Jourdan

Injuries and diminishing availability of players is leading to a wobble. At one point we had won 8 games in 9, right now it’s 10 wins in 14? It’s impossible to keep up that success rate and play with the same energy, composure and intensity again and again. Take the first choice goalkeeper, left back and right back out of any side and it is telling. Having to rely on six players without any rotation or respite is making a difference. Forsyth, Smith, Waghorn, Washington and now John Jules are all injured and Nyambe is unavailable and that is a factor. Some players - young and old - can’t be trusted to start and that is a factor too. We were bound to slow down at some point. We just have to bounce back quickly.

We have no other choice at the moment. The squad is becoming stretched. Nyambe is away. Smith is injured. Ward can’t comfortably defend. Nelson is needed at centre back. Wilson is, like you say, much better further forward where he has the freedom to express himself and his positive intent can lift the team. When Nyambe returns, we’ll look more balanced.

This is a fair point, but how much of that is down to tactics and fluidity of position and how much of that is down to injuries, readiness, and availability? For me, it’s the latter. I think when the squad is stretched, this is when we start to lose sense tactically and take too many risks. Nyambe and Forsyth would improve the defence if they were available. Wildsmith too if he was reinstated. There’s no-one viable to come in and displace Bird and Hourihane, so we take the rough and the smooth. Then of course you have Collins who is shouldering the burden of the attack because Waghorn, Washington and John Jules are long term injured.

Some players decline physically faster than others. If he was still anywhere close to the same player, he’d be playing in the Championship, not with us. We do need more athleticism in midfield but not in the complete absence of quality, so it’s difficult. I think shopping in the market we are currently, we might find a player who adds some pace, power and athleticism to the midfield but then could possibly create problems of his own. It’s a very difficult balancing act.

We can compete on a technical level, but not on a physical level. With Bird and Hourihane, they are a dream for an opposing midfield that is athletic and can cover ground, press, crowd the ball, force mistakes, win aerial battles and win second balls. I don’t think Warne wants to bypass midfield. It’s obviously an area that is costly and difficult to improve and one where he is hoping it’s a case of damage limitation. He obviously wants them to move the ball quickly not because he is control averse but because it’s an area for the opposition to exploit. A loss of possession in the middle of the pitch can lead to a quick counter attack and a chance to score.

Hourihane was excellent for Barnsley and everything went through him but this was seven years ago, even further back if you are thinking about his standout years in League 1. He was in his mid-20s when he left. You are a completely different player physically at that age compared when you are approaching your mid-30s. At Villa, he was part of a really high quality midfield playing in a three with McGinn who plays with aggression and covers a lot of ground and Grealish who can draw defenders and create space for a player like Hourihane to operate in. I just don’t think he can do what he did before with the same frequency in this current set up.

Indeed. Elder had some nice moments - good blocks, good link up and overlapping runs - but couldn’t live with Azeez and their other players’ pace and movement.

Bird and Hourihane have also been part of midfields that have been completely bulldozed by the opposition both at this level and the one above. I am not saying they don’t have quality. Of course they do. Much like any midfield, if you do your homework, you can also spot weaknesses. I think the reality is that the restrictions and the business plan are still a factor. We had to gamble on Fornah. We can’t go out and pay for proven quality without jumping through hoops or having to make sacrifices. Look how complex the CBT deal became. Hopefully in the summer, we’ll look to address it finally.

I just don’t think Bird and Hourihane really have the attributes needed to control and impose themselves on enough games at this level. Reading had the exact profile of players that they don’t like to come up against. How can we play through midfield if we don’t have the players to keep and recycle possession? Bird and Hourihane are both too lightweight to hold off challenges or win a physical battle, too slow to cover ground and too much in need of an airfield of space to spread the ball in midfield and maintain possession. You don’t ‘actively bypass’ something if it can be used to your advantage.

Reading deserved to win. We never got going and never looked comfortable. The worst possible night for so many to have an off night. Reading pressed well, used their pace effectively on the break, and used their athleticism and physicality to force mistakes and win second balls all over. They didn’t look great but they clearly did their homework and knew to stop us from getting into a rhythm. We need to step things up or otherwise quite frankly our place in the top six will be at risk. Here’s hoping we see a response on Saturday. It’s much needed.

Watching on RamsTV. Very frustrating so far. We generally look very disjointed and you would not think there are 15+ places between the sides. We show a few flashes of quality and composure and then our decision making lets us down. The defence is generally OK, but looks vulnerable to Reading’s pace and athleticism. They are pressing well and in numbers and forcing mistakes, and Azeez looks a threat. The midfield isn’t assertive enough, too lightweight and wasteful in possession. The attack looks very isolated. NML, Collins and Barkhuizen have not had any impact on the game and they are not seeing enough of the ball. This could be decided on one mistake or one moment of quality.

