Are to unhappy Steve Clark is staying?

[Vision]

In reality if anyone in the world was approached about another job 9 times out of 10 you would hear what they offer and weigh up your options. Anyone on this forum I bet would do that. And that's all Clarke has done unfortunately because he is a football manager it gets thrown in to the media. It's not a question of loyalty it's just life. He has chosen to stay at reading which I don't think is a bad thing, we are 7th in the table and not far off the play offs with a top championship squad. I think it is good for the stability of the club. At the moment we are in a Gd position so I'm going to back the manager and judge him come the end of the season. When he has had his chance. You will all look like idiots if we were promoted now.

disagree - I get asked about jobs on a regular basis - I don't go for them if I'm settled in my job

What if your current employers were fully aware and told you to crack on and talk to them if you want?

Would it make you feel any less "settled" or not feel quite valued as you thought you were?

Not saying that's definitely the case here but we don't really know. We'd have known a whole lot more if the club had said no to the approach because it would have put the ball firmly in Clarke's (and Fulham's) court to see how badly he wants to talk to them or indeed how advanced any possible illicit talks might be.

[Hampshire Royal]

Where has the tempo gone? The pace, penetration and creativity?

We have become a stagnant squad of sewage, error prone and brittle, tediously churning out drab, mediocre performances seemingly to fit a 90 minute gap in the day.

This team needs a new lease of life, some optimism and confidence. Do you really see them getting that under Clarke?

So the 'pace, penetration and creativity' has gone. Who instilled this into the squad in the first place? Don't you think that, like every team in football, we are going through a bit of a bad patch at the moment? We have, after all lost a massive 2 league games since September. The style of play will, again, improve under Clarke.

Your ridiculous attempt to put down Clarke really has to stop. You're in danger of making yourself look even more stupid than you look now.

[CountryRoyal]

Where has the tempo gone? The pace, penetration and creativity?

We have become a stagnant squad of sewage, error prone and brittle, tediously churning out drab, mediocre performances seemingly to fit a 90 minute gap in the day.

This team needs a new lease of life, some optimism and confidence. Do you really see them getting that under Clarke?

So the 'pace, penetration and creativity' has gone. Who instilled this into the squad in the first place? Don't you think that, like every team in football, we are going through a bit of a bad patch at the moment? We have, after all lost a massive 2 league games since September. The style of play will, again, improve under Clarke.

Your ridiculous attempt to put down Clarke really has to stop. You're in danger of making yourself look even more stupid than you look now.

[Hampshire Royal]

If you really don't know where the "pace, penetration and creativity" came from, you only have to say. Nobody will judge you. Leaving a "clever" little face as your reply might do it for you......

[CountryRoyal]

If you really don't know where the "pace, penetration and creativity" came from, you only have to say. Nobody will judge you. Leaving a "clever" little face as your reply might do it for you......

If you think that dour Steve nagative nanny 5-at the back Clarke is responsible for broadening this squad's attacking creativity then fair enough. Beyond bringing in the players I would suggest the exact opposite to be true. In my opinion he is suffocating this squad of its natural talent.

Its no coincidence that the more time elapses since deadline day, the longer the team has been drilled into Clark's turgid and ineffective style of play. Quite frankly its just as well we have good individual players, because anything less would see us tumbling towards the bottom of the table.

As a matter of interest, and there is no insinuation based in this question, but do you get to games very often?

[Vision]

If you really don't know where the "pace, penetration and creativity" came from, you only have to say. Nobody will judge you. Leaving a "clever" little face as your reply might do it for you......

If you think that dour Steve nagative nanny 5-at the back Clarke is responsible for broadening this squad's attacking creativity then fair enough. Beyond bringing in the players I would suggest the exact opposite to be true. In my opinion he is suffocating this squad of its natural talent.

Its no coincidence that the more time elapses since deadline day, the longer the team has been drilled into Clark's turgid and ineffective style of play. Quite frankly its just as well we have good individual players, because anything less would see us tumbling towards the bottom of the table.

As a matter of interest, and there is no insinuation based in this question, but do you get to games very often?

Isn't one of the main criticisms of Clarke on here that instead of playing an extra midfielder in 4-3-3 he's playing an extra attacking player in a 4-2-3-1? He's certainly not playing Piazon for his defensive qualities.

