BFTG - Brum

[Pepe the Horseman]

Listening to Radio Berks last night our top scorer on the pitch when the game finished, bearing in mind we were supposed to be chasing the game at that point, was Cooper with 2 goals.

Says just about everything about the night and the season.

Can't end soon enough.

Jeez.

When we signed Murray, I had a bet on him being our top league scorer at 4/1. I'd written it off when he went back to Palace, but as it stands he's still joint top with Cox.

[RG30]

Michael Hector is fast developing into a top defender and if he continues to develop at the rate he is, quite frankly he won't be a Reading player for much longer. I actually think the day he leaves it will be for a club record transfer fee.

[Hoop Blah]

How is Obita still in the side? Awful, never beats a man himself or with his crossing. Worst player on the pitch by a mile.

Plus why were we playing with two holding midfielders against Birmingham? Ridiculous. The problem all too often was there was no link between defence and attack, somebody would pick the ball up ping a pass or run, but six or seven of our players would still be on the edge of the box.

Thought Blackman looked alright and at the very least got the ball into the box a couple of times. Chalobah wasn't bad. Ake looked fine but didn't actually do much. Hector was, again, the best player on the pitch.

Beginning to agree on obita. Seems to escape a lot of criticism but he has had a poor season.

He has had a poor season but we haven't got a viable alternative so what are we going to do? He's a player who we know can do a job and defensively he's been pretty sound (especially under Clarke) so he's worth sticking with really. He needs confidence going forward to take his man on once in a while (he actually did that a few times last night) and to deliver his crosses earlier.

As for playing two holding midfielders, we played 4-3-3 so it wasn't really a case of two holding midfielders but 3 to covering the whole width of the pitch. I'd say all three got forward a reasonable amount so didn't see that as a defensive move.

[Kingsley Junior]

By my reckoning, we have failed to score in 10 of the last 14 home league games and 11 of the 22 overall.

Think we only won 8 of 23 home league games last season too and then 5 the season before that (in the Premier League so a bit of mitigation) so it's not been particularly joyful as a season ticket holder throughout that period!

I quite like how we've played lately in the first two thirds but it is clear we need to improve significantly in the final third! I'm something of an optimist generally so actually feeling quite positive for next season..

[melonhead]

decent game again. yet another game where we dominated possession, had a real go, and looked solid
but lack anyone in the squad who is a proper striker, and got caught out at the end when Clarke made his changes to have a look at the kids, and brum made their changes to try and win the game late on against a knackered reading team.

Feds-6 will be glad to get that game out the way. some good saves. shot seemed to go straight through his outstretched arms
Hector and Cooper - 8...... our academy knows how to do defenders. young, but both ooze class and potential
Obita/Gunter - 6 shaky at the back still, failing to deliver going forward still
Chalobah - 6 tired
Jem -6 in headless chicken mode, but at least he put himself about
Ake - 8 ..looked like he had the defensive role across the middle, screening the back four, was tigerish in the tackle, never stopped running and got involved going forward a lot too. his best game for us.
Mcleary 7 flatters to deceive, great pace and trickery, but always cuts inside, never hits the byline, and delivers nothing in terms of crosses
Blackman- 6 some decent play, but went missing for too much of the game
Mackie- 7 standard levels of effort. struggled to get any service

Stacey- 7 looked bright and energetic, with some quality. like.
appiah-5 good skill/control/effort no end product
novakovich ? - couldn't get in the game

Clarke-6 set up right, but hamstrung by a knackered team and no striker of any note, cost us a point with the changes, but game meant nowt.


on the loans- mourinho has come out and said he cant bring in a load of kids all at once, and cant have a squad half made of men, and half kids, hes already stated who the player he thinks will make an impact next season with bamford possibly getting in too. all the rest are fair game for season long loans imo. that includes ake, chalobah etc

[Whore Jackie]

Actually thought Chalobah had a really poor game – bar one terrific pass. He'd reverted to the player we saw when he first came on loan.
That said, I'd quite happily have him on a season-long loan next year, last 4 or 5 weeks he's been terrific. Really liked what Ake brings to our team, apparently he was asked afterwards if he would be coming back and said no chance.

