Back from the sofa - Ipswich (H)

[From Despair To Where?]

3 questions to ask

Would Jem be in the team ahead of Tshibola on current form?

Would Pearce be in the team ahead of McShane or Ferdinand on current form.

Would we be getting added value for the extra money they were asking?

Loyalty means fcuk all. 2 years ago Pearce was angling for a move to Liverpool and only resigned for us because we were the only club to put an offer on the table. Feds was always always trying to hawk himself around the arse end of the Premiership. The only thing that matters is what's in the best interests of the club and the more I see of this season, the more I'm convinced moving them on was absolutely in the club's best interests.

[Ian Royal]

3 questions to ask

Would Jem be in the team ahead of Tshibola on current form?

Would Pearce be in the team ahead of McShane or Ferdinand on current form.

Would we be getting added value for the extra money they were asking?

Loyalty means fcuk all. 2 years ago Pearce was angling for a move to Liverpool and only resigned for us because we were the only club to put an offer on the table. Feds was always always trying to hawk himself around the arse end of the Premiership. The only thing that matters is what's in the best interests of the club and the more I see of this season, the more I'm convinced moving them on was absolutely in the club's best interests.

Pearce and Jem at their best could certainly be on a par with McShane or Tshibola's current form.

[SCIAG]

3 questions to ask

Would Jem be in the team ahead of Tshibola on current form?

Would Pearce be in the team ahead of McShane or Ferdinand on current form.

Would we be getting added value for the extra money they were asking?

I can't help but notice that you're avoiding asking another question... Oh, to have Federici or McCarthy...

I don't think there's much between Karacan and Tshibola/Quinn/Williams or Pearce and McShane/Ferdinand, if we're saving on wages then we probably made the right decision but I don't think we'd be any worse off on the pitch if they stayed. Tsh should be a much better player than Karacan by the end of the season though. Personally, I'd like a bit more of a sense of continuity... but not as much as I like scoring five goals.

[No Fixed Abode]

Cracking performance on Friday night which was overshadowed by Stephen Hunt's attire. I thought Ciro Citerio closed down years ago.

[Pepe the Horseman]

Cracking performance on Friday night.

You ok, m8?

[RoyallyFcuked]

3 questions to ask

Would Jem be in the team ahead of Tshibola on current form?

Would Pearce be in the team ahead of McShane or Ferdinand on current form.

Would we be getting added value for the extra money they were asking?

Loyalty means fcuk all. 2 years ago Pearce was angling for a move to Liverpool and only resigned for us because we were the only club to put an offer on the table. Feds was always always trying to hawk himself around the arse end of the Premiership. The only thing that matters is what's in the best interests of the club and the more I see of this season, the more I'm convinced moving them on was absolutely in the club's best interests.

Well said Despair, that last paragraph nailed it, particularly the bit about Pearce. Some very short and blinkered memories on here. That was the whole reason Pearce got dropped in the PL season, because he was trying to get a move away (supposedly Liverpool were interested), but when no offer materialised he was forced to sign a new deal with us, several months later.

A new deal which, I'd say he was very lucky to get, not only because of his stalling on the contract but because it was off the back of the promotion season which he did well in, and at the time everyone was thinking he (and the team as a whole) was a lot better than they actually were. Myself included, I remember thinking when we went up he was one of our only players good enough for the PL, (which was wrong, he isn't good enough and never has been) Evidently, he didn't come close to replicating that form since.

Also your last sentence, as I've said before every basically player that left in the summer was moved on by Clarke because they weren't in his plans, and he didn't get a single one wrong. Federici included, who he was right to move on, but that's the only player that possibly wasn't replaced at least adequately. Bond is young though, has potential and will continue to learn and improve.

And I'd also say every other player that has come in is not only an adequate replacement but also an improvement on who they replaced, so big credit to Clarke for that. McShane > Pearce - Orlando > Pogrebnyak, to name two examples.

I don't think there's much between Karacan and Tshibola/Quinn/Williams or Pearce and McShane/Ferdinand, if we're saving on wages then we probably made the right decision but I don't think we'd be any worse off on the pitch if they stayed. Tsh should be a much better player than Karacan by the end of the season though. Personally, I'd like a bit more of a sense of continuity... but not as much as I like scoring five goals.

Oh please, Karacan is far too injury prone and pfffffft seriously m8 Pearce can't even get in Derby's matchday squad

If were paying McShane MORE than Pearce we are still better off.

I'm so glad I don't have to watch his blundering duck footedness and his aimless, needless hoofs out of our defence ever again.

[bcubed]

Most importantly of all, what do we think of Hunty as a pundit?

Unintelligible

Don't think he will be asked back

[bcubed]

Gunter had the right hump with the "how shit must you be..." - repeatedly shouting "no" to the east stand, and nodding his head. Not happy.

To be fair, it's an awful chant.

Agreed. Hardly motivating for the team.

+1

I never sing that one

Funny when Fulham sang it (we're winning away, etc) many years ago now but give it a rest please

[bcubed]

Wrt OP

Wow indeed

Just had to stand and applaud the whole team at the end
Blackman - I thought oh he's not going to shoot from there is he? Then wow again
And as for Norwood goal - proclaimed Goal of the season by radio Berks and they are probably right - stunning strike

Great atmosphere too and there was a real feeling that something special is building

Most enjoyable game for a very long time

[sandman]

Gunter had the right hump with the "how shit must you be..." - repeatedly shouting "no" to the east stand, and nodding his head. Not happy.

