Why can't we create?!

[TBM]

Where does the problem exist, cos I don't reckon it's up front

What do we need to help us to start actually creating decent chances:
Ball playing centre half?
Creative midfielder?
Winger?

[P!ssed Off]

I reckon the reason it took us 75 minutes to get a shot on target today is because we have so many injured players.
You just can't expect a front six of McCleary, Blackman, Guthrie, Williams, Pogrebnyak and Sharp to come up with a shot on target all by themselves.

Failing this, blame it on the ownership.

But what is blatantly obvious is that it is by no means the manager's fault.

/s

[MmmMonsterMunch]

I think we need a new CM partnership

[blueroyals]

Wingers too low on confidence to beat a defender and put balls in the box
Strikers too low on confidence to make runs in the box
Midfielders sitting too deep to create anything meaningful

[MmmMonsterMunch]

Not having quality full backs is also a big problem.

[SPARTA]

Guthrie.

He picks the ball up in deep positions and central positions, yet how often does he come forward with the ball and look for the through-ball, or to slip it out wide? He only ever seems to slow the pace down, which is the opposite to what Adkins has stated he is asking of the team. Guthrie is slow to see what's around him, and then that moment passes us by, and he plays it sideways or backwards. Lack of urgency and vision and it holds us back.

Did you notice the difference Taylor made when he came on? Coming forward with the ball (an instant improvement), being aware of what was around him and he made use of it by feeding the left side. We immediately looked a lot brighter, and started giving Forest problems - largely through Blackman who was very impressive today.

I'd like to see more of Taylor in this side. That someone that can link midfield with attack - something we have been missing for far too long!

[ZacNaloen]

We do everything too slow. That is why.

[AthleticoSpizz]

As with the second half of the Wigwam game and the last fifteen minutes of today, we can do it (despite being effectively 7-8 players short of a first team) ...drop the Adkins pre-season rhetoric.

Just play your arses off.......but from the first minute

[CountryRoyal]

It's not a new problem. We created sweet f all in the prem last year and despite winning the league the year before, created very little. We were second best in the vast majority of games in that winning run in every department, apart from the scoreline.

This summed up our run tbf.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17637590

That makes me sad just listen to McD's interview...

[blueroyals]

Guthrie.

He picks the ball up in deep positions and central positions, yet how often does he come forward with the ball and look for the through-ball, or to slip it out wide? He only ever seems to slow the pace down, which is the opposite to what Adkins has stated he is asking of the team. Guthrie is slow to see what's around him, and then that moment passes us by, and he plays it sideways or backwards. Lack of urgency and vision and it holds us back.

Did you notice the difference Taylor made when he came on? Coming forward with the ball (an instant improvement), being aware of what was around him and he made use of it by feeding the left side. We immediately looked a lot brighter, and started giving Forest problems - largely through Blackman who was very impressive today.

I'd like to see more of Taylor in this side. That someone that can link midfield with attack - something we have been missing for far too long!

This is what he is supposed to be doing.

He is then supposed to either distribute the ball out wide to wingers or through the middle to whoever is playing behind the strikers or in a more advanced position.

The problem is that the wingers don't create anything and we don't have a creative midfielder to stick along side him.

Guthrie is playing just fine. Don't blame him for not playing a role he hasn't been asked to play.

Agree with what you said about Taylor though.

[sandman]

Guthrie.

He picks the ball up in deep positions and central positions, yet how often does he come forward with the ball and look for the through-ball, or to slip it out wide? He only ever seems to slow the pace down, which is the opposite to what Adkins has stated he is asking of the team. Guthrie is slow to see what's around him, and then that moment passes us by, and he plays it sideways or backwards. Lack of urgency and vision and it holds us back.

Did you notice the difference Taylor made when he came on? Coming forward with the ball (an instant improvement), being aware of what was around him and he made use of it by feeding the left side. We immediately looked a lot brighter, and started giving Forest problems - largely through Blackman who was very impressive today.

I'd like to see more of Taylor in this side. That someone that can link midfield with attack - something we have been missing for far too long!

Don't blame him.

The HNA? motto for Guthrie.

[MeMeMe]

Because we are trying pass our way into creating chances... but we don't have the players to play that type of game for the most part....simple as that.

