Back from the match / Pub / Lounge (Villa)

[RoyalBlue]

Agreed. We tore Arsenal apart and took a 4-0 lead because we mixed up our style of play. We played at pace with some sequences of quick short passes, moved the ball around well, good movement off the ball and, at the right time, the occasional direct ball. Simples! And football is a simple game but McDermott seems to have forgotten how to do it.

It's lot easier when the pressure is off and the opposition aren't anywhere near on their game (the Arsenal game that is not the excellent 25 minutes vs Newcastle).

Isn't it basically what McDermott calls 2-0 football?

The better players deal with playing under greater pressure and still have the freedom and balls to play without fear. Our lot currently look like their crumbling under the pressure.

I'm sure that has a lot to do with it but equally I think it is because McDermott insists in them playing in his preferred style.

SSC was more inclined to try to adapt styles according to opposition (not always with success), which I believe makes him the better manager of the two.

[Top Flight]

The anti-booing sentiment displayed by some supporters is symptomatic of the new breed of fans that follow the Royals these days since we moved to our shiny new plastic stadium and opened the doors to all the new middle class plastic supporters that have made our club more synonymous with the new breed of plastic football fan than any other club. Although alot of clubs have become very plastic these days which is why they don't call us so plastic any more because they have all become plastic too.

Back in the old days, when we played at Elm Park, we used to win most of our home games and lose most of our away games. A certain Michael Gilkes always used to play better in the second half than he did in the first half. Why was that? Motivational booing of course. The home crowd, gathered on the terraces were far more aggressive, loud mouthed and vociferous back in those days. They wouldn't take any form of laziness from the players and even the slightest hint that a player wasn't giving exactly 100% would result in a barrage of abuse raining down from the South Bank. The booing was highly motivational and worked very effectively.

Gilkeys always rasied his game in the second half in front of the south bank, the south bank would never tolerate anything less than 100%. Most of Gilkey's best performances and play was when he was sprinting down the left flank in front of a vociferous and adoring south bank.

Even Michael Meaker. He was absolutely bloody useless and the south bank let him know. But because of the barrage of abuse that was waiting on the tips of the faithfuls tongues Meaker would always give 100%. You could see that he would just get his head down and go for it. Even though he was terrible, he would just give everything he had so that he wouldn't get a massive rollocking from the south bank.

Back then the players had a healthy respect for the fans and would not want to let the support down. Today, it's somewhat different. The players cry like babies when they hear the slightest tough comments. They don't want to hear it anymore. They have no respect for the prawn sandwich supporter of the current era.

Alot of fans have been complaining about McAnuff and believe he is not playing as well as he could be. There is a little bit of laziness there. Just imagine if he was playing in front of the South Bank, with the quality and class that McAnuff has. He is a way better player than Meaker ever was and has more quality than Gilkesy ever had. If McAnuff played in front of the South Bank he wouldn't dare not give 100% and the fans would not be questioning his commitment. These days sadly, the players don't want to hear any criticism and the fans don't want to give it either when they are face to face at the stadium. It's all done behind closed doors in bedrooms on computer keyboards now. That's what the plastic fan is all about.

[melonhead]

[Extended-Phenotype]

Why do you assume we don't have the money to spend, rather than we don't want to spend, Melon?

And where do you think other clubs get their money from? Why do you think spending is by far the most common strategy?

Just curious.

[reading_fan]

The anti-booing sentiment displayed by some supporters is symptomatic of the new breed of fans that follow the Royals these days since we moved to our shiny new plastic stadium and opened the doors to all the new middle class plastic supporters that have made our club more synonymous with the new breed of plastic football fan than any other club. Although alot of clubs have become very plastic these days which is why they don't call us so plastic any more because they have all become plastic too.

Back in the old days, when we played at Elm Park, we used to win most of our home games and lose most of our away games. A certain Michael Gilkes always used to play better in the second half than he did in the first half. Why was that? Motivational booing of course. The home crowd, gathered on the terraces were far more aggressive, loud mouthed and vociferous back in those days. They wouldn't take any form of laziness from the players and even the slightest hint that a player wasn't giving exactly 100% would result in a barrage of abuse raining down from the South Bank. The booing was highly motivational and worked very effectively.

Gilkeys always rasied his game in the second half in front of the south bank, the south bank would never tolerate anything less than 100%. Most of Gilkey's best performances and play was when he was sprinting down the left flank in front of a vociferous and adoring south bank.

Even Michael Meaker. He was absolutely bloody useless and the south bank let him know. But because of the barrage of abuse that was waiting on the tips of the faithfuls tongues Meaker would always give 100%. You could see that he would just get his head down and go for it. Even though he was terrible, he would just give everything he had so that he wouldn't get a massive rollocking from the south bank.

Back then the players had a healthy respect for the fans and would not want to let the support down. Today, it's somewhat different. The players cry like babies when they hear the slightest tough comments. They don't want to hear it anymore. They have no respect for the prawn sandwich supporter of the current era.

