Carrico Watch

[Four Of Clubs]

thought he looked decent enough every time i saw him play for us too tbf
just slightly off pace in the first

This.

I forget the game now - but he came on and partnered Guthrie in central midfield at the Madejski for 45 minutes, and looked class.

...not sure about the third game he played (few mins at the end of 'Cottagers' away?) but from the above it sounds like H vs 'Bin Dippers' and he came on with about 1/2 hr left - was still a bit ponderous but put in some thundering blocks/clatters on Coutinho who'd been poncing around unchallenged up to that point.

...certainly unleashed Guthrie for the rest of the game and we might even have snatched three points if not for Pepe.

[Pepe the Horseman]

If you've got something to say to me, just come out and say it.

[Barry the bird boggler]

He played a part in three games last season. The first v WBA he was not up to it but in both the remaining games he looked pretty good. Certainly could have done a job in the Championship with a full pre season...

[SydenhamRoyal]

thought he looked decent enough every time i saw him play for us too tbf
just slightly off pace in the first

This.

I forget the game now - but he came on and partnered Guthrie in central midfield at the Madejski for 45 minutes, and looked class.

I think it was Liverpool

[Super Kevin Bremner!]

He did okay. Used the ball well and generally got about the pitch playing in a central midfield slot. Appears better suited to La Liga than English football would be my overall impression.

How can you judge that when he didnt play any english football?

I saw him play 3 times last year albeit for a max of 45 minutes at any one time so your question is a fair one. And I watched him play 90 minutes last night but that is the only time I've seen him in La Liga. Based on that small sample of performance my view that he is better suited to La Liga is based upon the following

> West Brom 1ST HALF. He was totally blown away by both the pace and the physicality of the football. He had a half that all of us mentally making the same half time substitution that McDermott made. In fairness he had been out for a long time but he must have shown enough fitness wise to a) be bought and b) be picked.

> Sevilla last night. Defending in Spain is far more passive and is about dropping in to defend spaces in a coordinated manner with your team mates or pressing very high when possession is first lost. Sevilla mostly did the former last night as they led for most of the match. You rarely see a midfield battle that you see in the UK, it's a far more technical affair.

My comment was based upon the fact that he played his role defensively very well. He dropped into the right areas as soon as possession was lost and he played short, simple passes when he had the ball. He only played one forward pass of any significance but it was a good one. It was also interesting that his fitness levels allowed him to continually do his job for the entire game. He covered a lot of ground last night in a role that requires more or less constant movement.
So, based on what I've seen he would at best take a good while to adapt to English football and at worse would struggle with it full stop. It would be interesting to see what happens if he has a fully fit season in terms of him coming back to Reading. Far more likely to be moved on and filed under "strange Reading transfers" with the likes of Williams though in my opinion.

If you go on YouTube there's hundreds of short clips of different players where you can make irrational judgements. You might like it.

Oh and mental note, I was hoping McD would give him at least 15 minutes second half to grow into the game after a little half time pep talk, but it seems that you were able to read my mind and I wasn't really hoping for that. I'm confused now.

[sandman]

Started in central defence tonight against Real Madrid in a 7-3 loss for Sevilla. Not all bad for him though as he got Ronaldo's shirt, well part of it anyway.

[Royal Ginger]

BBC News showed him throwing a leg at one of Bale's goals, and then waving his arms around. Surprised he didn't put his back out.

[pea]

If you've got something to say to me, just come out and say it.

[Badger Finger]

Playing tonight Vs Celta Vigo

He's tidy enough at the back

[1871 not 1998]

http://www.mundodeportivo.com/20140116/ ... 11576.html

Sevilla are taking out the option to buy. Brilliant buy, thanks Brian!

[LoyalRoyal22]

Really annoying. Apparantly he was not fit for us, a couple of months later he cements his place in Sevilla first team in La Liga.

[bcubed]

Really annoying. Apparantly he was not fit for us, a couple of months later he cements his place in Sevilla first team in La Liga.

+1

[Who Moved The Goalposts?]

Really annoying. Apparantly he was not fit for us, a couple of months later he cements his place in Sevilla first team in La Liga.

Think this says more about the player than it does about RFC, unless it was another of Anton's impulse buys that didn't go down too well with Brian.

[PistolPete]

I don't care what anyone says, I like Zingarevich's impulse buys. I love Pog, I get excited whenever Drenthe goes anywhere near the pitch, I kind of wanted Sissoko to sign and Carrico made me believe that Reading were going places. As has been said, he's good enough for Sevilla but yeah, I suppose he would have slowed the play down

[sandman]

I suppose when you've got a fcuking limp you might slow the play down a bit yeah.

[leon]

http://www.mundodeportivo.com/20140116/futbol/el-sevilla-anuncia-que-ejercera-opcion-de-compra-del-portugues-carrico_54399211576.html

Sevilla are taking out the option to buy. Brilliant buy, thanks Brian!

anyone who +1 the above is a cunt.

and you know why, as well

[maffff]

http://www.mundodeportivo.com/20140116/futbol/el-sevilla-anuncia-que-ejercera-opcion-de-compra-del-portugues-carrico_54399211576.html

Sevilla are taking out the option to buy. Brilliant buy, thanks Brian!

+1, Nice one Brian....

[Who Moved The Goalposts?]

I don't care what anyone says, I like Zingarevich's impulse buys.... made me believe that Reading were going places.

I don't. Owners playing at manager usually ends in disaster, and Reading is a club that has had success based on teamwork and everyone generally pulling in the same direction. We saw what happened when that goes awry in the second season in the Premier League when players suddenly started to develop egos hugely disproportionate to their talent.

The other major issue is I have is that Anton could have financially condemned the club with his approach to ownership. It's all very well him using his much-vaunted "encyclopaedic knowledge" of football to bring big names to the club, but being the short term owner he was, he didn't have to worry about the consequences after his departure. With hindsight, I think we got off lightly.

[madstadblues]

I don't care what anyone says, I like Zingarevich's impulse buys. I love Pog, I get excited whenever Drenthe goes anywhere near the pitch, I kind of wanted Sissoko to sign and Carrico made me believe that Reading were going places. As has been said, he's good enough for Sevilla but yeah, I suppose he would have slowed the play down

+1.5

[Hoop Blah]

Really annoying. Apparantly he was not fit for us, a couple of months later he cements his place in Sevilla first team in La Liga.

Plenty of decent players fail to adapt to the demands of the game over here.

His fitness was obviously an issue but playing at the back in La Liga requires a totally different level of fitness than centre of the park in the Premier League or Championship.