Some of Steve Coppell's decisions mystify me

[Stranded]

My point being mainly that it was that you can't blame Coppell for us dropping a point there.

You are right that it wasn't just down to the goal kick but it didn't help having our players set-up for a kick to the right but the ball going to the left, making it hard for us to effectively track back quickly.

[Vision]

Wasn't because of the poor goal kick, still a long way to go to score from that! Was because this team can't defend properly. Think it was Samaras had an unchallenged header from 20 yards that he could flick on to his team mate who hadn't been tracked at all and was under no pressure as he released the volley. Those are players mistakes not Coppell's.

My only criticism(s) of Coppell are that he's too loyal to players and he waits too long to bring subs on.

It's his way though. At times it costs us but over the last 2/3 seasons its what has enabled us to massively punch above our weight. It may cost us at times but over the course of a 46 or even a 38 game season it enables us to over-acheive given the resources available. That said, every player has his shelf life and there are 2 or 3 in the current line up that have reached their sell-by date. The same will apply to another 2 or 3 in a year or so's time as well.

The big challenge for Coppell now is how he goes about replacing these players whilst still keeping to the core principles that have seen us defy all logic and expectation.

[Geekins]

I find Coppell amusing. His post match comments are truthful and funny even if he doesn't intend them to be.

Also what i find amusing is that he says he won't change a winning side, but when the side lose a few, he then says he wants the same players to prove they can win!

I personally can't wait for this FA Cup game as Coppell with tinker with the side and some of the fringe players will want to prove themselves... hopefully

[rabidbee]

My point being mainly that it was that you can't blame Coppell for us dropping a point there.

You are right that it wasn't just down to the goal kick but it didn't help having our players set-up for a kick to the right but the ball going to the left, making it hard for us to effectively track back quickly.

I was angry with Marcus, as there was no need for him to punt the ball down the middle. For once, even putting it into touch would have been the right thing to have done. Somebody should have been able to square up to Ireland(?), though.

[Dirk Gently]

I can see his reasoning in some ways. For instance, after the Portsmouth debacle (Part 1, September) everyone on here and on the radio phone-ins was calling for the heads of the two Icelanders.

If he'd dropped them after that match as demanded by most then they'd probably never have had the confidence to play again - instead, SC has managed them so that they've been putting in good performances since then.

But on the delay in making substitutions I tend to agree - I just assume it's part of his nature in giving his players the responsibility of getting themselves out of the mess they've got themselves into.

[rfc58]

JM it's time to make an investment or you could find the fair market value of RFC diminishing rapidly.

It is not up to him unless you want him to go out and identify and sign players. The club have said it the funds are in place for transfers this month but it is up to Hammond and Coppell now.

[loyalroyal1]

Interesting stuff, but I think it's probably worth just noting that we're not in the bottom 3, yet at least, and the team so easily given the runaround yesterday beat Liverpool just a few short weeks back and drew at Upton Park a few days ago. Yes it is a very limited squad and some sides will make it look more limited than others. One of those is obviously Portsmouth, they outmuscle us, are stronger all over the park than us and can play, particularly when they've got 11 and we've got 10!

The thing could have been different had Convey not missed the complete sitter he did, but that's papering over some obvious flaws. One of the biggest of which is that we are weak at the back - Murty is making errors, Ingimarsson is now looking distinctly average and Shorey looks anything but an international left back. As for Sonko, he's a hero one week and a villain next, sometimes he looks like nothing more than a Sunday league centre half, and others he looks unbeatable. SC has to manage that situation but you can't just go and buy your way out. I suspect he has targets in mind but i doubt they'll arrive before summer and we need to be both patient and hopeful that by then we aren't following Derby down to the Championship.

In my view though we need one quality centre back and one quality central midfielder now the window is open. I think that with Kitson playing the way he is and Doyle due a run in scoring form we'll be ok, but who those two new signings in defence and midfield would be I'm not sure.