Alot of fans have been complaining about McAnuff and believe he is not playing as well as he could be. There is a little bit of laziness there. Just imagine if he was playing in front of the South Bank, with the quality and class that McAnuff has. He is a way better player than Meaker ever was and has more quality than Gilkesy ever had. If McAnuff played in front of the South Bank he wouldn't dare not give 100% and the fans would not be questioning his commitment. These days sadly, the players don't want to hear any criticism and the fans don't want to give it either when they are face to face at the stadium. It's all done behind closed doors in bedrooms on computer keyboards now. That's what the plastic fan is all about.

Whilst I can understand the point you are making, I think it boils down to the fact that some deal with the pressure and excel under it (like Gilkesy and perhaps Meaker), and other crumble under it. McAnuff has always been a confidence player, and so I don't think he would excel under the the pressure the South Bank would have put him under in the way you suggest. Also, Gilkesy would more likely have been more effective second half as he would have been up against tiring defenders, which would have helped.

[Pandoras Box]

To boo or not to boo - that is the question? So if you don't boo you are a

new middle class plastic supporter

- but if you do, every one around you says you should support through thick and thin and will probably lamp you.hmmm..........
Now I need some help Top Flight...I want to watch football properly. I've bought my flat cap and shoved a Daily Mirror in my coat pocket but I just can't find a whippet to take with me (will it be let in?) any ideas?

[Elmparkpaul]

Was a half decent workmanlike performance with not much to get excited about.

Tabb was his usual busy self without creating overly much. ML did a job. Roberts worked hard but didn't look likely of scoring.
We looked dangerous from set plays and Should have scored as a result of this. This is a positive we need to build on.

Disapointed in the atmosphere from our lot, quite a few individual chants aimed at the gaffer, not needed when the game is in play.

Changes for the weekend? I'd play Prog over Roberts and play he higher tempo game. They are not invincible as Norwich proved. Yes we'll have to be at 100% but with a passionate, supportive crowd behind (all the players) we can do it.

UTR.

[Avon Royal]

Booing the players is ridiculous. Vent your frustrations on a portal like this (that's what it is for........), but at the match get behind the team.

[The Beardy Man]

I can understand having a chirp at a player who isn't giving 100%, but what on earth is the point in berating someone who is trying their best and not quite up to standard?

What more can someone give than their best?

It's fair enough to moan that we would like better players...but it's not the current players fault they aren't various types of Messi/Maradona/Pele rolled into one.

If they give their all on the pitch and in training its all we can ask of them as fans

[Libertine]

I can understand having a chirp at a player who isn't giving 100%, but what on earth is the point in berating someone who is trying their best and not quite up to standard?

What more can someone give than their best?

It's fair enough to moan that we would like better players...but it's not the current players fault they aren't various types of Messi/Maradona/Pele rolled into one.

If they give their all on the pitch and in training its all we can ask of them as fans

^^^^this

[melonhead]

Agreed. We tore Arsenal apart and took a 4-0 lead because we mixed up our style of play. We played at pace with some sequences of quick short passes, moved the ball around well, good movement off the ball and, at the right time, the occasional direct ball. Simples! And football is a simple game but McDermott seems to have forgotten how to do it.

It's lot easier when the pressure is off and the opposition aren't anywhere near on their game (the Arsenal game that is not the excellent 25 minutes vs Newcastle).

Isn't it basically what McDermott calls 2-0 football?

The better players deal with playing under greater pressure and still have the freedom and balls to play without fear. Our lot currently look like their crumbling under the pressure.

I'm sure that has a lot to do with it but equally I think it is because McDermott insists in them playing in his preferred style.

SSC was more inclined to try to adapt styles according to opposition (not always with success), which I believe makes him the better manager of the two.

its the same style that was 4-0 up Vs arsenal, its the same style that led Vs chelsea,
stoke have established themselves in th eprem purely by stuicking to one old fashioned style, and doing it very well


i disagree its all about the style

[melonhead]

I can understand having a chirp at a player who isn't giving 100%, but what on earth is the point in berating someone who is trying their best and not quite up to standard?

What more can someone give than their best?

It's fair enough to moan that we would like better players...but it's not the current players fault they aren't various types of Messi/Maradona/Pele rolled into one.

If they give their all on the pitch and in training its all we can ask of them as fans

^^^^this

yeah this^^^^^^




if any one boos mcdermott at the weekend illbe coming over and popping you on the nose
you have been warned

[BKRoyale]

I can understand having a chirp at a player who isn't giving 100%, but what on earth is the point in berating someone who is trying their best and not quite up to standard?

What more can someone give than their best?

It's fair enough to moan that we would like better players...but it's not the current players fault they aren't various types of Messi/Maradona/Pele rolled into one.

If they give their all on the pitch and in training its all we can ask of them as fans

Totally agree with this too.

[Man Friday]

Never a truer word stated.