"the effectiveness of counter-attacking will be all-important. "

FFS.

 

Is that another way of saying "get 11 men ................

........ behind the ball and hope they have an off day"??

 

we need to do something we are not very good at...

that would be putting the white spherical object between the two vertical posts....

 

Defend...defend.....defend defend defend.... nt

 

I think that's a fair bet.

Once again, going out to avoid defeat and hamstrung by a fear of the opposition.

 

He never learns does he? ...........

....... Reading have been struggling for 13 games - 3 wins I think - so get at 'em, go for the jugular, get in front and keep going for it, big crowd on their backs etc. etc. but no, sit back, soak it up hoping to nick one on the break, go one down early on and it's all over ........... Kevin Doyle and Dave Kitson, bet yer can't wait to fill yer boots boys

 

Hope I'm wrong

But it looks like he's setting out in a way that'll give Reading the initiative. </p>

Post match comments will include &quot;game plan&quot; &quot;missed chances&quot; &quot;most of the game&quot; &quot;individual errors&quot;</p>

and then to Coventry....
</p>

 

A really difficult game-plan

If we go gung-ho, we are likely to get caught out. And yet we need to aim to get all the points. If we defend only a) can you see us keeping a clean sheet? b) we will miss opportunities to gate-crash the single goal to win the game.

Sides who have done well at Reading (there are plenty of them, including Southampton and Nottingham Forest) have managed to frustrate them by getting players behind the ball and closing them down quickly all over the pitch, including at the back. They have then hit them on the break.

We need to play it carefully and seek not to give them anything anywhere on the pitch - something we have not done that well in recent weeks! They will come under pressure from their fans and their situation in need of points. We need to judge the right time, at 0-0, to bring on more attacking players to hit them on the break, when they push forwards.

I have to say that it is this sort of scenario which has been Davey's strength, when you consider especially Liverpool and Chelsea and it is a performance like those which is now needed.

Worst case scenario - we concede another early goal like Saturday and it is we who are trying to push forwards, get caught on the counter etc etc.

Just a thought - would you bring on Sousa and push Foster up front if we needed a goal from crosses later on in the game? Just a thought! Stick to the players who are contracted to the club and whose futures depend on how well we do, plus Hammill.

 

4-5-1

Mifsud ploughing a lonely fruitless furrow as he spurns gilt edged 1 on 1's
Bogdanavic and Hammill out wide providing succulent crosses to their keeper.

We sneak a goal to take the lead, Macken comes on for Boggy as we try to hang on and we concede an equaliser in the last 10.

Or is that too optimistic for this board?

 

RE: A really difficult game-plan

Agree with much of what you'd propose here. (Refer to thomasevans post) We definitely need the Liverpool/Chelsea performance where we close them down quickly, even when they try and play it out from the back, our forwards must be doing this. We mustn't allow them ANY time on the ball. It's going to take a tremendous effort by ALL the players to maintain this for 90 minutes, but it's what they must do. Our destiny is in our own hands.

 

RE: A really difficult game-plan

I just don't think we do defensive formations that well.What makes me laugh/cry is Davey's assertion that when playing 2 wide men we've been too open so have to have 3 in central midfield - and here we are out of the relegation spots on goal difference, so has hardly been a resounding success. If Davey's here next season he needs to have a massive re-think on how he sets his team up. Cos the 3 in midfield thing has completely knackered JCR up imho.
</p>

There isn't the discilpine in the side.
</p>

 

I'd take a point if offered it now

But not if we were leading 1-0 with a minute to go.
I'm not a real fan.

 

Set pieces will decide the game

If we can stop giving away stupid free kicks near our box and keep Reading to the odd corner and throw in, we have a chance of keeping the game tight and nicking something, like other teams have done as Davey refers. If we give Hunt too many opportunities to whip the ball in, eventually they will score. If we go there and try to out play Reading, making it an open game, we'll get a pissing.

Prediction: 2 nil Reading.

 

I blame the fans. nt

 

Yup

Totally agree.
A bunch a fickle racists.

 

Stop stalking me. nt

 

RE: I blame the fans. nt

12,000 there against Swansea. 500 more than at Donny. Just that.

 

Batsards. nt

 

Stabards. nt nt

 

right, we're down.

nt