Back from the Game / Pub

[maffff]

Strange opinion to have about a guy who basically hasn't played for 18 months, after he couldn't stop scoring in Belgium, aged 17/18. He's a beast, will score plenty.

He played 45mins yesterday. I was there. He was abysmal.

[Stuboo]

Who was at the game? How much of the crowd were boing and how much of the crowd had left at 80/85 minutes?

I watched it down the pub so it was hard to tell.

[loyalroyal4life]

Who was at the game? How much of the crowd were boing and how much of the crowd had left at 80/85 minutes?

I watched it down the pub so it was hard to tell.

didnt hear anyone boo, plenty left after 85, almost like a fire drill

[paultheroyal]

Can we all stop over-reacting? We'll go 4-4-2 against West Brom, and we'll probably win. Then you'll all STILL find something to complain about.

Shorey isn't the answer to Harte's issues.
McCarthy did well.
We should have started 4-4-2.

You were doing well until the McCarthy bit. F*ck me if that's "did well" you will have an orgasm at a error free match!

[sputnik]

I recorded the game, so hopefully it'll look better second time round.

Don't hold your breath

[paultheroyal]

Who was at the game? How much of the crowd were boing and how much of the crowd had left at 80/85 minutes?

I watched it down the pub so it was hard to tell.

didnt hear anyone boo, plenty left after 85, almost like a fire drill

Yep agree with that.

Lots of groans amongst fans talking to themselves but no boos!

Quarter left come final whistle.

[RoyalBlue]

WTF did McDermott go with just one up front for this game and equally WTF did he wait until half time to change it? He said afterwards that he didn't have the right personnel on the pitch to change things before half-time but when did the PL change the rules so that you can't bring on subs before half-time?

If it's damn well broken don't wait to fix it!

[SHORT AND CURLY]

Brian got it badly wrong today.
Spurs and AVB have had a dreadful start and the knives were sharpening already.
Now call me stoopid but to me Brian should have had an attacking side with the emphasis on making life uncomfortable for them from the start, thus putting pressure on their already fragile status.
But no! Lets just let them take control and raise their confidence!

FFS we surrendered in the first five minutes and made a previously poor side look half decent.

Very poor today. Mcleary and Pog were a glimmer of light in an otherwise very poor performance.

[RoyalBlue]

Agreed that the formation didn't work at all but I'm guessing the two tossers in front of me wearing Reading shirts who got up and clapped the third goal are happy!

Don't bother coming back

It was quite a good goal though - shame we weren't prepared to push the boat out to sign him!

[muddyfeet]

We obviously didn't play well but I was more disappointed in just how sloppy we were which just isn't the normal us. Fumbled passes, giving the ball away cheaply isn't what I expect of us, it just made a hard job even harder.

We should have played two up front at home, going one up front inspires completely the wrong sort of message to the players and the fans.

Worried most about Harte and his positioning he kept completely losing Lennon. Anyway I think we will play better than that so not panicking yet!

[Man Friday]

Brian got it badly wrong today.
Spurs and AVB have had a dreadful start and the knives were sharpening already.
Now call me stoopid but to me Brian should have had an attacking side with the emphasis on making life uncomfortable for them from the start, thus putting pressure on their already fragile status.
But no! Lets just let them take control and raise their confidence!

FFS we surrendered in the first five minutes and made a previously poor side look half decent.

Very poor today. Mcleary and Pog were a glimmer of light in an otherwise very poor performance.

Agree with all this. But I still trust in Brian.

[Victor Meldrew]

Like a number of others I expressed the view in the summer that signing a left-back was essential.
Brian signed a left-back (surely not as cover for the geriatric Harte)presumably to play.
He doesn't play him.
I suppose like most managers Brian has his favourites and amongst those are Harte and Jobi.
Who were our worst two players today?
Yes Harte and Jobi who he once again refused to take off but amazingly moved inside instead of our best (only?)passer.

As somebody said earlier ( Ithink it was Norfolk) lesser teams have to work and work till they drop and be at the opposition from the off.
Regardless of the system they just weren't at it from the off and just let Spurs play.
Let's not kid ourselves it could easily have been 6 or 7 and in the coming weeks they will have to step the game up or we will be in real trouble.

[cmonurz]

On that point, and I fully agree with it - the difference in tempo and energy today from the Chelsea game, where we set up the same, was frightening. I don't think the break did us any good.

[Bristol Royalz]

My opinion (for what its worth) from the pub

Back 5 struggled, Gorkss and Harte in particular, and Harte's distribution not much cop, why not play Cummings at left back against a quick winger, hes done it before.

Karacan and Leigertwood not in the game, Guthrie only in the game after playing deeper (he did get on the ball then). Mcleary started well then NAughton got the better of him. McAnuff - quite simply not good enough for Prem.

I think what says it all 87th minute before first shot on target.

