BFTG - Bolton

[Sutekh]

Well that was a load of one trick predictable **** wasn’t it?

A well organised but limited side rolls into town and Reading adopt the apparent Stam tactics from the off of a leisurely walking pace and failing to take the game to the opposition

Thereafter followed a lack lustre slow plodding display that slowly got worse as the game wore on.

Meite was probably man of the match but of the overall performance I don’t think anyone can be particularly proud. Swift tried but looked poor overall esp as he seemed to be playing wide left for the most part. Kelly was anonymous and really do not like seeing him and Swift in the same starting line up. Meyler. Was he on the pitch? Was expecting a player in the mould of Sidwell but we seem to have another Edwards in the making. Question there is why on earth did we sign him when Evans could have been doing that role - and probably be better with it.

Baldock and McNulty got about a bit but really didn’t create very much nor really give much stress to the likes of Wheater but then they weren’t really getting much service.

And then there’s the game plan. Seemed, YET AGAIN, that it was to try and avoid width at all costs. Yes I know we were low on wingers but Meite, Yiadom and Blackett are all capable of getting forward and doing width type things but anything like that seemed to be only as an afterthought when the constant trying to pass the ball through the middle failed. Don’t players get encouraged to get behind defenders and whip in low balls at pace at the club any more? It seems to be something of a complete anathema to Reading players these last 2/3 seasons.

Whatever loan activity is planned it rather desperately needs to be some attacking threat and someone who can produce those magic something out of nothing moments as they sure aren’t going to get much help from anyone based on that dreadful performance.

Only upside is that Clement was also annoyed by it all and said so. Expect changes for the pointage attempt at Blackburn.

[John Madejski's Wallet]

Plus side...... first half I thought we had the makings of a really good front 3. I briefly felt optimistic


But Swift wad utterly woeful. Slowed everything down when we were breaking, didn't move to find space, lost the ball. Sadly Kelly & Meyler were just as bad.

We were crying out to get it to the front 3 quicker, but instead it just kept taking ages. Garbage

[Wizard]

I enjoyed the ball bouncing off someone’s foot, then the linesman’s foot, then Bodvarsson’s head like a pinball.

[Lower West]

Playing Swift on the left wing totally unbalanced the team.

Kelly has no tempo. When in possession simply slows the game down.

Too easy to play against at the moment.

[Royality creeps In]

On first thoughts, McNulty, Kelly and Meyler need to be dropped for starters. Meite was a bit
Hard to criticise Mannone as he had nothing to do, except pick the ball out of the net.
Swift was excellent in bits, poor in others. I think we need to persist with him.

Although I didn’t see who, but I thought their goal came about as a result of a lucky deflection or mistake by us.

Bolton were nothing special and will probably struggle once they go behind in a game, as when they scored they just defended. unfortunately we didn’t have the nous to break them down.

[Hound]

Swift was at the centre of every single good thing we did

Can’t understand how anyone could think he was woeful tbh

McShane, Kelly, Yiadom, Blackett, Meyler, Moore on the Other hand...

For me, you are just not going to win games when you concede pathetic goals like that. Glad Clement made a point of it and the defence should be changed and Ilori brought back in. He should never have been dropped and I don’t think we would have conceded that goal with him in

Bacuna should be in for Kelly. He is just better. Kelly is sadly not a particularly good player and I can’t see him getting better

Front 3 + Barrow will improve

[paddy20]

Thought Macshane definitely responsible for giving away their goal. Clement says he going to drop a bombshell for next game. Can only see it as Illori back in and Moore to be new captain.

Poor performance but one we should not have lost. Time to stop persisting with Kelly who adds nothing to the team apart from slowing it down and passing sideways. Meyler not much better. We can't afford to play 2 defensive midfielders at Home to teams like Bolton who simply done a job on us.

[PieEater]

We missed Barrow.

Bolton took their chance, were cynical and organised and we had no answer. The ref didn't help but we really should have reacted to going 1-0 down. As it was we practically gave up.

There were no stars today except maybe the Bolton keeper who saved our best chance. Not sure about the open goal that somehow was a corner until I see a replay.

We're definitely relegation fodder.

[John Madejski's Wallet]

I think Stam has completely ruined Kelly.


From an exciting debut where he was creating around the box and score a some nice goals, to a slow plodder that sits really deep and collects the ball from defence. The wrong manager really can fukk things up.

