Did Marek Matejovsky...

[Richi Royal]

No Tom, he has done it once too often for my liking (and obviously Mr Coppells too).

Today, I was willing him to win the game for us, he scored, he passed ,but then he did what he normally does.

Whilst I will never boo him, nor hold him solely responsible for a defeat....I will never suck c09ck like some on here do for him.

The eye-of-a-needle stuff is great....but he has to find the cotton reel first

I kind of appreciate where you are coming from, but I'm not going to agree with you. Marek is a player who looks to get on the ball and make things happen, not go hiding like some of the other players who, sometimes unfortunately, wear our shirt.

Today his first two passes fell straight to Birmingham players, but once he found his rhythm and got up to speed with the game, he was instrumental in everything good we did towards the end of the game. He dropped two perfect balls in at the back stick, and although nothing came from them, there is no way he can be criticised for that. Better anticipation from those in the box and they would've scored the easiest goals of their careers.

He played some nice, quick passes into feet, and fed his team mates the ball in some dangerous positions. They failed to do anything of note with it, but once again, that's no fault of Marek's.

In the last five minutes, a fairly routine pass out to Rosenior was over-hit and rolled out of play, but that's why the bloke is playing at this level at the moment and not in European competition.

I wouldn't claim he's our best player like some on here, because I don't think he's come close to realising his potential yet. He has bags of ability, a calmness on the ball that very few players have, and is arguably a step-ahead of the rest of the division. However, until he proves it consistently then those like yourself will always be entitled to your negative views.

Personally though, I could never shoot down a player for trying to make things happen and playing with positivity. Some passes will go astray, but some will create chances. You take the rough with the smooth, which you are not willing to do by the looks of things.

Well said, Tom that is exactly my feelings on the matter.

Although i can understand AthleticaSpizz view on the matter as alot does not come off, he does more positve attacking things in a game than any other player. But this is what the top players are like, i was shocked at how wild and outrageous C.Ronaldos shots were last year along with other top players, for every 30 yarder he puts into the top corner he must hit 10-15 wild shots. The difference is we only see the edited highlights so it looks like he always puts it in the top corner. But the united fans don't mind him 'giving the ball away' because they know the next time it could fly in as he has done it many times before and will continue to do so. Now marek is no where near ronaldos class but the principle for me is the same, i dont mind if he plays the ball out of play or gets a yellow card for a stupid tackle becasue at anypoint he is capable of the eye of a needle ball or cross (which i dont think he gets enough credit for) espcially at this level.

But i do want to add that when Marek came on he, Kitson and Bikey were the only players willing to show for the ball and hold it. All the other players either hoofed it, or gave it away. And there is no excuse for that (apart from Duberry, who i would rather he hoofed it). Marek has the composure to wait for the right oppertunity and along with the the above mentioned, scored our goal almost scored another and played a brilliant simple ball for hunt towards the end where all he needed to do was drill it low accross the face or to the near post and all he managed to do was float it into the keepers hands, he didnt look up just aimlessly crossed it. If hunt had done his job then we would all be crediting marek with another super through ball and maybe another season in the premier league.

[Gordons Cumming]

Marek has the composure to wait for the right oppertunity and along with the the above mentioned, scored our goal almost scored another and played a brilliant simple ball for hunt towards the end where all he needed to do was drill it low accross the face or to the near post and all he managed to do was float it into the keepers hands, he didnt look up just aimlessly crossed it. If hunt had done his job then we would all be crediting marek with another super through ball and maybe another season in the premier league.

A crucial moment.

[SLAMMED]

SLAMMED's 300 odd posts of white noise........

Obsessed.

[SteveRoyal]

I'm still with the pro-Marek bunch.
I also agree with those suggesting we build a team around him.

[SLAMMED]

I'm still with the pro-Marek bunch.
I also agree with those suggesting we build a team around him.

We need the rest of our players to think like him. Theres no point having a player who can pick out a perfect through ball if the player he's passing to can't see it. Which is why peple claim Marek is a poor player, when the truth is, he is a very intelligent player.

[roberto_11]

Exactly, but thats what the early season is meant to do, give the players time to adjust to each other. If Marek had been playing in "the hole" all season then Im sure by now the players would have got used to his vision!
Come on, nobody can Deny hes far more creative than Stephen Hunt and far more consistent with his delivery than that waste of space Kebe

[zummerset]

totally with you Roberto

[Archie's penalty]

Matejovsky was very good when he came on. His goal was great and his shot too. He played several excellent passes which our wingers fluffed as per usual. Still he lost the ball trying to get a shot off in the 80th minute or so when he had lots of time to make an easy pass. Brum went on to hit the post.

I am still undecided about the guy but he is definitely the kind of player to come on and change a game. For all the criticism of the team yesterday I think that Coppell made the right substitutions at the right time. Copps gave us the chance to win the game - most of the team let him down...

[Big Bears Blouse]

Marek is an outrageous player. Superb. And I don't think it's the players around him either - although Kebe may be an exception. All they need to do is make diagonal, straight runs (The ball to Stephen Hunt was literally a simple, straight run, into space). Reading players seem to be expecting balls over the top all the time, and i'm not suprised with ball players like Duberry in the team. Runs into space, expecting balls along the floor. That's all. As the meercat says, 'simples'.


Marek WILL find any players making runs. Just not enough movement. We need a lot more movement.

