Marek... a debate

[Toadie]

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.

I think it would be pretty dangerous to try and remould the team around one player, given the success that Coppell has enjoyed with 4-4-2 at this level. I think he'd have to do some serious shopping to bring in players with anticipation to match Marek's vision if they were to do so. I can't see our current crop being able to raise their game to a complimentary level. But that, of course, would involve getting the chequebook out...

[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?

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.

Fair enough but I notice quite rightly that you call it "our 4-4-2". There are several ways of playing
4-4-2, if we do nothing I fear we will lose a great talent without seeing it come to fruition.

[Scarface]

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.

Agreed, for 30 mins he was a joy to watch, constantly looking for the ball and threading forward attacking passes, he offers so much more than James Harper. However 2nd half he faded and like the rest of the team was utter dog shit, however we decided to not bother using our extra man and to switch to the long ball game.

[Garrincha]

He did look average on occasions tonight. Sometimes though he splits defences apart with one pass. Hes got a very good eye and can pick a pass like no other in the team. However as tonight proved he can be sloppy with the ball. He is quite lightweight, and can't beat players. But i think tonight showed with someone like Gunnarsson, and Cisse probably, that he can partner someone with a more defensive nature to their game. I think he can still improve and could do extremely well at championship level and do very well in the premiership, if we happen to go up. Theres no doubt hes got talent, he played in Euro 2008 for Czech Republic, and had glimpses last year. I think hes quality, and i wouldn't expect it to be too long before he makes it in the first team.

This is a very fair and balanced view on Marek and just to add (sorry if mentioned already in this thread) but this was Marek's first start for RFC in the league this season and every player will make mistakes when not match fit, but watching a player like Marek at Reading is at times a breath of fresh air with his technique, touch and awareness. With the right system (as mentioned above) he could be a class apart on a consistent basis.

[Garrincha]

He did look average on occasions tonight. Sometimes though he splits defences apart with one pass. Hes got a very good eye and can pick a pass like no other in the team. However as tonight proved he can be sloppy with the ball. He is quite lightweight, and can't beat players. But i think tonight showed with someone like Gunnarsson, and Cisse probably, that he can partner someone with a more defensive nature to their game. I think he can still improve and could do extremely well at championship level and do very well in the premiership, if we happen to go up. Theres no doubt hes got talent, he played in Euro 2008 for Czech Republic, and had glimpses last year. I think hes quality, and i wouldn't expect it to be too long before he makes it in the first team.

This is a very fair and balanced view on Marek and just to add (sorry if mentioned already in this thread) but this was Marek's first start for RFC in the league this season and every player will make mistakes when not match fit, but watching a player like Marek at Reading is at times a breath of fresh air with his technique, touch and awareness. With the right system (as mentioned above) he could be a class apart on a consistent basis.

Sorry, first start since Forest away

[Barry the bird boggler]

His first 90 minutes of the season. There needs to be a few games now where he builds an understanding with the rest of the team. I'm sure that once the other players see the sort of passes he can hit their anticipation will improve. Likewise Marek will perhaps look for the simpler and more obvious pass on occasions meaning they meet somewhere in the middle.

As to the best formation, well until Marek has had a run of 6+ games in the team its not really going to be easy to agree on that. As it was I thought we missed Harps last night....

[Magicman]

So to summarise

Harper starts on the bench but then we miss him (reason unknown)
Marek starts but is too good for the rest of the midfield.
Gunnar starts but the overall view is he can only last 60 minutes, is defensive but is better from the bench and scores more when he does so.
Karacan was playing every game then couldnt get into the squad, cant play if Harper does as are to similiar
Henry starts for the first time but is no Kebe
Kebe our best and worst player all in the same game, every game and doesnt know what the goal looks like.
Shunt plays every game but shouldnt take penalty's.
Convey the forgotten man until last night won't play in place of Shunt and not often in the same team.

So its like a giant puzzle where not of the pieces fit together, sounds like a job for Harry Redknapp

[winchester_royal]

LOL @ anyone who thought Marek had no impact last night.

[Forbury Lion]

Over the last 3 or 4 years, our best football has been played by attacking down the flanks.

