Team v Arsenal

[Wimb]

So depending on the fitness of Kebe, Federici and McCarthy (plus any international knocks), it's possible that we'll have everyone except Roberts available for Arsenal in two weeks time.

On the assumption that we will have 24 from 25 available who do you pick?

For me.

Federici

Shorey
Pearce
Mariappa
Kelly

McCleary
Akpan
Guthrie
Carrico
Kebe

Pogrebnyak

Subs
McCarthy
Morrison
Harte
Leigertwood
Robson-Kanu
McAnuff
Le Fondre

Obviously no idea what the latest is with Carrico, would like to think that after 3 months at the club he might be worth a second opportunity to play and if not Ledge seems just about alright in a 5-man midfield.

[ZacNaloen]

Carrico has a knee problem, the club are embarassed they didn't pick up how bad it is. This is obvious.


Same line up as yesterday, except restore Pog and this time lets play it to him properly like we were with Hunt yesterday.

But we could have a new manager by then so anything could happen.

[Wimb]

Carrico has a knee problem, the club are embarassed they didn't pick up how bad it is. This is obvious.


Same line up as yesterday, except restore Pog and this time lets play it to him properly like we were with Hunt yesterday.

But we could have a new manager by then so anything could happen.

Sounds plausible but why would you not just say he's 'picked up a knock' rather than make it look like he's being left out for purely footballing reasons? Easier to take a player being injured than just being crap.

[ZacNaloen]

The club are weird when it comes to talking about injuries, I have no idea why, it's very odd though.

[SPARTA]

Same side as United but McCarthy in for Taylor if Federici isn't fit. Hopefully the former, and Feds, as good as he's been recently, goes in the summer. I'm sure he'll be fishing for his move.

[Mid Sussex Royal]

The club are weird when it comes to talking about injuries, I have no idea why, it's very odd though.

Yes - we've regularly had players this season with "undisclosed" injuries

[Ian Royal]

Assuming everyone without a long-term injury is fit I'd make quite a few changes although the overall approach would be the same. Personally I'm not keen on the Legs - Karacan partnership but it did alright against Utd so I would expect Dolan to stick with it. I'm pretty torn over what the best combination might be.

GK: Federici
RB: Kelly
LB: Shorey
CB: Pearce
CB: Mariappa
DM: Guthrie
DM: Akpan
AM: McAnuff
RM: Kebe
LM: Robson-Kanu
ST: Pogrebnyak

Subs: McCarthy, Morrison, Cummings, Leigertwood, McCleary, ALF, Hunt

Harsh on Blackman, Taylor, Karacan and Legs. But hopefully Akpan and Guthrie can retain and use the ball even better, offer more in attack and not to be too much weaker in defence. Of course, this won't be the team. Legs and Jem'll probably retain their places and it would be hard to complain if they did after their good showing against Utd.

Edit: if Carrico is fit and up to it, him in for Guthrie probably to offer us better defensive qualities. In which case Karacan and Guthrie on the bench instead of Cummings and Leigertwood. Use the game against Arsenal to pick the team and system we'll play for the rest of the season (assuming no managerial changes) to bed it in.

[Big Ern]

May I be the first to say it doesn't really matter.

[RockheadRumple]

I'd be happy with the team that played yesterday to be honest.

I like the Leigertwood and Karacan partnership - Mikele always has someone to pass to after a tackle with Jem next to him and Karacan's energy is almost crucial to the team. The game against Villa was crying out for someone with energy and a willingness to tackle. In a packed midfield he finds himself less prone to coming out of position, too.
The two bring out the best in eachother; Karacan floats like a butterfly and Leigertwood stings like a bee. I've been asking for Leigertwood to be dropped for a while now but as long as he's paired with Karacan and we keep up a passing game, he'll play well.

As far as attack goes, obviously Pogrebnyak would come in as the lone striker. If Kebe is fit I suppose he'd come in too, which is unfortunate for either one of McCleary or Robson-Kanu who both play well almost every time they play. In an ideal world, McAnuff would be on the bench and it's not that I don't rate him, he's just been a bit frass lately. But Kebe is God so it'll be an improvement whoever he replaces.

[72 bus]

For those who would like Legs dropped.

Mikele's top display
Royals midfielder Mikele Leigertwood put in an excellent display against Manchester United, and the stats back up his prominence in the game.

He made more passes than any other Reading player, as well as more tackles - details courtesy of the FourFourTwo StatsZone app.

