BFTG- Millwall (a)

[Hoop Blah]

There are managers who want possession, and those that want to play it on the deck and go forward. At 1-0 down of course you need to go forward, so tough to judge on this game, but it seems Gomes is similar to Silva at Everton/Watford in that possession for possessions sake is pointless and not what he’s about...

Please, Reading fans, the appointment SEEMS absurd, but maybe the guy has something about him...

It's too early to judge Gomes either way, but yeah, he obviously needs the fans patience and backing.

It sounds like the players at least put the effort in yesterday and showed a bit of bottle on the ball. Whether that's through a desire to impress the new boss, a bit of freedom to play under the circumstances, Millwall being a bit easier opposition or actually because of the impact of Gomes' coaching and cultural changes we might not ever know.

As ever when there's managerial changes it will take a bit of time to pay off, or not.

[Pepe the Horseman]

:shock:

We're really having people on here get on the back of an 18 year old lad whose role in the game changed after about 10 minutes?

It's funny* how quickly people have turned on Loader and Sims after they were the answer to all our problems when they weren't playing.

[russyb]

Everyone keeps saying McCleary is past his best, which he probably is, but from what I've seen of him this season and considering he's just come back from a lengthy injury, I think he still looks classy and certainly useful at this level. Definitely think he's still our best winger.

Considering Barrow is generally considered a bit of a oxf*rd, and now he's not performing at all, he needs to go.

I would personally like to see Callum Harriot back if he has recovered from injury, i think he can offer a lot more in that position

[LWJ]

Swift was outstanding today. One of the only players who looked like they cared and seemed to pick the team up himself.

[Snowflake Royal]

Watched highlights on SS and thought both sendings off were ridiculously harsh. Looks like the luck is just not with us this season. Added to this our best chance of survival was to stick with Clement and so frankly the club hierarchy have most likely doomed us to League 1.

Both look very harsh red cards to me.

Both looked absolutely nailed on to me.

Blackett jumps into a challenge, both feet off the ground clearly endangering the other player. That's a red all day long and has been for years.

Bacuna deliberately stands on the player on the floor. It's much more subtle, but it's prolonged with no effort to avoid it or stop. It's not really dangerous, but if an official sees it chances are you're a off. Maybe that sort of thing should be a yellow, but it isn't.

[RoyalBlue]

Watched highlights on SS and thought both sendings off were ridiculously harsh. Looks like the luck is just not with us this season. Added to this our best chance of survival was to stick with Clement and so frankly the club hierarchy have most likely doomed us to League 1.

We had absolutely no chance of staying up under Clem the Clown. There are very good reasons why he has been sacked so many times with such short tenure.

We only survived last season because the teams beneath us ran out of games (we didn't get the lift that you normally expect from a change of manager) and he oversaw the worst start ever to a Reading FC season. There is talent and ability in our squad and if there isn't enough then that is down to Clement's many appalling signings over the summer - typified by him bringing in a keeper that he has worked with before and is worse than the two weak Championship keepers we already had on our books.

If the club hierarchy have doomed us it was by not sacking Clement earlier.

At least Gomes sounds damn positive, none of the wishy washy 'hope' and 'try to win' of his predecessor. I like the way that he acknowledged the fight and effort of the players but stressed that they count for nothing if you don't win.

[sandman]

:shock:

We're really having people on here get on the back of an 18 year old lad whose role in the game changed after about 10 minutes?

It's funny* how quickly people have turned on Loader and Sims after they were the answer to all our problems when they weren't playing.

Same people who crucified Meite when he signed his new deal.

[Lower West]

At least Gomes sounds damn positive, none of the wishy washy 'hope' and 'try to win' of his predecessor.

Prefer realism to a PR exercise. At the moment it's just another manager with the same squad of dysfunctional squad of players. At least Clement knew the deficiencies. Now back to square one. Both Blackett and Bacuna were sent off early in Clements reign. History seems to be repeating itself.

[RG7Fan]

Watched highlights on SS and thought both sendings off were ridiculously harsh. Looks like the luck is just not with us this season. Added to this our best chance of survival was to stick with Clement and so frankly the club hierarchy have most likely doomed us to League 1.

Both look very harsh red cards to me.

Both looked absolutely nailed on to me.

Blackett jumps into a challenge, both feet off the ground clearly endangering the other player. That's a red all day long and has been for years.

Bacuna deliberately stands on the player on the floor. It's much more subtle, but it's prolonged with no effort to avoid it or stop. It's not really dangerous, but if an official sees it chances are you're a off. Maybe that sort of thing should be a yellow, but it isn't.

Blackett's right leg is folded back behind him. If any player did it to us sure we'd be shouting off, but i've seen many like that not given.

[SCIAG]

(we didn't get the lift that you normally expect from a change of manager)

No such thing. https://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/so ... difference

[tmesis]

(we didn't get the lift that you normally expect from a change of manager)

No such thing. https://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/so ... difference

That's a pretty terrible bit of analysis.

The thinking behind it is based on the fact that clubs average 1.3 points per game, but sack a manager when averaging about 1 point per game, yet three months later will be on about 1.3 a game again.

The assumption appears to be that the dip to 1 point per game is therefore a blip, and if clubs did nothing, they'd bounce back to 1.3 a game again.

Also, the new manager lift is generally seen as a short term thing, much less than three months stated there, when the players are trying harder to impress the new manager.


If anything, the stats there suggest that if clubs sack a manager when on 1 point per game, they'll have improved to 1.3 a game within three months.

