Squad changes

[Reading Rebel]

Shock, horror, we have an unbalanced squad so a couple of forwards will be leaving and a couple of defensive players will be coming in.

Better late than never I suppose.

I could guess 2 from 3 players and I don't think there will be any prizes for guessing who one of them will be.

[Russ_Rebel]

Sure a number of us have mentioned this before about defence attack balance...and received stick, hopefully just watch this space and onwards and upwards we go 

[Reading Rebel]

As was alluded to in Scott's interview, in our next 10 games we are playing 8 teams that are in the top 10.

A pretty frightening thought considering we go into these games in poor form and shipping goals for fun.

Saturday against Hemel is looking like a massive game for us to get back to winning ways.

Edited yesterday at 11:29 by Reading Rebel

[Rebellier]

I expect we've seen the last of John Gilbert.

[SloughFlyer]

1 hour ago, Rebellier said:

I expect we've seen the last of John Gilbert.

Not sure i agree with that Rebellier. He has been one of the best players this season, although I suspect (and haven't researched his history) we are seeing why he isn't playing higher up at this stage of his career. He certainly has the ability but perhaps the discipline isn't there. Losing him for 4 of the next 11 games when we play the tougher teams is a big blow. I'd like to see a return to the 352 / 532 formation of earlier in the season. This gives us a little more defensively and still allows the forward players options.

I have been saying since the beginning of the season we have needed a left back and probably 1 more central defender as well. This would allow a better squad balance and not confirm that regardless of a clean sheet or shipping 5 goals the defenders pretty much play every week.

Will be an interesting week for the squad moving forwards.

[Sir Rebel1965]

Defensive changes are overdue, as only 5 clean sheets out of 32 competitive games this season.

 

[Reading Rebel]

2 hours ago, Rebellier said:

I expect we've seen the last of John Gilbert.

I doubt it very much.

One of our best players so far and vital to our midfield.

No problem with his enthusiastic tough tackling but does need to put a lid on senselessly getting involved in altercations like at Boreham Wood. 

Managers do their homework and know what players are easily wound up, booked and sent off.

 

[Reading Rebel]

1 hour ago, SloughFlyer said:

Not sure i agree with that Rebellier. He has been one of the best players this season, although I suspect (and haven't researched his history) we are seeing why he isn't playing higher up at this stage of his career. He certainly has the ability but perhaps the discipline isn't there. Losing him for 4 of the next 11 games when we play the tougher teams is a big blow. I'd like to see a return to the 352 / 532 formation of earlier in the season. This gives us a little more defensively and still allows the forward players options.

I have been saying since the beginning of the season we have needed a left back and probably 1 more central defender as well. This would allow a better squad balance and not confirm that regardless of a clean sheet or shipping 5 goals the defenders pretty much play every week.

Will be an interesting week for the squad moving forwards.

Getting a left back in has looked an obvious need for us since before the season started.

Our good start to the season has masked this need but now that the cracks are appearing has become a priority along with a central defender.  

[Rebellier]

17 hours ago, Reading Rebel said:

Shock, horror, we have an unbalanced squad so a couple of forwards will be leaving and a couple of defensive players will be coming in.

Better late than never I suppose.

I could guess 2 from 3 players and I don't think there will be any prizes for guessing who one of them will be.

Which is the obvious one then? I think Gilbs but apparently no one else agrees...

[GlenSTFC]

4 minutes ago, Rebellier said:

Which is the obvious one then? I think Gilbs but apparently no one else agrees...

Amartey and Lucan.

[Reading Rebel]

7 minutes ago, Rebellier said:

Which is the obvious one then? I think Gilbs but apparently no one else agrees...

Gilbs is a midfielder and one of the first names on the team sheet so very doubtful he'd be one of them.

Scott said forwards so I doubt it's  Slav or Oggy and possibly not Sam so that leaves Amartey, Lucan and Alfa.

All 3 have been peripheral so you could perm any 2 from those.

Alfa hasn't really had a chance to shine and Lucan has been injured so my thinking is Amartey will be one of the two to leave.

[Rebellier]

But Gilbs told Scott he'd done nothing wrong in that incident at Boreham Wood, when clearly he had!  Now suspended for 4 games...he can't be in Scott's good books.

[Nathan]

I can only attend Saturday home matches, but for me Amartey has done very little for us since re-joining, presumably this is why Alfa was signed as I can't see him leaving so soon?

Gilbert has shown flashes here and there, but is anonymous too often for my liking and in recent weeks is just as likely to be booked or sent off as he is to score.

[Reading Rebel]

7 hours ago, Rebellier said:

But Gilbs told Scott he'd done nothing wrong in that incident at Boreham Wood, when clearly he had!  Now suspended for 4 games...he can't be in Scott's good books.

Obviously he's not in his good books but too important a player for us to lose.

Unless feisty players like John Gilbert become a total liability to the team they will always get some leeway a bit like Matt Lench did.

[Reading Rebel]

3 hours ago, Nathan said:

I can only attend Saturday home matches, but for me Amartey has done very little for us since re-joining, presumably this is why Alfa was signed as I can't see him leaving so soon?

Gilbert has shown flashes here and there, but is anonymous too often for my liking and in recent weeks is just as likely to be booked or sent off as he is to score.

Nathan, you're very much alone in your opinion of John Gilbert.

He's become very much a fans favourite and imo rightly so.