Howlers expected to continue..

[robglosta]

Having just listened to McClaren's interview after the game yesterday, it seems he is resigned to the fact that we are going to offer a couple of gifts to the opposition each game, and that this is the team we have.  

'You're going to have to put up with 'exciting' games like that' 

'We are what we are, now'

'Every game you see with us now, you don't know what's going to happen' 

'We're searching for that something [in defence], and we're not finding it' 

Not the most controlled or inspiring thing I've every heard about finding a solution to our defensive woes - come on Steve! 

[Guest]

I don't mind hearing him say that, its brutal honesty and I am guessing he feels they have tried everything they can to put things right.

If that is the case though he needs to make sure our attacking football is spot on. Why not revert to last season and have Bryson 30 yards further up the pitch and 2 men on the halfway line for opposition corners?

Identifying our shortcomings is the easy part, doing something about it is where he needs to be earning his money.

[Sith Happens]

It is honest, but a settled back four is what we need, how many combinations have we had this season? I know injury had played its part but it would have been so nice to use these remaining games to get a settled back four. Must be a nightmare for grant...confidence is shot to pieces.

[mwram1973]

Having just listened to McClaren's interview after the game yesterday, it seems he is resigned to the fact that we are going to offer a couple of gifts to the opposition each game, and that this is the team we have.  

'You're going to have to put up with 'exciting' games like that' 

'We are what we are, now'

'Every game you see with us now, you don't know what's going to happen' 

'We're searching for that something [in defence], and we're not finding it' 

Not the most controlled or inspiring thing I've every heard about finding a solution to our defensive woes - come on Steve! 

​TBH, what's he supposed to do?.

People moaning about the cdm role but his 3 players for that role are all our injured. Were down to bare bones in defence too.

He can only train them in the week, it's not his fault they switch off on match day is it??. He can't drop anyone cos we ain't got anyone to fill in, were playing full backs at cb for christ sake.

[Anag Ram]

You can coach technical difficulties, but mental frailty is another matter. The defence looks shell-shocked. Players are doing things you wouldn't expect to see in amateur football.

Also, when your midfield gives the ball away in such dangerous positions, the defence can't always re-organise in time.

Grant made our defensive stats look impressive earlier in the year. Now that he has lost form, our true deficiencies have been shown up.

But, like Steve has alluded to, we do have players who can create goals out of nothing.

He doesn't have a strong leader, he doesn't have a dominant centre half, and he probably can't change his keeper at this late stage.

That tuft of hair will be gone before the end of May, mark my words.

[TroyDyer]

The defence needs leadership. It desperately needs Bucko in there. Some of the mistakes are so pathetic that a leader like Keane or Adams would have had you by the throat in the changing room. 

[Guest]

​TBH, what's he supposed to do?.

People moaning about the cdm role but his 3 players for that role are all our injured. Were down to bare bones in defence too.

He can only train them in the week, it's not his fault they switch off on match day is it??. He can't drop anyone cos we ain't got anyone to fill in, were playing full backs at cb for christ sake.

...with a central defender sat on the bench...

[Posh Ram]

He should play Albentosa and Buxton together, with Keogh at RB and Warnock at LB. And not change that combination for the rest of the season.

[Guest]

It is honest, but a settled back four is what we need, how many combinations have we had this season? I know injury had played its part but it would have been so nice to use these remaining games to get a settled back four. Must be a nightmare for grant...confidence is shot to pieces.

Must be hard to get a settled back four when all of the defenders are playing sh1te!

No excuse for Grants performance either, half the time it is his fannying around that puts the defence under pressure.

[YorkshireRam]

If Thorne is fit and a return to 433 is viable, the defensive errors will be reduced.

Buxton's return (hopefully) will signify the return of a leader who will command the back 4.

Martin's hold up play gives our play a greater depth and helps us retain possession and adds a fluidity going forward.

All in all, if we can get Thorne, Buxton and Martin back in the team, we're as good as any team in this league. We saw that before the injury crisis.

Going into the play-offs, surprisingly, this poor run may benefit us... If teams don't expect us to play well, they're not going to play with the mere intention of stopping us playing and trying to hit us on the counter. If they come and try and out-football us, we'll beat them. The only team that has outclassed us this season was Brentford at home!

