Matejovsky

[Royal Lady]

So one game made him match fit?? Should have played him earlier then!

[Vision]

Two fairly obvious reasons spring to mind.

1) Not injured =/= match fit
2) Transfer interest

He played yesterday of course. Though Mills, who has been stated as not being match fit, did not. How does that work?

Perhaps he thought a player with no-pre season shouldn't be playing 3 games in a week.
Perhaps he picked up a niggle and they thought it wasn't worth the risk.

There are any number of reasons, you just seem to have difficulty accepting the rather obvious fact that a player who hasn't had pre-season conditioning and had played 45 mins in the previous 3 months isn't totally "match fit".

[Hoop Blah]

So one game made him match fit?? Should have played him earlier then!

He's played 3 games, plus been with us for training.

Each of those games would've moved him closer to match fitness yes. Rodgers made it clear he was going to use the League Cup to keep the fringe players involved and to help them get/remain sharp which explains to some extent the reason for swapping out Mills for Gunnarsson.

It's not rocket sicence!

[johnnym]

Mills shouldn't be getting up to match fitness in the league imho. Especially as we're playing catch up.

Cisse/Bryn couls should have started last Sat, maybe with Mills getting 20 mins and then the full 90 last night.

It is odd that he wasn't in the squad last night. Very odd that Marek and Harps aren't closer to a league starting place. Can only be wages related, last two on Prem deals??? Unless there are pending deals for both players.

Marek looks fit, but not sharp at all.

[Hoop Blah]

Mills shouldn't be getting up to match fitness in the league imho. Especially as we're playing catch up.

Cisse/Bryn couls should have started last Sat, maybe with Mills getting 20 mins and then the full 90 last night.

It is odd that he wasn't in the squad last night. Very odd that Marek and Harps aren't closer to a league starting place. Can only be wages related, last two on Prem deals??? Unless there are pending deals for both players.

Marek looks fit, but not sharp at all.

The sharpness is part of that 'match fitness' though.

As for Mills, he was giving a start in the last round to help him get some match fitness, and then we conceeded 3 goals against Newcastle so it presumably seemed the right time to bring him in for the League game against Sheffield Utd.

Mills did alright against Utd so I don't think that was a mistake.

[johnnym]

Mills scored a good goal, his defending in the main was poor. Caught out of position, slow to track runners...perhaps the positive was his ability with the longer passes (certainly an improvement on Doobs!!)

[Dirk Gently]

Mills scored a good goal, his defending in the main was poor. Caught out of position, slow to track runners...perhaps the positive was his ability with the longer passes (certainly an improvement on Doobs!!)

If it's all the same to you I'd rather have defenders who can defend. If they can put a good passing move together or occasionally score a goal that's even better, but their first job is to keep the ball away, even if that does mean putting it into Row AA.

[Gordons Cumming]

even if that does mean putting it into Row AA.

Blimey! I'd better look out!

[Hoop Blah]

Mills scored a good goal, his defending in the main was poor. Caught out of position, slow to track runners...perhaps the positive was his ability with the longer passes (certainly an improvement on Doobs!!)

If it's all the same to you I'd rather have defenders who can defend. If they can put a good passing move together or occasionally score a goal that's even better, but their first job is to keep the ball away, even if that does mean putting it into Row AA.

Agreed, although I think Mills did OK. He was a bit slow on occassions but his defending was pretty solid.

Utd will be one of the better sides this season, and Henderson is a right handful, and although they scored 3 goals none of them were the fault of the centre halfs and they didn't have many other chances I can think of. Something must've been ok in the back four!

[adamh4608]

Sparta Prague may attempt a loan bid for Reading midfielder Marek Matejovsky if they manage to qualify for the Europa League group stage.

The Czech club have been hit by the news that Patrik Berger will be ruled out until the New Year and are lining up Matejovsky as a temporary replacement.

The 27-year-old has fallen out of favour at the Madejski Stadium and could return to his home country to help Sparta with their heavy European schedule.

Metejovsky's agent, Pavel Zika, says that Sparta will be the best option for his client if they successfully qualify for the group stages.

"Yes, Sparta is one of the alternatives we have discussed with Marek," he told deniksport.cz.

"It all depends on how Sparta end up. If they qualify for the group stage, then I will be personally recommending Sparta to Marek, even despite the fact that there is interest in him from Italy and Germany.

"The reason for this is that with Sparta he would have a chance to play regularly in the Europa League as well and could get back to playing for the national team."

Sparta Prague face NK Maribor in the second-leg of their qualifier on Thursday night, holding a 2-0 aggregate cushion after the first encounter.
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528, ... 60,00.html

[Focher]

Sparta Prague may attempt a loan bid for Reading midfielder Marek Matejovsky if they manage to qualify for the Europa League group stage.

The Czech club have been hit by the news that Patrik Berger will be ruled out until the New Year and are lining up Matejovsky as a temporary replacement.

