BFTG - Plymouth Home

[sandman]

Yeah! Leave it to posters from AE to make things that aren't true up on the Team Board.

[SCIAG]

I wasn't very well last night but dragged myself along anyway.

Very impressed by Beerens and Swift, who look to be the two best players in the squad. Beerens needs to work on his delivery and Swift on his decision making, but they're probably only going to get better as the season draws on. The left back Sawyer had the worst match I've seen a player have in a long time, including Hope Akpan.

Watson was very assured. He's always been quite promising but he's progressed better than I think anyone expected. I'd feel confident with him starting league matches.

Cooper put a couple of passes wrong (there was a dreadful one with his weaker foot that went out of play under little pressure, and his trademark "casually tee up an opposing forward" in the second half) but I don't think it's going to kill his career or anything. He's better on the ball than McShane or Pearce. I'm still concerned about his tackling but he wasn't tested last night.

Joey was very lucky not to give away a penalty in the first half when he quite clearly pulled an opposition forward down when they were through on goal. However, his positioning was much better again and I don't remember him being caught out once.

My last word is on Harriott, he showed why we signed him. Quite exciting going forwards, although not as good as Beerens. But his understanding of the game was great, as was his work rate. Several times he halted an opposition counter-attack by making an intelligent run to cover their advance. I suspect he'll be extremely useful from the bench in lots of situations.

[John Madejski's Wallet]

He's not getting as much love on here as Swift & Beerens, but I am really impressed by Evans in the holding mid role.

Tight defensively, always looked for the ball and tidy passing/going forward.

[Top Flight]

Yeah, I agree! Evans was fantastic.

Norwood who?

[winchester_royal]

I keep hearing 'Norwood who?' or 'Oliver Norwood who?' and it's starting to irritate me. Not because I disagree with the sentiment, but because the execution is totally off.

The whole point of the diss is that his departure is so irrelevant that you've forgotten his name - therefore it should be 'Oliver who?'.

Please can you all correct this going forward.

Ta.

[tidus_mi2]

If you phrase it "Norwood, who?" It could be perceived as a short had way of saying Norwood, who is he?". Of course the comma makes the difference.

[Ian Royal]

Yeah what idiots for actually wanting to see us go for the jugular and try and score a few more goals.

Who wants to see an exciting young French player, who apparently had the opposition full back all at sea, run with the ball?

There was me thinking football was about scoring goals but apparently it's all about boosting you possession statistics by passing it along your back four.

When there's no options on it's clearly better to pass backwards or sideways and keep the ball, than pump it up to no one for the sake of going forwards.

And Meite was shot after a couple of really good runs, give the kid a fcuking chance to catch his breath instead of screaming at him.

Sandman in supporting the simpleton kick and rush approach shocker.

[K.URZ13]

That was a comfortable win and the difference between the two sides was summed up by the opposition's comments on the gulf in class. That, and the prospect of being involved in one of the most exciting Championship seasons ever, makes me feel very pleased to be a Reading fan at the moment.

[Nuremberg Royal]

"That was a comfortable win and the difference between the two sides was summed up by the opposition's comments on the gulf in class. That, and the prospect of being involved in one of the most exciting Championship seasons ever, makes me feel very pleased to be a Reading fan at the moment."

+1

[sandman]

Yeah what idiots for actually wanting to see us go for the jugular and try and score a few more goals.

Who wants to see an exciting young French player, who apparently had the opposition full back all at sea, run with the ball?

There was me thinking football was about scoring goals but apparently it's all about boosting you possession statistics by passing it along your back four.

When there's no options on it's clearly better to pass backwards or sideways and keep the ball, than pump it up to no one for the sake of going forwards.

And Meite was shot after a couple of really good runs, give the kid a fcuking chance to catch his breath instead of screaming at him.

Sandman in supporting the simpleton kick and rush approach shocker.

Not what I'm saying at all. As I've said on this thread and in the post below, I like passing football. I just don't care for square passes across your own box for the sake of it.

[sandman]

Yeah what idiots for actually wanting to see us go for the jugular and try and score a few more goals.

Who wants to see an exciting young French player, who apparently had the opposition full back all at sea, run with the ball?

There was me thinking football was about scoring goals but apparently it's all about boosting you possession statistics by passing it along your back four.

When there's no options on it's clearly better to pass backwards or sideways and keep the ball, than pump it up to no one for the sake of going forwards.

And Meite was shot after a couple of really good runs, give the kid a fcuking chance to catch his breath instead of screaming at him.

But I'm not talking about when there is no other option, I'm talking about when there is a forward pass on and they turn back inside rather than playing it forward. Play your football in the opposition half rather than your own. Then if you make a mistake your less likely to concede from it. Surely that makes sense?

Meite is a professional athlete, he's not you on a Sunday morning, hungover and waddling around the park. I'm sure he can manage a couple of extra runs, even if he is being "screamed at"

[andrew1957]

As for Cooper he saw a huge amount of the ball in the first half and I actually counted his poor passes and I made it 4 out of about 30

you obviously didn't count, why make that up?

