for Gods sake we sold Alfie and replaced him with this.
Do we support Alfie May FC? I am really going to get tired of his name being brought up any time we lose a game.
We are already six points ahead of where we were this time last season, with only two goals conceded instead of six. And at this point Alfie had a single goal, from a penalty. He was hardly setting the world alight.
We've won 3 games out of 4 and as well as May being constantly referenced there's even more activity on the Dobson thread with people digging out CL members because Wrexham won. Our style is attritional so if you win it's fine and if you lose it can be very dull, but a whole season of people running to bring up footballers who don't play for us anymore whenever we lose is going to be exhausting
I think like Wigan it was a game on a knife edge and this time we tipped over he wrong side of it. Ref gives a pen and we tip the other way and are all happy. For me the big issue is our attack. Especially away from home you need to bully and scare opponents a bit. Campbell can do it with his pace but he is not the finished article in that position. Ahadme just doesn't trouble defenders enough for me. I would start Godden next week and possibly play Kanu with him. We are crying out for a Leaburn type though IMO.
I was a bit surprised by Jones' reaction. Was it really a performance that was a lot worse than Wigan? It was all about keeping them out and that shot was unsavable IMO. Not sure what he was on about re Mannion's positioning. It went in off the post. The second long ranger we have conceded (one in the cup). You can say we should close down better, but we forget about it if it misses as most of them do. You open up more after that and there is always a greater risk of a second. Our away game seems to be all about not conceding the first and on another day we could have achieved it. But we do need to be sharper up front. Our build up play looks ok but the final detail is more of an issue.
for Gods sake we sold Alfie and replaced him with this.
Do we support Alfie May FC? I am really going to get tired of his name being brought up any time we lose a game.
We are already six points ahead of where we were this time last season, with only two goals conceded instead of six. And at this point Alfie had a single goal, from a penalty. He was hardly setting the world alight.
We've won 3 games out of 4 and as well as May being constantly referenced there's even more activity on the Dobson thread with people digging out CL members because Wrexham won. Our style is attritional so if you win it's fine and if you lose it can be very dull, but a whole season of people running to bring up footballers who don't play for us anymore whenever we lose is going to be exhausting
What do you mean its going to be exhausting!! - It already f**king is!!
Reading appeared to have a game plan to play us at our own game. Get in our faces and be aggressive. I felt at the time if we weathered the storm in the first have we would go on and kill them as they tired later in the game. This did not happen.
I agree the game was on a knife edge. If we scorer that goal before half time we go on and win. They then score a screamer against run of play and it kills us. Game over.
Ahadme looked isolated and had little service but that does not excuse the poor touch when he had his best opportunity to score. He needs to improve. Campbell is not a striker, let's move him back to the wing. After he took the poor penalty against Birmingham I said he should be out on loan to gain confidence.
Finally when it's clear a team is negating our tactics we need to change formation or have another plan than wait until Gooden and Chuks come on.
I know I’ll be in a minority here but I don’t think that interview is a good look. There’s admirable passion and then there’s coming across as a cock. Fine line sometimes. If Berry was unwell why was he playing? Not as if we’re short of midfielders.
Probably for the best that we’ve had a blip to stop expectation getting the better of us. How we recover from the back will be key. Certainly not bed wetting time. Not drawing serious conclusions till we’ve played ten games.
for Gods sake we sold Alfie and replaced him with this.
Do we support Alfie May FC? I am really going to get tired of his name being brought up any time we lose a game.
We are already six points ahead of where we were this time last season, with only two goals conceded instead of six. And at this point Alfie had a single goal, from a penalty. He was hardly setting the world alight.
We've won 3 games out of 4 and as well as May being constantly referenced there's even more activity on the Dobson thread with people digging out CL members because Wrexham won. Our style is attritional so if you win it's fine and if you lose it can be very dull, but a whole season of people running to bring up footballers who don't play for us anymore whenever we lose is going to be exhausting
It’s frustrating but at the same time understandable. We ended the season with probably only two players the support base liked and rated; May and Dobson (Small & Ramsey showed potential, Leaburn injured).
The club / manager forced one out and in Jan and summer rejected the chance to retain the other.
Dobson has won MoM for their last two games, is bossing games and the fans are already forming cult love with him.
