Birmingham next week

[TFF]

This is possibly one of the biggest games of recent years for us and is the first time since Boro at home 1st day of Premiership season where my anticipation of the game is killing me.

Not really. Whilst a win would be great, if we lose we're 4 points behind them, like we were on Saturday lunchtime - with half a season to make it up.

Relax.

[rhroyal]

This is possibly one of the biggest games of recent years for us and is the first time since Boro at home 1st day of Premiership season where my anticipation of the game is killing me.

Not really. Whilst a win would be great, if we lose we're 4 points behind them, like we were on Saturday lunchtime - with half a season to make it up.

Relax.

The return fixture could could be one of the biggest games in recent years.

[kwik-silva]

The form Birmingham and Wolves in can't continue like this, so expect a very very close finish at the end of the season. The birmingham (h) game will be crucial and even the Wolves game could be big come end of season

[londinium]

Sod off. judging by your opinion i guess your the kind of person that votes for bas savage in the PFA awards

''Sod off'' That really backs up your arguement, it must have taken you ages to come up with a pearl like that.

It is all about opinion and on the whole you agree with me as do the majority on here, and the one thing you think is wrong i.e. NHunt needing a rest because of poor form is something that, again, most on here agree with which puts you once again in the minority. Time to look in my midrift for something interesting and productive.... 'sod off' grow up at make a debate of the issue rather than post utter rubbish.

[bcubed]

For me there's just one question about next week, and that's the right wing. Harper will definitely start simply because Coppell will want a hard working midfield in this game and Marek won't do his defensive share if he plays in the middle. The defence and attack will be the same as we've only conceded 1 goal in 4 games and Doyle and N. Hunt have been performing all season. Therefore this is my prediction:

Fed
Rosenior Doobs Ivar Armstrong
Henry/Marek Cisse Harper S. Hunt
N. Hunt Doyle

Nice and predictable. I will be in trouble with the "Marek is God" brigade, but I hope he doesn't start. We lacked width and balance so much with him on the right yesterday and Henry helped turn the game in my view. Even when Marek had time and space on the ball yesterday he disappointed me, even when he moved into the centre at the end. He clearly does have talent, but something's wrong with him in our team.

Everyone makes excuses like:

His mind is ahead of the teams.
He needs more defensive cover behind him.
Lita up front would suit him better.
Our team's style focuses on the wings too much.

All these excuses and many others are true, they are holding Marek back. That doesn't mean we should build the entire team around him, that's an excuse to keep him out. We're 3rd, averaging 2 points a game. To move away from the style that has got us this far just to accommodate Matejovsky would be a stupid idea. Henry is good enough, let him start. Marek on the bench.

+1

[rabidbee]

Fair enough. I only care because United are my 'other' team.

your "other" team? gLOLory hunter/ pLOLastic?

M'eh. I was married to a Dundonian, and her family were Arabs.

[bishbosh92]

Well we have one four on the bounce now Despite not playing at our best.

Our confidence will be high so i think the Brum game will be an epic encounter as it is by far our biggest game of the season for us.

And thanks to big john parkin if we win Automatic Places for us.

cant wait.

[TFF]

Well we have one four on the bounce now Despite not playing at our best.

Our confidence will be high so i think the Brum game will be an epic encounter as it is by far our biggest game of the season for us.

And thanks to big john parkin if we win Automatic Places for us.

cant wait.

Nope, not even using Babel Fish.

Can anybody help?

[rabidbee]

"We done good, innit?"

[Wycombe Royal]

The form Birmingham and Wolves in can't continue like this

People said that about us in 05/06.

[The Cap]

kwik-silva wrote

The form Birmingham and Wolves in can't continue like this, so expect a very very close finish at the end of the season. The birmingham (h) game will be crucial and even the Wolves game could be big come end of season

I've had this discussion with me mates, and TBH would like to think that last season's experience at Derby, where it all hinged on the final game, will be motivation enough to make sure that this scenario does not arise again.

[Whistle]

The way Nhunt's been playing lately Doyle might as well be upfront on his own so I'd start with a 4-5-1 with a midf of Henry, Cisse, Harper, Marek and Shunt. This would give us the width we need and a bit more strength in midf. If it goes wrong it's easy enough to switch back to 4 4 2 - provided Henry plays the game of his life.

[papereyes]

I agree with Big Foot. Real sense of anticipation about this one.

[West Stand Man]

And that fantastic insight is based on exactly how many performances in that role? He doesn't play there for the Czech Republic and he doesn't play there for us.

