Reading, righting and a rhythm attack.....At Home to Reading ..21 Nov.

[TANGODANCER]

It's almost tommorow....speaketh thy thoughts good citizens.......

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

"Bit of a defensive issue brewing at #bwfc - Mark Little (groin) and Antonee Robinson (ankle) big doubts. Beevers suspended."

[Lost Leopard Spot]

It's almost tommorow....speaketh thy thoughts good citizens.......

Shan't. , but my sister Cassandra's got a thing or two to say.

[Harry Genshaw]

2-1 win. Pratley and Wheater. Suddenly that point at Preston looks half decent

[Lost Leopard Spot]

And talking about reading n' writing: two things.
There's another H in that there rythm...
Plus, is it only me. I had to look up where we are playing, coz Reading at Home suggests to me at the Madjeski, whereas if you'd said at home to Reading I'd've understood at the Macron straight away.

[TANGODANCER]

And talking about reading n' writing: two things.
There's another H in that there rythm...
Plus, is it only me. I had to look up where we are playing, coz Reading at Home suggests to me at the Madjeski, whereas if you'd said at home to Reading I'd've understood at the Macron straight away.

I've corrected all to suit your requests oh pernickety one, although Reading Away would be correct for the Madjeski.

[Lost Leopard Spot]

And talking about reading n' writing: two things.
There's another H in that there rythm...
Plus, is it only me. I had to look up where we are playing, coz Reading at Home suggests to me at the Madjeski, whereas if you'd said at home to Reading I'd've understood at the Macron straight away.

I've corrected all to suit your requests oh pernickety one, although Reading Away would be correct for the Madjeski.

Wahay, thank you very much. Guaranteed win now, to somebody.

[bristol_Wanderer3]

Terrible news regarding Little and Robinson. I hope they can recover. Taylor wasn't on the bench on Friday, so not sue whether he is fit. Are we looking at Darby at RB, and Derik at LB? maybe Morais at RB?

Interesting article in the BEN about Henry here.

http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/wa ... 39_s_chat/

Seems like he is our (much needed) disrupter-in-chief.

[Lost Leopard Spot]

I think the game tomorrow is a potentially big pivot point. If we win, I don't think it augurs anything in particular it won't be a defining moment in the season. Similar if we draw, except that then we really do have a massive battle on our hands as one of four struggling to be top dog in order to survive the drop. But if we lose, then I think that's it, we may as well use the rest of the season as practice games for League One. (I'm depressing myself now. I'll try and cheer up).

[Dr Hotdog]

My first match of the season tonight. Kind of looking forward to it, but would be more optimistic had we taken advantage of a very, very shite Preston side on Friday night. Draws aren't going to keep us up and if a team is there for the taking, take them!

Little seems to give us a good attacking outlet up the right so he would be a blow as I doubt Darby can step into the role with the same attacking gusto. Don't know what the score is with A.Taylor so assume softie utlitiy man Derek will plug the gap on the left. Burke > Dervite in the centre for Beevers. Would consider freshening the midfield but dropping Pratley or Henry is a big call. Be tempted to recall Buckley ahead of Armstrong to help Derik out on the left. But is that overly defensive? Gah. 3 points please with a goal off Wheater's chin and I'll go home happy!

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

If we're having to make three changes in defence, I wouldn't change the two holders too. This is a winnable game. If one or other of the auld fellas in midfield need a rest, they can have one against Wolves. We need to target the more winnable games, like Friday's at a team who were bottom of the form league with two points from the last 18, no goals in three hours and a million defenders out injured. That, friends, is not a point won, it's two points dropped.

Anyway, onwards. Bummer that we're forced to change half the back six immediately after our second clean sheet since the general election, but hey-ho. I think Taylor is fit, he just wasn't picked on the bench because we do have options, and Jedi has been playing well. Initially he (like Little) suited a back three as he didn't have as many defensive duties, but it's to their credit – and the team's benefit – that they have obviously been coached into looking much more solid while still providing the overlaps required by our 4-2-3-1's inverted wingers: left-footed Sammy on the right and right-footed Arma on the left.

Although he's no Jedi – much less swift, much less keen to get forward – Taylor will be solid enough. Darby (intriguingly namechecked by Pratley as the squad's best on-field talker/organiser) carries even less of a forward threat, in a game when we'll need one: at home, to a team who are hardly expansive. It wouldn't amaze me if Parky decided to draft in Burke (faster, more confident coming forward) as a right-back, assuming he'll go for Dervite in the middle. Derik is an option but I think we have better ones in most positions; he may be first reserve for defensive-midfield, but I'd still rather roll in forgotten man Jem Karacan there if Henry/Pratley are unavailable (can't be long now till Henry gets a suspension for all his tit-head yellows).

I wouldn't change any starters forward of the defence, but I would be looking to have "finishers" - three potential gamechangers who can come on and affect the later stages. Perm those from Buckley, Noone, Morais and ALF, and tell them they're playing for a starter slot on Saturday.

