Where was Guthrie again?!

[72 bus]

we need a radical rethink of how we coach and approach football matches in the first team.

Exactly

[Agent Balti]

Seeing how Wigan were totally destroyed by a tactically efficient Liverpool team, with players who can rip any team apart...and the same Wigan team who knocked it around for fun against us, that shows the gulf in just the general standard of where we are.

Whatever formation we play, the area that each individual area that each players patrols is just in the dark ages. It's really shocking. Our reliance so much on the wingers will be the death of us (because we can't hold onto the ball and then pass and move.) It makes us so one dimensional, its easily countered. Even worse when we DO get some joy with the wingers, we play 1 up front. Who else is busting a bollock to get into the box with the Pog? Nobody generally. Not saying the Pog isn't to blame either.

Only when we get into "Reading time" do we stick some bodies in the box and "magic happens". But there's no blueprint here, the players are devoid of the brainpower, craft, guile, awareness...let alone being technically proficient enough. The first touch against Wigan for almost all of them was just plain rubbish. If we can't get that right, we've got no sodding hope in the long run.

I think that's why we're getting the likes of Caricco in, the new coach, the link with Galatasaray. It's all little steps to get us playing with possession, like Swansea (who would ever think we'd ever say that?!) We're not seeing the fruits of any of it yet (let alone Caricco)...but I fear it's way too late for this season.

[Sanguine]

we need a radical rethink of how we coach and approach football matches in the first team.

Exactly

Spot on.

Posted this on another thread but it fits here.

You know what - it's being hammered home watching Southampton v QPR on MoTD. They are playing football in the middle of the park, there are runners from the midfield, players with pace, there are players in the box, there are options every which way when each team gets the ball. And these are two of the worst sides in the division.

We are one-dimensional, watching us play is utterly depressing.

[maffff]

Seeing how Wigan were totally destroyed by a tactically efficient Liverpool team, with players who can rip any team apart...and the same Wigan team who knocked it around for fun against us, that shows the gulf in just the general standard of where we are.

Sods law, we'll beat Liverpool.

[Maguire]

we need a radical rethink of how we coach and approach football matches in the first team.

Exactly

Spot on.

Posted this on another thread but it fits here.

You know what - it's being hammered home watching Southampton v QPR on MoTD. They are playing football in the middle of the park, there are runners from the midfield, players with pace, there are players in the box, there are options every which way when each team gets the ball. And these are two of the worst sides in the division.

We are one-dimensional, watching us play is utterly depressing.

You think we should be playing the same way as two of the worst teams in the league?

Interesting.

[Sanguine]

I haven't watched a lot of either side this season, but based on the game I've just watched, I'd take both to beat us on current form.

[Maguire]

You wouldn't be saying that if we were typing after the Sunderland game.

[Ian Royal]

You wouldn't be saying that if we were typing after the Sunderland game.

Shame that was the only good display we've put in over 90 minutes then really isn't it. Far from reflective of our season.

[Maguire]

You wouldn't be saying that if we were typing after the Sunderland game.

Shame that was the only good display we've put in over 90 minutes then really isn't it. Far from reflective of our season.

You miss the point. We were W4 D2 L1 from the previous seven after that match.

People on here change their opinions week in week out depending on the result and who has or hasn't played.

[Ian Royal]

You wouldn't be saying that if we were typing after the Sunderland game.

Shame that was the only good display we've put in over 90 minutes then really isn't it. Far from reflective of our season.

You miss the point. We were W4 D2 L1 from the previous seven after that match.

People on here change their opinions week in week out depending on the result and who has or hasn't played.

A fair bit yes, Mags. But I think we can safely say that McDermott and the side hasn't actually turned the corner and learnt from their mistakes like those 7 games suggested they might have done. And that after 28 games we can probably call some of the reasons why we're in the crap and what we should be doing and have done to improve.

It's not one defeat. It's the 15th defeat out of 28. Third in a row after our apparent resurgence. We're only in with a chance, because we had one great month. The rest of it has been just crap.