In other words, we're predictable.

Marek is perhaps a plan B player for when wingplay isn't working.

Marek the new Darren Caskey?

[Thomas L'Heureux]

Over the last 3 or 4 years, our best football has been played by attacking down the flanks.

In other words, we're predictable.

Marek is perhaps a plan B player for when wingplay isn't working.

Marek the new Darren Caskey?

To a certain degree he has the potential to be, but he in no way offers the same goal threat.

But you're right - just because we're used to playing down the flanks it shouldn't mean we deter from trying to play through the centre once in a while.

[Dirk Gently]

Over the last 3 or 4 years, our best football has been played by attacking down the flanks.

In other words, we're predictable.

Marek is perhaps a plan B player for when wingplay isn't working.

Marek the new Darren Caskey?

Does the Waitrose sponsorship include lots of pies?

[Drew_3]

I can't believe some of the stuff on this thread, i know its all a matter of oppinion but i thought marek was man of the match last night, he was at the heart of everything good about our play, alot went through him, his passes constantley found our man and were often the passes which opened up the blackpool defense(see the pass for armstrong to win the penalty).

Without him last night i think we would have struggled, i love Harper and don't agree with much of the criticism he recieves, however last night Marek offered more than James has in recent weeks, maybe Harps just needs a break, in the last 10 years he must have only had 2-3 weeks break during a season at the most, i know he is supreamley fit but there is only so much anyone can do.

[Dirk Gently]

I can't believe some of the stuff on this thread, i know its all a matter of oppinion but i thought marek was man of the match last night, he was at the heart of everything good about our play, alot went through him, his passes constantley found our man and were often the passes which opened up the blackpool defense(see the pass for armstrong to win the penalty).

Without him last night i think we would have struggled, i love Harper and don't agree with much of the criticism he recieves, however last night Marek offered more than James has in recent weeks, maybe Harps just needs a break, in the last 10 years he must have only had 2-3 weeks break during a season at the most, i know he is supreamley fit but there is only so much anyone can do.

Not necessarily taking issue with what you say, but I'd say we did struggle.

For the final 20 minutes or so a newcomer to the match would have struggled to tell which was the team in the top 3 playing with 11 men and which was the struggling team playing with 10 men.

[Row Z Royal]

Oh, and Henry is shit.

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

Runs fast. No end product.

[winchester_royal]

Oh, and Henry is shit.

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

Runs fast. No end product.

Oh the joys of judging a player after only 1 game.

[Ian Royal]

I don't think there is much question of what Marek adds, I think the important part is what we lose or he doesn't add when he plays.

That's why I'd only play him in a 3.

[Ozymandias]

Runs fast. No end product.

no, not Kebe, we're dicussing Henry on this one.

[Toadie]

Over the last 3 or 4 years, our best football has been played by attacking down the flanks.

In other words, we're predictable.

Marek is perhaps a plan B player for when wingplay isn't working.

Marek the new Darren Caskey?

Which would suggest that he might be better employed as a substitute, or alternative option, rather than member of the starting XI.

I hope I'm proved wrong...but I just can't see him ever having the players around him to play to his strength, which is quite clearly his eye for a pass.

[Huntley & Palmer]

As I put in another thread, he's a superbly skillful player but not a particularly effective one.

He needs space to thrive, which he'll not get in a league where most teams play 5 in midfield against us, and his vision is far greater than the vision of his teammates, so many of his through balls into space are wasted because no-one anticipates them. I also think his poor tackling is a major weakness.

I'd much rather settle for a less skillful and more effective player.

Is it me just getting de ja vu here, or is this not the same stuff pedalled out when Oster was playing for us? The sort of player where a team needs to be built round him, rather than a striker like Doyle. If you had a holding player in front of the back four then Marek would provide the link between him and the attack. He is not flexible enough to provide attacking and defensive duties, hence why he will never really get much of a go at our place. Fully expect him to be sold at the end of the season and a team to do exactly what they need to with him, give him protection and time to play

[Row Z Royal]

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

Runs fast. No end product.

Oh the joys of judging a player after only 1 game.

I've seen enough in his cameos and on Football Manager to know that he'll never amount to anything.