[Millsy]

Where does the problem exist, cos I don't reckon it's up front

What do we need to help us to start actually creating decent chances:
Ball playing centre half?
Creative midfielder?
Winger?

For me, the basis of any team is the defence. Defend well and you have a solid team from which you can spring forward and create to your hearts desire. We actually have an incredibly creative team in midfield I think (despite the obvious striker and AM deficiencies) so that's not our problem.

The second Adie left, I stuck my neck out to say we'd have problems as it disrupted a solid partnership, and whilst his replacement was technically a good player over time, it proved bang right.

Our defence is HORRIFIC.

Right back:

Gunter. He was worse than useless every time I saw him play and now is seeming to develop into a good player but I'm not so sure that he's good, more likely the rest of the team are so bad he's beginning to look ok.

Kelly is head and shoudlers above him but Adkins won't play him.

Centreback:

Pearce, always overrated in my opinion and I never made a secret of that.
Morrison, not bad but very raw and learning. Ok but nothing special. Obviuosly developing.
Gorkss - no comment.

We lost Maps and didn't replace. Go figure.

Left back:

Obviously Bridge is class and changes the game the moment he comes on, but where is the cover?

AT BEST AND WITHOUT INJURIES:

We have a world class left back with no cover and a relatively newly formed central pairing, none of whom are anything to shout about, with not enough cover, and a right back who's mediocre at defending (because we refuse to play Kelly) ---SUMMARY: weak defence.

IN THE REAL WORLD:

we have an absolute joke of a defence with a mediocre right back, a useless/ error-prone centre pairing/ and no left back.

This is categorically the worst defence I've ever seen in a Reading team and I remember the days of Bodin, Gurney, Kromheer etc.

We can have four Maradonas in midfield and two Peles up front and we'd still struggle.

As it happens we aren't far off that with the rest of team but we are lacking a striker and a AM and have been for a couple of years at least.

That's not our main problem though.

This January we MUST by a shit hot central defender, a decent left back as cover for bridge and if not a right back then play Kelly there at least, if we are to have any hopes of mounting a playoff challenge.

[CountryRoyal]

Where does the problem exist, cos I don't reckon it's up front

What do we need to help us to start actually creating decent chances:
Ball playing centre half?
Creative midfielder?
Winger?

For me, the basis of any team is the defence. Defend well and you have a solid team from which you can spring forward and create to your hearts desire. We actually have an incredibly creative team in midfield I think (despite the obvious striker and AM deficiencies) so that's not our problem.

The second Adie left, I stuck my neck out to say we'd have problems as it disrupted a solid partnership, and whilst his replacement was technically a good player over time, it proved bang right.

Our defence is HORRIFIC.

Right back:

Gunter. He was worse than useless every time I saw him play and now is seeming to develop into a good player but I'm not so sure that he's good, more likely the rest of the team are so bad he's beginning to look ok.

Kelly is head and shoudlers above him but Adkins won't play him.

Centreback:

Pearce, always overrated in my opinion and I never made a secret of that.
Morrison, not bad but very raw and learning. Ok but nothing special. Obviuosly developing.
Gorkss - no comment.

We lost Maps and didn't replace. Go figure.

Left back:

Obviously Bridge is class and changes the game the moment he comes on, but where is the cover?

AT BEST AND WITHOUT INJURIES:

We have a world class left back with no cover and a relatively newly formed central pairing, none of whom are anything to shout about, with not enough cover, and a right back who's mediocre at defending (because we refuse to play Kelly) ---SUMMARY: weak defence.

IN THE REAL WORLD:

we have an absolute joke of a defence with a mediocre right back, a useless/ error-prone centre pairing/ and no left back.

This is categorically the worst defence I've ever seen in a Reading team and I remember the days of Bodin, Gurney, Kromheer etc.

We can have four Maradonas in midfield and two Peles up front and we'd still struggle.

As it happens we aren't far off that with the rest of team but we are lacking a striker and a AM and have been for a couple of years at least.

That's not our main problem though.

This January we MUST by a shit hot central defender, a decent left back as cover for bridge and if not a right back then play Kelly there at least, if we are to have any hopes of mounting a playoff challenge.

