Reading

[JJ4bwfc92]

For me I'd take the draw anyways against reading but I didnt see any highlights or the game yet with work and shopping for brothers wedding next month all weekend but I think for me highlight of the game was when i used ESPN scores app on my phone to check how we was doing and it said David N'gog was the one who scored "With a cracking header" word for word what it said! so all day theres me thinking N'gog scored this amazing header (I know what was i thinking) but then I went to my local and saw scores on screen haha ESPN for you

[ChrisC]

For me I'd take the draw anyways against reading but I didnt see any highlights or the game yet with work and shopping for brothers wedding next month all weekend but I think for me highlight of the game was when i used ESPN scores app on my phone to check how we was doing and it said David N'gog was the one who scored "With a cracking header" word for word what it said! so all day theres me thinking N'gog scored this amazing header (I know what was i thinking) but then I went to my local and saw scores on screen haha ESPN for you

I nearly died reading that mate Punctuation can save a life you know

[bobo the clown]

... ESPN .... said David N'gog was the one who scored "With a cracking header"

When, if you'd been there you'd have been told it was Marc Tierney.

[JJ4bwfc92]

For me I'd take the draw anyways against reading but I didnt see any highlights or the game yet with work and shopping for brothers wedding next month all weekend but I think for me highlight of the game was when i used ESPN scores app on my phone to check how we was doing and it said David N'gog was the one who scored "With a cracking header" word for word what it said! so all day theres me thinking N'gog scored this amazing header (I know what was i thinking) but then I went to my local and saw scores on screen haha ESPN for you

I nearly died reading that mate Punctuation can save a life you know

True not my best moment but I've never been in hospital and seen any medical staff say "this man just read something on the internet and is going into shock someone get me a Comma and a full stop STAT!

[ChrisC]

... ESPN .... said David N'gog was the one who scored "With a cracking header"

When, if you'd been there you'd have been told it was Marc Tierney.

Who was apparently wearing Pratley's number!

[ChrisC]

For me I'd take the draw anyways against reading but I didnt see any highlights or the game yet with work and shopping for brothers wedding next month all weekend but I think for me highlight of the game was when i used ESPN scores app on my phone to check how we was doing and it said David N'gog was the one who scored "With a cracking header" word for word what it said! so all day theres me thinking N'gog scored this amazing header (I know what was i thinking) but then I went to my local and saw scores on screen haha ESPN for you

I nearly died reading that mate Punctuation can save a life you know

True not my best moment but I've never been in hospital and seen any medical staff say "this man just read something on the internet and is going into shock someone get me a Comma and a full stop STAT!

I'm no saint when it comes to punctuation mate. Just a full stop or three will do for me .

[Bruno3]

The general consensus is that we played well in the first half but Reading ruled the second. The unanswered question is why. OK Reading upped their game and put us under pressure but we didn't seem to have the ability to create anything apart from Spearing's shot that narrowly went wide. Beckford, Ngog and then Davies just didn't seem to have a clue what each other was trying to do (OK Davies knew N'gog was sitting on the bench) not helped by Chunners running up blind alleys all the time. He looks like he's trying but something isn't right with him. Baptiste didn't get forward at all so we were limited to long balls upfield from Bogdan (whose kicking is pretty solid) but none of the front three look happy at having to go for them.
Moritz looks like he could be the link from front to back but was obviously not match fit. I think we just missed Eagles too much.
Would love to see Dawson back but couldn't really criticise the defence too much given the pressure Reading put on them - just glad Bogdan was as good as some of us have always believed he could be.

[JJ4bwfc92]

... ESPN .... said David N'gog was the one who scored "With a cracking header"

When, if you'd been there you'd have been told it was Marc Tierney.

So your telling me the Commentator at the game mistook A white left back for a tanned midfielder?

Whilst ESPN mistook a 6 foot 3 black french striker who can't head a ball for the slightly tanned Pratley?

2 years out the Prem and no one recognises anyone from Bolton team if they have a bald/shaved head this explains why Eagles always has a "unique" hair cut.

[BWFC_Insane]

The general consensus is that we played well in the first half but Reading ruled the second. The unanswered question is why. OK Reading upped their game and put us under pressure but we didn't seem to have the ability to create anything apart from Spearing's shot that narrowly went wide. Beckford, Ngog and then Davies just didn't seem to have a clue what each other was trying to do (OK Davies knew N'gog was sitting on the bench) not helped by Chunners running up blind alleys all the time. He looks like he's trying but something isn't right with him. Baptiste didn't get forward at all so we were limited to long balls upfield from Bogdan (whose kicking is pretty solid) but none of the front three look happy at having to go for them.
Moritz looks like he could be the link from front to back but was obviously not match fit. I think we just missed Eagles too much.
Would love to see Dawson back but couldn't really criticise the defence too much given the pressure Reading put on them - just glad Bogdan was as good as some of us have always believed he could be.

I think you could criticise the defence plenty to be honest. Wheater seemed to be beaten in the air constantly? And we all know we struggled at times with their pace. I just think Knight and Wheater are going to be too slow, teams are already targeting them. And they both are a penalty waiting to happen.

[Prufrock]

I reckon the reason we don't dominate games for 90 mins, but have about 45mins when we're on top, and 45 when we're not, is coz there are two teams playing.

[Lord Kangana]

Is that socialist football in action Pru?

