Back from the game - Swansea

[Hoop Blah]

They didn't have control of the game, they just try to stop the opposition from playing.

They have the quality to do more with it when they force the opposition into those mistakes though.

[BrockManson]

If ever there was a game to go aggresive 4-4-2 then this was it.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but with all due respect that says that you haven't got a chuffing clue.

We might go 2 up on Saturday, but against a side who dominate possession and us on the back of 7 defeats on the spin we had to pack the midfield today. BM got his team selection and tactis spot on for once. Even if that meant we all had to be bored to tears for most of the game.

4-4-2 against Swansea would've been a disaster.

[Royal91]

McDermott just can't get this balance between attack and defence. The simple reason WE ARE SHIT. The first 11 as a whole are just not good enough.

McDermott still managed to get it wrong. Guthrie is not an attacking mid (Deep lying play maker).

Federici- I've been his biggest critic and I don't like the guy but he was awesome today.

Gunter/Cummings Good champ players and that's it.

Harte- Too slow we need two new full backs. All they do is chip it down the channels. (maybe because the CM's are not showing for them).

McAnuff and L,wood again SHIT. I HOPE TO GOD THEY ARE NOT WITH US NEXT YEAR.

Jimmy never wants to take on a man and is probably the most frustrating player in the world.

Karacan. Awesome badly missed him. Maybe were that shit but it looks like he's improved technically.

Pearce. Awesome McDermott is a oxf*rd moron for not playing him. Controlled and organised the defence and showed some PASSION. AZ Give him what he wants. He might win a second Championship title.

Guthrie. Wasn't in the first half. 2nd half showed some grit, fight, neat passing and solid crossing. (Anyone who disagrees can piss off)

Pog. He shows some bite in tackles and willingness to get the ball. Unfortunately hes too slow. Problem is hes not a TARGET man. Banging balls into his head will NEVER work.

Alf. Should be starting. Solid finisher, pretty nippy and great movement.

Our problems are the full backs.
Off the ball movement (Never create space for each other)
Crossing is just shit all the time.

[sandman]

To those who chanted 'boring boring Swansea' midway through the first half as they passed us off the park with their dainty little triangles: I'd rather watch their brand of football than ours, any day of the week.

The way Arsenal played a passing style in our half was much more impressive and better to watch than the Swansea take on it today. Sorry but all they did was keep it in their own half and knock it between the centre backs,
that isn't pretty football it's pointless football and deserves to be called boring. Besides we played that style three years ago and the same people who were creaming themselves over Swansea complained about the ineffectiveness of it.

[No Fixed Abode]

Having just seen McDonuts match notes on Football first I can see why the team are struggling. They're written in some ancient script. Could be his half time food order.looks like it said cheeseburger on the bit of paper.

[Rev Algenon Stickleback H]

To those who chanted 'boring boring Swansea' midway through the first half as they passed us off the park with their dainty little triangles: I'd rather watch their brand of football than ours, any day of the week.

The way Arsenal played a passing style in our half was much more impressive and better to watch than the Swansea take on it today. Sorry but all they did was keep it in their own half and knock it between the centre backs,
that isn't pretty football it's pointless football and deserves to be called boring. Besides we played that style three years ago and the same people who were creaming themselves over Swansea complained about the ineffectiveness of it.

For all their possession Swansea really struggled to create chances. They may pass the ball nicely, but they aren't a top side by any means.

That said, they did look like the only team likely to nick one until their bizarre decision to stop attacking and play for a draw in the last 20 minutes or so.

I can understand the calls for 4-5-1, especially playing Swansea, but isn't that the first time this season that we've played 4-5-1 and haven't lost? The sad thing there is no tactical magic bullet that's going to turn our season around. After a few weeks of 4-5-1 the talk on here will about it being "obvious" that we need to go back to 4-4-2.

[floyd__streete]

The way Arsenal played a passing style in our half was much more impressive and better to watch than the Swansea take on it today. Sorry but all they did was keep it in their own half and knock it between the centre backs,
that isn't pretty football it's pointless football and deserves to be called boring. Besides we played that style three years ago and the same people who were creaming themselves over Swansea complained about the ineffectiveness of it.

Arsenal of course have a bigger budget and did Swansea not win at the Emirates a few weeks back?

To say we 'played that style' under Rodgers is a fatuous comment in all homesty; we *tried* to play that way but utterly failed, Rodgers was deluded enough to think that his coaching abilities were so advanced that he could turn the likes of Kalifa Cisse into a ball playing midfielder. He couldn't. When Rodgers left we were fourth bottom from the Championship, Swansea are (currently) a top half Premier League side. To say that we 'played that style' is nonsense, we attempted to and entirely failed to do so and the reasons for that ineffectiveness I have alluded to already. The current Premier League table doesn't suggest to me that Swansea are 'ineffective' either.

[jellytot]

Yes we were not good. However, for all those moaners in rhe stadium who hoped for more reality
check!
We have very little quality in the team. For BM thw penny haa finally dropped that we cannot really
commit forward because we always get hammered on the break. All we can do is keep it tight
And hope we can sneak a goal. With the players at our disposal we can do nothing else.

