Id say last few games are probably the most attacking we've played since the Shearer days. Time after time yesterday we had two CBs on half way, one of the mids sitting just in front and everyone else in the final third. Szmodics, BBD and Pickering would play veru wide left and get in behind, while on the right JRC, Thomas and Travis (!) would do the same. The three either side ganging up on the full back was absolutely devastating. On top of that we would always get two to three bodies into the box for the cross. Its absolutely night and day compared to pre world cup where we would be lucky to get a cross in at all, and if we did there would be no one in the box. We were greatly helped by the gov'nor obviously having done little homework. They hardly pressed and we took full advantage. Fantastic performance only spoilt by some poor finishing. Still do think well prepared sides with pace and athleticism will cause us lots of problems (as Stoke did). We are very very wide open. But it is refreshing to have a manager who seems to be all about attack.

Yeah definitely upgraded to "excellent signing" So that gives Gregg the egg two of them

To be fair think he set us up perfectly today. The tactics down the wings we brillaint, both sides constantly combining to get in behind the defence. Must be the most crosses we've done in a game in years? We got owned at Stoke, but today were excellent in everything except our finishing and some sloppy defending. Gallagher was superb. And Szmodics, really love him as a player. He's got a bit of everything - a huge part of our recent run is how he can get in the channels (unlike Dack who drops off a bit centrally) and stretch defences. Him and Brereton and then Dolan just get in behind time after time.

I was just about to say it was a bit confusing why we brought off Sorba. But then Hedges scores beautifully off a bit of Gallagher hold up play Giroud would be proud of...

Tell you what, our xG will be bloody amazing from this game

Bit confused by the negativity on here. Weve been really good! Gifted a couple of opportunities but our wing play has been fantastic both sides.... If were not enjoying that what are we enjoying?

Yes. If we lost a striker (i.e. Gallagher as he is our only real central striker though BBD could be shoehorned in centrally) I think it would cause us way way more problems than losing Buckley. Not because Gallagher is a better player than Buckley (personally I think Buckley is very good if inconsistent) but that Buckley has a few players in the squad not far off him imo (Morton, Wharton, maybe Garrett). If Gallagher went we are probably back to Vale really, or back to a false 9. I think if I had to take an injury anywhere in the team at the moment I would choose centre mid or wide mid, as they are the only roles we have cover for now. We did have four decent centrebacks but Ayala is injured a lot now so to lose another would make things very thin.

Like the kiss of death... can't you go back to saying we will lose every game which we then win?

Terrible news for Buckley. Really like him as a player, really hope he is okay. But equally it is probably the one position where we have a lot of depth. Travis, Morton, Garrett, Adam Wharton all available.

Very good point. Could be decisive in putting Garrett in who did well on Friday night, and bringing Brereton back in who did well. I also agree with Joe who said it might be a good game to go 343 and show we can change systems.

I tend to agree but equally I think JDT is pretty wedded to two isolated CMs and the front four pushed up. And I can see why as if you get it right it is devastating. That said it puts a huge strain on those two centre mids (and the CBs behind them) to be good on the ball, find the right pass and be effective in the tackle and cover. Can Buckley, Travis and Wharton do it consistently? Jurys still out for me. Its a big ask. Feels like Buckley and Wharton aren't quite athletic enough and Travis maybe lacks the quality on the ball. But I am at least impressed that JDT asks the question and pushes the team out of the comfort zone.

If someone is willing to pay 10 million for Buckley with Adam Wharton coming through I doubt there would be many complaints. But frankly hes a decent 2-3 million player who if we only get that offer for we may as well keep developing. No ones going to offer more that at the moment.

I dont know really, personally I think its dangerous to just assume it was our own performance that led to the result. It was that they knew how to stymie us. The focus should not be on just trying harder (although obviously thats important) rather it should be on what to do if the opposition are atheltic and very well organised in the press as Stoke were. Id hate to think that we dont learn the lessons and fail to figure out some alternatives when the situation inevitably happens again. Think Reading at home we can play that way but the away games coming up I would imagine we will face similar opposition.

Id characterise it as ultimately they stopped us having any options to pass it out of the back and through the midfield. Pressed both centre backs, marked out Buckley, found the spave behind our full backs. I dont think effort was the decider. In my view who wins a match is rarely about who runs the most, its more about how well you can move the ball back to front and make opportunities.

Can't really agree, it was as stonewall tactical victory as Ive seen in 25 years of following Rovers. Neill had obviously watched our last five games in detail and knew we would play the same way to a man (as when a team is on a run you always know they will replicate their approach) and set his side up absolutely perfectly to counter. Only positive (if you can call it that) is that due to the comprehensive nature of our defeat there will now be doubt put into Readings mind about if we will go the same way on Wednesday.

A good effort to get two late goals but they felt really more a product of Stoke stopping the press that had done so well. Over the 90 we were well and truly beaten, well played Stoke. You can bet every team we play now will try to replicate their approach Didn't see much to show we have many ideas about how to handle the next team that do that to us aside from starting Brittain and BBD. I do feel we need more of a tactical plan B. We push so many players up we are left so exposed at the back if the opposition is smart as they were tonight.

I think he was probably coming on anyway for Buckley, seems like were going for straight swaps.

I think id go for a radical change, go three at the back and in the middle. Bring brereton on to partner Gallagher up front put JRC right wing back, Brittain left wing back and Morton on for Szomdics for a central three. Will disrupt Stoke.

Im pretty sanguine about it... You come up with a game plan, works well for a while, then gets found out. Happens to every team every season. I thought for all our excellent performances recently we looked very light at the back with both the full backs pushed up. Stoke have seen that and pressed us and got into the channels. What sets out the good managers and teams is what you do about it. Even if we dont recover what Im looking for is some effective changes tactically.

Doesn't feel like a just do the same with different players job. Think we need probably to change the system.

Reckon there will be quite a few chances in this game. Both sides look very open. Feels to me like always in the Championship- you have a good run but then other teams adapt. Stoke have done their homework. We probably need to change something but not sure what really what.

If we did go up Id hope we take a leaf out of Brentford, Wolves or Brightons playbook and find high quality relatively unknown players who dont cost the earth.

BBD is a left sided player or maybe could play up top at a push. His issue is I can't see how he displaces Dolan at the moment, he's been fantastic. Also Gallagher having a great run in the central striker role. BBD will have to hope to get on at 60-70 mins and make a claim. He's only got himself to blame - he's been really poor for two months. Dolan and Szmodics have both looked more of a goal threat than him, Thomas gives us proper width on the right and Gallagher's work rate is indispensable. I like JDT's way... he doesn't hook players out after one bad game, but after a run of bad games he will drop you and it's a case of waiting for the opportunity to come back. Morton, Hedges, BBD all out of the team after long runs of poor to mediocre form. Travis, Buckley, Dolan, Gallagher all got the same treatment earlier in the season and now back playing arguably their best football for the club.

Yes.... recently both full backs have been getting much further forward than at the start of the season. We're overloading teams all the time. The combo of Dolan, Szmodics and Pickering down the left is very hard for other teams to deal with. It's been outstanding since Szmodics and Dolan came in. That said every strength always exposes a weakness - as we push up I do wonder how things will pan out against a more direct team that plays the longer ball into the channels behind our full backs. No one's really done that recently, but someone's going to give it a go soon, maybe Stoke as they have the players for it. Carter and Hyam are often left as the only two back.

Yeah, I also liked that they had an extra man in midfield and an extra centre back which has caused us major issues in the past, but we won the midfield battle.