A right Royal piss up! - Reading (H) 02/04/16

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

25% possession
4 shots to their 22
1 to 6 on target
Can't really complain about the lateness of the goal, and I note that not many did.

Some questions:
* What the effin' jeff was the formation? Was Derik in midfield? What did we do after the red card?
* More importantly long-term, how did Maher play? Woolery?

[Harry Genshaw]

25% possession
4 shots to their 22
1 to 6 on target
Can't really complain about the lateness of the goal, and I note that not many did.

Some questions:
* What the effin' jeff was the formation? Was Derik in midfield? What did we do after the red card?
* More importantly long-term, how did Maher play? Woolery?

5 at the back. Derik at centre back with Wheater & Holding.
Maher was fine. Steady. Woolery barely touched it in the first half snd I fear we'll never see the best in him until we find some creativity from somewhere.

We were being cut open pretty easily when we had 11 on. The sending off just had us playing deeper. Vydra alone missed 3 gilt edged chances

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Thanks, HG. Still not sure how the other five lined up but I'm not sure they knew either. JP's trial period ain't goin' so well.

[Nicko58]

Lol, Amos. Utter joke of a keeper.

Wrong.

Beaten at the death doesn't equal joke.

Let's forget the fact he's saved a penalty and 5 other shots on target.

I could have saved the penalty.

He's poor. Very poor.

He might have problem when it comes to long range shots, but he certainly isn't very poor.

no - he's not - he's a keeper at a club about to be relegated to the 3rd division... for the level we are - he's probably fairly decent and I doubt he is the reason for our plight... if you decide he's "very poor" then you just run out of language very quickly...

Was that a response to my post? If it was, then we are saying the same thing i.e. that Amos is actually probably quite decent.

[BWFC_Insane]

25% possession
4 shots to their 22
1 to 6 on target
Can't really complain about the lateness of the goal, and I note that not many did.

Some questions:
* What the effin' jeff was the formation? Was Derik in midfield? What did we do after the red card?
* More importantly long-term, how did Maher play? Woolery?

5 at the back. Derik at centre back with Wheater & Holding.
Maher was fine. Steady. Woolery barely touched it in the first half snd I fear we'll never see the best in him until we find some creativity from somewhere.

We were being cut open pretty easily when we had 11 on. The sending off just had us playing deeper. Vydra alone missed 3 gilt edged chances

Derik played in midfield before the red card. It was a 4-2-3-1, never 5 across the back.

Before the red card it was a back four. Derik and Vela holding in midfield. Dobbie, Pratley and Clough behind Woolery.

[officer_dibble]

It was a reasonable set up...shame about the red. All things aside we are very unlucky as well as shit!

You make your own luck mind, and a proper manager who the players would respect and bust their gut for...and we might have kept the point.

[Nicko58]

25% possession
4 shots to their 22
1 to 6 on target
Can't really complain about the lateness of the goal, and I note that not many did.

Some questions:
* What the effin' jeff was the formation? Was Derik in midfield? What did we do after the red card?
* More importantly long-term, how did Maher play? Woolery?

5 at the back. Derik at centre back with Wheater & Holding.
Maher was fine. Steady. Woolery barely touched it in the first half snd I fear we'll never see the best in him until we find some creativity from somewhere.

We were being cut open pretty easily when we had 11 on. The sending off just had us playing deeper. Vydra alone missed 3 gilt edged chances

Derik played in midfield before the red card. It was a 4-2-3-1, never 5 across the back.

Before the red card it was a back four. Derik and Vela holding in midfield. Dobbie, Pratley and Clough behind Woolery.

That's how I saw it as well. We started in a 4-2-3-1 formation; with Derik and Vela as the midfield two, Clough, Pratley and Dobbie as the three further forward, and Woolery up front on his own. When Holding was sent off, Derik moved to centre-back and Trotter came on for Dobbie a few minutes afterwards.

Maher was nervous at the start, but then he made a few decent interceptions which gave him the confidence to grow into the game and he was steady enough overall. Woolery tried hard with little support, however it looks as though we might be asking a bit too much to expect him to be the lone forward at the stage of his career and alongside this set of players. Expanding a little more on ‘the future’, it looked clear to me that Holding won the ball and that the referee got it wrong; Vela should probably have closed down the lad who scored before he had an opportunity to shoot; and Clough was by and large anonymous, though that might be because the way we were set up was never going to get the best out of him. Poor Alex Samizadeh (whenever I say his surname in my head, I can’t help but say it in a Mancunian accent) warmed up on the touchline for a good fifteen minutes before they decided to bring Heskey on instead, which was a shame because his tricks and flicks in the half-time knockabout were the highlight of my day and I’d have been interested in seeing what he could do.

[thebish]

no - he's not - he's a keeper at a club about to be relegated to the 3rd division... for the level we are - he's probably fairly decent and I doubt he is the reason for our plight... if you decide he's "very poor" then you just run out of language very quickly...

Was that a response to my post? If it was, then we are saying the same thing i.e. that Amos is actually probably quite decent.[/quote]


aye - yes it was - and my attempt at agreeing with you! - the "you" was rather confusing in that I meant it to refer to "people in general" - and particularly those who use hyperbolic language to describe Amos... sorry!

