Today v Reading

[terryr]

I have looked but it seems no one who went has reported back.
In fact it seems there is little comment about today's game.
I only got small doses of GJ ( most notably our penalty but I didnt hear our goals) as the app on my iphone seems to have given up the ghost, so I just got the very delayed text updates.
How did we play?
Was the penalty soft? GJ seemed to think it was harsh.
How was Dembele's goal?
How was the back 4?
Did we look crap or not?
Usually the board is full of news.
Apologies if I've missed a 10 page thread ( cringe)

[@jolslover]

We played average. It was an average outing, neither good or bad. The penalty was fairly soft, but Nando is an idiot for pushing Kanu in the first place. Dembeles goal was decent, nothing special, good finish from a corner that Madl headed across goal. The back 4 were decent actually. Nando and Madl were solid as a pairing (Except for Nandos mistake which cost us 3 points). Dembele looked bright. Fredericks caused them several problems with his pace

[DevonFFC]

I would say amore is a walking card/pen. He cannot resist going through the back of a player. Richards was not great and offered little. We looked lost going forward and eventually went backwards. At the end the team were down to walking pace. That game was for the taking but we allowed them to dictate play when we were bossing it. The away support was fantastic

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[Berserker]

I thought it was a fair result.

[Toby Ward-Smith]

For me we just edged the game and should've won after a really bright start. The opening goal was neatly worked and Madl is looking a real threat from set pieces. We should've had a pen then as a Cairney strike was parried by Al-Habsi and Madl challenged from behind as he went to put the follow up. If that had been given it would've been 2-0 and def a red card as a clear goal scoring oppurtunity. Minutes later Reading won a penalty which was another moment of stupidity from Amorebieta as he the ball was running out for a goal kick or corner and he nudged him in the back. Maybe soft but was right to be given. Their second goal was a moment of madness and Cairney tried to dribble just outside the box and with everyone breaking we got caught out as John was allowed in with Richards attacking and an easy finish for Robson-Kanu again.

We started the second half really poorly and were lucky not to be 3-1 down within a minute as I believe it was Robson-Kanu who got in and just put it wide. All our passes were going wrong and no one could seem to control the ball but when Fredericks picked up the ball 2 yards behind Reading centre back Cooper you wouldn't of predicted he would've flown past him, but he let rip and got past Cooper into the box. Cooper clipped his heals the penalty was rightly rewarded with Ross finishing well. We had a few chances after that but we lost all our threat when Cairney went off. For me Baird should've been the one that went off for Parker as he is not the player we used to have sadly. We then just didn't really go for it in the final 10 mins and sat back allowing Reading to push on and they looked the only side that would win it in the depth. Disappointing to see us not go for it at the end but I would say we may have slightly edged it but a draw definitely wasn't unjust. Man of the match for me was Fredericks who really used his pace well.

[copthornemike]

Strange game - we started off really well, looking by far away the better team and fully deserved the lead and more. They really did not pose any threat until the penalty, totally unnecessary and I noticed the well positioned linesman did not appear to indicate any infringement. I thought we were still the better team and lo and behold our defense allow them to score. We really should have been leading by half time.

Second hald very different, we stopped pressing them and allowed them to dominate possession and the penalty was against the run of play, although good to see Fredericks use his pace and go on a direct run towards goal. After that we were lucky that Reading could not finish aswe did not theaten after the penalty.

In the end  a draw was about right but we could have put the game to bed in the first half.

My MOM was Madl, with honourable mentions to Fredericks and Ross.

[FPT]

I was there today, and just watched the highlights.

For Reading's penalty, I can't complain really. Fernando Amorebieta gave the referee a decision to make, it was needless - Hal Robson Kanu wasn't going anywhere. He did basically tackle Ross causing Kanu to be in that position so he's a muppet in that moment all over.

We weren't bad, but it was good either. Absolutely average. At about the 70th minute mark, we decided to take the point and weren't taking risks. A little frustrating because the game was up for grabs but I guess it's sensible game management and it's perhaps the thought we should have throughout a season, we don't need to turn up and try to win 3-0 away from home.

In case anyone didn't know, it was a 4411 today with Fredericks and McCormack out wide and Cairney off of Moussa Dembele. I must say whilst I'm here, I would much rather Cairney be part of a midfield three rather than in the 10. Ashley Richards was scared of the impressive Ola John - thought he and Fredericks would have doubled up on him better but didn't really. Luke Garbutt is so unimpressive, Everton should probably ease up on the whole 'next Baines' stuff, on his showing for Fulham, he's not going to be Baines any time soon. I don't think we conceded many chances today, we didn't look poor defensively but conceded twice.

[terryr]

Great reviews
One and all.
Thanks.
You guys really paint a pretty vivid picture without any ax-grinding or reactionary pontificating.
All the blanks feel filled in.
Madl sounds like a genius signing.
Ferdicks sounds like he's starting to come good.
Love bite has a bit of steel, but far from tempered and a lack of discipline isn't really what we can afford at this stage. Sad but he doesn't seem to have the temperament to make him the  great player  he clearly could be.Given that and his style of play he has become a serious liability.
A couple of Red cards and 10 men losses could edge us into a relegation scrap.
I'm  travelling yet again and don't arrive in Beijing until late Monday so doubtful I can do a " view from" given the great firewall of China in time for Tuesday.
Stay well everyone

[snarks]

The main problem with Fredricks is he's a wing back, not a full back. His pace is electric, his crossing generally poor, but boy does he run out of energy. Don't get me wrong I like him, but he was finished after an hour.

[MJG]

The main problem with Fredricks is he's a wing back, not a full back. His pace is electric, his crossing generally poor, but boy does he run out of energy. Don't get me wrong I like him, but he was finished after an hour.

I'm amazed at his lack of fitness. Yes hes fast but like you say after an hour he is shot. Can't come back and defend and loses concentration. Also has a habit of making very silly fouls,  deserved his booking.
But saying all that,  he was our best outlet for getting the ball to and attacking the box.

[ffc73]

Personally thought we were 4-2-3-1 with Fred, Cainey & Ross in front of Baird & O'Hara and behind Dembele as the lone striker

Does anyone know what the subs brought on for first Fred & then Baird. Some sort of energy boost drink or solution? Whatever it was it did not work as we visibly tired & faded as the game wore on

[DevonFFC]

It was a glucose syrup. Same as a Marathon runner would have. Pure sugar

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[Apprentice to the Maestro]

Can I also praise these reviews which give a balanced view of a critical friend.

They contrast dramatically with the whining and anger displayed by posters who are still going on about the sacking of KS or their other obsessions and who cannot illustrate their arguments about the current situation because were clearly not at the game.