A genuinely alarming performance

Well I don’t think anybody really saw that coming but the signs were there in our first 2 matches that we could be on the end of a scoreline like that.

We started well enough but after Pack went off we looked simply awful. It’s quite obvious that Richards is the only real backup for Peltier, and neither Bacuna or Nelson are anything more than stand ins.

Their first 2 goals were both hugely disappointing to concede. We really lack the pace to compete with wingers attacking us. Bennett went flying out and totally missed his tackle for their second goal, leaving Ralls stuck in no man’s land and unsure where to position himself.

Flint and Morrison may be a formidable partnership when the ball is in the air but they’ve looked totally at sea when the ball is on the floor in front of them. Indeed Morrison gave away another penalty with a clumsy late tackle.

I was trying to stay optimistic after Wigan and after our first home match. But I said to my pal leaving the ground last week that Neil seems to have gone shit or bust on Warnock-ball. If overpowering the opponent does not work then what are we left with?

Yes we have several injuries which have disrupted us, and we will welcome Peltier, Bamba, Pack and even Tomlin back into the squad, but I’m really concerned after the first 3 matches. We’ve started this season poorly and Neil needs to find answers quickly.

My real concern is the succession planning. If Neil is genuinely retiring at the end of this season then it seems the next manager will have a huge rebuild on his hands come the summer.

I await Neil’s post-match assessment as I feel that he got his substitutions completely wrong this afternoon. It’ll be interesting to see if he takes ownership. Although a lot of our players need to look at themselves as Reading soundly beat us with their endeavour and determination.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lord Dargavel

Well I don’t think anybody really saw that coming but the signs were there in our first 2 matches that we could be on the end of a scoreline like that.

We started well enough but after Pack went off we looked simply awful. It’s quite obvious that Richards is the only real backup for Peltier, and neither Bacuna or Nelson are anything more than stand ins.

Their first 2 goals were both hugely disappointing to concede. We really lack the pace to compete with wingers attacking us. Bennett went flying out and totally missed his tackle for their second goal, leaving Ralls stuck in no man’s land and unsure where to position himself.

Flint and Morrison may be a formidable partnership when the ball is in the air but they’ve looked totally at sea when the ball is on the floor in front of them. Indeed Morrison gave away another penalty with a clumsy late tackle.

I was trying to stay optimistic after Wigan and after our first home match. But I said to my pal leaving the ground last week that Neil seems to have gone shit or bust on Warnock-ball. If overpowering the opponent does not work then what are we left with?

Yes we have several injuries which have disrupted us, and we will welcome Peltier, Bamba, Pack and even Tomlin back into the squad, but I’m really concerned after the first 3 matches. We’ve started this season poorly and Neil needs to find answers quickly.

My real concern is the succession planning. If Neil is genuinely retiring at the end of this season then it seems the next manager will have a huge rebuild on his hands come the summer.

I await Neil’s post-match assessment as I feel that he got his substitutions completely wrong this afternoon. It’ll be interesting to see if he takes ownership. Although a lot of our players need to look at themselves as Reading soundly beat us with their endeavour and determination.

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I had a similar post in mind but was sure the "Warnock faithful" would shoot me down as the season is only 3 games of.
What I saw today was a disjointed team with a lack of style and purpose, containing 3-4 players who would not appear in the Newport County team.
Could not string 3 consecutive passes together (as most weeks) and did not have a midfield with any football talent.
I am sure many will say give Tomlin a chance, but if Warnock wants to play a lower division style it will make little difference (same with a quality striker).
The sight of Bacuna jogging slowly back for their third goal (direction away from the attacking player) was criminal while Nelson looks like he should be playing in the Welsh league.
As many have said, Morrison and FL my are fine in an aerial battle but most teams now play on the floor, where both look like awkward lumbering fools.
Puscas should have got his hat trick and Reading should have scored the penalty making the final score 5-0, which would not have flattered them.
As I am sure you can sense, I have never believed that Warnock should have remained and it looks like any new manager will have an impossible task with a squad of players that are simply not good enough.
To think I was laughing when Swansea sold their best players and appointed a young unknown manager. Once again they are showing far more knowledge than the capital city seem capable of.

Well, at least we know we ain’t going up.....mid table if lucky

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Originally Posted by goats

Well, at least we know we ain’t going up.....mid table if lucky

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I predicted 10th but I think I was over optimistic 🙁

Limited. Very limited. Oldthink football.

I just don’t think there’s any real quality in the team. We don’t really have anyone who can create a chance.

Reading seemed to have 3 or 4 players like that.

Even the first 15 mins when we were keeping the ball well we didn’t look like creating anything.

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Originally Posted by DubaiDai

I predicted 10th but I think I was over optimistic 🙁

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Me too. I thought 10th but i now really think we can push on for 15th place!!

So disappointed, looked second best all around the pitch , they were first to the ball , looked composed at the start after Pack left we deteriated badly .
Bacnua was dreadful poor selection.

Vaulks looked lost.

Bennet went walk about for the second.

We could not cope with their pace and intricate passing in the final third .

Im not sure what he can do in timr for Wednesday, like Reading they are due a win .

A worrying start.

Perhaps out of contract players need to be sought after.

Based on the last three matches promotion, even via the play offs, is not going to happen. More like relegation. We have no organisers on the pitch. Bamba sorting out the back and Gunnars bossing midfield are sorely missed. Unless improvements happen quickly the Jacks away will be embarrassing.

