Team for Middlesbrough (h)

[ladida_gunner_graham]

I'd prefer 4-3-3 over 4-2-3-1 for this.

------------------------------------Bond-------------------------------------

Gunter-----------Hector----------------McShane------------Taylor

-------------Tshibola---------Norwood-----------Williams----------

---------McCleary------------Blackman------------Piazon----------

Subs: Al Habsi, Obita, Cooper, Alex, Sa, John, HRK

Like the look of this, but maybe using John on the left instead of Piazon. John could be more of a creative, penetrative threat, although to be honest that's based on scant evidence. Taylor deserves a chance ahead of Obita, which may send a strong enough message to Obita that he needs to up his game.

[DaddyKuhl]

You are both right. Burnley away was 4-2-3-1 and the last two home games 4-3-3 with Sa mainly on the left ahead of Quinn. I know it is hard to comprehend but we are allowed to change formation...

Ps in response to Slater's post

[Nameless]

Surely the hallmark of recent games is that the team can't really be nailed down into a rigid formation.
Players move and adjust. The formation may look like one thing if we are defending and becomes another when we have the ball.
As long as the players are smart enough to work it out the debate as to whether it is 4-3-3, 6-0-6 or 6-3-3 is not that important.
As I see it we've got a fairly rigid 5 man defence and a fairly flexible 6 man attack.

[Sutekh]

Could be total stalemate this one, Middlesbrough will essentially come down and park the proverbial bus and look to hit us with pace on the counter - Nugent, Downing and Adomah remember). They'll sit deep with Leadbetter and Clayton in front of their back four.

And so we'll need to be very inventive, perhaps the idea might be to treat it like an away game and try and to invite them forward, certainly will cry out for a very creative, unpredictable and flexible formation from us.

[LoyalRoyal22]

I will clear this up for you simpletons as I know Reading fans normally struggle with formations etc

He has been changing from 433/4231 pretty much week by week. I was not at Burnley but at Bristol it was a 433

The pattern has been as follows: When Tish plays it has been 4-2-3-1 with Tish next to Norwood( which has sometimes seen Quinn on the left). When Tish does not play, it has been 4-3-3 with Norwood the only one sitting

[RoyalJames101]

I'd prefer 4-3-3 over 4-2-3-1 for this.

------------------------------------Bond-------------------------------------

Gunter-----------Hector----------------McShane------------Taylor

-------------Tshibola---------Norwood-----------Williams----------

---------McCleary------------Blackman------------Piazon----------

Subs: Al Habsi, Obita, Cooper, Alex, Sa, John, HRK

Like the look of this, but maybe using John on the left instead of Piazon. John could be more of a creative, penetrative threat, although to be honest that's based on scant evidence. Taylor deserves a chance ahead of Obita, which may send a strong enough message to Obita that he needs to up his game.

Taylor sent a strong enough message against Everton and Obita responded with a great performance at Burnley. No need to change.

[CountryRoyal]

It will be hard to break them down so I'd like to see Piazon used centrally.

Would take a draw tbf.

[Sutekh]

It will be hard to break them down so I'd like to see Piazon used centrally.

Would take a draw tbf.

So would I, they've won 5 of their last 5 games.

[SCIAG]

Since when have Reading been playing 4-3-3? whenever Quinn has played it has been on the left.... like so.
-----------------------BOND----------------------
GUNTER--MCSHANE--HECTOR--OBITA
----------NORWOOD----TSHIBOLA---------
BLACKMAN--------VYDRA---------QUINN
--------------------------SA------------------------

Since Vydra came in, we've been playing a lop-sided 4-3-3 with the leftmost of the forwards (Vydra first choice) and the leftmost of the midfielders (Quinn/Piazon) sharing responsibility for the left flank. Sometimes it looks like a 4-4-2 with Vydra alongside Sa, but I haven't seen us use 4-2-3-1 since pre-season, when Williams was playing behind Blackman.

