Back from the Game - Crystal Palace

[Big Foot]

Matejovsky playing through balls to Rasiak, joke. We need someone in the Church mould in the side who can run through on goal.

If we're pointing the blame at useless midfielders, Cisse did nothing of note last night and surely his career at Reading will come to an abrupt finish sooner rather than later.

[Alan Partridge]

Those having a go at Rasiak are just totally out of touch with reality of have just neve rplayed the game before. Simple as that.

I thought he was poor last night, like the rest of them however, we know what his strengths are. Holding up play, winning headers, in and around the box. If he won a header yesterday, who did it go to? He can't make darting runs past defenders, so Matejovsky had no one to give it to. Often it was pumped at him, he'd bring it down, but the nearest player was 15 yards from him, then he'd get swarmed by 2/3 defenders. He had absolutely no chance last night.

Only 1 available forward, 2 out on loan, Rodgers own making to be honest.

If it's the same saturday and no one else is available then there is no point playing Marek. Would be better of with Sigurdsson, or ideally Davies...oh he's out on loan to.

[Mat22]

As much a I have been a fan of Federici, he just seems to be doing the basics badly.... a theme that continues throughout the team. At the moment it seems to be a process of one step forward followed by two steps back. There were very few players that came out of last nights game with any credit, and suprisingly to some the main one for me was Jay Tabb.......yes Victor Moses beat him all ends up constantly all night.....but he kept going at him, something that very few players actually did last night. And also ended up playing as a third centre back, with no cover which enabled Moses so much extra space for his 2nd. (palarses 4th).

Why Gylfi wasn't started last night, I just don't know, he seems to offer the team an extra outlet in midfield and can pick a pass in a tight situation, Marek can do it in a stretched game, but a game like lastnight where it was won and lost in the midfiled, he should of been on from the start.

The thing that worries me most though is not having an available striker at the moment who looks like he can hit the back of the net on a regualar basis...... yes Rasiak can score a header...... but how many fouls will he concede before he does (just look at last night).

What was our formation that finished the match? I thought it ended 3-6-1........... Is that a formation that can be successful? I know we have a striker shortage at the moment.....so why didn't we recall Mooney from Charlton...... he is popping them in down there!

In January we need several players, unfortunatly we will not get many if any and that is the worrying thing, the club has had sucess over the last decade, I think we are going to be looking another decade until we see a team anywhere near to that level.

[OLLIE KEARNS]

What we can blame BR for
- Playing two holding midfield players at home, neither of whom is a quick passer of the ball. Result is that we failed to get the ball wide quickly which has been our lifeblood in recent times.
- Playing Marek in the hole off the striker. Meant he played most of the game with his back to goal. He is at his best in a slightly deeper role when he can look forward and pick passes in behind people.
- Not having GS in the mix somewhere. There must surely be a reason that we are not aware of. Slight knock maybe ?
- Not buying a right back that is capable of playing first team football. Tabb is doing an okay job there but he came up against a very good player last night and we all saw what happened.

The combination of events in midfield starved us of possession in wide areas which in turn meant back to front hoof ball. Knock on effects then include Rasiak looking useless as he needs crosses from wide areas.

What we can't blame BR for
- Kebe (not tracking back) and Bertrand (losing tackle) allowing free shots on goal for first two goals.
- A top player in Moses shredding us every time he got the ball plus two sensational finishes. The difference between the two teams pure and simple.
- The club financial / business model that means a youngsters driven transitional season. I wonder if JM / NH now regret not keeping one or two of those experienced players to help us through this season. Murty for sure give our right back issues although I can understand him going given his injury problems.
- 3 of your 4 strikers being unavailable.
- Fedders having one of those days. I don't go with the "bring Hamer in" arguement.

What I'd like to see in the weeks ahead
- Last seasons players of the year back in the side. Bertrand looks fine going forward but not defending. Bring Stretch back please.
- Tabb to LM. Kebe might be of use as an impact sub in a stretched game but that's about it.
- Some loan shuffling in the window. A right back in for O Dea perhaps. That and the above would give us far more solid flanks in defence without taking away our ability going forward.
- Some ambition in the transfer window. A new striker being the obvious requirement.
- Marek deeper with GS in the more advanced role if we play 4-5-1

All in all I remain convinced that a) we'll stay up and b) that our young players will come on a bundle with this season behind them. I don't see them all really making the grade but some will. Add in some good signings (Mcanuff's) at relatively low cost and we can gradually rebuild.
I am also enjoying watching us try to play football. I got bored of the SC 4-4-2 model in the end. In summary, I remain supportive of BR and look forward to the story of transition continuing to unfold over the weeks ahead. I also fully support the club running a break even financial model. I remain convinced that some clubs are going to have some life threatening financial issues over the next 18 months. Time will tell as it always does !

