppell 442 is a delicate beast and works when all the players believe in it totally and are hungry for success. This season there have just been too many other agendas with players not really wanting to be at the club, players being picked because they might throw their toys out of the pram if there not or because we are paying them so much money they have to play, and far too many players in a bloated squad who don't really make a difference if they get a game.

Coppell should take the blame for the unbalanced 442 some of which is a result of the above circumstances and some of which is his stubborn persistence with 442 in the light of the whole football league knowing that he hasn't got the players in central midfield to make it work. He should have been more ruthless in team selection with the hungry players getting the shirt instead we have had chop and change all season except for certain positions, numerous centre back partnerships, numerous central midfield combinations, and a lack of courage to drop some of our 'superstars' when they are patently out of form.

I thought at the start of the season we would be lucky to make the play offs and I would still stick with that. Talking to a Watford supporter mate of mine I had chills down my spine at his description of their first season back in the Championship as we could be following the same pattern I really hope that will not be the case.

[Barry the bird boggler]

The changes are deliberate, SC's attempt to keep the team fresh with all the games being played - although, admittedly, given the crap we've had to suffer is hardly been a difficult decision to make to change the team around.

As for the rest of the season, let's hope we can finish on a high and if we do make the play offs at least we can go in on a roll and not just because no-one else got enough points.

Summer - mass change/overhaul of playing staff please whether with SC or not (and if not I pray to god that we do not promote from within and get someone with complete fresh ideas)....