He's correct about the difference between right midfielders and right wingers. Unfortunately Coppell's system of 4-4-2 relies on attacking wingers. Hence why we were so awful last season and why we never really got anywhere relying on Hughes.

Marek is a central midfielder who would work in a 4-4-2 that was about creativity through the middle. Ours is completely set up to be creative down the flanks, with the middle distributing the ball wide quickly and hassling the opposition attacks. Marek is wasted in a team like that.

I think we could get away with playing Marek away against the poorer teams in the division when they may actually try and beat us, in theory it would give him the space to play his game. At home when they just flood the middle he isn't a great deal of use. Against the good teams, he just doesn't have enough defensive presence or quality to play in a midfield which also has defensively light weight wingers

Coppell won't switch to 3 or 5 in midfield this season, so Marek is currently not a great deal of use to us. IMO. Certainly not against a tough, dangerous Birmingham.

Where has this irrational hatred of Matejovsky come from IR?

Noel has been crap for a while now, I would consider bringing Mate in to a 4-4-1-1 formation myself.

Winchester Royal in 'irrational hatred' shock. Is this the same person who has a one sided opinion of players himself? Surely not?

[Negative_Jeff]

Harper, Gunnarsson, Cisse, Karacan, and S Hunt in a five man midfield if Coppell wants a high tempo midfield battle, perhaps looking for a late winner when the game gets stretched.
Or;
Bikey at the back the only change in a team more designed to keep possession and looking to play on the counter attack.

[Maguire]

We're away and the right hand side is obviously a problem. Big game to chuck Henry into so if Coppell does that then I imagine it'll be on the right of a five man midfield. That way we've got a bit more in the middle if he disappears from the game as he may well do.

So basically I agree with Whistle. Plus if you need to chase the game then you can swtich to 4-4-2 and take your chances.

Henry - Harper - Cisse - Marek - Hunt across the park.

[Deathy]

We're going to get spanked good and proper. But at least it'll only be a 4 point gap again.

[Ian Royal]

And that fantastic insight is based on exactly how many performances in that role? He doesn't play there for the Czech Republic and he doesn't play there for us.

He's correct about the difference between right midfielders and right wingers. Unfortunately Coppell's system of 4-4-2 relies on attacking wingers. Hence why we were so awful last season and why we never really got anywhere relying on Hughes.

Marek is a central midfielder who would work in a 4-4-2 that was about creativity through the middle. Ours is completely set up to be creative down the flanks, with the middle distributing the ball wide quickly and hassling the opposition attacks. Marek is wasted in a team like that.

I think we could get away with playing Marek away against the poorer teams in the division when they may actually try and beat us, in theory it would give him the space to play his game. At home when they just flood the middle he isn't a great deal of use. Against the good teams, he just doesn't have enough defensive presence or quality to play in a midfield which also has defensively light weight wingers

Coppell won't switch to 3 or 5 in midfield this season, so Marek is currently not a great deal of use to us. IMO. Certainly not against a tough, dangerous Birmingham.

Where has this irrational hatred of Matejovsky come from IR?

Noel has been crap for a while now, I would consider bringing Mate in to a 4-4-1-1 formation myself.

Winchester Royal in 'irrational hatred' shock. Is this the same person who has a one sided opinion of players himself? Surely not?

Winchester_royal in being a bit simple shocker more likely.

I don't have an irrational hatred of Marek. I think he's a very good player and I like him a lot. I was one of the most vocal about what a good signing he would probably become when we picked him up. I got quite a lot of stick off Tredder because of it. Sadly he has more flaws than I'd hoped at the time

There is a massive difference between irrational hatred and a considered opinion that a player is not right for our current system of play. If W_R actually looked at any of my choices for team each match he would see that on a regualr basis Marek makes an appearance. Just not in a 4-4-2 which is what we play.

But then he has his agenda that Marek is fantastic and Harper is shit and nothing else is relevant to him.

[Gordons Cumming]

We're going to get spanked good and proper. But at least it'll only be a 4 point gap again.

No we wont.

We've got a good record there recently.

[Tilehurst End]

Reading manager Steve Coppell said: 'James has certainly got the potential and is certainly a confident player. He is at least 90 per cent certain to start against Birmingham.'If James is creating goals and scoring the odd one, he's going to make an impact.'

Henry's skill on the ball is just the tonic Reading need after recent performances have looked a bit stale, and they will go to St Andrews fancying their chances of leapfrogging Birmingham into the automatic promotion places.