[TANGODANCER]

I'll risk censure for an observation based on sound and match comments, but I think if this game had not had so much hanging on it at this time of the season the result wouldn't have been half so bad. Playing Reading with ten men for most of the game is the ultimate in unbalanced scales and, given our trials and tribulations in transfers (lack of) financial disasters, court appearances, threatened administration, injured and unavailable players and staff almost not getting paid, a ninetieth minute loss would seem a bit harsh to anybody. I agree some of our set ups and methods seem odd, but most are forced rather than chosen. That Reading couldn't put their chances away, whilsat our good luck is hardly our fault and that late goal was a real body blow. What I'm really saying I suppose is that, gut wrenching as it is, today has little to do with our current woes, they were already lined up before a ball was kicked.

On an aside, that pair of crankish commediens who commentate on Tower Radio are men out of work. They spend most of their time rambling on about Bury, scores in other leagues that have nothing to do with us and chit-chat about anything but the game. The mic man's almost ecstatic delight when Reading scored made me want to grip him by the windpipe. Dave Higson probably would have.

[Worthy4England]

Not picking a fight TD, but there was sweet FA hanging on this result. Anyone thinking different is kidding 'emselves...

[truewhite15]

25% possession
4 shots to their 22
1 to 6 on target
Can't really complain about the lateness of the goal, and I note that not many did.

Some questions:
* What the effin' jeff was the formation? Was Derik in midfield? What did we do after the red card?
* More importantly long-term, how did Maher play? Woolery?

5 at the back. Derik at centre back with Wheater & Holding.
Maher was fine. Steady. Woolery barely touched it in the first half snd I fear we'll never see the best in him until we find some creativity from somewhere.

We were being cut open pretty easily when we had 11 on. The sending off just had us playing deeper. Vydra alone missed 3 gilt edged chances

Derik played in midfield before the red card. It was a 4-2-3-1, never 5 across the back.

Before the red card it was a back four. Derik and Vela holding in midfield. Dobbie, Pratley and Clough behind Woolery.

That's how I saw it as well. We started in a 4-2-3-1 formation; with Derik and Vela as the midfield two, Clough, Pratley and Dobbie as the three further forward, and Woolery up front on his own. When Holding was sent off, Derik moved to centre-back and Trotter came on for Dobbie a few minutes afterwards.

Maher was nervous at the start, but then he made a few decent interceptions which gave him the confidence to grow into the game and he was steady enough overall. Woolery tried hard with little support, however it looks as though we might be asking a bit too much to expect him to be the lone forward at the stage of his career and alongside this set of players. Expanding a little more on ‘the future’, it looked clear to me that Holding won the ball and that the referee got it wrong; Vela should probably have closed down the lad who scored before he had an opportunity to shoot; and Clough was by and large anonymous, though that might be because the way we were set up was never going to get the best out of him. Poor Alex Samizadeh (whenever I say his surname in my head, I can’t help but say it in a Mancunian accent) warmed up on the touchline for a good fifteen minutes before they decided to bring Heskey on instead, which was a shame because his tricks and flicks in the half-time knockabout were the highlight of my day and I’d have been interested in seeing what he could do.

Agree with most of this. I'd add that Derik was probably the only player to come out of the game with any words of praise. If we can keep hold of him next season, he's going to be a real headache for League 1 strikers.

The penalty, however, I was right in front of. If Holding did get the ball, it was minimal, and only achieved by going through the man first. A last man tackle from behind in that position, regardless of whether contact was made with the ball or not, was always going to result in a red and a penalty. No complaints from me.

Another way to look at it - if that had been the other way around, we'd have been saying it was the clearest penalty decision you've ever seen.

[TANGODANCER]

Not picking a fight TD, but there was sweet FA hanging on this result. Anyone thinking different is kidding 'emselves...

Maybe I put it badly, but I didn't actually mean totally in relegation terms, I agree that's almost a cert (it is now) so much as could we still survive and be a team, and the hope riding on that. Saving a point today was hardly going to do much. Our main gripe, Lennon has gone, we live again re the admin and if only we could have played well and given some hope that we weren't just a lost cause, it might have been sufferable. In short, we're in a right old mess and the fight has gone out of the team. I don't blame Jimmy Phillips for that one little bit. To be handed a ball with a slow puncture and then play with ten men is not something Jose Maurinho could do much about, never mind Jimmy. That's even more kidding oneself.

[Nicko58]

On an aside, that pair of crankish commediens who commentate on Tower Radio are men out of work. They spend most of their time rambling on about Bury, scores in other leagues that have nothing to do with us and chit-chat about anything but the game. The mic man's almost ecstatic delight when Reading scored made me want to grip him by the windpipe. Dave Higson probably would have.

In fairness, Tango, Tower FM is the radio station for Bolton and Bury so it's no surprise that they ramble on about the Bury score. My own personal gripe with them is that they sometimes have a bloke on who shouts 'goal' whenever we have a half-chance, irrespective of whether or not it actually goes in the bloody net.

