Alex Pearce..........

[rob the royal]

What a difference a year makes...

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=89920&start=60&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&hilit=pearce

On this thread he 'has a massive future' and is a 'definite future captain'. Only a year ago.

Before the majority had seen him play a competitive fixture.

Hammers home my point really. People far too quick to bracket someone as 'a future captain' or a complete waste of space.

Yeah back then most people would hardly have seen him play a game so I can only imagine people were being taken in by all the Rodgers propoganda about him being the next John Terry etc.

First time I saw Pearce I thought he looked a bit immobile and not great with the ball, my opinion of him has gradually got worse and worse...

[West Stand Flash]

http://www.reading.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=207965

Says it all - he is an embarrassment!!

[Clacka]

Pearce was the major weak link yesterday, Jem does have some potential, but never really seems settled enough. I think Alex needs to not be there really.

Shane Long is the other weak link. I don't think he can handle the responsibility of his position, he's too infrequent with his skill; Berbatov syndrome... (without as much quality)

[The Surgeon of Crowthorne]

Pearce allowed himself to be turned far too easily on many occasions yesterday. He must stick closer to the player he's marking.

[facaldaqui]

If we have a fault at this club, it is to keep persisting with young players who aren't up to it, in the hope they'll improve. I don't think Pearce will. And I don't think Long or Church will either. I know some of you disagree with me on Church, but I'm convinced he'll never be prolific.

What's worse in the case of Pearce is that if he's going to be here, he should be fourth choice, not third. Except that we've now only got three centre backs. But the last two seasons showed graphically that over a season we need four centre backs. With Ingimarsson around, long injuries are always likely; on top of which, centre backs are more likely than most to get suspended. I'm sure McDermott appreciates this, but does Madejski? I'm still hoping another CB will be added to the squad before the deadline, preferably Khizanishvili. If not, then it will cost us.

[Sarah Star]

Antonio has improved a fair bit since I saw him last year in the Barnsley cup game.

[Arnie_Pie]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/paulfletcher ... terry.html

[Terminal Boardom]

SJM is a daft old coot who belongs in a Sunshine Variety Coach. Imagine having the same hair style for so many years! Silly, daft old sod needs to be carted off what with all the bollocks he spouts about being desperate to get into the Premier League. We will not get there while he is Chairman unless BMcD pulls off the shock of shocks similar to what SSC managed to achieve.

You know it makes senseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

[jumpers for goalposts]

Nearly cost us a goal, that 4v1 was entirely his fault. He should not be in this team, baffling decision to start him in front of the proven tabb and howard.

Totally agree. I don't understand why we are making fundamental changes to the midfield that worked so well at the back end of last season. Howard and Tabb must be wondering what they've done wrong, being replaced by a veteran squad player and a guy who is still not proven at this level, and looks a bit lightweight in the challenge. Perhaps just McD's lack of experience, but going back to the issue at hand, Alex Pearce really does not look like a championship centre half. Ivar is over the hill, so we really do need to invest.

BMcD must have seen something in training that warranted the change. I would rather back the opinion of someone who knows what he is doing to that of a keyboard warrior.

Alright calm down love, I was only querying why we didn't start with the same team that achieved so much success last season. Evidently Karacan must have been good in training & pre season, but he was utter shite yesterday. As for Gunnarsson, he could play like Lionel Messi in training, and he still wouldn't be worth starting games with. The midfield were God awful yesterday, and when you compare that to how Tabb and Howard were bossing games, it just seems a little odd. But you're right Mc'D does know more than me, so perhaps we should all just plod along and never question anyhting he ever does

[rob the royal]

I understand why he picked the team he did, but i think it backfired. He just thought Jem and Bryn would be more combative than Howard and Tabb and to be fair on paper it sounds like it ought to work, but unfortunately... wait for it...

...games aren't played on paper, they're played on a complex interwoven mixture of grass and synthetic substances.

[AthleticoSpizz]

......and against a team who just miiiiiiiiiiight do a Blackpool


somewhere on the annuls of 606/hna I predicted the seasiders to be in the play-offs this time last year

[leon]

......and against a team who just miiiiiiiiiiight do a Blackpool


somewhere on the annuls of 606/hna I predicted the seasiders to be in the play-offs this time last year

ok......let's see how this this pans out

[jumpers for goalposts]

I understand why he picked the team he did, but i think it backfired. He just thought Jem and Bryn would be more combative than Howard and Tabb and to be fair on paper it sounds like it ought to work, but unfortunately... wait for it...

...games aren't played on paper, they're played on a complex interwoven mixture of grass and synthetic substances.

Your not the first person to make that remark, bit i can't see how Tabb and Howard are less combative? Tabb is arguably the most combative midfielder we have, at least on the ground if not in the air, and Howard is certainly no less combative than Karacan.

Oh and Pearce is still shite

[Man Friday]

I understand why he picked the team he did, but i think it backfired. He just thought Jem and Bryn would be more combative than Howard and Tabb...

More combative than Tabb?

[Terminal Boardom]

......and against a team who just miiiiiiiiiiight do a Blackpool


somewhere on the annuls of 606/hna I predicted the seasiders to be in the play-offs this time last year

Well, colours to the mast from me - I have put a few pennies on Donny Rovers making the play offs.

[rob the royal]

I understand why he picked the team he did, but i think it backfired. He just thought Jem and Bryn would be more combative than Howard and Tabb...

More combative than Tabb?

Both of them get stuck in but Tabb is a bit on the short side. I'm not saying I agree with the line-up... just that I understand the idea behind it.

I see the club have taken note of the fact people think Pearce is poo and got him to do an interview for the OS about how upset he is to have lost the game to make us feel guilty... NICE TRY.

[Big Foot]

I understand why he picked the team he did, but i think it backfired. He just thought Jem and Bryn would be more combative than Howard and Tabb...

More combative than Tabb?

Both of them get stuck in but Tabb is a bit on the short side. I'm not saying I agree with the line-up... just that I understand the idea behind it.

I see the club have taken note of the fact people think Pearce is poo and got him to do an interview for the OS about how upset he is to have lost the game to make us feel guilty... NICE TRY.

Have you never seen Tabb play? He wins a remarkable amount of aerial battles

[Hoop Blah]

I really don't think that Tabb's height would've had any influence on the Karacans selection above him, afterall there is only 'officially' an inch between the pair, and Tabb's extra upper body strength probably makes him a bit harder to beat in the air anyway to be honest.

I can't remember if it was Coppell, Rodgers or McDermott but one of them always seemed to play Karacan with Gunnarsson and then swap the pairing when he made a change. No idea why they see Gunnarsson as the preferred partner for Karacan, maybe he's a better talker or something like that.

[PEARCEY]

Pearce is not as bad as you lot are saying. Jeez he's not brilliant and he is slow but so is Ingi....he is still young particularly for a centre-half and needs persevering with.

As for Karacan I can't understand why he displaced Tabb in he side. Tabb was superb when played in his proper position in central midfield and is a much bettr passer than Karacan.

[Big Foot]

Pearce is not as bad as you lot are saying. Jeez he's not brilliant and he is slow but so is Ingi....he is still young particularly for a centre-half and needs persevering with.

As for Karacan I can't understand why he displaced Tabb in he side. Tabb was superb when played in his proper position in central midfield and is a much bettr passer than Karacan.

You can't mention Pearce in the same breath as Ingimarsson. It's okay for him to be slow he is now in his mid 30s after being a cornerstone for the club's most successful period ever.

Pearce is what 21/22? He should be improving week in week out, not settling for being as slow as someone 10 years his senior with fcuked knees