He completed 46 of his 56 passes, a ratio of 82% and won four of his five tackles against the runaway League leaders.

Full stats:
Passes 46/56
Completed 82%
Attacking third 10/14
Long 5/9
Short 41/47
Forward 18/27
Backward 15/15
Square 13/14
Tackles 4/5
Interceptions 1
Clearances 2/4
Headed clearances 2/3
Aerial duels 2/2

Overall in the game we completed 74% of our passes, taking 51.7% territory from our 43.1% possession.

We were penalised for 16 fouls, while the home side were only hauled up on 6 occasions.

[SCIAG]

DM: Guthrie
DM: Akpan
AM: McAnuff

I think that's too weak defensively.

I'd like (assuming everybody is fit bar Carrico and Roberts):

McCarthy; Kelly, Pearce, Mariappa, Shorey; Guthrie, Leigertwood; Kebe, Akpan, McAnuff; Pogrebnyak
Subs: Federici, Morrison, Gunter, Karacan, HRK, McCleary, Le Fondre

I think Akpan's most suited to playing in that role slightly more advanced than the central midfielders and bursting forward to support the striker. Hopefully in this set up McAnuff will have three men to aim at who are all capable of scoring.

[Royals-lad14]

feds

shorey
mariappa
pearce
shorey

kebe
akpan
leigertwood
guthrie
robson-kanu

pog

[Ian Royal]

DM: Guthrie
DM: Akpan
AM: McAnuff

I think that's too weak defensively.

I'd like (assuming everybody is fit bar Carrico and Roberts):

McCarthy; Kelly, Pearce, Mariappa, Shorey; Guthrie, Leigertwood; Kebe, Akpan, McAnuff; Pogrebnyak
Subs: Federici, Morrison, Gunter, Karacan, HRK, McCleary, Le Fondre

I think Akpan's most suited to playing in that role slightly more advanced than the central midfielders and bursting forward to support the striker. Hopefully in this set up McAnuff will have three men to aim at who are all capable of scoring.

Not convinced about Akpan being a good enough attacker or passer, so I'd say yours isn't attacking enough. I'm concerned Legs needs someone more athletic than Guthrie next to him to work. Our two most promising displays have come with McAnuff in the central attacking midfielder role.

But I wouldn't complain if that's what we got.

[Royal91]

Assuming everyone is fit apart from Kebe, Federici and Carrico

==============Taylor=================


Kelly====Pearce=====Mariappa====Shorey


===Guthrie====Karacan=====Akpan===


McCleary=======Pog===========HRK


McCarthy, Morrison, Harte, McAnuff, L,wood, Blackman, Le Fondre

[Snowball]

For those who would like Legs dropped.

Mikele's top display
Royals midfielder Mikele Leigertwood put in an excellent display against Manchester United, and the stats back up his prominence in the game.

He made more passes than any other Reading player, as well as more tackles - details courtesy of the FourFourTwo StatsZone app.

He completed 46 of his 56 passes, a ratio of 82% and won four of his five tackles against the runaway League leaders.

Full stats:
Passes 46/56
Completed 82%
Attacking third 10/14
Long 5/9
Short 41/47
Forward 18/27
Backward 15/15
Square 13/14
Tackles 4/5
Interceptions 1
Clearances 2/4
Headed clearances 2/3
Aerial duels 2/2

Overall in the game we completed 74% of our passes, taking 51.7% territory from our 43.1% possession.

We were penalised for 16 fouls, while the home side were only hauled up on 6 occasions.

Excellent post, but it will be ignored. This lot hate the truth when it clashes with their prejudices.

[Warfield North Stand]

For those who would like Legs dropped.

Mikele's top display
Royals midfielder Mikele Leigertwood put in an excellent display against Manchester United, and the stats back up his prominence in the game.

He made more passes than any other Reading player, as well as more tackles - details courtesy of the FourFourTwo StatsZone app.

He completed 46 of his 56 passes, a ratio of 82% and won four of his five tackles against the runaway League leaders.

Full stats:
Passes 46/56
Completed 82%
Attacking third 10/14
Long 5/9
Short 41/47
Forward 18/27
Backward 15/15
Square 13/14
Tackles 4/5
Interceptions 1
Clearances 2/4
Headed clearances 2/3
Aerial duels 2/2

Overall in the game we completed 74% of our passes, taking 51.7% territory from our 43.1% possession.

We were penalised for 16 fouls, while the home side were only hauled up on 6 occasions.

