MATCHWATCH : Exeter City (h)

[Hound]

As with everything it's not black and white - Wing is bad/He should play every ball forward. There were a number of times where his default pass was backwards or sideways.

There wasn't always a ball forward (see my point about midfield - lack of movement to receive = massive hole in midfield)

He's playing so far back he is constrained by the balls he plays ie natural risk aversion means he doesn't want to thread a ball into midfield for fear of giving away dangerous possession.

He also doesn't have a lot of pace to drive into the space that there is.

Last night they were pressing more than saturday. (at least that what it felt like) which exacerbated the above points.

In basic agreement - but what do we change to get that link between midfield and attack and fill that space?

The better sides seem to have a striker who drops to receive the ball and link with either a midfielder or a wide player.
Also their midfielders pass and move forward between themselves.

Two criticisms I would make of Reading teams is that midfielders for many seasons pass and stand still (remember Harper and Sidwell axis that passed and moved?) and our full-backs tend not to block crosses (remember Gunter?).
As of now that IMHO is still the case but hopefully our two new full-backs will finally be the ones to do that part of the job.

Unfortunately I feel that the Wing/Savage axis is not quick enough, intricate enough or forward thinking enough to be the real deal and that area of operation needs to be improved if we are to become real promotion prospects and a team capable of playing at a higher level.

Agree with the majority of that

Mind you who did we have in midfield last year when we spent most of it in the play off positions?

Knibbs has been a massive miss hasn’t he? And smith also.

[MR. CYNICAL]

In basic agreement - but what do we change to get that link between midfield and attack and fill that space?

The better sides seem to have a striker who drops to receive the ball and link with either a midfielder or a wide player.
Also their midfielders pass and move forward between themselves.

Two criticisms I would make of Reading teams is that midfielders for many seasons pass and stand still (remember Harper and Sidwell axis that passed and moved?) and our full-backs tend not to block crosses (remember Gunter?).
As of now that IMHO is still the case but hopefully our two new full-backs will finally be the ones to do that part of the job.

Unfortunately I feel that the Wing/Savage axis is not quick enough, intricate enough or forward thinking enough to be the real deal and that area of operation needs to be improved if we are to become real promotion prospects and a team capable of playing at a higher level.

Agree with the majority of that

Mind you who did we have in midfield last year when we spent most of it in the play off positions?

Knibbs has been a massive miss hasn’t he? And smith also.

We managed without Smith for most of the second half of last season.

[leon]

In basic agreement - but what do we change to get that link between midfield and attack and fill that space?

The better sides seem to have a striker who drops to receive the ball and link with either a midfielder or a wide player.
Also their midfielders pass and move forward between themselves.

Two criticisms I would make of Reading teams is that midfielders for many seasons pass and stand still (remember Harper and Sidwell axis that passed and moved?) and our full-backs tend not to block crosses (remember Gunter?).
As of now that IMHO is still the case but hopefully our two new full-backs will finally be the ones to do that part of the job.

Unfortunately I feel that the Wing/Savage axis is not quick enough, intricate enough or forward thinking enough to be the real deal and that area of operation needs to be improved if we are to become real promotion prospects and a team capable of playing at a higher level.

Agree with the majority of that

Mind you who did we have in midfield last year when we spent most of it in the play off positions?

Knibbs has been a massive miss hasn’t he? And smith also.

Knibbs very much so - although we still had the disconnection issues. Mainly because of our setup.

I just don't really understand what type of player Savage is. He's probably closer to a James Harper than anything?

[Hound]

The better sides seem to have a striker who drops to receive the ball and link with either a midfielder or a wide player.
Also their midfielders pass and move forward between themselves.

Two criticisms I would make of Reading teams is that midfielders for many seasons pass and stand still (remember Harper and Sidwell axis that passed and moved?) and our full-backs tend not to block crosses (remember Gunter?).
As of now that IMHO is still the case but hopefully our two new full-backs will finally be the ones to do that part of the job.

Unfortunately I feel that the Wing/Savage axis is not quick enough, intricate enough or forward thinking enough to be the real deal and that area of operation needs to be improved if we are to become real promotion prospects and a team capable of playing at a higher level.

Agree with the majority of that

Mind you who did we have in midfield last year when we spent most of it in the play off positions?

Knibbs has been a massive miss hasn’t he? And smith also.

We managed without Smith for most of the second half of last season.