May has scored in every game and an assist too.
It’s perfectly natural fans look at that, compare ans think what if. We do the opposite with a ‘good sale’ who doesn’t then deliver against the value we sold them for.
I get completely that managers have preferential styles of play and that some players are more suited to that than others. But at the same time there has to be an element of ‘playing to your strengths’, and having the football leagues top scorer on your books playing for his local club is a huge strength. You tweak your approach to utilise that.
To get out this league you have to win games, if you’ve no threat up front and relying on nicking something from forcing a mistake, a set piece or midfield runner you are limiting yourself straight away.
I said to my son about 15 mins into the 2nd half we can’t concede first as there is no way we could score 2 goals here. And so it proved. Feels like we are boxing with one arm tied behind our backs.
It is what it is. It’s all so blooming frustrating
PWR … NJ’s post match interview sums it all up really. FWIW, I didn’t think it was a bad as he’s portrayed. Yes, we were poor first half but we had the best 2 chances. Second half, we had the better of them for the first 20 and then .. Boom .. a wonder strike from 25-30 yards. I thought that was the only way they were going to score against us. Then we’re chasing the game and it left holes at the back.
Lessons to be learned. Think we need to be more patient at times and not try and force passes when they’re clearly not on. We will be better against Rotherham but it sounds like that might be off?
in hindsight, it was a poor decision not to sign an experienced keeper. Mannion nearly cost us another goal when he decided to try an be an outfield player. But we got lucky there.
i say put this down to experience and move on. COYA
Had twelve plus hours to reflect and take on NJ's comments. There was certainly seemed to be an attitude in some of the players minds that we only have to turn up and three points are ours, Jones demands discipline and a physical performance, too many players wanted an extra touch or would try something they hadn't been doing in previous games. Lloyd Jones ill-discipline at a throw on, whether it was ours or not, is an example of that, Thierry Small's cross-field ball to no one in the first half was another, there were plenty of other instances. Fair play to Reading, they worked hard for little reward in the first 35 mins but scored a wonder goal and were gifted another to give them a deserved result, as for Charlton, there are some players who need to realise that they have been given praise over the last few weeks because they earned it, they earned nothing yesterday and deservedly came away with nothing.
Reading now second only to Blackpool on away days never to repeat. A very poor fan experience getting to / from a ground in the middle of nowhere with no segregation outside the stadium. Post match we ended up on the edge of some silly skirmishes- I dread to think what could have happened if it had been a close / tense / controversial finish with heightened emotions.
Agree with all the concerns re creativity and lack of firepower. On a more positive note we did battle and compete well - even when under the cosh in first half - until the goal took the stuffing out of us. After that we lost composure all round. Plenty said about Ahadme already. I’m a bit worried about Chuks - he seems to have lost his mojo. I do worry we haven’t got the squad depth. Maybe we pinned our hopes on a Joe Gomez sale boosting the transfer coffers? Could also be a missed opportunity not to take a couple of loans.
Jones certainly doesn’t go along with the Curbs’ mantra re highs and lows does he? I’m trying to, and will give it to November before deciding whether we’ll be up there or not as that’s when the season is well and truly set.
COYA.
Yep, agree with this too. I'm hoping and praying that at the moment the priority - for his mental as well as physical condition - is to get injury free minutes under his belt, and build up his belief that he really has made a full recovery. Ball to feet in the box is where he wreaks maximum panic and destruction, haven't see that once yet this season. Cross fingers
for Gods sake we sold Alfie and replaced him with this.
Do we support Alfie May FC? I am really going to get tired of his name being brought up any time we lose a game.
We are already six points ahead of where we were this time last season, with only two goals conceded instead of six. And at this point Alfie had a single goal, from a penalty. He was hardly setting the world alight.
We've won 3 games out of 4 and as well as May being constantly referenced there's even more activity on the Dobson thread with people digging out CL members because Wrexham won. Our style is attritional so if you win it's fine and if you lose it can be very dull, but a whole season of people running to bring up footballers who don't play for us anymore whenever we lose is going to be exhausting
It was always going to happen though, it was a controversial transfer.
Back to the game, morning after the night before and still disappointed. A real back down to earth with a bump after the Bolton performance.