I do agree though that his negative substitutions on Saturday (and it's not the first time) do indicate a man who is intent to Hold on to what he's got rather than secure the result by going on and scoring more.

[Armadillo Roadkill]

Where has the tempo gone? The pace, penetration and creativity?

We have become a stagnant squad of sewage, error prone and brittle, tediously churning out drab, mediocre performances seemingly to fit a 90 minute gap in the day.

This team needs a new lease of life, some optimism and confidence. Do you really see them getting that under Clarke?

So the 'pace, penetration and creativity' has gone. Who instilled this into the squad in the first place? Don't you think that, like every team in football, we are going through a bit of a bad patch at the moment? We have, after all lost a massive 2 league games since September. The style of play will, again, improve under Clarke.

Your ridiculous attempt to put down Clarke really has to stop. You're in danger of making yourself look even more stupid than you look now.

Think you've let yourself down a bit there Hampshire.

Anyway - He did get the boys playing attacking, high tempo football. But I take it you'll agree that has now stopped, and that CountryRoyals's description of how we're playing at the moment is largely accurate.

The question is: is Clarke going to be able to get that back? I think not: they haven't become so brittle because of how they're being coached or what the manager is saying to prepare them. It's something else - and he (Clarke) is either part of the problem or doesn't know what the answer is.

[Steve_Upper_West]

Where has the tempo gone? The pace, penetration and creativity?

We have become a stagnant squad of sewage, error prone and brittle, tediously churning out drab, mediocre performances seemingly to fit a 90 minute gap in the day.

This team needs a new lease of life, some optimism and confidence. Do you really see them getting that under Clarke?

Perhaps we should wait to see if the return of HRK, Quinn and Tish makes a difference ?

[CountryRoyal]

Where has the tempo gone? The pace, penetration and creativity?

We have become a stagnant squad of sewage, error prone and brittle, tediously churning out drab, mediocre performances seemingly to fit a 90 minute gap in the day.

This team needs a new lease of life, some optimism and confidence. Do you really see them getting that under Clarke?

Perhaps we should wait to see if the return of HRK, Quinn and Tish makes a difference ?

I'm sorry but attributing our dip in form solely due to injuries to, admittedly, key players is very soft. The players we still have at our disposable should easily be good enough to be putting in consistently better performances than we have done recently.

Isn't one of the main criticisms of Clarke on here that instead of playing an extra midfielder in 4-3-3 he's playing an extra attacking player in a 4-2-3-1? He's certainly not playing Piazon for his defensive qualities.

I do agree though that his negative substitutions on Saturday (and it's not the first time) do indicate a man who is intent to Hold on to what he's got rather than secure the result by going on and scoring more.

It isn't necessarily the players he's selecting (which in the past have proved too ambitiously attacking) but its the way in which we are set up, where they are playing, and importantly how they are playing.

I was only referring to our attacking play, don't get me started on our transition from a reliable and solid defence into one that makes cheap mistakes and concedes soft goals.

[Hampshire Royal]

I don't get to games as often as I like to (I have a long way to travel to games). I saw my first game his season against Charlton (my first game since Wembley last year), and in my opinion, we played really well, with all the characteristics you say you want from a Reading team. We should have won by more, but their keeper had a really good game.

I have ordered a half-season ticket and although I still won't be able to make every game, I will see as many as I can. I firmly believe that having a ST will guarantee me tickets for the promotion run-in.

We are still 7th in the league only eight points behind first with 29 games to play.

As far as trying to hold onto the lead on Saturday goes, I think this is perfectly understandable given the feeling Clarke's rejecting Fulham generated.

[CountryRoyal]

I don't get to games as often as I like to (I have a long way to travel to games). I saw my first game his season against Charlton (my first game since Wembley last year), and in my opinion, we played really well, with all the characteristics you say you want from a Reading team. We should have won by more, but their keeper had a really good game.

I have ordered a half-season ticket and although I still won't be able to make every game, I will see as many as I can. I firmly believe that having a ST will guarantee me tickets for the promotion run-in.

We are still 7th in the league only eight points behind first with 29 games to play.

As far as trying to hold onto the lead on Saturday goes, I think this is perfectly understandable given the feeling Clarke's rejecting Fulham generated.

