MATCHWATCH : Peterborough United (a)

[URZZZZ]

He made a big error v Brizzle with a dreadful clearance. They ended up hitting the post.

And before that Southwood made several ghastly errors that did lead to goals conceded and badly affected the team. He has great potential but I don't think his time has yet come and currently we can't afford to let him develop in our first team.

Course we can. We're losing every game anyway and he's kept several games below double figures. BadLOLy affected the team ... this is team responsible for 2/3 times as many howlers.

If we cannot afford to let Southwood develop i the first ream we sure as hell can't afford to let someone else's younger, no better, keeper develop there.

By the same token, with the current unrest on/off the field, it probably isn’t the best time to persevere because there’s so much added pressure at the moment. We’re seeing people write Holmes off already after a sustained run in the side

Better to take them out the firing line now and re-integrate them when/if things are on the up again. Especially for a GK, the psychological impacts of making a mistake outweigh other positions. With Hein, we don’t have to deal with that fallout and it isn’t like any GK is really outperforming the other

[Snowflake Royal]

And before that Southwood made several ghastly errors that did lead to goals conceded and badly affected the team. He has great potential but I don't think his time has yet come and currently we can't afford to let him develop in our first team.

Course we can. We're losing every game anyway and he's kept several games below double figures. BadLOLy affected the team ... this is team responsible for 2/3 times as many howlers.

If we cannot afford to let Southwood develop i the first ream we sure as hell can't afford to let someone else's younger, no better, keeper develop there.

By the same token, with the current unrest on/off the field, it probably isn’t the best time to persevere because there’s so much added pressure at the moment. We’re seeing people write Holmes off already after a sustained run in the side

Better to take them out the firing line now and re-integrate them when/if things are on the up again. Especially for a GK, the psychological impacts of making a mistake outweigh other positions. With Hein, we don’t have to deal with that fallout and it isn’t like any GK is really outperforming the other

Certainly a consideration. But dropping him for a 19 year old loanee after a couple of mistakes while Laurent and Holmes keep their places having made far more seems likely to be just as damaging, if not more so.

[Stranded]

strangely not that bothered by tonight. I think the shitshow has worn me down into not caring

I suppose there is always the win/win of a defeat maybe meaning the end of pauno, but thought that since Kiddy

Same - noticed earlier that due to the late switch to a TV game it will not be available in iFollow tonight. The local channels that have the rights also have Champions League rights so understandably decided that a Championship relegation battle is not worth the cost of transmission.

Would normally be checking out streams but just seems like too much of a hassle to watch a 2-1 defeat.

[tidus_mi2]

Course we can. We're losing every game anyway and he's kept several games below double figures. BadLOLy affected the team ... this is team responsible for 2/3 times as many howlers.

If we cannot afford to let Southwood develop i the first ream we sure as hell can't afford to let someone else's younger, no better, keeper develop there.

By the same token, with the current unrest on/off the field, it probably isn’t the best time to persevere because there’s so much added pressure at the moment. We’re seeing people write Holmes off already after a sustained run in the side

Better to take them out the firing line now and re-integrate them when/if things are on the up again. Especially for a GK, the psychological impacts of making a mistake outweigh other positions. With Hein, we don’t have to deal with that fallout and it isn’t like any GK is really outperforming the other

Certainly a consideration. But dropping him for a 19 year old loanee after a couple of mistakes while Laurent and Holmes keep their places having made far more seems likely to be just as damaging, if not more so.

I would argue the main difference is there isn't really an active replacement for the likes of Holmes/Laurent, certainly not for Holmes unless McIntyre is ready to play.

As for Laurent, we have other midfielders but I think Drinkwater is the only one who remotely comes close to the role Laurent plays and he's been pretty shit lately too, hence probably better to keep with Laurent.