Ratings:

McCarthy - 6 - not much about goal, but distribution an issue.
Gunter - 6 generally coped with Bale, Bale only dangerous when he came off the wing
Harte - 4 done for pace, no setpiece, if Guthrie plays then why play him?
Gorkss - 4 at fault for 3rd, poor game
Pearce - 6 not a bad game..

Leigertwood 5 - not in it
Karacan 4 - did he play
Guthrie (1h 4 does not suit playing higher up 2h 6 got on the ball and tried to do something)
McAnuff 4
McLeary 6

Pog 5 faded in 2nd half
Le F 7 (worked hard and really had a threat

R-K fair play for goal

Cheers

[Stuboo]

Who was at the game? How much of the crowd were boing and how much of the crowd had left at 80/85 minutes?

I watched it down the pub so it was hard to tell.

didnt hear anyone boo, plenty left after 85, almost like a fire drill

Yep agree with that.

Lots of groans amongst fans talking to themselves but no boos!

Quarter left come final whistle.

Thanks. Pleased to hear you say there were no boos. The Landlord down the pub said there was and so did some people on Twitter.

I hope the majority of fans stay to the end next time we have a tough game though..

[Ian Royal]

Kneejerk reactions...

Finding that a Back From The Game thread has been started by someone who wasn't within 100 miles of the match.

It's about 80 miles actually.

[bobby1413]

We should resign Sidwell, Long, Murty and Convey.

They would give us the depth we really need.

[grey_squirrel]

I don't really know where to start after that, but this is probably the best succinct take on affairs today

Brian got it badly wrong today.
Spurs and AVB have had a dreadful start and the knives were sharpening already.
Now call me stoopid but to me Brian should have had an attacking side with the emphasis on making life uncomfortable for them from the start, thus putting pressure on their already fragile status.
But no! Lets just let them take control and raise their confidence!

FFS we surrendered in the first five minutes and made a previously poor side look half decent.

Very poor today. Mcleary and Pog were a glimmer of light in an otherwise very poor performance.

McD got it badly badly wrong with 4-5-1 or 4-4-1-1 or whatever it was. Inexperiencedly so. Which is worrying.
Brian "I've got 2 for every position, so I'm happy" McDermott. Jesus. If that is our best first 11 then (excusing injuries) then goodnight Vienna.
Leigertwood! No wonder QPR affectionately call him legs of wood. He was like an overweight sumo wrestler.
No game for yonks, I know lets go and stuff an Irish Sunday League side, keep Noel Hunt happy and say that is good preparation for an up and coming Premiership game against a very good Tottenham team.


Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Basic fundamental MANAGERIAL errors. I fear McD, like the majority of his (Championship quality) squad are out of their league.

Love to be proved wrong, but as I have said previously, the door might just be beginning to open for you Brian

[sandman]

I don't really know where to start after that, but this is probably the best succinct take on affairs today

Brian got it badly wrong today.
Spurs and AVB have had a dreadful start and the knives were sharpening already.
Now call me stoopid but to me Brian should have had an attacking side with the emphasis on making life uncomfortable for them from the start, thus putting pressure on their already fragile status.
But no! Lets just let them take control and raise their confidence!

FFS we surrendered in the first five minutes and made a previously poor side look half decent.

Very poor today. Mcleary and Pog were a glimmer of light in an otherwise very poor performance.

McD got it badly badly wrong with 4-5-1 or 4-4-1-1 or whatever it was. Inexperiencedly so. Which is worrying.
Brian "I've got 2 for every position, so I'm happy" McDermott. Jesus. If that is our best first 11 then (excusing injuries) then goodnight Vienna.
Leigertwood! No wonder QPR affectionately call him legs of wood. He was like an overweight sumo wrestler.
No game for yonks, I know lets go and stuff an Irish Sunday League side, keep Noel Hunt happy and say that is good preparation for an up and coming Premiership game against a very good Tottenham team.


Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Basic fundamental MANAGERIAL errors. I fear McD, like the majority of his (Championship quality) squad are out of their league.

Love to be proved wrong, but as I have said previously, the door might just be beginning to open for you Brian

[Ian Royal]

On that point, and I fully agree with it - the difference in tempo and energy today from the Chelsea game, where we set up the same, was frightening. I don't think the break did us any good.

Agree. And agree with those saying that it's a mistake to play defensive in games like this. There are 4 teams we should be setting up defensively against and that does not include Spurs. There are several outside the big 4 who have great attacks, but you don't beat them by trying to shut up shop and conceeding the initiative. You get in their face and drive them back exposing their defensive frailties because they tend to be a big gung ho.


At the moment we look nervous and timid. And as always, when we're nervous or out of form, the passes are loose, uninspiring and insipidly hopeful. I've criticised our reliance on low percentage hopeful hoofs into the channels for years. You can get away with it against less good teams in the Championship, but you simply don't get the rewards in the Prem considering just how much you conceed possession doing it. And it's a hell of a lot harder to get the ball back.