Relegation form?

[Snowball]

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.

You KNOW Armstrong was unfit?

[Snowball]

If you want to be pedantic, sticking with the defence would be playing the same defence as started in the previous game.


That's three on the trot now.

And we couldn't play Zurab until we got him in on loan

[Hoop Blah]

If you want to be pedantic, sticking with the defence would be playing the same defence as started in the previous game.


That's three on the trot now.

And we couldn't play Zurab until we got him in on loan

You specifically said sticking with the defence that was the second best in the league, which isn't the defence that played the last game.

[Snowball]

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!

FIRM?

The first four games we conceded 5 goals @ 1.25 per game. That would put us TWELFTH in the defence table.

Not sure why you're bothering, Hoop

The defence was POOR at the start of the season letting in 5 goals in 4 games.

Most fans felt Williams was the biggest problem. He was replaced for one game by Cummings
who looked dreadful for 30 minutes but got away with it. Since then Williams has been replaced
by Harte and in 8 games we conceded just 3 goals (6 goals conceded in 9.)


To say Harte is not McDermott's preferred Left Back is moronic.

Federici is clearly Mac's preferred Keeper. Mills 11/13, including a suspension
is clearly preferred over Pearce, and Griffin is clearly preferred over Cummings


The only player to argue over is Zurab, and he came in pretty soon after we got him in on loan
and is ever-present apart from his suspension.



Do you agree or disagree that McDermott played his (as he sees it) best back five for the last three games?

[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.

You KNOW Armstrong was unfit?

I believe that has been reported (happy to be proved wrong).I would be amazed if a player who was in the starting 11 and wasn't named on the bench when we could have named one more player was anything less than unfit - esp when he can cover two positions.

[Stranded]

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!

FIRM?

The first four games we conceded 5 goals @ 1.25 per game. That would put us TWELFTH in the defence table.

Not sure why you're bothering, Hoop

The defence was POOR at the start of the season letting in 5 goals in 4 games.

Most fans felt Williams was the biggest problem. He was replaced for one game by Cummings
who looked dreadful for 30 minutes but got away with it. Since then Williams has been replaced
by Harte and in 8 games we conceded just 3 goals (6 goals conceded in 9.)


To say Harte is not McDermott's preferred Left Back is moronic.

Federici is clearly Mac's preferred Keeper. Mills 11/13, including a suspension
is clearly preferred over Pearce, and Griffin is clearly preferred over Cummings


The only player to argue over is Zurab, and he came in pretty soon after we got him in on loan
and is ever-present apart from his suspension.



Do you agree or disagree that McDermott played his (as he sees it) best back five for the last three games?

I don't think anyone is disagreeing that the back five is the first choice five, but the point being challenged is that those as a unit are not the second best defence in the division, statistically. That is all.

[Hoop Blah]

Snowball, I believe McDerott has played just about his strongest available back did yes. I haven't said otherwise. I do believe that Armstrong would make it stronger though.

As for FIRM, you were the one that said we had the second best defence not me, I was just taking the accuracy of your statement as a given!!

[roadrunner]

I know some will say this is a knee jerk reaction

It was a knee jerk reaction!

[glass half full]

A few days ago, I said to anyone who was listening (not many, I admit!) "Don't worry, some day soon one team will be on the end of a hammering from Reading!" I must admit that I did not think that we would put four past Burnley away from home.
All I can say is "Look out QPR!"

[Snowball]

If you want to be pedantic, sticking with the defence would be playing the same defence as started in the previous game.

That's three on the trot now. And we couldn't play Zurab until we got him in on loan

You specifically said sticking with the defence that was the second best in the league, which isn't the defence that played the last game.

And WHAT is your point?

Based on ONE game, Reading have the best defence in the league.

"The defence" is some almalgam of all the players who have played
with special emphasis on (a) ever-presents and (b) those now "owning"
the position.


Do you agree or disagree with the following?

01 McDermott's first-choice keeper is Federici
02 McDermott's first-choice right-back is Griffin
03 McDermott's first-choice centre-back pairing is Mills & Zurab
04 McDermott's first choice left-back is Harte

05 The starting defence for the last three games has been Federici, Griffin, Mills, Zurab, Harte
06 Federici has played in every game since Gylfi left
07 Harte has played every game since Gylfi left
08 Mills missed one of those games through suspension.
09 Zurab has not been dropped since he rejoined the club
10 Griffin has played every game where he was fit

11 In the 9 games since Harte joined Reading, we have kept 5 clean sheets and let in 1 goal 3 times. Just one game where we conceded 3

Our back five is Federici: Griffin* : Mills**: Zurab: Harte

*Sure Cummings got a few games, looked dodgy at Leicester, a bit lost at Boro, and the manager replaced him as soon as he was able
NO WAY is he a first-choice right-back. He still is very suspect in defence

**Pearce, an able deputy was replaced by Mills/Zurab AS A MATTER OF THE MANAGER'S CHOICE but when he DOES play, the general make-up
of the defence is essentially the same, the manner of defending is the same, the manner of breaking is the same

[Snowball]

Snowball, I believe McDerott has played just about his strongest available back did yes. I haven't said otherwise. I do believe that Armstrong would make it stronger though.

