Reading (H)

[Johnnyrotten]

5 hours ago, Farnywhite said:

It is what it is and mangers job is to manage it .
reading played Saturday as well so no different Lincoln get a extra day but if we’re going to start using that as an excuse you could say reading  also had a 400 mile round trip to get here so we had an advantage and we were also at home and we’re making changes because players are tired and we play on Saturday. 

if we loose Saturday will it be because Lincoln played on Tuesday I doubt it 

I'm just saying its not a level playing field.  There were players on the pitch at times last night that wouldn't have been on the pitch as much if there was more rest before Saturday.  I'm guessing Erhahon and maybe Burstow.  We may have dropped Toal because of it (and so didn't win any of the attacking headers he's been winning every game).  

On Saturday there will be players not playing as many minutes not because they aren't good enough, but because they're a bit nackered or carrying a knock from last night that would have improved with the extra day.  That's all - of course its not the only factor, but it might have been the difference between seeing the game out last night and not doing, we'll never know.

[Johnnyrotten]

5 hours ago, ianofcleveleys said:

What really impressed me about Erhahon was his passing. Not a player I'd previously had that close an eye on (though I know one or two on here were putting him in the frame a bit ago) but he has a really good left peg, great weight of pass and accuracy. Must have played 40 or 50 passes first half without any failing to reach their destination. 

I also liked from him and Simons how both were quicker and crisper in their passing than we've been used to before their arrival. They didn't just stroke it towards them, they sent it, with pace, so it got there and the recipient could move with it straight away. 

Spot on - weight of pass, vision and speed of thought different class from both of them, consistently every single time.  When I think of some of the dross we've had in midfield in the championship, having those in L1 seems ridiculous.  Its also the first time in the FV years that I've not thought if we got upto the championship we'd have to have a total clear out.  There are players we have now that I could see stepping up and that just wasn't the case under IE.

[Rival Son]

6 hours ago, Johnnyrotten said:

Big difference between 3 days rest/prep and 2, I can't remember the last time it happened to us when the opposition (Lincoln in this case) got a significant extra day.

If we play Saturday - Tuesday - Saturday, we only get two days rest before the midweek game and three days before the weekend game. Saturday - Wednesday - Saturday simply flips those numbers around.

Although we have a preference for Tuesday, I don’t think it’s that important an issue. Now, if you want to talk Thursdays …

Edited August 21, 2025 by Rival Son

[ph31]

7 hours ago, Johnnyrotten said:

We win headers in both boxes and on the halfway line.

A strong central midfield that has a bit of everything (apart from a goalscoring record unfortunately)

3 fast tricky wingers

The best left back we've had for years

A keeper who's kicking is a class above anything we've seen before (can't judge his shot stopping yet)

Fast attacks instead of slow

Round pegs in round holes generally (we need a right back yes)

Strength in depth in most positions

Good entertainment - 3 very enjoyable home games so far

But - we've lost the relatively guaranteed goals of either Collins or Charles when on form - definitely needs addressing.

Exactly this. There are many positives and improvements on last year when everything had gone stale, the manager had clearly started to lose the dressing room and none of the new signings made any impact at all. 

[frank_spencer]

7 hours ago, Johnnyrotten said:

But - we've lost the relatively guaranteed goals of either Collins or Charles when on form - definitely needs addressing.

This time last season we needed a big number nine to play alongside Charles or Collins, they've gone and we got 2 big number nines in.

[Johnnyrotten]

1 hour ago, Rival Son said:

If we play Saturday - Tuesday - Saturday, we only get two days rest before the midweek game and three days before the weekend game. Saturday - Wednesday - Saturday simply flips those numbers around.

Although we have a preference for Tuesday, I don’t think it’s that important an issue. Now, if you want to talk Thursdays …

I was just comparing to the opposition.  Reading got the same as us so no advantage to either side.  Lincoln get an extra day compared to us.  SS commented on it and it will probably impact his team selection more than it would for a normal Tuesday-Saturday week.

[Eagle85]

Glass half full

Midfield 2 were quality, more solid defensively than we're used to and still good enough on the ball to supply the front 4.

They created nothing, took a scabby deflected effort to score. Our CBs were really good.

Varied attacks again, we look able to build up slowly or get quick counter attacks in when required

Glass half empty

Tutu was absolutely shocking, hopefully just a confidence thing playing out of position that will improve

Poor end product. Crying out for a long range shooter, especially with that space in the middle when the wingers are double covered. Losing Collins wasn't great in that regard

That number 10 role still, we desperately need Randall to end up good enough in there. Better last night but still not good enough.

[Casino]

17 minutes ago, Eagle85 said:

 

Tutu was absolutely shocking

Give over

Hes not prime Cafu, but 'shocking'

No way

His pace creates loads of room for ACD...not Tutus fault if nothing comes of it

 

[thebells]

2 hours ago, Johnnyrotten said:

I don't think that gives Reading much credit TBH.  I know we're all here to talk about how we played and the opposition are largely irrelevant, but I would give them some credit.  There are 2 teams in a game, they got battered for 70 minutes and came out fighting after it.  I'd love us to show that resilience against a superior team.  I don't mean like we did at Exeter - generally crap for 80 minutes then woke up - I mean going somewhere like Derby or Pompey, taking the blows, keeping the score to 1-0 then bursting into life.  That's what Reading did and their equaliser started to feel inevitable, OK not a lot for TSL to save but its not true that they weren't threatening, they were all over us for a spell.  If they hadn't scored when they did with a lucky goal, I can't honestly say we'd have kept them out for another 10 minutes, it was coming. 

