Back from the shambles - Brum

[RoyalBlue]

That just about sums Gunter up-dead 'ard when he is 40 yards away and when he wellied the ball into the crowd after the game.
It's a shame that he doesn't show the same intensity when the game is going on.
He may not have been the worst last night but he epitomises the team being physically and mentally weak when the going gets tough-the same goes for Aluko and Clement.
As for Joey I have (boringly perhaps) been saying all season that the pub player should not be there-we don't need an immobile defensive midfielder especially when we are at home to the bottom club who hadn't won away all season.

Apologies for the name-dropping but in a conversation with Sir Steve some years ago he said that he set the team up but it was left to the players to use their own intelligence for working things out on the pitch-it strikes me that Stam (as per his interviews) insists on TELLING the players what to do.
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'As per his interviews'? For the last several interviews he has repeatedly stated that the players need to make their own decisions on the pitch and that too often they have made the wrong ones e.g. 'passing back to Vito rather than hitting it forwards'. For someone who supposedly insists on telling players what to do, he also spends very little time, compared to other managers, shouting and gesturing from the touchline. The most animated he became last night was when he was urging the players to get themselves and the ball forwards. He even stated after the game last night that he was frustrated because Liam Moore had pushed up front and they weren't getting the ball up to him.

Sorry but you are just wrong.
In the interviews I have heard he goes on about TELLING the players what to do and in most games he waves his arms about and the players take no notice and that is all game and not just in the last few minutes.
The connect between manager and players just is not there..

The fact that you state that I am 'just wrong' does not alter the content of his interviews over the past few games (and probably a lot longer). Perhaps you should listen to a few of the recordings if you think I'm wrong.

Also, during the game last night, a number of people were commenting on social media regarding the big difference between the very animated and loud Cotterill and his assistants, and the far quieter and less animated Stam.

[genome]

Goodbrand Stats‏
@StatsChristian

#Birmingham’s 2-0 win at #readingfc was their:

1st away win since May 7th.

1st consecutive league wins since May.

1st time they’d scored twice in a league game since Aug 12th.

1st time they’d scored twice in an away league game since Feb 24th.

[Denver Royal]

Yep, Brum have been a shambles for some time...and yet someone on here said Brum still sold out the away end last night?

In the summer we could have attracted a much wider base of players due to the playoff final and the promise of automatic promotion this season.

Maybe, but it's not all that unusual for playoff teams to have struggles the following season. There really are no 'promises' of auto promotion the year after a playoff season. History shows that. Look at how us, Sheff Wed, and Fulham are doing this season. We've all had issues. When we beat Fulham in the playoffs last season some in here said Fulham would walk this league this season. Yet, has any of us 3 actually been in the Top 6 at all at any point this season?

[Hound]

Yep, Brum have been a shambles for some time...and yet someone on here said Brum still sold out the away end last night?

nope. They brought about 1300 I think

[tidus_mi2]

Yep, Brum have been a shambles for some time...and yet someone on here said Brum still sold out the away end last night?

In the summer we could have attracted a much wider base of players due to the playoff final and the promise of automatic promotion this season.

Maybe, but there really are no promises of auto promotion the year after a playoff season. History shows that. Look at how us, Sheff Wed, and Fulham are doing this season. We've all had issues. When we beat Fulham in the playoffs last season some in here said Fulham would walk this league this season. Yet, has any of us 3 actually been in the Top 6 at all at any point this season?

Brum filled 2/3 of the left side of the stand. Whoever said they sold out the away end was probably taking the piss.

[Brum Royal]

Yep, Brum have been a shambles for some time...and yet someone on here said Brum still sold out the away end last night?

In the summer we could have attracted a much wider base of players due to the playoff final and the promise of automatic promotion this season.

Maybe, but there really are no promises of auto promotion the year after a playoff season. History shows that. Look at how us, Sheff Wed, and Fulham are doing this season. We've all had issues. When we beat Fulham in the playoffs last season some in here said Fulham would walk this league this season. Yet, has any of us 3 actually been in the Top 6 at all at any point this season?

