Drop Mcanuff for Newcastle?

[moonwalklikebas]

I think its time!
Give the armband to Pearce, Give Hal/Jimmy a go and see what happens when he doesnt play!

[HoneyRoastHoax]

Stats say he was the best player for us against west brom

[RoyalBlue]

Stats say he was the best player for us against west brom

My eyes suggested much the same!

[moonwalklikebas]

Really?
Stats dont tell the whole picture. Stats are very easy to look at and agree with.
Many fans will be with me when I say he has to be dropped!
It will be the first time in 2 seasons.

[HoneyRoastHoax]

The tilehurst end: Jobi McAnuff bore most of the brunt of Reading’s last two losses but the stats show he actually had a decent game. He attempted 6 dribbles and completed 5, he attempted 9 crosses and completed 4, and he generally kept the ball when challenged on the ground. Compare this to McCleary, who may have electric pace and the "wow" factor, but his stats (0/0 dribbles, 1/7 crosses, 3/6 ground duels) show him to perhaps be less effective than people might believe.

http://www.thetilehurstend.com/2012/9/2 ... he-numbers

[mr_number]

Stats say he was the best player for us against west brom

My eyes suggested much the same!

Ditto.

No is obviously the answer to this one, fans who say otherwise aren't paying attention and/or are fvckwits.

[RFCSPACE]

I think many of us would also disagree, realising that he upped his game against West Brom. Unless the whole team improves as a unit, we won't improve. Individuals cannot carry this team, none are good enough alone, even HRK.

[facaldaqui]

Stats say he was the best player for us against west brom

My eyes suggested much the same!

Agree. He was within a hairsbreadth of breaking through on occasion and was fouled a couple of times into the bargain. I have been bemused at the criticism he's received on here after that game; I thought he was coming into form--and was certainly leading by captain's example. He will look better when Roberts is back.

[facaldaqui]

Really?
Stats dont tell the whole picture. Stats are very easy to look at and agree with.
Many fans will be with me when I say he has to be dropped!
It will be the first time in 2 seasons.

Dropped for whom? In my opinion, he is demonstrably better than Hal. I don't know if McCleary plays on the left, but I wouldn't want Kebe and McCleary in the same team as they are too unpredictable, whereas McAnuff gives you a reliable quantity on one wing.

[moonwalklikebas]

Reliably crap!

[facaldaqui]

Reliably crap!

We need to be realistic about wingers. Occasionally they totally own a game, but it's a very difficult art and one that makes you look stupid when risks don't come off. With the exception of Gareth Bale, wingers tend to shine only about once every four games--and that includes big names like Walcott, Downing, Wright-Phillips ...

[Extended-Phenotype]

Some people are barking mad. While the whole team has hardly been much to shout about, he's been one of few to stand out. Works hard, constantly involved, beating his man, fighting to the end. While he wasn't great vs Tottenham or Stoke he played well against Chelsea and WBA - while McCleary has made a few highlights overall I'd say Jobi has been more effective and from what I hear he is one of the reasons the team fight to the end.

Personally I'd be looking to drop Guthrie who, while his passing have been good, contributes little to the fight - breaking down the opposition more will give us more of the ball and hopefully feeding the wingers more often will lift those cross stats, but in reality I don't think any one player has been the reason for our slow start. Everyone has the ability to do better, the team can and hopefully will improve.

[Wimb]

Some people are barking mad. While the whole team has hardly been much to shout about, he's been one of few to stand out. Works hard, constantly involved, beating his man, fighting to the end. While he wasn't great vs Tottenham or Stoke he played well against Chelsea and WBA - while McCleary has made a few highlights overall I'd say Jobi has been more effective and from what I hear he is one of the reasons the team fight to the end.

Personally I'd be looking to drop Guthrie who, while his passing have been good, contributes little to the fight - breaking down the opposition more will give us more of the ball and hopefully feeding the wingers more often will lift those cross stats, but in reality I don't think any one player has been the reason for our slow start. Everyone has the ability to do better, the team can and hopefully will improve.

Our failure at West Brom can't be put down to a lack of fight, it was a lack of quality, something that Brian has admitted.

This is my own worry with Jobi, in that he hasn't quite got the craft to do much damage on the left and that it's a bit of a waste of an attacking outlet. His workrate and defensive work has generally been good (giving the ball away for Spurs opener aside) but are right backs in this division going to be overly concerned about a player who cuts in 9/10 without a huge amount of pace?