I suppose the disappointing thing is before yesterday we thought with this current team that we will not make many chances but we will work bloody hard and out battle most. Yesterday we were second best all over the park, not only did Reading outplay us they were sharper in all areas. Wasn’t expecting that.
First half was awful, just wasn’t at the races. A tactical injury for Mannion allowed a chat and regroup (we’ll see a lot of this this season as keepers don’t need to go off) so a slight improvement, but there only felt one team in the game.
2nd half we looked sharper, and threatening to be one of those classic away steal games, but when we got in final third areas we just didn’t have any conviction. Once they scored the result felt inevitable.
All round a really disappointing day and felt no different to the February visit there. Only positive was getting away well, not getting caught up in the muggy behaviour that seems to be actively encouraged there, and stepping off the train at Sidcup within 2hrs of leaving my seat.
We go again. Let’s hope yesterday was the blip and not the norm. Really concerned about us attacking though.
I was a bit too hasty in my post. I hadn’t taken in to account that I would have to spend more time talking to the wife and kids. CL at its most depressing has got to be better than that.
Will add, although I’m building a real dislike for their fanbase, fair play to Reading for what they continue to put out on the pitch given the back drop.
a proper club in crisis, they’ve lost so many good players over the last 8 months yet continue to put out a team that plays decent football at a good tempo. Seles is doing a great job with the tools at his disposal.
Just watched the NJ interview. Can’t help but laugh. Thats me when Bruv used to try and talk to me after I got told off by the parents for the 1 millionth thing I did wrong & got sent to bed with no tea 😂😂😂😂😂
Just watched the NJ interview. Can’t help but laugh. Thats me when Bruv used to try and talk to me after I got told off by the parents for the 1 millionth thing I did wrong & got sent to bed with no tea 😂😂😂😂😂
Tel has to take one for the team and keep NJ out of the dressing room for as long as possible so he can cool down but in trying to keep him away it may end up back firing and he winds NJ up even more , so he’s gonna have to produce some magic because team morale could hang on this . Good luck Terry , it’s all down to you
for Gods sake we sold Alfie and replaced him with this.
Do we support Alfie May FC? I am really going to get tired of his name being brought up any time we lose a game.
We are already six points ahead of where we were this time last season, with only two goals conceded instead of six. And at this point Alfie had a single goal, from a penalty. He was hardly setting the world alight.
We've won 3 games out of 4 and as well as May being constantly referenced there's even more activity on the Dobson thread with people digging out CL members because Wrexham won. Our style is attritional so if you win it's fine and if you lose it can be very dull, but a whole season of people running to bring up footballers who don't play for us anymore whenever we lose is going to be exhausting
It’s frustrating but at the same time understandable. We ended the season with probably only two players the support base liked and rated; May and Dobson (Small & Ramsey showed potential, Leaburn injured).
The club / manager forced one out and in Jan and summer rejected the chance to retain the other.
Dobson has won MoM for their last two games, is bossing games and the fans are already forming cult love with him.
May has scored in every game and an assist too.
It’s perfectly natural fans look at that, compare ans think what if. We do the opposite with a ‘good sale’ who doesn’t then deliver against the value we sold them for.
I get completely that managers have preferential styles of play and that some players are more suited to that than others. But at the same time there has to be an element of ‘playing to your strengths’, and having the football leagues top scorer on your books playing for his local club is a huge strength. You tweak your approach to utilise that.
To get out this league you have to win games, if you’ve no threat up front and relying on nicking something from forcing a mistake, a set piece or midfield runner you are limiting yourself straight away.
I said to my son about 15 mins into the 2nd half we can’t concede first as there is no way we could score 2 goals here. And so it proved. Feels like we are boxing with one arm tied behind our backs.
It is what it is. It’s all so blooming frustrating
It’s an understandable emotion but it doesn’t help anyone. He’s gone and the team is figuring out ways, mostly successfully so far, to win games of football without him.
As Prague put it, the whole fanbase was desperate for a “fundamentalist” approach to management after dealing with Garner, Holden, Appleton…
We got someone who’s proven to be good at doing it his way in Nathan Jones, and now we have to put our full trust in him or it just isn’t going to work out and get us promoted. If the whole club isn’t bought in and is pushing against him, it’s going to be very hard indeed.
