CONFIMRED José Gomes

[Old Man Andrews]

5 points between now and April seems like a tall order right now.

Just got to hope Bolton get a points deduction (looking very likely) and Rotherham continue to be Rotherham. If we can get to the point where we are getting 1 win in 3 we should be ok just about.

[CountryRoyal]

5 points between now and April seems like a tall order right now.

Just got to hope Bolton get a points deduction (looking very likely) and Rotherham continue to be Rotherham. If we can get to the point where we are getting 1 win in 3 we should be ok just about.

1 win in 3 seems audaciously optimistic right now.

[Old Man Andrews]

5 points between now and April seems like a tall order right now.

Just got to hope Bolton get a points deduction (looking very likely) and Rotherham continue to be Rotherham. If we can get to the point where we are getting 1 win in 3 we should be ok just about.

1 win in 3 seems audaciously optimistic right now.

Depends on what we do in the transfer window. If we get a few game changers in on loan it could mean we get to a 1 win in 3 position. I think we will know our fate for sure by mid Feb.

[Snowflake Royal]

Just got to hope Bolton get a points deduction (looking very likely) and Rotherham continue to be Rotherham. If we can get to the point where we are getting 1 win in 3 we should be ok just about.

1 win in 3 seems audaciously optimistic right now.

Depends on what we do in the transfer window. If we get a few game changers in on loan it could mean we get to a 1 win in 3 position. I think we will know our fate for sure by mid Feb.

I can't help but feel, that the only way we can know our fate by mid February is if we're cut adrift from safety by a bigger margin than now. There's not a chance in hell we can get to 10+ points clear of relegation by that time which is the only way our survival would be confident.

So I tend to agree, because I think we're doomed.

[Snowball]

If Bolton get points docked, almost ANY points docked
surely they are doomed?

Wigan are in free fall, Rotherham back in the mix, Bolton, Ipswich

It's still three from 5 (at least) all looking like averaging no better than a point a game from here

I think we HAVE to beat Rotherham (how big is THAT game!) and avoid defeat at Bolton

If we average just 1.1 ppg, gain 22 points (including beating Rotherham) we ought to finish above them on GD
at least. I honestly think 1.2 points per game might be enough provided we don't lose to Rotherham.

[Snowball]

Pretty much in our hands. Beat Rotherham, Wigan (and ideally Bolton,
but don't LOSE) and average just 1.0 (17 points) or 1.1 ppg (say 19 points)
for the other seventeen games

Currently 20 points, plus 7 or 9 27/29 plus 17/18/19
gives us a final total of 44-48

I think 44 will be enough this year

Lose to any of those three and the job is hugely more difficult

[Lower West]

If we average just 1.1 ppg, gain 22 points (including beating Rotherham) we ought to finish above them on GD
at least. I honestly think 1.2 points per game might be enough provided we don't lose to Rotherham.

That's some improvement in form. Trouble is we struggle against teams that play direct physical football.

[Snowflake Royal]

If we average just 1.1 ppg, gain 22 points (including beating Rotherham) we ought to finish above them on GD
at least. I honestly think 1.2 points per game might be enough provided we don't lose to Rotherham.

That's some improvement in form. Trouble is we struggle against teams.

Fixed.

[Millsy]

If we average just 1.1 ppg, gain 22 points (including beating Rotherham) we ought to finish above them on GD
at least. I honestly think 1.2 points per game might be enough provided we don't lose to Rotherham.

That's some improvement in form. Trouble is we struggle against teams.

Fixed.

You beat me to it you c*nt.

[Pepe the Horseman]

Obviously early days, but despite the bemusement over his appointment, it's really difficult not to want to have sex with this man.

[leon]

Obviously early days, but despite the bemusement over his appointment, it's really difficult not to want to have sex with this man.

He’s certainly better looking than Steve Clarke. In so far as he doesn’t look like he’s just shat himself.

[sandman]

I particularly like how he has the same honesty that Clement had in his interviews yet he says it all in a sexy Portuguese accent and plays passing football so the new age stat obsessed football manager generation of our fan base lap it up.

[Pepe the Horseman]

I particularly like how he has the same honesty that Clement had in his interviews yet he says it all in a sexy Portuguese accent and plays passing football so the new age stat obsessed football manager generation of our fan base lap it up.

I am smitten with him, but the "refreshingly honest" comments and "getting our club back" is pretty much how our fans have reacted to every new manager's first win since Adkins left.

[RoyalBlue]

I particularly like how he has the same honesty that Clement had in his interviews yet he says it all in a sexy Portuguese accent and plays passing football so the new age stat obsessed football manager generation of our fan base lap it up.