Right now we don't exactly have too much competition but I would like to see a winger with a left foot brought to the club, just as something a bit different. I'm not baying for Jobi to be left out of the team but I don't think he should be first name on the team sheet either at the moment.

[Extended-Phenotype]

But is it lack of quality or lack of form?

I'd say Jobi is a 7/10 player in a 7/10 team. As our owners are (once again) more willing to gamble £30m-£60m by scrimping investment in the team then gamble £10m-£20m on players that aren't sitting amongst the dented tins at the end of the isle, how exactly is singling out a player playing to our standard going to help?

[E. Andrew]

[quote="Wimb"]a player who cuts in 9/10 without a huge amount of pace?...I would like to see a winger with a left foot brought to the clubquote]

That's my one concern with Jobi, that he's always cutting in. It seemed like Spurs and WBA were trapping him in that, and he hasn't adapted. With McCleary it feels like 50/50, probably leaning more toward proper crosses. I don't want to see Jobi dropped, but I'd like to see him somewhere where he's comfortable with his options. Didn't he start on the right vs. Stoke? Can't remember how he looked though.

[loyalroyal4life]

now that harte is out we should see mcanuff improve, any left midfielder will struggle playing in front of harte

[Wimb]

But is it lack of quality or lack of form?

I'd say Jobi is a 7/10 player in a 7/10 team. As our owners are (once again) more willing to gamble £30m-£60m by scrimping investment in the team then gamble £10m-£20m on players that aren't sitting amongst the dented tins at the end of the isle, how exactly is singling out a player playing to our standard going to help?

Yeah I'd say that's fair but like it or not he's one of 4 'attacking' players in the team and the goals/assists are going to have to come from somewhere. I mrely wonder whether we could be better utilising that spot with someone else. You run the risk of exposing yourself a lot more if you gambled on changing a central midfidler, say if you brought in someone like D'Ath for Leigertwood but I think the left wing could be a slot you could upgrade without exposing us too much defensively.

Like I said I'm not particularly singling him out, I'm just wondering if the left wing might be a position where a change could help create a few more goals.

[Ian Royal]

Really?
Stats dont tell the whole picture. Stats are very easy to look at and agree with.
Many fans will be with me when I say he has to be dropped!
It will be the first time in 2 seasons.

True, but many fans said he should be dropped last season when he was our highest assister. Many fans said he shouldn't have been named captain when he led us to a title. I know two fans who say he's the worst player we've had in a decade.

"Many fans think" is not a very good argument. West Brom is the only league game I haven't seen, so can't comment on that, but he has seemed to me to have started poorly. But if the West Brom stats show an improvement, then no it really isn't time to drop our captain. Certainly not before we've seen how Kebe is going to play against QPR

[The Goat was fed]

I'm sorry, but any Reading fan who suggests Jobi McAnuff be dropped is utterly clueless about football. Firstly, as one poster correctly pointed out, wingers are often a victim of their own characteristics. If a winger skins a man and then plays a decent cross, it's considered his "duty" - the fact that this is one of the hardest things to do in football is lost on people. When he doesn't, it's a sign that he is failing at his job. As a result, I'd argue that there is substantially less "middle ground" for a winger's performance. They either set the place alight, or look a bit abject. People who understand football, understand this.

Jobi McAnuff is slightly more "undroppable" than the average winger for two, arguably three reasons. Firstly, he is a tireless defensive worker, which is absolutely essential when you consider that Ian Harte is essentially "carried" to provide a set-piece threat. Secondly, he has proven versatility that allows us to change things up without making more than one sub. He can play on the right, he can also go through the middle - where he's surprisingly decent. To some extent, I wouldn't be too surprised to see him move there when Kebe is fully fit, with McCleary going on the left. Maybe not permanently, but against certain teams. Thirdly, he is our captain and though it's not like cricket where captaincy actually matters, he's been given it for a reason so that has to count for something.

Having said all of that, if McAnuff plays poorly over a sustained period, McDermott has already shown that no player is undroppable - but that time is not now.

[themadstad]

Parts of his play at West Brom was fustrating but then tbh he wasn't the only one. No one really got the ball in to the box quick enough. All too laboured for me and I actually wondered if him being left out will make a blind bit of difference.

He is actually a right wonder isn't he? I do wonder what the stats say in terms of completed crosses from each wing etc.

Problem is the squad in general just doesn't look strong enough, we look candidates for this season's whipping boys.