Back from the game - Ipswich

[Norfolk Royal]

'Ipswich is a cracking town.' Lol.

[OLLIE KEARNS]

'Ipswich is a cracking town.' Lol.

Take as you find mate. I know you Norfolk boys don't like them too much, not that it would make you biased of course

[Norfolk Royal]

'Ipswich is a cracking town.' Lol.

Take as you find mate. I know you Norfolk boys don't like them too much, not that it would make you biased of course

Yeah fair play, I was sort of jokingly reflecting that but I have been there more times that I would care to mention and it really doesn't have much to recommend it. In truth it's much like any other town in England these days. There is the odd decent pub and several quirky buildings that are worth searching out but 60s planners took their toll as you may have noticed.

[3points]

If Gunter had been JVDB for their first goal, then it would have been a free kick (and yellow card) half way into our half. Awful piece of defending by soft boy Chris. Just get stuck in please and make a tackle (tbf I thought he was quite decent at St Andrews)

[Victor Meldrew]

If Gunter had been JVDB for their first goal, then it would have been a free kick (and yellow card) half way into our half. Awful piece of defending by soft boy Chris. Just get stuck in please and make a tackle (tbf I thought he was quite decent at St Andrews)

But Gunter has all those caps for Wales,so he must be good,blah,blah,blah.

[Flyingkiwi]

ffs.

If we do go up, we'll prolly struggle to domin8 the odd game next season too, and some of you will moan.

Blimey Lux, wind it in a bit. I was surrounded by people frothing at the mouth and going blue in the face effing and blinding yesterday. Any criticism above implied or otherwise is merely a mild reflection of that.

I wasn't having a go at your thoughtful analysis. Srsly

Honestly Lux. We were crap yesterday and the only reason we got anything out of the game was because Ipswich were crap too.

I thnk that I may have been sitting in front of Norfolk and I did, indeed, do my fair share of effing and blinding. But only when it was called for (And, half the time, in Chinese).

If we go up (BIG IF), sure, we'll lose a few games. I have no problem with that IF we play to our pntential. IF we play like that, I will use many unprintable words.

[Ian Royal]

Just watched the highlights. I hate to see backing off like that for the first, but at the same time, you can't really move towards the ball because you're easier to beat and if that happens you're never getting back. You need the distance to close as you back off until you're close enough to have an affect and you've got to try to show them away from the goal, Gunter never really made any effort to let the distance close before the penalty area, and Lawrence is one person you don't want with a bit of space given his recent worldies.

I agree with Stam that we lost the ball easily and unnecessarily, but the key for me was that everyone was pushed up so high there was no midfield to protect the defence. We really do need Evans / JVDB in there doing the grunt work.

Lovely finish from Mutch, and a lucky deflection for Obita on a first viewing. Their second, our defence shouldn't have been that easily beaten, but it looked good play.

[RoyalBlue]

If Gunter had been JVDB for their first goal, then it would have been a free kick (and yellow card) half way into our half. Awful piece of defending by soft boy Chris. Just get stuck in please and make a tackle (tbf I thought he was quite decent at St Andrews)

But Gunter has all those caps for Wales,so he must be good,blah,blah,blah.

But of course, like the Wales managers, Jaap Stam knows nothing about defending and what makes a good defender. That's clearly why, like the Wales managers, he keeps selecting Gunter!

[Dennis the Butler]

Gunter defo at fault for the first .. what's happened to Watson ? .. would rather see him in the team tbh ..

[NewCorkSeth]

If Gunter had been JVDB for their first goal, then it would have been a free kick (and yellow card) half way into our half. Awful piece of defending by soft boy Chris. Just get stuck in please and make a tackle (tbf I thought he was quite decent at St Andrews)

But Gunter has all those caps for Wales,so he must be good,blah,blah,blah.

But of course, like the Wales managers, Jaap Stam knows nothing about defending and what makes a good defender. That's clearly why, like the Wales managers, he keeps selecting Gunter!

Is there that many other options for Wales?

[OLLIE KEARNS]

If Gunter had been JVDB for their first goal, then it would have been a free kick (and yellow card) half way into our half. Awful piece of defending by soft boy Chris. Just get stuck in please and make a tackle (tbf I thought he was quite decent at St Andrews)

But Gunter has all those caps for Wales,so he must be good,blah,blah,blah.

But of course, like the Wales managers, Jaap Stam knows nothing about defending and what makes a good defender. That's clearly why, like the Wales managers, he keeps selecting Gunter!

I'd pick him if I were JS because he's better than the other options we have. Although not at centre back ! Do you not think he defended that situation badly yesterday ? And do you consider constantly backing off players to be the way to defend or a weakness in his game ? I'm not having a pop here either btw, just interested in your opinion as a Gunter fan.

[Lower West]

ffs.

If we do go up, we'll prolly struggle to domin8 the odd game next season too, and some of you will moan.

