Relegation form?

[Snowball]

All I will say is "where on earth did that performance come from?"

(a) Sticking with a defence that is second-best in the league. Includes playing Harte!

(b) Bringing in a great mid-fielder (Tabb)

(c) Bringing back a very good creative midfielder who works well with Tabb (Howard)

(d) Persisting with Long.

(e) Persisting with values.

[SouthDownsRoyal]

4-0 away win at Turf Moor, aint relegation form m9s

[Hoop Blah]

All I will say is "where on earth did that performance come from?"

(a) Sticking with a defence that is second-best in the league. Includes playing Harte!

(b) Bringing in a great mid-fielder (Tabb)

(c) Bringing back a very good creative midfielder who works well with Tabb (Howard)

(d) Persisting with Long.

(e) Persisting with values.

That defence we stuck with that had only ever played twice together before? Strange one to be calling the second best in the league!

I think Tabb and Howard coming back in will have made a world of difference. Despite the acclaim for Armstrong since his emergency deployment in midfield we've not really got hold of a game or created a decent amount of chances whilst he and Karacan were partnered in there. Having Tabb back was a major plus, and Howard can at least pass the ball with some vision, something we've lacked so much since Sigurdsson was sold.

[Mr Angry]

Am I the ONLY person reading this incredible thread thinking "what the F**K??"

Apart from the usual moronic contribution about Ian Harte from the board idiot (yep, he really has been a "disaster" hasn't he? ) anyone who seriously believed that 2 narrow defeats on the trot was a harbinger of being "sucked" into a relegation scrap needs to take a serious look at themselves.

Its just a shame that the team have to go away to a team unbeaten at home and win 4-0, cos it really makes the glass half empty brigade's assertion that we are relegation candidates an eency weency bit difficult to justify....... but I'm sure they will find a way nevertheless.

[Royal Rother]

No you're not the only one.

[Arch]

...the board idiot...

I'm particularly entertained by the idea that a characteristically over-emotional outburst from the OP might serve as a "wake-up" call to the people who run the club.

[Snowball]

That defence we stuck with that had only ever played twice together before? Strange one to be calling the second best in the league!

You are getting seriously silly now Hoop, arguing for the sake of it

It's totally clear that today's back five are Mac's best back five as he sees it.

Federici, Harte, have played every possible
Mills and Zurab have missed one game through suspension
Griffin has played every game except when he was injured


13/13 Federici Ever-Present
11/13 Mills (Out one game through suspension)
09/09 Harte Ever-Present
06/06 Griffin (Played every game when fit)

[Victor Meldrew]

As you can see Mr A the likes of Hoop Blah and I tried to talk Andrew out of his depression which we felt was both premature and unfounded.
What a great result out of the blue with a team that looks as though Brian would not have picked but for injuries and it just shows what can be done with the right attitude and maybe the coach journey provided the necessary bonding.

[Hoop Blah]

That defence we stuck with that had only ever played twice together before? Strange one to be calling the second best in the league!

You are getting seriously silly now Hoop, arguing for the sake of it

It's totally clear that today's back five are Mac's best back five as he sees it.

I don't doubt that it's our best choice back four, or five. I do doubt you calling it the second best in the league though.

[Mid Sussex Royal]

4-0 away win at Turf Moor, aint relegation form m9s

Agreed - relagation sides do not win 4-0 away at sides who are amongst the most likely to go up.

The interesting thing will be what ambition will be shown in the January window if we have maintained a position of somewhere around where we are now.

[Son of Len]

All I will say is "where on earth did that performance come from?"

(a) Sticking with a defence that is second-best in the league. Includes playing Harte!

(b) Bringing in a great mid-fielder (Tabb)

(c) Bringing back a very good creative midfielder who works well with Tabb (Howard)

(d) Persisting with Long.

(e) Persisting with values.

That defence we stuck with that had only ever played twice together before? Strange one to be calling the second best in the league!

I think Tabb and Howard coming back in will have made a world of difference. Despite the acclaim for Armstrong since his emergency deployment in midfield we've not really got hold of a game or created a decent amount of chances whilst he and Karacan were partnered in there. Having Tabb back was a major plus, and Howard can at least pass the ball with some vision, something we've lacked so much since Sigurdsson was sold.

First of all, I would like to respond to Andrew's assertion that it was "utter madness" to sell Gylfi. It was not. Our defense with the Sig was terrible and the acquisitions of Khiz and Harte have done wonders for the team. Remember, build champion teams from the back.

To echo Snowball and HB, Tabb + Howard is a great midfield. Individually, they are average at best, but together they seem to set the world on fire.