That there are no obvious names is something that perhaps SC has to worry about as well.

[rfc58]

JM it's time to make an investment or you could find the fair market value of RFC diminishing rapidly.

It is not up to him unless you want him to go out and identify and sign players. The club have said it the funds are in place for transfers this month but it is up to Hammond and Coppell now.

I agree that its down to SC who he signs, but JM sets the limit on wages, so he is ultimately responsible for who we can and can't sign.

It was quoted on the clubs website that we had two £5m+ bids that came to nothing in the summer of 2006, I'd guess they were for that Mensa(sp) from Rennes and Lescott from Wolves, I guess wages had a lot to do with it, not the only reason, but a big contributing factor.

JM is without doubt a brilliant businessman, he knows we have got to "sit on the top table" for next to nothing, in both transfer fee's paid, and the wages paid out, we are enjoying top dollar in television revenue, and top dollar through the gates, but like any product, you need to protect the "Golden Goose" and in my opinion, he isn't prepared or doing so. Until JM gets in the real world, and is prepared to spend the going rate for the types of players we are in for/what we need, then the likes of Halls/Bennett/Rosenior/Faye/Soel/Halford will arrive at the club, and be "not quite ready for instant first team football".

I personally think players who are proven at this level, Taylor from Pompey is one would be ideal, but can you really see him coming here when other clubs are in for him, and who will pay out Premiership money in wages to a Premiership player ??

[Platypuss]

Is HNA the only fan site full of idiots?

Just wondered...............

It's hard to tell; where else do you post?

[starbug]

I'm very disappointed we dont use the squad more, particularly over Christmas when everyone expects changes. His apparent lack of faith in the rest of the squad is alarming, particularly as we're not busting a gut to expand it.

[Old Biscuitman]

Is HNA the only fan site full of idiots?

Just wondered...............

It's hard to tell; where else do you post?

Ouch.

[Royalee]

Coppell has cost us stacks of points this season with his tactics and mistakes in not buying the required players. Let's hope that he doesn't waste this transfer window like he's wasted the previous three.

That sounds as if you know nothing about the game.

Manchester City away - Gunnarsson tiring, us in the ascendancy - did he bring on a sub before it was too late? No

Boro at home - we're in front but do we carry on and build on this? No, we sit back and conspire to nearly lose the game.

Spurs away - in front three times, surely time to bring Bikey on to man-mark Berbatov as he's the only one capable of doing anything for Spurs and he's making Sonko look silly. Does he change it? No, we lose.

There's a potential 8 points he cost us already, along with the countless points he's cost us playing Gunnarsson all season.

So in one post you are blaming the manger for trying to close out a game rather than attack whilst ahead, then blaming him for trying to build on a lead in another.

Man City was due to an excellent last minute goal, following a poor goal kick, Gunnarsson's tiredness did not effect that.

I imagine that the over-reactive poster didn't even go to City.

Yes I did go to City thank you, along with every other away game. We were attacking City as Gunnarsson began to tire - what it needed was freshening up so that we could push on for the win, which is what everyone I've spoken to who went to the game has said - not that you probably went of course.

[Royalee]

Anyone blaming Madejski for Coppell's lack of bottle in the transfer market is as deluded as anyone who rates Gunnarsson over Cisse.

[readingbedding]

Coppell has cost us stacks of points this season with his tactics and mistakes in not buying the required players. Let's hope that he doesn't waste this transfer window like he's wasted the previous three.

That sounds as if you know nothing about the game.

Manchester City away - Gunnarsson tiring, us in the ascendancy - did he bring on a sub before it was too late? No

Boro at home - we're in front but do we carry on and build on this? No, we sit back and conspire to nearly lose the game.

Spurs away - in front three times, surely time to bring Bikey on to man-mark Berbatov as he's the only one capable of doing anything for Spurs and he's making Sonko look silly. Does he change it? No, we lose.