This defence won the league with the most clean sheets. Oh no, forgot.. we had Ian Harte. Shit, that's why we are so bad now.

[MmmMonsterMunch]

Gunter CB with Kelly RB & Cummings LB did not win the league I'm afraid....

[paultheroyal]

We do everything too slow. That is why.

Exactly that. Ball needs to be whipped in quicker in that final third. We allow teams to close us down... And back we go.

[3points]

Don't forget though that the defence gets no protection from its midfield now that we are without Ledge, Jem and Baird. And no-one tracks runners. We have conceded a lot of goals this year and last with opposition midfielders picking up the pieces in our box after the defenders / keeper have done reasonably well (both Wigan goals for example)

Ideally we need two good attacking full backs who can cross but also get into / around the box and pop up with the odd goal.

Two holding midfield players (include Guthrie in this, but also a true midfield general / destroyer a la Ledge 2 seasons ago), an attacking midfielder who scores regular goals (would like Morrison from WBA) and then wingers who can cross but also attack the back post (which Kebe was actually quite good at doing).

And then a striker who is quick and strong. ALF is quick but not strong; Pog is strong but not quick. Maybe Villa will loan us Benteke to get him back into form.

[leon]

Where does the problem exist, cos I don't reckon it's up front

What do we need to help us to start actually creating decent chances:
Ball playing centre half?
Creative midfielder?
Winger?

For me, the basis of any team is the defence. Defend well and you have a solid team from which you can spring forward and create to your hearts desire. We actually have an incredibly creative team in midfield I think (despite the obvious striker and AM deficiencies) so that's not our problem.

The second Adie left, I stuck my neck out to say we'd have problems as it disrupted a solid partnership, and whilst his replacement was technically a good player over time, it proved bang right.

Our defence is HORRIFIC.

Right back:

Gunter. He was worse than useless every time I saw him play and now is seeming to develop into a good player but I'm not so sure that he's good, more likely the rest of the team are so bad he's beginning to look ok.

Kelly is head and shoudlers above him but Adkins won't play him.

Centreback:

Pearce, always overrated in my opinion and I never made a secret of that.
Morrison, not bad but very raw and learning. Ok but nothing special. Obviuosly developing.
Gorkss - no comment.

We lost Maps and didn't replace. Go figure.

Left back:

Obviously Bridge is class and changes the game the moment he comes on, but where is the cover?

AT BEST AND WITHOUT INJURIES:

We have a world class left back with no cover and a relatively newly formed central pairing, none of whom are anything to shout about, with not enough cover, and a right back who's mediocre at defending (because we refuse to play Kelly) ---SUMMARY: weak defence.

IN THE REAL WORLD:

we have an absolute joke of a defence with a mediocre right back, a useless/ error-prone centre pairing/ and no left back.

This is categorically the worst defence I've ever seen in a Reading team and I remember the days of Bodin, Gurney, Kromheer etc.

We can have four Maradonas in midfield and two Peles up front and we'd still struggle.

As it happens we aren't far off that with the rest of team but we are lacking a striker and a AM and have been for a couple of years at least.

That's not our main problem though.

This January we MUST by a shit hot central defender, a decent left back as cover for bridge and if not a right back then play Kelly there at least, if we are to have any hopes of mounting a playoff challenge.

sorry that's complete bollocks - look at how many chances we make in every game. It's pathetic. Yes we are missing Bridge - but that doesn't mean our midfield should just let the opposition run through it, whenever they fancy it and fail to find space, receive and pass the ball or even get crosses into the box.

We need a central midfield player that can tackle and has energy - we need to push Guthrie further up to supply the wingers and the strikers. Passing it around the back or telegraphing cross field balls is not creative and doesn't hurt the opposition.

[Avon Royal]

Where does the problem exist, cos I don't reckon it's up front

What do we need to help us to start actually creating decent chances:
Ball playing centre half?
Creative midfielder?
Winger?

For me, the basis of any team is the defence. Defend well and you have a solid team from which you can spring forward and create to your hearts desire. We actually have an incredibly creative team in midfield I think (despite the obvious striker and AM deficiencies) so that's not our problem.