Brum filled 2/3 of the left side of the stand. Whoever said they sold out the away end was probably taking the piss.

Filled their initial allocation is probably a better way of describing it, there weren't all that many empty seats in the area that was available to them.

[Victor Meldrew]

Yep, Brum have been a shambles for some time...and yet someone on here said Brum still sold out the away end last night?

In the summer we could have attracted a much wider base of players due to the playoff final and the promise of automatic promotion this season.

Maybe, but it's not all that unusual for playoff teams to have struggles the following season. There really are no 'promises' of auto promotion the year after a playoff season. History shows that. Look at how us, Sheff Wed, and Fulham are doing this season. We've all had issues. When we beat Fulham in the playoffs last season some in here said Fulham would walk this league this season. Yet, has any of us 3 actually been in the Top 6 at all at any point this season?

But both of those clubs are above us and haven't spent what we have on supposedly improving the squad.
I think your point would have more merit if we had gone with the same squad this season after overachieving last time.

[Steve_Upper_West]

We have had some managers who talk bollox after games for sure, but no-one comes close to Stam.

I was tempted to record last night’s pathetic interview, then type up a transcript to review but spending any more time than listening live to that twat’s voice would have sent me round the twist.

People say he’s a clever bloke, deeply intelligent.... absolute tripe. Yes he can string lots of words together very quickly but in reality they make no sense, even from a footballing perspective.

Exactly.......... DOUBLE DUTCH !!!

[Focher]

Moore: 2- overrated

funniest thing on this whole thread, he's probably the best and most cultured centre back we have had since Dariusz Wdowczyk, id challenge any championship team to have as gooda centre back

[Elm Park Old Boy]

What worried me most was the way we seem to have lost all shape and purpose. Last season, the football was dull a lot of the time, but it had a novelty value and it got some good results. Even when it didn't work (the 7-1 at Norwich, and other away beatings), you could see what the team were trying to do. Whether you liked it or not, there was a pattern and method.

This season, teams have cottoned on, and it was inevitable that we would have to adapt, but we just don't seem to have done so. Last night, the patient possession-based style seemed to have evaporated, but I found it hard to work out what was intended to replace it. It wasn't as if we were going direct with any conviction. The play was slow and passive, without any sense of a plan or method designed to achieve something in the game. Time after time, a Reading player would be on the ball and virtually every team mate was standing still - not making runs, not finding space. When - rarely - someone like Barrow broke through, they were usually the most adavanced player, with no one else getting in the box to make something happen.

I can remember some poor games under former managers, but at least with a McDermott team you knew what they were trying to do, and you knew they wouldn't give up. Last night looked to me like a team that had given up, by the middle of the second half.

There's no way this group of players should go down, but a few more performances like that, and I wouldn't bet against it.

I very rarely want managers sacked. I recall that when Rodgers, Adkins, McD, Clarke went I would personally have been happy to give them more time. But I'm feeling very ambivalent about Stam staying right now, partly because he shows so little sign of recognising what is wrong and having a plan to put it right.

[Hound]

Fair post Old Boy

For me the big difference is our defence. Can remember quite a few games last year when we didn’t play too well, but because the oppo didn’t score, we grew into the game, nicked the goal and held on, maybe adding another along the way.

This season it is absolutely inevitable that mid way through the first half, if we haven’t scored the oppo do - usually as a result of a defensive howler. Confidence then goes, the shape goes and we end up jogging about like headless chickens

[CountryRoyal]

What gets me is just how utterly soft we are. I don't mean weak per se (though we have a fair few players who are, mentally and physically), I just mean how utterly easy it is to create chances and score against us. We always seem to be caught on our heels, make outrageously poor mistakes, really simple defensive errors time and time again.

[windermereROYAL]

Brian Tevreden should really take just as much of the the blame. Pardew had a sense of arrogance about him but at least Pards pulled many rabbits out of many hats when it came to signings,

.

Hard to disagree with the Pardew view. he had a ruthless streak. showed that when he sacked Martin Allen from his coaching staff.

