BRING. FEDS. BACK. NOW.

[Snowball]

Frankly, LOL at trying to blame yesterday's defeat on Alex McCarthy! Any keeper in the world would struggle when his back four are completely switched off and playing virtually at half pace.

For the third goal, for instance, he made a great save from a situation where he couldn't see the ball until very late - and then was helpless because his defenders just stood and watched while Sheffield Utd were the ones who got to the ball first.

+ 1,000

[ZacNaloen]

I'd rather blame mills than Mccarthy, his attitude stank.


Not once as Captain did he try and pick the team up. They were crying out for someone on the pitch to wake them all up.

[Drew_3]

This thread is unbelievable, McCarthy dropped??!! Poor distribution?? And what is all this crap about gaps in the wall being down to the GK.

For the benefit of those who have never played the game, the GK lets the defenders know how many he wants in the wall and where he wants it, after that it’s down to them.

As for poor distribution that’s a bit rich, McCarthy always looks to roll it out to the full backs, thus retaining possession and set us on our way up the field, other than that he is like any other keeper with his kicking (ok feds has a low trajectory arrowed kick that sometimes comes off, but it’s hardly foolproof is it). I also recall yesterday one instance where a long throw out evaded one Utd defender and sent Jobi clear, only for him to be brought down.

McCarthy has been immense since he came into the side and has taken his chance and then some, as some have already commented he has tremendous command of his area for such a young keeper. Although it is beside the point I think it’s worth mentioning that to drop him now could have a real detrimental affect on his further development.

At first I thought the thread was started as a wind up, but amazingly I don’t think it was!!!

[facaldaqui]

I'd rather blame mills than Mccarthy, his attitude stank.


Not once as Captain did he try and pick the team up. They were crying out for someone on the pitch to wake them all up.

I'd like to see Ingimarsson come back in. I know everyone decries him, but he has tremendous experience and was in the winning run. OK, he was dropped after the two pens against Forest (though he helped lay on a goal), but Mills was party to letting in three yesterday. The other choice is Pearce, but I do think Ingimarsson's experience would be a key advantage. He's a lucky player, and we need that.

[Svlad Cjelli]

What I can't understand is how when we score with a free-kick it's a brilliant kick that was unstoppable, but when another team scores from one against us it was a goalkeeping error.....

[ZacNaloen]

Because when we lose it's always because someone made a mistake, not because the other team were better on the day

[Hoop Blah]

What I can't understand is how when we score with a free-kick it's a brilliant kick that was unstoppable, but when another team scores from one against us it was a goalkeeping error.....

Really depends on the freekick I guess Dirk, that and which posters view you take on them.

I don't think McCarthy was really at fault yesterday. He may have done a little better with the freekick (ie pushed it away further) but that's being harsh. Not sure on the first 2 as I didn't have a great view but apart from the OP I don't think anyone's really questioning McCarthy over the goals, just that as we come down the wire McDermott might be looking for an excuse to bring back his number 1 and most experienced keeper.

[andrew1957]

Feel sorry for Brian on this issue as he really cannot win.

If he drops McCarthy and Fed makes a catastrophic error - then Brian will be a villain.

On the other hand if he retains McCarthy and he makes a howler in the play offs then fans will be on his back about not putting Fed in.

Think we all just need to get behind whatever team he does play and not be critical if it all goes wrong. After all few expected the play offs this season so they have over achieved already.

[Snowball]

The "easier"~ decision is to keep McCarthy in

and then worry next season about who starts (if either/both are still here)

[JimmytheJim]

mccarthy is a keeper with great potential, but he has been overhyped by reading fans.

some very good performances, no doubt, but the defence has also looked noticeably shakier since federici has been out of the team. i think mccarthy will go on to be a great goalkeeper for reading, and will hopefully be a hero between the sticks for many a year to come. but it is alarming, the speed with which nobbers have forgotten just how good a keeper federici is.

as far as i am concerned, it woul dhave been very unfair to pull mccarthy out of a team that kept winning. however, i always thought that when that run came to an end, federici should go back in goal to take us through to the end of the season. i don't think 2ww1wc was overreacting or knee-jerking. i think the overreactions came from the mountains of jizz everyone else was piling on our young reserve keeper.

[RobRoyal]

On the other hand if he retains McCarthy and he makes a howler in the play offs then fans will be on his back about not putting Fed in.

No they won't. Not except the OP anyway.

