Match Thread: vs Reading (H)

[norwichram]

We’re like a different team… rather we play like a team!
ward is like a new signing .. so to is Barks to an extent

well done PW for making lots of changes at the right time - the guys on the bench need minutes and the guys on the pitch need resting

Everyone played well again
some of the football was really good 

Shame we didn’t get that third to boost them but so glad we got the win against our bogey team (who were very dirty) 

hope everyone can rest and recover for Saturday (and the players 😂)

thought CBT did ok again. When he gets a goal he’ll fly

ebou adams .. I hope Cardiff don’t want him next year 

Can’t not mention Gayle - a good footballer and looks to be exactly what we needed

if you had said a few weeks ago that we’d be without JC/ Max Bird/Nyambe and play that well I wouldn’t have dared to believe you  

Our fans are awesome 

I actually thought at times we looked like a top team .. enjoyed that feeling but still very nervous those last 10 mins or so

DTID

[Steve Buckley’s Dog]

COYR

🐏🐏

[Steve Buckley’s Dog]

I liked their number 27 at the back. He looked decent. Probably worth swapping him for some tennis balls or something. Reading fans don’t seem to have any self awareness about how leniently they have been treated compared to us do they. Oh well. Move on to the next one. 

[trappatoni]

Thought it was a decent game to watch and good atmosphere.  On general play we deserved it even if we needed a few decisions to go our way.  

 Having watched the penalty decision again I still couldn't say for sure if it's a handball before he gets cleaned out - maybe there's another angle?  The red does look soft though. 

[McArthur Park]

Really enjoyable game tonight. It was like watching a different team to the one which played so awfully at Reading a few weeks ago. I said after the Bristol game that the second half there was some of the best football we've played in a while, well I think the first half tonight was even better, except for not scoring of course! We were well on top and really should have been winning. Can't really comment on the red card and penalty as sit in the North Stand so it was difficult to see what happened, but I'm sure we're due some decisions going our way! If we get promoted I really hope Adams would like to join us, as he has made such a difference to our midfield and as a result people around him seem to be playing better. Can't wait for Saturday! 

[Srg]

Clearly we were on the positive end of some bad decisions tonight. Makes a change. Can’t remember the last time we were, in fairness. 

That said, I think we deserved to win the game. Not sure Reading ventured into our box other than to score the goal they did. 

[sage]

I thought the 4 subs were odd straight after the penalty. Left us with an Iver attacking team when a goal up with 15 to go.

[Eddie]

Really enjoyed the game. I love a battle just as much as I love players showing silky skills. Whereas the first half saw plenty of slick passing and moves, the way the team rolled their sleeves up and got the job done in the second gives a great feeling of confidence. We earned that win tonight.

To paraphrase the great man, "More of the same please gentlemen."

[Comrade 86]

40 minutes ago, Stockport Ram said:

No. We allow him to be human and make mistakes, but criticise when we see them, as well as praise him when he does well. 

IMHO, that was a mistake. 

Its called “balance”.

Oh it's called "balance" is it? Well now I understand the concept, might I suggest that you have a look at the highlights? Perhaps your innate "balance" might allow you to see Smith use his forearm on Bradley's back to shove him under the ball. It's odd that despite your self-proclaimed "balance", that that minor detail seems to have been ignored in favour of lumping all the blame squarely on Bradley's shoulders. Likewise it seems you missed Ward losing his man in the build up and Sibs allowing his to get a cross in. Both were caught napping, but somehow escaped any criticism at all, which doesn't seem terribly balanced to me. 

[Carl Sagan]

Oh so important to have won again. Surprised people are talking so much about the decisions. They all seem justifiable. 

But the point there is that in what looks like a vital early season game vs Bolton, this same ref was so appalling that Derby released the Assessor's report. Which showed the ref effectively gave a 4 goal swing against us in favour of Bolton. That's extraordinary and it meant the same ref couldn't go against us tonight or serious questions would have been asked about him. 

I certainly don't want this ref every week, but maybe he's got it out of his system? Regardless, it sounds a well-deserved win. 

For context with the goal conceded, in the post-match Warne said Bradley had felt ill before the game and was sick afterwards. Our game management does seem a weakness in terms of seeing games out. Hopefully we can improve that quickly. 

[kevinhectoring]

1 hour ago, Carl Sagan said:

Surprised people are talking so much about the decisions. They all seem justifiable. 

