Reading (H)

[desperado]

6 minutes ago, Zico said:

I don't think there are rifts or problems within the camps 

Not sure about the tongue in cheek comment either 

I just think he leaves himself open to criticism with what he says, whether that's by our fans or the opposition

Just recently I've seen maybe signs of his personality that are reminiscent of how the team play, as in, fragile when up against it

He's no Rioch or Alladyce, but we won 5-2 so right now I don't care 

Like with our approach to games when things aren't going out way, it's something he needs to work on to make himself a better manager and us a better team 

And I say that because I want him to do well for us 

And I won't criticise him as such, I'll just call it out and at worse take the piss or have a dig because he's done my head in

My tongue in cheek comment was regarding my original post of “great man-management” 

Don’t think we are too far away regarding his comments and demeanour pre/post Stevenage, my comments back this up.

I’m just taking more of a positive take today and suggesting that todays goals/actions/performances reflect a more encouraging outlook.

[FrancisFogarty]

15 minutes ago, gonzo said:

Think the extra beer might have altered his view. We scored 5 goals. 

Our supporters are fucking idiots.

When I was going out there were a few of our tenner specials giving the Reading fans grief.

[DazBob]

Good win today, obvs.

... But why can we play with a tempo like that today, but have Santos standing on the ball at Stevenage.

Our tempo is what makes us a good side.

As has been said earlier, if we lose being a good to watch team nobody will be overly arsed. It's the tepid, slow games where we create fuck all that irates the fans.

Play like we did today for the rest of the season and we'll go up.

COYWM.

[Lostock Whites]

Hearing Collins interview about strike partnerships and having stability is really an important aspect to consider.

Him and Jon are building up a really good partnership, scored 10 goals in our last 2 home games now. The problem this season is we've had some many changes up top, a lot have been forced by injuries yes.

Got to start those 2 and the same team as a whole on Saturday again.

Great win today, there's still more twists and turns to come. Whether it's autos or not we can still have belief of doing it in the play offs. We are better than any of the teams in the play offs on our day and we have to believe that. Shackles off, play our game, take it to the opposition. Do that for these remaining 5 or potentially 8 games and we can do it. 

I know we scored 5 today, but I wanted to give a special mention to Toal today, thought he was absolutely immense.

Edited April 1 by Lostock Whites

[Wanderlust]

4 minutes ago, DazBob said:

 

... But why can we play with a tempo like that today, but have Santos standing on the ball at Stevenage.

 

I suspect it's because Steve Evans sets up his defence in banks so Santos has to draw them out and puts his foot on it in exactly the same way Van Dijk does at Liverpool - whereas Reading try to play on the front foot, press and have pace up front to try to get behind (and caught us a few times today) so the tactic is to play through them quickly.

We did the approach play well today but only sorted the final ball out in the second half (we scored from outside the box and a pen in the first half) - and at HT i reckon Evatt told them (especially Cogley) to stop swinging in high crosses and pass low and hard across the deck, which worked a treat.

[victor meldrew]

55 minutes ago, gonzo said:

Think the extra beer might have altered his view. We scored 5 goals. 

Our supporters are fucking idiots.

Why?

first goal conceded because magomha would have been sent off after being booked for a second yellow card , second goal was shit defending 

[Jol_BWFC]

2 minutes ago, victor meldrew said:

Why?

first goal conceded because magomha would have been sent off after being booked for a second yellow card , second goal was shit defending 

Maghoma didn’t get booked. Ogbeta did, for kicking the ball away.

[Take Hunt Off]

Great performance today , totally unexpected & aided by a team that wanted to play & take us on. Respect the opposition for that. No shithousing hope they stay up could have been a 7-4 scoreline or worse maybe .

Just a timely reminder that football is about entertainment, & unless we forget about our football club surviving at any level.

Blown far too much smoke up Readings arse , so fckg smashing from all our eleven on a hiding to nothing , we can still do this folks 

COYWM

[TM Trotter]

1 hour ago, Jol_BWFC said:

Maghoma didn’t get booked. Ogbeta did, for kicking the ball away.

Sickened

[RUREADY2ROLL]

Plus Reading should have got at least a point at Derby a few weeks ago but was cheated with a sending off that wasn’t a foul plus ref gave Derby a penalty when it was a foul against Reading 

[bolty58]

Water still to flow under the bridge. This is anything but over.

Come on Pompey.

[ianofcleveleys]

7 hours ago, Wanderlust said:

I suspect it's because Steve Evans sets up his defence in banks so Santos has to draw them out and puts his foot on it in exactly the same way Van Dijk does at Liverpool - whereas Reading try to play on the front foot, press and have pace up front to try to get behind (and caught us a few times today) so the tactic is to play through them quickly.

We did the approach play well today but only sorted the final ball out in the second half (we scored from outside the box and a pen in the first half) - and at HT i reckon Evatt told them (especially Cogley) to stop swinging in high crosses and pass low and hard across the deck, which worked a treat.

Know what you're saying though there's a flaw in it, what if they don't bother coming out? Stalemate as last week while Stevenage wait for us to make a basic fuck up, which we eventually did and they should have punished.

[Matt Lofthouse]

11 hours ago, bwfc87 said:

Don’t know what game you were watching but Toal especially was fantastic today for me.

Was going to say the same. Didn’t put a foot/head wrong all game. He’s consistently our best defender in most games. 

[ianofcleveleys]

23 minutes ago, Matt Lofthouse said:

Was going to say the same. Didn’t put a foot/head wrong all game. He’s consistently our best defender in most games. 