Excellent post, but it will be ignored. This lot hate the truth when it clashes with their prejudices.

"Tackles 4/5". The one he missed was when Rio went past him like he wasn't there for the goal.. He had a good game yes. 90% of the season he has been utter shite. That's all..

[BR2]

For those who would like Legs dropped.

Mikele's top display
Royals midfielder Mikele Leigertwood put in an excellent display against Manchester United, and the stats back up his prominence in the game.

He made more passes than any other Reading player, as well as more tackles - details courtesy of the FourFourTwo StatsZone app.

He completed 46 of his 56 passes, a ratio of 82% and won four of his five tackles against the runaway League leaders.

Full stats:
Passes 46/56
Completed 82%
Attacking third 10/14
Long 5/9
Short 41/47
Forward 18/27
Backward 15/15
Square 13/14
Tackles 4/5
Interceptions 1
Clearances 2/4
Headed clearances 2/3
Aerial duels 2/2

Overall in the game we completed 74% of our passes, taking 51.7% territory from our 43.1% possession.

We were penalised for 16 fouls, while the home side were only hauled up on 6 occasions.

I sometimes do a bet with Sporting Index on a player's performance in a match and broadly it works out like this:-
25 poInts for a goal,
5 for a shot on target
10 for an assist
3 for forcing a corner
2 points for a completed pass in the opposition half
and there are minuses for a yellow or red card and for committing a foul

From my experience the key usually is the passes in the opposition half that find your own player.
This is where the stats above quoted by the other poster fall down because it doesn't differentiate between passes made in your own half or in that of the opposition (other than a bit about the attacking third) and I would guess that quite a few of Lege's passes would have been in or around our half.I don't remember any through balls creating chances.
One other point missed,and the most significant, is that Lege just let Ferdinand stroll past him without any challenge to set up their goal.
I'm not saying that anyone else would do better or worse but don't be fooled by selective stats.

[Royalwaster]

Assuming everyone without a long-term injury is fit I'd make quite a few changes although the overall approach would be the same. Personally I'm not keen on the Legs - Karacan partnership but it did alright against Utd so I would expect Dolan to stick with it. I'm pretty torn over what the best combination might be.

GK: Federici
RB: Kelly
LB: Shorey
CB: Pearce
CB: Mariappa
DM: Guthrie
DM: Akpan
AM: McAnuff
RM: Kebe
LM: Robson-Kanu
ST: Pogrebnyak

Subs: McCarthy, Morrison, Cummings, Leigertwood, McCleary, ALF, Hunt

Harsh on Blackman, Taylor, Karacan and Legs. But hopefully Akpan and Guthrie can retain and use the ball even better, offer more in attack and not to be too much weaker in defence. Of course, this won't be the team. Legs and Jem'll probably retain their places and it would be hard to complain if they did after their good showing against Utd.

Edit: if Carrico is fit and up to it, him in for Guthrie probably to offer us better defensive qualities. In which case Karacan and Guthrie on the bench instead of Cummings and Leigertwood. Use the game against Arsenal to pick the team and system we'll play for the rest of the season (assuming no managerial changes) to bed it in.

Guthrie is not a DM

[Wimb]

For those who would like Legs dropped.

Mikele's top display
Royals midfielder Mikele Leigertwood put in an excellent display against Manchester United, and the stats back up his prominence in the game.

He made more passes than any other Reading player, as well as more tackles - details courtesy of the FourFourTwo StatsZone app.

He completed 46 of his 56 passes, a ratio of 82% and won four of his five tackles against the runaway League leaders.

Full stats:
Passes 46/56
Completed 82%
Attacking third 10/14
Long 5/9
Short 41/47
Forward 18/27
Backward 15/15
Square 13/14
Tackles 4/5
Interceptions 1
Clearances 2/4
Headed clearances 2/3
Aerial duels 2/2

Overall in the game we completed 74% of our passes, taking 51.7% territory from our 43.1% possession.

We were penalised for 16 fouls, while the home side were only hauled up on 6 occasions.

See here's the problem with stats you can look at them whichever way you want.

For example, from that I'd be more worried that 1 in 3 of his forward passes was going astray. I'd bloody expect a midfielder to get 28/29 sideways and backward passes right.

He had a decent game but he's not Premier League quality on a consistent basis and even those stats are meh at best when you're looking from a top level perspective.

[jd82]

I'm not a big fan of ML - but thought he was decent against Utd.

Heres his passing...