MATCHWATCH : Stoke City (a)

[windermereROYAL]

pauno OUT!

The knobs have surfaced pretty early this season.

[Stranded]

Just seen the goals for the first time, how many goals does Rafael need to give away before we get the message that he really isn`t very good?

Which one was his fault today? Not sure youcan blame him on the first one so was it the deflection or the deflection?

The 2nd, straight at him but it went through his legs.

Thought you'd go for that one. No fault there, he has reacted to where the ball was going, the deflection brought toward his legs, which as a keeper you desperately need to try and reposition having made a first movement, you are hoping for a bit of luck.

If it had gone under his torso, I would tend to agree.

[windermereROYAL]

Which one was his fault today? Not sure youcan blame him on the first one so was it the deflection or the deflection?

The 2nd, straight at him but it went through his legs.

Thought you'd go for that one. No fault there, he has reacted to where the ball was going, the deflection brought toward his legs, which as a keeper you desperately need to try and reposition having made a first movement, you are hoping for a bit of luck.

If it had gone under his torso, I would tend to agree.

Didn`t notice the deflection tbh, but i only saw the goals on my phone.

[One Beer is never enough.]

I disagree with this completely. If you watch Puscas he is looking to make a run every time however no one seems to look forwards to where he is and gamble. It reminds me a bit of Matejovsky who was always looking for a pass that was always 2 steps ahead of the players we had at the time and as such, it looked like he wasted a lot of balls which were actually quite clever. DOn't know who he has pissed off on the team, but given service and a run he would do well. He certainly puts more effort and looks more interested than Joao...

Puscas doesn't have the best first touch and doesn't really know when to press and where to be. He's improved since he got here, but it'll take a barren run for Joao to start him, or a change of shape.

Think I'd be looking hard at 5-3-2 and try to get wing backs whipping in a lot of balls for Joao and Puscas.

.............................Cabral
............Holmes, Morrison, McIntyre
Yiadom, Rinomhota, Laurent, Bristow
..............................Swift
.........................Puscas, Joao

100% this....we have no left back, and some really good centre backs. It makes total sense to go three at the back and utilize Bristow and Yiadom as Wing Backs. This formation also allows two up top which hopefully will play to Puscas's strengths.
However, Pauno's biggest downfall was having no Plan B and a lack of tatical knowse and i will bet my house that he play's the same system all season, the same system that everyone had worked out during the second half of last season.
I like Pauno, but if you do not have the ability to adjust when things are going wrong you'll end up in a spot of bother!!

The Cardiff Game, Puscas and Joao up front were unplayable - we havent let them play together enough...

[Stranded]

The current problem with playing 2 up top is if they aren't firing, we can't change much that doesn't involve going back to 1 up top.

[Crowbar6753]

The current problem with playing 2 up top is if they aren't firing, we can't change much that doesn't involve going back to 1 up top.

I'll probably get slated for this, but i'm pretty sure McNulty is best suited as one of two up top!! We've just never played to his strenghts. If Pauno had a Plan B that used two up top then we would have Joao, Puscas & McNulty!!
McNulty and Puscas could actually be pretty lively up top? both have movement and pace and i'm sure they would give a defence a few headache's between them (Maybe an option for the Swansea game?) that's if Pauno would stop being stubborn and give McNulty a try and to change the formation.

[Brogue]

The current problem with playing 2 up top is if they aren't firing, we can't change much that doesn't involve going back to 1 up top.

I'll probably get slated for this, but i'm pretty sure McNulty is best suited as one of two up top!! We've just never played to his strenghts. If Pauno had a Plan B that used two up top then we would have Joao, Puscas & McNulty!!
McNulty and Puscas could actually be pretty lively up top? both have movement and pace and i'm sure they would give a defence a few headache's between them (Maybe an option for the Swansea game?) that's if Pauno would stop being stubborn and give McNulty a try and to change the formation.

I reckon there is something we don’t know with McNulty. Has got a contract extension after x amount of games or has he fcuked pauno wife or something? Perhaps he came in on stupid wages and we need that offset by loaning him out to recoup some of it. It just seems really odd that with the issues we have he isn’t even making the bench.

[Royal_jimmy]

I'd really take an average keeper like Bialkowski, Jamal Blackman or Jordan Archer over Rafael. All are probably on less than half his wages and wouldn't do any worse.

[karbota]

The current problem with playing 2 up top is if they aren't firing, we can't change much that doesn't involve going back to 1 up top.

