Back from the game - Donnie

[handbags_harris]

:shock:

Volatile much?

A bit, yes, particularly to people who grind my gears. Disagree with me by all means, but don't take my posts as an inflexible judgement. I hate that.

[Vision]

Just a note on the 3 new signings

Mills
There may be the odd lapse of concentration but you could put some of that down to not playing much 1st team football of late.
Also although its true the odd pass went astray I think this was generally because he was trying to be precise and pass the ball to feet as opposed to just pumping it down the channel which is generally the case with our lot.

Gorkss
Think Gorkss is going prove very popular with fans. He's a terrific defender from the 2 games I've seen so far but I'd slightly disagree with those that were praising his passing. To me he's very much a "see ball, clear ball" defender as opposed to a composed in possession type. Nothing wrong with that of course I just think moving forward having both him and Pearce at the back limit any intention we might have to pass from the back.

Le Fondre
Took his goal very well and will work hard within the confines of the 18 yard box but certainly is far more reluctant work the channels in the way our recent forwards have been required to do. Of course its early days and he may well develop this over time but for the time being he looks like he's going to need a Church/Hunt type alongside him to do a lot of the legwork and move defenders around for him.

[If you still hate Futcher]

Good call on both fronts and the latter highlights what a ridiculous decision it was to reduce the limit of available subs there are

I don't have any issue with the reduction back to 5 subs. It puts a little more empahsis on good judgement, managment and flexibility of the manager and players having less options on the bench.

I think 5 is about the right kind of number for options on the bench, although I wouldn't too disappointed to see it go back to 3 to be honest.

In many ways I agree with you - indeed I often wish for the days when goalkeepers only wore green shirts, the ref only wore black and the only numbers on shirts were 1 to 12 (I'm not quite old enough to remember the days of no subs).

But times have moved on and with bigger squads comes the possibility of more options and your "good judgement" could be argued as being good luck. The reduction to 5 certainly hampers the progression of the younger players, i.e. Obita. You could say, if he's good enough then he should play but we're not good enough (certainly not at the moment) to carry a player while they're finding their feet. OK then put him out on loan (as is done for several others) but then we lose him for the length of his loan and I think it's obvious that Brian wants to give him a chance with us.

The odd 5 or 10 minutes even at the end of a game such as Saturday's to get him up and running in the first team.

[ZacNaloen]

Re: Le Fondre not working the channels


Church seems to want to pick up that mantle, and from the evidence of the weekend has a cracking cross on him (as does mills, from deep, something else we've not really seen recently) so it may not be something we'll miss.

[M-U-R-T-Y]

:shock:

Volatile much?

A bit, yes, particularly to people who grind my gears. Disagree with me by all means, but don't take my posts as an inflexible judgement. I hate that.

Well, I didn't! I was making a couple of points, that's all.

i.e. The 'comfortable' and 'composed' statement was referring to that particular incident, not as that incident being an example of him being otherwise. And I understood you weren't making an inflexible statement, I still thought it was harsh to judge Le Fondre in any capacity after two games.

Chill out.

[Extended-Phenotype]

Firstly, I'm not sure why Manset and Le Fondre were dropped. Didn't think they did much wrong (or got the chance to do much wrong) in the last game. Maybe I was hallucinating, but I thought Mannie was one of our better players last Saturday.

Secondly, good plan dropping Karacan. I'm not sure passing back to the keeper every time you get the ball is really the positive influence we need in midfield. Some would argue that passing forwards is worth trying at least once in a game.

An ok match, some improved performances, and certainly looking better at the back - half the battle. But Church for all his work still can't shoot, and should feel rather lucky to get MoTM for taking shots slightly less well than Diana Ross in the 1994 World Cup opening ceremony.

Le Fondre and Manset should start up top and I still think Harte has a shout for a CB spot; as for the creativity issue in the middle, I'm still in favour of moving Jobi inside and putting HRK on the wing.

I should get paid for these insights, really.

[Hoop Blah]

Firstly, I'm not sure why Manset and Le Fondre were dropped. Didn't think they did much wrong (or got the chance to do much wrong) in the last game. Maybe I was hallucinating, but I thought Mannie was one of our better players last Saturday.

I thought they both did OK at best really and Hunt as always going to come back into the side if he was fit.

As much as people were saying it was a lack of service to the front two that stopped them doing too much against Watford I still think it's a bit of that and a bit of the front two having to do more to get possession and make an impact.