Found the Feds songs, chanting and flags completely embarrassing TBH. He made a mistake, just get over it. Though if we're going to do that every time he screws up, I assume we'll have to endure it on Saturday.

[genome]

Really liked what Ake brings to our team, apparently he was asked afterwards if he would be coming back and said no chance..

Lol! Sauce?

[North Somerset Royal]

Actually thought Chalobah had a really poor game – bar one terrific pass. He'd reverted to the player we saw when he first came on loan.
That said, I'd quite happily have him on a season-long loan next year, last 4 or 5 weeks he's been terrific. Really liked what Ake brings to our team, apparently he was asked afterwards if he would be coming back and said no chance.

Found the Feds songs, chanting and flags completely embarrassing TBH. He made a mistake, just get over it. Though if we're going to do that every time he screws up, I assume we'll have to endure it on Saturday.

Totally agree. Making out he is some kind of hero when he is a highly paid professional who made a schoolboy error was laughable as were the Aussie flags given that he recently declined an opportunity to play for his country.

[SCIAG]

Not our most glorious performance. Cooper MOTM. Hector also very good, and Stacey looked good when he came on. Surprised Birmingham didn't run at Cooper more after his shocker at St Andrews.

Clarke got his tactics all wrong. I can live with Mackie up front, but we used three defensive midfielders, and the wingers played very narrowly to support Mackie. Karacan was tasked with providing width Sidwell-style, but he's lost a yard of pace and it wasn't effective. I'd have liked Cox to play ahead of Aké.

Speaking of which, Aké is clearly very mobile and enthusiastic, but he gives away too many fouls and his passing is sloppy, statistically worse than Akpan and nowhere near our other "permanent" midfielders (quotes in there because I'm including Guthrie), although he did play more per match than anyone except Norwood and Chalobah. Chalobah's stats are worse, but I think that's probably because of his poor start and that dreadful turn in defence - last night his passing was crisp and accurate, although a few of his cross field passes were a little showy, and he and Karacan both broke 70 passes (Aké made 47). I'd welcome one of them back next season, and I'd prefer it to be Chalobah, but we certainly don't need both. If we're going to get Chelsea loanees, I'd rather have a left back and a striker.

Appiah is dreadful. Clarke said after the match that he thought it would be unfair not to play him after taking him on loan. In that case, he shouldn't have taken him on loan. Can't imagine Novakovich would have done worse with those minutes.

Listening to Radio Berks last night our top scorer on the pitch when the game finished, bearing in mind we were supposed to be chasing the game at that point, was Cooper with 2 goals.

Says just about everything about the night and the season.

It was a stupid point...

At the end of the match, we were using:
- Three young forwards with about two matches of experience between them this season
- Three defensive midfielders, two of whom have only been playing for a month and the other for three months
- Four defenders

Now, if you'd made that point when we started with Yakubu up front and McCleary and HRK on the wings, maybe WIlliams and Norwood in midfield, you'd be saying something insightful about our lack of goals this season. I appreciate that you're just quoting the text Ady was gushing over, but all it showed was that the team last night was very inexperienced...

[WestRoyal]

So you admit McCleary has to take some blame for poor crossing but you are only going to single out Obita for it and call him the worst player on the pitch? None at all is definitely not good enough for someone playing as an out and out WINGER. When you say Obita "took double the amount of crosses" are you saying McCleary only put in 6 crosses during his time on the pitch? If so that is diabolical for someone playing as an out and out winger.

