v Reading (H) Match Thread

[Jimbo Ram]

3 minutes ago, Half Fan Half Biscuit said:

We can't defend, we don't attack

So all in all we're pretty cack

Put like that, a pretty toxic combination ? 

[AndyinLiverpool]

1 minute ago, Tyler Durden said:

I saw the Watford Boro game last night. Warnock was absolutely livid about the goal that Boro gave away to lose the game.

I guarantee that Warnock didn't tell his players to go to sleep at the corner and allow a free header on goal. I also guarantee that his defenders won't be making the same mistake again as they will have been soundly told about it in the changing room afterwards.

Here lies the difference between Cocu and Warnock.

I have no idea what has been said in the changing room, so I bow to your superior knowledge in that respect. Are you one of the players or one of the backroom staff? The cleaner?

[Gritstone Ram]

15 minutes ago, EraniosSocks said:

I will get slated now but hey ho. I just want exciting football. 

The last time I have seen us play consistently exciting football was Mac1 after that it’s just been a flash in the pan.

[Andrew3000]

3 minutes ago, Half Fan Half Biscuit said:

We can't defend, we don't attack

So all in all we're pretty cack

Great username too. Take bow sir/madam.

[RoyMac5]

5 minutes ago, Gisby said:

Obvious I didn’t but only to you Roy .... thought you said ‘we're a bit away from immediate success’ rather than ‘too late for immediate ....’ but have it your way. We’re not going anywhere with this, are coming at it from opposite ends and will never agree. Goodnight. 

The point was you were having a go at fans moaning - well it may seem a bit early to do so. And Derby are traditionally slow starters in the League. But I can understand why some feel it's groundhog day with Cocu and after todays game are a 'bit' fed up. Nowt wrong with that whatever you think. Goodnight.

[NottsRam77]

Someone else eluded to this ... why did we seemingly use pre season to get more minutes into u18s and 23s than we did the first team 

Why wernt Dutch mike and Clarke playing together, why wasn’t sibley playing off Marriott, bird and shinnie 

 

im all for give the kids time in and around the first team, heck it’s our future but pre season yet again just feels like it was a mish mash and Weve meandered into the season hoping it’ll all work its way out 

have to say also ... fozzy worries me more and more by the game his distribution is so slow a clumsy at times.

 

[Abu Derby]

I’d forgotten about the “Derby Way”.  Was that it?

If it is, then I’ve definitely gone off it. 

[Jimbo Ram]

1 minute ago, RoyMac5 said:

The point was you were having a go at fans moaning - well it may seem a bit early to do so. And Derby are traditionally slow starters in the League. But I can understand why some feel it's groundhog day with Cocu and after todays game are a 'bit' fed up. Nowt wrong with that whatever you think. Goodnight.

It’s goodnight from me and it’s goodnight from him ?

[Jase116]

Looking at it today we definitely need an Ibe sort of player ( power and pace) on both sides, Kamil obviously looks like he’s coming in, but on today’s evidence we need two wide men and another striker desperately. I’m not casting Jack to one side, because if we create chances we will score, Lawrence and Waghorn back with new widemen we will look a lot stronger.

[SSD]

3 hours ago, SouthStandDan said:

Highlight of the game. Dinner sorted ?

Bought a KFC and it was stone cold. Sums up my day. Crap football. Crap chicken. Crap day.

[Jimbo Ram]

5 minutes ago, Van Gritters said:

The last time I have seen us play consistently exciting football was Mac1 after that it’s just been a flash in the pan.

Most of the time under Mac it was enjoyable to watch...

[Tyler Durden]

3 minutes ago, AndyinLiverpool said:

I have no idea what has been said in the changing room, so I bow to your superior knowledge in that respect. Are you one of the players or one of the backroom staff? The cleaner?

Ridiculous comment. The point was that I agree that Cocu didn't tell his players to fall asleep at the corner or defend poorly in the same manner as Warnock last night 

I get no conviction though that Cocu will get to grip with the situation and it will be an ongoing repetitive issue of sloppy goals continually given away through poor defending whilst Warnock very quickly will address the same issues. Compare and contrast. 

[minesahartington]

18 minutes ago, atherstoneram said:

Who does that remind you of.

For a while we have been a dream to play against if you are an out of form team having problems. We are very passive and an ideal opponent for any poo team to make them look good. I don’t want immediate success but in the last 14 months I have seen nothing ( except a temporary Rooney bounce) that convinces me that the current mgmt team are on the right track. It’s ok to say it’s not acceptable but do something about it for gods sake!

[Gisby]

12 minutes ago, RoyMac5 said:

The point was you were having a go at fans moaning - well it may seem a bit early to do so. And Derby are traditionally slow starters in the League. But I can understand why some feel it's groundhog day with Cocu and after todays game are a 'bit' fed up. Nowt wrong with that whatever you think. Goodnight.