Generally it's quite a good idea to let the latest information inform your opinion. Most people have a fairly consistent message, it's just who's keeping quiet and who's posting a lot that makes whether its a positive or negative week here.

[Sanguine]

Most of what I've read on here during that better run has been 'well, it's going alright, but we're still totally shit and soon enough it will go tits up again.'

[tilehurstender]

Like all supporters,we enjoyed our Houdini like escapes against WBA,Chelsea etc. unfortunately this just masked the obvious.we do not have anywhere near the quality needed in this division. Summer signings and January reinforcements have on the whole not been good enough with the majority of them no better than the average championship players we all ready had. A point proved by the fact that most of them do not get a regular game. Yes, we did wake up to this fact with unsuccessful bids for Gylfi &Tom Ince but unfortunately the damage has already been done.

[paddy20]

If BM doesn't rate him why did he buy him? Has to be a problem if he's not even on the bench. Cant think the pregnancy is the problem if he can take time to go training every day surely he could play at home! I think BM is out of his depth with the tactics. Took too long to realise we needed to switch to 451 and then never planned for any cover for Pog.Sadly we are about to throw away the golden opportunity we had to stay in the premiership. I thought we would have learnt our lesson last time

[EASTENDER MARKY]

I don't care about Guthrie,
He don't care about me,
All I care about is Reading FC

[jumpers for goalposts]

Emerse Fae, Marek Matejovsky, Daniel Carricco and Danny Guthrie. All signed with hope and optimism, in the belief that they would transform us into a competitive premisership team. Apparently none of them have been good enough for us. Tells me that the club is cluless in how it integrates any players with a modicum of ability into our team. We only seem capable of integrating rough diamonds from the lower leagues. Buck stops with the manager and coaching staff IMO.

[Wimb]

Emerse Fae, Marek Matejovsky, Daniel Carricco and Danny Guthrie. All signed with hope and optimism, in the belief that they would transform us into a competitive premisership team. Apparently none of them have been good enough for us. Tells me that the club is cluless in how it integrates any players with a modicum of ability into our team. We only seem capable of integrating rough diamonds from the lower leagues. Buck stops with the manager and coaching staff IMO.

^^^^ power post

[holsgrove breaks a leg]

Guthrie isn't the issue at all when it comes to analysing our central midfield woes. We play a defensive midfield formation,fine - however it doesn't mean that the two central midfield pairings should be stuck to the pitch like treacle when they have the ball.It is essential to have one of you defensive CM's to take charge of the football,make runs to open up space - someone in the vein of Mulumbu at WBA or a box to box allrounder eg a younger Sidwell. We should have improved in this area over the summer to compliment the way we play, never mind a gylfi/ince type of player - instead we supplemented the midfield far too late with the woefully unfit Caricco and the up and coming but still to develop Akpan.

[Cookie]

Sorry JMW but you're being particularly one-eyed on this thread, especially your post that you have seen him do nothing of note at all.

The point re Guthrie and having him involved is that he is another option for the midfield. He is the only passing/control/possession type midfielder at the club, and our midfield is continually over-run. So having him in the midfield, or on the bench as an option gives Brian a choice to say right, we need to keep the ball more, I want an extra body in there who will do more than tackle, and so on.

That's about right that is!

[andrew1957]

I think Guthrie has been mixed this season BUT unless I am wrong he started every one of the games in January when we had our good patch and so it does seem odd that he is not now deemed good enough to even get in the bench of a losing team. I thought Guthrie had a very good January before being dropped again.

One can only assume that he has upset Brian again. I have always supported Brian but if the objective is to survive this season then surely personal issues should be put to one side for the last 10 games. Then perhaps Guthrie should move on in the summer if his face does not fit. It is win win situation - as if Guthrie plays well he will be in demand elsewhere and if he plays well RFC might also be in the PL next season.

[leon]

he's done nothing of note at all. Has he controlled a game? No. Has he turned a game with his "passing game"? no. What he has done is caused trouble. And we don't need it.

He even had trouble at his wedding for christ's sake - the happiest day of your life (apparently). He's not the saviour, he's a disruptive pikey. He can cunt off.