[Anag Ram]

If Thorne is fit and a return to 433 is viable, the defensive errors will be reduced.

Buxton's return (hopefully) will signify the return of a leader who will command the back 4.

Martin's hold up play gives our play a greater depth and helps us retain possession and adds a fluidity going forward.

All in all, if we can get Thorne, Buxton and Martin back in the team, we're as good as any team in this league. We saw that before the injury crisis.

Going into the play-offs, surprisingly, this poor run may benefit us... If teams don't expect us to play well, they're not going to play with the mere intention of stopping us playing and trying to hit us on the counter. If they come and try and out-football us, we'll beat them. The only team that has outclassed us this season was Brentford at home!

​I think Martin will be back but really can't see the other two featuring. Thorne's problems look like they need a long break and Buxton's injury seems quite severe. It would be a big risk to put them in and possibly having to re-organise shortly afterwards.

[AndyB]

As Peter Taylor used to say, the following have "shot it" in my opinion - Grant, Christie, Shotton, Forsyth, Warnock and Albentosa - through a combination of form and injuries.

 

Buxton, Whitbread, Thorne and Eustace are injured.

 

My back 6, and I think we need a back 6, for Reading would be

 

Roos

Ssewankambo, Keogh, Rawson, Lee Naylor

Hanson

 

Buxton or Whitbread and Thorne can come back in in the play offs if they're fit enough.

 

It can't get any worse!

[ChaddesdenRam]

Mac may have said that and it seems defeatist but what can he do?

He has no CDM fit to protect the back 4.

In the left sided CB role Albentosa, Shotton and Forsyth have all had a go and done poorly. 

Christie can't play football anymore. 

Grant is struggling but always pulls out 1 game deciding save.

What can Mac do? Whitbread looked quality but he's injured, Bucko won't be fit. Hanson could help protect the back 4. Maybe throw Farrend Rawson. You can guarantee with Clough both would have been playing and maybe that would have been the right thing to do?

Who knows but really Mac can't perform miracles to make people not have injuries and he can't coach a defence how to defend in a few weeks. 

[Ramos]

Most of the defensive mistakes we have been making a coach can pretty much do nothing about. Players passing straight to the opposition, grant mis kicking /dropping balls into his net, forsyth for some reason yesterday helped the ball in when it looked easier to clear against millwall. We can complain in most parts about no settled back 4 but injuries and awful performances have not helped with consistency. We will see what the potential play offs bring but this summer our defence needs overhauling to be honest. 

[Gritstone Ram]

May be steve needs to change the tactics and game plan. I can put up with four 1-0 boring games if we get the results.

[May Contain Nuts]

Going into the play-offs, surprisingly, this poor run may benefit us... If teams don't expect us to play well, they're not going to play with the mere intention of stopping us playing and trying to hit us on the counter. If they come and try and out-football us, we'll beat them. The only team that has outclassed us this season was Brentford at home!

An idealist situation there. If a team with quality in attack comes to attack us, they're more than likely to get a hat full. It was only by some sort of miracle Brentford didn't score five.

It's  teams playing with trhe intent only to stop us to thank for what looked a good defensive record at around the halfway point. 

[May Contain Nuts]

May be steve needs to change the tactics and game plan. I can put up with four 1-0 boring games if we get the results.

Sorry but with our current options in defence and midfield there is absolutely no way we would be capable of that, whatever the system. 

[eddie]

The next time you see our train-wreck defending, just remember this..

Accidents will happen.

 

[rammieib]

Albentosa hasn't looked the real deal yet I agree but we concede less goals with him on the pitch and he hasn't directly made a mistake that has contributed to a goal.

 

[unclej]

Having just listened to McClaren's interview after the game yesterday, it seems he is resigned to the fact that we are going to offer a couple of gifts to the opposition each game, and that this is the team we have.  

'You're going to have to put up with 'exciting' games like that' 

'We are what we are, now'

'Every game you see with us now, you don't know what's going to happen' 

'We're searching for that something [in defence], and we're not finding it' 

Not the most controlled or inspiring thing I've every heard about finding a solution to our defensive woes - come on Steve! 

​I first heard him saying this months ago, when it became clear that his strategy was simply to score one more than the other team, being resigned to manage a defense that simply weren't good enough.