v Reading (H) Match Thread

[Tyler Durden]

1 minute ago, AndyinLiverpool said:

He does indeed have a long way to go. I found myself today asking myself what the plan was. I mean tactically in the long run. I can't see what the team is working towards, what he is trying to get the players to do. Are they working on moving it faster, moving into space off the ball, making themselves available to receive the ball? etc etc.

I am just hoping that just because I can't see that there's a plan, it doesn't mean there isn't one.

Totally agree with you and this is the refrain on the board tonight after sampling the post match responses.

I'm not getting into panic mode yet but if the same performances ensue after Waghorn, Lawrence, potentially Jozwiak and a striker are in the team and MTW has acclimatised to the Championship then I will be very worried.

[Jimbo Ram]

3 minutes ago, Jram said:

We’ll see, mate. I just think there’s no point whingeing about it

The club is finally being sensible and spending money sensibly and producing youth 

If that means we finish 15th, so be it 

I think we’ll improve though and finish top 10

Jumping into Panic mode and saying “I knew all along what they’ve done was wrong” after one game is a bit silly in my opinion though 

I agree, no need to panic. However, it is too simplistic to say its just one game. We won at Brum having played very poorly, but in the other last 5 games that we lost at the end of last season we created next to nothing. We have created next to nothing during preseason, didn’t test the Barrow keeper in the cup and created next to nothing today....slightly worrying pattern.....

[May Contain Nuts]

"You should always play on the front foot, positive football"

"I want the team on the pitch to play with bravery and confidence"

"if you're afraid to make a bad pass or make a bad decision, you shouldn't come out to play a game"

"in  midfield we hesitated instead of playing an up-tempo game"

"We don't have a lot of options to make changes when needed, the lack of creativity and end product, that's something we're trying to change for the team"

 

 

Apparently though, according to the experts on here, it's his plan, his mentality, and his tactical approach that's the problem.

Whether he can get the team playing to the standards he wants may be up in the air, but anyone who questions his intent and claims he wants us to be boring to watch, afraid to attack and play with a slow tempo is talking out of their arse, and I'm fed up of sniffing their odours.

[Tamworthram]

29 minutes ago, Rammy03 said:

We do neither, instead we pass the ball to death 

I agree but, going back to the original point, are they told not to run at defenders? Maybe, we’ll never know.

[RoyMac5]

2 minutes ago, Coconut said:

Whether he can get the team playing to the standards he wants may be up in the air, but anyone who questions his intent and claims he wants us to be boring to watch, afraid to attack and play with a slow tempo is talking out of their arse, and I'm fed up of sniffing their odours.

Perhaps he should consider the players he has rather than the one's he wants? If they have to adapt why can't he?

[tombomb]

Just watched the sky sports highlights of the game. We didnt touch the ball once in the highlights. Guess this sums it up well? ? . We cant say this wasnt coming. We were awful in preseason, it wasnt going to change over night.  

[S8TY]

I’m not saying Cocu is the answer but to be fair let’s see how we perform with a squad that can challenge 

he has no strikers who can hold it up no wide players and loads of kids ...if it’s crap when he’s got who he wants then fair enough ...if any of us went to work with half a tool box what would your reaction be if someone said the end product was not good enough give him the players then let’s reevaluate after day ten games it is pointless judging today because I beleive over half of those players won’t be regulars 

[Leicester Ram]

8 minutes ago, Jimbo Ram said:

I agree, no need to panic. However, it is too simplistic to say its just one game. We won at Brum having played very poorly, but in the other last 5 games that we lost at the end of last season we created next to nothing. We have created next to nothing during preseason, didn’t test the Barrow keeper in the cup and created next to nothing today....slightly worrying pattern.....

It’s also too simplistic to say last 5 games of project restart and pre-season, you’re ignoring a larger narrative.

We’ve been short of players since January! We were waiting for some signings but Cocu didn’t get one in January, desperate for a winger and a CB we didn’t get either.

Which positions did we get short at for the last 5 games of the season? CB and Winger!

Wisdom stabbed, Lawrence suspended then Injured and Waghorn, an out of position striker playing RW, suspended too! Now he’s injured. Evans and Knight, two CM’s, playing out of position. Wonder why our form dropped off.

Cocu’s been dealing with scraps for a long time, yet the last time we were genuinely mid-season we were absolutely flying! Sheff Wednesday away and Blackburn at home, we stuck three goals past each.

If it wants for the fact Cocu brought through Knight, Bird and Sibley to the first team, we’d be in an even worse position. We’ve just had to sell off Bogle and Lowe, we haven’t reinvested the money yet and it’s been the weirdest phase of football since the Second World War.

I’ve seen Cocu’s football not only work but look great, the bloke has had so much to deal with since he arrived and he’s finally getting close to putting a team together. There’s 45 games to go, I’m just not worried this one went badly.

[Jram]

21 minutes ago, Andicis said:

So be it? You think it's ok if we finish 5 places lower than we did last year? For me, that's sackable.

Yep, no money and emphasis on academy production 

Fine by me ??

