i know who I want to see play on Saturday and it ain't Potts and especially on the wing instead of Izzy or Adam
Potts is useful sometimes but it’s refreshing to have a break from him. Thought Mallan did well and earned himself another start. Problem is he means playing 4-5-1 and Bradshaw doesn’t get a sniff.
If we don’t play 4-5-1 we get overran. I do feel for Bradshaw, he’s a selfless worker and must be fit as a flea to do what he does for little reward, but with the current squad we are too open and concede too much possession and territory with two up front. Which invariably leads to goals to the oppo - and it’s counter productive in any case as with two up top we have no ball to create anything. Say what you like about some of the final balls but we got in behind quite a bit today. We were solid I thought, the only two shots on target they had were quite tame routine saves, we didn’t give them much. Yes we need to create more - but we need a foundation to build on. It’s our best performance in a bit I think, certainly at home. Finished on the front foot looking likeliest to win it, against a side going quite well at the other end of the table. Pinnock looked solid. Promising. Yiadom looked nearly back to his best. Lindsay didn’t have his best game, Fryers I don’t particularly rate to be honest. Passed to the stands as much as a teammate. Williams was out of sorts. Gardner surprisingly decent, Mallan looked comfortable and good in patches. Has less physical presence than Potts but looks to have a stack more ability, though unlike Moncur prepared to do a shift. Superior to both Potts and Moncur on that showing, though he’s proved nothing yet. Hammill looked a bit fitter and quicker but lacks end product. We’ve missed Izzy, I’d have him and Barnes either side on Saturday, Hammill covers better than Barnes so it’s a risk defensively but we need to win a game at some point. From tiny acorns and all that though. Shoots of recovery. One big bugbear though. Say it after every game, and there’s a thread for it so I won’t labour the point. But throw ins? Good grief.
You cannot surely decide who is better of the two considering Mallan has only played once all season. Plus they may play the same position but are different types of midfield player.
I expect 3 or 4 changes Saturday and the same again for Sunderland and Millwall. Squad rotation during a busy period, so even though yesterday was our best home performance for ages, I can't see a settled side for Reading.
Well for me its Mallans spot to lose and Potts has to start cracking some pots in training to dislodge him.
Both. Very different types of player and in our current predicament both exceptionally useful. Despite quite obvious limitations with both.
I thought the dire Gardner as you describe him had a decent game yesterday , although I do not think he is any where near a Matty James , it has to be said, that he had a slow start with us until he got his match fitness & sharpness & then he looked quality , maybe this could be the same with Gardner , who knows
Potts and Mallan are totally different entities. Mallan is a Moncur type player. Work rate is less but can hit a dead ball or make a pass. Potts is more of a handfull physically and he makes a lot more forward runs. You can only play a Moncur or Mallan in a 3, with 1 up front.
I may be wrong because I haven't seen much of them recently but is it coincidence or is it a fact that Williams seems to have lost form since Gardner got into the team. I reckon they stand on each other's toes too much. Play one or the other. Both is a no go for me.
Was a lot better from Gardiner yesterday. Williams gave the ball away in critical areas on several occasions. Gardiner was pushing on more. Mallan was great on the ball but his running off the ball was non existant.