RobM

A brave choice... but put JRod in the middle of the front three, slightly ahead of the other two and you might be onto something. Let Punch and Ramirez roam free and interchange and let JRod run, hustle and chase and it might just work.

I'm obviously reading the game differently to you then. Against City at least, he seemed to be further forward than anybody else a lot of the time. It was the reason for our first goal, chasing the ball high up the pitch. For MP's tactics to work he needs fit players who can run with the ball, chase players down and who have a solid first touch - all JRod's strenghts, IMO.

And in those games you quote, we seemed much better. He seemed to take that role against City where I thought he was very good, for instance.

I think we've looked much better when we've played JRod up front, since MP came onboard. Playing him as a midfielder is, IMO, stupid and a waste of money and plays to none of his strengths and all of his weaknesses. JRod is good with the ball, has pace, is very fit, is not afraid to run at defenders and has very good shooting ability. His weakness is he doesn't make things happen himself, he relies on being fed good balls into him in and around the box. But with a good midfield behind him and SRL next to him, that's something we can afford to carry. I agree with the point that we don't have the quality in midfield to allow JRod a run of games up front. Sadly, Gaston isn't doing it and Lallana isn't showing his best form. We need quality attacking midfielders who are comfortable on the ball, something we lack at the moment. Mayuka seems a waste of money. NA didn't rate him enough to start him, MP hasn't changed that. It seems we signed him on the back of one very good ACON tournament, something that wasn't repeated this year. If we manage to stay up this year, we'll need to strengthen next year... is it likely Mayuka will be any closer to contention then?

You forgot 'people who say things purely for a reaction, but later contradict their own opinion'.

True that. We have no idea how steady the ship really is / was, we only see what the club wants us to see.

I think sanity sits somewhere between. It's admirable to hope, wish and long for top-5 football, Champions League and sustained success. It's normal to accept the fact we're going to have bad days at the office, terrible performances and lose to teams we should beat, just as it's normal to believe we'll beat the occasional 'big boy' along the way and look world-beaters at times too. The trouble comes from ego's, not opinions. Having the opinion we're terrible is fine, posting about it over and over again, quoting yourself, patting yourself on the back when we're terrible and posting 'I told you so' time and time again is not fine.

For once, I find myself applauding one of your posts! Bloody well done, Sir. DPS is up there with the most negative, reactionary, OTT, negative, moaning little non-supporters this forum has to offer. Now we can add hypocrite to the list.

Were you saying the same after the Man City game?

We've lost more than we've won since the start of the season, NC's decision hasn't changed that fact (for good or bad!).

About the same odds as Glasgow Saint, Alpine and TDD being this evenings highest posters.

From the starting 11, last years players are Lambert, Lallana, Fonte, Morgan, Cork, Fox and Puncheon. Out of those, only Fox has been poor.

Great header and a great save!

You don't get told to shut up for the points you make. You get told to shut up for making them, repeating them, quoting yourself, quoting yourself again should your point be proven right, patting yourself on the back, quoting yourself again and repeating your point once more.

Yup, we have.

1-2 This threads about to go into meltdown.

Cesar off! Ward-Prowse coming on for us.

QPR are starting to look tired.

Nor does the statistics of W/D/L's of our manager only 30 minutes into a game, but you deemed it relevant.

Safe to say Reading won't be counting on goal difference this season!

True that. But since we're doing better and the cry babies aren't posting, I thought it would break the silence

62% possession this half

Funny how the same few names pop up when things aren't going perfectly. Looking better in the second half, especially now Shaw is coming on for Fox.

We're playing pretty much the same as we did in the first half, but looking more dangerous in the final third.

The 'Glasgow Saint' smilie.