Of course, from that you have no idea how well the clubs would have done if they'd not sacked a manager, but the assumption that they'd return to 1.3 a game again seem highly dubious.

[Schards#2]

If you didn’t like Stam... bad news; if you didn’t like Stam...stay away! (Good riddance to you)
!

I didn't like Stam and if the style of play is anything like it was under Stam I will be staying away. Another 20 year + season ticket holder no longer attending, to add to the list

[Ranty McRantface]

If you didn’t like Stam... bad news; if you didn’t like Stam...stay away! (Good riddance to you)
!

I didn't like Stam and if the style of play is anything like it was under Stam I will be staying away. Another 20 year + season ticket holder no longer attending, to add to the list

That's a bit lazy to say they are both the same style.

Yes, Stam and Jose like a possession based style starting from the keeper but they are quite different variations. Certainly from the teams Jose has managed in the past his teams attack a lot more quicker in the final third and are a more direct in that area too.
Whereas Stam is very much pass short at every opportunity and is less likely to try be adventurous in the final third.

I think we will create more chances under Jose but my worry, is that the defence is likely to make a misplaced pass and give the opposition a one on one opportunity.

[Snowflake Royal]

If you didn’t like Stam... bad news; if you didn’t like Stam...stay away! (Good riddance to you)
!

I didn't like Stam and if the style of play is anything like it was under Stam I will be staying away. Another 20 year + season ticket holder no longer attending, to add to the list

Apparently Pistol Pete and the club only want people to come if they're happy with being constantly bored and losing.

I hope he enjoys having plenty of room, because it'll be him and 7000 others in a 24000 seater stadium in League One if we get more of the same as Stam brought us.

[Denver Royal]

If he can axe-down the deadwood and therefore the player wage-bill, yet still keep us fully functional...then maybe he will be effectively be paying his own wages in savings.
Good luck to the fellah...today was his free pass

Spizz, yeah, lot to take on, has his work cut out. What’s done is done here, he played no part in it. The fans’ issue, if they have one, is with those who appointed him. The sooner we move on the better. Other clubs’ fans have been thru shite, too. It’s part of being one. Let’s get fully behind him and the team at this time. It just might make a difference.

I would normally agree with you, but I'm afraid the cumulative damage done by those at the top of the club over the years (which includes Howe) has lost me.

I think this was an awful appointment with awful little thought behind it. I think we're doomed, I think we'll get worse and I barely even care anymore. I'm genuinely thinking of sacking off the season and saving some money and time. And maybe even the club in general.

We're so badly run. The club is unrecognizable from the one I fell in love with.

For Citeh, fans, their club is unrecognizable. And they play possession footy. They still show up, though.

Maybe our next six managers will all play possession footy. Maybe then we'll know a bit more about it. Maybe not.

[Millsy]

Possession footy works absolutely fine if done properly. Many teams do it successfully and in fact Swansea demolished us at Wembley playing it and then impressed in the PL with it too so it's much more transferable.

We beat the Championship with our hit and hope under McDermott but it was useless in the PL.

The trouble is Stam had part of the idea right and bored his way to Wembley. We then got found out and he had no other ideas.

There's every chance Gomes will actually do it properly with some more urgency and bite in the final third.

Let's see what he can do. 2 days of training and a 10man game is not the time to judge but if we must it certainly sounds like it was possession based attacking football rather than Stam's Boreball tactics.

[Hound]

I honestly don’t think I’ve ever seen a team play Stam-ball except us

I’ve never seen a team play possession football in such a negative way. We kept possession solely for the purpose of keeping possession

Most possession based teams are normally quite good to watch I’ve found

[Hampshire Royal]

I honestly don’t think I’ve ever seen a team play Stam-ball except us

I’ve never seen a team play possession football in such a negative way. We kept possession solely for the purpose of keeping possession

Most possession based teams are normally quite good to watch I’ve found

To be fair Clement tried to play an attacking possession type game, but the players, for whatever reason couldn't hack it. Confidence? Maybe. Not good enough? Maybe. We've got to hope that José can see the real problem and correct it.

[Snowflake Royal]

Spizz, yeah, lot to take on, has his work cut out. What’s done is done here, he played no part in it. The fans’ issue, if they have one, is with those who appointed him. The sooner we move on the better. Other clubs’ fans have been thru shite, too. It’s part of being one. Let’s get fully behind him and the team at this time. It just might make a difference.

I would normally agree with you, but I'm afraid the cumulative damage done by those at the top of the club over the years (which includes Howe) has lost me.

I think this was an awful appointment with awful little thought behind it. I think we're doomed, I think we'll get worse and I barely even care anymore. I'm genuinely thinking of sacking off the season and saving some money and time. And maybe even the club in general.

We're so badly run. The club is unrecognizable from the one I fell in love with.

For Citeh, fans, their club is unrecognizable. And they play possession footy. They still show up, though.

Maybe our next six managers will all play possession footy. Maybe then we'll know a bit more about it. Maybe not.

Being the best club in the country may help keep fans a little happy.

[Hoop Blah]

If you didn’t like Stam... bad news; if you didn’t like Stam...stay away! (Good riddance to you)
!

I didn't like Stam and if the style of play is anything like it was under Stam I will be staying away. Another 20 year + season ticket holder no longer attending, to add to the list

That's a bit lazy to say they are both the same style.

To be fair to Schards he did say IF it was the same style, not that it IS the same after just 2 days training and 1 game!