[Snowflake Royal]

By the same token, with the current unrest on/off the field, it probably isn’t the best time to persevere because there’s so much added pressure at the moment. We’re seeing people write Holmes off already after a sustained run in the side

Better to take them out the firing line now and re-integrate them when/if things are on the up again. Especially for a GK, the psychological impacts of making a mistake outweigh other positions. With Hein, we don’t have to deal with that fallout and it isn’t like any GK is really outperforming the other

Certainly a consideration. But dropping him for a 19 year old loanee after a couple of mistakes while Laurent and Holmes keep their places having made far more seems likely to be just as damaging, if not more so.

I would argue the main difference is there isn't really an active replacement for the likes of Holmes/Laurent, certainly not for Holmes unless McIntyre is ready to play.

As for Laurent, we have other midfielders but I think Drinkwater is the only one who remotely comes close to the role Laurent plays and he's been pretty shit lately too, hence probably better to keep with Laurent.

That argument falls down the second you remember we had to sign Hein to drop Southwood. Could have signed a RB, CB or CM instead of Hein.

Plus there's TDB and Osorio.

And could easily move Holmes to RB and Yiadom RCB... in fact I think that could be a pretty good move.

[tidus_mi2]

Certainly a consideration. But dropping him for a 19 year old loanee after a couple of mistakes while Laurent and Holmes keep their places having made far more seems likely to be just as damaging, if not more so.

I would argue the main difference is there isn't really an active replacement for the likes of Holmes/Laurent, certainly not for Holmes unless McIntyre is ready to play.

As for Laurent, we have other midfielders but I think Drinkwater is the only one who remotely comes close to the role Laurent plays and he's been pretty shit lately too, hence probably better to keep with Laurent.

That argument falls down the second you remember we had to sign Hein to drop Southwood. Could have signed a RB, CB or CM instead of Hein.

Plus there's TDB and Osorio.

And could easily move Holmes to RB and Yiadom RCB... in fact I think that could be a pretty good move.

I don't understand how the argument falls down, Southwood's performances had dropped, they signed Hein to provide competition, Southwood didn't improve so they gave Hein a chance.

What about TDB and Osorio, are they your suggestions to replace Laurent? TDB definitely doesn't fill the same role and I think would leave the defence more exposed, as for Osorio, the kid has made no senior appearances but he's suddenly the answer, that doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

[Millsy]

Meite is like a new signing...

[windermereROYAL]

Meite is like a new signing...

And if he has a relapse it`s season over. for both him and the team.

[Snowflake Royal]

I would argue the main difference is there isn't really an active replacement for the likes of Holmes/Laurent, certainly not for Holmes unless McIntyre is ready to play.

As for Laurent, we have other midfielders but I think Drinkwater is the only one who remotely comes close to the role Laurent plays and he's been pretty shit lately too, hence probably better to keep with Laurent.

That argument falls down the second you remember we had to sign Hein to drop Southwood. Could have signed a RB, CB or CM instead of Hein.

Plus there's TDB and Osorio.

And could easily move Holmes to RB and Yiadom RCB... in fact I think that could be a pretty good move.

I don't understand how the argument falls down, Southwood's performances had dropped, they signed Hein to provide competition, Southwood didn't improve so they gave Hein a chance.

What about TDB and Osorio, are they your suggestions to replace Laurent? TDB definitely doesn't fill the same role and I think would leave the defence more exposed, as for Osorio, the kid has made no senior appearances but he's suddenly the answer, that doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

Holmes and Laurent have made more mistakes than Southwood. Yet he gets dropped and they don’t. There are options for them, limited as they may be, and we had to sign someone to drop Southwood. So why didn’t we sign someone to drop Holmes or Laurent instead?

Osorio for Laurent isn’t exactly vastly different to Hein for Southwood. Both are teens. Both had no first team experience (well, not true for Osorio, he's had a fraction).

[URZZZZ]

That argument falls down the second you remember we had to sign Hein to drop Southwood. Could have signed a RB, CB or CM instead of Hein.

Plus there's TDB and Osorio.