And then Wareham took over and did a half decent job of replacing him. But had Smith stayed we would have had a better chance of being top 6

[Snowflake Royal]

"A fair bit more than Exeter" Ian.
Did you watch the first half?

I watched the entire game thanks. Exeter had two 'shots' on target. Pereira didn’t make a single save.

Sure they took a few wild shots from miles out that went nowhere near the goal... that's not what I consider a chance.

Their keeper barely made a save either tbf. Couple of fairly harmless long rangers from Wing and Marriott. The only real time he was taxed was that early one from Marriott after a nice cross from the left

The only chance I can think from the last 3 games when I’ve watched and thought ‘he really should have scored that’ was Keanes against Barnsley

We’ve been very very reliant on being extremely efficient on goal scoring chances - Wing and Marriott have the two biggest differences between goals and XG in the entire division.

He made 4. Pereira 0

[Brogue]

The better sides seem to have a striker who drops to receive the ball and link with either a midfielder or a wide player.
Also their midfielders pass and move forward between themselves.

Two criticisms I would make of Reading teams is that midfielders for many seasons pass and stand still (remember Harper and Sidwell axis that passed and moved?) and our full-backs tend not to block crosses (remember Gunter?).
As of now that IMHO is still the case but hopefully our two new full-backs will finally be the ones to do that part of the job.

Unfortunately I feel that the Wing/Savage axis is not quick enough, intricate enough or forward thinking enough to be the real deal and that area of operation needs to be improved if we are to become real promotion prospects and a team capable of playing at a higher level.

Agree with the majority of that

Mind you who did we have in midfield last year when we spent most of it in the play off positions?

Knibbs has been a massive miss hasn’t he? And smith also.

Knibbs very much so - although we still had the disconnection issues. Mainly because of our setup.

I just don't really understand what type of player Savage is. He's probably closer to a James Harper than anything?

if i were to compare him to anyone i'd say karacan

[Hound]

I watched the entire game thanks. Exeter had two 'shots' on target. Pereira didn’t make a single save.

Sure they took a few wild shots from miles out that went nowhere near the goal... that's not what I consider a chance.

Their keeper barely made a save either tbf. Couple of fairly harmless long rangers from Wing and Marriott. The only real time he was taxed was that early one from Marriott after a nice cross from the left

The only chance I can think from the last 3 games when I’ve watched and thought ‘he really should have scored that’ was Keanes against Barnsley

We’ve been very very reliant on being extremely efficient on goal scoring chances - Wing and Marriott have the two biggest differences between goals and XG in the entire division.

He made 4. Pereira 0

Yes thanks. As explained in the post above, 3 of which were very routine from long rangers efforts

[Snowflake Royal]

Their keeper barely made a save either tbf. Couple of fairly harmless long rangers from Wing and Marriott. The only real time he was taxed was that early one from Marriott after a nice cross from the left

The only chance I can think from the last 3 games when I’ve watched and thought ‘he really should have scored that’ was Keanes against Barnsley

We’ve been very very reliant on being extremely efficient on goal scoring chances - Wing and Marriott have the two biggest differences between goals and XG in the entire division.

He made 4. Pereira 0

Yes thanks. As explained in the post above, 3 of which were very routine from long rangers efforts

That's just not true. 1 was a point blank block from Marriott by a post. 1 was awkwardly sliding across the ground right at the post from Wing, and another was a full stretch hand round the post from a far post bottom corner placed shot by Marriott.

[Clyde1998]

He made 4. Pereira 0

Yes thanks. As explained in the post above, 3 of which were very routine from long rangers efforts

That's just not true. 1 was a point blank block from Marriott by a post. 1 was awkwardly sliding across the ground right at the post from Wing, and another was a full stretch hand round the post from a far post bottom corner placed shot by Marriott.

Not seen that back yet, but that appeared to be an impressive save.

Incidentally, I don't think this has been counted as a save/shot in the stats, for whatever reason; did an Exeter player get the touch before the save?

[Hound]

Yes thanks. As explained in the post above, 3 of which were very routine from long rangers efforts

That's just not true. 1 was a point blank block from Marriott by a post. 1 was awkwardly sliding across the ground right at the post from Wing, and another was a full stretch hand round the post from a far post bottom corner placed shot by Marriott.

Not seen that back yet, but that appeared to be an impressive save.

Think it hit Marriott then the defender. Not watched closely though


Incidentally, I don't think this has been counted as a save/shot in the stats, for whatever reason; did an Exeter player get the touch before the save?