[Nicko58]

25% possession
4 shots to their 22
1 to 6 on target
Can't really complain about the lateness of the goal, and I note that not many did.

Some questions:
* What the effin' jeff was the formation? Was Derik in midfield? What did we do after the red card?
* More importantly long-term, how did Maher play? Woolery?

5 at the back. Derik at centre back with Wheater & Holding.
Maher was fine. Steady. Woolery barely touched it in the first half snd I fear we'll never see the best in him until we find some creativity from somewhere.

We were being cut open pretty easily when we had 11 on. The sending off just had us playing deeper. Vydra alone missed 3 gilt edged chances

Derik played in midfield before the red card. It was a 4-2-3-1, never 5 across the back.

Before the red card it was a back four. Derik and Vela holding in midfield. Dobbie, Pratley and Clough behind Woolery.

That's how I saw it as well. We started in a 4-2-3-1 formation; with Derik and Vela as the midfield two, Clough, Pratley and Dobbie as the three further forward, and Woolery up front on his own. When Holding was sent off, Derik moved to centre-back and Trotter came on for Dobbie a few minutes afterwards.

Maher was nervous at the start, but then he made a few decent interceptions which gave him the confidence to grow into the game and he was steady enough overall. Woolery tried hard with little support, however it looks as though we might be asking a bit too much to expect him to be the lone forward at the stage of his career and alongside this set of players. Expanding a little more on ‘the future’, it looked clear to me that Holding won the ball and that the referee got it wrong; Vela should probably have closed down the lad who scored before he had an opportunity to shoot; and Clough was by and large anonymous, though that might be because the way we were set up was never going to get the best out of him. Poor Alex Samizadeh (whenever I say his surname in my head, I can’t help but say it in a Mancunian accent) warmed up on the touchline for a good fifteen minutes before they decided to bring Heskey on instead, which was a shame because his tricks and flicks in the half-time knockabout were the highlight of my day and I’d have been interested in seeing what he could do.

Agree with most of this. I'd add that Derik was probably the only player to come out of the game with any words of praise. If we can keep hold of him next season, he's going to be a real headache for League 1 strikers.

The penalty, however, I was right in front of. If Holding did get the ball, it was minimal, and only achieved by going through the man first. A last man tackle from behind in that position, regardless of whether contact was made with the ball or not, was always going to result in a red and a penalty. No complaints from me.

Another way to look at it - if that had been the other way around, we'd have been saying it was the clearest penalty decision you've ever seen.

Fair enough. You appear to have had a much better view of it that I did, so I'm happy to go along with you on that.

[Bruce Rioja]

that pair of crankish commediens who commentate on Tower Radio are men out of work.

[officer_dibble]

We must be the most hard done to fans in football. There cant be a team with a worse record in the last 5 years can there?

[Peter Thompson]

We must be the most hard done to fans in football. There cant be a team with a worse record in the last 5 years can there?

Agree 100% dibs....I'm still absolutely amazed with how many fans still turn up, they deserve medals.

We need a complete clear out, how I don't know as I can't see anyone paying the likes of M Davies, Pratley, Spearing, Madine, Moxey, Dervite what we are paying them - but they need to go and should be nowhere near the 1st team next season if we are to ever get a winning mentality & a winning team in League 1 - IMO we need 7 or 8 new players next year of which 2 or 3 need to be experienced mentally strong hard 'run through a brick wall' leader types.

We have absolutely no leaders in the current squad, both Freedman & Lennon failed to see this and bring in the right type of mentally strong players, at League 1 level we will be still be attractive for many players so it shouldn't be an issue for a decent manager attracting the right type of player, but we will probably need to bring in several players used to playing in League 1 and we need a Joey Barton type as captain and a couple of other experienced 'nasty' fcukers who aren't afraid to put a tackle in and who can organise & get the best from the likes of Holding & Clough and any of the other youngsters who the new manager thinks are good enough...along with a couple of the current squad who may be ok in League 1, the likes of Wilson & Trotter etc.

IMO we can recover & have a go next season, but we need good decisions to be made by Holdsworth & Co starting with a strong disciplined manager a Warnock or Brown who know what it takes to get out of the lower leagues, know the good League 1 level players that we'll need, and we need a mentally stronger team without any of the current experienced players who have a losing mentality & shrink on the pitch.

[Prufrock]

Surely that "honour" is between us and Villa. Down to 10 men for 70 mins and lose to a kat minute goal seems perfectly "us".

In mitigation for Jiminho

1) his remit seems to be to have a look at as many of the kids as possible to see who can hack it. Some obviously won't be able to.

2) he and his coaching team got them together over the past fortnight and produced a 5 goal improvement! That's pretty impressive.

[jonnycooper]

25% possession at home is a very depressing return! 10 men or not,it sounded like Reading were unlucky,to have not bagged a hatful,we are clearly missing a Nolan/jokey barton type as mentioned earlier. It appears now,that this squad has a losers mentality and clearly needs a shake up!

[BWFC_Insane]

Only seeing the penalty in realitime I thought it was a definite penalty. Red seemed a little harsh to me but can see why it was given.