Marek... a debate

[Dirk Gently]

I hope I'm proved wrong...but I just can't see him ever having the players around him to play to his strength, which is quite clearly his eye for a pass.

That's the nub of it, really.

The irony is, of course, that I think the best player to be in the same team as Marek would be Leroy Lita, as he thrives from through passes played along the ground for him to run onto. But I think we'll never see Leroy in a Reading shirt again for reasons more to do with attitude and "fit" than anything to do with what happens on the field.

[John 3:16]

Runs fast. No end product.

Oh the joys of judging a player after only 1 game.

I've seen enough in his cameos and on Football Manager to know that he'll never amount to anything.

Were you at Stoke? Have you been to any reserve games that he's featured in? If not then please kindly shut up. You can't really judge anyone on a few cameo's, and really need to give him a few decent runs in the side before you can start booing. If you judged Mass Sarr on his first 90 mins only then we'd have sold him for millions to a top team. Many thanks.

[Hoop Blah]

I thought Matejovsky showed exactly what he can bring to side last night.

Amongst some pretty mediocre passing, and some poor to be fair, he light up the game with some great touches and sublime passes.

I've never subscribed to the idea that a player is seeing passes that his team mates can't and so it's their fault they dont come off. Occassionally that can be true, but a good player has to play within the contrainst of his team and I've seen this 'he's too good for the rest of them arguement' used loads of time, most notebly about Caskey and, of all players, Jason Bowen! If a player is that good he should understand what his teammates are looking for as well as just playing to his own tune.

At the moment I don't think it's much of a problem as he hasn't really had much match experience with the rest of the players to adjust to their style of play. That will come over time. And at the moment a few good passes into positions his teammates don't move to isn't a bad thing as it might just nudge them into making the right movements for him in the future.

All in all, I thought he did pretty well. Not great, but by no means a poor performance but against a decent side with 11 men his lack of defensive ability would be a cause for concern (he almost gave away another penalty with a clumsy challenge last night).

[Forbury Lion]

Oh, and Henry is shit.

Not a comment you would have made had you been at the game last night I'm sure....

Runs fast. No end product.

The new Michael Gilkes, Run Run Run Run Henry..... a real fan favourite.

[Forty]

Its only my opinion, but from last night, my ticket money was justified to watch Marek play. Yes the 30 mins, yes he faded etc etc, yes to all the challenges. But that lad is the most exciting player I've seen at Reading in ages. He's like the best bits of Glen Little without the nose.

[Row Z Royal]

Oh the joys of judging a player after only 1 game.

I've seen enough in his cameos and on Football Manager to know that he'll never amount to anything.

Were you at Stoke? Have you been to any reserve games that he's featured in? If not then please kindly shut up. You can't really judge anyone on a few cameo's, and really need to give him a few decent runs in the side before you can start booing. If you judged Mass Sarr on his first 90 mins only then we'd have sold him for millions to a top team. Many thanks.

I don't boo, but I do throw rotten vegetables.

And as for Mass Sarr, I have no comment because I'm as plastic Michael Jackson Milky Bar Kid cock.

[IMAMATEOFJOVSKY]

This thread beggars belief-

The guy comes back after hardly any match time since the first game of the season -and already the knives are out for him

He was a bit rusty but there were also signs of good things to come

In comparison, we have a player that puts in sub standard performances everytime he pulls on a bloody Reading shirt - Harper - yet despite this theres still a clamour for his inclusion in the team

Marek exposes Harper for what he is - a very average championship level player and an even worse premiership one.

Harper is predictable and other teams suss him out quickly - not sure they will be so clever on doing it with Marek

[Hoop Blah]

Harper and Matevosky are two different types players used for different roles in the team.

Comparing the two is a bit like comparing Rosenoir with Doyle, pointless.

[RoyalBlue]

once he gets on the same wavelength as the rest of the team, the potential is huge. He will be playing through balls with a blindfold soon enough. This was his first full game this season, and people are saying his passing was loose etc. He needs match experience. Give him till the end of the season, and im certain he will deliver.

Absolutely spot on. Although I would say that, just as was the case with the likes of Osborn & Caskey, it is probably more about the less talented/'football intelligent' players getting on the same wave length as him, understanding his superb technical abilities and anticipating the output of those abilities. At present he is too good and bright for some of them!

[OLLIE KEARNS]

I can't believe some of the stuff on this thread, i know its all a matter of oppinion but i thought marek was man of the match last night, he was at the heart of everything good about our play, alot went through him, his passes constantley found our man and were often the passes which opened up the blackpool defense(see the pass for armstrong to win the penalty).