And could easily move Holmes to RB and Yiadom RCB... in fact I think that could be a pretty good move.

I don't understand how the argument falls down, Southwood's performances had dropped, they signed Hein to provide competition, Southwood didn't improve so they gave Hein a chance.

What about TDB and Osorio, are they your suggestions to replace Laurent? TDB definitely doesn't fill the same role and I think would leave the defence more exposed, as for Osorio, the kid has made no senior appearances but he's suddenly the answer, that doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

Holmes and Laurent have made more mistakes than Southwood. Yet he gets dropped and they don’t. There are options for them, limited as they may be, and we had to sign someone to drop Southwood. So why didn’t we sign someone to drop Holmes or Laurent instead?

Osorio for Laurent isn’t exactly vastly different to Hein for Southwood. Both are teens. Both had no first team experience (well, not true for Osorio, he's had a fraction).

Didn’t we sign him to replace Rafael?

At full strength (as unlikely as it seems) we have four first team CB’s. We have four first team CM’s. We have one GK so in isolation, the signing of another one made sense, even if he is very inexperienced. Dann, Morrison, Holmes and McIntyre are plenty good enough as four Championship CB’s - hence why we didn’t sign someone else there. Our backup GK was someone who couldn’t get into a struggling L1 side

[South Coast Royal]

I wonder if our master tactician of a manager might use Laurent at centre-back tonight bearing in mind that he did ok there earlier in the season since when we have leaked so many goals.
Also I would be disappointed if Meite didn't start in a game that is very winnable if we are at our best..

[morganb]

I don't understand how the argument falls down, Southwood's performances had dropped, they signed Hein to provide competition, Southwood didn't improve so they gave Hein a chance.

What about TDB and Osorio, are they your suggestions to replace Laurent? TDB definitely doesn't fill the same role and I think would leave the defence more exposed, as for Osorio, the kid has made no senior appearances but he's suddenly the answer, that doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

Holmes and Laurent have made more mistakes than Southwood. Yet he gets dropped and they don’t. There are options for them, limited as they may be, and we had to sign someone to drop Southwood. So why didn’t we sign someone to drop Holmes or Laurent instead?

Osorio for Laurent isn’t exactly vastly different to Hein for Southwood. Both are teens. Both had no first team experience (well, not true for Osorio, he's had a fraction).

Didn’t we sign him to replace Rafael?

At full strength (as unlikely as it seems) we have four first team CB’s. We have four first team CM’s. We have one GK so in isolation, the signing of another one made sense, even if he is very inexperienced. Dann, Morrison, Holmes and McIntyre are plenty good enough as four Championship CB’s - hence why we didn’t sign someone else there. Our backup GK was someone who couldn’t get into a struggling L1 side

Why sign a teenage keeper with no experience? Surely there must have been a single experienced keeper out there (free agent or loan) who would be willing to come to Reading for the promise of first team football. Keepers tend to blossom late and there is really only the need for 2-3 at a club so there should be some surplus ones knocking around.

[paultheroyal]

This the most pages even before a match has kicked off?

[NathStPaul]

This the most pages even before a match has kicked off?

It's the same thread used for the original boxing day game, there would have been a couple of pages already in place.

[Millsy]

and it's our playoff final

[Hendo]

This the most pages even before a match has kicked off?

It's the same thread used for the original boxing day game, there would have been a couple of pages already in place.

Yep, page 3 had a nearly 6 week gap between posts.

[paultheroyal]

This the most pages even before a match has kicked off?

It's the same thread used for the original boxing day game, there would have been a couple of pages already in place.

Ah ok, apologies - but its still a big one.

[Stranded]

and it's our playoff final

Oh fcuk.

[PATRIQT]

This the most pages even before a match has kicked off?

It's the same thread used for the original boxing day game, there would have been a couple of pages already in place.

Ah ok, apologies - but its still a big one.

Flirt.

[Pepe the Horseman]

and it's our playoff final

Now why did you have to go and say that?