MATCH THREAD : Hull City (h) sponsored by a Deniss Rakels hair makeover

[Thou Voice]

Welllll!

From the eye in the skies watching all that is football with a great understanding, again it shows that I was right...

Steve Clarke > The Ex-Arsenal Scout

...our present coach has helped us strive to far lower down the table then we could ever have dreamed!

We MUST BE THANKFUL for the lowest finish in many years under our so called saviour.

Time to let him go back to Arsenal...

Do You See?

[Maneki Neko]

Thought the booing was directed at the ref.tbf

Anyway...

Ugh.
Same old same old.
Played well. Should have won, we were the better team, made them look very average. But we wilt at the first sign of adversity.

Understandable really. When they see another mistake followed by another goal, their heads just go.

Thought Rakels looked good and should play next game.
Hector immense again.
Quinn worked hard but gave the ball away too often
Norwood a bit anonymous.

Cox worked hard and linked up well at times

Ola John a disgrace. Thats 3/4 identical sub appearances in a row. Really poor.

Formation/tactics decent.

We move on. I just wish we could move on a bit quicker and finish this terrible season asap

I thought Ola John was the second coming just a couple weeks back on here?

Hes the new drenthe.

[Maneki Neko]

Kes?

[genome]

We MUST BE THANKFUL for the lowest finish in many years under our so called saviour.

Since last year?

[holsgrove breaks a leg]

Thankfully my last game of one of the most frustrating seasons in years. I guess it just reinforces that despite whether you think a team look good on paper its worthless if they cannot gel or become mentally shot.

Whilst I think the summer has really got be right this time In terms of transfer targets and a unified transfer policy( and this comes about with a 2nd worryingly large cull in two years!) and Brian being afforded time at the start of the season, I am concerned about how niavely he sets up the team to defend. One thing I would say about Clarke was that by and large he got us looking solid at the back and we conceded less. Under Brian we are struggling at the back especially on the counter and I cant think of many clean sheets under him. It was this situation which caused his demise last time so he has got to learn.

Its funny how football works and who knows what the summer may bring u under the thais but I do get a pang of inevitability re our slow demise, a bit like when Jim and mick took charge after the playoffs and then bullivant relegated us!

We must become stronger in the transfer market at league 1 and 2 level and compliment that with some experience from the prem if we can wheel and deal a bit. Its clear the loanees are gone and likely hrk cox and perhaps mcleary, Williams, but I would sell norwood who just doesn't fit our style. A cross between caskey/Guthrie really. Looking forward to seeing tishbola and a few new young hopefuls next season.

[Platypuss]

Paul Darby has just blown my mind

We have some truly "special" fans.

[RoyalBlue]

Thankfully my last game of one of the most frustrating seasons in years. I guess it just reinforces that despite whether you think a team look good on paper its worthless if they cannot gel or become mentally shot.

Whilst I think the summer has really got be right this time In terms of transfer targets and a unified transfer policy( and this comes about with a 2nd worryingly large cull in two years!) and Brian being afforded time at the start of the season, I am concerned about how niavely he sets up the team to defend. One thing I would say about Clarke was that by and large he got us looking solid at the back and we conceded less. Under Brian we are struggling at the back especially on the counter and I cant think of many clean sheets under him. It was this situation which caused his demise last time so he has got to learn.

Its funny how football works and who knows what the summer may bring u under the thais but I do get a pang of inevitability re our slow demise, a bit like when Jim and mick took charge after the playoffs and then bullivant relegated us!

We must become stronger in the transfer market at league 1 and 2 level and compliment that with some experience from the prem if we can wheel and deal a bit. Its clear the loanees are gone and likely hrk cox and perhaps mcleary, Williams, but I would sell norwood who just doesn't fit our style. A cross between caskey/Guthrie really.

Didn't Caskey play a pivotal role in one of our strong seasons?

[Extended-Phenotype]

Paul Darby has just blown my mind

We have some truly "special" fans.