Without him last night i think we would have struggled, i love Harper and don't agree with much of the criticism he recieves, however last night Marek offered more than James has in recent weeks, maybe Harps just needs a break, in the last 10 years he must have only had 2-3 weeks break during a season at the most, i know he is supreamley fit but there is only so much anyone can do.

Not necessarily taking issue with what you say, but I'd say we did struggle.

For the final 20 minutes or so a newcomer to the match would have struggled to tell which was the team in the top 3 playing with 11 men and which was the struggling team playing with 10 men.

Truth be told we've struggled at home for some weeks now. Main reason being that sides have worked us out and set out to nullify our threat from wide areas. They defend deeper so the wingers can't run in behind and often play 5 across midfield which foreces us to play inside. This in turn reduces the number of crosses which makes players like Noel Hunt start to look average because you've taken his main strength away.
Marek is the only player who can give us a different option and I thought he did that last night. If he doesn't continue to play then we are in for some boring home games for the rest of the year.
I also think we missed Kebe even though Henry did okay. Kebe brings raw pace which means the threat of the ball in behind is real and forces sides to defend differently. He would also give Marek another target to hit.
Away from home is different because sides have the onus on them to attack us. This means that we still have the space to break on teams and utilise our wingers.
I think the way sides are approaching us is reflected in our improving away form and declining home form. Hence the need for us to have some different options to our play especially at home.

[Fubar]

Marek is a far more gifted football player than anyone who posts on this board. So, when you've finished throwing stones...

[Vision]

Marek is a far more gifted football player than anyone who posts on this board. So, when you've finished throwing stones...

Good point. Close the forum down!

[Royal Rother]

Most of the imbeciles on this thread may have something to offer the board, but I cannot for the life of me see what it may be...maybe we need to adapt the way we play to accomodate a player with the vision of Marek rather than he's "too good" to fit into our team?

Oh, and Rabidbee - great taste in music, very poor comment about a 19 (that's NINETEEN) year old local player making his full League debut after, according to his profile, a total of 18 professional games. Give him a chance, for FFS.

I agree with nearly all of that but the "great taste in music" bit is a bit suspect.

[Millsy]

A debate after only one proper game is just guesswork and speculation.

I'll come back after he's started a few games in a row.

[loyalroyal4life]

A debate after only one proper game is just guesswork and speculation.

I'll come back after he's started a few games in a row.

IF he ever starts few games in a row!

[Royal Rother]

Still talking Marek or have we diverted to Henry again?

[Ian Royal]

LOL

I like the people getting all indignant that Marek isn't being hailed as the all saving hero they see him as, because we were shit against 10 men and struggled a lot, when they'd been saying how much of a difference he'd make to our performance.

All this after constantly slating Harper, despite us putting in better performances than that and also winning!

Sounds like he did exactly what you'd expect him to do. A few outsanding creative passes that went to no one, so didn't create a thing, sloppy easy passes giving the ball away, virtually nothing defensively and a couple of passes which did create chances.

Now I actually rate Matejovsky very highly, I just don't see any point in expecting him to be some sort of Instant Success God. I just don't think he fits the system or is part of our best 4-4-2 11. Which is why I'd want to change the system.

Did Marek get an assist last night?
Because if he didn't, according to the rules as laid out by those who wanted him in the team, creativity only counts if it is an assist. None of the creativity by Harper for beginning a goalscoring move has been acknowledged by his detractors afterall.

[Franchise FC]

Reading supporters (no, scrub that...) any supporters in not realising the job that some players do shock.

[IMAMATEOFJOVSKY]

LOL

I like the people getting all indignant that Marek isn't being hailed as the all saving hero they see him as, because we were shit against 10 men and struggled a lot, when they'd been saying how much of a difference he'd make to our performance.

All this after constantly slating Harper, despite us putting in better performances than that and also winning!

Sounds like he did exactly what you'd expect him to do. A few outsanding creative passes that went to no one, so didn't create a thing, sloppy easy passes giving the ball away, virtually nothing defensively and a couple of passes which did create chances.

Now I actually rate Matejovsky very highly, I just don't see any point in expecting him to be some sort of Instant Success God. I just don't think he fits the system or is part of our best 4-4-2 11. Which is why I'd want to change the system.

Did Marek get an assist last night?
Because if he didn't, according to the rules as laid out by those who wanted him in the team, creativity only counts if it is an assist. None of the creativity by Harper for beginning a goalscoring move has been acknowledged by his detractors afterall.

You are either James Harper or his boyfriend!

[SteveRoyal]

Runs fast. No end product.

no, not Kebe, we're dicussing Henry on this one.

+1