The 27-year-old has fallen out of favour at the Madejski Stadium and could return to his home country to help Sparta with their heavy European schedule.

Metejovsky's agent, Pavel Zika, says that Sparta will be the best option for his client if they successfully qualify for the group stages.

"Yes, Sparta is one of the alternatives we have discussed with Marek," he told deniksport.cz.

"It all depends on how Sparta end up. If they qualify for the group stage, then I will be personally recommending Sparta to Marek, even despite the fact that there is interest in him from Italy and Germany.

"The reason for this is that with Sparta he would have a chance to play regularly in the Europa League as well and could get back to playing for the national team."

Sparta Prague face NK Maribor in the second-leg of their qualifier on Thursday night, holding a 2-0 aggregate cushion after the first encounter.
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528, ... 60,00.html

for the 2nd time today, brace yourself.

[Big Foot]

That would be very disappointing

[SteveRoyal]

That would be very disappointing

Agreed. Surely we can't afford to let our best passer leave the club?

[Upper West Ginger]

Sparta Prague may attempt a loan bid for Reading midfielder Marek Matejovsky if they manage to qualify for the Europa League group stage.
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528, ... 60,00.html

Sparta Prague won 1-0 on the night, 3-0 on aggregate.

[koran]

That would be very disappointing

Agreed. Surely we can't afford to let our best passer leave the club?

+1

[Handsome Man]

Sparta Prague may attempt a loan bid for Reading midfielder Marek Matejovsky if they manage to qualify for the Europa League group stage.

The Czech club have been hit by the news that Patrik Berger will be ruled out until the New Year and are lining up Matejovsky as a temporary replacement.

The 27-year-old has fallen out of favour at the Madejski Stadium and could return to his home country to help Sparta with their heavy European schedule.

Metejovsky's agent, Pavel Zika, says that Sparta will be the best option for his client if they successfully qualify for the group stages.

"Yes, Sparta is one of the alternatives we have discussed with Marek," he told deniksport.cz.

"It all depends on how Sparta end up. If they qualify for the group stage, then I will be personally recommending Sparta to Marek, even despite the fact that there is interest in him from Italy and Germany.

"The reason for this is that with Sparta he would have a chance to play regularly in the Europa League as well and could get back to playing for the national team."

Sparta Prague face NK Maribor in the second-leg of their qualifier on Thursday night, holding a 2-0 aggregate cushion after the first encounter.
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528, ... 60,00.html

Sounds like the best thing for him and the club.

[Smoking Kills Dancing Doe]

To be honest he's so overrated when you consider what he has actually done for Reading.

He's never taken a game by the scruff and dominated it for 90 mins. He's has a good 20 mins, but then goes missing for the next 20. Clearly doesn't fit in, have to wonder if he's the right fit. I'm not even sure he's suited to the English game. He's taken a massive step up from the Czech league, don't look like he can handle the pace of the game.

Yes he's a lot plays for the Czech's, are they that good anymore? International football is not the same as playing in England, we see that everytime our national team plays. You just don't get the time on the ball...

[clauski]

To be honest he's so overrated when you consider what he has actually done for Reading.

He's never taken a game by the scruff and dominated it for 90 mins. He's has a good 20 mins, but then goes missing for the next 20. Clearly doesn't fit in, have to wonder if he's the right fit. I'm not even sure he's suited to the English game. He's taken a massive step up from the Czech league, don't look like he can handle the pace of the game.

Yes he's a lot plays for the Czech's, are they that good anymore? International football is not the same as playing in England, we see that everytime our national team plays. You just don't get the time on the ball...

Let's be fair though, he wasn't really given a decent run in the side or a real opportunity to be the creative force of the team under Coppell. If BR decided to make him a pivotal part of the team I think he would be a huge player for us.

[Smoking Kills Dancing Doe]

To be honest he's so overrated when you consider what he has actually done for Reading.

He's never taken a game by the scruff and dominated it for 90 mins. He's has a good 20 mins, but then goes missing for the next 20. Clearly doesn't fit in, have to wonder if he's the right fit. I'm not even sure he's suited to the English game. He's taken a massive step up from the Czech league, don't look like he can handle the pace of the game.

Yes he's a lot plays for the Czech's, are they that good anymore? International football is not the same as playing in England, we see that everytime our national team plays. You just don't get the time on the ball...

Let's be fair though, he wasn't really given a decent run in the side or a real opportunity to be the creative force of the team under Coppell. If BR decided to make him a pivotal part of the team I think he would be a huge player for us.

Why though?

Coppell and Rodgers clearly don't thinks that is the case, or they would have given him a run.

[Hoop Blah]

Best passer? Nah, don't think so.

Player with most vision? Yes, undoutedly.

Can we harness that vision and forgive him his far too often lapses when he gives possession away without reason? Not sure, a free role in a 4-2-3-1 type formation would suit him, but as with SKDD, I just don't think he's cut out for English football and he's by far and away our most over rated player.