Langridge makes the least mongtard point but it makes sense when you see how hard he is concentrating.

[Top Flight]

Thought the booing was directed at the ref.tbf

Anyway...

Ugh.
Same old same old.
Played well. Should have won, we were the better team, made them look very average. But we wilt at the first sign of adversity.

Understandable really. When they see another mistake followed by another goal, their heads just go.

Thought Rakels looked good and should play next game.
Hector immense again.
Quinn worked hard but gave the ball away too often
Norwood a bit anonymous.

Cox worked hard and linked up well at times

Ola John a disgrace. Thats 3/4 identical sub appearances in a row. Really poor.

Formation/tactics decent.

We move on. I just wish we could move on a bit quicker and finish this terrible season asap

I thought Ola John was the second coming just a couple weeks back on here?

Hes the new drenthe.

Ola John was misused last night. He is most effective playing wide on the left.

It's no good playing him in central areas or as a free spirit who can go anywhere he wants. He needs to be wide on the left, beat the full back and get balls in to the box.

Anyway, McDermott said on the radio last night that all the loans are going back to their clubs so he may as well go to Heathrow now and get on the next flight back to Lisbon. We don't need him anymore.

[Top Flight]

Thankfully my last game of one of the most frustrating seasons in years. I guess it just reinforces that despite whether you think a team look good on paper its worthless if they cannot gel or become mentally shot.

Whilst I think the summer has really got be right this time In terms of transfer targets and a unified transfer policy( and this comes about with a 2nd worryingly large cull in two years!) and Brian being afforded time at the start of the season, I am concerned about how niavely he sets up the team to defend. One thing I would say about Clarke was that by and large he got us looking solid at the back and we conceded less. Under Brian we are struggling at the back especially on the counter and I cant think of many clean sheets under him. It was this situation which caused his demise last time so he has got to learn.

Its funny how football works and who knows what the summer may bring u under the thais but I do get a pang of inevitability re our slow demise, a bit like when Jim and mick took charge after the playoffs and then bullivant relegated us!

We must become stronger in the transfer market at league 1 and 2 level and compliment that with some experience from the prem if we can wheel and deal a bit. Its clear the loanees are gone and likely hrk cox and perhaps mcleary, Williams, but I would sell norwood who just doesn't fit our style. A cross between caskey/Guthrie really. Looking forward to seeing tishbola and a few new young hopefuls next season.

I think you're reading too much in to our defensive frailties under Brian. It's true in recent games we have been shipping goals, but remember that results haven't mattered for a few games now. When it did matter, we were a lot more solid at the back.

Brian has rightly dropped Hector in order to blood Cooper and prepare him for next season. We won't have Hector next year so we have to develop our future centre backs. As a result, we have conceded more goals due to Cooper's errors. But it's good for Cooper and it's good for the club that he gets this experience and improves his game.

We have to be honest as well and admit that our current group of players are sh*te. Leigertwood and Karacan were much better Centre Midfielders than all of our current crop. So were Sidwell and Harper. Just because Danny Williams came from a fancy sounding German team and Oliver Norwood plays for a country with a population of 1.8 million which is not much bigger than Berkshire we think our team looks good on paper. They are useless.

Leigertwood was a strong defensive midfielder who could also attack in his own awkward style. Sidwell was a more accomplished version of him. Danny Williams is the closest we have to a box to box midfielder but is often too selfish and makes alot of wrong decisions. Norwood is a great passer, average defensive midfielder and poor most of the time going forward. Remember the number of goals Sidwell and Harper used to contribute from Central Midfield. Williams is a decent contributor but Norwood doesn't give much. He just looks classy with his quality passing. But it's not helping us win games.

Previous Reading teams had all round players that could attack and defend in equal measure. Our current group can do one or the other but not both.

Ola John can attack but he can't defend. Norwood, defends ok but doesn't really attack. Lads like Cox and Rakels and even Kermorgant don't really defend from the front the way Kitson, Doyle and Long used to. And they're not much good at scoring goals either. Al Habsi is a goal line keeper. He looks spectacular but he doesn't command his area the way Hahnemann could and he doesn't read the game well enough. Last night, could he have rushed off his line to prevent the opening Hull goal?