The second Adie left, I stuck my neck out to say we'd have problems as it disrupted a solid partnership, and whilst his replacement was technically a good player over time, it proved bang right.

Our defence is HORRIFIC.

Right back:

Gunter. He was worse than useless every time I saw him play and now is seeming to develop into a good player but I'm not so sure that he's good, more likely the rest of the team are so bad he's beginning to look ok.

Kelly is head and shoudlers above him but Adkins won't play him.

Centreback:

Pearce, always overrated in my opinion and I never made a secret of that.
Morrison, not bad but very raw and learning. Ok but nothing special. Obviuosly developing.
Gorkss - no comment.

We lost Maps and didn't replace. Go figure.

Left back:

Obviously Bridge is class and changes the game the moment he comes on, but where is the cover?

AT BEST AND WITHOUT INJURIES:

We have a world class left back with no cover and a relatively newly formed central pairing, none of whom are anything to shout about, with not enough cover, and a right back who's mediocre at defending (because we refuse to play Kelly) ---SUMMARY: weak defence.

IN THE REAL WORLD:

we have an absolute joke of a defence with a mediocre right back, a useless/ error-prone centre pairing/ and no left back.

This is categorically the worst defence I've ever seen in a Reading team and I remember the days of Bodin, Gurney, Kromheer etc.

We can have four Maradonas in midfield and two Peles up front and we'd still struggle.

As it happens we aren't far off that with the rest of team but we are lacking a striker and a AM and have been for a couple of years at least.

That's not our main problem though.

This January we MUST by a shit hot central defender, a decent left back as cover for bridge and if not a right back then play Kelly there at least, if we are to have any hopes of mounting a playoff challenge.

Worst defence in a Reading team? Really?

I can remember Reading defences much worse than the one that played today. Are you seriously suggesting that the likes of Stuart Gray and Martyn Booty would improve the situation?

[LoyalRoyal22]

Where does the problem exist, cos I don't reckon it's up front

What do we need to help us to start actually creating decent chances:
Ball playing centre half?
Creative midfielder?
Winger?

For me, the basis of any team is the defence. Defend well and you have a solid team from which you can spring forward and create to your hearts desire. We actually have an incredibly creative team in midfield I think (despite the obvious striker and AM deficiencies) so that's not our problem.

The second Adie left, I stuck my neck out to say we'd have problems as it disrupted a solid partnership, and whilst his replacement was technically a good player over time, it proved bang right.

Our defence is HORRIFIC.

Right back:

Gunter. He was worse than useless every time I saw him play and now is seeming to develop into a good player but I'm not so sure that he's good, more likely the rest of the team are so bad he's beginning to look ok.

Kelly is head and shoudlers above him but Adkins won't play him.

Centreback:

Pearce, always overrated in my opinion and I never made a secret of that.
Morrison, not bad but very raw and learning. Ok but nothing special. Obviuosly developing.
Gorkss - no comment.

We lost Maps and didn't replace. Go figure.

Left back:

Obviously Bridge is class and changes the game the moment he comes on, but where is the cover?

AT BEST AND WITHOUT INJURIES:

We have a world class left back with no cover and a relatively newly formed central pairing, none of whom are anything to shout about, with not enough cover, and a right back who's mediocre at defending (because we refuse to play Kelly) ---SUMMARY: weak defence.

IN THE REAL WORLD:

we have an absolute joke of a defence with a mediocre right back, a useless/ error-prone centre pairing/ and no left back.

This is categorically the worst defence I've ever seen in a Reading team and I remember the days of Bodin, Gurney, Kromheer etc.

We can have four Maradonas in midfield and two Peles up front and we'd still struggle.

As it happens we aren't far off that with the rest of team but we are lacking a striker and a AM and have been for a couple of years at least.

That's not our main problem though.

This January we MUST by a shit hot central defender, a decent left back as cover for bridge and if not a right back then play Kelly there at least, if we are to have any hopes of mounting a playoff challenge.

Gunter comments a disgrace. Struggled slighty in the Prem, playing in a poor team. Fans needed someone to hate.

This season our most consistent player, couple of assists from full back as well as winning a penalty. Not exposed defensively either. We're lucky to have him.