What's the best combination Part 2

[Alan Partridge]

We've done the forwards, and now it's the midfielders turn. With MAtejovsky back in the fold and showing us what we've missed in that little cameo, maybe it's time to get our best player in the side again?

Are Cisse and Harper the right two? The last 2 results would suggest so? Could we change the formation and maybe fit 3 in?

Don't forget the old campaigner Gunnarsson, who has a knack of getting important goals and definitely gives the team more help defensively, or maybe Karacan the young man with tons of energy and great potential.

What would your two be?

[Bill Oddie's Beard]

I'm going with Cisse and Marek. I think Marek has to be in there for obvious reasons and Cisse has the strength and ability to tackle to compliment him, he also seems to be improving with every game.

[Mudferret]

I would go for Karacan and Matejovsky.
You would then have the energy of Jem and the creativity of Marek.

[Archie's penalty]

Very difficult question. I'm going with Harper and Cisse. As BO'sB has said Cisse is improving with every game - he seems to give us steel and is getting better at supporting the attack.

The choice between Harps and Marek is a difficult one. While Marek gives us more going forward and his passes are a delight I think that Harper gives us organisation which is crucial. What with Doyle and Nhunt being ably supported by Kebe and Shunt I think we don't really need to be more attacking through the middle. I also think if Marek was playing the team would play through him and change their style and I like the way we are playing at the moment. So it's Harps and Cisse with Marek as the cameo King.

[Geekins]

Cisse is looking really good now but i'd love to see Reading academy Karacan playing alongside Matejovsky!

[AlexY25]

Cisse and Matejovksy comes to mind first so i went for them. Cisse's got that defensive midfielder role, and he does it very well. Sometimes he lacks that extra bit of skill etc. But with Matejovsky there, i can see him tackling and bringing it out from defence and just laying it to matejovsky. Cisse also offers a goal scoring threat, albeit not that often, but from corners he can offer that extra bit of height.
I think they're the 2 that would look best together.
However i think SSC will end up picking harps and marek.

[AlexY25]

Important thing to notice though. What an amazing choice we've got for a championship club. Its this type of squad depth that can help us progress throughout the year. Its good to see 5 good central midfields vying for the positions.

[sheshnu]

Cisse and Matejovsky is the best pairing on paper but any of the five should be able to work together effectively.

Interesting that Reading's first choice midfield should be made up of the much-maligned Premier League signings and a 'headless chicken'. Wouldn't really have seen that coming in January.

[Alan Partridge]

Cisse and Matejovsky is the best pairing on paper but any of the five should be able to work together effectively.

Interesting that Reading's first choice midfield should be made up of the much-maligned Premier League signings and a 'headless chicken'. Wouldn't really have seen that coming in January.

In the Championship

[Wycombe Royal]

I am going for the current two as they have looked most effective this season. A lot of those combinations, including the current leader, Cisse and Matejovsky, can't really be commented on as they haven't played together this season.

So I'm basing my opinion on what I have seen, I will review that when and if Cisse and Matejovsky get to play together.

[sheshnu]

Cisse and Matejovsky is the best pairing on paper but any of the five should be able to work together effectively.

Interesting that Reading's first choice midfield should be made up of the much-maligned Premier League signings and a 'headless chicken'. Wouldn't really have seen that coming in January.

In the Championship

Doesn't really matter to me. What does matter is that they are playing well and I am enjoying watching them.

[Old Biscuitman]

There are good arguments for different pairings, but for me the most important thing is that an area of the team where we were looking vulnerable (how many times have I read in reports on here:"we were overrun in midfield?") now seems to be one with real strength.

[Alan Partridge]

There are good arguments for different pairings, but for me the most important thing is that an area of the team where we were looking vulnerable (how many times have I read in reports on here:"we were overrun in midfield?") now seems to be one with real strength.

Currently sensible logic says stick with Harper and Cisse, 2 good results, Cisse apparantly was excellent against Bristol City, I thought he was ok if unspectacular against Derby, you know what you get from Harper, I must say personally I enjoy watching Matejovsky play. I think we look a better side when he is in the team and given a run of games in this league as his fitness improves he *could* be the stand out player in the division nevermind our team. Fitting him in is the problem and the only likely way it's going to happen is if a) an injury or b) we have a downturn in results. I must say though it will be a shame if we can't get him properly involved in our season sooner rather than later.

[brendywendy]

Cisse and Matejovsky is the best pairing on paper but any of the five should be able to work together effectively.

Interesting that Reading's first choice midfield should be made up of the much-maligned Premier League signings and a 'headless chicken'. Wouldn't really have seen that coming in January.

