CONFIMRED - Veljko Paunović

[Old Man Andrews]

Our new man will not be in charge for the Colchester games as he will still be in quarantine.

Is that just South of Lisbon?

[Lower West]

Agreed but IMO it showed the limitations of a 5 at the back formation with two defensive wingbacks, I.e. very little threat going forward

Think we should have gone with our usual and best formation which was the 4-3-3 to add another dimension to the attack

Still think the main difference between Stam’s two seasons was moving from a rigid but balanced approach to a fluid one where players were just wandering around in random positions, he tried to over complicate things

We also lost Danny Williams, which was a huge miss as he was key to the way we played.

Added to the much less effective Kermorgant, it was always going to be a bit of a struggle. Plus Swift got quite a bad injury coming off a good first season, which was unfortunate.

Beerans went from consistant performer to pants. Perhaps the big money signing of Aluko (at our owners behest? ) was contributory.

[Notts Royal]

Maybe 'fluke' isn't a fair term. But when you go from third to relegation candidates you know that something is up. My point was that Reading were not really developing as a team, Stam left us in a much worse state that he found us.

I still believe that if McDermott has been allowed to stay and build over a few seasons we would be in a much better situation now than we are. The same with Clement.

Amen to Brian...we might not be in the PL now, but he would never have allowed the mediocrity that we’ve had these past 4 seasons. He only signed Kermorgant & Evans himself (we all know Rakkels was a Thai signing), and they worked out pretty well for us. Should’ve been given more time

Clement I’m less convinced about...the signings were woeful. But then again, were any of them his signings?

So many owner/Kia signings nowadays we might just as well not bother having a manager, and just have a load of coaches instead

[3points]

We also lost Danny Williams, which was a huge miss as he was key to the way we played.

Added to the much less effective Kermorgant, it was always going to be a bit of a struggle. Plus Swift got quite a bad injury coming off a good first season, which was unfortunate.

For me the big thing was the loss of Al-Habsi who is probably the best shot stopper we’ve ever had (with all due respect to Steve Death - could argue Shaka was a better all-round goalkeeper but Al-Habsi had the acrobatics and reflexes). The number of times he made saves that most goalkeepers wouldn’t pull off was just incredible.

Kermorgant similarly was in many ways a “limited” player but he was extremely efficient, very reliable goalscorer. Never the same after his injury.

Imo biggest losses in the second season:

1) Al-Habsi
2) Kermorgant
3) Beerens
4) Swift
5) Williams

You can add McShane and McCleary to that list, and Obita as well? Wasn’t that why Bacuna played right back as Gunter was covering left back? Plus we had the Aluko effect (ie playing with 10 men for most of the time).

[3points]

So many owner/Kia signings nowadays we might just as well not bother having a manager, and just have a load of coaches instead

Isn’t that exactly what we’re doing with Paunović?

[SCIAG]

Added to the much less effective Kermorgant, it was always going to be a bit of a struggle. Plus Swift got quite a bad injury coming off a good first season, which was unfortunate.

For me the big thing was the loss of Al-Habsi who is probably the best shot stopper we’ve ever had (with all due respect to Steve Death - could argue Shaka was a better all-round goalkeeper but Al-Habsi had the acrobatics and reflexes). The number of times he made saves that most goalkeepers wouldn’t pull off was just incredible.

Kermorgant similarly was in many ways a “limited” player but he was extremely efficient, very reliable goalscorer. Never the same after his injury.

Imo biggest losses in the second season:

1) Al-Habsi
2) Kermorgant
3) Beerens
4) Swift
5) Williams

You can add McShane and McCleary to that list, and Obita as well? Wasn’t that why Bacuna played right back as Gunter was covering left back? Plus we had the Aluko effect (ie playing with 10 men for most of the time).

It was a big disruption to the squad losing all those players. Maybe my memory is playing tricks on me but I thought Ilori and Blackett were good cover for (or even upgrades on) McShane and Obita, so didn’t include them. But then I guess we pre-emptively replaced Beerens with Barrow.

