Sonny Bradley

[YorkshireRam]

4 minutes ago, Carnero said:

Agree, especially in his earlier games this season.

It may have something to do with the bad injury he suffered at Luton last season when going for a header?

https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/20292971/luton-sonny-bradley-reading-championship-injury/

Hopefully he's getting back in the swing of things now.

I've speculated before I suspect it's the confidence thing of how the injury occurred, but also the impact on his knees when landing. Double those up and it'd make sense why he's not leaping care-free for every header?

[Crewton]

2 hours ago, Gabby'sThighs said:

p.s. he didn't get fouled for those penalty shouts, he just grabbed a defender and yanked them over

The one at the Charlton end, the defender definitely had a grip on his shirt first, but it was probably 50/50 after that. We'd have been quite fortunate to get it, though we've had plenty of other more obvious ones not given over the course of the season (and obviously a few the other way too).

[CapeTownRams]

3 hours ago, Carnero said:

Agree, especially in his earlier games this season.

It may have something to do with the bad injury he suffered at Luton last season when going for a header?

https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/20292971/luton-sonny-bradley-reading-championship-injury/

Hopefully he's getting back in the swing of things now.

Never thought about that tbh- I think u may be on to something….it was a horrendous fall and injury…

[angieram]

Sonny Bradley is starting to play consistently well, but could this be a double-edged sword for us? 

In order to keep his place in the team, it more or less forces Warne to stick with three at the back.

I feel our best football this season has been played with a back four. I just can't see Bradley in that set-up.

 

[Zag zig]

1 minute ago, angieram said:

Sonny Bradley is starting to play consistently well, but could this be a double-edged sword for us? 

In order to keep his place in the team, it more or less forces Warne to stick with three at the back.

I feel our best football this season has been played with a back four. I just can't see Bradley in that set-up.

 

Good point.

Was thinking about this myself, but more along the lines, if we play a 3, with Adams sitting in and extra bite to stop teams running through us, could we play Bird and maybe Sibley in front for more creativity. Know Sibley gets his knockers but I genuinely felt taking him off yesterday, made it more comfortable for them.

My issue with the 3 is not so much it doesn’t work defensively, it’s more the capabilities of our wing backs going forward. Which I think is why you would suggest 4-3-3? So I’m trying to think what allows them to be more effective, ball players with attacking instincts in the middle?

[TuffLuff]

18 minutes ago, angieram said:

Sonny Bradley is starting to play consistently well, but could this be a double-edged sword for us? 

In order to keep his place in the team, it more or less forces Warne to stick with three at the back.

I feel our best football this season has been played with a back four. I just can't see Bradley in that set-up.

 

It depends how we eventually set up in the attacking positions because it’s all quite disjointed. There has to be space for Corey Blackett-Taylor somewhere, you’d think Gayle and Waghorn, Sibley and Barkhuizen are currently in the mix, personally feel we could rest NML short term but there’s currently five/six players you’d think are starters currently for two/three positions.

You could drop Hourihane instead but he got another assist yesterday? It’s getting a balance, I’m sure it’ll work out. One thing I’ll say is that aside the two goals I thought we were defensively very good yesterday, which sounds a bit daft but I can’t see many attackers causing us that many problems.

Saying this though, and realising this after posting, a four might suit us better because it brings Nyambe at full back over Ward and Wilson. Glad I’m not the manager anyway!

Edited February 25 by TuffLuff

[Anag Ram]

Bradley might play well but it’s the effect his presence has on Cashin and Nelson that bothers me.

They were imperious as a pairing but seem unsure of their positioning in a three.

We also lack a good third midfielder to complement Bird and Adams.  Someone with more energy and power than Hourihane. Sibley might be the best option. 

 

[Elwood P Dowd]

17 minutes ago, angieram said:

Sonny Bradley is starting to play consistently well, but could this be a double-edged sword for us? 

In order to keep his place in the team, it more or less forces Warne to stick with three at the back.

I feel our best football this season has been played with a back four. I just can't see Bradley in that set-up.

 

I agree, but PW needs to bite the bullet and select the players and formation that are going to consistently bring in 3 points.

There is no time left for experimenting, we need to achieve 2 points plus, preferably 3, for the remaining portion of the season.

[angieram]

18 minutes ago, Elwood P Dowd said:

I agree, but PW needs to bite the bullet and select the players and formation that are going to consistently bring in 3 points.

There is no time left for experimenting, we need to achieve 2 points plus, preferably 3, for the remaining portion of the season.

And what is that formation, iyo?

[8Leeds]

Nyambe Nelson Cashin Elder

                   Adams 

[Ellafella]

45 minutes ago, angieram said:

Sonny Bradley is starting to play consistently well, but could this be a double-edged sword for us? 

In order to keep his place in the team, it more or less forces Warne to stick with three at the back.

I feel our best football this season has been played with a back four. I just can't see Bradley in that set-up.

 

Absolutely cast-iron spot on @angieram. Sonny’s rehab has overtaken Warne’s thinking to the point where it sacrifices Nyambe and makes us totally lose our shape and look ultra defensive. Warne is in danger of clutching defeat from the jaws of victory with his back 3 obsession. He really needs to snap out of it. And he needs to play with a centre forward not screw up NML by playing him out of position. 

