Leigertwood

[Arch]

I thought I'd take a moment to defend last year's hero. I'll start by saying I do not believe he's a Premiership quality player. I understand why QPR moved him on. He doesn't have the cool head or the ball skills to be a successful top flight regular. Having said that, that's only part of the equation. For Reading, you have to ask who should replace him and I think we'd be worse off without him in the team. One constant of watching Reading over the last decade or so is the way we've let the opposition roam around in front of our back four with impunity. It was what made watching Steve Coppell's teams other than 05-06 and 06-07 a bit of a nightmare, but it hadn't gone away until we brought in Leigertwood. I believe a big reason why we're not statistically dead and buried yet (whatever your belief about our real prospects) is his contribution to our defence, basically doing what he's good at and patrolling the third quarter and breaking up play. We look less exposed in his area of responsibility than we've done in years. If we dropped him, i think we'd get regularly raped instead of just comfortably beaten, and I'll take a comfortable beating over a rape any day. I take it Carrico was brought in to do the same job while having the ball skills and head to play in the Premiership. Unfortunately, he couldn't fulfill the first of these roles. The people who've settled on Leigertwood and McAnuff as their scape goats fail to see that all of our players are constantly under massive pressure given the weakness of the whole and that no one is really more culpable than anyone else. Both those players have continued to do things that have been very important in keeping us in with a prayer of survival. Instead of picking out overstretched individuals from our inadequate set-up, the point is how does the whole have to change for us to compete at this level.

Here endeth the lesson.

[Royal Ginger]

Yup, works for me. There's a reason he was carried on people's shoulders when we were promoted, and that's pretty much it. He'll be crucial come next season's Champ campaign.

[The Quiet Man]

There's a reason he was carried on people's shoulders when we were promoted

Too slow to get off the pitch.

[royal_ross]

I thought I'd take a moment to defend last year's hero. I'll start by saying I do not believe he's a Premiership quality player. I understand why QPR moved him on. He doesn't have the cool head or the ball skills to be a successful top flight regular. Having said that, that's only part of the equation. For Reading, you have to ask who should replace him and I think we'd be worse off without him in the team. One constant of watching Reading over the last decade or so is the way we've let the opposition roam around in front of our back four with impunity. It was what made watching Steve Coppell's teams other than 05-06 and 06-07 a bit of a nightmare, but it hadn't gone away until we brought in Leigertwood. I believe a big reason why we're not statistically dead and buried yet (whatever your belief about our real prospects) is his contribution to our defence, basically doing what he's good at and patrolling the third quarter and breaking up play. We look less exposed in his area of responsibility than we've done in years. If we dropped him, i think we'd get regularly raped instead of just comfortably beaten, and I'll take a comfortable beating over a rape any day. I take it Carrico was brought in to do the same job while having the ball skills and head to play in the Premiership. Unfortunately, he couldn't fulfill the first of these roles. The people who've settled on Leigertwood and McAnuff as their scape goats fail to see that all of our players are constantly under massive pressure given the weakness of the whole and that no one is really more culpable than anyone else. Both those players have continued to do things that have been very important in keeping us in with a prayer of survival. Instead of picking out overstretched individuals from our inadequate set-up, the point is how does the whole have to change for us to compete at this level.

Here endeth the lesson.

Very good post Arch. I think some people get carried away with this season and forget what he's done over the last 2 years. Agree he isn't a premier league player though but still is a valuable player and isn't worthy of the abuse he gets week after week.

[TBM]

There's a reason he was carried on people's shoulders when we were promoted

Too slow to get off the pitch.

[melonhead]

good post.
he plays every week cos hes the best player we have in the middle, for this team.

to boo the guy who got us up is nothing short of abominable

[Royalwaster]

Agree - he's a legend. Think also that loss of confidence has been a factor this season ... the more support he gets the better he'll play.