[Mostyn6]

5 minutes ago, Coconut said:

"You should always play on the front foot, positive football"

"I want the team on the pitch to play with bravery and confidence"

"if you're afraid to make a bad pass or make a bad decision, you shouldn't come out to play a game"

"in  midfield we hesitated instead of playing an up-tempo game"

"We don't have a lot of options to make changes when needed, the lack of creativity and end product, that's something we're trying to change for the team"

 

 

Apparently though, according to the experts on here, it's his plan, his mentality, and his tactical approach that's the problem.

Whether he can get the team playing to the standards he wants may be up in the air, but anyone who questions his intent and claims he wants us to be boring to watch, afraid to attack and play with a slow tempo is talking out of their arse, and I'm fed up of sniffing their odours.

If Cocu has said those things, then I am happy. Cos it shows awareness and willingness to adapt. He’s clearly very intelligent. I would enjoy working with someone like him. He needs to kick a teapot at er.... Andre Wisdom.... that’ll learn em. 

[May Contain Nuts]

6 minutes ago, RoyMac5 said:

Perhaps he should consider the players he has rather than the one's he wants? If they have to adapt why can't he?

Because he's the manager, not the players, he has a long term plan and deviating from a long term plan to achieve some short term goals is a bit of a waste of time.

Besides, 10th last season could very well have been the maximum that squad of players was collectively capable of, under any manager.

[Jimbo Ram]

17 minutes ago, Coconut said:

"You should always play on the front foot, positive football"

"I want the team on the pitch to play with bravery and confidence"

"if you're afraid to make a bad pass or make a bad decision, you shouldn't come out to play a game"

"in  midfield we hesitated instead of playing an up-tempo game"

"We don't have a lot of options to make changes when needed, the lack of creativity and end product, that's something we're trying to change for the team"

 

 

Apparently though, according to the experts on here, it's his plan, his mentality, and his tactical approach that's the problem.

Whether he can get the team playing to the standards he wants may be up in the air, but anyone who questions his intent and claims he wants us to be boring to watch, afraid to attack and play with a slow tempo is talking out of their arse, and I'm fed up of sniffing their odours.

So let’s hope then he can get the players he wants in with the ability to enable us to play on the front foot, more attacking and exciting football and implement his plan ?

[Mostyn6]

7 minutes ago, Coconut said:

Besides, 10th last season could very well have been the maximum that squad of players was collectively capable of, under any manager.

Now that, Mr Nut, is absolute bullsausage. If you cannot see games/points lost last season that shouldn’t have been, in collusion with Rooney’s positional indiscipline, which ultimately cost us positions, then you’re blinkered, lying or don’t even watch Derby. 
 

I do however note your use of the words “could very well “... so maybe you’re trolling me ?

[Andicis]

19 minutes ago, Jram said:

Yep, no money and emphasis on academy production 

Fine by me ??

His team hasn't changed since last year, so why should the position on the table? No progression, even when he's supposed to be a coach?

[SaintRam]

46 minutes ago, Andicis said:

So be it? You think it's ok if we finish 5 places lower than we did last year? For me, that's sackable.

I agree. I'm a big Cocu supporter, but if this season ends with us having gone backwards from last year I couldn't bring myself to be confident in him moving forward. Unless something extraordinary causes it, like the entire squad simultaneously breaking their ankles.

[Tamworthram]

3 minutes ago, Andicis said:

His team hasn't changed since last year, so why should the position on the table? No progression, even when he's supposed to be a coach?

Because the other teams in the league have?

[Andicis]

4 minutes ago, Tamworthram said:

Because the other teams in the league have?

The strength of the championship is always more or less the same, some teams better some worse, regardless we should be progressing.

[May Contain Nuts]

15 minutes ago, Mostyn6 said:

Now that, Mr Nut, is absolute bullsausage. If you cannot see games/points lost last season that shouldn’t have been, in collusion with Rooney’s positional indiscipline, which ultimately cost us positions, then you’re blinkered, lying or don’t even watch Derby. 
 

I do however note your use of the words “could very well “... so maybe you’re trolling me ?

 

I know we lost some games we shouldn't have, but also we won/drew some games we probably shouldn't haven't on the overall balance of play too

Surely players' individual performances, defensive errors & missed penalties etc are all part of the reason the squad collectively weren't able to achieve more?

If the team available from the resumption onwards were available all season we may have finished a few places higher, or maybe we'd still have burned out, but done so even earlier and finished lower!? 

Anyway, the past is the past, nothing we can do but try to learn from it.  I'm choosing to remain positive about our future.

[sage]

1 hour ago, NottsRam77 said:

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 Because half of the senior players were being sold or were not fit.

Why wernt Dutch mike and Clarke playing together, We only just signed him, he played as soon as he could why wasn’t sibley playing off Marriott,He was 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 are you aware of the embargo?

have to say also ... fozzy worries me more and more by the game his distribution is so slow a clumsy at times. his passing awas good today and was our third best rated starter

 

 

[Mostyn6]

@Coconut I’d be genuinely interested in knowing which game(s) we won that we shouldn’t. My criticism of last season is/was that we were so lethargic and pitiful, we didn’t spring a single surprise in the league.