Despite being top of the Championship, I don't feel a great foreboding about our trip to the Madejski stadium today. Reading concede very few goals (only one so far I think) and we don't score many. I hope both those things change today. Would like to see us start with 2 wingers and try to take the game to them. Robertson is out for 12 weeks unfortunately so we'll probably have to depend on the evergreen Wood to hold firm at the back. Blackman also a doubt but I would be happy to see what Johansson could do for us. Hope Mattock is available. MacDonald and Barlaser in midfield with one other, probably Crooks. But who to start with up front?
Looking forward to this one. I feel an upset on the cards!
Don't think we have any wingers good enough. Wood he's last resort in defence. Sadlier could get goals for us played right. I'm going 4-4-1-1 Keeper whose fit; Olosunde Ihiekwe Harding Mattock; Lindsay S McDonald Barlaser Wiles; Sadlier; Hirst
Against Forest and previous matches our defence has performed well. I would make one change from the back four of Harding, Ihiekwe,Wood and jones and only if Mattock is fit. The defensive midfield pairing of Barlaser and mcDonald looks a fair mix and would at the moment make that the first choice pairing. Lindsay could fill in and does a good job especially the energy he gives. Just think Barlaser and McDonald have that bit more time on the ball and more chance of creating something. I would play two wide men in a midfield five and give Olosunde a role on the right with Miller on the left. I would have Wiles as the furthest forward in a central role and use his pace to get up and support the striker. Who do you pick as the lone striker? Not sure to be honest. Ladapo has the shirt at the moment so he might be first choice. But far from convinced he offers that much as a lone striker. He needs the wide men to get the ball into areas that suits him as does Barlaser.
A tough game as most are, and i think we will struggle to get something. A 0-0 draw would be good but i fear a 2-0 defeat i am afraid
If they are all fit I would be happy with the same starting eleven Whiston has gone for. I just wonder whether Josefzoon is ready to start, and if so maybe he would get the nod on the right side. Having said that I thought Olosunde looked good when
he came on at Forest. I also like the look of Barlaser and MacDonald as a very solid central pair in midfield. I share GlennMiller's cautious optimism that we can get something out of this.
Mattock back, otherwise same defence. Crooks on the bench. All other midfielders playing. Flo starting. Smith lone forward. See how it goes. Plenty of cover in midfield.
Mattock back, otherwise same defence. Crooks on the bench. All other midfielders playing. Flo starting. Smith lone forward. See how it goes. Plenty of cover in midfield.
Yup, looks like he's gone for strong midfield & hope we get something on break or set piece.
Smithy holding target. Woody is always a threat from set pieces.
I fear the worst but hope for best in this one !
UTM
-- Edited by Davidedin on Saturday 24th of October 2020 02:39:07 PM
We have gone away to the team at the top of the league and had 67% possession and virtually owned the football. Anybody watching that half who didnt know better would think we were top, not them. So impressed. OK we havent capitalised and it's a sucker punch to concede and goings trailing but we have been superb.
I understand the point you are making HM, but if we put an extra forward on we have to lose one from midfield, and then maybe we lose control. Unless we play with twelve, we cant have it both ways. It's a dilemma.
Travesty of.justice that. We were much the better side. Went behind against the run of play to a offside goal, and lost our shape towards the end chasing the game. Ironically it's the worst looking scoreline of the season so far but for my money comfortably our best performance. No doubt a couple of our regulars will crow about the defeat and ask for Warnes head, but anybody who watched that game and cant see massive positives from it knows nothing about the game.
Only difference between the teams was the ability to finish. It's tough to play so well and to concede 3. Prediction - Rotherham will not go down and Reading will not go up!
first 40 mins played some nice possession football but nothing in final third, whether he was offside or not Mattock lost his man and he was unmarked, he was also unmarked for the 2nd goal and another penalty in the last minute is 3 so far in 7 games, that is about poor concentration. We have some nice footballers but there are no goals in this side, this desire to have big blokes that run around upfront is league 2 thinking, we got away with it in league 1 but at this level you can't. Second half we created 5 chances got 2 on target, if you have 5 chances in 45 mins and do not score in the championship you will struggle. Smith is not a championship player, he does try but he is always 3 or 4 yards behind the play and is never in a goal scorer position when a cross comes in. We are not a bad side but we are not a good enough side either for this league. Football is a simple game you have to score goals and we haven't spent any money on anyone that can do that this year, that is not a complaint it is just a statement. To be fair to the owner with the state of football I am glad we will be at the bottom of the championship where we get more money than the top of league 1 as the premier league will not protect the EFL clubs and we will see a few league 1 and league 2 teams go under with the stupid policies around Covid-19 economically we (the country) are screwed so having a club in 2021 or 2022 is a blessing.