I tried to let this go I really did!!! .... But do you mean it’s too early for me to have a go at fans for moaning or do you mean it’s too early for fans to moan??? Personally I try to be positive when it comes to my team and it’s draining, disappointing, tedious whatever you want to call it to drop onto the match day thread and see all the comments from the doom mongers. Surely we’re all Rams fans and just want success for the team we love & have followed for years and I just don’t understand the attitude of some. Maybe I’m just naive!!!!

[therealhantsram]

So, that was pretty much what I expected today. A continuation of the performances from the end of last season when Waghorn and Lawrence were absent. Boy we miss the spark they give us.

No panic here though. We know what's wrong. Cocu knows what's wrong. And he's vowed to address it with some transfers.

Bright sparks from the game for me: Whittaker, Byrne, Marshall, Clark.

Question marks: Te Weirk, Wisdom.

[AndyinLiverpool]

5 minutes ago, Tyler Durden said:

Ridiculous comment. The point was that I agree that Cocu didn't tell his players to fall asleep at the corner or defend poorly in the same manner as Warnock last night 

I get no conviction though that Cocu will get to grip with the situation and it will be an ongoing repetitive issue of sloppy goals continually given away through poor defending whilst Warnock very quickly will address the same issues. Compare and contrast. 

Because Warnock is boorish, he'll sort stuff out better than someone with a more technical approach? You may be right. It sums up English football perfectly.

There's a scene in Casablanca where Captain Renault explains to Rick that his men were particularly destructive in their search of his cafe because, 'You know how that impresses Germans.' Perhaps the same can be said about football managers in England. Screaming and shouting like a banker on the sideline impresses English fans and players.

[Rample]

1 hour ago, Jourdan said:

It's not just the tactics. It's the overall lack of strategic planning, organisation and decision making from key figures at the club that compounds matters and makes games like today both frustrating and painfully predictable.

Pre season was a mess. Kids in the under 18s were getting more minutes than first team regulars. No partnerships or semblance of team structure was developed. Three at the back was trialled when we should have stuck with our primary system and worked on making it more effective and developing tempo.

OK, we are still waiting on signings in attacking areas. But let's be honest, the moment Martin's contract negotiations broke down, we should have made attacking players the first priority. With Lawrence already nursing an injury at that point, we were missing two players who contributed to over 30 goals last season.

We were left with Waghorn and Marriott. Anyone who has watched Marriott in the last nine months knows he hasn't looked right since Lampard left and cannot be relied upon. So effectively we were down to just Waghorn as a reliable, dependable option. He gets injured and boom, the perfect storm.

Yes, the embargo would have complicated matters. One in, one out. The poor financial situation too. But could we have focused on signing two attacking players and closed deals for Marshall and Clarke, for example, later in the window?

Marshall, Clarke, Te Wierik and Byrne are smart additions, but could we have held fire on them and focused on our attack? The lack of goals, creativity, and intensity has been evident for months and should have been addressed as quickly as possible.

No-one has buried Cocu or the players, but you can understand the frustration. Back in July, we were well beaten by the cream of the division and it should have been a wake up call. But we've just meandered along. Today we were beaten by a Reading side that will be mid-table at best and as it stands, can't even go into Luton away with any confidence.

Having concern is perfectly understandable, and not an overreaction at all. This has been bubbling away for months.

Couldn't agree more.

I have patience with the various situations we are in, and am all for giving Cocu multiple seasons to build (god knows Lampshades slow exit, the EFL and Covid haven't helped), but there seems to be a lot of heel dragging.

Even under a soft embargo - Anya and Huddlestone left in June, both I imagine on significantly more than MTW, so we would have had an opportunity to move for someone then.

I get we were possibly going to be hit by the EFL but we've already been told it wasn't going to affect much at all once we were cleared. Surely the second Martin left or even stalled we should have been dropping on a striker we had been monitoring for 6 months, just to maintain competitiveness.

4 year plan, I struggle to see evidence of a 4 month plan at times. If all we have is chuck as many kids in as possible and expect them to suddenly play like experienced adults, we're not only going to stumble but we will likely stop them from reaching their potential. 

Bird, Sibley and co will develop far better in a team that doesn't look like its gone into administration and has no other choice than to play a handful of under 21s.

[Mick Brolly]

2 hours ago, Leicester Ram said:

Do you think we won’t sign anyone else this window?

Let's hope so. 

[Rampage]

It is a two nil defeat with 45 games to go. Reading probably not a top six rival. We will soon have a better squad than last year and we can give the top six a shot if we gel. Cocu is targeting a top six place. I am getting things in a better perspective now. Experienced goalkeeper and a settled defence on the way. We have a reasonable midfield on paper. We need two offensive players and to avoid major injuries. Interesting to see who is fit for Luton. Nonetheless it was a pretty dire performance today. COYR

[DRBee]

Cocu's sterile tactics and low ambition  ( one goal will do) are coming home to roost. Why do the players not move the ball quicker or show more aggression to close down the opposition ? God knows , but when Cocu's complains about this it is as though he has no   responsibility for it. The warning signs were there in the last few games last season. the football we play at the moment is horrible.