At the end of the day for either of them to put in a good cross they need some players in there to aim at.[/quote]

And there lies part of the problem, both usually decent crossers of ball, an expected skill from a winger or an attacking fullback come winger which doesn't just disappear overnight. Ok I agree you have to make the best of what you have at your disposal but imagine how many of those bad crosses would have been made into good crosses if we had a Murray still playing for us or a le fondre who just knew where to be for the final ball, goals breeds confidence, confidence means two touches rather than three, no hesitation, not being afraid to try things, not trying too hard to get a cross or pass right then over or under hitting it. You go and watch many games around the country you won't find wingers putting crosses on a plate as often as you think you are more likely to have crosses going into the danger area and strikers working to get on the end of them. Both have underachieved this season but I think the whole team has its just because these two were stand out performers last season so we expect better. If we can get an out and out goal scorer next season don’t be surprised to see more success from final ball deliveries.

[Jano]

There is a big big difference between not having anyone to aim for and producing bad crosses. Bad crosses have been a particular blight on this season my view, a totally unacceptable one considering the quality these guys are supposed to have. All season long I have seen the following, with or without Murray, Cooper or anyone capable of heading a football in the team -

1 - Set pieces regularly fail to beat the first man. Totally inexcusable.
2 - Crosses hitting the defender.
3 - Crosses going into the only area where there is not a Reading player.
4 - Crosses being woefully overhit.
5 - Crosses going straight out of play when under little pressure.

I also don't understand why the wingers always cut inside. It must be so predictable playing against them, I can't remember McCleary actually getting to the by line and crossing with his preferred foot all season! There was a free kick last night, I think from Obita in the second half, just outside the Birmingham penalty area on the left side, and the technique used to kick the ball was bizarre, it was like he purposely scuffed it.

[RoyalBlue]

Actually thought Chalobah had a really poor game – bar one terrific pass. He'd reverted to the player we saw when he first came on loan.
That said, I'd quite happily have him on a season-long loan next year, last 4 or 5 weeks he's been terrific. Really liked what Ake brings to our team, apparently he was asked afterwards if he would be coming back and said no chance.

Found the Feds songs, chanting and flags completely embarrassing TBH. He made a mistake, just get over it. Though if we're going to do that every time he screws up, I assume we'll have to endure it on Saturday.

Totally agree. Making out he is some kind of hero when he is a highly paid professional who made a schoolboy error was laughable as were the Aussie flags given that he recently declined an opportunity to play for his country.

So the fact he declined to play for his country suddenly means he's any less Australian?! And he declined to play for his country to play for us? Had he decided the other way, the same critics would have probably had a go about that.

And one person says the shot 'appeared to go through his arms' (i.e. not even sure whether it did) and it's another Federici clanger!

Hope the idiots who can't spot a great keeper when he is there in front of them are happy when we have to do with someone nowhere near as good as Feds next season.

Not our most glorious performance. Cooper MOTM. Hector also very good, and Stacey looked good when he came on. Surprised Birmingham didn't run at Cooper more after his shocker at St Andrews.

Clarke got his tactics all wrong. I can live with Mackie up front, but we used three defensive midfielders, and the wingers played very narrowly to support Mackie. Karacan was tasked with providing width Sidwell-style, but he's lost a yard of pace and it wasn't effective. I'd have liked Cox to play ahead of Aké.

Speaking of which, Aké is clearly very mobile and enthusiastic, but he gives away too many fouls and his passing is sloppy, statistically worse than Akpan and nowhere near our other "permanent" midfielders (quotes in there because I'm including Guthrie), although he did play more per match than anyone except Norwood and Chalobah. Chalobah's stats are worse, but I think that's probably because of his poor start and that dreadful turn in defence - last night his passing was crisp and accurate, although a few of his cross field passes were a little showy, and he and Karacan both broke 70 passes (Aké made 47). I'd welcome one of them back next season, and I'd prefer it to be Chalobah, but we certainly don't need both. If we're going to get Chelsea loanees, I'd rather have a left back and a striker.