[facaldaqui]

mccarthy is a keeper with great potential, but he has been overhyped by reading fans.

some very good performances, no doubt, but the defence has also looked noticeably shakier since federici has been out of the team. i think mccarthy will go on to be a great goalkeeper for reading, and will hopefully be a hero between the sticks for many a year to come. but it is alarming, the speed with which nobbers have forgotten just how good a keeper federici is.

Couldn't agree more. A tone of dislike against Federici has crept into quite a few posts, for no justifiable reason. We're lucky to have him, and he doesn't deserve it.

[super darren caskey]

Frankly, LOL at trying to blame yesterday's defeat on Alex McCarthy! Any keeper in the world would struggle when his back four are completely switched off and playing virtually at half pace.

For the third goal, for instance, he made a great save from a situation where he couldn't see the ball until very late - and then was helpless because his defenders just stood and watched while Sheffield Utd were the ones who got to the ball first.

Agree with this.McCarthy has to stay in atm plus its good hes getting this run in the team ready for next season when feds f*cks off in the summer if we dont go up

[Stranded]

One of the main reasons we have been doing so well of late is McCarthy's distribution. He is always looking to get us moving quickly by throwing the ball out to the full backs/wingers allowing us to get at teams before they are set - something which is IMHO A.Fed's weakness.

[Royalee]

I'd rather blame mills than Mccarthy, his attitude stank.


Not once as Captain did he try and pick the team up. They were crying out for someone on the pitch to wake them all up.

I'd like to see Ingimarsson come back in. I know everyone decries him, but he has tremendous experience and was in the winning run. OK, he was dropped after the two pens against Forest (though he helped lay on a goal), but Mills was party to letting in three yesterday. The other choice is Pearce, but I do think Ingimarsson's experience would be a key advantage. He's a lucky player, and we need that.

I'd rather see Pearce come in as Ingimarsson's just as incompetent.

[facaldaqui]

I'd rather blame mills than Mccarthy, his attitude stank.


Not once as Captain did he try and pick the team up. They were crying out for someone on the pitch to wake them all up.

I'd like to see Ingimarsson come back in. I know everyone decries him, but he has tremendous experience and was in the winning run. OK, he was dropped after the two pens against Forest (though he helped lay on a goal), but Mills was party to letting in three yesterday. The other choice is Pearce, but I do think Ingimarsson's experience would be a key advantage. He's a lucky player, and we need that.

I'd rather see Pearce come in as Ingimarsson's just as incompetent.

He'd hardly have achieved what he's achieved if he was incompetent. Can you honestly say that the defence improved when Mills took over from Ingimarsson? Think Scunthorpe, Leicester, Leeds, Sheffield.

[Royalee]

They're both as bad as each other and we let in 3 at Forest - Ingimarsson was just about good enough at his peak but he's well over the hill now, we should have got shot of him 3 years ago. Pearce and Zurab both read the game far better and are a superior partnership.

[sandman]

Ivar has been getting gradually worse and worse for the last two years. I must admit that I didn't agree with Royalee when he picked up on it last year but fair play to him he was right. Against Narch at Carrow Ivar gave the ball away and Feds had to save a 1 on 1 with Ivar about 20 yards behind the striker.

We aren't talking about the Ivar of five or six years ago he can be shaky, his fitness is not what it was and he struggles with the slightest bit of clever movement by an opposition striker. Mills hasn't been perfect since he came back from injury but he hasn't been as bad as the usual suspects claim (he's made two crucial blocks that would've resulted in goals against Leicester and Leeds) .Apart from Saint Zurab (It seems nobody noticed him playing the ball straight to Gradel on Friday) no one is perfect , people are going to make mistakes and have bad games as THE WHOLE defence did yesterday.

As I said yesterday the notion that players with the sort of experience of Griff, Harte and Khiz need a 24 year old to tell them what to do or they'll fall apart is as laughable as the English idea that the Captaincy is the most important thing in football is outdated.

[Elmer Park]

I think McCarthy has done well since he came in and I wouldn't blame him for any of the Sheffield United goals, in fact I thought he made an excellent save from the free kick which led to their third goal and was unlucky the ball didn't go out of play and that their forwards reacted so quickly. That being said I do feel McCarthy has been lucky when he has made mistakes in other matches.

Not sure what I would do but I think the key is who would McDermott want to be in our goal in a play-off match should we reach them ? I have a feeling he might just prefer the experience of Feds so it wouldn't surprise me if we saw him back in goal at Coventry.

[loyalroyal4life]

Pearce should partner Kish even if it will make our defence the slowest in the league!