And doubting him or his decisions after one defeat in our fourth game of the season has me very concerned that sections the fanbase is ready to turn on him far too quickly because their favourite player got sold.
What happened to giving a manager time to build a team in his image? We are really close and just a couple more tweaks will do it.
Put this one down to a bad day at the office and bounce back next week ! We have had a great start to the season. Like others I’m not sure Ipswich haven’t had our pants down with Ahadme he just seems so slow for a professional footballer and Anderson although full of effort etc should not be anywhere near our squad atm
Just watched the NJ interview. Can’t help but laugh. Thats me when Bruv used to try and talk to me after I got told off by the parents for the 1 millionth thing I did wrong & got sent to bed with no tea 😂😂😂😂😂
I am concerned that Nathan Jones gets so stressed.
Maybe the old football saying of not letting the highs get too high and the lows too low (something I personally try to keep in mind on the players marks thread) might be appropriate, and actually beneficial as there are specifics to note and things to ponder.
Here are a few.
Dizzy has taken on the Edward’s long throw duties, and NJ has recognised the value of such a tactic in this third division possibly throws aimed at Gas, conversely we are still not great at corners and free kicks, I presume most of them are aimed at Gas. Then there is TC, in the second half he was great in getting behind at the by line a few times, but his crosses were not met, and maybe an onrushing Godden would be the best person for that. So Nathan Jones might be pondering adjustments in attacking.
Better to move on to the work rather than over stress about the defeat.
It was a game that turned on a couple of moments, not because we’re suddenly getting everything wrong.
Berry got a ‘proper’ yellow, just a disappointment that it was his fourth in a row though. Not far off an early suspension, which might mean getting Alan Campbell in tune.
Please don’t stress NJ, we need you doing what you’re good at.
for Gods sake we sold Alfie and replaced him with this.
Do we support Alfie May FC? I am really going to get tired of his name being brought up any time we lose a game.
We are already six points ahead of where we were this time last season, with only two goals conceded instead of six. And at this point Alfie had a single goal, from a penalty. He was hardly setting the world alight.
We've won 3 games out of 4 and as well as May being constantly referenced there's even more activity on the Dobson thread with people digging out CL members because Wrexham won. Our style is attritional so if you win it's fine and if you lose it can be very dull, but a whole season of people running to bring up footballers who don't play for us anymore whenever we lose is going to be exhausting
It’s frustrating but at the same time understandable. We ended the season with probably only two players the support base liked and rated; May and Dobson (Small & Ramsey showed potential, Leaburn injured).
The club / manager forced one out and in Jan and summer rejected the chance to retain the other.
Dobson has won MoM for their last two games, is bossing games and the fans are already forming cult love with him.
May has scored in every game and an assist too.
It’s perfectly natural fans look at that, compare ans think what if. We do the opposite with a ‘good sale’ who doesn’t then deliver against the value we sold them for.
I get completely that managers have preferential styles of play and that some players are more suited to that than others. But at the same time there has to be an element of ‘playing to your strengths’, and having the football leagues top scorer on your books playing for his local club is a huge strength. You tweak your approach to utilise that.
To get out this league you have to win games, if you’ve no threat up front and relying on nicking something from forcing a mistake, a set piece or midfield runner you are limiting yourself straight away.
I said to my son about 15 mins into the 2nd half we can’t concede first as there is no way we could score 2 goals here. And so it proved. Feels like we are boxing with one arm tied behind our backs.
It is what it is. It’s all so blooming frustrating
Great post mate. Posters telling others what they should and shouldn't post is every day exhausting.. For the record I am pissed off May went when you can see he is off and running and his replacement.... Well isn't.
Shocking defensive shape when their cross comes in. To have three of the back five out of position is criminal in this set up: Ramsay, Mitchell and especially Jones need to take a look at themselves here. It was so unavoidable and this is the moment that killed the game.
Seen some trying to pin the blame on Coventry which is a bit mad in my opinion - he’s back covering for others who couldn’t be bothered to put the effort in. No way he stops a wily forward like Sam Smith cutting across the front of him when there is acres of space (that should be covered by Mitchell or Ramsay or both) to run into like that.
