My take ...

All advertisments are hidden for logged in members, why not log in/register?

Ayup Pompey
I’m not so certain that we don’t see Fleck again. He appeared to have a seizure, possibly a grand mal. No expert but things like that could be triggered by dehydration. The club maybe already aware that he has epilepsy ? On the other hand I doubt he’ll be driving a car anytime soon.
Again I’m no expert but epilepsy shouldn’t prevent him playing football
Matt Crooks of Boro is an epileptic. He got diagnosed for this at Accrington but it hasnt stopped Rangers, Rotherham and Boro from signing him.
 

First up, all the best to John Fleck. For all his dip in output recently and fall from grace with many United fans, watching the poor bloke tonight in a right fucking tangle sent chills of horror through me. However it happened and wherever he is, I hope he is okay and makes a full recovery. So glad to hear he left the stadium for hospital conscious and in as good a condition as can be expected. I doubt we'll see him again in a United shirt.

The game? Another hit-miss-hit-dodge match but thank fucking God we came away from it with a win. Well fucking done United. Typical start for us - looks like we are gonna muller the opposition, Gibbs White strikes the crossbar with a great free kick and then we fall inwards like an underdone shit pie. The worst part about that is that for at least thirty minutes of that first half, Reading looked actually worse than us. Swift and Puskas aside, no one was on their game for them and our own frailties exposed us more than their guile, skill and footballing ability. The setup, more 5-4-1 gave us the traditional Bogle to Stevens flat five with Didsy and the lively MGW outflanking Fleck and Norwood but that left a vast chasm between the retracted CMs and the two outside midfielders and the lonely but active Brewster. As usual there were no shots on target from either side and they boos which rang out I feel were deserved. It was a shit first half.

Second half we come out boxing again but we are still punch shy. We look unlikely to do anything let alone get one in that their keeper has to struggle to keep out until out of fucking nowhere, Didsy clips a far post cross to find Bogle in the Keiran Freeman spot to crash into the roof of the net. It was a superb goal to be honest but how many on here actually thought we'd hang onto it? Me neither. Yes, we dug in. Yes we defended and yes they threw on some horsepower even with Andy Carroll and we survived but how many times do we get the ball in the danger area in the opposition's area and end up making that one extra pass which fucks up the opportunity? Had we come away from the Titsqueeze Stadium (or whatever it's called these days) with anything less than three points - or less - I wouldn't have been shocked. our ongoing inability to kill oppositions and keep killing is legendary. It's almost as if at one stage we were apologetic for having the temerity to take the lead and had our bollocks out ready to kick at free will.

Aside from that there were positive moments.

Foderingham 6/10: His distribution at times is left wanting but he does come for and get to crosses and make a decent stop from Carroll at range
Bogle 7.5/10: Very good match for him. Battled hard and won with his winger and got up the flank and inside to areas to support the attack. Well taken goal to win it
Basham 6.5/10: Good, determined outing from Bash. Always seems to know 'the right thing to do' and is generally risk free. A couple of shit passes so loses a mark.
Egan 6/10: Not as involved as I'd like him to be but on balance didn't hide even when Carroll (who can be both bully and diver at the same time) came on
Davies 5/10: Pretty normative but steady match for him
Stevens 3/10: Regressing fast, although in his defence, every time he gets the ball out wide there aren't any passing options inside or forward so his only options are behind him. He generally epitomises why we are where we are at the moment
Gibbs-White 7/10: Typically busy, active but sometimes frustrating night for him. At times he is streaking away from defenders or has them on their heels and at others is so readable and predictable. Cracking free kick against the crossbar
Norwood 5/10: Has started to stop his Hollywood balls unless absolutely necessary but still is a bit invisible at times
Fleck: Not gonna mark him. Just get well Flecky. That's all.
McGoldrick 5.5/10: He has great skill but is starting to flag. Deservedly subbed in the end
Brewster 6.5/10: Doesn't get more because he did not get the service he deserved but worked very hard trying to create run opportunities and making their central defenders work hard. A better game for him

Hourihane 5/10: Slightly better for him. Some decent corners. But still a blue cross Norwood for me. Why did we not bring Berge on instead?
Osborn 5/10: Immediately tried to get involved down the left. But with no outcome
Sharp 5/10: A typical industrial outing for Billy. I think Reading were more frightened of him than we were of Carroll, TBH

Slav 7/10: Well done. Now make it better by beating Brizzle on Sunday

pommpey
Sadly agree about Stevens. Every pass seemed negative and safe, and always back to Davies. He looks unfit, jaded and just waiting for someone to put him ouf of his misery.
 