To be fair, it's an awful chant.

To be fair, he's an awful player.

[St. Brynjar]

3 questions to ask

Would Jem be in the team ahead of Tshibola on current form?

Would Pearce be in the team ahead of McShane or Ferdinand on current form.

Would we be getting added value for the extra money they were asking?

Loyalty means fcuk all. 2 years ago Pearce was angling for a move to Liverpool and only resigned for us because we were the only club to put an offer on the table. Feds was always always trying to hawk himself around the arse end of the Premiership. The only thing that matters is what's in the best interests of the club and the more I see of this season, the more I'm convinced moving them on was absolutely in the club's best interests.

Pearce and Jem at their best could certainly be on a par with McShane or Tshibola's current form.

Problem is their best was the 2011/2012 season, four years ago now. We had no need for Karacan and have more than adequately replaced Pearce.

[Ian Royal]

3 questions to ask

Would Jem be in the team ahead of Tshibola on current form?

Would Pearce be in the team ahead of McShane or Ferdinand on current form.

Would we be getting added value for the extra money they were asking?

Loyalty means fcuk all. 2 years ago Pearce was angling for a move to Liverpool and only resigned for us because we were the only club to put an offer on the table. Feds was always always trying to hawk himself around the arse end of the Premiership. The only thing that matters is what's in the best interests of the club and the more I see of this season, the more I'm convinced moving them on was absolutely in the club's best interests.

Pearce and Jem at their best could certainly be on a par with McShane or Tshibola's current form.

Problem is their best was the 2011/2012 season, four years ago now. We had no need for Karacan and have more than adequately replaced Pearce.

Agreed. No reason to denigrate them or pretend they were shit though.

[RoyallyFcuked]

Pearce had been shit since 2011/12 though, no need to pretend otherwise.

[ladida_gunner_graham]

Cracking performance on Friday night which was overshadowed by Stephen Hunt's attire.

And his fcuking hair. Crickey O'Reilly, he looked like a wino who'd found a box of clothes outside a Charity shop. I thought Lewis Hamilton was the worst dressed man in Britain, but Hunty, for the love of God...get a grip.

[RoyalBlue]

3 very loyal servants to the club - let's see how many of the new faces are still here in 5 years time, let alone 10 !!

They were 'loyal' because they were paid vast sums of money to be 'loyal' and no other teams were willing to pay them more!

All 3 were offered new deals in the summer on significantly reduced wages and chose to jump ship at the first opportunity.

To claim that they were 'very loyal' is somewhat odd...

+1

And if your employers rewarded your loyalty with, in your own words, 'significantly reduced wages', how long would you hang around if another employer offered you a better deal (and possibly on a bigger stage) ? Loyalty only stretches so far.

In your blind prejudice you are rewriting history in an absurd way. Clarke didn't make a big thing about him being a lovely bloke (although he did refer to his excellent character) he talked a lot about his hard work for the team and his great ability as a footballer etc.

Has it not crossed your mind that the improvement in our front line might have something to do with the fact that we now have more than one talented footballer available to play in it, that we have more than two strikers on the pitch at once and that they enjoy far better service to them than Pog ever enjoyed?

Not long ago, Sa was having to play a similar role to Pog up front with not a great deal of quality support. Look at the difference in him now that he has been provided with the right type of teammates, formation and tactics to enable him to thrive.

Personally I think it has something to do with having mobile attackers capable of getting in good positions and (apparently) regularly finishing them.

Something that, for all his qualities, doesn't describe Pog at all.

We are clearly much better off without him.

Nonsense to say we are clearly better off without him and I very much doubt Clarke would agree with you. Had the money been there, I am sure he would have been happy to keep him. More accurate to say that we aren't going to miss him as much as some of us feared.

[genome]

Cracking performance on Friday night which was overshadowed by Stephen Hunt's attire. I thought Ciro Citerio closed down years ago.

I think Reading could beat Chelsea on current form.

[marlowuk]

Cracking performance on Friday night which was overshadowed by Stephen Hunt's attire. I thought Ciro Citerio closed down years ago.

I think Reading could beat Chelsea on current form.

Unfortunately we are playing Everton who really did beat Chelsea!

[windermere_royal]

Just finished watching the whole game on the telly again. almost forgot how damn good it really was.
confident and intelligent passing and attacking intent throughout.
preying it`s not just a one off, but if it isn`t there are not many if any better teams in this league.
I had to fast forward Hunty, what a tramp!!!

[Woodcote Royal]

Pearce and Jem at their best could certainly be on a par with McShane or Tshibola's current form.

Pearce had been shit since 2011/12 though, no need to pretend otherwise.

Quite.

Just when I think Ian Royal's keyboard is starting to run of nonsense to post he comes out with this little gem above

If Pearce was still here he wouldn't have made Friday's bench and, even at his very best, would not have started ahead of the current first choices.

He owed us nothing after arriving as a kid and playing over 200 times in the first team but all FWTD's views on perceived loyalty are spot on.

I felt sorry for Jem and wanted him to stay but even he would be surplus to requirement now.

[Ian Royal]

Pearce had been shit since 2011/12 though, no need to pretend otherwise.

You can keep peddling it, doesn't make it true.