I do think that Long/Church/Hunt are probably quite exchangeable. So I don't mind seeing (in a metaphorical sense since I haven't visited England since '95) Long in there all the time. Church and Hunt are ready when needed as show again today.

[Millsy]

All I will say is "where on earth did that performance come from?"

(a) Sticking with a defence that is second-best in the league. Includes playing Harte!

(b) Bringing in a great mid-fielder (Tabb)

(c) Bringing back a very good creative midfielder who works well with Tabb (Howard)

(d) Persisting with Long.

(e) Persisting with values.

I'd add to that

(f) Stunning them with an early goal

(g) An excellent manager

(h) The sending off

Tabb probably had the greatest effect from what I heard on the radio.

[Snowball]

I don't doubt that it's our best choice back four, or five. I do doubt you calling it the second best in the league though.

In 8 of the last nine games we have conceded just THREE goals

Which bit of the following FACTUAL report do you not get?

1 13 games 04 goals conceded 0.31 per game Queens Park Rangers
2 13 games 11 goals conceded 0.85 per game Reading
3 12 games 11 goals conceded 0.92 per game Cardiff City
3 13 games 12 goals conceded 0.92 per game Nottingham Forest
3 13 games 12 goals conceded 0.92 per game Swansea City

It should be noted that the defence is A LOT BETTER since Gylfi left

Goals conceded is almost a 100% improvement.

09 games 06 goals conceded 0.67 per game Reading since Gylfi left and defence improved
04 games 05 goals conceded 1.25 per game Reading with Gylfi in the side (and a dodgy defence)

[Hoop Blah]

The bit I doubt snowball is your suggestion that we stuck with the same defence when the majority of that defensive record is with a different back four/five than the one we played.

[Snowball]

9 games since Harte joined us


Federici played all 9
Harte played all 9
Mills missed 1 suspended, otherwise a regular choice
Zurab, total class, got in, stays in apart from suspension

Griffin, clear first choice RB has played every game when fit


When we talk about a club's defence, that defence doesn't have to be 5 ever-presents. It 's the overall essence of the defence. We know, for example that Pearce can step into the CB position and our defence is essentially the same, same style, same training, same shape.

The only real differences have been


1 Replacing the under-performing Williams (Cummings 1, Harte 9)
2 Cummings getting a few games when Griffin injured


It is utterly clear that McDermott sees this as his first-choice back five, that it is settling-in despite injuries and suspensions, and the choices are not surprising

It is RIDICULOUS to try and assert that the current defence doesn't represent "the" defence. We brought in Griffin TO PLAY, Harte TO PLAY, Zurab TO PLAY and Mills and Feds were already regulars

[Stranded]

It is not ridiculous to assert that they haven't been the defence as they haven't been until Swansea. So far this defence (regardless of whether it is the first choice or not - Armstrong wasn't fit yesterday and replaced Harte at LB in the last match so it could easily be argued that Armstrong has only not played LB due to the needs of the team elsewhere) has only 3 games of 13 to it's name.

[Hoop Blah]

Snowball, you suggested that STICKING with the defence was a contributing factor in the win.

The defence hasn't been stuck with because it's been changed around. Sticking with the defence that had been doing well would probably meant Pearce and Cummings starting the last 2 or 3 games.

[Snowball]

Snowball, you suggested that STICKING with the defence was a contributing factor in the win.

The defence hasn't been stuck with because it's been changed around. Sticking with the defence that had been doing well would probably meant Pearce and Cummings starting the last 2 or 3 games.

Yes, sticking with the defence.

Sticking with Federici
Sticking with Griffin, and not going with those who said "Cummings!"
Sticking with Harte despite the calls to drop him
Sticking with Mills despite the odd error
Sticking with Zurab despite a mistake and a red card.

So is this likely to be the first choice defence or not?

[Snowball]

Snowball, you suggested that STICKING with the defence was a contributing factor in the win.

The defence hasn't been stuck with because it's been changed around. Sticking with the defence that had been doing well would probably meant Pearce and Cummings starting the last 2 or 3 games.

You really talk sh-t.

If sticking means Cummings, doesn't sticking FIRST mean Griffin, so Cummings doesn't get to play?

Griffin started the season and got injured. As soon as he was fit he got back in

CLEARLY he is first choice RB

Harte has been here for nine games and started every one.

CLEARLY he is first choice LB

Mills is a clear first choice, Federici is a clear first choice

We clamoured for Zurab, and now he too has become first-choice

[Hoop Blah]

So dropping the player who'd played most of those games where the defence had held so firm for you to claim them the second best in the league, in favour of a player that hadn't played for two months is 'sticking with' is it?

Your use of language is as bad as your use of stats!