therealhantsram

Big well done everyone 
 
sold out

They will look to starve us of the ball, for sure, but I do wonder how high their back line will be - I’d suspect a mid-low block and a lot of emphasis on Sheehan (their DM) to play through the lines and control the space between midfield and defence. I’d like to see us get a man on him whenever they have the ball, make them play longer passes. 
Of course that all changes if they play with a high line but I just don’t see them doing that with Barkhuizen, NML and Gayle upfront. A huge risk that they don’t need to really take. 

I'm getting Abdoul Camara vibes. Hopefully misplaced. 

So the Wycombe money for this is being pumped in by a Georgian billionaire with links to sanctioned Russians. 
Wycombe are simply disgusting. Extorted us during admin when we had no means to defend ourselves and now this? Utterly revolting. If they ever find themselves in trouble I'll have no sympathy for them.

Next step Admin for them by the look of it - it's hard to see a positive way forward for them as they're now even less attractive than they were before....

https://www.bucksfreepress.co.uk/news/24184878.wycombe-save-reading-training-ground-purchase/
Statement expected today.
I don't care who the parties involved are, this doesn't sit well with me at all. I don't think it does anything but make Reading a harder sell.

Yep - they are at it again.  Profiteering at another club in financial trouble’s expense.
Really starting to despise that club.

We seem to be playing more football and fluidity with Gayle up front instead of Collins, it’s definitely becoming more enjoyable to watch and more buzz about the place.

Seeing we are now 15 points clear of 7th can we safely say we now have at least the consolation prize of the playoffs? Not that we will need it obvs.

That could have been a real banana skin game, but Derby navigated that brilliantly. Two great halves of football, lots of chances created and on another day that could have been comfortable. Still we did enough and deserved to win.
Props to Barkhuizen, I have criticised him in the past but he worked himself into the ground. My man of the match.
Gayle is such a clever striker. Great addition. 
Finally, Adams' calm in midfield was huge for us at key moments, another top performance from him. 

Shoutout to whoever followed Gayle to paddle and alerted Derby to his signing 

We signed 11 outfielders in the summer, only 3 of them have started more than 15 league games (Nelson, Nyambe and Wilson).  Bradley is next on 12 and Ward on 10.  You aren't making an impact if you aren't getting on the pitch.  The players we've signed either seem to have persistent injury/fitness issues, or they aren't being selected over the players that were already here (most of whom also signed on frees).  Obviously you're not going to get every signing right, and not every player is signed with the intention of being a regular starter (I deliberately didn't include Vickers, for example) but if you get to mid-March and less than half your summer signings have hit double figures for starts, then that's really not a good sign.

I've not been surprised at how well he's settled in, regardless of your age, you don't lose class.  But one thing that has stood out is his link up play.  He looks a lot more comfortable taking the ball with his back to goal than I thought he would, he doesn't look that small either & wins his fair share of headers.
Unlike a lot of fans I have a tonne of time for Collins, but Gayle's movement has taken our game to the next level.  NML & Barks clearly love playing with him.

Gayle will be one of the main reasons we go up …wouldn’t surprise me if he got 8-10 goals before end of season ….quality striker his movement is brilliant 

I've got a mancrush on Dwight Gayle.
What superb control and class finish. 💪🏻

Until last night I thought him a defensive barndoor but he’s clearly on a wavelength with Dwight and so also a rangey passer with 2 exquisite passes to set up goal-scoring openings. Would definitely cut it at Championship level and hope he comes permanently for next season. He clearly loves it here and that counts for a lot. Get him signed. 

Have to disagree, I've not watched much championship football the last couple of seasons but he looks just what we've missed in both leagues over the last few seasons. No nonsense win the ball and let the players further up do what they're good at, he'd be top of my list in the summer.

I feel there's some vital information missing from this post.

I feel there's some vital information missing from this post.

You could read back one page! Or am I meant to update it every day, even when there are no matches?
 

I put us down to lose all of our remaining matches in The Fishy calculator and it had us finishing 7th, 5 points behind 6th.
Motwyw

I feel there's some vital information missing from this post.

It’s helpful stuff like this that makes me despair of this forum.

Is the op going to keep this thread up to date. What's the lowest we can finish now?

I feel there's some vital information missing from this post.