Hunt out.

[Mid Sussex Royal]

No glimpses of improvement

Yes - and a full strength team today, bar Williams; time to make the change now.

We have a free hit next Sat then half a dozen very favourable looking fixtures, mostly at home, where I just don't believe Hunt will get the wins needed.

We have a point a game and the excuse of bedding in a new squad is wearing very thin now.

We're looking at 46 points as it stands on current form, which may well not be enough as no teams are tailing away and some of the expected pre season strugglers are well up the table. Already looks like a potential 50 point survival season this year.

Will Couhig act though?

[andrew1957]

Very much Hunt in but I have to say RFC were very poor today - particularly in the first half. Quite good for 20 minutes in the second half but then both sides seemed to settle for a point.

[One Beer is never enough.]

I think we can all agree that Hunt was appointed, not because he was the best, but he wasy the best available to us in the circumstance that we were in.

I’m a glass half full person, but having taken time to consider it, I now believe the glass is half full of piss. Time to empty it out and start again.

Sorry Noel.

[West F]

I think we can all agree that Hunt was appointed, not because he was the best, but he wasy the best available to us in the circumstance that we were in.

I’m a glass half full person, but having taken time to consider it, I now believe the glass is half full of piss. Time to empty it out and start again.

Sorry Noel.

I was shocked that someone gave him three years at a time when the change of ownership was a matter of time, and most likely at the end of that season. If he was in interim charge and proved to be successful, then he would have earned more time. Today was a pretty par for the course performance for us at the moment. I am starting to think that although we have seen a small improvement over the last few weeks, that this has now plateaued.
Before anyone shoots me down, I still hold the last two home performances of last season against Noel. They were both must win games in the circumstances and the performances were identically insipid.
The reasoning behind having a new squad is wearing thin now. I still have no idea what sort of goal we are trying to score. The tactic of keeping the ball at the back to beat a press that no longer comes must change.

[Hound]

I just don’t think we are going to be much better than about 15th place under Hunt this season. Depends whether the owners are ok with that or not

We’re not getting much better. Same old every game; the experienced players will be good enough to dig us out a few wins here and there but that’s about it

[Royal_jimmy]

I think we can all agree that Hunt was appointed, not because he was the best, but he wasy the best available to us in the circumstance that we were in.

I’m a glass half full person, but having taken time to consider it, I now believe the glass is half full of piss. Time to empty it out and start again.

Sorry Noel.

I was shocked that someone gave him three years at a time when the change of ownership was a matter of time, and most likely at the end of that season. If he was in interim charge and proved to be successful, then he would have earned more time. Today was a pretty par for the course performance for us at the moment. I am starting to think that although we have seen a small improvement over the last few weeks, that this has now plateaued.
Before anyone shoots me down, I still hold the last two home performances of last season against Noel. They were both must win games in the circumstances and the performances were identically insipid.
The reasoning behind having a new squad is wearing thin now. I still have no idea what sort of goal we are trying to score. The tactic of keeping the ball at the back to beat a press that no longer comes must change.

Pretty much nailed it on this.

1) We don't have any identity to the way we play. This makes it hard for players to know their roles in the system nor gain a proper understanding of each other's play. It's no wonder why we don't create many chances and work the opposition goalkeeper.

2) A new squad can take maybe 5-10 matches to gel. We've passed that point now and we've kept most of our key players fit.

3) Defensively we're an accident waiting to happen. Jacob and Burns have both been very disappointing. Ahmed is a talent but clearly isn't ready to play every week. He needs dropping and getting substitute appearances as soon as Yiadom is 100% fit.

4) We know we're underperforming because Wing and Savage in particular don't look like the same players at the moment. Lane was decent for Pompey and he's looked poor for us.

[morganb]

In the Couhig Q&A he mentioned metrics, specifically to Noel keeping the manager's job when the take over completed

You expect Rob would have other in-season metrics for Noel to meet

I'd guess 2 League wins from 11 and in the Relegation places wouldn't meet expectations nor will it entice fans to the stadium or make Reading a World Wide Brand

[WestYorksRoyal]

It's very rare for a manager to turn things around when the critical mass of the fanbase has turned against them. Of course Selles did exactly that, but it's rare and he'd have been sacked by November at a normal club.

It does feel like Hunt has gone past that point. The more vocal fans on Twitter, HNA?, podcasts and blogs are pretty much all in the "Hunt Out" camp. They're ultimately a minority of fans, but also are the ones who engage with the club and feedback, so they are important. Even among more normal fans, I'd be surprised if you get as much as 25% backing him, and if you sacked him tomorrow, would anyone be arguing that it was the wrong decision? And of course, the most important fans are the ones who are not there. We can't grow as a club with a 50% full stadium, and we've made no attendance improvement from last year despite ousting Dai. The fans staying away clearly don't back him.

It feels like it's inevitable he'll have to go, and it's simply a question of how long we let this be dragged out and keep digging out hole. Broomfield is available, knows Couhig and Jacobson. Get it done.