[Lost Leopard Spot]

Having read through their forums, the view from the opposition (fans) is encapsulated below:
They seem to think their team will be Mannone, Gunter, Moore, McShane, Richards, Edwards, Bacuna, Barrow, Swift, Aluko, Kermogant. However nobody's confident about predicting their line-up because they mostly think their manager (Jaap Stam) pisses about with their team selection and formation too much.
Their goalscoring dangermen in descending order are believed to be Barrow, Swift, Kermogant, Aluko (Every single one of their goals this season has been scored from inside the 18 yard box.)
They believe they have a fast counterattacking game - but that strategy is somewhat countered by our abominable possession record (the lowest in the league ~40%). They also believe that if we sit back their 'quality will prevail'.
They mostly think they will concede a goal.
They also believe that they will have a penalty denied: They don't like the Ref (a Mr Madley) who apparently, according to them, turned down a definite penalty call at Millwall this season, and one at Newcastle last season, and has already overseen two away defeats for Reading this season so far.
From their predictions thread the scores they have given are (mean) 1v2, (median) 2v2 and (mode) 1v1, 1v0 - so quite a range of predictions.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

BN:
http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/wa ... jury_blow/

"it is understood Parkinson is also considering switching systems"

Hmm. Without either wing-back. I can sort of see the point of having both Burke and Dervite flanking Wheater rather than trying to emulate the extremely well-worked Wheavers duo, but who the galloping pig would we play right and left? Taylor's not even an attacking left-back, let along a wing-back; same, doubly so, for Darby – and while I might fancy Burke giving it a go as an overlapping full-back, I can't see him having the entire wing as his dominion and responsibility. Morais has shown himself out of his depth there in this division, while Parky surely can't be considering playing Sammy, Noone or Buckley (can you imagine?) as wing-backs. And that's before you figure out how to fit Sammy into a back-three system: support striker? Lop-sided 3-5-2? More balanced but more open 3-4-3? If the latter, who do you drop out of Henry/Pratley/Vela?

I just hope this is throwing smoke around to confuse Jaaaaaaap Shtam.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

More from the BN:
http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/wa ... tightrope/

Henry, Pratley and Wheater are all one booking away from suspension, if the booking comes in the next two games. Parky says “I had a chat with them prior to the game, making sure they were not going to get done by pulling someone’s shirt of kicking the ball away. You don’t want to be missing players because of something like that."

<looks over top of glasses at Karl>

[BWFC_Insane]

If we're missing Beevers, Little and have no fit LB (Taylor is not fit so I'm told) then I don't fancy our chances tonight.

Sorry but we need our strongest 11 to compete. This shows the weakness in our squad thanks to another summer under embargo.

[TANGODANCER]

If we're missing Beevers, Little and have no fit LB (Taylor is not fit so I'm told) then I don't fancy our chances tonight.

Sorry but we need our strongest 11 to compete. This shows the weakness in our squad thanks to another summer under embargo.

You wouldn't fancy our chances if we had Gary Cahill, Kyle Walker amd Marcello playing mate.

[Lost Leopard Spot]

If we're missing Beevers, Little and have no fit LB (Taylor is not fit so I'm told) then I don't fancy our chances tonight.

Sorry but we need our strongest 11 to compete. This shows the weakness in our squad thanks to another summer under embargo.

You wouldn't fancy our chances if we had Gary Cahill, Kyle Walker amd Marcello playing mate.

Hang on a doodly-pip, I've just been calling him optimistic to my Mr pessimistic.
Are you doing a Radio Tango tonight?

[TANGODANCER]

Hang on a doodly-pip, I've just been calling him optimistic to my Mr pessimistic.
Are you doing a Radio Tango tonight?

Aye, Radio Tango will be on the air..

[boltonboris]

BN:
http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/wa ... jury_blow/

"it is understood Parkinson is also considering switching systems"

Hmm. Without either wing-back. I can sort of see the point of having both Burke and Dervite flanking Wheater rather than trying to emulate the extremely well-worked Wheavers duo, but who the galloping pig would we play right and left? Taylor's not even an attacking left-back, let along a wing-back; same, doubly so, for Darby – and while I might fancy Burke giving it a go as an overlapping full-back, I can't see him having the entire wing as his dominion and responsibility. Morais has shown himself out of his depth there in this division, while Parky surely can't be considering playing Sammy, Noone or Buckley (can you imagine?) as wing-backs. And that's before you figure out how to fit Sammy into a back-three system: support striker? Lop-sided 3-5-2? More balanced but more open 3-4-3? If the latter, who do you drop out of Henry/Pratley/Vela?

I just hope this is throwing smoke around to confuse Jaaaaaaap Shtam.

Eeeek. I know we have issues with Full Backs, but the only way for a team like us against Reading is to have width higher up the pitch

They keep the ball for long periods and press when they don't have it. Good footballing sides can pick them off with triangles and bodies, but we're not one of them!! We need to be reliant on direct forward balls (as usual) and diags for Ameobi and Armstrong to get 1v1 with their full backs

Wing backs in the side and we'll get twatted. And I mean 3 or 4 nil twatted

[TANGODANCER]

Does it rain much in Reading? I mean, they might not like wet and windy (cos it looks like what it will be) ....

Anyway, I'm wondering (given that Parky probably know a fair bit about Reading despite his long absence) if smoke and mirrors are in play here? They definitely have a first team player suspended (like us), but is Parky doing a bit of an Ozzy on the gamesmanship stakes? How injured are Robinson and Little really, or is that just hope springing eternal?