[CountryRoyal]

What gets me is just how utterly soft we are. I don't mean weak per se (though we have a fair few players who are, mentally and physically), I just mean how utterly easy it is to create chances and score against us. We always seem to be caught on our heels, make outrageously poor mistakes, really simple defensive errors time and time again.

For Stam it's all about technical ability not strength which is surprising considering the player he was.

You only need to look at the waste of money that Illori has been.

It's clearly not when he insists on playing McShane. That's the thing, it's really hard to see what he actually values, its hard to see anything thats going on in that head. Baffling approach.

[FORSTERS_RIGHT_FOOT]

Goodbrand Stats‏
@StatsChristian

#Birmingham’s 2-0 win at #readingfc was their:

1st away win since May 7th.

1st consecutive league wins since May.

1st time they’d scored twice in a league game since Aug 12th.

1st time they’d scored twice in an away league game since Feb 24th.

Reading Fc. The team you want to play when you're in a rut.

[Westwood52]

I am embarrassed to admit that I left with ten minutes to go and chickened out of leaving with twenty minutes to go. A complete first time for me. I knew once the 2nd goal went in, that we were dead meat. TBF I wonder what would have happened if we had scored twice in the opening ten minutes; with Barrows and Gunts shots.
Once they scored we went down hill rapidly,and the players should be embarrassed at what followed.Totally unprofessional.

I have tried for once to be generous with my ratings. But Dads army in the team were awful and don't deserve much more than abysmal ratings.

Mannone 5: TBF a couple of good saves-might have saved the second, but no chance with the first. His big down side last night was his kicking out of hand-he got nowhere near Kermit.
Gunts 5: Great shot on goal-1st half , then that was it-terrible crosses.
Bacuna 5: A bit mixed really-has to play in midfield-where at least he tried to drive us forward, but had no support in front of us.
Mc Shane 1: Awful, a pub footballer-has to be dropped. Probably his worst moment was that unopposed header straight into touch. His Hull Prem form, no more than a distant memory.
Moore 4: He is ready to go, but is so out of form, that Wet Sham would be mad to buy him. Particulaly bad was that 1st half Brum attack out wide when his hesitation meant Mannone had to save his blushes.

Joey 1: Somebody screwed up here. He was clearly not fit and never exceeded walking pace when he was on. Who screwed up, the Player, Stam or the medical staff ?
Swift 1: Was it him who fell over for their first goal.His performance was brainless.
Pelle 4: One sublime touch 1st half, but shades of Piazon-playing school boy football.

Alukho 1: Did nothing-appalling.
Kermit 1: Unless the ball is played within 6" of him , hes not interested. Why give him another contract-madness.
Barrow 5: Lost heart very quickly.

Blackett: He is a CH not an FB-although his concentration level is poor.
Macca : Knew it was a lost cause when he came on.
Kelly: Why ? Only Stam knows why Bovardson wasn't brought on.

Stam: If he stays-we will go down. I expected him to be gone this AM. Brum showed what impact a new Manager could make. We have 6 quality Championship players, and they are badly underperforming under him.

Ref: Did it really matter how average he was-not really. How was it only 2 mins extra time 1st half ? Moore was down at least that-never mind the Brum time wasting.

Brum: All credit to them. They boxed us in & their CH s easily mopped up the desperate long balls. Only Wolves have looked better this season at the Mad Stad.

Finally why am I wasting my time and money going to Stevenage ? Stam said he will field a weakened team-he should have said the stiffs had the opportunity to dump last nights underperforming starters out of the team .

[double d]

. We have 6 quality Championship players,

That might be one of the issues here. We need more then 6 quality players. We need 18.

[double d]

We have far more than six championship quality players.

We have the wrong manager.

We do have more then 6 championship quality players, but we certainly do not have 6 quality championship players.

[Zip]

It was Kermorgant who fell over in our penalty box prior to their first goal. Yet another of so many soft goals we have conceded this season.

We have rarely been under the cosh at The Madejski this season. Apart from the last ten minutes against Cardiff where we were under siege teams have scored out of the blue. So many of those goals have been due to poor passing/clearances by our lot rather than quality football by our opponents.