I will clear this up for you simpletons as I know Reading fans normally struggle with formations etc

The pattern has been as follows: When Tish plays it has been 4-2-3-1 with Tish next to Norwood

Learn some manners. And furthermore, it's usually best to avoid casting aspersions on other people's intelligence from a position of weakness.

Ipswich was not a 4-2-3-1. You could argue about whether it was 4-4-2 or 4-3-3, we were shifting between them a lot, but it wasn't 4-2-3-1. For most of the match, Quinn was level with Tshibola and Norwood and Vydra was to Sa's left; what changed was Blackman's position. Until the red card, it was a similar story against Ipswich. Similar stories at Burnley and Brizzle.

[SCIAG]

It will be hard to break them down so I'd like to see Piazon used centrally.

Would take a draw tbf.

Playing Piazon in midfield isn't a "take a draw" strategy. So far, he's looked shaky defensively. If we play him centrally, it means we're going for three points - particularly if Williams also starts.

[CountryRoyal]

It will be hard to break them down so I'd like to see Piazon used centrally.

Would take a draw tbf.

Playing Piazon in midfield isn't a "take a draw" strategy. So far, he's looked shaky defensively. If we play him centrally, it means we're going for three points - particularly if Williams also starts.

Sorry my points, whilst not mutually exclusive, may be somewhat confusing.

I'd have him as a CAM rather than sitting as a cm a la tish, Williams and Quinn - that would just be suicide. I think he could influence the game more from there than a left forward position. Just my opinion from what I've seen, which is saying a lot because he's done well for us so far.

Against the best back 4 in the league over this season and last were going to need that extra bit of creativity to pick the pass to unlock them. If they sit back and play on the counter like they previously set up for and play so damn well then it's going to hard, they'll flood the box and I doubt we'll have much joy down the wings. I know we played over 45 minutes with 10 men against derby, but for me we really struggled to create anything really clear cut and boro are defensively better.

I feel that Piazon as a 10 could be the answer to get through a strong and stubborn boro defence, but I would be more than happy to line up exactly the same way as we did against Burnley and trust in Clarke.

[Ian Royal]

I did, I also went to Bristol City and Burnley. who was on the right then? because norwood and tshibola were both central

We've been playing a dluid lopsided 4-3-3. If you want to overcomplicate what should be a shorthand simplification of our system maybe 4-3-3 isn't right but it's not a traditional 4-4-2 etc.

Quinn hangs a little left of a normal three man midfield in attack but not that advanced or wide as a winger. Then on the right you have one of the forwards drifting wide, with the left forward drifting inside between the lines.

It defies a simple set of numbers to accurately describe but 4-3-3 comes closest for me.

[winchester_royal]

Since when have Reading been playing 4-3-3? whenever Quinn has played it has been on the left.... like so.
-----------------------BOND----------------------
GUNTER--MCSHANE--HECTOR--OBITA
----------NORWOOD----TSHIBOLA---------
BLACKMAN--------VYDRA---------QUINN
--------------------------SA------------------------

Since Vydra came in, we've been playing a lop-sided 4-3-3 with the leftmost of the forwards (Vydra first choice) and the leftmost of the midfielders (Quinn/Piazon) sharing responsibility for the left flank. Sometimes it looks like a 4-4-2 with Vydra alongside Sa, but I haven't seen us use 4-2-3-1 since pre-season, when Williams was playing behind Blackman.

I will clear this up for you simpletons as I know Reading fans normally struggle with formations etc

The pattern has been as follows: When Tish plays it has been 4-2-3-1 with Tish next to Norwood

Learn some manners. And furthermore, it's usually best to avoid casting aspersions on other people's intelligence from a position of weakness.

Ipswich was not a 4-2-3-1. You could argue about whether it was 4-4-2 or 4-3-3, we were shifting between them a lot, but it wasn't 4-2-3-1. For most of the match, Quinn was level with Tshibola and Norwood and Vydra was to Sa's left; what changed was Blackman's position. Until the red card, it was a similar story against Ipswich. Similar stories at Burnley and Brizzle.

^this is correct

[Woodley-RFC]

bond out