Poor displays - jobi, leig (extra shit), gunter and the pog ( no suppport)
Good displays - feds, jem, guthrie and pearce.
Rest did ok.

This is the only way til we get in more quality in that we can play. Not good enough enough
To play another way.

Draw was the best we deserved. Created little bit defended well apart from silly mistakes AND we gave Michu FAR too much space at times!

We were outclassed mostly. BRIAN thinks we can stay up. ZERO chance with our current squad.
WE ARE NOT EVEN GOOD ENOUGH TO PLAY 4-5-1 AS we do not have the staff to play it. Offensively we

[Cripple Creek]

A lot of comments on here echo Robbie Savage's comments on the BBC (or maybe it's the other way round) that Reading can't afford to play 4-4-2 because we'll concede horrendously but will have serious difficulty scoring goals when we are trying to keep a clean sheet. In other words, we are in a kind of a trap until we get some creativity in during January. I'm sure Savage's column has already been posted on here but if not...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20826561

[jellytot]

A lot of comments on here echo Robbie Savage's comments on the BBC (or maybe it's the other way round) that Reading can't afford to play 4-4-2 because we'll concede horrendously but will have serious difficulty scoring goals when we are trying to keep a clean sheet. In other words, we are in a kind of a trap until we get some creativity in during January. I'm sure Savage's column has already been posted on here but if not...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20826561

Agree with Savage. We need more quality to make either system work. In the pl 4-5-1 IS MORE
effective if we can sign the right players in jan.

[Hoop Blah]

To those who chanted 'boring boring Swansea' midway through the first half as they passed us off the park with their dainty little triangles: I'd rather watch their brand of football than ours, any day of the week.

The way Arsenal played a passing style in our half was much more impressive and better to watch than the Swansea take on it today. Sorry but all they did was keep it in their own half and knock it between the centre backs,
that isn't pretty football it's pointless football and deserves to be called boring. Besides we played that style three years ago and the same people who were creaming themselves over Swansea complained about the ineffectiveness of it.

It's a bit easier to play that passing style in our half when we surrender the midfield by sticking to a 4 man midfield with two wingers. Arsenal have the better players but we let them play whereas we made Swansea play in their own half more by being better set up to stop them.

[under the tin]

I fully agree with jellytot's post. Brian has to work with what he's got.
Changing the formation around does not suddenly improve the overall quality of the team, it just makes life a little more difficult for the opposition.

January is "stick or twist" time for TSI.
Improve the quality by spending a helluva lot of money on several players now, or take the relegation hit, dismantle the side, and rebuild next season.
There is no middle way.

[Schards#2]

It's amazing that even after the reality check of 0 points in 7 games, 5 of which were against lower table opposition, people still feel there is some magical formation or team selection that will make everything right. There isn't, we have the worst squad in the division and are way out of our depth. No formation and no team selection will change that. Whatever choices Brian makes, our starting eleven will be inferior.

Any points gained between now and the end of the season are a bonus and Brian is, rightly, now setting up the team in the way most likely to scramble the odd point here and there. That means parking the bus at City and conceding possession in their half to Swansea. Any attempt to take the game to either opposition would have resulted in them scoring at will as Man Utd and Arsenal did.

Given this reality, whilst Brian has demonstrated he's no Coppell, we should stick with him as no manager on earth could keep this squad up.

[Hoop Blah]

It's a shame he's taken so long to work out the best way of approaching the majority of games in this division though.

We've never had the quality to go toe to toe for 90 minutes in this division and the head start we've given other relegation candidates whilst figuring this out is going to cost us.

I've never wanted McDermott sacked, but some of his costly errors probably amount to him getting the push in most other circumstances.

[pea]

2. I hope you are in the minority. If I had to watch a team playing keep ball without penetrating the opposition half for over 10 mins every week I'd soon give up. Our harum scarum style does, at least, entertain.

Typically english attitude to football, hence why our national team have always been and always will be third rate.

Can't believe anyone would want to watch Swansea play. Its ok keeping the ball on the ground and passing if you're any good at it but I thought they were tedious, unimaginative and boring, personally. Only good opportunities came from hopeful crosses into the box that we pushed into their paths and the time Michu tried his trickery against Mariappa but gave away a foul. None of their passing led to anything worthwhile. The passing between Guthrie and ALF when he came on was far better than anything they did.

LOL@ anyone criticising the manager in this game.

Feds is back playing at his best,
Harte has looked comfortable since he came back in and we've not conceded with him on the pitch,
Pearce is in the side regardless of his contract situation and putting in great performances,
Gunter has come in and done OK,
Karacan in a five man midfield has put our defence under so much less pressure,
Guthrie has been given a game when some managers would have had him playing with the youth team,
Kebe and McAnuff didn't get much luck but on paper they should be our best wingers. McDermott made the early substitution to take off McAnuff and give HRK a go without him being any more effective.
Pogrebnyak should be our best option for 4-5-1 but let himself down today, still McDermott brough on Alfie and turned the game, almost getting the winner on several ocassions.