This team is sh*te. It's not McDermott's fault that they're useless. It's not because he's tactically inept. At the end of the day, his players are simply not good enough to challenge for promotion. We are positioned in the league excactly according to the quality of players we have at the club. And this league position is around the same place we have been finishing in the last few years. It's clear the players are cr*p and it's obvious that 3 or 4 years of team building will be required to get a good side together again.

[genome]

Paul Darby has just blown my mind

We have some truly "special" fans.

The amount of claims that are wrong is hilarious

We are not 4 points from the drop, we are 12 points
Rotherham are not fourth bottom, they are fifth from bottom
Fourth bottom is not in the drop zone
They are on 48 points, not 45
The gap he described is 6 points, not 4 points

I'm gonna put it down to him being drunk or something.

[wiggso]

The better team lost yesterday, I know it isn't much consolidation but when results unfortunately no longer matter it is more about the performance. That being said, and this is what frustrates me, we are putting in (very slightly) better performances with players that wont be here next season.
We are completely toothless in the last 3rd. we played some nice football but how many times was their GK tested? he wasn't, just the goal from a centre back. The people paid to attack are not doing it. Vydra is coming in for a lot of stick and rightly so, the continuous 1st time flicks to give it away and no end product for 2.5 million and 25k per week. However what is more worrying is what we will have next season. Kermorgant had a better game last night, but still didn't really threaten. He has offered nothing before last night.
I like the look of Rakels. He has a lot of energy and could be a decent player for us, I hope he can keep improving and stay on his feet a bit more.
A season ticket holder friend from Gillingham said that we can take Samuels back...
Cox's energy is better but I think he lacks composure in the box (exception was the goal at Middlesbrough)
Current top scorer at the club is Williams...Our strikers have scored 8 goals all season.
I will keep supporting McDermott and hope the summer is fruitful because I am seriously worried. If it isn't then next season will be absolutely dreadful.

[Top Flight]

The better team lost yesterday, I know it isn't much consolidation but when results unfortunately no longer matter it is more about the performance. That being said, and this is what frustrates me, we are putting in (very slightly) better performances with players that wont be here next season.
We are completely toothless in the last 3rd. we played some nice football but how many times was their GK tested? he wasn't, just the goal from a centre back. The people paid to attack are not doing it. Vydra is coming in for a lot of stick and rightly so, the continuous 1st time flicks to give it away and no end product for 2.5 million and 25k per week. However what is more worrying is what we will have next season. Kermorgant had a better game last night, but still didn't really threaten. He has offered nothing before last night.
I like the look of Rakels. He has a lot of energy and could be a decent player for us, I hope he can keep improving and stay on his feet a bit more.
A season ticket holder friend from Gillingham said that we can take Samuels back...
Cox's energy is better but I think he lacks composure in the box (exception was the goal at Middlesbrough)
Current top scorer at the club is Williams...Our strikers have scored 8 goals all season.
I will keep supporting McDermott and hope the summer is fruitful because I am seriously worried. If it isn't then next season will be absolutely dreadful.

I think it is going to be dreadful next season. You better start expecting it now. If McDermott keeps us up next season then I will be absolutely delighted.

[tidus_mi2]

A season ticket holder friend from Gillingham said that we can take Samuels back...

Interesting comment on Samuel, as far as I'm aware Gillingham fans were delighted with Samuel's contribution in his loan spell, just had a look at their forum, I think the most negative thing said that recently his shooting hadn't been as sharp but they pretty unanimously see him as a key part of their team.

He hasn't played the last few games due to a knee injury.

[holsgrove breaks a leg]

Thankfully my last game of one of the most frustrating seasons in years. I guess it just reinforces that despite whether you think a team look good on paper its worthless if they cannot gel or become mentally shot.