[ChrisC]

The general consensus is that we played well in the first half but Reading ruled the second. The unanswered question is why. OK Reading upped their game and put us under pressure but we didn't seem to have the ability to create anything apart from Spearing's shot that narrowly went wide. Beckford, Ngog and then Davies just didn't seem to have a clue what each other was trying to do (OK Davies knew N'gog was sitting on the bench) not helped by Chunners running up blind alleys all the time. He looks like he's trying but something isn't right with him. Baptiste didn't get forward at all so we were limited to long balls upfield from Bogdan (whose kicking is pretty solid) but none of the front three look happy at having to go for them.
Moritz looks like he could be the link from front to back but was obviously not match fit. I think we just missed Eagles too much.
Would love to see Dawson back but couldn't really criticise the defence too much given the pressure Reading put on them - just glad Bogdan was as good as some of us have always believed he could be.

For me, the main difference in Reading second was when Le Fondre came on. He totally changed how Reading played in the final third. First half and beginning of the second, Reading seemed to be playing round the 18 yard box and popping shots. As soon as Le Fondre entered the frame they got in the box and pulled the defence all over the shop.

[BWFC_Insane]

The general consensus is that we played well in the first half but Reading ruled the second. The unanswered question is why. OK Reading upped their game and put us under pressure but we didn't seem to have the ability to create anything apart from Spearing's shot that narrowly went wide. Beckford, Ngog and then Davies just didn't seem to have a clue what each other was trying to do (OK Davies knew N'gog was sitting on the bench) not helped by Chunners running up blind alleys all the time. He looks like he's trying but something isn't right with him. Baptiste didn't get forward at all so we were limited to long balls upfield from Bogdan (whose kicking is pretty solid) but none of the front three look happy at having to go for them.
Moritz looks like he could be the link from front to back but was obviously not match fit. I think we just missed Eagles too much.
Would love to see Dawson back but couldn't really criticise the defence too much given the pressure Reading put on them - just glad Bogdan was as good as some of us have always believed he could be.

For me, the main difference in Reading second was when Le Fondre came on. He totally changed how Reading played in the final third. First half and beginning of the second, Reading seemed to be playing round the 18 yard box and popping shots. As soon as Le Fondre entered the frame they got in the box and pulled the defence all over the shop.

Reading played wider second half. They worked out that Pratley and LCY were coming inside a lot and really stretched us at times.

I agree with Simon Charlton's post match comments that when teams put us under pressure and dominate for spells (and every team will at some point) the centre halves need to deal with things better than they did and then the centre of midfield needs to slowly re-establish the control of the game. He felt that Knight dragged us deeper second half (which is natural because clearly the back two are worried about pace in behind) but because of that the midfield got too stretched. He noted that neither centre back tried to push the back four up. I reckon Dawson would have pushed the back four up 5 yards squeezed Reading a bit more and let Spearing and Medo regain control.

Charlton also pointed out that when we're under pressure we need someone in midfield to want to get on the ball and control the game and keep possession. Mind that has been an issue going back a long way. Probably since Holden got injured. One of Spearing and Medo (probably Spearing) has to take on that role. Even if its just some simple give and go's we've got to find a way of not just falling into blind panic under pressure and surrendering it straight back to the opposition.

[StaffsTrotter]

I reckon the reason we don't dominate games for 90 mins, but have about 45mins when we're on top, and 45 when we're not, is coz there are two teams playing.

agree that in every game each team will have periods in the ascendancy. but in terms of domination you'd expect the home team to have the better of it (60:40) - any stattos out there who can say what normal expectation should be ?. My definition of domination is the team which controls/ sets the game tempo, creates most chances/ attempts, ensures most of game is played in oppos half)

in terms of the specifics for reading I don't think we dominated for 45. we had slightly the better of 35 mins or so of the 1st half, but not dominant. Maybe dominant for 5-10 mins ?

[Lord Kangana]

I don't think domination of possession is the be-all-and-end-all. Its what you do when you have the ball that counts. If we can learn to be a little more decisive and single-minded when we do have it, then our "periods of domination" will not matter so much (the last player players we had with this quality were Klasnic and Holden - Klasnic used to get the ball and only had one thought in mind, head towards goal.).

[StaffsTrotter]

I don't think domination of possession is the be-all-and-end-all. Its what you do when you have the ball that counts. If we can learn to be a little more decisive and single-minded when we do have it, then our "periods of domination" will not matter so much (the last player players we had with this quality were Klasnic and Holden - Klasnic used to get the ball and only had one thought in mind, head towards goal.).

agree its all about end product goals, but domination will generally increase your chances of scoring and reduce your opponents.

it is also a matter of style. if we are going for the let them dominate, catch them on the counter, you need (a) a strong defensive unit with either (b) a quick counter attacking forward line, or (c) good on the old set pieces.

besides all that what about our nerves !

[Enoch]

I reckon the reason we don't dominate games for 90 mins, but have about 45mins when we're on top, and 45 when we're not, is coz there are two teams playing.

An observation worthy of Holmes himself, yet so oft' overlooked.

Also, I'm intrigued to know how a side set up to counter attack can ever expect 60% possession.

[StaffsTrotter]

I reckon the reason we don't dominate games for 90 mins, but have about 45mins when we're on top, and 45 when we're not, is coz there are two teams playing.

An observation worthy of Holmes himself, yet so oft' overlooked.

Also, I'm intrigued to know how a side set up to counter attack can ever expect 60% possession.

didn't actually say that. that was a point about home team 'dominance'.

everyone seems to agree we don't dominate, but can't agree why not.

think you're right that DF does set us up to play more on the counter attack - can't recall him talking in the 'on the front foot' vernacular. suppose its a case whether everyone can cope with the approach

[ChrisC]

[thebish]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-iSYyb19cE[/youtube]

Ok what have I done wrong?

Usually works with the YouTube brackets on other forums

on this forum you just need the bit at the end after "v="