[Westwood52]

Jobi and Lwood have been the scapegoats all season but to TBF, they are not alone in a season of almost complete mediocrity.They get the worst abuse because for some reason however bad they were playing McD kept on picking them. Perhaps only in Goal, Alf and Marriapa can escape criticism.
I have felt really sorry for Jobi; playing in the Prem after waiting so long must have been the glittering prize for him-only to find his team collapse around him-with the above three exceptions.
Jobi has however tried his damndest-trying to put out fires all over the place-Lwood however just has'nt tried to adapt or quicken his game-being caught out time and time again in possession.

[yappy]

Unfortunately I disagree about the comment about the opposition no longer roaming around in front of our back four with impunity. For me that's been almost exactly our problem, particularly early on in the season. The midfield would be bypassed with ease, and our defence would just drop deeper and deeper, just allowing the opposition to come on to us. Obviously Leigertwood isn't solely to blame for that, but I genuinely don't believe he's been that effective in breaking up play this season.

[Badger Finger]

Unfortunately I disagree about the comment about the opposition no longer roaming around in front of our back four with impunity. For me that's been almost exactly our problem, particularly early on in the season. The midfield would be bypassed with ease, and our defence would just drop deeper and deeper, just allowing the opposition to come on to us. Obviously Leigertwood isn't solely to blame for that, but I genuinely don't believe he's been that effective in breaking up play this season.

He can tackle in the centre circle but that's about it...

Any further back, he's toast...

[Norfolk Royal]

Unfortunately I disagree about the comment about the opposition no longer roaming around in front of our back four with impunity. For me that's been almost exactly our problem, particularly early on in the season. The midfield would be bypassed with ease, and our defence would just drop deeper and deeper, just allowing the opposition to come on to us. Obviously Leigertwood isn't solely to blame for that, but I genuinely don't believe he's been that effective in breaking up play this season.

This^^^

[melonhead]

effective enough? probably not given our position
better than anyone else available in the team?
yes

[Ian Royal]

I agree with the sentiment but dont agree with your reasons.

[MmmMonsterMunch]

Leigertwood has been an absolute warrior for this club during his tenure. We were so much worse when he was out last season - he was the glue that held it all together. He was also the catalyst for us getting to Wembley as well as getting the goal that got us up. To be carried off the pitch by your own supporters is brilliant and I for one hope he remembers that rather than last Saturday as that was disgusting.

Lets keep this thread nice. Leigertwood if you're reading this - you've been great for RFC & most of us do appreciate you.

[Dick Habbin's hairdo]

Just about nails it, Arch. The best we've got to do a job but limited in his execution. Good honest pro, out of his depth - like way too may in the current team. *shrugs*

[Esteban]

Leigertwood has been an absolute warrior for this club during his tenure. We were so much worse when he was out last season - he was the glue that held it all together. He was also the catalyst for us getting to Wembley as well as getting the goal that got us up. To be carried off the pitch by your own supporters is brilliant and I for one hope he remembers that rather than last Saturday as that was disgusting.

Lets keep this thread nice. Leigertwood if you're reading this - you've been great for RFC & most of us do appreciate you.

+1 to this.

And anybody who thinks that every member of this squad is giving less than 100% every time they walk on the pitch, clearly wasn't there when we got thumped 6-1 by Palace or 6-0 by Bristol Rovers. Try watching those performances for 90 minutes, then you'll see a lack of effort.

[Z175]

If we dropped him, i think we'd get regularly raped instead of just comfortably beaten, and I'll take a comfortable beating over a rape any day.

Great evidence for this is the 0-0 at Old Trafford in the FA Cup only a few weeks ago.

Of course it finished 2-1, but that was because the Ledge was subbed at 0-0...

[Millsy]

Good post Arch. I've always been on the fence with Legs for the reason you say. It could be he's the reason were rubbish or it could be we'd be even more rubbish without him.

And Congratulations for the most impossibly long paragraph known to HNA.

[LightwaterRoyal]

Agree 100% with this, Ledge is a warrior / try harder and they only really work in the Championship much like Hunt.

For what its worth no player should be booed, especially not ones who have been such a big part of our success the last few seasons. Hope him and Jobi dont take it to heart as its not as if they aren't trying to do well, its just they aren't up to the required standard.

[Gordons Cumming]

Well said, Arch

The voice of reason.