[URZZZZ]

For me the big thing was the loss of Al-Habsi who is probably the best shot stopper we’ve ever had (with all due respect to Steve Death - could argue Shaka was a better all-round goalkeeper but Al-Habsi had the acrobatics and reflexes). The number of times he made saves that most goalkeepers wouldn’t pull off was just incredible.

Kermorgant similarly was in many ways a “limited” player but he was extremely efficient, very reliable goalscorer. Never the same after his injury.

Imo biggest losses in the second season:

1) Al-Habsi
2) Kermorgant
3) Beerens
4) Swift
5) Williams

You can add McShane and McCleary to that list, and Obita as well? Wasn’t that why Bacuna played right back as Gunter was covering left back? Plus we had the Aluko effect (ie playing with 10 men for most of the time).

It was a big disruption to the squad losing all those players. Maybe my memory is playing tricks on me but I thought Ilori and Blackett were good cover for (or even upgrades on) McShane and Obita, so didn’t include them. But then I guess we pre-emptively replaced Beerens with Barrow.

Blackett and Obita rotated heavily at the LB spot in the season before but Blackett was so out of form the next season, Obita turned out to be a pretty big miss

McShane 16/17 was comfortably better than Ilori but then McShane really struggled past that season. Seem to recall Holmes being played at CB ahead of both Blackett and Ilori because we were just conceding so many sloppy goals

Not sure Barrow really was a direct replacement, was a completely different option IMO

[Hendo]

You can add McShane and McCleary to that list, and Obita as well? Wasn’t that why Bacuna played right back as Gunter was covering left back? Plus we had the Aluko effect (ie playing with 10 men for most of the time).

It was a big disruption to the squad losing all those players. Maybe my memory is playing tricks on me but I thought Ilori and Blackett were good cover for (or even upgrades on) McShane and Obita, so didn’t include them. But then I guess we pre-emptively replaced Beerens with Barrow.

Blackett and Obita rotated heavily at the LB spot in the season before but Blackett was so out of form the next season, Obita turned out to be a pretty big miss

McShane 16/17 was comfortably better than Ilori but then McShane really struggled past that season. Seem to recall Holmes being played at CB ahead of both Blackett and Ilori because we were just conceding so many sloppy goals

Not sure Barrow really was a direct replacement, was a completely different option IMO

Yeah, I think McShane was fine in Stam's 2nd season, it was the season after (specifically Blackburn away) where his form fell off a cliff.

[URZZZZ]

It was a big disruption to the squad losing all those players. Maybe my memory is playing tricks on me but I thought Ilori and Blackett were good cover for (or even upgrades on) McShane and Obita, so didn’t include them. But then I guess we pre-emptively replaced Beerens with Barrow.

Blackett and Obita rotated heavily at the LB spot in the season before but Blackett was so out of form the next season, Obita turned out to be a pretty big miss

McShane 16/17 was comfortably better than Ilori but then McShane really struggled past that season. Seem to recall Holmes being played at CB ahead of both Blackett and Ilori because we were just conceding so many sloppy goals

Not sure Barrow really was a direct replacement, was a completely different option IMO

Yeah, I think McShane was fine in Stam's 2nd season, it was the season after (specifically Blackburn away) where his form fell off a cliff.

Personally thought McShane struggled quite a bit in the second season but can’t remember it fully

I do remember he picked up an injury Jan 18 ish though and I don’t think he ever recovered past that. He seemed injury prone last year for Rochdale too, expect to see him retire soon

[Nameless]

So many owner/Kia signings nowadays we might just as well not bother having a manager, and just have a load of coaches instead

Isn’t that exactly what we’re doing with Paunović?

And not a daft strategy....
Employ the best coaches to work with a group of players. Employ a DofF to ensure you have a balanced and talented squad that doesn’t need rebuilding according to the whims of a new manager.
It’s not where we are, but I’d not have a major problem with it.