[Armadillo Roadkill]

After the opening three minutes when Bolton tore into us, we gradually asserted ourselves; nice quick interplay around the opposition's box, just lacking that final bit of penetration.

Then their goal - whoever Clement adjudges to be at fault will be having a very uncomfortable evening and a break from first team football judging on his BBCRB interview after the game. he was clearly furious, made no excuses and pulled no punches.

Bolton were very well organised and held their shape. We lost all confidence and reverted to sideways passing to try and fashion an opening. If we were still playing now (it's 18:35) we still would not have scored. We just cannot unpick as side that has learnt the basics of defending a lead.

Next two games look tough, so we could realistically be looking at five straight defeats.

[Hound]

I think Stam has completely ruined Kelly.


From an exciting debut where he was creating around the box and score a some nice goals, to a slow plodder that sits really deep and collects the ball from defence. The wrong manager really can fukk things up.

Now this I agree 100% with

[leon]

First time I’ve seen us this season - apparently we’d improved since last season.

No we haven’t.

[sandman]

Swift was at the centre of every single good thing we did

Can’t understand how anyone could think he was woeful tbh

McShane, Kelly, Yiadom, Blackett, Meyler, Moore on the Other hand...

For me, you are just not going to win games when you concede pathetic goals like that. Glad Clement made a point of it and the defence should be changed and Ilori brought back in. He should never have been dropped and I don’t think we would have conceded that goal with him in

Bacuna should be in for Kelly. He is just better. Kelly is sadly not a particularly good player and I can’t see him getting better

Front 3 + Barrow will improve

Bacuna in for Kelly? The guy produced one of the worst sub performances I've ever seen, including that ridiculous free kick that he whacked out of play, and someone actually wants him to be rewarded by a place in the starting line up.

[Hound]

Yep he wasn’t great today but did well on Tuesday. Kelly has been poor for about 18 months

[PieEater]

Just to add. I wonder about Clement

He dropped probably our best player in the previous games - Illori and started without Bod. In hindsight that wasn't a good move.

[Hound]

Agree. First time I’ve felt he has really messed up

I didn’t like the team before the game and said so on here. It didn’t work and didn’t ever look like working. Ilori has been great all season and pre season and gets dropped. Very poor message to send out and I’m sure Clement knows it was a mistake. Especially a confidence player like him

[Gunny Fishcake]

Three games in and the club is bereft of any soul. Players hiding, sulking about and generally not wanting the ball.

Forget the result, for those of us that were there today in the paltry crowd it's plain to see the football club is in freefall.

This has been coming the last few years and now we are suffering the consequences.

We're a ragbag of a team consisting of generally crap players who are over paid and in the main don't give a flying toss.

It doesn't matter what manager we have , as the famous saying goes, you can't polish a turd.

It's going to be a very long season.

[Zip]

Absolutely woeful from Clement and the players. For a start Clement bottled it by dropping Ilori and not McShane. I thought he would.
Then he played Swift and Kelly together when all the evidence from last season was clear to see these two lightweights cannot play together. Then in the second half when we have a free kick in a dangerous position and with Bodvarsson ready to come in he keeps McNulty on and leaves Bod off until after the free kick.

As usual we fail to keep a clean sheet giving away a really poor goal. You just knew that would be it as we huffed and puffed with absolutely no drive or conviction. This lot are a bunch of cowards. Kelly and Swift are painfully slow on the ball. Kelly isn’t good enough in my view. Swift is creative when he plays at speed but too often he dawdles on the ball and loses possession.

Yiadom is not an upgrade on Gunter from what I saw today. At least Gunter gets some crosses in. Meyler was slow and his passing was poor. McNulty looked out of his depth. Baldock looks like a decent player but he needs to play off better quality players.

At the moment I don’t see where the goals are coming from let alone the wins. Our next two League games are away at Blackburn and Villa. Lose those two which seems likely and Clement will be in deep trouble.

[Zip]

Agree. First time I’ve felt he has really messed up

I didn’t like the team before the game and said so on here. It didn’t work and didn’t ever look like working. Ilori has been great all season and pre season and gets dropped. Very poor message to send out and I’m sure Clement knows it was a mistake. Especially a confidence player like him

I posed the question on here last week about who Clement would play at centre back today feeling that he would be weak and drop Ilori . He did just that. Not good enough from the manager.

[Zip]

Just to add I felt Barrow should have won PoTS last season. Without his goals and assists we would have gone down. Without him today we were utterly clueless.