Difficult to disagree with any of the OP.
It wasn't pretty and although the stats were pretty even (goals aside of course) we were schooled in so many departments.
Despite having the same amount of shots (14) and with more on target, we never really looked a threat.

I thought Glatzel showed some nice touches.
Provided we can create some decent opportunities then he could be useful.
I saw this as the only positive from today.

These are very testing times and if Warnock doesn't identify the issues and put them right pdq then the season, and his career, could be over before the kids go back to school :cry:

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Originally Posted by MacAdder

Difficult to disagree with any of the OP.
It wasn't pretty and although the stats were pretty even (goals aside of course) we were schooled in so many departments.
Despite having the same amount of shots (14) and with more on target, we never really looked a threat.

I thought Glatzel showed some nice touches.
Provided we can create some decent opportunities then he could be useful.
I saw this as the only positive from today.

These are very testing times and if Warnock doesn't identify the issues and put them right pdq then the season, and his career, could be over before the kids go back to school :cry:

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We simply don't have the quality players to rectify the problem.

Watched your game today in bar in Ibiza - with 2 lads from Barry and Cowbridge who were as angry about that performance as what I see on here.

The performance of Flint was alarming to me.
I spent a good part of last season batting back the comments of our security bloke at work who is from Middlesbrough.
He told me we “should be ashamed selling us that ****ing donkey and should take him back out of General shame...”

I don’t think I even saw Flint last year.
I missed both games v Boro and I can’t remember seeing them on TV, so I was struggling to reconcile the player we’d had for seasons v what I was reading and hearing from Boro fans.

For us Flint always had the negatives.
He wasn’t quick and he had a tendency to get caught flat footed against fast nippy strikers.
He also had tendency to go route one or just blindly head forward without looking (much to annoyance funny enough of Marlon Pack often...).
BUT he got away with it because of his strengths. He can put in some superb tackles, he cares and he don’t half win a lot of headers.
He also had super high confidence because of all the goals he scored.
I think it added 20% to his game the confidence alone.

Now what I saw today.
Hardly recognizable but what I can see v what I used to watch is that his confidence is shot to shit.
This isn’t Cardiff’s fault. It’s from his season at Boro.
He is slower - he is gonna be though as he’s 2-3 years older than his prime season with us.
I think possibly the game is passing him by because the Championship now seems to prefer fast small strikers - hence why the **** did you get rid of Bobby Reid but that’s for another time....

With Flint I think he needs confidence. He dithered today several times, he was the wrong side of the man for the goal and other times. He needs a faster player alongside him, he also needs some goals to get the confidence back.
I know he got one last game but he needs to score a few and get the confidence up.
I think dropping him is the worst thing you could do.

Marlon Pack looked tidy. But I saw him recently anyway and I knew he was going to strengthen Cardiff.
I thought you looked much weaker when he went off.

That Aden Flint though.
Hardly recognize him.
He looked a right clogger!

Hope Pack is alright though. Love Marlon to still do well.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jursset_BrisCity

Watched your game today in bar in Ibiza - with 2 lads from Barry and Cowbridge who were as angry about that performance as what I see on here.

The performance of Flint was alarming to me.
I spent a good part of last season batting back the comments of our security bloke at work who is from Middlesbrough.
He told me we “should be ashamed selling us that ****ing donkey and should take him back out of General shame...”

I don’t think I even saw Flint last year.
I missed both games v Boro and I can’t remember seeing them on TV, so I was struggling to reconcile the player we’d had for seasons v what I was reading and hearing from Boro fans.

For us Flint always had the negatives.
He wasn’t quick and he had a tendency to get caught flat footed against fast nippy strikers.
He also had tendency to go route one or just blindly head forward without looking (much to annoyance funny enough of Marlon Pack often...).
BUT he got away with it because of his strengths. He can put in some superb tackles, he cares and he don’t half win a lot of headers.
He also had super high confidence because of all the goals he scored.
I think it added 20% to his game the confidence alone.

Now what I saw today.
Hardly recognizable but what I can see v what I used to watch is that his confidence is shot to shit.
This isn’t Cardiff’s fault. It’s from his season at Boro.
He is slower - he is gonna be though as he’s 2-3 years older than his prime season with us.
I think possibly the game is passing him by because the Championship now seems to prefer fast small strikers - hence why the **** did you get rid of Bobby Reid but that’s for another time....

With Flint I think he needs confidence. He dithered today several times, he was the wrong side of the man for the goal and other times. He needs a faster player alongside him, he also needs some goals to get the confidence back.
I know he got one last game but he needs to score a few and get the confidence up.
I think dropping him is the worst thing you could do.

Marlon Pack looked tidy. But I saw him recently anyway and I knew he was going to strengthen Cardiff.
I thought you looked much weaker when he went off.

That Aden Flint though.
Hardly recognize him.
He looked a right clogger!

Hope Pack is alright though. Love Marlon to still do well.

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Agree we should not have sold Bobby Reid, however, as has been proved with Tomlinson, Warnock has very little time for creative players unless they are making 80-90 defensive tackles and tracking back into our area every time the opposition attack.
I feel sorry for Glatzel who looks a decent striker but will be lucky to get any support around him other than high crosses.