Where have all the brave men gone?

[Sun Tzu]

i can remember post after post praising the lad for his improving ball skills,in aq couple of games in a row, on this very board, during days where i was not out of my tree for doing just as i said above
i know i saw them, i know i saw him do it too, whether you choose to believe me or care is up to you.
i was just playing devils advocaat

and on that note im off to crawl back into my tree.

Brendy, you are the one who is correct here.

Pearce is a very capable ball player, seen him demonstrate it many times in the reserves. Less so in the first team but enough to know he has the ability.

Whether he yet has the confidence to do it regularly is open to question, but then at any level very few central defenders have the ability, confidence or opportunity to do it regularly. One of the criticisms aimed at Ferdinand is that he has not devloped that side of his game - and if you can't do it at Man Utd then you probably won't do it at a lesser club.

Another factor at Reading is the midfield don't offer the defence a route out. There is little point bringing the ball out if you then find yourself stranded 20 yards out of position,surrounded by opponents and with noone making themselves available for the ball. Our centre backs are made to look worse than they are because they are forced to play the dangerous balls rather than the easy ones to a willing midfielder.

[Cookie]

Bravery.
I don't know whether that's the issue?
Brave away and timid at home. That's hard to understand. In truth we've got a few first choice players unavailable.
The player of the year short-list announced at the Birmingham game were all injured and unable to start the game.

[The 17 Bus]

i can remember post after post praising the lad for his improving ball skills,in aq couple of games in a row, on this very board, during days where i was not out of my tree for doing just as i said above
i know i saw them, i know i saw him do it too, whether you choose to believe me or care is up to you.
i was just playing devils advocaat

and on that note im off to crawl back into my tree.

Brendy, you are the one who is correct here.



.

Another factor at Reading is the midfield don't offer the defence a route out. There is little point bringing the ball out if you then find yourself stranded 20 yards out of position,surrounded by opponents and with noone making themselves available for the ball. Our centre backs are made to look worse than they are because they are forced to play the dangerous balls rather than the easy ones to a willing midfielder.

Which is exactly what we lost when Sidwell moved on, we had him and Harper taking the ball from defence, and moving it forward, however we had little and Convey, who liked the ball to feet, not players who want it lumped over the top to chase.

When Sidwell left Harper lost his midfield partner, and slowly found with all the tried replacements that none played as well with him, or were as comfortable on the ball as Sidwell was.

If Harper pushes up so does the other midfielder most of the time leaving gaps, so Harper stays back more, restricting the game he is best at.

Perhaps, just perhaps it is Sidwell that we really miss. NAd just maybee if we go up we should try to buy him back.

[Hoop Blah]

i can remember post after post praising the lad for his improving ball skills,in aq couple of games in a row, on this very board, during days where i was not out of my tree for doing just as i said above
i know i saw them, i know i saw him do it too, whether you choose to believe me or care is up to you.
i was just playing devils advocaat

and on that note im off to crawl back into my tree.

Brendy, you are the one who is correct here.

Pearce is a very capable ball player, seen him demonstrate it many times in the reserves. Less so in the first team but enough to know he has the ability.

Whether he yet has the confidence to do it regularly is open to question, but then at any level very few central defenders have the ability, confidence or opportunity to do it regularly. One of the criticisms aimed at Ferdinand is that he has not devloped that side of his game - and if you can't do it at Man Utd then you probably won't do it at a lesser club.

Another factor at Reading is the midfield don't offer the defence a route out. There is little point bringing the ball out if you then find yourself stranded 20 yards out of position,surrounded by opponents and with noone making themselves available for the ball. Our centre backs are made to look worse than they are because they are forced to play the dangerous balls rather than the easy ones to a willing midfielder.

Although I agree that Pearce has shown outside of the first team that he is reasonably comfortable on the ball there is a world of difference between being able to play at that level and reproducing it in a proper competitive game. Reserve team football is a world apart from first team football, hence why so many of our youngsters are shipped out on loan to test them, and I'd say Pearce will never be anything more than a stopper who is, rightly, going to look to get rid of the ball as quick as he can.

Ivar is much the same, he has a little bit of composure but he still doesn't have the technique or speed of foot to do anything to eleberate on the ball. If Pearce developes into a defender as useful on the ball as Ivar (which is setting that high a standard) then he'll have done well.

As for Ferdinand, I've not seen him criticised as such for not being able to bring the ball out. He's one of the most composed defenders in the world, but I would agree that generally, in any standard (and in British football especially) defenders don't have the need or time to do much more with it.

[brendywendy]

so lets just say we can all see that our players arent perfect in terms of ball playing

i just wonder who is better that you all suggest we should have bought?

[Hoop Blah]

I think centre back has probably been our best position this season.

None of the 4 main contenders are perfect but I think they're all good enough, and have done their jobs well enough this season.

Yes we've seen a bit too much of them launching the ball long but I'm of the opinion that it's the players infront of them that cause that just as much, if not more, than the centre halfs themselves.

[Mad Dog's Ghost]

If there's not a better ball playing full back than Rosenior, or a a better ball-playing wingers than Hunt and Kebe in the whole of England, who are in our price range (we're one of the wealthiest clubs in the championship) then we might as well all pack it in now.

Brendy, go through the team and pick out the players who you're really confident with on the ball.

Marcus - so, so ... distribution poor.

Rosenior - nightmare (occasional decent cross, but generally a nightmare).

Harding/Armstrong - average

Bikey - bi polar. One minute brilliant, the next minute awful.

Duberry - not even worth discussing.

Pearce – from what I've seen, decent sometimes, other times panicky.

Karacan - erratic with passing.

Tabb – okay

Marek - only midfielder with real skill. Decision making dodgy generally (best game ever though on Sunday).

Kebe - the new Bas Savage

Hunt – dreadful from set plays, awful in open play.

Doyle – okay

Kitson – Teflon. How many times did the ball stick on Sunday. Used to be better.

Long – never had a first touch really.

Probably best ball player is our reserve keeper. If it comes down to ability on the ball, we're screwed.