Back in the car, soaked (Nottm Forest A)

[ZacNaloen]

Gunter - Great athlete - Tim Dellor

[Ian Royal]

Gunter - great player, just not got the heart to really stand up and be counted when the going gets tough.

How can you say that? what has he done to become a great player?

Been consistently one of the most talented right backs in the Championship for years. He's put in some great performances for us. Just as he's put in a fair few mediocre ones and some absolute howlers.

[Unbelievable Jeff]

Gunter - great player, just not got the heart to really stand up and be counted when the going gets tough.

How can you say that? what has he done to become a great player?

Been consistently one of the most talented right backs in the Championship for years. He's put in some great performances for us. Just as he's put in a fair few mediocre ones and some absolute howlers.

Ok, I agree with most of that but can a player who puts in a "fair few" mediocre performances and can make some major mistakes which can cost the team on a fairly regular basis be considered to be a great player?

[Hoop Blah]

Certainly not a good enough defender to be considered great, even at this level, and it's not even as if his attacking play is that strong that it compensates.

The way we want to play he's certainly our best option at right back though.

[Ian Royal]

How can you say that? what has he done to become a great player?

Been consistently one of the most talented right backs in the Championship for years. He's put in some great performances for us. Just as he's put in a fair few mediocre ones and some absolute howlers.

Ok, I agree with most of that but can a player who puts in a "fair few" mediocre performances and can make some major mistakes which can cost the team on a fairly regular basis be considered to be a great player?

I think you've got then emphasis of my sentence wrong, let me help you.

Gunter - great player, just not got the heart to really stand up and be counted when the going gets tough.

[Unbelievable Jeff]

No, I haven't.

Your first point about Gunter doesn't really relate to your second. There is a difference between not performing when the going gets tough and dropping clangers and being inconsistent on a regular basis.

[Ian Royal]

No, I haven't.

Your first point about Gunter doesn't really relate to your second. There is a difference between not performing when the going gets tough and dropping clangers and being inconsistent on a regular basis.

No offence mate, but I think I know what I mean better than you do.

[Unbelievable Jeff]

No, I haven't.

Your first point about Gunter doesn't really relate to your second. There is a difference between not performing when the going gets tough and dropping clangers and being inconsistent on a regular basis.

No offence mate, but I think I know what I mean better than you do.

Ok Ian, but forgive me as this is an internet forum so I can only comment on what I am reading.

[RG30]

Gunter is a good Championship full-back nothing more. His failed spells in the Premier League with Tottenham and us prove that. As for Cummings, 3 Reading managers later and he still is no better than the day we signed him whether at right-back/left-back

[AthleticoSpizz]

Totally wrong on Cummings

[Mr Angry]

Without reading through all the posts on here, the BBC website put up the following nugget of information:

"Not one of the midfield four that finished the game for Reading - Tshibola, Tanner, Kuhl and Norwood - had a Reading start to their name before the game".

Anyone who can't understand what is happening to the club right now, that this is a team in transition and that defeats of this nature WILL occur this season, is delusional.

[sandman]

And they'll certainly occur when you don't play the players you have got in their specialist positions.

[bobby1413]

Without reading through all the posts on here, the BBC website put up the following nugget of information:

"Not one of the midfield four that finished the game for Reading - Tshibola, Tanner, Kuhl and Norwood - had a Reading start to their name before the game".

Anyone who can't understand what is happening to the club right now, that this is a team in transition and that defeats of this nature WILL occur this season, is delusional.

Precisely, and I am 100% ok with this whilst we build on what we have. I don't expect promotion this season (stupid thing to say, but from the sound of some of our supporters, it seems some do expect it!). I just want to finish above relegation, with some great progress made with the squad.

For next season we could have a solid foundation of hungry, motivated players all settled and keen to play.

Like you said, it's a transition period.

[P!ssed Off]

Without reading through all the posts on here, the BBC website put up the following nugget of information:

"Not one of the midfield four that finished the game for Reading - Tshibola, Tanner, Kuhl and Norwood - had a Reading start to their name before the game".

Anyone who can't understand what is happening to the club right now, that this is a team in transition and that defeats of this nature WILL occur this season, is delusional.

What's happening is we have a lot of 1st team players out injured.
That is the primary reason that we're playing so many kids, not because the team is 'in transition'.
Tshibola, Kuhl, Obita, Norwood, Akpan etc aren't getting chances in CM because we're 'in transition', but because our three 1st choice CMs are injured. It really is that simple.

When the injury list settles down in a month or so's time we'll have a good team, made up mainly of players that were already here, a few signings and a few of our brightest prospects.
That is not a transitional season, that is an entirely normal state of affairs season.

[Ian Royal]

No, I haven't.

Your first point about Gunter doesn't really relate to your second. There is a difference between not performing when the going gets tough and dropping clangers and being inconsistent on a regular basis.

No offence mate, but I think I know what I mean better than you do.

Ok Ian, but forgive me as this is an internet forum so I can only comment on what I am reading.

Apols... bit testy today as I'm not feeling too well. I didn't actually write what I meant as clearly as I thought I did. So my fault.

I meant he has most of the attributes to be a great player, but his lack of heart prevents him from actually achieving it. A bit like the way Mills had most of the attributes to being a great defender, apart from being a total knobhead.

Does that help?

What's happening is we have a lot of 1st team players out injured.
That is the primary reason that we're playing so many kids, not because the team is 'in transition'.
Tshibola, Kuhl, Obita, Norwood, Akpan etc aren't getting chances in CM because we're 'in transition', but because our three 1st choice CMs are injured. It really is that simple.

When the injury list settles down in a month or so's time we'll have a good team, made up mainly of players that were already here, a few signings and a few of our brightest prospects.
That is not a transitional season, that is an entirely normal state of affairs season.

There is plenty of transition needed... Centreback for example... with Morrison and Gorkss gone, that's a place of transition. Left wing too. Upfront.

And the injury crisis gives the chance to players like Kuhl, Tanner, Edwards, Taylor, Norwood etc to stake their claim on first team places so when the likes of Jem, Guthrie, Williams, HRK et al are fit, they may not walk straight back into the team. There's also an element that not all of those injured first teamers may be here next season.

[Tilehurstsouthbank]

That was a very below par performance all round. Gunter seems to go to pieces when going back to the CG. Why are we playing a naturally right footed player at LM/LW and a left sided player at CM?

Feds made a couple of crucial interceptions and a great Tele save second half and Blackman at least had a go at the Forest back line. Kuhl looked good, but without a recognised CM along side him, he looked overrun. The game was crying out for Akpan in the middle, despite the abuse he gets from many.

Shit day capped off by getting soaked on the way back to the Car.


Fed- 6
Gunter- 3
Hector- 5
Pearce- 5
Cummings- 6
Kuhl- 7
Obita- 6
Blackman- 7
Edwards- 5
Taylor- 4
Cox- 5

[kwik-silva]

Every week I'm howling at the guys to get out to the crosses. Sigh.