I was really impressed with Joao when be was with us. Pace, power, skill. Had it all. Reading have obviously figured out to use him.

Wish we had Joao rather than Gallagher... Pure quality. Lenihan presumably to lose his place now to Ayala.

Lenihan again.....

Half time, we look second to everything on the pitch. So what should we do? I would take off one of Trybull or Evans, drop Elliott into midfield and bring Gallagher on. I'd also swap JRC for Nyambe. Gives us more power and pace and hopefully creativity in midfield. Defensively the basic issue is we play a very very high line, with the full backs up like wingers. On top of that neither the full backs or midfield has much recovery pace, and Lenihan is the only player who can head the ball properly. So we are very brittle.... Not starting Nyambe back in for this one does seem odd. I can see things getting ugly second half. Next goal crucial, but get the vibe as someone else said that Reading have a few extra gears....

Have to agree. Best side I've seen for a long time.

Reckon they've got a few more goals in them sadly. They've got both full backs and the midfield beaten on the break.

This is going to be an absolute blood bath. They've completely sussed our system. Nyambe on is critical. I'd also go four I'm midfield as the three can't cope at all.

Could have moved JRC into midfield and played Nyambe at right back. I think that would have been the best shout. Anyway - bringing Evans in is a negative move but playing both Douglas and JRC at full back is very attacking. Will be interesting to see how it works out.

Johnson has looked good with two mobile players alongside him. He just struggles when you have another relatively static player in the 3 with him like Evans. I think it's a binary choice between him and Trybull for the deeper role per game. Given injuries and suspensions they should both get a fair crack.

JRC to me seems like he will ultimately be a box to box player. He's got the engine, versatility and while he isn't as physical as someone like Travis he is a lot more robust than say Buckley. He hasn't really got the skills or pace to beat a full back so does not really strike me as a winger. So in our current system I would see him ultimately ending up as one of the two wide midfield roles. Wouldn't be surprised if that happens tonight and he is swapped in for Johnson and Nyambe comes in at right back. Ultimately I've gone from being skeptical about what JRC offers, to thinking he could be as a big a revelation as Travis. JRC, Travis and Rothwell give us three players who can get box to box, play at a very high intensity and have good quality on the ball. It is a real asset at this level where you tend to have players who either have a good engine or can play a bit.

Obviously most important thing is a win, but if we do lose or draw it would be good to come out feeling we saw a semblance of a plan for handling a massed defence. I reckon we will probably play 10-15 more games against teams who want to sit deep and counter. So having a solution to this conundrum is going to play a big role in whether we get top six or not. It would be great to have a Gestede sort we could wheel out if the oppo are camped on the edge of their box and scare the hell out of them.

Thanks for the very informative post. I thought Reading would be more of an attacking side, but it sounds like you are our kryptonite - a clinical and physical counter attacking team. Cardiff, Watford and Forest have all played that way against us and we have really struggled..... We play a high line without the quickest players at the back or midfield, and are not great under the high ball or down the flanks on the break. So if you break on us we are not flush with confidence I have to say. In terms of how we cope I think we have to go into a game like this at home in an attacking frame of mind. So that means sticking with 433 and the general ultra-aggressive style we have adopted. However learning from the Cardiff, Forest, Watford games we know if Reading are sitting deep most of our play is likely to come through our full backs so we need some quality there. To balance things I would probably split the difference and bring Nyame back for his defensive power and pace at RB, but keep Douglas at LB for the crossing quality which based on experience we are going to need. I would be tempted to push JRC into midfield and drop Johnson who will really struggle to recover on the break. With Williams, Trybull and Douglas we need someone in that area with legs so hopefully JRC will provide. And if Reading are going to let us have the ball JRC will use it a lot better than Bradley. So something like : Kaminski Nyambe Lenihan Williams Douglas Holtby Trybull JRC Elliott Armstrong Brereton Subs : Pears, Ayala, Bell, Johnson, Buckley, Dolan, Gallagher Requires changing a team that just won 4-0 which will annoy many, but I would say it makes sense as Reading sound a totally different proposition to Coventry. Edit - also if it is anything like Cardiff and Forest we are going to need a plan B around 60 mins as the game gets grinded down and we struggle to break through. Only one I can see really is going more direct with Gallagher through the centre, but Mowbray does not seems to fancy that at all for reasons best known to himself.

I would say Dack could play in midfield but really he needs to be up top because of his goals. Means dropping Brereton and moving Armstrong left or dropping Brereton though.... When everyone's fit it's going to be a nightmare to pick a front three out of Brereton, Armstrong, Elliott, Dolan and Dack. But then whichever three you go for you have 2 excellent options off the bench for any given situation. Plus I think Gallagher will offer more as the season progresses. We know there is a player in there from his first spell at Rovers. When have we ever had as good a set of attacking options for the level we are playing at? Or indeed midfield where we have Holtby, Rothwell, Travis, Johnson, Trybull, JRC, Buckley. It really should be our year this year. The key, alongside good recruitment and a bumper crop from the academy, has been the high intensity 433 which has allowed everyone much more freedom. All of it leads back to Mowbray making some big tactical changes in April and following them through very astutely in the transfer market.

We should tie him down for another 2 years. He looks like the sort of player who can go until he's 34/35 easy.

Have to strongly disagree, totally different setup 433 to 4231. Makes a vast difference.

Can't see the logic personally in moving away from the 433 that seems so good for us.

Yes in the brief period where Coventry had 11 men he was caught out a couple of time. I think Tony may bring Nyambe in for the game vs Reading to shore up then defence. But then where does JRC go as we need his legs and passing quality? Probs midfield. Then that means Johnson is dropped.... Tricky decisions all round. Is Rothwell available for Reading? That further complicated matters. Probably best shout is to just stick with a winning team. But I do think JRC at FB and Johnson in midfield could struggle when we are on the back foot.

Yes. What's really interesting is if everyone is fit it's very hard to pick a best team. I'd probably go : Kaminski JRC Lenihan. Williams. Douglas Holtby. Trybull. Travis Armstrong. Dack. Brereton. But then I'm leaving out Elliot, Johnson, Rothwell, Dolan, Ayala who all have looked really good, and Nyambe who I really rate also. Any of them you could put in there without much argument. It's amazing really. What a great young attacking squad we have.

I think against a better team than Coventry we will struggle expecting Johnson to go box to box. Rothwell will come back into that role I am sure because he can cover the ground so effectively. I think Mowbray won't change a winning team (as he shouldn't) but Rothwell will come back in eventually.

Think that's really unfair - Id take Armstrong over Rhodes every time. Scores the goals but also can get in behind, press, play out wide or the centre, can score on his own from nothing from range. Offers so much more in my opinion.

Yes, he has been a total revelation. Probs now first name on team sheet which is quite an achievement really considering we were shopping him around in July/August.

Full squad we have 2 quality players for every midfield and forward position. Defence we lack numbers so need to be lucky with injuries there.

Yeah one of Johnson or Trybull will make way.

Well they both scored so what do I know...!

We've played really well today, and Mowbray has crafted this exciting 433 squad and system so huge kudos to him. But why is Elliott CF and Gallagher RW? It's mad.