Whilst I think the summer has really got be right this time In terms of transfer targets and a unified transfer policy( and this comes about with a 2nd worryingly large cull in two years!) and Brian being afforded time at the start of the season, I am concerned about how niavely he sets up the team to defend. One thing I would say about Clarke was that by and large he got us looking solid at the back and we conceded less. Under Brian we are struggling at the back especially on the counter and I cant think of many clean sheets under him. It was this situation which caused his demise last time so he has got to learn.

Its funny how football works and who knows what the summer may bring u under the thais but I do get a pang of inevitability re our slow demise, a bit like when Jim and mick took charge after the playoffs and then bullivant relegated us!

We must become stronger in the transfer market at league 1 and 2 level and compliment that with some experience from the prem if we can wheel and deal a bit. Its clear the loanees are gone and likely hrk cox and perhaps mcleary, Williams, but I would sell norwood who just doesn't fit our style. A cross between caskey/Guthrie really.

Didn't Caskey play a pivotal role in one of our strong seasons?

One season out of 5 or 6 at reading where he scored 16-18 over half which were pens and very little else other than atrocious fitness levels. 750k not well spent at a time when we were not awash with cash.

[wiggso]

A season ticket holder friend from Gillingham said that we can take Samuels back...

Interesting comment on Samuel, as far as I'm aware Gillingham fans were delighted with Samuel's contribution in his loan spell, just had a look at their forum, I think the most negative thing said that recently his shooting hadn't been as sharp but they pretty unanimously see him as a key part of their team.

He hasn't played the last few games due to a knee injury.

It could be just one opinion of one negative, miserable git...they are everywhere.

[Top Flight]

A season ticket holder friend from Gillingham said that we can take Samuels back...

Interesting comment on Samuel, as far as I'm aware Gillingham fans were delighted with Samuel's contribution in his loan spell, just had a look at their forum, I think the most negative thing said that recently his shooting hadn't been as sharp but they pretty unanimously see him as a key part of their team.

He hasn't played the last few games due to a knee injury.

It could be just one opinion of one negative, miserable git...they are everywhere.

Especially here.

[Longhorn1970]

Thankfully my last game of one of the most frustrating seasons in years. I guess it just reinforces that despite whether you think a team look good on paper its worthless if they cannot gel or become mentally shot.

Whilst I think the summer has really got be right this time In terms of transfer targets and a unified transfer policy( and this comes about with a 2nd worryingly large cull in two years!) and Brian being afforded time at the start of the season, I am concerned about how niavely he sets up the team to defend. One thing I would say about Clarke was that by and large he got us looking solid at the back and we conceded less. Under Brian we are struggling at the back especially on the counter and I cant think of many clean sheets under him. It was this situation which caused his demise last time so he has got to learn.

Its funny how football works and who knows what the summer may bring u under the thais but I do get a pang of inevitability re our slow demise, a bit like when Jim and mick took charge after the playoffs and then bullivant relegated us!

We must become stronger in the transfer market at league 1 and 2 level and compliment that with some experience from the prem if we can wheel and deal a bit. Its clear the loanees are gone and likely hrk cox and perhaps mcleary, Williams, but I would sell norwood who just doesn't fit our style. A cross between caskey/Guthrie really. Looking forward to seeing tishbola and a few new young hopefuls next season.

+1. It's all very predictable under BM, we allow average sides into the game and an air of inevitability follows. I've seen nothing to suggest BM can turn this around, goodness knows he's had long enough, he seems to think playing Cox is the answer but results don't support this latest ploy ..

[Maneki Neko]

Long enough my arse

[Longhorn1970]

Welllll!

From the eye in the skies watching all that is football with a great understanding, again it shows that I was right...

Steve Clarke > The Ex-Arsenal Scout

...our present coach has helped us strive to far lower down the table then we could ever have dreamed!

We MUST BE THANKFUL for the lowest finish in many years under our so called saviour.

Time to let him go back to Arsenal...

Do You See?

+1