In the Championship

still wouldnt have seen it coming

same goes for alot of last seasons signings

agree it may be different when we go up, but we thought that when we went up last time too

[Only one Trevor Morley]

for me I'd have a run of Gunnar and Marek - with Cisse

We often win when Bryn plays in fact I'm sure Strap did something that proved he has the best point per game ratio. He defends well in front of the back 4 and would allow Marek to do his stuff. Obviously we've only seen glimpses of Marek but it would be liovely to see someone like him splitting defences apart with pinpoint through balls.

Cisse is much improved and I can see playing the role of Gunnar in the future - I'd just like to get a few more games from the old man given his excellent points ratio

Karacan will become a sidwell eqsue player and when we're up against a slow midfield he should get a chance.

Harper has been a great servant for the club - but sometimes players and team flourish from a change. I could see him going to Middlesboro at the end of the season.

[Alan Partridge]

Cisse and Matejovsky is the best pairing on paper but any of the five should be able to work together effectively.

Interesting that Reading's first choice midfield should be made up of the much-maligned Premier League signings and a 'headless chicken'. Wouldn't really have seen that coming in January.

In the Championship

still wouldnt have seen it coming

same goes for alot of last seasons signings

agree it may be different when we go up, but we thought that when we went up last time too

How so? Kebe is prett ymuch our only right winger in the squad, S Hunt is always going to be in the team, Harper is captain, so the only choice he had to make was who to partner him with. A choice of his signings + Karacan. So i don't quite get your point.

Yes we did think that last time, however that Reading team assembled 106 points with 2 defeats in 46 games so they must have done something right while also being head and shoulders above anything else. It also was the prime of one or two's career, the likes of Kitson, Ingimarsson, Murty, Hahnemann, Little. One or two haven't progressed enough since then, a few have been sold and the others are all older. I don't think there is any way Ingimarsson has another Premiership campaign in him, nor Murty, nor Gunnarsson, Hahnemann might be ok, obviously on top of that we do have players that could easily play in that division, along with soem where in terms of Premiership the jury is out.

I mentioned on another thread IF Reading manage to get promoted it's going to be 10times harder for us to remain than it was in the first season last time. On the back of 106 with that feel good factor, aura around the club and a good squad we had a chance. Obviously 8th was above anyone's realistic ambitions but i think anyone who had seen us would have known we'd have a chance.

You look at the squad now, there is still as Coppell says a 'soft underbelly' you can see them getting turned over at places where maybe they shouldn't and certainly wouldn't a couple of years ago. That's also down to having younger players that won't always produce the same consistency levels. We've got players that have done well thus far this season but the Premiership might be too much for them, again as you rightly say we'll only know when we get there.

What I'm getting at is last time, the squad was clearly far too good for the championship and major surgery wasn't required, almost certainly that won't be the case this time, it may take some heavy investment to keep Reading there a second time.

[Smoking Kills Dancing Doe]

I think Marek is slightly overatted on here and Harper is the opposite.

Can't see anything that Cisse or Harper have done in the last 2 games not to warrent getting the vote in this.

We've clearly not seen enough of Marek, but I thought he looked lightweight in the Premiership and hardly covered himself in glory before his injury this season.

I'm not trying to have a go at Marek, just can't understand why people would wanna change the team right now.

So Harper/Cisse for me. I think we'll see Karacan go out on loan in the next few weeks if Marek stays fit, no point him just hanging round in our reserves now.

[chilipepper91]

75% of people want Marek in the team.

FWIW I voted Cisse and Matejovsky

[Sun Tzu]

I don't think this question has an answer, or needs one.

We have the luxury of a number of permutations with differing elements of skill / work rate / attack / defence.

We can use them to set up a game the way we want, to change a game or to counter an opposition.

It must be a manager's dream to be able to come up with a game plan and then select the players who can implement it rather than be restricted in what he can do by the limited resources he has.

I think we will see our midfield changing throughout the season. Players will be fighting for a place but also being asked to perform according to their own strengths.

Having said that the prospect of seeing Marek pulling the strings in midfield and setting up our attacking four is rather mouthwatering.

[Shane Long=Legend]

I voted Gunnarsson and Karacan purely because they have played the most games together out of the pairings i think and got us to where we are in the table.

However, i can recognise the benefits of nearly all the pairings (except may bryn and cisse, too defensive) and obviously against different opposition coppell will chop and change as he sees fit. I hope mareks return doesnt force karacan out of the team though, I've been very impressed with him this season