[Old Man Andrews]

Can exclusively reveal Veljko Paunović will be quarantined at the Madejski hotel.

[Sutekh]

Our new man will not be in charge for the Colchester games as he will still be in quarantine.

So what’s the point of the club going to Portugal then as if he’s in quarantine the only way to see/talk to him will be via Teams/Zoom/Skype etc. which could all be done from the U.K. just as easily while saving the money for the trip.

[Esteban]

Our new man will not be in charge for the Colchester games as he will still be in quarantine.

So what’s the point of the club going to Portugal then as if he’s in quarantine the only way to see/talk to him will be via Teams/Zoom/Skype etc. which could all be done from the U.K. just as easily while saving the money for the trip.

Maybe staying in the hotel at the stadium means he can take the game on Saturday, since it's in the same place? No idea if that's possible or not, just a random thought.

[Hound]

yep was the injuries and losses of key players, and Stam failing to adapt to that, along with truly woeful expensive signings

McShane, Yann, Obita, Williams, AAH, McCleary and Swift were massively key players from the PO season, and all played a very limited part in season 2.

[Stranded]

Our new man will not be in charge for the Colchester games as he will still be in quarantine.

So what’s the point of the club going to Portugal then as if he’s in quarantine the only way to see/talk to him will be via Teams/Zoom/Skype etc. which could all be done from the U.K. just as easily while saving the money for the trip.

So they could physically train with him. I would imagine the club have had him tested before working with the players. Quarantine is only an issue in the UK, so he would only need to do that once he arrived - I would imagine he will have passed on detailed training plans to the coaches ahead of the game and if he has a room with pitch view, he will likely "manage" from there via phone to the bench.

[3points]

Blackett and Obita rotated heavily at the LB spot in the season before but Blackett was so out of form the next season, Obita turned out to be a pretty big miss

McShane 16/17 was comfortably better than Ilori but then McShane really struggled past that season. Seem to recall Holmes being played at CB ahead of both Blackett and Ilori because we were just conceding so many sloppy goals

Not sure Barrow really was a direct replacement, was a completely different option IMO

Yeah, I think McShane was fine in Stam's 2nd season, it was the season after (specifically Blackburn away) where his form fell off a cliff.

Personally thought McShane struggled quite a bit in the second season but can’t remember it fully

I do remember he picked up an injury Jan 18 ish though and I don’t think he ever recovered past that. He seemed injury prone last year for Rochdale too, expect to see him retire soon

withiut knowing the stats, my recollection was that McShane missed a lot of games through injury and we effectively lost the spine of the team which had been so massively important in Stam’s first season.

[Franchise FC]

Our new man will not be in charge for the Colchester games as he will still be in quarantine.

Good job we're not away to Cardiff anytime in the next 14 days - otherwise quarantine rules for Wales ....

[URZZZZ]

Yeah, I think McShane was fine in Stam's 2nd season, it was the season after (specifically Blackburn away) where his form fell off a cliff.

Personally thought McShane struggled quite a bit in the second season but can’t remember it fully

I do remember he picked up an injury Jan 18 ish though and I don’t think he ever recovered past that. He seemed injury prone last year for Rochdale too, expect to see him retire soon

withiut knowing the stats, my recollection was that McShane missed a lot of games through injury and we effectively lost the spine of the team which had been so massively important in Stam’s first season.

From what I recall, out of Stam’s preferred XI in the playoff season, only three were regulars the next season, some because of injuries, a couple left and a couple were frozen out a bit

[bcubed]

Our new man will not be in charge for the Colchester games as he will still be in quarantine.

Good job we're not away to Cardiff anytime in the next 14 days - otherwise quarantine rules for Wales ....

Yep the difference in rules between different UK countries continues to confound me

[Snowball]

That’s because Wales and Scotland are putting lives first, whereas Tory England is a failed Neoliberal State run by a moron