Far more positive in his speech and approach than Clement. No more 'we need to try to win', its all about 'we will win' and 'killing opponents'. 'My players will succeed'. Strikes me as a very inspirational leader/manager.

[CountryRoyal]

I particularly like how he has the same honesty that Clement had in his interviews yet he says it all in a sexy Portuguese accent and plays passing football so the new age stat obsessed football manager generation of our fan base lap it up.

Far more positive in his speech and approach than Clement. No more 'we need to try to win', its all about 'we will win' and 'killing opponents'. 'My players will succeed'. Strikes me as a very inspirational leader/manager.

I like he always says mission, just in keeping with the militant theme.

I like him a lot.

[Snowflake Royal]

I particularly like how he has the same honesty that Clement had in his interviews yet he says it all in a sexy Portuguese accent and plays passing football so the new age stat obsessed football manager generation of our fan base lap it up.

Far more positive in his speech and approach than Clement. No more 'we need to try to win', its all about 'we will win' and 'killing opponents'. 'My players will succeed'. Strikes me as a very inspirational leader/manager.

Seriously?

It seems to me the only difference between that being 'inspirational' and ridiculed is that he hasn't gone 5/6 games without a win.

Easy to be more energised and positive in your first month than six months into a shambles.

He interviews just as well as Clement for me.

[Snowball]

Some people need an awful lot.

In his first game we played 80 minutes with a man short. A few down to nine men. We were one down when we lost a defender, played eighty minutes without conceding.

We then played at an in form QPR, were, according to many, the better side and got a thoroughly deserved 0-0 draw

For a side that previously had barely heard of a clean sheet, that was 170+ consecutive minutes without conceding

We played away to Man Utd, a side in sixth place in the Prem, held our own, had 60% possession, had more shots, the same as United on target and went down to a VAR penalty and one clinical Lukaku goal.

Even though we the blipped against Swansea, we had sixteen shots, five on target versus their 8 shots, 5 on target

The difference on the day was they scored 4/5

Fifth game we totally dominated Forest even when they had eleven men, for a thoroughly deserved win.

We are playing faster, more attractive football and from five games have had 6 x45 minutes with a clean sheet

And that is against a Premiership side, two side chasing the playoffs and mid table Swansea who won their next game after us 3-0 away



And in those five games the shots on target total is 22-20 in Reading’s favour

The improvement is obvious

[Nameless]

I particularly like how he has the same honesty that Clement had in his interviews yet he says it all in a sexy Portuguese accent and plays passing football so the new age stat obsessed football manager generation of our fan base lap it up.

Far more positive in his speech and approach than Clement. No more 'we need to try to win', its all about 'we will win' and 'killing opponents'. 'My players will succeed'. Strikes me as a very inspirational leader/manager.

Seriously?

It seems to me the only difference between that being 'inspirational' and ridiculed is that he hasn't gone 5/6 games without a win.

Easy to be more energised and positive in your first month than six months into a shambles.

He interviews just as well as Clement for me.

He comes across way better than Clement.

Some of his comments have been very fresh.

His statement that the players who have been here all season are the problem but can also be the solution struck me as very smart. Likewise pointing out that while bringing in new players is good it is wrong for the existing players to think things can be sorted out just with new players.
He’s not running away from problems, but he’s allowing players who have been poor to change and help sort hinges out.
Still a long way to go and just because you interview well doesn’t make you a good manager. But it’s an aspect of the job he has done better than any of our recent managers.

[From Despair To Where?]

It's a positive start though isn't it and I agree with those saying that he seems to have instilled a more positive vibe. He's clearly under no illusions about the task at hand but he doesn't so much as say the right things as says things in the right way.

4 points in 4 games is an improvement
2 clean sheets in 4 league games is an improvement
5 conceded in 4 games is an improvement
50 minutes of shambolic defending against Swansea not withstanding, we've been competitive in every game.


We're still very much in the mire but from where I'm sitting Gomes has taken the same group of players further forward in 5 games than Clement did in 5 months.

[SCIAG]

I know I'm getting a bit carried away and I'm having to consciously combat that. It feels like, for the past 15 months or so, under four different managers, every victory has been so emphatic that it feels like we've turned a corner, and half the draws have been really promising. Then we'll go on a run of averaging 0.5 points per game for six games and we'll have one utterly dreadful performance.

After yesterday I want to sing Jose's name from the rooftops, but we've been here before. I'm going to give it ten games before I let myself get carried away guilt-free.