Remarkable that you thought we played well against Charlton. The last win before yesterday but the first of the poor performances since our good run, which is still continuing and is showing no signs of stopping. It was attack v defence with Charlton being the most negative side to visit in recent years showing no intent other than hoping for a draw. Had they not foolishly gone down to 10 men I suspect their organisation would have seen out the draw. In that game it didn't quite click, we were off the boil and everything was a bit slow and lumbered. Traits which are very much evident in the team at the moment.

Fair play for travelling to as many games as you can though especially with expense and effort.

[Ian Royal]

Drawing too many games and not winning is the notm for Clarke here though. Yes last season had mitigating circumstances, but he needs to do better than a 7 game good streak and just beating a relegation fodder side before you can say the poor previous 5 games was the anomaly, not the good 7.

[Vision]

Drawing too many games and not winning is the notm for Clarke here though. Yes last season had mitigating circumstances, but he needs to do better than a 7 game good streak and just beating a relegation fodder side before you can say the poor previous 5 games was the anomaly, not the good 7.

Or you could forget looking at "streaks" because the Championship is full of them and look at the season as a whole so far.

In which case he's doing alright. Not great by any means but certainly not so bad as to warrant a lot of the criticism he gets on here. I'm talking purely on the field of course rather than the any moROFLOLaLOL indignation.

Saturday was a bit nervy and disjointed and his subs didn't help but it was still streets ahead of a dozen or so league games towards the end of last season.

[Extended-Phenotype]

Wait, so the reason he is staying is because his agent fcuked the practically agreed deal up, not because he chose us?

And some fans are still ok with that?

Weird.

[CountryRoyal]

Wait, so the reason he is staying is because his agent fcuked the practically agreed deal up, not because he chose us?

And some fans are still ok with that?

Weird.

Probably all liberals.

[maffff]

Wait, so the reason he is staying is because his agent fcuked the practically agreed deal up, not because he chose us?

And some fans are still ok with that?

Weird.

Ostriches, the lot of 'em.

Which is why I wanted Pearson.

[From Despair To Where?]

Where has the tempo gone? The pace, penetration and creativity?

We have become a stagnant squad of sewage, error prone and brittle, tediously churning out drab, mediocre performances seemingly to fit a 90 minute gap in the day.

This team needs a new lease of life, some optimism and confidence. Do you really see them getting that under Clarke?

Perhaps we should wait to see if the return of HRK, Quinn and Tish makes a difference ?

I'm sorry but attributing our dip in form solely due to injuries to, admittedly, key players is very soft. The players we still have at our disposable should easily be good enough to be putting in consistently better performances than we have done recently.

It's the hard work and solidity of the likes of Quinn and Tish that gives the flair players the scope to attack with pace and creativity. It's also noticeable that we've been defensively suspect since they got injured. I think Quinn is absolutely pivotal to how we play. No one else in midfield has his consistancy and tactical discipline.

[loyalroyaldaz]

Clarke out

[blueroyals]

Where has the tempo gone? The pace, penetration and creativity?

We have become a stagnant squad of sewage, error prone and brittle, tediously churning out drab, mediocre performances seemingly to fit a 90 minute gap in the day.

This team needs a new lease of life, some optimism and confidence. Do you really see them getting that under Clarke?

So the 'pace, penetration and creativity' has gone. Who instilled this into the squad in the first place?

To be fair, we've only seen 'pace penetration and creativity' for about 2 games since he's taken over, the rest of it has been painfully slow, conservative crab football.

[Ian Royal]

Drawing too many games and not winning is the notm for Clarke here though. Yes last season had mitigating circumstances, but he needs to do better than a 7 game good streak and just beating a relegation fodder side before you can say the poor previous 5 games was the anomaly, not the good 7.

Or you could forget looking at "streaks" because the Championship is full of them and look at the season as a whole so far.

In which case he's doing alright. Not great by any means but certainly not so bad as to warrant a lot of the criticism he gets on here. I'm talking purely on the field of course rather than the any moROFLOLaLOL indignation.

Saturday was a bit nervy and disjointed and his subs didn't help but it was still streets ahead of a dozen or so league games towards the end of last season.

This is fair.

The poor run, combined with the Fulham debacle have essentially reset him to start of season needin to prove himself after a poor last season for me.

Hopefully we pick up 10+ points over the next for games (plus Bolton) and it all just fades away.