If you can’t win a game because you’re having an off day, you do your level best to make sure you don’t lose & take a point home - we had a big chance late on that could’ve made it 1-1 and we get out of yesterday with the unbeaten record intact.
Unfortunately, that still above captures the moment where the team gave up any chance of getting any points yesterday afternoon.
I am concerned that Nathan Jones gets so stressed.
Maybe the old football saying of not letting the highs get too high and the lows too low (something I personally try to keep in mind on the players marks thread) might be appropriate, and actually beneficial as there are specifics to note and things to ponder.
Here are a few.
Dizzy has taken on the Edward’s long throw duties, and NJ has recognised the value of such a tactic in this third division possibly throws aimed at Gas, conversely we are still not great at corners and free kicks, I presume most of them are aimed at Gas. Then there is TC, in the second half he was great in getting behind at the by line a few times, but his crosses were not met, and maybe an onrushing Godden would be the best person for that. So Nathan Jones might be pondering adjustments in attacking.
Better to move on to the work rather than over stress about the defeat.
It was a game that turned on a couple of moments, not because we’re suddenly getting everything wrong.
Berry got a ‘proper’ yellow, just a disappointment that it was his fourth in a row though. Not far off an early suspension, which might mean getting Alan Campbell in tune.
Please don’t stress NJ, we need you doing what you’re good at.
As good as he was in the 60s I think Alan's time has been & gone at this level
I am concerned that Nathan Jones gets so stressed.
Maybe the old football saying of not letting the highs get too high and the lows too low (something I personally try to keep in mind on the players marks thread) might be appropriate, and actually beneficial as there are specifics to note and things to ponder.
Here are a few.
Dizzy has taken on the Edward’s long throw duties, and NJ has recognised the value of such a tactic in this third division possibly throws aimed at Gas, conversely we are still not great at corners and free kicks, I presume most of them are aimed at Gas. Then there is TC, in the second half he was great in getting behind at the by line a few times, but his crosses were not met, and maybe an onrushing Godden would be the best person for that. So Nathan Jones might be pondering adjustments in attacking.
Better to move on to the work rather than over stress about the defeat.
It was a game that turned on a couple of moments, not because we’re suddenly getting everything wrong.
Berry got a ‘proper’ yellow, just a disappointment that it was his fourth in a row though. Not far off an early suspension, which might mean getting Alan Campbell in tune.
Please don’t stress NJ, we need you doing what you’re good at.
As good as he was in the 60s I think Alan's time has been & gone at this level
Shocking defensive shape when their cross comes in. To have three of the back five out of position is criminal in this set up: Ramsay, Mitchell and especially Jones need to take a look at themselves here. It was so unavoidable and this is the moment that killed the game.
Seen some trying to pin the blame on Coventry which is a bit mad in my opinion - he’s back covering for others who couldn’t be bothered to put the effort in. No way he stops a wily forward like Sam Smith cutting across the front of him when there is acres of space (that should be covered by Mitchell or Ramsay or both) to run into like that.
If you can’t win a game because you’re having an off day, you do your level best to make sure you don’t lose & take a point home - we had a big chance late on that could’ve made it 1-1 and we get out of yesterday with the unbeaten record intact.
Unfortunately, that still above captures the moment where the team gave up any chance of getting any points yesterday afternoon.
PWR. My brother said in the first half "what's the plan here? Bore the other team into submission?". My dad responded "yes, I believe that is the game plan!". Made me laugh! We really need a plan b but not time to panic. It was like everything we've done well in the first three games was forgotten and we looked a bit clueless tbh. A bit of arrogance maybe creeping in. Reading fully deserved the win but I'm a bit pissed off with the way we conceded. You can say the first was a great strike, but we'd let them have several long rang efforts in the first half under no pressure and it was a matter if time before one of them went in. Second goal was an embarrassment tbh. Jones fucking around and arguing with the ref over a decision when he should have been getting back in position or at the very least disrupting the throw in to slow play down. A lot happed after his bullshit, but it was the cause. Just really poor. Ref was awful and how he missed that handball was a disgrace. We get the pen on another day and it's a different result, but we deserved nothing from this game. Just a blip hopefully but a few of these need ski k up the arse. Tyreece and Coventry probably the only two players to come out of this with a y credit IMHO. COYA
Comments
I was a bit surprised by Jones' reaction. Was it really a performance that was a lot worse than Wigan? It was all about keeping them out and that shot was unsavable IMO. Not sure what he was on about re Mannion's positioning. It went in off the post. The second long ranger we have conceded (one in the cup). You can say we should close down better, but we forget about it if it misses as most of them do. You open up more after that and there is always a greater risk of a second. Our away game seems to be all about not conceding the first and on another day we could have achieved it. But we do need to be sharper up front. Our build up play looks ok but the final detail is more of an issue.
