Why Can't we play like Swansea ?

[Snowball]

Swansea were great to watch today but they are 11 points behind us....what do you prefer pretty football but 7th place or more direct stuff in 2nd/3rd with a chance of going top?

But that's down to two things, a slow start and a run of eight draws

They have won 5 drawn 1 of their last 6. W6 D1 of their last 7 (19 points versus our 10 in 7)
which IF CONTINUED would see them gain 14/5 points on us by season's end, beating us by three or four points

DDDDDDDDWWWWWDW


(actually their run includes three cup games, their last 6 is W5 D1 preceded by six draws, so their "7" versus our "7" is 17 points not 19

which IF CONTINUED would see them gain 10/11 points on us by season's end, catching us


But they will probably drop a few somewhere, and I think we'll pick up


It would not surprise me to see Reading Swansea/Cardiff Birmingham Preston in that order.

Thank God that these sides have to hurt each other (eg Cardiff v Swansea)

[79Royal]

Swansea were great to watch today but they are 11 points behind us....what do you prefer pretty football but 7th place or more direct stuff in 2nd/3rd with a chance of going top?

Long term Swansea - first season in the division and improving all the time whereas we're going nowhere, we're stationary.

I wonder what Swansea thought when we thrashed them at home?

Don't underestimate the effect relegation has on a team. Swansea had a huge amount of confidence and a good manager at the beginning of the season - we only had a good manager. On a shoe string budget, Coppell has taken us into the top three and in with a good chance of going straight back up. We've also secured ourselves financially. Although it might not seem like it to some, we have moved forward and we continue to do so. Maybe not at the rate of Swansea, but then they had farther to go.

[Snowball]

Swansea were great to watch today but they are 11 points behind us....what do you prefer pretty football but 7th place or more direct stuff in 2nd/3rd with a chance of going top?

Long term Swansea - first season in the division and improving all the time whereas we're going nowhere, we're stationary.

I wonder what Swansea thought when we thrashed them at home?

Don't underestimate the effect relegation has on a team. Swansea had a huge amount of confidence and a good manager at the beginning of the season - we only had a good manager. On a shoe string budget, Coppell has taken us into the top three and in with a good chance of going straight back up. We've also secured ourselves financially. Although it might not seem like it to some, we have moved forward and we continue to do so. Maybe not at the rate of Swansea, but then they had farther to go.

Good point. One of the best things about Reading is its sound financial management.

No idea what Swansea's finances are like.

as for the thrashing, well they were bulldozed but played well second half
and of course they returned the compliment at their place

[Geekins]

It's all about getting crosses in.

Shame only one of our wingers can actually manage a decent, head-height cross, then...

and SHunt? Well he couldn't cross a pools coupon.

[PEARCEY]

Swansea were great to watch today but they are 11 points behind us....what do you prefer pretty football but 7th place or more direct stuff in 2nd/3rd with a chance of going top?

If Swansea played as well as they did today from the start of this season, I rather fancy they would be top of the CCC right now.

They can't play like that every game, especially when you consider the state of most of the pitches in the champ.

Good point Winchester. Swansea play a great passing game but it does depend upon a good and even playing surface. I thought the Liberty pitch looked in really good nick even though the Ospreys play there as well.

[Jack Celliers]

Marek can pass, but he isn't as athletic as most of that Swansea team. Most of them could tackle as well.

We could play like that, but we have a different system which seems to be working albeit not massively well for the last few games.

Marek cannot pass.
His bodyshape looks right and he can split the defense beautifully but he never seems to reach a Reading player.
He looks about as good as an off-form still-injured Bobby Convey.
Swansea disn't have any lightweights making up the numbers in their team.

[VOR]

Marek can pass, but he isn't as athletic as most of that Swansea team. Most of them could tackle as well.

We could play like that, but we have a different system which seems to be working albeit not massively well for the last few games.

Marek cannot pass.
His bodyshape looks right and he can split the defense beautifully but he never seems to reach a Reading player.
He looks about as good as an off-form still-injured Bobby Convey.
Swansea disn't have any lightweights making up the numbers in their team.

LOL. Marek's problem is that he is a passing player in a team with a direct style. Some of his passes go astray (shock horror!) but more would succeed if other players had the brains to anticipate with a bit more nous. He didn't seem to have much trouble finding his colleagues in Euro08.

I hope Swansea go up with us - play good footie, smart manager. God knows the Prem could do with some more of that as a change from blockheads like Gary Megson. Our 2006-8 team had a better balance between fast and direct and the guile of players like Little.

[1960]

but they will be awesome in the play-offs. I wouldn't want us to play them or Cardiff

Or Burnley or Preston or one out of Brum or Wolves.

It just means that we have to go up automatically!

[Ian Royal]

Swansea have a team of players at the top of their game at the moment, helped by the every game is a big game factor of having been promoted and the determination to prove themselves good enough.

Having watched them against Fulham they looked very good. but assuming they'll carry on progressing is a rather big leap. We've looked very good the first season after promotion on the last 3 promotions at least. But equally that form has been unsustainable.

