Just in. Up there with the least deserved points you're ever going to see. Villa started brightly but after that I thought we did generally ok without ever looking threatening. Second half we started brightly, again without looking threatening, and then conceded the goal and it went to absolute shite. We looked like a relegation side. Before that we looked like a committed but limited team, disappointingly afterwards for a very large spell we seemed to lack that commitment. Absolutely delighted with the point but if we play like that in the second half we will do well to stay in this division. Onto some ratings.

Mannone 6 - Did what he had to without ever looking convincing. Always seems to spill simple balls, even if its a half a foot or so in front of him and he eventually gathers. It doesn't exactly instil confidence.

Yiadom 5 - Very willing but not quite the quality today. Couldn't believe how easily he got beaten that time in the second half, was genuinly shocked.

Ilori 6 - Glimpses of what he offers us in the first half, mistakes crept in the second and was much poorer.

Moore 6 - Ditto.

Blackett 6 - Thought he played really well at times. Should he have picked up Elmohamady? Either way between him and Ilori and Moore somehow managed to let their right back go completely unmarked and score a header - that doesn't happen all the time.

Bacuna 5 - Ok.

Meyler 1 - Upgrade on Van den Berg? lol. Fcuking waste of space this guy is. Should stick to FIFA. Embarassing performance from a "defensive mid". Positionally all over the place, lost every single 50/50, can't pass to someone 5 feet away and pushed off the ball too easily. Just an uttely awful display.

Aluko 2 - Useless. Just so Aluko.

Bod 3 - No quality. He's not a hold up player. The problem with Bod and you cans say he's scored 3 goals this season is that his overall play hampers our attacking threat. No conviction and symptomatic of all of our attacking play its more hope than judgment.

Baldock 4 - Useless. Extra point for actually scoring.

Barrow 4 - Thought he offered more than Aluko (obviously) without offering much at all.

Cba to do subs but Meite was Meite. I like him but he can't cross for toffee, is he actually left footed? Sims was naff but got us the penalty because he was actually the only person that ever made a run into their box pretty much. I didn't think it was a penalty though.

Honestly that display worried me. This team is going to struggle, no one really thought it wouldn't. My worry is that I saw glimpses today of a team with real problems.

Thanks CR, your view's always appreciated, if sometimes taken with a pinch of salt.

I'd expect nothing less

I'd expect nothing less
Hard to tell from the highlights whether Blackett was sleeping or just beaten by excellent movement on the goal. But it didn't look great. Thought it looked like we were unlucky not to score from a corner first half. On Baldock's late chance, that looked like an absolutely stunning save onto the bar the keeper had no right to make. Maybe Baldock was a bit casual, but with an open goal I can't blame him for just trying to touch it in, he simply can't have expected the keeper to get anything on it. Pen looked pretty equal to McShane's second. Went to ground in the box, swung his legs out around Sims and didn't take the ball out of play. You've seen em not given, but it's a fair, if a little soft pen in my book.

Interesting thoughts CR. The pen looked soft. Baldock should absolutely have scored and possibly Meite too from the follow up. We should have scored in the first half from a goalmouth scramble too so all in all three very good chances to score. Did Villa create many chances better than these?

So far, other than Yiadom, I’m completely unimpressed with all the new signings. Let’s hope the next couple of months sees something worthwhile start to blossom.

Just back to Pangers.
Credit to Bacuna today who I thought was excellent on the whole, and Blackett (apart from losing his runner for the Villa goal.)
Meyler.... just very poor. Time to give Clement a run?
Aluko... seemed to show for the ball more but still ran down blind alleys where his poor touch let him down.
Baldock .... did nothing except the pen.
But hey, a decent point.... and especially nice that a Villa fan put his arm around me at Warwick services and said: "You robbed us today." Whatever...

Just back to Pangers.
Credit to Bacuna today who I thought was excellent on the whole, and Blackett (apart from losing his runner for the Villa goal.)
Meyler.... just very poor. Time to give Clement a run?
Aluko... seemed to show for the ball more but still ran down blind alleys where his poor touch let him down.
Baldock .... did nothing except the pen.
But hey, a decent point.... and especially nice that a Villa fan put his arm around me at Warwick services and said: "You robbed us today." Whatever...

Villa were the best team we’ve faced for sure and at times really did look a cut above. Don’t really recall too many really clear cut chances carved out but felt they pulled the trigger too early too often for comfortable saves for Mannone. In Yiadom, Ilori and Moore (and increasingly Blackett) our defence is the least of my concerns. I have more confidence that they’re not just going to fall over and let the opposition walk in, Gunter’s absence has contributed a lot to this imho (and McShanes).

I really hope they get the confidence from this to build on. Really liked their reaction at the end it certainly wasn’t the reaction of a team that didn’t care. I think there was just a period where heads went down and they thought knew they wouldn’t get anything out of the game but that in itself is a problem, especially this early on.