There's a potential 8 points he cost us already, along with the countless points he's cost us playing Gunnarsson all season.

So in one post you are blaming the manger for trying to close out a game rather than attack whilst ahead, then blaming him for trying to build on a lead in another.

Man City was due to an excellent last minute goal, following a poor goal kick, Gunnarsson's tiredness did not effect that.

I imagine that the over-reactive poster didn't even go to City.

Yes I did go to City thank you, along with every other away game. We were attacking City as Gunnarsson began to tire - what it needed was freshening up so that we could push on for the win, which is what everyone I've spoken to who went to the game has said - not that you probably went of course.

Rubbish.

You're frustrated, because one of the best English managers won't drop one of your scapegoats unless injured, so now you're having a pathetic dig at Coppell.



One of the best English managers

[andrew1957]

Yet again I am mystified.

1/ Yet again it was proved tonight that we cannot play 5-4-1
2/ At half time why take off one of the the only two recognised CB's and play a CM at centre back - admittedly Cisse did well BUT that meant we had several players out of opposition - Cisse, Shorey, Cox (RW rather than attack) and arguably DLC (as he mainly a RB).
3/ Why oh why persist with Lita and Long upfront who were both having a shocker - surely we could have brought on Henry at RW and given a chance to Cox upfront.

I think SC is great but just lately some decisions are baffling to me.

[Alan Partridge]

Tonight was almost beyond a joke.

From the 1st minute no one knew where they were supposed to be playing.

I thought we were playing 5-4-1 with wing backs at the start, then Rosenior pushed on and went in midfield and DLC was RB, then all of a sudden Rosenior has pushed inside and Long has gone on the right, then Rosenior goes back to right back and DLC goes back to left back with Shorey going to central midfield, with Cisse going to centre back and Long going up front to form a 4-4-2, then Cox came on on the right with Hunt replacing Shorey in the centre

Following?

confusing aint it! God knows how the players knew what they were doing.

Think the team talk was something like 'Adam you are in goal tonight, Bobby you are playing wide left, Harps in the middle, Ivar centre back you're captain tonight, everyone give a round of applause for Ivar *applause* Leroy you are up front. OK?

Rosenior 'Errr what about the rest of us boss?'

Ahh you just go out there and enjoy yourselves, whoever runs in the postiions on the pitch first plays there.

Good luck lads.'

[rabidbee]

The formation wasn't that confusing (although the second-half performance demonstrated that the first-half formation was needlessly complex):

Federici;
Rosenior, Pearce, Ivar, Shorey;
DLC man-marking Keane across the pitch;
Long, Harper, Cissé, Convey;
Lita.

I thought for a while that Pearce was man-marking Defoe, and Cissé Jenas, but I'm not convinced that that was the case.

I am bemused, though, that he switched DLC to left-back, and Shorey to central midfield; I bet Shorey was pleased to be playing out of position in front of Capello. And why did he put Cox on the right, when Henry was on the bench. To be fair, Cox played well - was one of the few positives indeed - but it still seems an odd decision. I also thought that - apart from a couple of Bikey-esque heart-in-mouth moments, Cissé played well at the back.

[Scarface]

5-4-1 at home in a cup match we don't even want to win. Coppell is so fcuking negative it isn't true and he let the fans down again last night.

No doubt it will be the same formation Saturday, so expect another shambolic display.

[rg6royal]

LOL at Hunty in centre midfield and Shorey !

[The 17 Bus]

5-4-1 at home in a cup match we don't even want to win. Coppell is so fcuking negative it isn't true and he let the fans down again last night.

No doubt it will be the same formation Saturday, so expect another shambolic display.

Not sure why but I have some sympathy with that post, last nights defeat has cost the club well over £1million, that kind of money would go a long way to helping pay higher wages, then attract better players.

The whole not caring about the FA Cup has made Reading look stupid in the eyes of the media and other players IMHO.