I'm not saying Swansea will be relegated next season. But they will need time to regroup and rebuild which will likely see them in midtable, without some brilliant reinvestment that clicks straight away.

Unless they get promoted this season. Seeing how they do in the Prem would be fascinating. THey could fall apart and get Derby/Sunderland points totals. Or they could do alright and finish reasonably comfortably.

I for one hope they fail in the play offs and we can prize Martinez away from them. (I suspect Coppell is leaving at the end of the season)

[SteveRoyal]

Can I just get this straight - is your username Snowball because your statistics and facts pelt us like snowballs? I tend to skip your posts because it's usually just numbers.

[Victor Meldrew]

In reply to the original topic -we used to play like Swansea under McGhee.
Now we play like Wimbledon but probably stand a better chance of promotion than we did then particularly as we now have a bigger and fitter squad.

[PEARCEY]

In reply to the original topic -we used to play like Swansea under McGhee.
Now we play like Wimbledon but probably stand a better chance of promotion than we did then particularly as we now have a bigger and fitter squad.

Yes I agree. Swansea very much remind me of Reading's cultured almost continental style of play in 94/95.
The Wimbledon analogy is a bit harsh though...we do play some football.

[West Stand Man]

Hmmm. Play like Swansea, or favourites to win the league? That's a tough one. I'll go for the points, thanks, rather than the beauty.

[Archie's penalty]

We don't play like Wimbledon. We do play a fast-tempo game though.

[Negative_Jeff]

Determined not to miss out on another prepurchased rail ticket myself Forge and John made the trip to Derby yesterday. After a few pints in the Brunswick and in the Alexandra we took the train back down to Leicester and took in the game against Swindon.
Afterwards I came away wishing we could play like Swindon let alone Swansea. The fact that Simon Cox had an excellent game despite never heading the ball speaks volumes, the ball constantly played into feet and him and his strike partner Paynter forever trying to find space behind the defence.
Cox took his goal well and for me he came out favourably in comparison to Long, Lita and N. Hunt. It
appears criminal that he was not given a proper opportunity by Coppell. After an hour a Swindon player dropped the shoulder and beat his man on the inside and we realised it was Robson- Kanu so I suppose he will turn out to be alright as well! Swindon looked likely winners for a long time against the runaway league leaders and their neat passing game suggests to me that they will be challenging next season. As for the football itself this was the best I have seen since we were played off the park at Swansea.
One further point was the excellent support by the 1000 odd Swinedon support. Reinforced by the presence of around 100 "boys" the atmosphere they created put our recent away day efforts to shame.
I take no pleasure in writing this piece.

[Ian Royal]

Cox wouldn't be the player he is now if he'd stayed, because he wouldn't have got a season and a half of first team football.

Playing has made him, he made a good career choice. He may have got games this season, but probably not enough to have come on this well.

[glass half full]

Cox wouldn't be the player he is now if he'd stayed, because he wouldn't have got a season and a half of first team football.

Playing has made him, he made a good career choice. He may have got games this season, but probably not enough to have come on this well.

What a pity that Cox could not have been loaned out, then given another run. I am not in the 'Long lashers' club but there has certaily been more loyalty and patience shown to him.

[Ian Royal]

Cox wouldn't be the player he is now if he'd stayed, because he wouldn't have got a season and a half of first team football.

Playing has made him, he made a good career choice. He may have got games this season, but probably not enough to have come on this well.

What a pity that Cox could not have been loaned out, then given another run. I am not in the 'Long lashers' club but there has certaily been more loyalty and patience shown to him.

He could have been, but he didn't want to stay and go on loan again. He wanted to go to Swindon.

Why do people persist in thinking we got rid of him? He wanted out, we tried to persuade him to stay, he didn't want to, so we let him go.

[glass half full]

Cox wouldn't be the player he is now if he'd stayed, because he wouldn't have got a season and a half of first team football.

Playing has made him, he made a good career choice. He may have got games this season, but probably not enough to have come on this well.

What a pity that Cox could not have been loaned out, then given another run. I am not in the 'Long lashers' club but there has certaily been more loyalty and patience shown to him.

He could have been, but he didn't want to stay and go on loan again. He wanted to go to Swindon.

Why do people persist in thinking we got rid of him? He wanted out, we tried to persuade him to stay, he didn't want to, so we let him go.

OK, Ian. Point conceded. I do often wish that he was still here, though.

[Southbank Old Boy]

Swansea were great to watch today but they are 11 points behind us....what do you prefer pretty football but 7th place or more direct stuff in 2nd/3rd with a chance of going top?

Long term Swansea - first season in the division and improving all the time whereas we're going nowhere, we're stationary.

I wonder what Swansea thought when we thrashed them at home?

Don't underestimate the effect relegation has on a team. Swansea had a huge amount of confidence and a good manager at the beginning of the season - we only had a good manager. On a shoe string budget, Coppell has taken us into the top three and in with a good chance of going straight back up. We've also secured ourselves financially. Although it might not seem like it to some, we have moved forward and we continue to do so. Maybe not at the rate of Swansea, but then they had farther to go.

Shoestring budget????

We're probably in the top 3 or 4 for both cost of squad and almost certainly wage bill