DId Villa have any chances better than those shown on SS? If not, the we must have done something right - we could and should have scored both those chances shown

Happy to hear Bacuna had a decent game. Thought he was nailed on to do something brainless in this one. Does appear that him & 1 other (Swift imo) is the way forward

Villa were the best team we’ve faced for sure and at times really did look a cut above. Don’t really recall too many really clear cut chances carved out but felt they pulled the trigger too early too often for comfortable saves for Mannone. In Yiadom, Ilori and Moore (and increasingly Blackett) our defence is the least of my concerns. I have more confidence that they’re not just going to fall over and let the opposition walk in, Gunter’s absence has contributed a lot to this imho (and McShanes).

I really hope they get the confidence from this to build on. Really liked their reaction at the end it certainly wasn’t the reaction of a team that didn’t care. I think there was just a period where heads went down and they thought knew they wouldn’t get anything out of the game but that in itself is a problem, especially this early on.

Good stuff and agreed about the lack of self belief. Let’s hope they can kick on from here.

Probably not tbh. As I’ve said plenty of shots in and around the edge of the box from either side, none were very good.

I’ve probably been a bit on my harsh side with ratings and would agree Bacuna did well enough. Unlucky with a good free kick and much better corners than Kelly.

But, it’s so frustrating saying a player has done well without any telling contributions. He was ok. He didn’t do much drastically shit, but if that’s the bench mark for excellent our squad than it is desperate times.

So far, other than Yiadom, I’m completely unimpressed with all the new signings. Let’s hope the next couple of months sees something worthwhile start to blossom.

McNulty has shown fleeting moments where you think he could do something but it’s a big step up. Meyler looked good against Derby but then ever since has looked like a lanky VDB. Not sure what Baldock offers us.

Yiadom is genuine quality imho, really good signing.

Kelly for me, but only once we get a few wins under our belt, as he's not a great asset in a struggling side and has been sub par. I think we need to stabilise the team and keep it the same as much as possible for a few games. If Meyler doesn't improve over the next couple and shows anything like his Bolton display, he'll need to be dropped. But for now, lets forge some sort of cohesion.

I`m so bloody frustrated we let Evans go seeing the slagging Meyler is getting here. really lacking in defensive midfield options.

Pretty decent day out. First I would like to complain that the stewards wouldn't let us sit in our allocated seats in Q3 - they'd cordoned off the area, and instead offered us 3 seats together at the front. Why are they selling tickets in areas they don't want you to sit? In the end we found 2+1 seats but it added to the "oxf*rd off away fans" treat them like shit attitude.

If I was at a beach on a cloudy day the sun would get blocked out by the only cloud in the sky within a few minutes, yet somehow we managed to get the sun in our faces for 80 minutes despite all the clouds. I have a red nose.

I thought we did ok, again there's not much in these games but Villa had very few chances, for their goal I though Manone should of collected it rather than stand off and give a free header.

I'm not sure how Baldock missed that chance - I thought that was our chance gone - but a draw was a fair result.

Apart from actually doing his main job of preventing goals he was excellent? Awesome. Same old Blackett.

Great result, hope it turns a corner.

Dismayed, but not surprised, by the moaning on here.

Most expected us to be dominated by Villa and would take a point before the match, that very scenario happens and people moan.

I'm used to Reading fans by now.

No, what is happening is that a fluky last minute penalty has completely changed people’s view of the game. Win or lose or draw I look at it as a performance and I would have said by and large the exact same things had the game finished 1-0.

LUX and tidus did you even go?

A. No. I am on the other side of the world. With Green.
B. It’s a results business. I guess you would rather we played brillliantly and lose. Me, no, I’m happy with the fighting, no doubt fortunate, point. We could easily have scored three, mind you.
C. I never like the slagging on here. Ditto booing the team. You carry on, it’s your right.

CR - I think what they are saying is, despite fluking the result, grabbing a last minute equaliser will hopefully change our fortunes going forward. It's always good for a squad low on morale.

Most expected us to be dominated by Villa and would take a point before the match, that very scenario happens and people moan.

I'm used to Reading fans by now.

I've not seen any moaning. I've seen a lot of posts with concerns about the team and the season. But they are very valid.

On that note... I didn't go but I am worried for our survival this year. It seems every game so far has been "hopefully we can kick on and pick up some points". It does feel like we are still in pre season mode and in about 3-4 games we may be ready to start. Yet every other team is 100% ready and raring to go.

One good thing about Gunter being injured is it may help highlight what he brings. Stability, calmness, experience, passion and leadership.

We lack any leaders on the pitch by the sounds of it. In fact I hardly even recognise half the players starting. Just seems to be a make shift 11 bundled together for the first time with a vague hope that it may work.

(Ok that was a bit moany )

A: i was being facetious I was fairly certain you didn’t go.
B: I know it’s a results business, and I more than most accept that. Under Stam in first season I was happy because we were winning even if the football was shit. I’d still say it how I saw it though. How could we have “easily scored three”? The double chance could only ever have culminated in 1 goal, but that goes without saying.
C: I’m sorry you got offended by someone “slagging off” a performance, on an Internet forum. Wow.

You’re not surprised by people “moaning”? The only thing I’m not surprised at is people who didn’t even go to the game, or didn’t even watch it, come on here and criticise someone’s view because we got a good point and maybe they saw 30 second highlights and we had a good chance. You couldn’t make it up.

