Fabrice29

If Hughes does badly we can all rest assured it'll turn into a Les Reed appointment.

All 3 of those midfielders are the same safe player. Understand playing all 3 but there has to be a link to the attack and that Is Tadic. Therefore theres no room for 2 strikers. 2 strikers just get isolated otherwise. Bertrand and Cedric can only go forward when they feel the ball is going to go forward. Seeing as the midfield kept going back and the 2 strikers couldn't hold onto it they couldn't get forward. Hence why when Tadic comes on Bertrand especially knows it'll go forward and immediately bombs on and puts a cross in. (A **** one tbf). Thats the difference he makes and it's why 2 up front is terrible idea with this squad. The only conceivable way it can work is if Tadic is dropped in behind them and we play just 2 midfielders. Every time we've played just 2 central midfielders we've struggled though so it isn't ideal. This squad isn't cut out for 2 strikers. The only time we've played with it in recent years was for a bit under Koeman and Pelle was playing who had an ability to hold up the ball that no one else in our team does right now. It worked then because full backs had time to get up the pitch. This team isn't going to get that with our strikers now so we have to play Tadic so he can hold it up and link the midfield and attack in his own frustrating way but it's our best way sadly.

I think we've learnt quite comprehensively not to start 2 up front and never to drop Tadic again.

Do you honestly think 2 strikers was a wise idea last night? I get that we needed to win and go for it some more but to do that we need the ball. We couldn't get the ball in the second half. As someone has said above we've been worse with 2 strikers all season. If we had put Austin with Long last night we'd have dropped even deeper and lost even more of the ball. There's much bigger issues than not playing 2 strikers. If we could put Long back into JWP's position and Austin up top then I'd be happy but maybe the staff aren't confident about that. It certainly takes away set pieces and Cedric as attacking options but it might be worth the gamble against Bournemouth but to play them alongside each other as strikers is suicidal.

No. Jokanavic if Fulham somehow don't go up or Dean Smith.

McCarthy Cedric Yoshida Hoedt Bertrand Romeu Hoijberg Lemina JWP Tadic Austin Yoshida has to start, our best defender before his injury suddenly can't get in the team but Stephens who's yet to show any interest in winning a header is a starter. That hasto change. 442 is laughable outdated formation and we've never played well with it so rightly back to 5 midfielders and those 3 together centrally compete better together. JWP was in good form and his set pieces are our biggest threat so no idea why he's suddenly not in the side. Tadic is so frustrating but its no coincidence his and Austin form was best together so play them both. Boufal unlucky not to be in but the likes of Redmond and Gabbi can do one. Sadly we look better with Long in the side too so if we are to play 442 Long has to play as he's the only one in our side who can get us up the pitch.

Best option by far thats been linked and even better if it is just until the end of the season for now. Much better option than Silva. Can't quite believe anyone thinks otherwise. Silvas time at Hull ended in relegation and 9 points worse off than where they began in comparison to their rivals. Dont like Hughes much, moans about refs far too much but actually did OK at Stoke. A few Stoke fans I've heard now have ssid he was let down this year by his recruitment team. They wanted Lemina and also he wanted Soares before so I can see him enjoying our squad. QPR fans can be ignored a little. Car crash of a club anyway.

Realistically and most likely the reason he's still here is going to be the lack of alternative available. Do we sign someone up for a few games. Who'd realistically want that? Big risk for little reward. Any realistic long term manager will probably want to wait, he might even be at another club atm. So do we sign someone we don't really want and sack them in the summer if they keep us up? The reaction to that could be toxic. Or do we gamble with this guy and get who we want in the summer. When a suitable alternative wants it, I suspect he'll be gone.

We've had a criteria of wanting a manager who has implemented his style at at least two clubs so I'm not sure Potter fits. I think its just a bit of a hipsters/ex player choice/link than anything substantial. Jokanavic impresses me alot. Plays an attractive style and good with youth. I'm surprised we or anyone hasn't taken a chance on him before tbh.

Again everyone not playing JWP, our only source of a threat in recent weeks.

National rail site shows Reading to Bournemouth stopping at Winchester, Basingstoke and Southampton as usual. Is this not correct?

Not sure we should suddenly be dropping JWP when him and his set pieces have been the source of our only threat on recent weeks.

Very misunderstood man and player. Anyone with any dealings with him would know that. Don't under estimate how much he cares. I think it's telling he's not once asked to leave despite very much being able to and despite seeing everyone else ask. He's very appreciative of what he's got here. Ask yourself who VVD's "Why wouldn't you want to play here?" comment he reportedly said at Anfield was to.

Can we all agree not to have a meltdown when MP makes a correct tactical decision to start Long and Hoijberg over Carillo and Boufal on Sunday please? Pace and endeavour will unsettle their backline and we'll need Hoijberg in midfield to help break up attacks and spring our own.

Whats your basis for his poor attitude? Because I've seen absolutely no evidence of that at all.

Ridiculous over reactions on here ffs. This season is awful clearly and I'm as ****ed off and want to question it as much as anyone. Laat season I guess leads to this but you can see the thinking in the recruitment. Redmond and Boufal had potential. He should have reacted in January when it wasn't working though. But nobody can question hjs record prior to that. Consistent improvements. I'll question this year as much as anyone and I want him to act on Pellegrino but to compare him to Lowe and say he's been toxic for years is just nonsense.

People can have a pop at Reed if they wish but I tell you one thing, it's time so very under performing players step upnow. They know we've tried to replace them and it hasn't worked out so if they want to make a name for themselves theres places up for grabs. I'm looking especially at Redmond, Gabbi and Boufal/Tadic too. We need goals and if these players can add end products to their game they've got a spot in this team for the rest of the season and beyond. Someone has to step up now. Starting tonight.

Why? He's not really a similar player firstly. He likes to come off the wing with the ball at his feet rather than break lines and beyond defenders ala Promes and Mane. Secondly we're not the only team who haven't opted for him and he's been available more than once at least before.

Moyes has said its not happening.

Reports One poster has mentioned Redmond. It's spread like wild fire and now its fact. No evidence or suggestion anywhere about Lemina being an issue. Same with Gabbi really, his issue is he's not really contributed in the patches he has played.

He's not ready yet though is he. Be honest, take hus name out of it, if we signed the above striker we'd be questioning it. It's ok FF. He's allowed to not be ready yet. He's allowed to be getting vital experience bu being out on loan. It's not a personal slight on you, him or anyone else. It's simply for the good of his career and the clubs benefit in the future. I'm sure next season we'll let him fly, because you know, he'll be ready. But right now if we had stuck him in at the start of the season for us, his confidence would be shot, he'd have less experience because there's no way he'd have played as much and we'd be sending him on loan somewhere. You don't need take this signing so personally. The club have seen a massive flaw in our team we've had since Pelle and are backing this guy to fill it. He, Gallagher and Austin will all be around next season to compete and Gallaghers loan experience this year will put him in a better position to do so. I'm pretty sure there'll be no Long or Gabbi so he'll be able to have a good fair crack at it and hopefully he can smash it.

So exactly what we need then. Lovely. French league is a completely different league to ours remember. It plays alot differently and he sounds like he's suited to ours just like Falcao for example is suited to theirs.

He's out there getting much needed experience and he'll be all the better for it. Calls for him to come back and either spearhead our attack now or sit on our bench are madness and will do nothing for him or us.

Better for now yes. I think the club probably rate Targett higher but they recognise McQueen has had experience on loan already and Targett hasn't. Regular football will only do him good and the club good next year.