No complaints. Just an observation having watched a lot of the games this season. The lack of experience in the team when the pressure is applied is unmissable.

[Victor Meldrew]

If Gunter had been JVDB for their first goal, then it would have been a free kick (and yellow card) half way into our half. Awful piece of defending by soft boy Chris. Just get stuck in please and make a tackle (tbf I thought he was quite decent at St Andrews)

But Gunter has all those caps for Wales,so he must be good,blah,blah,blah.

But of course, like the Wales managers, Jaap Stam knows nothing about defending and what makes a good defender. That's clearly why, like the Wales managers, he keeps selecting Gunter!

Managers can and do have blind spots about players and Stam IMHO has one about Gunter-one of the few criticisms that I would make about him in what has been a remarkable first season with us considering his starting point..

[Nameless]

These blind spots must be infectious.
Adkins, McDermott, Clarke, McDermott again, Stam, Coleman, Speed, Toshack
All afflcted.....

[Ian Royal]

These blind spots must be infectious.
Adkins, McDermott, Clarke, McDermott again, Stam, Coleman, Speed, Toshack
All afflcted.....

It's not really a blind spot in most cases though is it. Gunter's the only credible option many of them have had.

Arguably, the only real competition was Kelly. Gunter's simply the reasonably ok option we already have and priorities for new signings have largely been higher elsewhere.

I'd have rather seen Watson at RWB than McCleary a week or so ago when Gunter played left. And certainly than Williams when Gunter's been CB the last few games. I'm assuming Stam wants more time to work with Reece before throwing him in and doesn't think Dickie is ready... though I'd personally perfer either to Gunter at CB, even though he seemed to do OK against Brum. Reece has surely got to play soon if McShane, Ilori and JVDB stay out, otherwise what's the point in him being here?

Watson has the potential to surpass Gunter comfortably, but he's got to get the games under his belt when there's an opportunity.

[Nameless]

We've signed multiple players in every other position yet all those myopic managers have chosen not to replace Gunter. It seems odd that so many managers have spotted Gunter is poor yet not chosen to replace him. Is there a reason why left back is considered the least important position in the team ?

[NewCorkSeth]

We've signed multiple players in every other position yet all those myopic managers have chosen not to replace Gunter. It seems odd that so many managers have spotted Gunter is poor yet not chosen to replace him. Is there a reason why left back is considered the least important position in the team ?

Out of interest where do you consider to be our current weakest position?
It seems odd to me that people are happy to admit its hard to find good strikers for our price range but think our inability to replace Gunter is no indication of the market for RBs right now.
Hes by no means an awful player but he grates a lot of people because, as has been pointed out for seasons now, hes not great at tackling or marking. Hes a luxury RB.

[CountryRoyal]

We've signed multiple players in every other position yet all those myopic managers have chosen not to replace Gunter. It seems odd that so many managers have spotted Gunter is poor yet not chosen to replace him. Is there a reason why left back is considered the least important position in the team ?

Out of interest where do you consider to be our current weakest position?
It seems odd to me that people are happy to admit its hard to find good strikers for our price range but think our inability to replace Gunter is no indication of the market for RBs right now.
Hes by no means an awful player but he grates a lot of people because, as has been pointed out for seasons now, hes not great at tackling or marking. Hes a luxury RB.

Gunter.

[gazzer, loyal royal]

Definitely a point gained rather than two lost as we were pretty insipid all game.

Gunter should have engaged the player much earlier and at least made him take it round him to get a shot away. Lawrence still had the whole goal to aim at when he had his shot.

The second was terrible defending, you should never get beaten by the through ball with three at the back tracking one man, although I with Evans, VDB in the team I don't think McGoldrick gets that much time on the ball to play the pass.

First half as pretty bad, Williams was never an outlet at RWB, and Swift was awful, his touch deserted him, tricks didn't come off and fell over in good positions.

Think Mutch will get better, drove forward, even if sometimes down blind alleys and good run, touch for his goal, athough we need variety in CM as Kelly, Swift and Williams all play in the same areas, with no real defensive shield

Grabban looked ok. Held the ball up well and ran in behind too.

[Sutekh]

Gunter defo at fault for the first .. what's happened to Watson ? .. would rather see him in the team tbh ..

Looked like Gunter was more or less the last man for me on their first so if he'd lunged in he could have won the ball but equally he could have been beaten and left Lawrence with a simpler one on one or, worst case, taken Lawrence out altogether then adjudged by the ref to have committed a professional foul and possibly been sent off. Therefore backing off was the right thing to do. What I think he could have done better though was showing Lawrence towards the touchline but, not being a professional footballer myself, how easy that actually is to do in that situation I'm not sure.

Second goal both centre backs were just, well, hopelessly caught far too square.

If only we'd taken the game to Ipswich from the off the outcome would have been better in my opinion. But that just doesn't seem to be Reading's game.