Sadly agree about Stevens. Every pass seemed negative and safe, and always back to Davies. He looks unfit, jaded and just waiting for someone to put him ouf of his misery.
why does the manager continue to play him ?
 
why does the manager continue to play him ?
Well I was going to add that the manager obviously sees a first team player there so what do I know. I’m just a fan and can only call it as I see it. What’s your own answer to the question you’ve posed ?
 
Definitely a 1/10 for me every time he had the ball you could bet 9 times out of 10 he went backwards. Even when he had a chance to shoot in the box he passed sideways. My son said Stevens last year would have buried that in the net like he did last year when we were at the Lane. I dont agree with the passing options bit either. Compare to Bogle who tried to take on his man when there were no passing options and often did. The Stevens of old would have gone round their players very easily seen it happen in the past many times. For me he has regressed already to the point of needs dropping. Its a shame as he could tear up these sides if he was Stevens of old down the left.

Saw another side to Brewster last night he chased everything and actually put a shift in, he needs regular first team starts and we might actually see some goals. Changed my opinion last night.
There's no way, logically, he could go backwards 9 times out of 10 when he loses the ball 5 times out of 10.
 
why does the manager continue to play him ?
Enda is not playing well and doesn't seem to be confident. But who can we play there? RND didn't stake his claim. Lowe didn't play well either and is out on loan. Not sure Osborn is suited defensively in the air.
Part of the problem is that if we were winning matches regularly Enda's performances would not be critiqued as much as fans wouldn't be as frustrated as we are.
I suppose we give RND or Osborn another go and see how he does.....unless there are other options you can think of.
 
Brewster 6.5 is too high in my opinion. It was probably his best game for us but he still looked like a kid in a man's game. He had 2 or 3 nice touches and that's it (way less that Norwood who gets a 5). Other than a couple of glimpses he got bullied off the ball loads of times, got into position to put a cross in and floated it into the stands, stood marked up most of the game and didn't have a single shot.

If it was a youth team player playing his first game for us, you'd have to say he's not ready for the step up yet
 
Well I was going to add that the manager obviously sees a first team player there so what do I know. I’m just a fan and can only call it as I see it. What’s your own answer to the question you’ve posed ?
ben osborn
 
Enda is not playing well and doesn't seem to be confident. But who can we play there? RND didn't stake his claim. Lowe didn't play well either and is out on loan. Not sure Osborn is suited defensively in the air.
Part of the problem is that if we were winning matches regularly Enda's performances would not be critiqued as much as fans wouldn't be as frustrated as we are.
I suppose we give RND or Osborn another go and see how he does.....unless there are other options you can think of.
as a left back its a no go with osborn but as a left wing back hes ideal the few games hes played for us there hes played really well pace up and down that left wing hes too lightweight to play in midfield imo
 
Excellent match review again, Pommpey. I honestly think Bogle can rip it up in this league. He just needs a run of games and told to get forward. Magic feet in the box, that boy.
 
Enda is not playing well and doesn't seem to be confident. But who can we play there? RND didn't stake his claim. Lowe didn't play well either and is out on loan. Not sure Osborn is suited defensively in the air.
Part of the problem is that if we were winning matches regularly Enda's performances would not be critiqued as much as fans wouldn't be as frustrated as we are.
I suppose we give RND or Osborn another go and see how he does.....unless there are other options you can think of.

Lowe is allegedly out for 3 months now apparently he was playing quite well so we cant even recall him.
 
as a left back its a no go with osborn but as a left wing back hes ideal the few games hes played for us there hes played really well pace up and down that left wing hes too lightweight to play in midfield imo
Osborn is better as left wing back than left of midfield. I like his attitude but he can be a bit weak in defence...but as Enda is playing so poorly then nothing to loose and something to gain with Osborn
 
Thanks Pommps, I wasn't able to watch unfortunately, away on business in Europe and no link worked. So cannot comment, only able to see a few highlights and pick up on reports.
Encouraging as two clean sheets are I think the value of the opposition on the day accounts a lot for that. I have commented before that our ability to put teams like this to the sword is sadly lacking, so I agree entirely. Rumours that Slav is on his way this morning are not surprising. I would prefer more time and allow him some investment. But progress, if there is any has been painfully slow and he has had over 20 games in total now to at least find a settled side and formation. Neither seem evident. He keeps shaking the bag hoping the dice will come out differently.
All the best to Flecky, I understand he is out of hospital now?
I seriously hope Warnock is not coming back. Onwards we go. UTB.
 

All advertisments are hidden for logged in members, why not log in/register?

All advertisments are hidden for logged in members, why not log in/register?

Back
Top Bottom