As for FIRM, you were the one that said we had the second best defence not me, I was just taking the accuracy of your statement as a given!!

Why "take it as a given"?

I posted the actual table from Statto.

We are second DESPITE the fact that we let in 5 goals in our first four games

But now we've let in just 6 in 9 (since we installed a PROPER defence)

[Snowball]

I don't think anyone is disagreeing that the back five is the first choice five, but the point being challenged is that those as a unit are not the second best defence in the division, statistically. That is all.

Well, I searched and SEARCHED but couldn't find where I said "as a unit"

I said "THE-READING DEFENCE"

How many teams in the championship do you suppose have played the same back 5 for every game?

[Snowball]

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.

You KNOW Armstrong was unfit?

I believe that has been reported (happy to be proved wrong).I would be amazed if a player who was in the starting 11 and wasn't named on the bench when we could have named one more player was anything less than unfit - esp when he can cover two positions.

Translation. YOU DON'T KNOW

[Victor Meldrew]

Snowball,
It's pretty bloody obvious that Armstrong wasn't fit nor was Hunt.
You are in danger of becoming the new Spacey and I'm not sure that this board can cope with two.

[Snowball]

Snowball,
It's pretty bloody obvious that Armstrong wasn't fit nor was Hunt.
You are in danger of becoming the new Spacey and I'm not sure that this board can cope with two.

Strange that the radio pundits had not heard there were injuries or sickness.

Strange that the Reading Official site did not report them injured or sick

Strange that the manager announced that the whole squad (including Kebe) was fit except for Gunnar and Taylor


Could it not be that the manager knew his team and bench and those players knew they were not in this weekend's plans and did something else?


There is ZERO official info to suggest that either player was injured or sick.

People are simply PRESUMING

[Gordons Cumming]

The good thing for us is we still have Ivar champing at the bit to get a game.

Good back up without a doubt.

Relegation form?

I don't think so.

[Stranded]

Seriously man, you'd get a lot more respect and some of your points would actually been taken on board if you conceded some ground at times. Yes the Reading defence is the 2nd best in the division, all people are saying is that this back four hasn't been the back four until after the international break and that your assertion we are sticking with a defence is incorrect at this time as they have only just come together.

I think we all agree that they are the first choice back five at this time.

[Snowball]

Seriously man, you'd get a lot more respect and some of your points would actually been taken on board if you conceded some ground at times. Yes the Reading defence is the 2nd best in the division, all people are saying is that this back four hasn't been the back four until after the international break and that your assertion we are sticking with a defence is incorrect at this time as they have only just come together.

I think we all agree that they are the first choice back five at this time.

Happy to concede when I'm shown to be wrong.

I KNOW the back five for each game, but the fact that different players come in is hardly the point.

What IS the point is that Fedders, Harte, Mills have been there for 9 games together (except one where Mills had his red)
Zurab was brought in to play, got in almost immediately and is on his way to becoming a fixture. Griffin would be on P13
now if it hadn't been for his injury.

Much as I want Cummings to do well he is MILES AWAY from being as good overall as Griffin. Harte replaced a very off-form Williams

IMO the current defence, that of the last three games, has always been "the defence" that McDermot intended once we had let Gylfi go.


Not once (apart from when Cummings came in) have we been remotely surprised by the team-sheet names in the defence slots

[Hoop Blah]

What about Pearce getting dropped after being arguably our best defender whilst Mills and Kishanishvili was suspended?

Plenty on here didn't think he'd be dropped. As VM pointed out earlier, you were advocating Kishanishvili in midfield the other day.

[Arch]

I don't think anyone is disagreeing that the back five is the first choice five, but the point being challenged is that those as a unit are not the second best defence in the division, statistically. That is all.

Well, I searched and SEARCHED but couldn't find where I said "as a unit"

I said "THE-READING DEFENCE"

How many teams in the championship do you suppose have played the same back 5 for every game?

Let me get this straight. You're saying that Brian McDermott is to be credited for sticking with the Reading defence?