How impressed are you with BMcD's return to the club?

[No Fixed Abode]

Brian just needs a win at the weekend to equal Clarke's PPG this season, without the luxury of an in-form striker. Good stuff.

reading comprehension

Yes - I did hear Reading were comprehensively beaten.

[genome]

Good one

[CountryRoyal]

I remain thoroughly unconvinced of McDermott's managerial abilities and believe, and have done for some time, that his previous success was built on a deep and unique relationship with the club and the players at the time, a situation which has long since passed and one that I fear will not reoccur.

The problem lies in that I don't believe we would be able to attract anyone better and id much rather someone shit who cares about the club than someone shit who doesn't.

[Maneki Neko]

I remain thoroughly unconvinced of McDermott's managerial abilities and believe, and have done for some time, that his previous success was built on a deep and unique relationship with the club and the players at the time, a situation which has long since passed and one that I fear will not reoccur.

.

fear leads to anger, anger leads to h8, h8 leads to suffering

[Forbury Lion]

I'm impressed with the clubs decision to bring back Brian McDermot, I think he's so far done an acceptable job with the squad we have.

Next season is the big test, If the board back their manager in the transfer window then I would expect to see us regularly winning at home and challenging for the play-offs by Christmas. If they do not back him, then I'm expecting more of the same.

[Vision]

48 Games in total so far this season.

Pre McD = Played 24 - Won 9 - Drawn 6 - Lost 9

With McD = Played 24 - Won 9 - Drawn 7 - Lost 8

[Snowball136]

48 Games in total so far this season.

Pre McD = Played 24 - Won 9 - Drawn 6 - Lost 9

With McD = Played 24 - Won 9 - Drawn 7 - Lost 8

So statistically we are better, but we have also lost purple-patch Blackman and otherwise top-scorer Sa

and let's not forget that though overall SC had those wins etc, six came in a bizarrely-good
purple patch (plus the 0-1 v Derby) but we fell apart after that and were playing like certain
relegation fodder (until McD stepped in.

Immediately prior to McDermott taking over we had lost 5 of of our pst six, and IMO McDs first
two defeats (game 2 and 3) were more down to Clarke than McD.

This YEAR McD is 8-7-6 (his three other games were 2015, and IMO he had had no time to fix things)

"31 points from 21 games" is a 68 point season, usually about 8th. These stats include cup games
and a win over Premiership opposition. League only McD in 2016 is running 12th, same and solid.

[Rollerbob]

Not at all convinced with Mr. McDermott...

Why on earth are we playing Cox & Kermogant up front? They've scored 1 league goal between them this season. Birmingham back line must have been laughing to themselves.

I just don't get Brian's tactics. If we've thrown the towel in for the rest of this season, we should play the players who we know will be here next season, and throw in some youth if we can. Alternatively, we can go for more points, and play the more talented players we have who we know wont be here next year? But with Brian, we end up with a confused starting lineup - which is a bit of both?

Al Habsi - Would bond not be a better choice this stage in the season to gain experience?
Gunter - Fine
Obita - Fine
McShane - Fine
Cooper - Fine, but only if we're trying to give him more championship experience, and not playing the "lets get more points" game - seriously, this guy costs us SO many goals. Ferdinand is a much better defender.. And if we're playing Cooper, why are we playing the guys who won't be here next year?

Quinn - Fine
Norwood - Fine
Wiliams - Fine
Piazon - Errr.. yes he's reasonable going forward, but would it not be worth playing GMac or Evans instead?

Cox - Hasn't scored for about 8 years, why on earth is he starting for us? Also, he probs wont be with us next year.. How sh*t is Rakels? If he can't get in ahead of Cox, why did we sign him?
Kermogant - Im okay with this, but he needs talent around him to score goals, and he's not exactly in form..

And another thing (while im ranting) - we played the most central game ever against B'ham - yet we aren't clever or skillful enough to do anything other than play it out to the wings.

Brian had better have a good pre-season, but like many others, I can't see him bringing in quality players, who would inevitably have to chose us over other, better, teams.

Brian tells us that it's okay, because we've had a good 2016 at home - but have we? Draws against Fulham, Wolves & Cardiff aren't "good".

I wonder what the discussions were when he took over from Clarke. Did he promise an improvement? If so, he should be out. Because he's fundamentally failed on results. Did he say "I need a full summer to turn this around"?, If so, then he's cut himself a ridiculously good deal with the board, especially if this season doesn't matter.

[Forbury Lion]

Why on earth are we playing Cox & Kermogant up front? They've scored 1 league goal between them this season.

+1 They both look as though the would play better with Vydra or Rakkels alongside them but not together.... unless this was Brian experimenting

We would have been better off playing 1 up front with Hector in front of the back 4 again than Cox and Kermogant up front.

In their defence, Kermogant was getting his head onto a number of balls and Cox was giving more effort than the rest of the team. Maybe the plan was to be strong and wear them down without necessarilly challenging and then in the second half bring on McLeary and Vydra and get them running at players with tired legs..... of course, that failed as soon as we conceded the first goal and there was no plan B.

[Snowball136]

When Cox played with kermis, Kermie would get a header and Cox would try to react, always too late

When Vydra came on, as soon as the defence or midfield got the ball he would make a ball-busting run EXPECTING the through ball or one over the top or the Kermie flick. The midfield was genuinely pathetic this game.

The defence may have let in two goals but wasn't dire.

The attack got veery little, but in the middle we could barely string a pass together
and Williams messed up any good move we might have had

[Vision]

Perhaps he's looking to see if Cox and Kermogant can work as a partnership before the club decide on what to do with Cox.

