Play the reserves.....

[urz13]

.....For a game or two. Give the players who think they've got it sorted (Leigertwood, Kebe, McAnuff, Pearce etc) a kick up the arse. Then ask them to play for the reserves and we'll find out who is prepared to fight for the shirt. We have a capable reserve team. Is it really a disaster if we lose two games but it gets the first teamer's going?

[Rick_Dangerous]

If we've got players waiting the wings who can do a job for us then sure give them a run out, but even after Saturday's performance I'm somewhat dubious that we have a huge pool of talent not getting games at the moment.

[Row Z Royal]

Let's see how they get on against AFC Wimbledon's reserves today(?) before we make silly statements like the above.

[Z175]

Its clear our side is better than 23rd place. We have 9 players who reached the playoff final with 1 who was a champion only a few months ago. Yet we don't know how to play. It’s the style. Our box to box midfield dyanamos are being squashed as McAnuff and Kebe are scared to create anything, our full backs our too panicky to push forward and we have no partnership up front. This all leads to unreasonable pressure on the defence.

We can either try and ground out a few 0-0s and get some spirit back, or bite the bullet and drop players.

This is not with a view to leaving McAnuff, Kebe etc in the cold all season, but to make them realise they need to win that shirt as an individual. Theres a lot of of good collective spirit in this squad but now they are sharing the pain around too. If Jobi or Kebe know they won't play unless they make an impact then they will be forced to try things that they are too fearful to do now. Once they are dropped they will hopefully come back with nothing to lose. Doncaster at home is surely the point to do this.

I would certainly bring in Cummings for his pace and invention. Also on Saturday Church actually did ok, possibly hes the only one who knows he has to do a lot to stay in the 16. Manset was the only decent thing about Saturday so I would pair the two of them, assuming Noels still out. ALF has to come into a winning team that’s enjoying possession. We'll be playing with 10 men if we stick him in at the moment. Robson-Kanu showed more inclination to take people on than Kebe and McAnuff so he should start. Brian Howard also has plenty of creativity so I would bring him in, potentially Jay Tabb or Gunnarsson could bring some passion and commitment into a 3 man midfield to ensure we actually get some time on the ball. Doncaster's passing football and desperation for points could certainly see us bypassed again. Pearce was woeful on Saturday but hes been fairly solid previously. Tempting to bring Khumalo back in as can't be much worse, but I'd give Pearce another shout. Federici wasn't at fault on Saturday but he should perhaps organise his defence better. A shout for young McCarthy might give the message to all the 11 players who started v Watford. Slightly contradictory but I would recall Harte. Hes had his kick and we miss him terribly at free kicks.

McCarthy - Harte, Gorkss, Pearce, Cummings - Gunnarson, Karacan, Howard - Robson-Kanu, Manset, Church,

So a bit of a change in formation but I would go for a 4-3-3, giving Cummings license to roam, HRK starting on the left and Church or Manset on the right but being mobile and doubling up together, HRK at liberty to roam and Manset to drop off, with Church poised on the edge of the last defender. Whoever plays with Manset should stick near like glue and we'd get a lot more traction.

Bench of Federici, Khumalo, Kebe, McAnuff, Le Fondre

This is assuming Hunts not fit, if he is he should start

I don't see this as the solution for the season, certainly Kebe, McAnuff and Leigertwood will hopefully start the majority of the renaming league games. This is just a short term solution to get some invention and utilise the squad when we need it. If we get a result if will create confidence and Kebe, McAnuff, Legs and Alf can return to the winning team. These players should be the icing on the cake, but at the moment we just need to find some flour.

[The Prisoner]

Play the reserves! In fact play the under-18s! No....play the U-16s because THEY CARE!!!!!!

The team that has made 2-3 changes from being 90 minutes from the prem is clearly rubbish.

I don't know why we bother....we should let you all burn.....

[muddyfeet]

did you not go to Charlton?

[Extended-Phenotype]

I hate this sort of tabloid reactionary 8ollox – saying a player had a bad game because he doesn’t care.

It has nothing to do with caring, and everything to do with confidence. Jobi for example wasn’t being lazy, he just bottled most of his passes. Each sigh from the crowd making the next pass that much more difficult to complete. You could see in his face that he had lost belief in himself.

That’s not to say he should be dropped. Time out can relieve the pressure. But the lads do care. And that is actually why they are playing badly right now.

[brendywendy]

thought jobi looked our most dangerous player, although that aint saying much at all.

[sandman]

thought jobi looked our most dangerous player, although that aint saying much at all.

Two good crosses at the start but went missing after that.

[Terminal Boardom]

I hate this sort of tabloid reactionary 8ollox – saying a player had a bad game because he doesn’t care.

It has nothing to do with caring, and everything to do with confidence. Jobi for example wasn’t being lazy, he just bottled most of his passes. Each sigh from the crowd making the next pass that much more difficult to complete. You could see in his face that he had lost belief in himself.

That’s not to say he should be dropped. Time out can relieve the pressure. But the lads do care. And that is actually why they are playing badly right now.

Keep reasoned comment off the Team Board

[Forbury Lion]

Let's see how they get on against AFC Wimbledon's reserves today(?)

Play the first team in the reserves.

[Ferris]

The reserves won 3-1. A nice morale boost according to Reading FC twitter.

[Simon's Church]

The reserves won 3-1. A nice morale boost according to Reading FC twitter.

Yeah the team will definitely be 'buzzing' for Doncaster after this important win

[glass half full]

The reserves won 3-1. A nice morale boost according to Reading FC twitter.

Do you know the team that played for the reserves?

[Simon's Church]

Taylor scored 1 and set up 2 for Church.

[glass half full]

thought jobi looked our most dangerous player, although that aint saying much at all.

Two good crosses at the start but went missing after that.

Jobi just needs to regain some confidence. Sometimes when our confidence is low, we tend to try too hard (yes, too hard!).

I know that the final shot went awry but shall never forget his run through the Liverpool team. Come on, Jobi! We know that you are capable of better and (dare I say it?) it will come.

[Sarah Star]

I don't think replacing different players and messing about with the team is really the answer. We need to find a way of playing that doesn't involve hoofing and flicking balls on to a non-existant Long...

Taylor scored 1 and set up 2 for Church.

...although maybe Church is ready for a second coming?

[Extended-Phenotype]

Church? No chance. Manset was one of the few players to actually do something positive, while it would be bizarre to drop Le Fondre after one game, though I thought the balloon floating around the goal at half-time showed more promise.

Taylor would be interesting. Jem and Legs didn’t play a forward pass all game; we are screaming out for a bit of creativity and positive play through the middle.

Drop Jem, move Jobi inside or park Taylor there in my opinion. Failing that, go 4-3-3 with Jem and Legs behind Jobi or Taylor, maybe shifting Le Fondre out wide on the left and let him cut inside on the attack. Keeps us with two forwards, but retains a bit of body in midfield for a creative to get stuck in.

Failing that tell Jem to MAKE A FORWARD PASS ONCE IN A F//KING WHILE.

[Sarah Star]

Don't know about Manset. Felt that against Watford he looked like he was making an effort but lacked the expertise to pull it off.

I just feel that now Church has hit the net twice in a game, he might have found his mojo again.

[ZacNaloen]

Jem and Taylor in midfield, drop Ledge for not being Ledge.

Might give him the wake up call he needed.