Burn after Reading. Reading (A) League 1. Saturday 16th September 2023. 3pm KO

[sonicthewhite]

Early kettle today Sonic...

Early enough for you Tango?

[DJBlu]

Jesus wept Victor. Laces through it.

[Mar]

Early kettle today Sonic...

Earmy enough for you Tango?

I think Vic could do with you putting the kettle on a few more times.

[sonicthewhite]

Early kettle today Sonic...

Earmy enough for you Tango?

I think Vic could do with you putting the kettle on a few more times.

Don't think my bladder would though Kettle's on though

[Worthy4England]

Early kettle today Sonic...

Earmy enough for you Tango?

I think Vic could do with you putting the kettle on a few more times.

Don't think my bladder would though Kettle's on though

Yeah you'd have to do a full tea-urn...

[DJBlu]

How are we not 3 nil up? COYWM!!!

[BorsdaneWhite]

Dear me. Just seen those Vic misses on Twitter.

[Mar]

How are we not 3 nil up? COYWM!!!

We've been far from convincing here. Reading have looked quite threatening up until their final ball.
That being said we've made some really decent chances here that should be seeing us wrapping this game up.

Been impressed by Williams especially in this half. Dempsey's done well as has JDC and Charles. Everyone well putting in as good a shift as you'd expect.


Stevenage and Oxford also winning, keeping us honest in that second spot.


Decent first half.

[BWFC_Insane]

It’s a strange half for me. We’ve been pretty rubbish but should be clear and game should be dead. No doubt we will regret those misses.

It goes back to my view that we should have gone for the best striker we could to go with Charles instead of assembling a group of deadbeats. JCH would have practically guaranteed us promotion even if he’s not a presser.

Sometimes football is a simple game. Two good strikers and you can be a bit rubbish elsewhere as today shows….

[Mar]

It’s a strange half for me. We’ve been pretty rubbish but should be clear and game should be dead. No doubt we will regret those misses.

It goes back to my view that we should have gone for the best striker we could to go with Charles instead of assembling a group of deadbeats. JCH would have practically guaranteed us promotion even if he’s not a presser.

Sometimes football is a simple game. Two good strikers and you can be a bit rubbish elsewhere as today shows….

You'd've probably been bemoaning JCH and all the money that would've been required for him. There's no guarantee in football and JCH might've ended up with the same tally as Vic. So for me the strike force is getting into the right positions and getting the chances, so i'm less concerned than perhaps yourself.

Our front two pairing (Charles & Adeboyejo) have scored in 6 out of 7 league games. The only time it didnt work was when Charles was suspended. It very much looks like if we've got that pairing up top, we've got goals in us.

[Spartan2]

Weird game, reading the better team for the most part yet on clear chances we should be about 4 up. We've not been able to dominate the ball like we normally do but we've hit them on the break over and over. Adeboyejo has been outstanding but both he and Charles need to learn to hit the fecking ball when you've got a chance, taking a touch rarely improves the chance. Thomasson another one playing brilliantly pinging balls everywhere and flying into tackles. This isn't a game for Sheehan, completely anonymous. We definitely need another goal and the big worry is having a player sent off. Reading are full of niggling fouls that are going unpunished yet ours have been given yellows, which is madding.

[BWFC_Insane]

It’s a strange half for me. We’ve been pretty rubbish but should be clear and game should be dead. No doubt we will regret those misses.

It goes back to my view that we should have gone for the best striker we could to go with Charles instead of assembling a group of deadbeats. JCH would have practically guaranteed us promotion even if he’s not a presser.

Sometimes football is a simple game. Two good strikers and you can be a bit rubbish elsewhere as today shows….

You'd've probably been bemoaning JCH and all the money that would've been required for him. There's no guarantee in football and JCH might've ended up with the same tally as Vic. So for me the strike force is getting into the right positions and getting the chances, so i'm less concerned than perhaps yourself.