I agree the game was on a knife edge. If we scorer that goal before half time we go on and win. They then score a screamer against run of play and it kills us. Game over.
Ahadme looked isolated and had little service but that does not excuse the poor touch when he had his best opportunity to score. He needs to improve. Campbell is not a striker, let's move him back to the wing. After he took the poor penalty against Birmingham I said he should be out on loan to gain confidence.
Finally when it's clear a team is negating our tactics we need to change formation or have another plan than wait until Gooden and Chuks come on.
Hopefully we turn it around quickly next weekend
It’s perfectly natural fans look at that, compare ans think what if. We do the opposite with a ‘good sale’ who doesn’t then deliver against the value we sold them for.
in hindsight, it was a poor decision not to sign an experienced keeper. Mannion nearly cost us another goal when he decided to try an be an outfield player. But we got lucky there.
i say put this down to experience and move on. COYA
I suppose the disappointing thing is before yesterday we thought with this current team that we will not make many chances but we will work bloody hard and out battle most. Yesterday we were second best all over the park, not only did Reading outplay us they were sharper in all areas. Wasn’t expecting that.
2nd half we looked sharper, and threatening to be one of those classic away steal games, but when we got in final third areas we just didn’t have any conviction. Once they scored the result felt inevitable.
a proper club in crisis, they’ve lost so many good players over the last 8 months yet continue to put out a team that plays decent football at a good tempo. Seles is doing a great job with the tools at his disposal.
Can’t help but laugh.
Thats me when Bruv used to try and talk to me after I got told off by the parents for the 1 millionth thing I did wrong & got sent to bed with no tea 😂😂😂😂😂
Good luck Terry , it’s all down to you
Balanced interview with Doc...
As Prague put it, the whole fanbase was desperate for a “fundamentalist” approach to management after dealing with Garner, Holden, Appleton…
We got someone who’s proven to be good at doing it his way in Nathan Jones, and now we have to put our full trust in him or it just isn’t going to work out and get us promoted. If the whole club isn’t bought in and is pushing against him, it’s going to be very hard indeed.
And doubting him or his decisions after one defeat in our fourth game of the season has me very concerned that sections the fanbase is ready to turn on him far too quickly because their favourite player got sold.
What happened to giving a manager time to build a team in his image? We are really close and just a couple more tweaks will do it.
Here are a few.
Dizzy has taken on the Edward’s long throw duties, and NJ has recognised the value of such a tactic in this third division possibly throws aimed at Gas, conversely we are still not great at corners and free kicks, I presume most of them are aimed at Gas.
Then there is TC, in the second half he was great in getting behind at the by line a few times, but his crosses were not met, and maybe an onrushing Godden would be the best person for that. So Nathan Jones might be pondering adjustments in attacking.
Better to move on to the work rather than over stress about the defeat.
It was a game that turned on a couple of moments, not because we’re suddenly getting everything wrong.
Berry got a ‘proper’ yellow, just a disappointment that it was his fourth in a row though. Not far off an early suspension, which might mean getting Alan Campbell in tune.
Please don’t stress NJ, we need you doing what you’re good at.
Seen some trying to pin the blame on Coventry which is a bit mad in my opinion - he’s back covering for others who couldn’t be bothered to put the effort in. No way he stops a wily forward like Sam Smith cutting across the front of him when there is acres of space (that should be covered by Mitchell or Ramsay or both) to run into like that.
If you can’t win a game because you’re having an off day, you do your level best to make sure you don’t lose & take a point home - we had a big chance late on that could’ve made it 1-1 and we get out of yesterday with the unbeaten record intact.
Bollocks!