How impressed are you with BMcD's return to the club?

[Top Flight]

I actually took that out of my post just after I posted because I misread your point with regards to league form.

But my main point still stands. Klopp has millions of pounds worth of talent, quality players that can change the game in an instant that you find at a club like Liverpool.

But it's all relative as Klopp is competing with other expensively assembled squads in the Premier League.

Liverpool can compete though.

We may have invested in the summer but our net spend was in the black. And with other Championship clubs spending £9m+ on players, do you think Reading can compete with that? No. So they get a manager in who is good at building teams on the cheap, which he currently hasn't had a chance to do. In fact, he's had to deal with losing his two top scorers.

But well done on disregarding the rest of my post, again

Leave it Genome. Stop biting every time. His mission is to wind you up. He doesn't care what your points are. He will never be convinced.

[genome]

Oh, I know he never will be. I just find it entertaining.

[No Fixed Abode]

So what about Brentford and Preston ETC who didn't spend £9m+ on a player? They're still above Reading.

[Top Flight]

See. He's relentless.

[Top Flight]

Anything else to say Chelsea boy?

[Vision]

No he isn't. Liverpool aren't even close to the top 4. Complete failure of a season for the Red army.

Well, they're on a good run of form at present despite being on their holidays in the league, 1 defeat in the 6 I think and in the Semi-final of the Europa League. So as I said, he's doing a 'semi' decent job with the squad he has.

McDermott's doing a pretty good job as well with the cr*p excuse of players that he has at his disposal.

You're forever criticising others for knee jerk reactions and you've decided our entire squad is "crap" "useless" etc.

Less than 2 weeks ago Vydra (arguably the biggest underachiever this season) was a "fantastic player".

Al Habsi
Gunter
McShane
Obita
Norwood
Williams
Quinn
McCleary

These are not crap,useless players, most of them will be here next season and form the basis of a solid championship set up

Add the likes of Tishbola, Evans, Rakels and Cooper to that list who are young developing players and actually it's not the terrible set up you're describing.

There's also scope for Academy/fringe players from this season to perhaps breakthrough. Kuhl, Samuel, Stacey, Tanner, Fosu-Henry, Barrett etc etc.

Of course it needs work as we'll be desperately short of attacking options and defensive depth and it's not what you'd reasonably expect to be a promotion challenging side but it's hardly relegation fodder either.

Stop making excuses for McDermott. He doesn't need you to as he's a decent manager at this level and knows what needs to be done and knows that what's happening at the moment isn't good enough. However if he's half the manager you keep claiming him to be (and actually he probably is precisely that) then relegation next season should not be a consideration any more than promotion should be an expectation.

[genome]

So what about Brentford and Preston ETC who didn't spend £9m+ on a player? They're still above Reading.

A couple of teams are above us by a few points in a tight Championship league! SACK THE MANAGER!

[No Fixed Abode]

Just ignore him Genome

Anything else to say Chelsea boy?

[No Fixed Abode]

So what about Brentford and Preston ETC who didn't spend £9m+ on a player? They're still above Reading.

A couple of teams are above us by a few points in a tight Championship league! SACK THE MANAGER!

There are several teams above you with similar or smaller playing budgets.

Waits for next excuse...

[genome]

But in a competitive league like the Championship, where anyone can beat anyone. You need consistency. Those teams probably have some form of consistency or at least a plan for the future, and haven't tried to gamble their way up.

Accept it m8, Mr. Chelsea gambled, failed, tried to jump ship and was sacked. Brian came in, steadied the ship without his top two scorers and is now having to see the season out with a team that just wants the season to end.

[Top Flight]

Well, they're on a good run of form at present despite being on their holidays in the league, 1 defeat in the 6 I think and in the Semi-final of the Europa League. So as I said, he's doing a 'semi' decent job with the squad he has.

McDermott's doing a pretty good job as well with the cr*p excuse of players that he has at his disposal.