[Ian Royal]

Le Fondre
Took his goal very well and will work hard within the confines of the 18 yard box but certainly is far more reluctant work the channels in the way our recent forwards have been required to do.

Personally, I can't help but feel this is potentially a good thing as it would surely mean we'd have to rely far less on percentage balls into the channels for our strikers to chase.

I want to see balls to feet, and through balls to put someone in on goal. The occasional ball over the top for the wingers to chase down is fine. I'm tired of watching kick and rush football, we can play to a much high standard than we have done the last few years.

[Royal Lady]

I thought it was much less kick and rush football on Saturday - Bri has obviously changed his tactics. And long may it continue.

[Sarah Star]

Apparently Pearce made the Championship team of the week, but not Gorks

[Ian Royal]

I thought it was much less kick and rush football on Saturday - Bri has obviously changed his tactics. And long may it continue.

Good, wasn't a comment on the game itself, more our style in general. We can play goodstuff if we set ourselves up the right way and try.

[Maguire]

I like Gorkss - he's prolly going to be player of the season. No nonsense defender who's prolly better than Matt Mills. Distribution isn't awesome but he gets the ball out of the danger area.

Mills also looks promising. Early days of course but I like the look of him.

Le Fondre - exactly as expected. Never going to do much outside the penalty box but he got a chance and he took it in fine style. If he takes the chances when they come then i'll be happy enough.

Overally, low quality game and this season will be a struggle.

[Only one Trevor Morley]

I see that there is a slight myth starting to form around Alfie and specifically that he just contributes through his goals. That certainly wasn't what I saw on saturday. His goal was excellent and he was unmarked because he found himself space. His placement of header was also very good. One chance one goal. Secondly he also showed a number of very clever and neat touches including a great lofted ball to church that showed that he'll bring an excellent touch around the box something we have lacked. Finally he also chased his fair share of lost causes including the one that led to the first goal. Yes church did a lot if running and outside of his shots had a great day but for me Alfie is going to get more goals.

I was really impressed with him as is evident. He brings a touch of something different to reading and has a cleverness tin the ball that we have lacked. I thought him and church would make a good partnership. Not sure where that puts hunt but not really fussed.

Also a special mention for gorkks. Finally we have q central defender whobrungs calm and a confidence to the back 4.

More confident now that I have had an opportunity to witness those two at first hand.

[LoyalRoyalFan]

Why would you sign someone to be a poacher in the box to be running the channels?

[handbags_harris]

I still thought it was harsh to judge Le Fondre in any capacity after two games.

But in order to make a statement on where you think an individual player, and subsequently the team, needs to improve surely you need to form an opinion on what that individual player is doing? The fact that ALF has only played a little less than two games is irrelevant, that's all I/we have to go by in order to make that judgement

[Kitson12]

Apparently Pearce made the Championship team of the week, but not Gorks

Unsurprising! Thought Pearce was marginally the better of the two at the weekend. Marginally.

[handbags_harris]

You need to get those glasses checked mate. Gorkss was comfortably playing in 3rd gear!

[Forty]

Gorkss is definitely as someone said earlier, a see it, clear it no nonsense type of defender. When he squirted that one off the side of his shin, or whatever on Saturday, I was moved to observed that he is, in fact, the White Sonko.


.. and no, that's not a racist comment.

[FiNeRaIn]

Just because a black guy took your wife!

[jazz]

I see that there is a slight myth starting to form around Alfie and specifically that he just contributes through his goals. That certainly wasn't what I saw on saturday. His goal was excellent and he was unmarked because he found himself space. His placement of header was also very good. One chance one goal. Secondly he also showed a number of very clever and neat touches including a great lofted ball to church that showed that he'll bring an excellent touch around the box something we have lacked. Finally he also chased his fair share of lost causes including the one that led to the first goal. Yes church did a lot if running and outside of his shots had a great day but for me Alfie is going to get more goals.

I was really impressed with him as is evident. He brings a touch of something different to reading and has a cleverness tin the ball that we have lacked. I thought him and church would make a good partnership. Not sure where that puts hunt but not really fussed.

Also a special mention for gorkks. Finally we have q central defender whobrungs calm and a confidence to the back 4.

More confident now that I have had an opportunity to witness those two at first hand.

Could not agree more. Based on this performance, Le F may bring touches to the team which have not been seen from a striker in a hooped shirt for a good while now. Although they have very different playing styles, I was reminded somewhat of Kitson.