Alex Pearce

[Sun Tzu]

.

Captains are important for making the right decisions on the pitch

What decisions do they make ?

[Ryn]

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Captains are important for making the right decisions on the pitch

What decisions do they make ?

*sigh*

How about any oxf*rd decision at all?

Where people need to be standing for defending set pieces, who they should be marking?
Whether the team should be pushing forward or hanging back?
Whether to get the ball out wide or keep it tight?

Anything at all that requires the organisation of men for the 90 minutes on the pitch, whether that is the manager's tactics or not, requires the captain to organise the men to do it.

It's exactly the same as any other job. Some lead some follow. Everyone is capable of making decisions but they aren't necessarily comfortable with it.

[Sun Tzu]

.

Captains are important for making the right decisions on the pitch

What decisions do they make ?

*sigh*

How about any oxf*rd decision at all?

Where people need to be standing for defending set pieces, who they should be marking?
Whether the team should be pushing forward or hanging back?
Whether to get the ball out wide or keep it tight?

Anything at all that requires the organisation of men for the 90 minutes on the pitch, whether that is the manager's tactics or not, requires the captain to organise the men to do it.

It's exactly the same as any other job. Some lead some follow. Everyone is capable of making decisions but they aren't necessarily comfortable with it.

None of those are the responsibility of the captain.

If your captain is a forward he's not going to organise the defensive position, have you never spotted the keeper shouting at his defenders to mark people or cover the posts ?

As I've said all along (and as Dirk points out) that sort of stuff gets done by natural organisers. Who may or may not be the captain.

The idea that a captain would change the managers tactics is a bit of an odd one. I recall it happened a few years back withthe England team and there was amazement.

And none of that changes my original point that it's not 'being captain' that leads to players organising, shouting etc etc. Players do it becasue that is their natural style and you could probably stick the armband on the corner flag and you'd still find leaders on the pitch. And if someone is not a natural leader then giving them an armband is not going to change their personality.

[Murts-is-Lej]

.

Captains are important for making the right decisions on the pitch

What decisions do they make ?

*sigh*

How about any oxf*rd decision at all?

Where people need to be standing for defending set pieces, who they should be marking?
Whether the team should be pushing forward or hanging back?
Whether to get the ball out wide or keep it tight?

Anything at all that requires the organisation of men for the 90 minutes on the pitch, whether that is the manager's tactics or not, requires the captain to organise the men to do it.

It's exactly the same as any other job. Some lead some follow. Everyone is capable of making decisions but they aren't necessarily comfortable with it.

Unfortunately Ivar's own words to BBCRB in the interview a couple of weeks ago were "As a captain I don't do very much once I'm on the pitch". At the time he was saying the captain's job is to help the manager at the training ground so it didn't matter that the captain was injured for the 1st few matches.

In fact you are both right - a team needs leaders on the pitch who drive the other players on by their own example and inevitably one of those gets picked as the captain by any but the most stupid manager. However, the leadership comes before the armband not the other way around. In fact that leadership is often demonstrated by organising the team to do what the manager's asking for. However, just because the keeper does almost all the organising for defensive set pieces doesn't automatically make him the 1st choice captain...

[Sun Tzu]

In fact you are both right

As per usual in most discussions I guess !!!

[Murts-is-Lej]

In fact you are both right

As per usual in most discussions I guess !!!

Now if only I could get my wife to understand that viewpoint!!!

[Smoking Kills Dancing Doe]

The problem with making Pearce captain is that it has made his fall an even harder one.

Rodger's spent all summer telling these players how great he and they are. Some players are gonna be taking long hard looks at themselves and realising a few truths.

Pearce will have gone from thinking he was the future of the club to wondering where he stands. All in 3 months. Not good for anyones head.

[Ryn]

Not good for instilling faith in the manager's decisions, either.

[Hoop Blah]

It's quite difficult to judge how an individual fits being a captain unless you're in the changing room and on the training ground on a day to day basis.

From the outside, listening to interviews and from watching them play, you get an idea but that's about it. From that limited vantage point I'd say Pearce is certainly captain material and the fact he's done the job in previous teams probably supports that a fair bit. I'm still not sure making him captain was a good idea in the first place though.

As for the 'what does a captain do' arguement, a lot of their influence isn't on the pitch it's off it and behind the scenes. On the pitch it is a bit of a symbolic and token gesture, and no play should really play differently with or without the arm band, but it certainly does effect some players.

To say it's an irrelevance is totally wrong though, and having a good captain is just like having an extra coach or assistant manager. A good captain is also a very useful go between for the squad to the staff and a very useful tool for a manager in controlling and influencing the players.

[The Real Sandhurst Royal]

Perace will not be travelling to Preston he needs a rest and a break!!

http://www.getreading.co.uk/sport/football/readingfc/s/2057963_alex_pearce_given_a_break_and_will_miss_preston_trip

[Gus the teenage cow]

He needs a "mental breather", i've heard it all now, brenda talks more nonsense than I do, difference is he actually means it- nutjob!

[Tony Le Mesmer]

Pearce- not good enough for this level. Bulk standard Lower league CB. That was my opinion after a few games and still is. Forwards love playing against him. Target men can 'pin' him far too easily and the he stands no chance against the quicker strikers. Ive seen Milk turn quicker. The only reason some people rate him is because he is an Academy product. We have 3 better CBs at the club so thats his out of the team unless something happens to 2 of them.