Our front two pairing (Charles & Adeboyejo) have scored in 6 out of 7 league games. The only time it didnt work was when Charles was suspended. It very much looks like if we've got that pairing up top, we've got goals in us.

There are no guarantees but a lad who has 100 goals at this level at a ratio better than 1 in 3 and scored 26 last season and has 21 goals the tier up at a respectable just better than 1 in 5. Is probably considerably better than two who between them in their entire careers had not reached 26 league goals.

Quality players make the difference especially up top.

[Mar]

There are no guarantees but a lad who has 100 goals at this level at a ratio better than 1 in 3 and scored 26 last season and has 21 goals the tier up at a respectable just better than 1 in 5. Is probably considerably better than two who between them in their entire careers have not reached 26 league goals.

Quality players make the difference especially up top.

True, not debating the better conversion rate or the expected success of JCH over Adeboyejo. I suspect the relative age over JCH played somewhat of a part in the decision to sign Vic compared to other options. Time will tell whether its the right call, but it certain doesn't seem the wrong one given that both are residing in the top 10 strikers in the league.

[DJBlu]

I must be just happy seeing us winning after a bit of a break cause I don't think we've played too badly.

[BWFC_Insane]

There are no guarantees but a lad who has 100 goals at this level at a ratio better than 1 in 3 and scored 26 last season and has 21 goals the tier up at a respectable just better than 1 in 5. Is probably considerably better than two who between them in their entire careers have not reached 26 league goals.

Quality players make the difference especially up top.

True, not debating the better conversion rate or the expected success of JCH over Adeboyejo. I suspect the relative age over JCH played somewhat of a part in the decision to sign Vic compared to other options. Time will tell whether its the right call, but it certain doesn't seem the wrong one given that both are residing in the top 10 strikers in the league.

We spent £800K in fees on Vic and Dan. For that sort of money at this level you’ve got to be seeing a lot of goals. Vic has done ok so far but I’m not entirely convinced. Since his hat trick he’s missed a lot.

Dan looks like he’s no idea what’s going on.

The quaint idea that we’ve not spent money when £800K is a fortune at this level is gone. It’s fair to expect way more than we’ve seen for that sort of outlay. When May was £250K for example I think we absolutely need to see much better from them. Way better.

[Mar]

We spent £800K in fees on Vic and Dan. For that sort of money at this level you’ve got to be seeing a lot of goals. Vic has done ok so far but I’m not entirely convinced. Since his hat trick he’s missed a lot.

Dan looks like he’s no idea what’s going on.

The quaint idea that we’ve not spent money when £800K is a fortune at this level is gone. It’s fair to expect way more than we’ve seen for that sort of outlay. When May was £250K for example I think we absolutely need to see much better from them. Way better.

May, JCH and Vic are all posting around the same minutes per goal on transfermarkt. Difference is JCH and May are 29 and 30 respectively, whereas Vic is 25. That's gotta help any sell on value and i'm sure that's come into the thinking somewhat. Fair enough we can complain about goal distribution and timings, but generally he's hit the numbers that we'd've hoped for.

As for Dan, yes the money was a lot, but we can't blame him for that. I'll reserve any criticism for when he's on the pitch today.

[DJBlu]

Can someone explain how that's a free kick to Reading?

[Mar]

I must be just happy seeing us winning after a bit of a break cause I don't think we've played too badly.

I think we've played well. Far from our best but still pretty decent. Hopefully it'll be enough and we're not ruing missed chances.

Can someone explain how that's a free kick to Reading?

Surprised Charles hasn't been booked for diving there if the ref thought it was a free kick for Reading. Joke of a decision, looked tripped to me. Will be interesting to see the replay.

[Mar]

Slow mo replay...

https://twitter.com/i/status/1703067234950651928

[Worthy4England]

Foul by Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan

Sort that one out, commentators!

We have no idea whether JCH would have been on none or 10 for us.