[Royal Lady]

What I couldn't understand in his interview after the match, BR going on about we should be passing to the wings and not just up to Rasiak. That's all well and good, but does he actually communicate this in his team tactics? I saw very little of any tactics whatsoever last night - people not knowing whether to go for the ball, 2 or 3 players all going for the same ball. GET BACK TO BASICS.

[largetrousers]

Last night I actually laughed when Federici let those first goals in - it was embarrasing. He does improve on some areas that Hanemman lacked in, but others, ie getting beaten at his near post, positional play, letting some silly goals in etc, to me means that we should have gone out and got an experienced gk to replace USA when he left. Having a calimity goalie doesn't install much confidence in the back 4, Palace sussed us out by getting their shots on target and scoring from outside the box 3 times in the first half - not good! No one really stood out for me last night, it is hard to draw positives as we never looked like getting back into the game and seemed to have no direction in the 2nd half. We only have ourselves to blame for not signing suitable replacements to those who departed, esp up front. However cracks have been evident in the side for some time, pre-Rogers, so lets try to remember that, but its not a good time to watch our boys - thats life in football sometimes but as paying supporters we have a right to view our concerns, last night was as wet as the drizzle.

Im told via reliable sources (a good mate of an ex player - I wont name and shame) that Rogers only had 2 games left (last night included), if this proves fruitful and we dont get a result on Sat I guess that means he's on his way? We'll see...but is this all his fault? Some is, but not all - Madjeski and Hammond should take a good look at themselves to see what they have to offer us.

[Silver Fox]

My beef last night is almost entirely with Marek. I know we weren't good but his play + attitude when giving Palace the ball to score their second pretty much doomed us I'd say. It's mighty paradoxical that our best player is simultanoeusly our worst. We'd honestly be better off if he put a couple of his "tackles" in early in games and got sent off.

BTW-the ref was shit aswell wasn't he?

[Wycombe Royal]

Last night was a bit of a freak result. Four goals scored from nothing - did Palace actually create a chance? Goals like that aren't going to go in every match, however Palace did show that shooting from distance can get you goals. You don't need to string together 15 passes before putting an aimless ball into the penalty area. If you see an opening, take it.

As for the players last night:

Feds - I have wanted him dropped for a while now, he just isn't good enough. Either Hamer to take his place or bring back McCarthy from his loan spell
Bertrand - defensively poor and has been all season. I would rather see Armstrong brought back when he is fully fit and Bertrand pushed up to left wing.
Tabb -what else can we do? Cummings isn't good enough so Tabb will have to continue. Someone earlier mentioned O'Dea - he cannot play right back. Centre or left only I am led to believe.
Ingi & Pearce - I still don't like these two together and I would rather O'Dea and Mills was the partnership.
Midfield -Matejovsky cannot play behind the striker, Cisse and Gunnar cannot play together. Sigurdsson should be the attacking midfielder with Cisse/Karacan and Matejovsky playing deeper.
Wingers - McAnuff is better on the right and Kebe is better on the left. However I would like to see Betrand replacing Kebe and leaving him as an impact player from the bench.
Up front - we can only play whoever is fit.

[winchester_royal]

What a fcuking appalling game of football. If Gunnar and Cisse start together ever again, then I may well join the Rodgers Out crew. Slow in mind (Cisse), ans slow in body (Gunnar), together they probably make up the worst midfield combination in English football. Dire. Matejovsky was atrocious, but you have to feel for him, as soon as Palace shut off Jobi in the second half, there was fcuk all he could do.

Even so we should have won, and if we'd've had a proffesional goalkeeper in goal we probably would have.

[Focher]

Last night was a bit of a freak result. Four goals scored from nothing - did Palace actually create a chance? .

They had 2 one on one's, and a totally free header in the 1st half.

[Wycombe Royal]

Last night was a bit of a freak result. Four goals scored from nothing - did Palace actually create a chance? .

They had 2 one on one's, and a totally free header in the 1st half.

I remember one one on one which was created by a Moses handball, can't remember another one or the free header.

Moses did get through for another one on one in the second half but the referee spotted the handball on that occasion.

[Forbury Lion]

If a dump team scrambles the odd win, it's still a dump team. We are a dump team with several dump players and a dump

Well our stadium was built on Smallmead tip so we have a dump of a ground.

[brendywendy]

rubbish game, rubbish crowd,rubbish keeper, rubbish ref.

fed at fault for first 3 goals, 2 near post howlers, and 3rd great shot, but outside of the area, and his leap for it looked slow motion and lethargic- disably assisted by our defence and midfield allowing people to waltz to the edge of the area and get long shots in.

tabb roasted by moses all night- but that was bound to happen-should have had more support

matejovski having yet another poor game where nothing came off, and too much of what was tried seemed halfarsed

2 cm at home

no strikers-cannot expect rasiak to score every week


only mcanuff came out with any credit at all


however- a performance and 3 points on sat gets us 6 points from 9, and continues our 2 points a game resurgence
(im annoyed by my own optimism to be fair)

[Focher]

Last night was a bit of a freak result. Four goals scored from nothing - did Palace actually create a chance? .