[Dr Hfuhruhurr]

The main problem with Marek is that the team have had a number of poor performances and, crucially, poor results with him in the team; and it is too easy to equate that with Marek's style of increasing the opponents amount of posession. That, plus the fact that the central midfield is more competitive than the wings is why he is isnt a 'must start'. I certainly dont sign up to the 'He's too good for the team' soundbite. He's a luxury player with no purpose. If he's good, then he can adapt to his teammates. Also, there is no evidence of building a team around him would work. Isnt this approach just going to make our formations even more rigid? Also, if Reading were to go down this route, I would want them to build a team around a player better than Marek.

There is no doubt that the highlight of yesterday's game was his goal, but that isnt enough, either for us to scramble for his signiature on a contract extension, nor even to make the starting line up for Burnley. You would have to look at him and say that if he doesnt start to integrate into the team, then his future lies elsewhere - most probably somewhere on the continent.

[Rev Algenon Stickleback H]

The main problem with Marek is that the team have had a number of poor performances and, crucially, poor results with him in the team.

to be honest, it doesn't matter who plays, we've been crap with all combinations. I don't think you coudl say we look any better or worse with him in the team.

I think he's a very good player, but not one that fits at all into our style of play (although I'm forgetting what our style of play is, as I haven't seen any evidence of us having one for several months).

It's a lot easier to change one player than it is to change everyone else to fit in with that one player.

[rg6royal]

He looked superb when he came on yesterday.

[Dr Hfuhruhurr]

I don't think you coudl say we look any better or worse with him in the team..

Personally I think we look (even) less in control with him in the team. However, I would also comment that your statement is one good reason why we dont want to go down the route of forming a team around him.

I think he's a very good player, but not one that fits at all into our style of play (although I'm forgetting what our style of play is, as I haven't seen any evidence of us having one for several months).
.

Maybe Im being overdemanding, but I would expect a good player to fit in more. And simply for that reason, I wouldnt use the term 'Very Good'.

It's a lot easier to change one player than it is to change everyone else to fit in with that one player.

Indeed.

I dont mean to make this a personal attack on Marek. He obviously have a future somewhere.

[AthleticoSpizz]

Whilst I will never boo him, nor hold him solely responsible for a defeat....I will never suck c09ck like some on here do for him.

Is that really necessary?

to counter one or two on here...then sadly yes....(sorry if my cheap comment was offensive, but, you've obviously not been on AE recently)

If you think that is bad, you should hear the comments that I hear most games against Marcus, Doobs, SHunt, Bryn and Harps where I sit

[Ian Royal]

Marek doesn't work for us, because we don't have a player of the right type and quality to play with him and we won't play in an alternate system which can get around that by putting two players in the centre with him. We'll never see more than sporadic quality performances until he gets that partner or partners.

He'd have been great with Sidwell. He might be great with Karacan in the future.

The idea that he only gives the ball away trying to make attacking through balls is a falacy though. I've seen several simple balls which he has gifted to an opposition player in the few games I've seen him play.

Mind you, I've seen most our players do that. In fact Harper is probably the one I've seen do it least. I think it's a general lack of concentration with the squad. So many times I've seen players pass straight to an opponant, hoof it over the top or play a shocking ball back to the throw in taker.

We're making the game hard for ourselves with poor touches and I'm sure it's because we're being too casual or not concentrating hard enough. All these players are capable of doing things right.

[Southbank Old Boy]

Marek doesn't work for us, because we don't have a player of the right type and quality to play with him and we won't play in an alternate system which can get around that by putting two players in the centre with him. We'll never see more than sporadic quality performances until he gets that partner or partners.

He'd have been great with Sidwell. He might be great with Karacan in the future.

The idea that he only gives the ball away trying to make attacking through balls is a falacy though. I've seen several simple balls which he has gifted to an opposition player in the few games I've seen him play.

Mind you, I've seen most our players do that. In fact Harper is probably the one I've seen do it least. I think it's a general lack of concentration with the squad. So many times I've seen players pass straight to an opponant, hoof it over the top or play a shocking ball back to the throw in taker.

We're making the game hard for ourselves with poor touches and I'm sure it's because we're being too casual or not concentrating hard enough. All these players are capable of doing things right.

Not sure why you think he would have worked well with Sidwell

Sidwells strength was getting up and down the pitch and making well timed runs into the box to join the front two (that used to help us with Kitson playing deep by the way). Playing him alongside Marek would mean one of the two would have to curb their natural attacking instincts in a Gerrard/Lampard kind of way

I think a Harper style player is the perfect foil for either of them, but alongside Marek he needs to be a bit more willing to get stuck in than he would alongside Sidwell who did a lot of the physical side too

[Handsome Man]

The real Marek hasn't worked at Reading becuase he hasn't played well enough. His passing hasn't been good enough and he has lost the ball too easily both under and not under pressure.

[AthleticoSpizz]

The real Marek hasn't worked at Reading becuase he hasn't played well enough. His passing hasn't been good enough and he has lost the ball too easily both under and not under pressure.

sadly, agree


We either change the 30 man squad to accomodate him, or change him to accomadate the 30 man squad......some on here worship the ground that he walks on.


Sorry, with the odd exceptional bit of Championship magic, he remains a let down.

[Maguire]

I really honestly do find it terribly difficult to understand how it is that some people can't see the gulf in class between Marek and the rest of the team.

I am no football professor but it's as plain as the nose on G. Little's face.

Slow, somehow manages to tackle even worse than James Harper, habitual gifter of possession to the opposition.

GuLOLf in cLOLass.

[Hogmeister Royal]

The real Marek hasn't worked at Reading becuase he hasn't played well enough. His passing hasn't been good enough and he has lost the ball too easily both under and not under pressure.

Yeah, I'd say that sums it up pretty well.