[duncanjwitham]

5 minutes ago, angieram said:

And what is that formation, iyo?

433:

WIldsmith

Nyambe Nelson Cashin Elder

Bird Adams Hourihane

NML Waghorn Barkhuizen

Assuming Waghorn is fit enough to start at some point soon, as he's the only real focal point we have. Fozzy back in for Elder when he's fit.  Rotate the wingers with Wilson/Ward/CBT etc as per form/fitness.  The same with Sibley/Thomspon/Smith etc in the midfield 3.

[Elwood P Dowd]

57 minutes ago, angieram said:

And what is that formation, iyo?

We are not going to win games by being too defensive, draws are not going to be of much use, we need to have a formation which can move the ball forward quickly and does not surrender the midfield to the opposition and where a midfielder can drop into defence when needed, so its probably 433.

I would rather we committed ourselves to automatic promotion and if we don't achieve it then we shouldn't torture ourselves with regrets, our commitment to automatic promotion should also set us up well for the playoffs.

So lets all be positive and set the team up to play in the same positive manner.

[DCFC1388]

Cashin & Nelson in a back 4 struggle when teams play 2 up front & the team struggles to build up play from the back. So when teams play 2 up top we will need to play 3 at the back & Bradley offers something different to Nelson, Cashin & Nyambe.

I get the argument that we should play our way & impose ourselves on any team we play but we have tried that & failed

[8Leeds]

                   Wildsmith

Nyambe  Nelson  Cashin  Elder

                     Adams 

          Fornah            Thompson

                      Sibley
Wilson                                 NML

Loach, Bradley, Ward, Barks, Bird, Hourihane, Gayle

Based of who’s fit

[Leeds Ram]

1 hour ago, Ellafella said:

Absolutely cast-iron spot on @angieram. Sonny’s rehab has overtaken Warne’s thinking to the point where it sacrifices Nyambe and makes us totally lose our shape and look ultra defensive. Warne is in danger of clutching defeat from the jaws of victory with his back 3 obsession. He really needs to snap out of it. And he needs to play with a centre forward not screw up NML by playing him out of position. 

Agree with this. Given how Nyambie played when he came on, absolutely dominated that side of the pitch, it's hard to see how Warne didn't pick him. 

[Tamworthram]

3 minutes ago, DCFC1388 said:

Cashin & Nelson in a back 4 struggle when teams play 2 up front & the team struggles to build up play from the back. So when teams play 2 up top we will need to play 3 at the back & Bradley offers something different to Nelson, Cashin & Nyambe.

I get the argument that we should play our way & impose ourselves on any team we play but we have tried that & failed

It’s all about balance I guess. A manager would be negligent if they failed to recognise the strengths of the opposition, and their preferred method of playing, and didn’t take this into account. But, on the other hand, they shouldn’t be obsessed with the opposition and need to think about how they can cause them problems (especially at home). 
 

It’s this being a football manager lark. 😀

[Dcfcsr92]

2 hours ago, Anag Ram said:

Bradley might play well but it’s the effect his presence has on Cashin and Nelson that bothers me.

They were imperious as a pairing but seem unsure of their positioning in a three.

We also lack a good third midfielder to complement Bird and Adams.  Someone with more energy and power than Hourihane. Sibley might be the best option. 

 

In all fairness if we had nyambe rwb yesterday instead of wilson i think we would of won. Wilson is better goin forward but defensively is poor and our midfield got dragged out of position for there first goal because of wilson 

[Elwood P Dowd]

44 minutes ago, Tamworthram said:

It’s all about balance I guess. A manager would be negligent if they failed to recognise the strengths of the opposition, and their preferred method of playing, and didn’t take this into account. But, on the other hand, they shouldn’t be obsessed with the opposition and need to think about how they can cause them problems (especially at home). 
 

It’s this being a football manager lark. 😀

I’m in favour of the other option probably because it’s simple.

We set to play our best football with our best players playing in their most effective positions and let the other teams worry about us.

Im glad I’m not a football manager as there are so many variables. 🐏🐏🐏🐏

 

Edited February 25 by Elwood P Dowd

[Comrade 86]

I've been an advocate for Bradley all season in that I've stated that I didn't believe his early performances really showed us what we signed and his recent form has to some extent vindicated that opinion. That said, Nyambe has to start games IMO. From a defensive perspective, I'd still go with him, Nelson, Cash and Fozzy* and rotate in Sonny as needed, or start him if we really have to play a 3. Given how much better we can look at times when playing a 4-3-3, fans' frustration that it does not happen more often is understandable.

We're not going to creep over the line with damage limitation tactics and whilst I agree some of our players need to be more brave, perhaps Warne himself does too. I do think the eulogising of Barnsley is a bit daft though. Folk saying categorically that we can't beat them over two legs, if indeed if even comes to that, I find unfathomable. Have folk not learned, even after nearly two season in this division, that anyone can beat anyone and on what basis have they suddenly become world beaters? If we're as poor as some choose to make out then a scrappy 2-1 win at home should hardly set pulses racing.

*fitness notwithstanding