How effectively do teams actually scout us ? Reading going 3 at the back today suggested they knew what was coming, but they were clearly as unprepared as they could have been for what hit them in the first half. They played almost exactly like Derby did (or didn't) several weeks ago, and (again) were yet another side who looked utterly perplexed on the couple of occasions that JoC appeared out of nowhere on the left side of their box. How on earth do we keep surprising teams like this, a quarter of a season in ?
One potential warning sign. Last 15 I thought we looked tired, in the same way that Liverpool did last season. Can we keep up this kind of intensity ? Everything crossed. Today, first half, yet again, we were absolutely awesome.
I think you're wrong on both counts mate, I'll tell you why...
I think all teams effectively scout us. They'd be remiss not to wouldn't they? And I think we do the same in terms of scouting other teams. That's normal. But just because you do your homework on another team before you play them, doesn't mean you are capable of stopping them doing their thing. To take an extreme example to prove my point...what would happen if you took Chesterfield FC and made them watch hours and hours of Barcelona or Bayern Munich and how they play. And then let them have a match against them. Would the fact that they had "effectively scouted" the opposition in advance make much difference? It might help, a teeny-weeny bit, but the facts are that Chesterfield FC just wouldn't have the where with all to cope against either of these sides, no matter how much they effectively scouted them in advance.
It's the same with us. It's nonsense to suggest we are "surprising" teams. They'll have had us watched no end given the great start we've had. But...the thing is, they can't do much about it, because we are bloody good at what we do. And that's the reality. No amount of scouting is going to make much difference. It's only what the teams actually do on the day that matters.
And as for "looking tired" - do you know, I'm sorry mate and no offence, but I really dislike hearing this because it's nothing but a ridiculous excuse. These players are like thoroughbred racehorses, they are athletes, at the peak of their condition in most cases. They are not "tired" after 75 minutes of football - not at all. That's just making lame excuses I'm afraid. The reason for Reading getting on top in the last 15 was down to a combination of factors.
1 We took Duffy off.
2 They brought Swift on.
3 We gifted them a soft goal through poor goalkeeping and it lifted their mood.
4 For some reason we resorted to hoof-ball as they advanced rather than sticking to the passing game which had got them well beaten up until then.
I hope Wilder has learned something from this tbh. Don't get me wrong, the bloke is doing a fantastic job and he rarely gets a single thing wrong. But he is rather fond of changing things round about the hour mark and I think he'd be better making sure we've got the game won first - especially against strong opposition.
Taking Duffy off yesterday was a poor decision because Duffy controls so much in that midfield and he holds onto the ball. When he went off and that guy Swift came on, the balance in midfield changed dramatically in their favour. And the last 10 minutes was panic-mode tbh - just hoofing it all over the place. A bit of a throwback that to the old panicky United of recent seasons, trying to cling onto a 1 goal advantage in stoppage time.
We got away with it - but I've never seen or heard our crowd so desperate for the final whistle. We were hanging on for dear life in the end. But please....don't wheel out that excuse about it being down to tiredness - nothing at all to do with that. It was down to poor tactical changes and hesitant goalkeeping.