Blackett Taylor will obviously have days where nothing comes off - shots, passes, crosses, stepovers and so on. However his pace and his intent alone will make defenders watchful and always give us a chance. I don’t think he will score or assist every week. We don’t need him to be a goal machine. We need someone who will create jeopardy, especially on days where NML and Wilson are not at it. I think back to last season - a lot of games in the run in will be the same, tight and tense and teams will try to frustrate us or we might have a day where we are not at the races and we need someone to do something unpredictable. CBT could be that player. It might be one burst of pace or one turn of skill that stretches the opposition and leads to an opening for someone else and it’s the difference between 0-0 and 1-0. He looks like someone who will make things happen and if that is the case, he is going to be crucial for us, and could be the difference between 4th and 2nd.

Absolutely correct - it won’t make any sense for us to pay a loan fee for a short term deal. Clubs do try power plays all of the time. We are no different to Wednesday. It’s negotiating. We might walk away now and see how the situation develops and then come back. I guess the club have to simply weigh up what will be the difference between promotion and staying in this league. That’s what’s at stake now.

Clubs do it all the time. They keep a player if any deals offered don’t make financial sense. Wednesday may also look at us spending £300-£400k on CBT and be thinking that we have money to spend if we really want the deal to happen.

If the player wants to come here and he has no future at Wednesday, yes, it doesn’t make any sense to stand in his way. However if the deal doesn’t make financial sense for Wednesday, then it changes everything. They have every right to fight for the best possible deal, especially when there are still 9-10 days left in the window.

Reading 1-2 Derby Collins

I can understand Wednesday’s position, to be honest. Smith might not be an asset to them any longer, but to another club especially one at our level, he will be. If they feel he will attract interest, demanding a loan fee and wage contribution is common sense. If that prices us out, so be it.

It’s also worth remembering that we still have Nyambe, Forsyth, Wildsmith, CBT and potentially 1-2 more new signings to come into the fold. Better days are coming.

There’s no point worrying about other results. Each week will throw up some twists and turns. We can only focus on ourselves. To me, that is a good point from an awkward game. We have to remember every away day coming up will have that tension in the air - teams are going to want to come out and catch us cold and derail our promotion charge. Reading away will be another tricky game to navigate too. However, let’s remember it’s 16 points from a possible 18 in our last six away games. Personally I’ll take that all day long. On the whole, there is plenty to be positive about. CBT to sign and run riot v Cheltenham next week.

I guess that is a possibility. We’ll have to wait and see. Hopefully 12 months from now, he’ll be riding high at the top of the Championship scoring charts, like a similarly written off Morgan Whittaker.

Obviously if John-Jules kicks on and plays an important role in our run-in, it will look an inspired move. There’s no disputing he has talent. It’s just a question of whether we can extract it and at what cost. I don’t know the terms of the deal, but if Arsenal are paying his wages, then perhaps you’re right and we have nothing to lose. I do think you are absolutely right in that we are only a Collins injury or burnout from potentially having a problem, but then again hopefully Waghorn and Washington are getting closer to fitness and we always have the potential breakout of Dajaune Brown.

Quality signing, I am sure of it. 🎵Corey B, Corey B, Corey B Soon be worth £10 million Corey B 🎵

Yes, I know at the moment we are playing two up top. But how long will that last? Everyone recognises the need to get the balance right in midfield, likely with a third player. Even if we persist with a 4-4-2 / 4-2-4, I would be more inclined to play NML as a second striker with Collins, or even a new recruit.

This is a curious one. I am not sure how much first team football John-Jules is likely to get by staying on. With his injury record, his lack of minutes so far, and the competition for places, I just struggle to see where he fits in. He is clearly a more technical player than Collins but I would give Collins the nod every time. For all of his faults, at least with Collins, you know what you are getting. With John Jules, there is uncertainty over fitness, match sharpness and a general ability to influence games consistently. If we sign Blackett Taylor to add to NML, Barkhuizen and Wilson, that’s another player who would likely be chosen ahead of John Jules for the forward positions. I just think he’d only really figure if we are rotating the team or there is an injury crisis. In which case, you would want us to look to the under 21s and take a chance on our own young players, surely? I do hope he gets fit and ends up scoring some decisive goals, but it’s hard to see it happening.

I think some of the criticism he gets is harsh. He’s not the long term answer in midfield, but Bird and Hourihane can be equally if not sometimes more frustrating in the quality v consistency stakes. I do think he will find it hard to get back into the team, simply because we can’t afford to have players playing their way into form or fitness at this stage of the season. However I get the sense he’s a really good pro though and that is important. He really stepped up to the plate and was very reliable playing at right back last season. From videos and clips on our social media channels, you also get the feeling he’s a good character and good to have in the dressing room and around the club. If he moves on be it in January or the summer, he should go with our well wishes.