Marek... a debate

[The Real Sandhurst Royal]

Give Marek a chance that was his first 90 minutes of the season.

[londinium]

Why can't we scapegoat?

We have won two and draw one of the previous three, twice with ten men and Harper still get scapegoated so why not lets just scapegoat Marek or anybody else for that matter even though we won and there is no need toscapegoat anyone.

[CMRoyal]

OK, let's see - who else would have had the vision and ability to pick out James Henry in the lead up to the first goal? And who was it that fed Armstrong in the lead-up to the pen? So he instigated one goal and should have instigated another (and we can add the sending off for good measure). An incredibly creative player who started superbly but faded fast last night. But there was enough evidence in the first half to suggest that when he is finally fully fit, he might just tear this division to bits.

[bishbosh92]

Have to Agree with that, We cant give Marel any stick as it was hes first start since the Forest game.

More games hell get the better hell get to, just give him some time!

[Only one Trevor Morley]

Marek was bought as a premiership player on the assumption we would stay up. I remember Dillon at the time saying that in the medium term reading had realised that they needed a bit more quality in the centre of the park if they were to be make continued progress in the Premiership

Since then he had a run in the team when we were playing badly and then got injured before having an impact in the Championship.

He isnt sutied to this league for the reasons mentioned but i sitll think with matches behind him he'll make an impact - and indeed he has already been responsible for a couple of goals by creating opening that have led to goals.

[WoodleyRoyal]

the man is the one player we have that can unlock a defense through the middle, Last season we would let shorey play it out of defense everytime! this season it fallen on bikey's shoulders and since his suspention dubbs was playing the balls out of defense last night, the problem with that is dubbs and bikey can only look long, bypassing the midfield, were as shorey would go in side and play the short ball in to the CM Shunt game isnt about his passsing it bombing past people down the wings kebe the same on the right harper cant pass forward gunnason's defensive and cisse although has a couple of goals to his name is still a defensive midfielder. Marek is our flair player with the vision and ability to do things other reading players cant. He just needs time, dont forget he hasn't been at the club a year yet he's had to learn english adjust to premiership football and now another style in championship football. and its his first start of the season geeezzz i swear we have the dumbest fans on earth

[Whore Jackie]

The real problem for Marek was the lack of pace from the rest of the team. Kebe offers that in abundance. Whether his unpredicability will marry with Marek's vision is another question. Sadly the other player within the squad that seems tailor-made for Marek, is exerting all his energies in a hotel in Norwich.

[loyalroyal4life]

bloody hell talk about giving someone a chance. Do you all forget that was his 1st 90 minutes back since he got injured back in august!! Give the guy a run of at least 5 games then start debating.

[Thomas L'Heureux]

OK, let's see - who else would have had the vision and ability to pick out James Henry in the lead up to the first goal? And who was it that fed Armstrong in the lead-up to the pen? So he instigated one goal and should have instigated another (and we can add the sending off for good measure). An incredibly creative player who started superbly but faded fast last night. But there was enough evidence in the first half to suggest that when he is finally fully fit, he might just tear this division to bits.

End. Of. Thread.

People suggesting he was ineffective, after being heavily involved in the first goal, sliding a perfectly weighted ball into Armstrong to win the penalty, and shifting the ball quick enough to get a player sent-off, must be expecting a hell of a lot.

He's the best technical player at this club, possibly even this division. In his first start for a long time, after two successive ankle injuries, he was heavily involved in the game and looked extrememly able on occassions.

Not only does he play good passes going forward, but some of his balls to retain possession and take the pressure off of us were delightful. In the first half there wa a frantic five minutes when we couldn't keep hold of the ball and were getting closed down in the middle of the park. The ball fell to Marek, who took a touch despite two or three Blackpool players marauding towards him, shifted it from under his feet, and cooly slid the ball back to the defense who had enough space to play the ball across the back and take the pressure off of us.

[CMRoyal]

Why can't we scapegoat?

We have won two and draw one of the previous three, twice with ten men and Harper still get scapegoated so why not lets just scapegoat Marek or anybody else for that matter even though we won and there is no need toscapegoat anyone.

You don't understand the concept of a double standard, it's ok to critisize our best player - Harper, it is however totally NOT ok to critisize an underperforming FM-star like Marek. That would be too much for the FM-playing know-it-alls, after all we all know FM knows best, real life matters not.

Surely it's OK to criticise anyone, and making sweeping generalisations about any player or contributor to the forum adds a big fat nothing to the debate. As it happens, I think James Harper’s had a good season so far overall, I’d put him third behind Doyler and Bikey in fact. We are very strong in the CM position, with lots of interesting options for different scenarios. I bet SC’s loving the challenge of deploying each player as effectively as possible. It just about worked last night, let’s see what ensues on Saturday and judge each performance on its merits.

[John 3:16]

Why can't we scapegoat?

We have won two and draw one of the previous three, twice with ten men and Harper still get scapegoated so why not lets just scapegoat Marek or anybody else for that matter even though we won and there is no need toscapegoat anyone.