[Alan Partridge]

Pearce- not good enough for this level. Bulk standard Lower league CB. That was my opinion after a few games and still is. Forwards love playing against him. Target men can 'pin' him far too easily and the he stands no chance against the quicker strikers. Ive seen Milk turn quicker. The only reason some people rate him is because he is an Academy product. We have 3 better CBs at the club so thats his out of the team unless something happens to 2 of them.

Have to say I agree with this. People are the same about Henry, even though he's produced about 2 games worth of good appearances for the club. I'm not sure I've seen another 19/20 year old professional footballer as slow as Pearce. He's a brave lad and will head and kick things and maybe he might mature into a Chris Morgan, who doesn't have great pace but is a great leader and strong as a bull centre half. But currently, as you say we have better options.

I've wanted to see Pearce have a go in the side but I think it's fair to say that most neutrals can now see why he didn't play 30/40 games last year and why Coppell favoured other options.

That load of guff Rodgers has spouted above I suppose is to not hurt the lads feelings. The honest answer is, Ivar is better and more experienced and O'Dea is all round just better.

[Smoking Kills Dancing Doe]

Rodger's is making a lot of mistakes and he will learn from them.

I am starting to wonder if a very young and in experienced team which needed rebuilding from scratch needs a manager who isn't still learning and making mistakes.....

[Maguire]

Fully 'gree with that AP.

If Rodgers said "he's not playing coz, quite frankly, he's a bit shit" then you'd all moan about that too. Saying he needs a rest is fair enough.

[sandman]

Pearce- not good enough for this level. Bulk standard Lower league CB. That was my opinion after a few games and still is. Forwards love playing against him. Target men can 'pin' him far too easily and the he stands no chance against the quicker strikers. Ive seen Milk turn quicker. The only reason some people rate him is because he is an Academy product. We have 3 better CBs at the club so thats his out of the team unless something happens to 2 of them.

Have to say I agree with this. People are the same about Henry, even though he's produced about 2 games worth of good appearances for the club. I'm not sure I've seen another 19/20 year old professional footballer as slow as Pearce. He's a brave lad and will head and kick things and maybe he might mature into a Chris Morgan, who doesn't have great pace but is a great leader and strong as a bull centre half. But currently, as you say we have better options.

I've wanted to see Pearce have a go in the side but I think it's fair to say that most neutrals can now see why he didn't play 30/40 games last year and why Coppell favoured other options.

That load of guff Rodgers has spouted above I suppose is to not hurt the lads feelings. The honest answer is, Ivar is better and more experienced and O'Dea is all round just better.

Difference is Henry hasn't had a consistent run in the team whereas Pearce has.

[Alan Partridge]

Pearce- not good enough for this level. Bulk standard Lower league CB. That was my opinion after a few games and still is. Forwards love playing against him. Target men can 'pin' him far too easily and the he stands no chance against the quicker strikers. Ive seen Milk turn quicker. The only reason some people rate him is because he is an Academy product. We have 3 better CBs at the club so thats his out of the team unless something happens to 2 of them.

Have to say I agree with this. People are the same about Henry, even though he's produced about 2 games worth of good appearances for the club. I'm not sure I've seen another 19/20 year old professional footballer as slow as Pearce. He's a brave lad and will head and kick things and maybe he might mature into a Chris Morgan, who doesn't have great pace but is a great leader and strong as a bull centre half. But currently, as you say we have better options.

I've wanted to see Pearce have a go in the side but I think it's fair to say that most neutrals can now see why he didn't play 30/40 games last year and why Coppell favoured other options.

That load of guff Rodgers has spouted above I suppose is to not hurt the lads feelings. The honest answer is, Ivar is better and more experienced and O'Dea is all round just better.

Difference is Henry hasn't had a consistent run in the team whereas Pearce has.

Henry has had numerous chances to cement a spot. Kebe being Kebe opened the door for him, and bar his cameo against Norwich last year, and also at Birmingham where I thought he did well he has simply failed to have any impact at this level.

[Plymouth_Royal]

Pearce is a good captain. I have seen him captain the ressies and the youth teams leading with example. He shouts constructive orders, he jeers up the boys on the pitch and he's a very professional young player from what I've heard off the pitch. The only problem is he's still very young and captaining the first team is a lot more pressurised than the ressies and youths. He's done OK so far and I think some of you are using him as a scapegoat for our slow start to the season. Give the kid chance.

[rg6royal]

Pearce has alot of potential and we've seen that, and he wouldnt have been given the vice captain role if he wasn't worthy. Rember, he's still young and I'm happy that Ingi is back in the side, he looked solid on Saturday.

[jollyjiminy]

Reading's problem is not Pearce's fault. People are most likely turning on him cos he's been playing, so he's a more obvious target than anyone else. People are turning on Fedders too, probably for the same reason. There will always be some mistakes at the back in any team.... and the amount we've been having are so few that we should never really have noticed. We've conceded 12 goals - Sheff United and Middleborough have each conceded 11. The problem is, we haven't been scoring any goals. We've scored two at home in 5 games. It puts a stupid amount of pressure on Pearce and turns him from hero to zero through no fault of his own. I think Ivar is a better player, but we've been very well covered by a young home grown player who needs the fans' support.

Its not Pearce's job to get us in a position where we can make chances and hit the target - that's management's job to create strategies to break through defencies and aquire players who can do it, and for attacking players to deliver.