Brentford ( A ) match thread

[MmmMonsterMunch]

It's the manner in which we've gifted all the goals though. It's so fcuking frustrating - do something about it Nigel because whatever you are doing at the moment it is not working!

We have such a soft underbelly. We never defended this badly under McD IMO - there I said it.

The full backs are not playing well, Pearce looks like his brain has been replaced with a potato & there is no cover for the back 4.

[wingnut]

In the league...
Goals against with Akpan on the pitch: 5
Goals against with Akpan not on the pitch: 12

#JustSayin'

[MmmMonsterMunch]

I would like to see Akpan back in definitely. Team selection today was just well..........weird

[KC Royal]

It's the manner in which we've gifted all the goals though. It's so fcuking frustrating - do something about it Nigel because whatever you are doing at the moment it is not working!

We have such a soft underbelly. We never defended this badly under McD IMO - there I said it.

The full backs are not playing well, Pearce looks like his brain has been replaced with a potato & there is no cover for the back 4.

I might change my mind when I see the goals, but I've accepted that we're always going to concede under Adkins. It's a bit like Everton under Martinez, the good defensive traits from the previous manager now seem to have completely gone.

Not calling for Adkins to go, but the prospect of Dolan being given a chance as his replacement does excite me.

I thought we'd miss Akpan today, seems like he played well at Leeds, in fact the team selection swung the game in Brentford's favour imo.

[Hendo]

At brentford station so will give my early view on today's game. Gave away 2 very poor goals in the first half but looked good going forward, deserved to be losing at half time but maybe by only 1 rather than 2. Changes at half time made a big difference, cox and mackie both improved things and came together for the goal. Second half was a considerable improvement and we deserved to get another goal to make it 2-2 which on balance would have been a fair result, 3-1 sounds like they battered us, which they didn't.

Hector was poor today, couldn't pass and couldn't tackle. Norwood had a quiet game but probably stuck out as such due to him having excellent performances in the previous games I have seen. Everyone else did enough and on a different day we would have done enough to draw or even get the 3 points.

But that's football.

N.b. Had a lovely pint and burger in the magpie and crown. Highwire FTR.

[RoyalBlue]

In the league...
Goals against with Akpan on the pitch: 5
Goals against with Akpan not on the pitch: 12

#JustSayin'

I like Akpan and think he should be in the team (thanks to the dirty barstewards at Leeds, Adkins couldn't play him today) but those stats mean nothing unless you add the amount of minutes that have been played when he has been on and not on the pitch.

It's the manner in which we've gifted all the goals though. It's so fcuking frustrating - do something about it Nigel because whatever you are doing at the moment it is not working!

We have such a soft underbelly. We never defended this badly under McD IMO - there I said it.

The full backs are not playing well, Pearce looks like his brain has been replaced with a potato & there is no cover for the back 4.

Bizarrely our centre backs were playing so far out wide at times today (Pearce on left and Hector on right) that it looked like we had two left backs and two right backs with noone in the centre!

BBC site seems to suggest Reading dominance in terms of possession and shots. Is this the case? Any insights? Anyone?

Yep, that would be pretty accurate. However, Brentford used their possession much more effectively and moved forwards, whilst we passed the ball well in our own half and then too frequently conceded possession back with long balls forward from there. Our defence and, to a lesser extent, our midfield also ensured that Brentford were better able to capitalise on the chances that we helped to create for them!

And our use (waste) of deadball situations in our favour is absolutely criminal. Who the hell is meant to be coaching the team on that aspect?

[Pepe the Horseman]

I would like to see Akpan back in definitely. Team selection today was just well..........weird

He was injured wasn't he?

[floyd__streete]

Adkins: ""It’s frustrating, annoying because we’ve been in good form"

Erm, 4 matches without a win before this latest defeat, NigeLOL

[Sutekh]

Adkins: ""It’s frustrating, annoying because we’ve been in good form"

Erm, 4 matches without a win before this latest defeat, NigeLOL

Yes but Nigel equates good form with being able to keep possession, never mind that that possession is 90% in our half of the pitch.