Worth another look I reckon 

[kevinhectoring]

Deserved to win but a shame we resorted to dark arts,  particularly because we played flowing attractive football much of the time 

With Sibley and Ward suddenly so important Fozzie’s return is interesting. Given where we are in the season, I think Warne should keep things stable, stay with 3 at the back and use Fozzie as a CB sub, despite that he’s one of our strongest (his class was immediately evident). Also don’t think Collo should start again, even if fully fit.  We have plenty with Gayle, cBT, Barks and NML and even Waggy. Thank goodness we’re now starting Barks. 
 

I think NMl should come off earlier. Slightly unnerved by the number of subs  first change but thought it worked fine. It’s important Hourihane - if he starts - maintains intensity for say 65 minutes then is replaced by eg Smith or Tommo, depending on the situation. If he stays on at half c*** our midfield turns into holey underpants and we concede.   I actually thought we played the game out pretty well - Reading retained something of a threat - but don’t really like the change of system. 
 

This squad is looking good now - excited about the run in 

Edited March 13 by kevinhectoring

[Bris Vegas]

1 hour ago, Carl Sagan said:

Oh so important to have won again. Surprised people are talking so much about the decisions. They all seem justifiable.

I’ve seen some shockers against Derby, most notably Atwell and the Chris Martin dismissal at Burnley.

This is the first I can remember where we’ve had such shockers go for us.

Reading can’t complain much as there wasn’t much riding on it for them unlike our promotion six-pointer at Burnley.

 

[kevinhectoring]

6 hours ago, Ted McMinn Football Genius said:

Is their keeper right in the head. Hes appealing for VAR, we don’t even have goal line technology TW@ 😂😂😂😂

His only hope is that the lino will advise the ref he’s got it wrong, so was that who he was shouting at ? But if the lino was the other side of the pitch he wouldn’t be able to see the hand ball 

[nick_d]

Cracking entertainment tonight, and a fantastic atmosphere with a truly ring-wrenching last ten minutes. 

How will Adam’s be playing in a 3pm kick off on Saturday as  he is observing Ramadan?

Edited March 13 by nick_d
Changed if to as

[IlsonDerby]

2 hours ago, Bris Vegas said:

I’ve seen some shockers against Derby, most notably Atwell and the Chris Martin dismissal at Burnley.

This is the first I can remember where we’ve had such shockers go for us.

Reading can’t complain much as there wasn’t much riding on it for them unlike our promotion six-pointer at Burnley.

 

I think the second yellow is harsh but in real team it looked like he had caught Hourihane and when you’re moving into the box if the ‘foul’ doesn’t happen then it’s always going to be a yellow. 
 

The penalty I’ve seen given and I’ve seen not given. I think they’d have wanted it if it was the other way round and we’d have probably been frustrated by it. 
 

We had the rub of the green but really should have been 2/3 up by half time. 

[8Leeds]

The past two games have been a joy to watch. We didn’t play as well second half as we did in the first but that first half, the movement, the passing, the desire to win the second ball was excellent.

Adams was brilliant again, at first I thought he was just a midfield battler but his range of passing in the past few games has been superb. I really hope we can tempt him to stay, he compliments our midfield perfectly. 

The front three of Barks, NML and Dwight were brilliant. Dwight really is a level above.

Cash as ever played at a level way above his years.

There was some very good individual performances yesterday but the energy and commitment as a team was fantastic and a pleasure to see.

Well done Derby

[FlyBritishMidland]

Another good performance.  Similar to Saturday, we did everything but score in the 1st half.  Their keeper played well and Cashin was unlucky to hit the woodwork.  Gayle’s first touch for his goal was superb and it took some nerve from Hourihane for the penalty, I hate it when there’s a long delay between the award and taking as I think it gives the advantage to the keeper.  I was surprised at 4 subs just after the penalty but I think Saturday was in PW’s mind with all the changes.

Barkhuizen was my MoM.  He looks rejuvenated and is unlucky not to have scored in the last 2 games.  One of the best bits for was seeing Hourihane on the bench after going off. He was up and down and encouraging the team.  That’s great to see and testament to the team spirit PW and his staff have built.

Game 3 of an important month out of the way.

[Rich84]

7 hours ago, Tamworthram said:

I only wish they could but how could they do it? They can't assume the keeper is faking it and they can't make them go off for treatment.

This feigning injuries by goal keepers is getting beyond a joke, and annoyingly, I have to agree with this, but they can stop them having a mass team meeting with the coaching staff, maybe allow no more than 2 players to go over for a quick word.

[Srg]

7 minutes ago, Rich84 said:

This feigning injuries by goal keepers is getting beyond a joke, and annoyingly, I have to agree with this, but they can stop them having a mass team meeting with the coaching staff, maybe allow no more than 2 players to go over for a quick word.

Exactly. Captain only, surely?