You're forever criticising others for knee jerk reactions and you've decided our entire squad is "crap" "useless" etc.

Less than 2 weeks ago Vydra (arguably the biggest underachiever this season) was a "fantastic player".

Al Habsi
Gunter
McShane
Obita
Norwood
Williams
Quinn
McCleary

These are not crap,useless players, most of them will be here next season and form the basis of a solid championship set up

Add the likes of Tishbola, Evans, Rakels and Cooper to that list who are young developing players and actually it's not the terrible set up you're describing.

There's also scope for Academy/fringe players from this season to perhaps breakthrough. Kuhl, Samuel, Stacey, Tanner, Fosu-Henry, Barrett etc etc.

Of course it needs work as we'll be desperately short of attacking options and defensive depth and it's not what you'd reasonably expect to be a promotion challenging side but it's hardly relegation fodder either.

Stop making excuses for McDermott. He doesn't need you to as he's a decent manager at this level and knows what needs to be done and knows that what's happening at the moment isn't good enough. However if he's half the manager you keep claiming him to be (and actually he probably is precisely that) then relegation next season should not be a consideration any more than promotion should be an expectation.

Good points Vision.

Sorry, in the immediate aftermath of another defeat it is difficult not to be p*ssed off a bit with the players. I have been a bit knee jerk. I admit. It is hard not to be a hypocrite.

Regarding expectations, I just think we need to not expect so much for next season. If we expect too much, it will lead to disappointment which will then lead to managerial change which will result in more instability, more change, another new project, another different vision and I can't see the club being successful long-term if we don't give a manager enough time.

We could have easily judged Coppell when he had Brooker flying down the wing, Owusu getting on the end of things with super sub Les Ferdinand coming on to try and change a game even when he couldn't run anymore. If we had knee-jerked and sacked Coppell that would have changed the course of history and we may still not have experienced the Premier League even to this day.

We all need to calm down, me especially included and support McDermott to achieve what he has achieved before. We know he has the skill and talent. Let's back him to do his job even if next season proves to be just as poor as this season in terms of results. Which it could very well be.

[Top Flight]

So what about Brentford and Preston ETC who didn't spend £9m+ on a player? They're still above Reading.

A couple of teams are above us by a few points in a tight Championship league! SACK THE MANAGER!

There are several teams above you with similar or smaller playing budgets.

Waits for next excuse...

You're funny....

You're like a kid in the playground.

[Hoop Blah]

I'd argue he patchworked teams rather than built a coherent one to a set plan over time. Did a great job of that though.

I'd say that's a bit harsh. McDermott seemed to understand what those teams were missing and evolved their style as well as personnel to make them function effectively. If that's patchworking them then so be it, it's not far off what is needed this summer if we keep pretty much what we've got already.

IAt this stage, I'm more interested in performances and style of play than results. Performances are very encouraging, we have a new set of graduates ready to bolster the squad and a summer available to fill the problematic places.

I think we're better off than we werethis time last year when results were poor, performances were poor, the manager was poor and we were losing several of our better performers.

This year results are poor and we're losing a bunch of disappointments.

I'd agree with some of that. i think it's pretty clear McDermott is trying something a little new, especially with the way the full backs are being pushed on and the Hector/Norwood holding player drops in between the centre halfs.

It's good we're looking at it, and it's basically the kind of thing Adkins was working towards, but I'm really not sure it's something that will work for us next season as it doesn't strike me as a method that is going to thrive in the Championship. Who else really does the same this season? Who's made it work over the last 3 or 4 years? Nobody I can think of and I it would probably take more serious investment to get the right players in to make it work.

I'd rather see us moving more towards a more typical formation that is more tried and tested at this level. In McLeary and Stacey we'll hopefully have two competent right wingers. Central midfield is pretty well catered for with Tshibola, Quinn, Norwood, Evans (question marks against him), Williams (I'm guessing he'll be off though) etc. The back four needs tightening up with a decent partner for McShane and we obviously need strengthening upfront and down the left.

