How to fix a train wreck?

[satty atwal]

1 minute ago, Saul Pimpson said:

Beating their full back more times in 10 mins than the rest managed in the entire game?

Hardly anything to go by.... full backs obv tire towards the end.... ince and especially russell have been woeful recently bar the odd game where ince has turned up.... they all need to man up.... and fast 

[Inglorius]

Ask Mel Morris for a bit more money to p*ss up the wall

[Bris Vegas]

24 minutes ago, reveldevil said:

Last season our hand was forced by injuries, completely agree otherwise. 

Last season we should have brought in a DM and proper CF in January. Instead, we brought in two wide players, a LB and a player who 'plays off the shoulder' upfront.

 

[Rev]

2 minutes ago, Bris Vegas said:

Last season we should have brought in a DM and proper CF in January. Instead, we brought in two wide players, a LB and a player who 'plays off the shoulder' upfront.

 

Might have been a touch unfair on Eustace and Mascarell, who'd done well upto that point.

Easy to say we needed cover there in hindsight, even though Hanson did nothing wrong when called upon, I don't recall anyone saying we needed more in that position. 

Fozzy needed cover and that's been much needed this season, if not last.

Bent did enough last season to justify his loan, as did Ince, whether we should have made them permanent is a different argument.

Lingard was *****, I'll give you that one, but that's the chance you take with loan signings.

 

[rynny]

1 hour ago, Bris Vegas said:

Back to basics. 4-3-3 clearly is our best formation, even if a midfield two of Bradley Johnson and Jacob Butterfield is a little unbalanced.

This team, prior to Leeds away, went eight games unbeaten, sat 2nd in the table and had a four point gap over Hull City.

We beat Ipswich away 1-0 with a solid enough display, we cruised past the likes of Cardiff and Fulham at home with routine victories. We played out a dull 0-0 at Sheffield Wednesday, a very good team if you consider their form.

We battered Brighton for 60 minutes, 2-2 was more than a fair result.

So why change it all? Why why why? All we needed in January was one natural winger, one better than Weimann and Russell. And possibly a new left-back.

So what do we do? Bring in an unknown from France and Nick Blackman whose best position is RW or RCF in a 4-4-2. I'm sorry, but we have Tom Ince for that role - arguably our most gifted attacker.

This smacks of Bent/Weimann all over again. Who the feck sanctioned these deals? 

As for fixing this mess. Well, seeing as selling Blackman is off the cards, I'd start by dropping him immediately, telling him I'm sorry but unless he adapts his game he dosn't fit in with the successful 4-3-3.

I'd go back to basics. If Thorne is injured, play someone who can play DM - Baird or Hanson are the two best options.

Martin CF, as that's his best positionl. Ince and Russell/Weimann as the LW. Butterfield and Hendrick seem our most balanced midfield two - perhaps I'd go with them. But, whoever our midfield two are, I'd like to see them push up more and get into the box more often. Ie. Hull away!

Unbelievable how we've managed to replicate last season's disaster with the signing of Darren Bent. Who sanctions our deals? Jesus. What are you playing at?

Haven't Reading been playing 4-3-3 this season and Blackman played in all 3 of the front 3 roles? Genuine question.

[Bris Vegas]

1 minute ago, rynny said:

Haven't Reading been playing 4-3-3 this season and Blackman played in all 3 of the front 3 roles? Genuine question.

More of a 4-2-3-1, but Blackman's best peformance have come in wide right role, cutting in on his left foot.

He can't play CF, and at LW I'm not entirely sure how that would work out. I'd say his best position would the right CF of a 4-4-2, dropping a little deeper.

 

[Gritstone Ram]

I may be wrong but since Carson has been out we have won 3 drawn 3 and lost 2 conceded 10. Previous to that Carson had conceded 10 goals in 17 games