Sutekh Gomes is learning as well. He’s learning English Second Division football which is a hell of a lot different to the PL and what he’s used to elsewhere. He’s still learning about the squad of players he’s inherited some of whom may well not be up to what Gomes wants either technically or mentally. Therefore mistakes will be made and, indeed, today he, IMO, made a total hash of the team selection.
As to his interview he does sound like he’s out of his depth as he’s saying things like Reading controlled the second half and controlled the game at ManU but that’s a worry as it suggests he doesn’t realise that ManU can let a club like Reading play and teams leading 2-0 are going to sit back and let you have more of the ball.
He needs to wake up to the fact that controlling a game and yet losing it is immaterial and certainly someone needs to make it quite clear to him that Reading are not going to get any time whatsoever on the ball when they go to Bolton so telling Jaakkola etc. to play out from the back is going to be suicidal. So he needs to tell them to look to go long unless it is clear the opposition are not pressing high.
And that’s the other thing. If you’re a proponent of that passing style then surely the first thing you do is establish clearly what to do when being pressed high is which what an awful lot of opponents will try to do to counter it. Doesn’t look like that’s being told to the players or, if it is, it’s very poor decision making by the players concerned.
And perhaps it is the players at fault. If you’re being pressed then why on earth even give Jaakkola the short pass option?
Watched the second half and actually we did control the second half. Had few shots, mind you, but yes we passed it around and look menacing rather than dangerous, if you will.
Derby made late substitutions seemingly to slow us down as the last 15 mins was all us.
That said we lost because we didn’t come out of the traps at anywhere near the required pace and gave a 2 goal head start.