Akpan's Amazing Assists - best passer at the club???

[Scarface]

Akpan showed in 15 mins more quality than Karacan or Legs have showed this season. Even though results have been excellent recently the performances have been poor and we cannot sustain the come backs. I personally feel Akpan starting is worth the gamble Saturday but it will never happen.

If anyone misses out it will be Guthrie, which is very harsh. His best position is playing in the holding role where he can dictate play, like he did against West Brom, but BM will not not drop Legs.

Whilst we stick with Legs and Karacan, get used to the current tactics, no possesion and hanging in there hoping we can win the game in the last 15 mins.

[Woodcote Royal]

I look at like this.

We are playing one up front and sacrificing Le Fondre because we need an extra central midfielder and right now Akpan is playing better than all three of those who have been starting.

If McDermott can take a punt by sticking a clearly unfit Carrico straight in the team, he can take a punt on a clearly up to speed Akpan, who has already had two very impressive cameos coming off the bench

[Terminal Boardom]

Talk about fickle. Firstly, mongs on here bemoan the fact that there is a spark missing in midfield. The club sign a midfielder and the mongs complain because it isn't a big name. In the few minutes that he has played since joining, he has had a hand in at least 3 goals. Now the mongs call him a legend and he must start games. I doubt that I have ever witnessed such crap from so many people over such a short period of time. Thank oxf*rd I don't know any of you because if I did I would be ashamed and embarrassed.

And don't get me started on whether Nicky Hammond is doing a good job or if Gylfi will ever return. Just what is it with you people?

Football is a game - first and foremost. I have no issue with passion but the amount of uninformed bollocks spouted all over the Team area of HNA? is beyond farcical. Apart from the Kebe thread, where is the humour? Where is the originality? Why are there so many shit threads?

Get a grip!

[Rex]

Hi dad.

[Arch]

I think the word for Akpan on Wednesday was tempting. Some really lovely touches, and good positioning too. The pass for the first goal was genius. Just maybe this a match made in heaven. But not enough evidence to toss out Leigertwood who has been very important for us in the last couple of games.

Surprised at how little love there's been for Kelly. I thought he was 100% what we've needed. Pure class. Already one of my favourite players.

[Millsy]

Leigertwood was about a billions times better than Akpan at Newcastle. Incredible people are now demanding he starts instead of him.

Lovely ball for the first last night though, hats off for that.

Legs' ball for Kebe was the best Reading pass of the season, better than Akpan's ball to Alf.

But how often does he do that? As melonhead says Akpan has been the cause of three of our goals in so short a time.

Akpan's second assist was a fantastic header with twenty million Chelsea players around him. He is big, strong and I think will be a real handful for any opposition. With time hell be immense for us.

I do like ledge though.

In brian we trust.

[Maguire]

The "assist" at Newcastle was down to his terrible shooting. The "fantastic header" against Chelsea was a little nod on from a ball dropping right on his head. Pretty sure I could have done that too.

I'm not getting down on the guy but agree with the dude above who says this "legend" talk is absolute nonsense.

[Ouroboros]

The "assist" at Newcastle was down to his terrible shooting. The "fantastic header" against Chelsea was a little nod on from a ball dropping right on his head. Pretty sure I could have done that too.

I'm not getting down on the guy but agree with the dude above who says this "legend" talk is absolute nonsense.

Agreed in the main, but a word about that header: I was impressed he kept his composure, was aware that there were men clear at the far post, and had the composure to nudge it out there instead of trying a header on goal or trying to bring it down for a shot.

It's not much, but given it was in the 95th minute, in a big game, on his home debut, and he's a young guy who's made a big step up, he could have been forgiven for losing his head and making a poor decision there.

[Bandini]

legend

Agreed.

[winchester_royal]

The "fantastic header" against Chelsea was a little nod on from a ball dropping right on his head. Pretty sure I could have done that too.

Not having this. The composure and vision he showed in the last minute of added time to see and pick out Alf when he could have headed the ball towards goal himself was something we've rarely seen from a Reading midfielder since Gylfi left.

