Why can't we create?!

[leon]

After the previous relegation from the Prem, we promised much (3-1 at Brum and 4-1 at Bristol City for example) but results began to decline and instead of what initially looked like a top two finish; the team meekly faded against Brum at home and against Burnley in play offs (the latter without a goal in either leg); that season's outcome felt painful and unavoidable; I see the same loss of confidence and lack of desire this season and as we started less strongly this time; the play offs are looking unlikely; there are just too many better sides in the division;

Why is this happening again and how can it be overcome?

Remember Wolves last season!

I remember wolves away 1996. I got noshed off outside the old turtle later that night

[Royal Ginger]

After the previous relegation from the Prem, we promised much (3-1 at Brum and 4-1 at Bristol City for example) but results began to decline and instead of what initially looked like a top two finish; the team meekly faded against Brum at home and against Burnley in play offs (the latter without a goal in either leg); that season's outcome felt painful and unavoidable; I see the same loss of confidence and lack of desire this season and as we started less strongly this time; the play offs are looking unlikely; there are just too many better sides in the division;

Why is this happening again and how can it be overcome?

Remember Wolves last season!

And what made you think this needed a 3rd/4th/5th thread? I can only read Leon's oral Wolves story so many times.

[Bandini]

Hi BORING 1-0 I like your style, but your first paragraph ends with a semi-colon. Did you deprive us of some more words of wisdom?

[AthleticoSpizz]

After the previous relegation from the Prem, we promised much (3-1 at Brum and 4-1 at Bristol City for example) but results began to decline and instead of what initially looked like a top two finish; the team meekly faded against Brum at home and against Burnley in play offs (the latter without a goal in either leg); that season's outcome felt painful and unavoidable; I see the same loss of confidence and lack of desire this season and as we started less strongly this time; the play offs are looking unlikely; there are just too many better sides in the division;

Why is this happening again and how can it be overcome?

Remember Wolves last season!

I remember wolves away 1996. I got noshed off outside the old turtle later that night

you were the best Leon

[Bandini]

After the previous relegation from the Prem, we promised much (3-1 at Brum and 4-1 at Bristol City for example) but results began to decline and instead of what initially looked like a top two finish; the team meekly faded against Brum at home and against Burnley in play offs (the latter without a goal in either leg); that season's outcome felt painful and unavoidable; I see the same loss of confidence and lack of desire this season and as we started less strongly this time; the play offs are looking unlikely; there are just too many better sides in the division;

Why is this happening again and how can it be overcome?

Remember Wolves last season!

And what made you think this needed a 3rd/4th/5th thread? I can only read Leon's oral Wolves story so many times.

Didn't he call?

[leon]

After the previous relegation from the Prem, we promised much (3-1 at Brum and 4-1 at Bristol City for example) but results began to decline and instead of what initially looked like a top two finish; the team meekly faded against Brum at home and against Burnley in play offs (the latter without a goal in either leg); that season's outcome felt painful and unavoidable; I see the same loss of confidence and lack of desire this season and as we started less strongly this time; the play offs are looking unlikely; there are just too many better sides in the division;

Why is this happening again and how can it be overcome?

Remember Wolves last season!

And what made you think this needed a 3rd/4th/5th thread? I can only read Leon's oral Wolves story so many times.

Didn't he call?

I did but couldn't understand a word he said. Probably had his mouth full at the time.

[Royal Ginger]

You punctured my larynx you beast of a man.

[sandman]

We start with zero urgency stroking it round the back four. Opposition close us down more and more, occasionally catching us in possession. We get rattLOLed. Get caught once too often and conceed. From then on we chase the game and look better.

Someone once said 'attack is the best form of defence'. This is Adkins' antithesis.

No it's not.

Look at his Southampton and Scunthorpe sides.

So why is it not happening with us?

Because it may work at other clubs but that doesn't mean it will work here.

We get these people constantly saying that McD is in the past and to forget about what he did for the club and then in the next breath they turnaround and go on and on about Adkins record in the past at other clubs.

[Cureton's Volley]

^^ Post of the year!

[BORING 1-0]

After the previous relegation from the Prem, we promised much (3-1 at Brum and 4-1 at Bristol City for example) but results began to decline and instead of what initially looked like a top two finish; the team meekly faded against Brum at home and against Burnley in play offs (the latter without a goal in either leg); that season's outcome felt painful and unavoidable; I see the same loss of confidence and lack of desire this season and as we started less strongly this time; the play offs are looking unlikely; there are just too many better sides in the division;

Why is this happening again and how can it be overcome?