I absolutely would have taken a point before the game and I’m delighted we got it, but that doesn’t change a lot especially given how the goal really came about. It want through any degree of mounted pressure, it never looked likely it was a shit ball and somehow Sims who was never favourite to get to the ball, did and Chester did a McShane.

Had Chester just picked up the ball in his own half and walked into his goal himself would you be just as happy?

The result was excellent, the performance in the first half was ok, the performance in the second half was a million miles below the level required to be competitive. Draw or not.

Hopefully. It felt like a big goal to me. Can’t really explain it but really felt at the time had we lost that it would have been hard to recover mentally and confidence wise. We really, really need to build on this. Got to get a win from somewhere though!

And on the subject of previous posters complaints regarding seat allocation and moaning.
It is becoming increasingly regular nowadays, especially if we have a relatively small away following, to have unreserved seating.
So why, when about 15 ‘lads’ or a family of 5 rock up at 14:55 do they stand with amazement that there hasn’t been a section specially saved for them and their grand entrance and then start haranguing the young stewards? I doubt if they had tickets together in the first place.
And secondly when a whole section is cordoned off with stewards and the main section is packed, do the same said people keep going, ‘oh look there’s some empty seats here’ and get arsey when they are turned away.
Don’t you think there’s a reason why it’s completely bloody empty and everyone else is packed in elsewhere?

Anyway great away day yesterday.

Hopefully. It felt like a big goal to me. Can’t really explain it but really felt at the time had we lost that it would have been hard to recover mentally and confidence wise. We really, really need to build on this. Got to get a win from somewhere though!

3 out of our next 4 matches are winnable home games. We must have at least 1 victory by the end of that run.

A: i was being facetious I was fairly certain you didn’t go.
B: I know it’s a results business, and I more than most accept that. Under Stam in first season I was happy because we were winning even if the football was shit. I’d still say it how I saw it though. How could we have “easily scored three”? The double chance could only ever have culminated in 1 goal, but that goes without saying.
C: I’m sorry you got offended by someone “slagging off” a performance, on an Internet forum. Wow.

You’re not surprised by people “moaning”? The only thing I’m not surprised at is people who didn’t even go to the game, or didn’t even watch it, come on here and criticise someone’s view because we got a good point and maybe they saw 30 second highlights and we had a good chance. You couldn’t make it up.

I absolutely would have taken a point before the game and I’m delighted we got it, but that doesn’t change a lot especially given how the goal really came about. It want through any degree of mounted pressure, it never looked likely it was a shit ball and somehow Sims who was never favourite to get to the ball, did and Chester did a McShane.

Had Chester just picked up the ball in his own half and walked into his goal himself would you be just as happy?

The result was excellent, the performance in the first half was ok, the performance in the second half was a million miles below the level required to be competitive. Draw or not.
1. First half corner could easily have been bundled in.
2. But for an incredible save Baldock had a tap in.
3. The penalty we scored.

I'd assume that's what Lux was referring to for three goals.

The encouraging things about this game are that. We expected it to be tough, and it was. But we largely stood up to and kept Villa out, they only scored once. We kept playing to the final whistle and didn't give up. That persistence salvaged a result from being behind.

I don't see how the penalty can be considered flukey. Sims used his pace to get to the ball first and the defender went to ground, making contact with Sims and failing to clear the ball.

I'm not sure how anyone can say we've talked about turning points before either. We haven't had any. We finished badly against Derby. We finished badly against Forest. We just downright played badly against Bolton and finishec badly against Blackburn. This is the first chink of light and posituve to take from a league game this season. Yeah we won in the cup, I suppose we can include that as a possible turning point, but then we've only lost one game since then (two before).

BTW CR, I think the assertion that you were happy because we were winning under Stam is slightly revisionist, I remember having several arguments with you on here in the 16/17 season because you were very much unhappy

A: i was being facetious I was fairly certain you didn’t go.
B: I know it’s a results business, and I more than most accept that. Under Stam in first season I was happy because we were winning even if the football was shit. I’d still say it how I saw it though. How could we have “easily scored three”? The double chance could only ever have culminated in 1 goal, but that goes without saying.
C: I’m sorry you got offended by someone “slagging off” a performance, on an Internet forum. Wow.

You’re not surprised by people “moaning”? The only thing I’m not surprised at is people who didn’t even go to the game, or didn’t even watch it, come on here and criticise someone’s view because we got a good point and maybe they saw 30 second highlights and we had a good chance. You couldn’t make it up.

I absolutely would have taken a point before the game and I’m delighted we got it, but that doesn’t change a lot especially given how the goal really came about. It want through any degree of mounted pressure, it never looked likely it was a shit ball and somehow Sims who was never favourite to get to the ball, did and Chester did a McShane.

Had Chester just picked up the ball in his own half and walked into his goal himself would you be just as happy?

The result was excellent, the performance in the first half was ok, the performance in the second half was a million miles below the level required to be competitive. Draw or not.

You posted in the minutes after we scored and got the draw:
« That. Was. Fcking. Dreadful ».

Check out page 6 of the match thread.