He put what is technically our best side out and then took off the players that weren't performing. One of those substitutes almost won us the game. He's turned a horrendous defence into one that almost kept a clean sheet against the Champions and looked comfortable in this game, in the space of a week.

Obviously it wasn't perfect and three points would have been nice but we're in the Premier League and we've come a long way in two weeks. It wasn't so long ago that we had 10 players out and Obita and Samuel as our only attacking options on the bench. Now McCleary and Shorey can't even make the squad and we're matching decent Premier League sides. We've got ourselves to a place where a few decent additions in January COULD make a massive difference and keep us up and that is important.

[Maguire]

It's a shame he's taken so long to work out the best way of approaching the majority of games in this division though.

We've never had the quality to go toe to toe for 90 minutes in this division and the head start we've given other relegation candidates whilst figuring this out is going to cost us.

I've never wanted McDermott sacked, but some of his costly errors probably amount to him getting the push in most other circumstances.

I can imagine the furore on here if we'd gone into the season playing negative, spoiling football from the start. It's only hindsight that allows us to suggest we should have done so now.

[Maguire]

The Game:

First half they didn't give us a kick. We just couldn't get into the game at all and looked very much like the away side. Despite having numbers in midfield they still took the piss and should have gone in ahead.

Second half was much better and the team deserve credit for that. Le Fondre looked bright when he came off the bench (as he often does). I feel a bit sorry for Pogrebnyak as he's working hard but it's so tough to play up on your own when you've got so little support. He's put in a shift the last two games I felt his pain when his terribel touch blew the break in the first half.

As anonymous as Guthrie was in the first half I thought he did well in the second. Showed that he's got a footballing head on his shoulders and displayed a decent attitude with a willingness to get stuck in.

Karacan for me is very limited. Tireless worker yes, but not much beyond that.

Overall not bad - really needed the win of course so that's disappointing but if we beat West Ham i'd say we've done okay from these two games. Fingers crossed.

[West_Reading]

It's a shame he's taken so long to work out the best way of approaching the majority of games in this division though.

We've never had the quality to go toe to toe for 90 minutes in this division and the head start we've given other relegation candidates whilst figuring this out is going to cost us.

I've never wanted McDermott sacked, but some of his costly errors probably amount to him getting the push in most other circumstances.

I can imagine the furore on here if we'd gone into the season playing negative, spoiling football from the start. It's only hindsight that allows us to suggest we should have done so now.

Fully agreed. I was one of the ones saying we have to play 442 after the Spurs game, as that is our strength.

[LoyalRoyal22]

McDermott just can't get this balance between attack and defence. The simple reason WE ARE SHIT. The first 11 as a whole are just not good enough.

McDermott still managed to get it wrong. Guthrie is not an attacking mid (Deep lying play maker).

Federici- I've been his biggest critic and I don't like the guy but he was awesome today.

Gunter/Cummings Good champ players and that's it.

Harte- Too slow we need two new full backs. All they do is chip it down the channels. (maybe because the CM's are not showing for them).

McAnuff and L,wood again SHIT. I HOPE TO GOD THEY ARE NOT WITH US NEXT YEAR.

Jimmy never wants to take on a man and is probably the most frustrating player in the world.

Karacan. Awesome badly missed him. Maybe were that shit but it looks like he's improved technically.

Pearce. Awesome McDermott is a oxf*rd moron for not playing him. Controlled and organised the defence and showed some PASSION. AZ Give him what he wants. He might win a second Championship title.

Guthrie. Wasn't in the first half. 2nd half showed some grit, fight, neat passing and solid crossing. (Anyone who disagrees can piss off)

Pog. He shows some bite in tackles and willingness to get the ball. Unfortunately hes too slow. Problem is hes not a TARGET man. Banging balls into his head will NEVER work.

Alf. Should be starting. Solid finisher, pretty nippy and great movement.

Our problems are the full backs.
Off the ball movement (Never create space for each other)
Crossing is just shit all the time.

Dont agree with Gunter being a Championship player, only had one poor game for us and that was at Wigan away

And playing Guthrie more advanced.. we clearly need to play 451, and what other options does he have? Ledge was sitting and Jem and Guthrie were going box to box. We got a point off a team that has much more technical ability and better players. Brian got the tactics spot on, and we earned a good point.

Agree the squad is not strong enough to stay up, but with a few additions in jan, we could definatly compete and come close

[LoyalRoyal22]

A lot of comments on here echo Robbie Savage's comments on the BBC (or maybe it's the other way round) that Reading can't afford to play 4-4-2 because we'll concede horrendously but will have serious difficulty scoring goals when we are trying to keep a clean sheet. In other words, we are in a kind of a trap until we get some creativity in during January. I'm sure Savage's column has already been posted on here but if not...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20826561

Agree with this. Stick with 451 and sign Arshavin or someone else that can create, and we will look a much better side