McDermott has is work cut out, and he's done OK so far in addressing some of the issues Clarke left behind him. Only time will tell what support McDermott gets and how he'll fair at rebuilding the team.

[Hoop Blah]

Good points Vision.

Sorry, in the immediate aftermath of another defeat it is difficult not to be p*ssed off a bit with the players. I have been a bit knee jerk. I admit. It is hard not to be a hypocrite.

Regarding expectations, I just think we need to not expect so much for next season. If we expect too much, it will lead to disappointment which will then lead to managerial change which will result in more instability, more change, another new project, another different vision and I can't see the club being successful long-term if we don't give a manager enough time.

We could have easily judged Coppell when he had Brooker flying down the wing, Owusu getting on the end of things with super sub Les Ferdinand coming on to try and change a game even when he couldn't run anymore. If we had knee-jerked and sacked Coppell that would have changed the course of history and we may still not have experienced the Premier League even to this day.

We all need to calm down, me especially included and support McDermott to achieve what he has achieved before. We know he has the skill and talent. Let's back him to do his job even if next season proves to be just as poor as this season in terms of results. Which it could very well be.

It's not really knee jerk though is it? You were already harping on about how survival would be a success next season when in reality we should be, all things being equal with the summer business, be looking at a top half finish and a flirtation with the play offs.

[Winston Smith]

But in a competitive league like the Championship, where anyone can beat anyone

myth perpetuated by lazy journalists and swallowed up whole by gullible fans

[genome]

But in a competitive league like the Championship, where anyone can beat anyone

myth perpetuated by lazy journalists and swallowed up whole by gullible fans

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/35693543
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/35509572
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/35948786
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/35738618
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/35229560

[Ian Royal]

Oh, I know he never will be. I just find it entertaining.

The rest of us don't

[genome]

It's a shame there are no other threads for you to contribute to Ian

[Ian Royal]

I'd argue he patchworked teams rather than built a coherent one to a set plan over time. Did a great job of that though.

I'd say that's a bit harsh. McDermott seemed to understand what those teams were missing and evolved their style as well as personnel to make them function effectively. If that's patchworking them then so be it, it's not far off what is needed this summer if we keep pretty much what we've got already.

IAt this stage, I'm more interested in performances and style of play than results. Performances are very encouraging, we have a new set of graduates ready to bolster the squad and a summer available to fill the problematic places.

I think we're better off than we werethis time last year when results were poor, performances were poor, the manager was poor and we were losing several of our better performers.

This year results are poor and we're losing a bunch of disappointments.

I'd agree with some of that. i think it's pretty clear McDermott is trying something a little new, especially with the way the full backs are being pushed on and the Hector/Norwood holding player drops in between the centre halfs.

It's good we're looking at it, and it's basically the kind of thing Adkins was working towards, but I'm really not sure it's something that will work for us next season as it doesn't strike me as a method that is going to thrive in the Championship. Who else really does the same this season? Who's made it work over the last 3 or 4 years? Nobody I can think of and I it would probably take more serious investment to get the right players in to make it work.

I'd rather see us moving more towards a more typical formation that is more tried and tested at this level. In McLeary and Stacey we'll hopefully have two competent right wingers. Central midfield is pretty well catered for with Tshibola, Quinn, Norwood, Evans (question marks against him), Williams (I'm guessing he'll be off though) etc. The back four needs tightening up with a decent partner for McShane and we obviously need strengthening upfront and down the left.

McDermott has is work cut out, and he's done OK so far in addressing some of the issues Clarke left behind him. Only time will tell what support McDermott gets and how he'll fair at rebuilding the team.

Not arguing with any of that. Fair comment.

[Winston Smith]

But in a competitive league like the Championship, where anyone can beat anyone

myth perpetuated by lazy journalists and swallowed up whole by gullible fans

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/35693543
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/35509572
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/35948786
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/35738618
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/35229560

well if those happened then it's an open and shut case I guess. What a competitive league it is!!!