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Have we made a Mistake with Antonio?


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Guest Sniper1

Antonio is a great asset, he's playing against better players so he's not getting it all his own way like last season, i don't think this formation suits him/JJ.

Like a few have said already we need another option, JJ and Antonio both run out of steam, which is what explosive players do.

So we need one of them to run the fullback into the ground for 60/70 mins and then fresh legs on for the last 30 or so.

Treacy would be brilliant, still as a turn of pace and his delivery is premier league, Would sort out our set pieces too which is getting on my boobies.

One thing that would still be an issue is the formation, trying to pick out one man in the box is very difficult.

If we are to stick with a 4-5-1/4-3-3 then i would look at Maguire and Bothroyd behind or alongside COG/Madine, JJ and Antonio are quick wingers and

thats what they want to do, wrong sort of players to keep the ball and create chances through passing the ball, neither are known for their first touch

and quality of passing.

If we change it to a 4-4-2 then JJ (or a Treacy type) and Antonio are your men, use the pace to get to the byline and cross, should easily get 4 men

into the box then, 2 strikers, other wideman tucking in and 1 of the CM's.

DJ needs to decide what he wants to do, stick with this formation but try different players, more cultured and creative

or

Go back to 4-4-2 and use pace and power down the sides.

It will come though, we will get it right.

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Guest tha_knows

Like many others have said he isn't the finished article, personally I think he's done well this season ( can't comment last nyt as I was playing football myself roughly the same time the game was on), granted his crossing isn't the best but the truth is if it was, and if he was the finished article,he wouldn't have been signed for 700k and he certainly wouldn't have been playing for us.

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Has been marked by 2 or more defenders at times as teams identify him as 'the threat' particularly in current system

This is part of the problem. As things stand we don't really have another threat. I think the reason we're so shaky at the back is due to teams working out and shutting down our biggest threat. We need other options going forward, giving players like McCabe and Barkley more time and space.

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Controversial I know but with his performances last season (who can forget the Carlisle goal in the 96th minute) have we really dropped a clanger thinking he can cut it in this league? In my honest view, he's had good games but he's also has had stinkers, I really do think the strikers are starved of service and sometimes Antonio offers huff and pull and chooses the wrongs options that leads to nothing and losing possession, JJ drifts in and out of games too, we need wingers that can constantly supply the forwards?

Or is it just me?

Mental. Our best attacking player by a country mile, and covers more yards with the ball than anyone else. Still young so will develop and become better.

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Mental. Our best attacking player by a country mile, and covers more yards with the ball than anyone else. Still young so will develop and become better.

It's not mental at all, it was a genuine question that got answered by loads, I take it you wasn't a fan then? lol

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He carries a lot of threat. It's understandable that he won't breeze past players as easily at this level but he has got some skill and technical ability. Look at the way he's taken his goals for us.

All the focus was on him over the summer and after the euphoria of last season's end that will naturally lead to big expectation - the same happened to Glenn Whelan after the play-off final and he struggled hugely that first season in the Championship.

We got a very talented young player when we signed Antonio, and for the next few years. Stick with him, he'll do great things for us.

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It's not mental at all, it was a genuine question that got answered by loads, I take it you wasn't a fan then? lol

Thought that we paid over the odds for him but happy we got him. Had we not signed him this place would have gone into meltdown and we would be taking turns on suicide watch for some posters!

Just found it ironic that this topic was raised, after all the summer threads demanding mm sign him up. Nice of him to chip in with another goal yesterday too!

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One of the hardest thing for young players is the decision making at a higher level...Antonio will only get better at this and having experienced players like Bothroyd around who have done it at this level will help accelerate that learning curve...give him time

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Thought that we paid over the odds for him but happy we got him. Had we not signed him this place would have gone into meltdown and we would be taking turns on suicide watch for some posters!

Just found it ironic that this topic was raised, after all the summer threads demanding mm sign him up. Nice of him to chip in with another goal yesterday too!

Totally agree with you mate, It's a weird one for me because he does try without daubt, and at times he looks very good then at other times it's all huff and puff into blind allys, but overall I like him, maybe with all the hype in the summer the expectations were raised too high, but like a few people have said he's still young, so still there's time to learn, but you can notice the step up he's had to make.

Sometimes I see DJ going absolutely ballistic with him on the sidelines, (I sit a a few rows behind him) because sometimes he'll do all the hard work, beat men and show all the promise then will pass straight to the opposition.

Maybe the headline 'mistake' was a little harsh too.

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Good for him yesterday, made no mistake with the finish for the goal.

I like him too, he's a big trier with good pace and great dribbling skills and he can finish too. If he can improve his final ball we'll have a real top player here, after all Reading wouldn't have sold him if he was the finished article.

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Why is 'hes a young lad' an excuse for Antonio, but when it comes to Madine - he gets all the abuse?

Antonio is exciting to watch and you can see that potential. All I see when I watch Madine is him backing into opposition players with no attempt to find space, and then either falling on his arse or giving away a foul.

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