Remember Wolves last season!

And what made you think this needed a 3rd/4th/5th thread? I can only read Leon's oral Wolves story so many times.

I have not seen a thread which specifically covers the alarming brittle nature of the team's confidence and desire during both of the season's immediately following relegation from the Prem.

Different players, different managers and coaching staff and different owners; so why the similarity and can we end the season, in denial and in League one or can we still make the play offs and if do how?

[BraisingsteakRoyal]

I thought this was going to be a post about the trajectory of the Team Board.

Colour me surprised.

Oh, and page one IN (before the delete).

[Platypuss]

^^ Non sequitur of the year!

Corrected.

[The Real Sandhurst Royal]

Simple, Adkins. he selects the team, sets out the formation and tells the players the way he want them to play.

[under the tin]

Simple, Adkins. he selects the team, sets out the formation and tells the players the way he want them to play.

So you actually think that in training tomorrow, Adkins will have his defenders practicing receiving the ball short from McCarthy, passing it between themselves a couple of times, before laying it back to McCarthy who then proceeds to smash it down the pitch to no one in particular?

You actually think that Adkins doesn't understand that his preferred "passing game" is in fact a misnomer, and that the style is actually "pass and move"
You think that Crosby and Adkins are coaching "pass and then stand still"?

When we have a player in possession of the ball, it is the responsibility of that player's team mates to give him options by creating spaces into which the ball can be progressed. It's about working hard by running off the ball, yet there appear to be current players who think that this is beneath them, as was evidenced by the touchline spat between Drenthe and Crosby yesterday.

We're currently too slow, too predictable, and thereby, too easy to negate as an attacking force, hence, the low count on attempts on/off target, hence the lack of entertainment/exitement value for fans, hence the shortage of goalscoring opportunities for the strikers. It's that simple.

[harry]

So you actually think that in training tomorrow, Adkins will have his defenders practicing receiving the ball short from McCarthy, passing it between themselves a couple of times, before laying it back to McCarthy who then proceeds to smash it down the pitch to no one in particular?

You actually think that Adkins doesn't understand that his preferred "passing game" is in fact a misnomer, and that the style is actually "pass and move"
You think that Crosby and Adkins are coaching "pass and then stand still"?

When we have a player in possession of the ball, it is the responsibility of that player's team mates to give him options by creating spaces into which the ball can be progressed. It's about working hard by running off the ball, yet there appear to be current players who think that this is beneath them, as was evidenced by the touchline spat between Drenthe and Crosby yesterday.

We're currently too slow, too predictable, and thereby, too easy to negate as an attacking force, hence, the low count on attempts on/off target, hence the lack of entertainment/exitement value for fans, hence the shortage of goalscoring opportunities for the strikers. It's that simple.[/quote]

Your 3rd paragraph is most easily demonstrated when we have a throw-in. The thrower is often faced with trying to spot the nearest approximation to movement from a bunch of mannequins. The crowd get frustrated with the thrower but he needs options to give it to.

[Sanguine]

Simple, Adkins. he selects the team, sets out the formation and tells the players the way he want them to play.

So you actually think that in training tomorrow, Adkins will have his defenders practicing receiving the ball short from McCarthy, passing it between themselves a couple of times, before laying it back to McCarthy who then proceeds to smash it down the pitch to no one in particular?

You actually think that Adkins doesn't understand that his preferred "passing game" is in fact a misnomer, and that the style is actually "pass and move"
You think that Crosby and Adkins are coaching "pass and then stand still"?

When we have a player in possession of the ball, it is the responsibility of that player's team mates to give him options by creating spaces into which the ball can be progressed. It's about working hard by running off the ball, yet there appear to be current players who think that this is beneath them, as was evidenced by the touchline spat between Drenthe and Crosby yesterday.

We're currently too slow, too predictable, and thereby, too easy to negate as an attacking force, hence, the low count on attempts on/off target, hence the lack of entertainment/exitement value for fans, hence the shortage of goalscoring opportunities for the strikers. It's that simple.

Spot on. The lack of movement in our play is breathtaking.

[Basingstoke 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.

Kelly head and shoulders above Gunter!? Are you mad?

Kelly is the worst of the lot. Wingers go past him at will, and he flies in recklessly. His positioning is terrible and he has cost us many times even with his limited time on the pitch. The goal he scored at the weekend pays back a little but he is well and trully past it and behind gunter and Cummings at right back imo.