Appiah is dreadful. Clarke said after the match that he thought it would be unfair not to play him after taking him on loan. In that case, he shouldn't have taken him on loan. Can't imagine Novakovich would have done worse with those minutes.

Listening to Radio Berks last night our top scorer on the pitch when the game finished, bearing in mind we were supposed to be chasing the game at that point, was Cooper with 2 goals.

Says just about everything about the night and the season.

It was a stupid point...

At the end of the match, we were using:
- Three young forwards with about two matches of experience between them this season
- Three defensive midfielders, two of whom have only been playing for a month and the other for three months
- Four defenders

Now, if you'd made that point when we started with Yakubu up front and McCleary and HRK on the wings, maybe WIlliams and Norwood in midfield, you'd be saying something insightful about our lack of goals this season. I appreciate that you're just quoting the text Ady was gushing over, but all it showed was that the team last night was very inexperienced...

No, it also showed that the manager didn't really care about winning the game for the long suffering supporters. He's doing a great job promoting season ticket sales for next season!!

[Sutekh]

Just seen Ake's gone back to Chelsea after his loan finished. What exactly was the point of that!

Recalled according to BBC Berks, which I presume is different to his loan finishing.

[Sutekh]

Performance OK, still no attacking threat of any note though.

Would like to have seen more changes though, Kuhl, Keown would have been good to give them more experience.

Brentford and Rotherham will presumably see us field "stronger" sides as they have more to play for (presuming Millwall and Wigan won't have both be related by Tuesday of course).

Derby away will have nothing on it as they'll be safely ensconced in 5th or 6th by then so perhaps we'll see some more experimentation then.

Then finally this miserable league season can be forgotten and the real work can begin.

[West Stand Man]

If I was a winger and every time I worked my way into a decent position to bang in a cross only to see that there wasn't a friendly face in the target zone I think I'd probably hit quite a few poor efforts in. Either that or I just wouldn't cross the ball at all for fear of being slagged off for wasting it.

Sometimes it pays to look at cause as well as effect.

[melonhead]

And one person says the shot 'appeared to go through his arms' (i.e. not even sure whether it did) and it's another Federici clanger!

tbf, I gave him a 6/10 which was about average for the team, and said he made some decent saves too, never said it was a clanger. just said it looked to go through his open arms.
and im defo not sure if it did or not

[Platypuss]

If I was a winger and every time I worked my way into a decent position to bang in a cross only to see that there wasn't a friendly face in the target zone I think I'd probably hit quite a few poor efforts in. Either that or I just wouldn't cross the ball at all for fear of being slagged off for wasting it.

Sometimes it pays to look at cause as well as effect.

There were more than just a couple of rancidly overhit crosses last night when there were plenty of bodies in advanced positions.
Corners again were awful - most not clearing the first defender.
They are big boys and shouldn't be afraid of having their performances critically assessed..

[North Somerset Royal]

So the fact he declined to play for his country suddenly means he's any less Australian?! And he declined to play for his country to play for us? Had he decided the other way, the same critics would have probably had a go about that.

!

Not less Australian but certainly less patriotic which makes it all the more cringeworthy when attention seeking dicks start waving flags about.
He is a good keeper who made an embarrassing error. Surely better to say nothing and move on rather than making the whole saga even more embarrassing

[melonhead]

anyone who went to the game 4 days after the semi final where our team ran themselves into the ground for 120 minutes, & the day after it became mathematically certain we wouldn't go down, expecting anything whatsoever, is a very silly billy indeed.

[Muskrat]

Decent enough performance considering the After the Lord Mayors Show effect and a good chance for Clarke to play some less favoured players and take a look at a couple of youngsters. I'm sure his retained list has now been finalised and like everybody else I'm expecting big changes in the summer.

Thought he spoke sensibly after the game as he always does and Saturday will see the Wembley team return to the pitch in front of a 20,000 crowd and Fedders get POTS.