They had 2 one on one's, and a totally free header in the 1st half.

I remember one one on one which was created by a Moses handball, can't remember another one or the free header.

Moses did get through for another one on one in the second half but the referee spotted the handball on that occasion.

The free header came in the 1st half when Palace broke from their own box, Moses ripped Tabb to shreds for about the 5th time in the first half, cut back a lovely ball and i think Andrews headed it straight into the Arms of Federici totally unmarked.

[papereyes]

Kebe continues to be a real jekyll & hyde. I'm trying desperately hard to like him or get confident when he's on the ball but can't.

Really don't understand how he can produce the skill he did down in the NW corner in 2nd half to take 2 players out the game and slide across a decent cross, then look so indecisive the next time he has the ball.

Its because he's not very good.

That's all there is to it.

He has pace, he has potential, with some expert coaching he might have been a decent PL player.

But we signed him as a PL player and he's barely doing enough to keep us in the Championship.
Along with Cisse, along with Marek, it's pretty demonstrative of our recent seasons.

[papereyes]

Exactly. And I know for a fact I'm going to get people flaming me saying he's got goals for us this season and kept us out of the bottom 3 blah blah, but I don't care, he plays ugly football, which he's not very good at.

Bung another bale of straw on.

OK, I didn't see last night but I saw Wednesday and we played to his strengths.

From AP's comments, it seemed like we were trying to play Rasiak like Doyle or Lita last night.

I don't need a dossier to tell you two things

1) It ain't going to work

2) It's going to make Rasiak look utterly shite.

You play to your strengths and avoid your weaknesses. That we don't have another option is certainly the fault of the management - Long? Mooney?

Spare me.

- 3 of your 4 strikers being unavailable.

Well, to what extent is BR to blame for something like this? Two injuries and a suspension isn't too far-fatched a series of incidents. That we've another player on loan is his fault. That Hunt has been out for a while and not replaced is his fault. That we're relying on Church (a relatively raw youngster) and not using him in precisely this sistuation, replacing a better, more experienced player is possibly his fault. That Long has been allowed to lose condition and get so frustrated is, again, possibly his fault. If not his fault, then certainly his responsibility.

A squad should be able to deal with the slings and arrows of misfortune. That ours can't is Rodger's responsibility.

[loyalroyal4life]

Todger had a shocker dropping gylfi!! gunnar was awful (not that any of the team were amazing)

It is one step forward, 2 steps back with us at the moment.

MOM - Moses. How the guy has not been snapped up yet by a Prem club is beyond me

[Stranded]

Last night was a bit of a freak result. Four goals scored from nothing - did Palace actually create a chance? .

They had 2 one on one's, and a totally free header in the 1st half.

And Rasiak missed his kick and put one wide when easier to score - so means jack.

We were dump, after the first goal Palace realised the Fed is awful if you get a shot on target from 20 yards out so shot whenever we gave them the room to do so, which was far too often.

[Focher]

Anyone who slags Rasiak needs their heads testing, a proven goalscorer at this level. If you get crosses to him he will get goals. One thing he won't give you is an accrabatic dynamic performance full of trickery and pace. I don't for the life of me know how knowing that Church was injured Rodgers didn't act straight after the Sheff Wed game and get Mooney back from Charlton, as its so bloody clear that A) you can't operate a successful team with 1 fit striker, and B) Rasiak cannot play on his own front.

This defeat for me has come from a total lack management skills on Rodgers part, you don't start a game with 1 fit striker in the squad, and you don't change a winning team unless you have to. (Church aside).

[Terminal Boardom]

Where to start.

Highlights
The monumental oxf*rd up with the substitution of The Sig for Bertrand. Seeing the three wise monkeys at the back trying to understand what was expected of them was nothing short of what I would expect from a bunch of 6 year olds. It was comical bordering on farce.

Errr... that was it!

Lowlights
Too many to mention. What wound me up was the lack of basic support play anywhere on the pitch. JT was up against the best winger in the Championship. Total mismatch but not once did the midfield or either centre back help JT out. Second half when HRK got loose on the right. there was not a single Reading player making an effort to get close to support him. No-one on the pitch made any effort to provide the man in posession with an option to pass to. This only changed when Sig came on.

Cisse and Gunnarsson in CM? Don't make me laugh! The game bypassed them to the extent thay may as well not have been there.

Back to what can be loosely termed as the defence. If all 5 were dropped for Saturday, not one could have any complaint.


We started flat and lifeless and got worse. I have nothing positive to say about the performance. I saw more commitment and effort on Saturday from a bunch of part-timers. What we had on the pitch was a disgrace to the blue and white hoops. I hope that everyone is happy with what is happening from the RTGs through to the STGs. As I see it. there is only worse to come.

Anyone know the way to Oldham?