MATCHWATCH : Cambridge United (h)

[Snowflake Royal]

It's certainly increasingly hard as an exile to justify the travel when it's so easy to watch online. Particularly in the dark, wet or cold. And evening games are basically impossible without an overnight stay.

Not that I'd still have a ST or go regularly if we weren't viewable from home all the time. Covid taught me just how much better the extra rest and free time was than the travel.

The club situation is just too soul destroying as well. The current team is one you can really get behind, and a lot of the players can go places. But it's hard to get excited about a possible promotion push when you don’t know if the club will exist next season.

Especially when most of the current squad is either playing at about their ceiling or would be too raw for the Championship. You don't have to spend a lot to make good Championship signings, but not being able to spend a penny as a promoted L1 club isn't exactly a recipie for anything but relegation.

I'd like to see the first team against Burnley's because I think it might be quite a shock in terms the gulf between us, set some realistic expectations and show some of the better players how much there is still to step up. Not that it would be the right call for league performance.

[Stranded]

Anyway, to the game and pretty much the perfect game for such a short turnaround.

First half wasn't a classic by any means but we were by far the better team, with the high press and energy causing Cambridge tons of problems - Smith will usually back himself to score at least one of his two big chances and Dorsett really should have scored as well - no real concerns at the back either.

Second half we came out on fire and in that 15 minute spell we could have scored 2 or 3 more. Every one knows how deadly Wing is from 20 to 25 out but we have so many threats up top that we can often work space for him to be able to hit one from there - which invariably will hit the target. I think part of the reason he plays a bit deeper now is he can arrive in those positions a bit later making it harder for him to be picked up before he shoots.

After that, he was all about conserving energy ahead of the tough trip to Wycombe on Saturday - win there and the belief that we can make the play-offs will begin to grow. A draw would naturally still be a good result and given 3 of the 4 games after that are very winnable home games, we could be around the 40 pts mark by the end of the year.

[Hendo]

Anyway, to the game and pretty much the perfect game for such a short turnaround.

First half wasn't a classic by any means but we were by far the better team, with the high press and energy causing Cambridge tons of problems - Smith will usually back himself to score at least one of his two big chances and Dorsett really should have scored as well - no real concerns at the back either.

Second half we came out on fire and in that 15 minute spell we could have scored 2 or 3 more. Every one knows how deadly Wing is from 20 to 25 out but we have so many threats up top that we can often work space for him to be able to hit one from there - which invariably will hit the target. I think part of the reason he plays a bit deeper now is he can arrive in those positions a bit later making it harder for him to be picked up before he shoots.

After that, he was all about conserving energy ahead of the tough trip to Wycombe on Saturday - win there and the belief that we can make the play-offs will begin to grow. A draw would naturally still be a good result and given 3 of the 4 games after that are very winnable home games, we could be around the 40 pts mark by the end of the year.

Agree with all of that ^^

Was a little disappointed when Wing didn't shoot from the free-kick that was about 25ish yards out, would've topped off an incredible hat-trick.

[Hound]

Perhaps some people just don’t want to get too invested in things when they know there’s a chance it’ll all be undone in a month or two when a certain someone fails to sell the club again.

Sadly this. I still think this season will all end in tears. Not relegation, we'll have too many points by January. But key players sold or leaving when contracts expires, Selles gone and a relegation battle to look forward to in 25/26.

There will sadly be a lot of this. People have been burnt too many times over the last few years and whilst watching this team is a lot of fun, there will be an overarching view amongst many that until Dai is gone, this is all just a sticky plaster over a gaping wound. As is even being mentioned on this thread, as we move into the top 6 after 17 games and on track for a 80+ point season, people are still looking at the gap to the bottom 4 - firesales in Jan etc.

Money is tight for a lot of people and its Xmas, so why would you "waste money" going to watch the club at this point. If come Feb, we haven't really lost anyone, and are still sitting pretty in or around the top 6, you may well start to see some people come back and absolutely definitely if and when a sale concludes.

Yeah a lot of this. Love the current team, by far the most enjoyable one to watch in a decade or so. Selles a top manager

But I’m just waiting for it all to go wrong and hence can’t get that excited. That, along with it being on Sky - it makes its a lot easier not to go than it should. It’s a shame and I’m as guilty as anyone for not showing up

Tbf clubs/Sky most have known this would happen when they signed the deal. I guess the financial compensation was worth the lower crowds

[72 bus]

Perhaps some people just don’t want to get too invested in things when they know there’s a chance it’ll all be undone in a month or two when a certain someone fails to sell the club again.

Sadly this. I still think this season will all end in tears. Not relegation, we'll have too many points by January. But key players sold or leaving when contracts expires, Selles gone and a relegation battle to look forward to in 25/26.

There will sadly be a lot of this. People have been burnt too many times over the last few years and whilst watching this team is a lot of fun, there will be an overarching view amongst many that until Dai is gone, this is all just a sticky plaster over a gaping wound. As is even being mentioned on this thread, as we move into the top 6 after 17 games and on track for a 80+ point season, people are still looking at the gap to the bottom 4 - firesales in Jan etc.