Well you happen to be wrong. I was sure Cooper would get a right pasting on here as for some reason he seems to be the latest hate figure for no good reason at all IMO. And so I specifically watched him first half as I was sitting near the front of East Stand in the Reading defensive half and so he was playing right in front of me a lot of the time. And he did make 4 very poor passes but on numerous occasions he found his man. I am pretty sure he had more touches than any other RFC player in the first half - although even with my maths skills I could not tally them for every player. But typically the haters here only see the odd poor passes and not all the good things he did.

[NewCorkSeth]

I keep hearing 'Norwood who?' or 'Oliver Norwood who?' and it's starting to irritate me. Not because I disagree with the sentiment, but because the execution is totally off.

The whole point of the diss is that his departure is so irrelevant that you've forgotten his name - therefore it should be 'Oliver who?'.

Please can you all correct this going forward.

Ta.

+1

Or try sliding who into his name.
Oli Norwhood?

[Pepe the Horseman]

Yeah what idiots for actually wanting to see us go for the jugular and try and score a few more goals.

Who wants to see an exciting young French player, who apparently had the opposition full back all at sea, run with the ball?

There was me thinking football was about scoring goals but apparently it's all about boosting you possession statistics by passing it along your back four.

When there's no options on it's clearly better to pass backwards or sideways and keep the ball, than pump it up to no one for the sake of going forwards.

And Meite was shot after a couple of really good runs, give the kid a fcuking chance to catch his breath instead of screaming at him.

But I'm not talking about when there is no other option, I'm talking about when there is a forward pass on and they turn back inside rather than playing it forward. Play your football in the opposition half rather than your own. Then if you make a mistake your less likely to concede from it. Surely that makes sense?

I was though. I'm not even arguing with you, you tried to pick a fight then got defensive when you got called up on it.

[RoyalBlue]

When there's no options on it's clearly better to pass backwards or sideways and keep the ball, than pump it up to no one for the sake of going forwards.

And Meite was shot after a couple of really good runs, give the kid a fcuking chance to catch his breath instead of screaming at him.

Sandman in supporting the simpleton kick and rush approach shocker.

Not what I'm saying at all. As I've said on this thread and in the post below, I like passing football. I just don't care for square passes across your own box for the sake of it.

For the 'sake of it' might be for sake of the fact that there isn't another safe passing opportunity open at that time. So do you a) Hoof the ball forward and hope that one of your players wins possession (they often don't). or b) Play safe, pass the ball square/back as much as you need to until you open up the opportunity for another relatively safe pass forward?

Too often in the recent past our management and players have opted for a)

Thank God we are now changing that approach.

[NewCorkSeth]

Sandman in supporting the simpleton kick and rush approach shocker.

Not what I'm saying at all. As I've said on this thread and in the post below, I like passing football. I just don't care for square passes across your own box for the sake of it.

For the 'sake of it' might be for sake of the fact that there isn't another safe passing opportunity open at that time. So do you a) Hoof the ball forward and hope that one of your players wins possession (they often don't). or b) Play safe, pass the ball square/back as much as you need to until you open up the opportunity for another relatively safe pass forward?

Too often in the recent past our management and players have opted for a)

Thank God we are now changing that approach.

On the option a) approach I have often thought the same about long goalie kick outs. It often doesn't lead to anything but a ping pong battle and a disruption of tempo.

[John Smith]

AA bit late here with the feedback but:

- Roy Beerens is class - is he a set piece taker also?
- Plymouth are absolutely terrible!!

[Lower West]

I am pretty sure he had more touches than any other RFC player in the first half

Obviously Plymouths tactic was to let the Reading centre backs have the ball. Hence why Stam wants to play with cultured defenders. That are comfortable pushing forward. Evans can then step back to fill the void left.

[Nameless]

As for Cooper he saw a huge amount of the ball in the first half and I actually counted his poor passes and I made it 4 out of about 30

you obviously didn't count, why make that up?

Well you happen to be wrong. I was sure Cooper would get a right pasting on here as for some reason he seems to be the latest hate figure for no good reason at all IMO. And so I specifically watched him first half as I was sitting near the front of East Stand in the Reading defensive half and so he was playing right in front of me a lot of the time. And he did make 4 very poor passes but on numerous occasions he found his man. I am pretty sure he had more touches than any other RFC player in the first half - although even with my maths skills I could not tally them for every player. But typically the haters here only see the odd poor passes and not all the good things he did.

Not sure of your point...
Cooper made some shockingly bad passes, usually where he was trying to play balls that simply weren't on. Where he did find his man it was because he played the simple ball to his fellow defenders. His problem is not his passing, it's his decision making. Too often he tried to thread a ball through a non existent gap in midfield, it is cut out by the opposition and they score/ attack. He cannot afford to do that 4 times in a game however many times he completes a regulation 20'yard pass to his full back.
I like Cooper, he's a great attacking asset, he is getting better positionally and as has been said if he can't learn from Stam he will be on his way next summer.

[Ian Royal]

Really nice movement shown in our play from the highlights. Finding space and passing forward through tight spots into space for someone to run on to. Just really fluid. Gonna get caught occasionally, but the benefits outweigh that IMO.

Swift is going to be a huge player. I think we might actually cope without a striker. Swift, Beerens and Harriott all look capable of hitting double figures. I fancy Swift for topscorer unless we sign a striker.