They were on top, and we’d certainly lost control. Personally I didn’t feel like a goal was coming though. 

Took a quick look on a Reading forum earlier. They were not happy at all with the performance. A couple even referenced it was the most they’d been outclassed in a game since they were in the Premier League. 

Regardless, we didn’t win. We should have. I’m still positive about what the season has to offer. But if we lose or draw on Saturday, I’ll be giving this place a wide berth for a few days 🤣. 

[Eagle85]

1 minute ago, Casino said:

Give over

Hes not prime Cafu, but 'shocking'

No way

His pace creates loads of room for ACD...not Tutus fault if nothing comes of it

 

I really thought he was, some of the passes he gave away, particularly early on in the match were bad. Simple 10 yarders scuffing it to the oppo players. Then he got released down the wing and instead of getting to ball reasonably quickly to give him a couple of yards grace from the defender (who was much bigger and slower) he just ambled towards it and got outmuscled

I like the player generally but had my head in my hands at least 5 times because of him last night. 

[Casino]

Fair enough

Balanced response, but I think it overlooks all he offers

[frank_spencer]

Tutu's main balls up on wednesday came when he looked down the line for ACD who had made the run inside, panicked and played a sloppy pass. The awareness of lack of cover when playing fullback rather than a winger is his weakness

[boltonboris]

17 hours ago, Johnnyrotten said:

We win headers in both boxes and on the halfway line.

A strong central midfield that has a bit of everything (apart from a goalscoring record unfortunately)

3 fast tricky wingers

The best left back we've had for years

A keeper who's kicking is a class above anything we've seen before (can't judge his shot stopping yet)

Fast attacks instead of slow

Round pegs in round holes generally (we need a right back yes)

Strength in depth in most positions

Good entertainment - 3 very enjoyable home games so far

But - we've lost the relatively guaranteed goals of either Collins or Charles when on form - definitely needs addressing.

That sounds great and I’m sure we’ll turn a corner but until it manifests itself into 2 points per game on average over 46 then ultimately, it’s not worth a great deal (albeit better on the eye, which you can already tell it is) 

 

I just feel like we’ve still got some of the problems of last season and I can’t help that. I do genuinely hope it changes. Good teams win that game handsomely. As they probably do at Barnsley. Let’s hope we can put Lincoln to the sword on Saturday. 

[boltonboris]

I thought Tutu played well. Visibly tired towards the end though and ACD got on at him for not getting making a run outside him late in the game. He took it well in fairness, but he was out of gas 

[Steejay]

14 minutes ago, boltonboris said:

That sounds great and I’m sure we’ll turn a corner but until it manifests itself into 2 points per game on average over 46 then ultimately, it’s not worth a great deal (albeit better on the eye, which you can already tell it is) 

 

I just feel like we’ve still got some of the problems of last season and I can’t help that. I do genuinely hope it changes. Good teams win that game handsomely. As they probably do at Barnsley. Let’s hope we can put Lincoln to the sword on Saturday. 

Of course we have as, although SS has substantially changed personnel, he's still got to work with some of the players that he's inherited.

He's made more ruthless changes than expected but I reckon he would have shipped out at least another half a dozen if it was possible. 

Some of these players don't suit his preferred tactics but he's little option until their contracts run down or he can ship them out.

Unfortunately, we have to be patient but we can still enjoy the massive tactical improvements and the (mostly) exciting players that have arrived so far.

[ianofcleveleys]

28 minutes ago, boltonboris said:

I thought Tutu played well. Visibly tired towards the end though and ACD got on at him for not getting making a run outside him late in the game. He took it well in fairness, but he was out of gas 

I thought he was better than v Plymouth, his defensive work improved a bit and, more often than not he supported ACD well, some good little balls slipped through to him for him to set off on his runs. Only thing he didn't maybe give as well as Dacres Cogley was overlapping, getting beyond ACD to give the option of the pull back (assuming ACD looked up and was prepared to give it to him). 

I'd still sooner have a proper out and out full back, and Tutu hasn't been tested much by two poor sides, but he did do a bit better on Wednesday 

[Casino]

The best full back in my life was Gardner

Plenty said he couldnt defend...they were wrong like

[RUREADY2ROLL]

5 minutes ago, Casino said:

The best full back in my life was Gardner

Plenty said he couldnt defend...they were wrong like

You told me Tommy Banks was the best you have seen in your life

[Kane57]

Neil Cox was my favourite. Good defender and handy going forward. We got rid of him far too soon

[tomski]

45 minutes ago, Kane57 said:

Neil Cox was my favourite. Good defender and handy going forward. We got rid of him far too soon

Think he’d be a bit too old now. I thought he was alright but sure he wanted the Watford move from memory