You don't understand the concept of a double standard, it's ok to critisize our best player - Harper, it is however totally NOT ok to critisize an underperforming FM-star like Marek. That would be too much for the FM-playing know-it-alls, after all we all know FM knows best, real life matters not.

Your argument fails in two areas... 1) Harper is NOT our best player (not saying he's bad, but no way he's our best) and 2) When I played FM Marek was shite.

Damn it. There I go replying to this thread again!

[bigmike]

it was his 1st 90 mins which may excuse some of the sloopy passes last night. Theres no doubting he has something to offer the side but unfortunatly at this moment I cannot see what it is.. I suspect that once he settles to the way football in the championship is played he will come good.

[URZZZZZZZZ]

I think Marek seems a page ahead of the rest of the team on occasions. Granted some of his passes were asking a lot of the player they were intended for, but on occassions they were quality passes but the recipient wasnt on the same wave length as Marek.

Once more that was the first 90 minutes he's played all season. Give him time.

[3 veesinarow]

Most of the imbeciles on this thread may have something to offer the board, but I cannot for the life of me see what it may be...maybe we need to adapt the way we play to accomodate a player with the vision of Marek rather than he's "too good" to fit into our team?

Oh, and Rabidbee - great taste in music, very poor comment about a 19 (that's NINETEEN) year old local player making his full League debut after, according to his profile, a total of 18 professional games. Give him a chance, for FFS.

[Negative_Jeff]

This is an opportunity for Coppell to show he is not a dinosaur wedded to 4-4-2. Redknapp was faced with a similar dilemma with Modric at Spurs. On his own admission not a brilliant coach he liberated the player.
Dillon describes Marek as a superb footballer who can unlock defences but shuns defensive duties.
Marek can be integrated into this team but is our manager up to the challenge?

[Tilehurst End]

Recently back from injury, freezing cold night, in a team with Duberry, Gunnarson, Henry, Federici, stadium with no atmosphere, probably thought it was a reserve game.

Seems like most analysis of Marek's performances start with " Apart from the odd brilliant pass....". Wouldn't mind that attributed to a few other players. I don't remember many complaints about Simon Osbourne's lack of steel in midfield.

[rabidbee]

Oh, and Henry is shit.

Not a comment you would have made had you been at the game last night I'm sure....

I was. And it's not the first time I've seen him play, either.

He clearly has talent, and can whip in a nice cross. However, as I've said on another thread, he is simply too static. Too many times in the second half he was standing waiting to receive the ball when Rosenior, Marek or Doyle were all looking to release him behind the defence. Had he been more alert to the space behind the full-back, he could have been in on a number of occasions. Instead, flowing moves grounded to a halt as the ball eventually came to a dead-stop at his feet, at which he point only then did he look up and think about beating his man. Yes, "shit" was a bit harsh in the immediate aftermath of the game, but I've never seen anything from him that has made me think he's the future of this club, and I've never understoof why people clamour for him, beyond the fact that most of our right-wingers have been unpopular with sections of the crowd since Blakey pretty much dropped out of the picture two years ago.

Of course, to be fair to him, he is still a teenager, and he has evident talent. I just want him to actually move about more. He was totally anonymous in the first half, I thought.

[Vision]

This is an opportunity for Coppell to show he is not a dinosaur wedded to 4-4-2. Redknapp was faced with a similar dilemma with Modric at Spurs. On his own admission not a brilliant coach he liberated the player.
Dillon describes Marek as a superb footballer who can unlock defences but shuns defensive duties.
Marek can be integrated into this team but is our manager up to the challenge?

If we were bottom of the table then i think your comparison might be more valid but given that we know that our 4-4-2 is very effective at this level then to completely abandon it on something that might work seems a bit reckless to say the least.

Of course Marek can be integrated into the team but you've got to ask the question about whether its to the detriment of the team as a whole. After last night's game you could make a case both for and against really, which is why the debate will continue i guess.

[Vision]

Recently back from injury, freezing cold night, in a team with Duberry, Gunnarson, Henry, Federici, stadium with no atmosphere, probably thought it was a reserve game.

Seems like most analysis of Marek's performances start with " Apart from the odd brilliant pass....". Wouldn't mind that attributed to a few other players. I don't remember many complaints about Simon Osbourne's lack of steel in midfield.

Once again though its different circumstances. Osborn played in a passing team that built play through the middle of the park. Sure we still had Gilkes pace as an outlet but its not the same playing style we currently play with and have been successful with.

IF we can harness the best of Marek effectively and retain those qualities that served us well as a team then i doubt there would be a better side at this level. However Its still a huge IF.

[Great Knolly]

In the first 30 minutes, Marek hit about 6 superb passes that anyone else in the team would struggle to see, let alone execute.
He is going for ambitious passes. They won't always come off, so he will lose the ball some of the time.
The sending-off befuddled the team in general. We got steadily worse after a fairly promising 1st 30 minutes. Marek was obviously tired in the 2nd half. I was surprised he wasn't subbed after 70 minutes.
I really hope we can accommodate Marek in the team, cos he's brilliant to watch.