It's not that far fetched an idea is it really considering Kermogant is a similar player to Glenn Murray (albeit a slight downgrade) and the Murray/Cox front pairing actually did pretty well under Adkins?

[No Fixed Abode]

48 Games in total so far this season.

Pre McD = Played 24 - Won 9 - Drawn 6 - Lost 9

With McD = Played 24 - Won 9 - Drawn 7 - Lost 8

So statistically we are better, but we have also lost purple-patch Blackman and otherwise top-scorer Sa

and let's not forget that though overall SC had those wins etc, six came in a bizarrely-good
purple patch (plus the 0-1 v Derby) but we fell apart after that and were playing like certain
relegation fodder (until McD stepped in.

Immediately prior to McDermott taking over we had lost 5 of of our pst six, and IMO McDs first
two defeats (game 2 and 3) were more down to Clarke than McD.

This YEAR McD is 8-7-6 (his three other games were 2015, and IMO he had had no time to fix things)

"31 points from 21 games" is a 68 point season, usually about 8th. These stats include cup games
and a win over Premiership opposition. League only McD in 2016 is running 12th, same and solid.

But not as good as under Clarke's tenure.

Reading also had a +4 goal difference when Clarke was sacked. Now it's -1

[Snowball136]

Come on NFA, play fair. SC had Blackman & Sa

I think Blackman made a small difference.

Also, I don't dispute that SC overall had his 9 wins but what was his record from the Fulham game onward?

2-4 Fulham LOSS
1-1 Brighton Draw
2-2 Huddersfield Draw
0-2 Cardiff LOSS
2-1 Bolton Win
1-3 Forest LOSS
0-1 QPR LOSS
0-1 Preston LOSS
1-2 Hull LOSS

P9 W1 D2 L6 = 5 Points = 0.55 Points per Game A 25-POINTS SEASON

You can't genuinely and fairly compare McDermott versus "all Clarke's games"

Had Clarke (and stand-ins) spread his wins, losses and draws out he might not have been sacked

The team was 13th on December 16th after the Hull game

13 Reading 21 7 6 8 5 6 27 25 +2 27 1.29

But what was scary was the CURRENT form as shown above.

THAT is what we should compare McDermott to.

He had to deal with a team in free-fall.

Just another 4 games like that, maybe just one point (the form of the previous 9 games)
and we would now be on 46 points. (McDermott WLLW for those four games) possibly 21st

McDermott has taken a FAILING, relegation-bound side that had won only once in 9 games
Lost Blackman and Sa (17 Goals) and has produced an unspectacular mid-table SAFE side and picked
up 4 Million quid or so.

[No Fixed Abode]

But like Clarke - everyone said Blackman was on a downward spiral and it was right to get rid cos ya know - people don't turn their form around.......

[Snowball136]

But like Clarke - everyone said Blackman was on a downward spiral and it was right to get rid cos ya know - people don't turn their form around.......

I have no idea where Blackman was "blown" but the fact
remains that SC benefitted from the only player this season
who has had a hot streak, even though he kept playing him out of position.


But it's OK, Brian has Cox

[Ian Royal]

It's worth noting that despite making us worse to start with and being shit in general, Clarke still managed to have a very good start to this season. Given McDermott is out performing Clarke's start at the club, has arrested the slide it was in when he arrived and his excellent Championship record, I see no reason why he can't do better next season.

You don't turn around a failing team and take them to 9th, then 5th, then 1st just because you know some players well. Of the team that finished 1st, lets not forget that Gorkss, Griffin, Harte, Leigertwood, Roberts and Le Fondre were all brought in by McDermott. That's half a team. It's not like he'd built some sort of special relationship with them over years before he took over. Hell, McAnuff and Cummings had only been at the club 6 months before he got the job too.

[Extended-Phenotype]

But like Clarke - everyone said Blackman was on a downward spiral and it was right to get rid cos ya know - people don't turn their form around.......

I have no idea where Blackman was "blown" but the fact
remains that SC benefitted from the only player this season
who has had a hot streak, even though he kept playing him out of position.


But it's OK, Brian has Cox

You two don't

[Longhorn1970]

But like Clarke - everyone said Blackman was on a downward spiral and it was right to get rid cos ya know - people don't turn their form around.......

I have no idea where Blackman was "blown" but the fact
remains that SC benefitted from the only player this season
who has had a hot streak, even though he kept playing him out of position.


But it's OK, Brian has Cox

Cox will surely be released as he continues his run of khak form. The gamble that was Rakels and Kormorant looks set to burn another hole in the clubs finances which we can ill afford, both should be embarrassed with their return so far, although the person who moved for these two duffers (doubt it was BM, he was prob in the dark) should also be shown the door as they are clearly a chancer with no grasp on what is needed at this level.

[Longhorn1970]

I'm impressed with the clubs decision to bring back Brian McDermot, I think he's so far done an acceptable job with the squad we have.

Next season is the big test, If the board back their manager in the transfer window then I would expect to see us regularly winning at home and challenging for the play-offs by Christmas. If they do not back him, then I'm expecting more of the same.

Back him with what ?? There is no money, the agenda is to reduce the wage bill, the owners clearly want maximum reward for little investment but as we all know it doesn't work that way at any level.
What about Leicester you cry ? The foxes were £20m in debt when they got promoted to the Prem (more than 18 out of 20 premier league clubs) and controversially more than the £8m determined by FL fair play rules. By 2013 the owner had racked up debts of £103m. Clearly the owners do not want to follow that business model !

[Snowball136]

Don't understand people writing off Rakkels

He's played 158 minutes and scored one goal

a crucial goal which won the game at Charlton
in the dying seconds