His reading of game was really good yesterday, nipping in to win the ball and move us forward. Got involved high up the pitch quite a bit too

[Eddie]

16 minutes ago, ianofcleveleys said:

His reading of game was really good yesterday, nipping in to win the ball and move us forward. Got involved high up the pitch quite a bit too

He’s got a brilliant ‘football brain’ and as you say, reads the game really well.

The one area I think he needs to improve if he’s to move up the leagues, which I think he’s more than capable of doing, is his strength / use of his body. The only time I’ve seen him look flustered is when he has a big striker, usually old experienced pro that is clever with how to unsettle defenders that pulls onto him and targets him for a battle.

Pretty sure it will come over the next few years just with experience and filling out (stick him on the GT summer ‘23 gym regime) and otherwise you can see that he’s just all class and will go on to at least play top end of the championship.

[Matt Lofthouse]

You also rarely see him get done for pace (3rd tier I know). 

[Ani]

Reading were decent going forward, but they were woeful at the back, ok they were chasing the game but we should have scored plenty more. 
 

Thought was ok but let a couple of awful lunges go that looked awful. 
 

Is Legohead not allowed to shoot ? Must have had 5 or 6 chances where he tried a clever pass instead.

Decent results for Barnsley and Peterborough puts all the pressure on Derby now 

[Wanderlust]

2 hours ago, ianofcleveleys said:

Know what you're saying though there's a flaw in it, what if they don't bother coming out? Stalemate as last week while Stevenage wait for us to make a basic fuck up, which we eventually did and they should have punished.

Which is why Santos ended up hoofing it way too often against Stevenage i.e. there were no safe short passes on. The best way out of it is to have loads of running and movement ahead with midfielders finding space, but as Stevenage packed the midfield Rico had to go long and it didn't come off. Good stuff from Evans forcing us to depend on long balls that their big defenders could challenge for rather than have our midfielders passing through the lines and running at them.

[Whitesince63]

1 hour ago, Matt Lofthouse said:

Was going to say the same. Didn’t put a foot/head wrong all game. He’s consistently our best defender in most games. 

Toal was good but so was Coleman who despite the apparent stick he’s had is becoming a really solid keeper. Again yesterday he made a couple of really important saves and his handling was excellent except for one slip. He may have had a shaky start but now he’s settled in I think he’s been really solid. 

[DazBob]

35 minutes ago, Wanderlust said:

Which is why Santos ended up hoofing it way too often against Stevenage i.e. there were no safe short passes on. The best way out of it is to have loads of running and movement ahead with midfielders finding space, but as Stevenage packed the midfield Rico had to go long and it didn't come off. Good stuff from Evans forcing us to depend on long balls that their big defenders could challenge for rather than have our midfielders passing through the lines and running at them.

You are correct, but Evatt needs to find a way to not be outthought by a fat cunt like Evans.

[Stig]

13 hours ago, desperado said:

You’re right pal.

I was playing today’s game/result down pre-game. This was one of the “expected” wins, so silly to get carried away. 

We still need favours, away wins and consistency, something that hasn’t happened recently, so lots to do yet. 

Any spares for Bristol? 🤣

Yeah it was one we all expected to win and tbh against the dross, at home especially, we've been excellent this season. It's against the better teams when the pressure gets to us. 

Still a great win, and good just to be playing positive football and building some momentum. It's still likely to be the playoffs so we need to be going in in a positive mindset.

And on that I really want to hear Evatt being back to being upbeat rather than moaning about everything. We still have a great squad available that is the envy of almost all clubs in this division. No reason for this negativity from him. 

[Stig]

11 hours ago, DazBob said:

Good win today, obvs.

... But why can we play with a tempo like that today, but have Santos standing on the ball at Stevenage.

Our tempo is what makes us a good side.

As has been said earlier, if we lose being a good to watch team nobody will be overly arsed. It's the tepid, slow games where we create fuck all that irates the fans.

Play like we did today for the rest of the season and we'll go up.

COYWM.

Great post. I think this sums up most fans thoughts.

[Traf]

46 minutes ago, DazBob said:

You are correct, but Evatt needs to find a way to not be outthought by a fat cunt like Evans.

Not all of us fatties lack intelligence.

As for Toal, he's miles ahead of Santos in terms of performance/leadership levels right now.

[Wanderlust]

46 minutes ago, DazBob said:

You are correct, but Evatt needs to find a way to not be outthought by a fat cunt like Evans.

TBF Daz,  Evans wasn't the first manager to do that against us. Beginning of the season they all tried to play football against us and we murdered them when we were at it, but by the beginning of February, loads of teams were setting up against us like that with a view to hitting us on the break and we got mugged a lot.

Don't think there is a solution other than doing what we did yesterday - only doing it better i.e. playing high risk football to try to pass through them quickly and hopefully not getting caught out - which requires everyone to be on their game with their control, passing and movement. Or have a team like City or Arsenal which we can't afford. Evatt tried to change a few things with the players available but it didn't work out - but now that it's shit or bust time, I'm glad he's reverted to what we were doing originally as win or lose it's damned entertaining.

[Wanderlust]

One thing that stood out yesterday was having home fans behind both goals. Brilliant. Why can't we do that all the time? Why give the away side any sort of advantage? I know ST holders are a bit precious about their seats and may resist a reshuffle - and it would be a bit shit if we didn't get an end at away games, but to me it makes every sense to stick the away fans out of sight and ideally out of mind. Do we really get that much trouble at home games these days `that policing could be an issue? I just think we should do it every game.