I'll probably get slated for this, but i'm pretty sure McNulty is best suited as one of two up top!! We've just never played to his strenghts. If Pauno had a Plan B that used two up top then we would have Joao, Puscas & McNulty!!
McNulty and Puscas could actually be pretty lively up top? both have movement and pace and i'm sure they would give a defence a few headache's between them (Maybe an option for the Swansea game?) that's if Pauno would stop being stubborn and give McNulty a try and to change the formation.

Good call, got to be worth a punt don't know why Joao is still here. Should have kept Baldock.

[Notts Royal]

It’s placing a lot of faith in Bristow at left WB, with no one in front of him.

And why was Azeez picked over Puscas? That indicates that Puscas’ future at the club is not certain to me

[Lower West]

The current problem with playing 2 up top is if they aren't firing, we can't change much that doesn't involve going back to 1 up top.

I'll probably get slated for this, but i'm pretty sure McNulty is best suited as one of two up top!! We've just never played to his strenghts. If Pauno had a Plan B that used two up top then we would have Joao, Puscas & McNulty!!
McNulty and Puscas could actually be pretty lively up top? both have movement and pace and i'm sure they would give a defence a few headache's between them (Maybe an option for the Swansea game?) that's if Pauno would stop being stubborn and give McNulty a try and to change the formation.

I reckon there is something we don’t know with McNulty. Has got a contract extension after x amount of games or has he fcuked pauno wife or something? Perhaps he came in on stupid wages and we need that offset by loaning him out to recoup some of it. It just seems really odd that with the issues we have he isn’t even making the bench.

Some players just want out.

[Getthebeerens]

I read #readingfc on Twitter and the state of panic after one game sent me over the edge, I really need to avoid that app. Think I’m sick to death of the negativity around our team at the moment. We still have a pretty strong starting 11 to compete.

I`m no longer on twitter, it was a godsend when i had my account suspended. full of total bellends.

You just don’t get a good feel of the games & who played well etc. Lord CKS is the worst…sucks the life right out of you.

At least on here there’s a degree of realism & balance

Lord CKS I think that guy actually needs help !! Not sure he can even be classed as a fan of the club he is so negative.

Just seen the highlights and think we can feel a bit unlucky with the deflections for 2 of there 3 goals today. Certainly room for improvement our end defensively but hardly a disaster.

[SouthDownsRoyal]

I`m no longer on twitter, it was a godsend when i had my account suspended. full of total bellends.

You just don’t get a good feel of the games & who played well etc. Lord CKS is the worst…sucks the life right out of you.

At least on here there’s a degree of realism & balance

Lord CKS I think that guy actually needs help !! Not sure he can even be classed as a fan of the club he is so negative.

Just seen the highlights and think we can feel a bit unlucky with the deflections for 2 of there 3 goals today. Certainly room for improvement our end defensively but hardly a disaster.

Agree,

Granted I only saw the high (low) lights, both sides made errors and two of their goals were deflected.

We have a threadbare squad which will make life hard but we will be ok, just a shame we can’t really kick on from last season

[Royal Rother]

My 2 bugbears from last season....

How was Rafael’s kicking today?

How was Joao’s body language today?

[AthleticoSpizz]

Charlton drew 0-0 v Sheff U with Guntz at left back today

.....just sayin

[SCIAG]

It’s placing a lot of faith in Bristow at left WB, with no one in front of him.

And why was Azeez picked over Puscas? That indicates that Puscas’ future at the club is not certain to me

Azeez is a midfielder, and Puscas is a striker.

[Snowflake Royal]

Yep. We were found out last season playing just Joao upfront. Teams put two players into him and marked him out of games. We had no plan B.
If we are going to play two upfront though we need players that can send in decent crosses. Who are those players?

Yiadom can. He just doesn't very often. Swift should be able to. Bristow ought to be able to.

[CountryRoyal]

The current problem with playing 2 up top is if they aren't firing, we can't change much that doesn't involve going back to 1 up top.

We don’t really change it up anyway so I’d rather start with a better Plan A.

[CountryRoyal]

Charlton drew 0-0 v Sheff U with Guntz at left back today

.....just sayin

Fair fcuks. Didn’t think result was even possible.

[Snowflake Royal]

It’s placing a lot of faith in Bristow at left WB, with no one in front of him.

And why was Azeez picked over Puscas? That indicates that Puscas’ future at the club is not certain to me

Because Puscas is a striker not a winger / wide forward.

I can't imagine many strikers less suited to playing wide.