Obviously not comparing him to Gylfi, nor am I suggesting he is even close to a 'legend' yet. However (and before I get accused of being fickle I have been saying this all along) I do believe that we lack the imagination in midfield required to score goals using a 4-5-1 system, and therefore whilst Akpan may not be the finished article he is still an improvement on the current occupants of the starting berths.

[Maguire]

The "fantastic header" against Chelsea was a little nod on from a ball dropping right on his head. Pretty sure I could have done that too.

Not having this. The composure and vision he showed in the last minute of added time to see and pick out Alf when he could have headed the ball towards goal himself was something we've rarely seen from a Reading midfielder since Gylfi left

He had three RFC players to his left to aim at. He couldn't have headed that at goal in a billion years - bog standard flick on.

[winchester_royal]

The "fantastic header" against Chelsea was a little nod on from a ball dropping right on his head. Pretty sure I could have done that too.

Not having this. The composure and vision he showed in the last minute of added time to see and pick out Alf when he could have headed the ball towards goal himself was something we've rarely seen from a Reading midfielder since Gylfi left

He had three RFC players to his left to aim at. He couldn't have headed that at goal in a billion years - bog standard flick on.

Nope, nope nope nope nope. Nope.

[Ouroboros]

The "fantastic header" against Chelsea was a little nod on from a ball dropping right on his head. Pretty sure I could have done that too.

Not having this. The composure and vision he showed in the last minute of added time to see and pick out Alf when he could have headed the ball towards goal himself was something we've rarely seen from a Reading midfielder since Gylfi left

He had three RFC players to his left to aim at. He couldn't have headed that at goal in a billion years - bog standard flick on.

Correct, but he could have tried. I've seen more experienced players make worse decisions under less pressure.

That's all.

[Ian Royal]

Couldn't hekp but at Rafa's interview.

Twice made the comment about long balls undoing his defence - pity, because I could've sworn that the ball for our first was spectacularly excellent.

Agreed - our first was very similar to their first, a little dinked pass, and a shot from the left from a player running to his own left

Quite a difference between our first and theirs. One was a delicate chip from around the edge of the box and one was a pass from about 35 yards or more out.

But it's a laughable point from Rafa seeing as Chelsea's game plan first half was to hit it long over Pearce's head and hope Torres would pick up the pieces.

[Ian Royal]

Not having this. The composure and vision he showed in the last minute of added time to see and pick out Alf when he could have headed the ball towards goal himself was something we've rarely seen from a Reading midfielder since Gylfi left

He had three RFC players to his left to aim at. He couldn't have headed that at goal in a billion years - bog standard flick on.

Nope, nope nope nope nope. Nope.

It showed good composure and intelligence that I don't think we've often seen from other midfielders / defenders in similar positions, at least recently. But other than that it really wasn't anything to wet your pants about. And one pass and one header are not reason for people to have some sort of fit and demand he starts the next game.

The situation when he came on was not typical of the way a game will go from the start. He needs to be worked in gently and slowly. Knee jerk changes are not necessary at the moment. He'll get there based on that showing, but not really on the one against Newcastle. To be honest, if there's anyone who the game regularly passes by right now, it's Karacan not Legs he needs to be replacing.

[SPARTA]

Akpan showed in 15 mins more quality than Karacan or Legs have showed this season. Even though results have been excellent recently the performances have been poor and we cannot sustain the come backs. I personally feel Akpan starting is worth the gamble Saturday but it will never happen.

If anyone misses out it will be Guthrie, which is very harsh. His best position is playing in the holding role where he can dictate play, like he did against West Brom, but BM will not not drop Legs.

Whilst we stick with Legs and Karacan, get used to the current tactics, no possesion and hanging in there hoping we can win the game in the last 15 mins.

You echo my thoughts exactly.

[Simon's Church]

Leigertwood>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Every other midfielder at the club

[RFCSPACE]

In fairness Legs gets given all the shit passes in defensive midfield when no one in front of him is moving and doesn't have many options other than hoof it and get booed, or try and take it past a man (not his strength at all) lose it, give the opposition a chance and get booed.

Akpan's assist (as good as it was) had le Fondre making a good run and he had time to look and play. It'd be interesting to see how Akpan deals with shit passes from McAnuff.