Papering over the cracks....

[Svlad Cjelli]

Reading win 3-2 in stoppage time and fans still moan

How often do I moan? I am pleased that we are winning matches and picking up points late in games but it is masking over the fact that in the first 70 minutes of matches we have a terrible record (I think we have only scored 5 or 6 goals prior to the 70 minute mark).

So yes it is great that we finish matches strongly but we need to address the issue of getting in front in the first place. It is what is stopping us being a top 6 side.

So apologies if some of you don't like a negative post after a win but just imagine what it would have been like on hereif we had lost yesterday. We would have 2 points outside relegation. Just a bit of persepctive that's all.

I don't agree that it's the first 70 minutes of games we're poor in. We're just so intent on defence and keepiong a clean sheet that we never open up and play with urgency (as well as take a few risks) until we're behing and have to chase game. When scores are level we're too tentative - when we're chasing a game or playing in the last 10 minutes we're at our best.

[urz13]

Got to agree tbf, whenever we've dominated a game (southampton) we'v e left with a point, or Cardiff leaving with nothing and the occasional lucky win in stoppage time. Not once this season have we won convincingly. So to stop me rambing on id be happy with a mid table finish - and keeping our squad together with a decent creative midfielder!

I thought the Doncaster win was pretty convincing, as was Leicester.

[melonhead]

defence is good, the middle two are fine, the full backs are good, and getting better
just need to find the forward/wing formula and we have the potential to have another good season
we are three points off the playoffs, with a win on tuesday it could be even better

if this was a great league, id be worried, but yet again its bang average, and it doesnt take much to push up the table.


that said were bound to lose to the posh on tuesday now

[Ian Royal]

Got to agree tbf, whenever we've dominated a game (southampton) we'v e left with a point, or Cardiff leaving with nothing and the occasional lucky win in stoppage time. Not once this season have we won convincingly. So to stop me rambing on id be happy with a mid table finish - and keeping our squad together with a decent creative midfielder!

I thought the Doncaster win was pretty convincing, as was Leicester.

I'm inclined to agree with you, but it's not particularly unreasonable to consider a 3 goal margin, or better to be convincing. Which may be what stickywhisky is suggesting.

By the same token we are yet to be beaten convincingly.

Just noticed we've got double the two goal victories compared to defeats.

[melonhead]

ive not seen any team that outclassed us.

even those at the top were lucky to get a point off us at home


our away formula is brilliant
just need to find a way of playing at home that plays to our strengths
imo

[West Stand Man]

I'm in a negative mood tonight and I can't help feeling that all these late goals do is paper over the cracks. Take away the Bristol City win and now the Ipswitch win and we are in the bottom, not to mention the other late goals we have scored.

Something is fundementally wrong with the way Brian sets this team up to play and his substitutions nearly always improve things. This has been going on for the entire season and nothing is improving.

Just remind me which law of football says that goals scored in the last 2 minutes count for less than goals scored in the first (or any other) 2 minutes?

[Mid Sussex Royal]

Something is fundamentally wrong ????????

We outlast teams in Ali style, and there are enough George Foreman's in the Championship to fall for it.
Every one of the 90 minutes counts equally, and we've won again.

Get over it.

Didn't Ali knock Foreman out mid fight - about R7?

[RoyalJames101]

ive not seen any team that outclassed us.

Watford?

[Wycombe Royal]

I'm in a negative mood tonight and I can't help feeling that all these late goals do is paper over the cracks. Take away the Bristol City win and now the Ipswitch win and we are in the bottom, not to mention the other late goals we have scored.

Something is fundementally wrong with the way Brian sets this team up to play and his substitutions nearly always improve things. This has been going on for the entire season and nothing is improving.

Just remind me which law of football says that goals scored in the last 2 minutes count for less than goals scored in the first (or any other) 2 minutes?

Remind me where I said that? Or maybe you could go away, take some time to read what I wrote again, and come back with something more constructive.

[West Stand Man]

I'm in a negative mood tonight and I can't help feeling that all these late goals do is paper over the cracks. Take away the Bristol City win and now the Ipswitch win and we are in the bottom, not to mention the other late goals we have scored.

Something is fundementally wrong with the way Brian sets this team up to play and his substitutions nearly always improve things. This has been going on for the entire season and nothing is improving.

Just remind me which law of football says that goals scored in the last 2 minutes count for less than goals scored in the first (or any other) 2 minutes?