Money is tight for a lot of people and its Xmas, so why would you "waste money" going to watch the club at this point. If come Feb, we haven't really lost anyone, and are still sitting pretty in or around the top 6, you may well start to see some people come back and absolutely definitely if and when a sale concludes.

Every Reading game in February and March is on Sky + , that's ten consecutive home and away games where there is an alternative to actually going to the games.

[Stranded]

Sadly this. I still think this season will all end in tears. Not relegation, we'll have too many points by January. But key players sold or leaving when contracts expires, Selles gone and a relegation battle to look forward to in 25/26.

There will sadly be a lot of this. People have been burnt too many times over the last few years and whilst watching this team is a lot of fun, there will be an overarching view amongst many that until Dai is gone, this is all just a sticky plaster over a gaping wound. As is even being mentioned on this thread, as we move into the top 6 after 17 games and on track for a 80+ point season, people are still looking at the gap to the bottom 4 - firesales in Jan etc.

Money is tight for a lot of people and its Xmas, so why would you "waste money" going to watch the club at this point. If come Feb, we haven't really lost anyone, and are still sitting pretty in or around the top 6, you may well start to see some people come back and absolutely definitely if and when a sale concludes.

Every Reading game in February and March is on Sky + , that's ten consecutive home and away games where there is an alternative to actually going to the games.

Yep and that will indeed impact the crowds at home but if the side are still in the play-off mix, or even beginning to push closer to the top 2, then even with it being on TV, people will return (but not in as big number as for non-televised games). Of course as mentioned, a change of ownership may well automatically add another 3 or 4k to the gate - possibly more for the first game post-Dai.

[Royals and Racers]

Sadly this. I still think this season will all end in tears. Not relegation, we'll have too many points by January. But key players sold or leaving when contracts expires, Selles gone and a relegation battle to look forward to in 25/26.

There will sadly be a lot of this. People have been burnt too many times over the last few years and whilst watching this team is a lot of fun, there will be an overarching view amongst many that until Dai is gone, this is all just a sticky plaster over a gaping wound. As is even being mentioned on this thread, as we move into the top 6 after 17 games and on track for a 80+ point season, people are still looking at the gap to the bottom 4 - firesales in Jan etc.

Money is tight for a lot of people and its Xmas, so why would you "waste money" going to watch the club at this point. If come Feb, we haven't really lost anyone, and are still sitting pretty in or around the top 6, you may well start to see some people come back and absolutely definitely if and when a sale concludes.

Every Reading game in February and March is on Sky + , that's ten consecutive home and away games where there is an alternative to actually going to the games.

I’m not sure that’s correct- Saturday 12.30pm games are on SKY + but 3pm KO’s are not.

[72 bus]

There will sadly be a lot of this. People have been burnt too many times over the last few years and whilst watching this team is a lot of fun, there will be an overarching view amongst many that until Dai is gone, this is all just a sticky plaster over a gaping wound. As is even being mentioned on this thread, as we move into the top 6 after 17 games and on track for a 80+ point season, people are still looking at the gap to the bottom 4 - firesales in Jan etc.

Money is tight for a lot of people and its Xmas, so why would you "waste money" going to watch the club at this point. If come Feb, we haven't really lost anyone, and are still sitting pretty in or around the top 6, you may well start to see some people come back and absolutely definitely if and when a sale concludes.

Every Reading game in February and March is on Sky + , that's ten consecutive home and away games where there is an alternative to actually going to the games.

I’m not sure that’s correct- Saturday 12.30pm games are on SKY + but 3pm KO’s are not.

Not according to Sky.
https://www.skysports.com/league-1-fixtures

[Royals and Racers]

Every Reading game in February and March is on Sky + , that's ten consecutive home and away games where there is an alternative to actually going to the games.

I’m not sure that’s correct- Saturday 12.30pm games are on SKY + but 3pm KO’s are not.

Not according to Sky.
https://www.skysports.com/league-1-fixtures

They are the Div 1 fixtures- the ones that are on SKY have ‘ on Sky ‘ on the right of the match listing.

[Silver Fox]

So not a single game* selected for Sky Sports+ in February and March yet then?

Rearranged Wrexham (H) game notwithstanding

[Royals and Racers]

So not a single game* selected for Sky Sports+ in February and March yet then?

Rearranged Wrexham (H) game notwithstanding

Birmingham home on Feb 22nd is.

[morganb]

Regarding attendances - just curious:

If you take the average attendance for a non-televised game and compare it to that of a televised game, how much does the figure go down?

How much would be lost financially due to this loss of fee-paying spectators?

Then how much is the TV deal worth?

Would the TV money cover the income lost from stay-at-home spectators?

[Silver Fox]

So not a single game* selected for Sky Sports+ in February and March yet then?

Rearranged Wrexham (H) game notwithstanding

Birmingham home on Feb 22nd is.

D'oh, I knew that too, it would help if they put the Sky Sports+ next to it!