Back from the game - Swansea

[Victor Meldrew]

One simple question-why did we treat it as a 45 minute game?
If you at least try to attack for 90 minutes you are doubling your chances of scoring a goal and in our dire poition shutting out the opposition is not good enough when we are also shut out.
The time for experimentation was last July/August (and not go on jollies to his beloved Ireand and play tthe local pub team) and it is pathetic of Brian that it has taken half a season to wake up and understand where we are.

[If you still hate Futcher]

I agree VM that the formation should've been ironed out pre-season, but what we were doing just wasn't working so what should BMcD do, keep on with 442 or change it now, as so many have been asking for, and at least make us competitive.

Also remember that Swansea are one of the best teams at keeping the ball in the whole of Europe, not just the PL, but they were just keeping it at the back and we wouldn't allow ourselves to get drawn out. They changed their style too in the second half and went a bit more direct and as a result we then started coming into the game and eventually we were on top and they were pushed back and defending the last 10 minutes in their area.

[Alexander Litvinenko]

One simple question-why did we treat it as a 45 minute game?
If you at least try to attack for 90 minutes you are doubling your chances of scoring a goal and in our dire poition shutting out the opposition is not good enough when we are also shut out.
The time for experimentation was last July/August (and not go on jollies to his beloved Ireand and play tthe local pub team) and it is pathetic of Brian that it has taken half a season to wake up and understand where we are.

For the past couple of seasons before this one - and especially last season, BMc's favourite tactic was keeping everything tight for about the first hour then going for it when the opposition was tired. I saw Saturday as a return to this.

[handbags_harris]

That's all very well and good, but games like this are ones that we really do need to be trying to get 3 points from if we have any designs on beating the drop.

Never did we look like winning the game, ALF's volley aside we didn't get close to troubling the Swansea goal, and relying on the odd set-piece just won't cut it at any level.

I understand the reasoning behind the tactics we employed yesterday but sure as hell don't agree with then. Yes we should have played this system away from home earlier in the season, but that's not an excuse to go playing it in an almost must win home game half through a season when we only have 9 points.

And those who say the tactics worked a treat, I'd argue that Swansea had at least 2 golden opportunities to score so it's not like we shut them out completely.

Saying all that....this squad is by far the weakest in the division so I guess we should be happy with any point we manage to obtain.

And going for the three points from the off has worked a treat so far this season hasn't it? Something had to change, McDermott admitted at the end that we needed to get a result and said that, with 0-0, we got it. My opinion is that we needed anything but a defeat so on that score, I'm happy. If that comes at the expense of creating chances then fine, because the opposition don't look like creating many either. I don't actually think we could have done much different having been consistently ripped apart by Swansea in October. We were far too open that day and there was no way, with fragile confidence and a seven game losing streak, we could go at them hammer and tongs again because we'd have lost. But if going for the win and losing rather than setting up a defensive formation after a bad run of results and getting a point is unacceptable then so be it...

By the way, this is how I see the next few games going until we get into January and start signing players. If we sign nobody of any quality in January then expect more of the same.

[ZacNaloen]

Back when we played Swansea at their home we should have gone 4-5-1 as soon as their first goal went in, or even looked like being on the back foot,and played the game out.

[Jink]

It was extremely painful watching our performance against Swansea, like others have already mentioned we had 8 outfield players constantly behind the ball, no wonder the Pog is struggling. We need to sign some quality in January that is able to create from that 5 man midfield and in the same context we need a striker that can play the solo role. I think we will give it a good go to stay up but we will fall short down to the defensive errors pre: Man City.

[winchester_royal]

Praise the Lord, after 5 pages someone who actually understands what went on yesterday!!

Meanwhile, Winchester's post above shows why it will always be lost on the blinkered majority.

You really are a c*nt.

Most on this thread seem to be accepting the fact that we're already down and are just looking to limit the humiliation we'll suffer before the season is over.

I agree that 4-5-1 is absolutely the way to be going away from home, but at no point did we look like winning this game and only thanks to some wasteful finishing from Michu did we escape with a draw.

This was not a masterful defensive display full of tactical nous, this was a plucky backs-to-the-wall cupset-type performance that 70% of the time would have got beat.

Those numbers are okay away from home, but not at the Madejski where we're going to have to pick up the majority of the 30-odd points we need to stay up.

[Millsy]

Winchester you have a point and I'm not going to knock you for it rudely just because I don't agree (I do agree on one level).

But the fact is after long run of defeats we just need to go back to basics and stop the rot. And if that means one half of boredom so be it.

Brian tried the "we're shit anyway so let's make it a goal fest and see if we come out on top" approach and we've learnt now that's completely the wrong approach as others are far more capable of out-attacking us.

So we have to go back to basics and I for one was happy with or approach against Swansea. Let's build slowly and surely.

We were doing fine until our heads dropped after a couple if defeats. All it takes is a couple of good defensive games and some hard earned points and our heads will lift again.

We can't go gung-ho when we have zero confidence.

Brian was spot on.

[Woodcote Royal]

Praise the Lord, after 5 pages someone who actually understands what went on yesterday!!

Meanwhile, Winchester's post above shows why it will always be lost on the blinkered majority.

You really are a c*nt.