Remind me where I said that? Or maybe you could go away, take some time to read what I wrote again, and come back with something more constructive.

[Wycombe Royal]

I don't agree that it's the first 70 minutes of games we're poor in.

We have scored 5 goals in the first 70 minutes of matches and we have conceded 16. And you don't think that is poor?

Granted we do far better than our oponents over the remaining minutes but that tells me that something is wrong with the way we approach matches. If we are so intent of defence and keeping a clean sheet (as you said) how come we have a -11 goal difference in the first 70 minutes? And if that is the approach surely the stats provide overwhelming evidence that the approach is failing badly?

When we open up and play at a higher tempo further up the pitch as we generally do in the closing stages we have a far superior record. May be we should play more of the match like that.

[buddy1983]

I'm in a negative mood tonight and I can't help feeling that all these late goals do is paper over the cracks. Take away the Bristol City win and now the Ipswitch win and we are in the bottom, not to mention the other late goals we have scored.

Something is fundementally wrong with the way Brian sets this team up to play and his substitutions nearly always improve things. This has been going on for the entire season and nothing is improving.

We have enough Polycell to fill any cracks.

Isnt that kinda of the point of subs. To improve the team during the game?

[Wycombe Royal]

Just remind me which law of football says that goals scored in the last 2 minutes count for less than goals scored in the first (or any other) 2 minutes?

Remind me where I said that? Or maybe you could go away, take some time to read what I wrote again, and come back with something more constructive.

And where does that say that goals scored in the last 2 minutes count for less?

[Wycombe Royal]

I'm in a negative mood tonight and I can't help feeling that all these late goals do is paper over the cracks. Take away the Bristol City win and now the Ipswitch win and we are in the bottom, not to mention the other late goals we have scored.

Something is fundementally wrong with the way Brian sets this team up to play and his substitutions nearly always improve things. This has been going on for the entire season and nothing is improving.

We have enough Polycell to fill any cracks.

Isnt that kinda of the point of subs. To improve the team during the game?

Yes but we shouldn't need them in nearly every match to come on and change the game in our favour. They are also there to help you hold on for a win and see out a match. But we don't have much need for that.

[Svlad Cjelli]

I don't agree that it's the first 70 minutes of games we're poor in.

We have scored 5 goals in the first 70 minutes of matches and we have conceded 16. And you don't think that is poor?

Granted we do far better than our oponents over the remaining minutes but that tells me that something is wrong with the way we approach matches. If we are so intent of defence and keeping a clean sheet (as you said) how come we have a -11 goal difference in the first 70 minutes? And if that is the approach surely the stats provide overwhelming evidence that the approach is failing badly?

When we open up and play at a higher tempo further up the pitch as we generally do in the closing stages we have a far superior record. May be we should play more of the match like that.

Read my whole sentence I posted and not just that bit of it. When the socres are level we're too negative - regardless of how long that goes on for.

But when we concede we play a lot more openly and with a lot more urgently - where we're far more effective.

So it's not the time thing, it's the game position. It's not as if we start playing after 70 minutes - it's that we start playing once we're behind - which happens to be around that point. But when we've conceded earlier we start playing earlier (e.g. vs Derby when we conceded on 59 and equalised on 65).

[Snowball]

Last season we played to not get beat, had a tight defence
and couldn't score. Then we had a rush of blood and the 4-0,
4-3, 1-3, 3-3 run


Then it all settled down again.


IF we had a striker who scored 1 in 2 we'd be top 3.

[Wycombe Royal]

But when we concede we play a lot more openly and with a lot more urgently - where we're far more effective.

So thank you for confirming my opinion that we are approaching matches wrong. The defensive approach doesn't work so why are we STILL doing it 19 matches in to the season?

[melonhead]

ive not seen any team that outclassed us.

Watford?

didnt see it

[melonhead]

Something is fundamentally wrong ????????

We outlast teams in Ali style, and there are enough George Foreman's in the Championship to fall for it.
Every one of the 90 minutes counts equally, and we've won again.

Get over it.

Didn't Ali knock Foreman out mid fight - about R7?

yep, thats his point, we are ali, in rope a dope stylee, the other teams are foreman exhausting themselves mentally against our rock solid defence. we then come out in round 7 batter them, and knock em down at the end of the fight

edit courtesy of maguire......

[Maguire]

Didn't Ali knock Foreman out mid fight - about R7?

No, he knocked him out at the very end of the fight