MATCHWATCH : Rotherham United (h)

[Tails]

Mate, he was on for a few seconds.

Mate, did I stutter when putting ‘the very last action of the game defending a set piece’?

Cue the reaction had it been lumped into the box with….

Yeah nothing wrong with him coming on for the last kick of the game when it's a set piece I guess.

Game now won, let’s move on to arguing about the Cardiff game

[Snowball]

Think we’ve done just about enough to keep us safe now. Do not see two of Blackpool, Huddersfield, Cardiff and Wigan catching us.

Blackpool haven’t won since October.
Huddersfield have struggled badly all season.
Cardiff just won their first game since Bonfire night.
Wigan have only beaten Blackpool and Huddersfield since October.

Think it’s massively fallen under the radar how diabolical those four teams are.

and QPR-Birmingham are dropping ever closer to danger

[Brogue]

6 points off the play offs with a game in hand. The royals are going up

[Royals and Racers]

Attendance 9492 !!!! season average now 13254- bottom 6 attendances all non Saturday games

[bcubed]

The truth is you look at the table and any neutral would say we have a decent chance of still making the play-offs ... but I'd say most Reading fans are just thinking of avoiding relegation.

Yep
WBA mate of fan mine said a few weeks back I was being too pessimistic and we would be fine. He thought we're play off rather than relegation candidates. Truth is most non Reading fans probably just look at the table to make their judgements.

[JR]

No surprise, everyone knows that Reading fans have better things to do on Valentine’s night…

Missed the game (obvs) - sounds like a little Valentine’s Night treat delivered in the second half

[Zip]

I hope Ince has finally learnt that playing five at the back does not work with this group of players. We need to go a conventional two centre backs and two full backs.

I feel for Baba but he cannot stay in the side. He was dreadful giving the ball away with terrible passes, being out jumped for a header from which they ended up hitting the bar and the free kick from which they scored.

I am beginning to see what ptr sees in Azeez who looks much more muscular. If he can stay fit he will be a real threat for us and played a big part in both goals including winning a soft corner for the second goal.

Lumley now looks like a confident keeper. Great punches at the death. Sarr was much better.
Carroll MoTM for a great header and excellent assist.

A vital three points but scarcely deserved.

[Tails]

I hope Ince has finally learnt that playing five at the back does not work with this group of players. We need to go a conventional two centre backs and two full backs.

I feel for Baba but he cannot stay in the side. He was dreadful giving the ball away with terrible passes, being out jumped for a header from which they ended up hitting the bar and the free kick from which they scored.

I am beginning to see what ptr sees in Azeez who looks much more muscular. If he can stay fit he will be a real threat for us and played a big part in both goals including winning a soft corner for the second goal.

Lumley now looks like a confident keeper. Great punches at the death. Sarr was much better.
Carroll MoTM for a great header and excellent assist.

A vital three points but scarcely deserved.

^agreed

[MR.CYNICAL]

No surprise, everyone knows that Reading fans have better things to do on Valentine’s night…

Missed the game (obvs) - sounds like a little Valentine’s Night treat delivered in the second half

It certainly was no treat watching that rubbish!

[Stranded]

An unforgivable 1st half by players and management gave way to an encouraging 2nd due to changes in shape and personnel.

Simply need to go with the more proactive, positive 433 now. We're going to lose games anyway so might as well set up in a way thst gives us a better chance to win.

NGW and Azeez were excellent and must start on Friday, NGW does always seem to be better off the bench though but he needs 2 or 3 starts now even if he stinks up South Wales on Friday night.

[Royals and Racers]

Paul Ince is a stubborn so and so ! At the post match press conference he defended his team selection and intimated he isn’t going to change the way we set up any time soon.
https://www.getreading.co.uk/sport/foot ... source=nba

[blythspartan]

I am away working atm so I couldn’t go last night. I was all doom and gloom even before the game thinking we’d lose 1-0. It was a great result in the end but because of the utter dross served up over the last few years I still have a fear of relegation which I can’t shake off. It’s stupid really as we’re well clear but in the back of my head I still have a nagging doubt.

[Bristol Paul]

Paul Ince is a stubborn so and so ! At the post match press conference he defended his team selection and intimated he isn’t going to change the way we set up any time soon.

He does seem to have his favourites regardless of how they perform. Wouldn’t surprise me at all if he stayed with the same starting lineup on Friday, other than Baba assuming he’s now out.

[Fezza]

No surprise, everyone knows that Reading fans have better things to do on Valentine’s night…

Missed the game (obvs) - sounds like a little Valentine’s Night treat delivered in the second half

[YorkshireRoyal99]

Not a stellar performance, but the points were important and that winning feeling will be good for the players I'm sure and we can try and muster up some momentum. I suppose if anything it just goes to show what you can do when you put faith in youth as Azeez and NGW caused Rotherham problems and looked threatening, whereas Fornah popped up with the winner even if he wasn't outstanding.

Agreed with P.Ince about we never really blow teams away, Blackburn aside, so when you haven't won for half a dozen games then just getting the win and grinding it out is important and a good characteristic to have. It leaves us in a far better position in the table and points wise as well, even if others have to play.

Azeez and NGW did well when they came on, it wasn't the teams best performance overall and Carroll gets plaudits for his involvement in both goals. Azeez you feel like is like a traditional winger on the left and can swing those crosses in that Carroll thrives off and Azeez should have scored (or passed to Ince to score) when he got clear of Peltier, that's what he gives us, a threat and that's what we lack. Need to do something similar in our next couple of games.

A lot of pressure taken off Friday now.

[karbota]

I hope Ince has finally learnt that playing five at the back does not work with this group of players. We need to go a conventional two centre backs and two full backs.

I feel for Baba but he cannot stay in the side. He was dreadful giving the ball away with terrible passes, being out jumped for a header from which they ended up hitting the bar and the free kick from which they scored.

I am beginning to see what ptr sees in Azeez who looks much more muscular. If he can stay fit he will be a real threat for us and played a big part in both goals including winning a soft corner for the second goal.

Lumley now looks like a confident keeper. Great punches at the death. Sarr was much better.
Carroll MoTM for a great header and excellent assist.

A vital three points but scarcely deserved.

That was not pretty but a welcome 3 points, MOTM Andy Carroll, Loafer OTM tie between Baba Rahman and Andy Yiadom.

[Zammo]

I dread to think how low the crowd will be tonight.

It’s dead. 30 mins till kick off and hardly anyone here. Walked straight up to an empty bar in the jazz cafe.

It's dead down Bennet Road you wouldn't think there was a game on tonight

Quietest bus queues there and back ever.

[paultheroyal]

Delighted for Azeez. As I keep saying he is some player. They need to sort his contract out now! Please not another Antonio debacle!

My son adores Baba but I think even his love is waning. What gets my goat and I know it turned out to be an injury but I have seen it before is that players go down injured, trainers come on so the player has to go off. We are then down to ten men defending an attacking free kick, and they score gggrrr. Grinds my gears!

Lumley, mbengue and Sarr again excellent last night. A great core there at the back. Yiadom is so thick at times, literally a walking booking at times and lucky not to be booked earlier.

Fornah has energy and needs to start.

I know players are coming back in but do feel that the team that started that second half should be the first 11 on Friday night.

URZ.

[Brogue]

phew. glad we got over the line, the fans had turned at half time. Real frustration and boo's rung loud and clear. we will never know how much pressure pince was truly under, but tha second half could have just about saved his job

[Wycombe Royal]

What I find most concerning is that it was only an injury that forced him to remove a player who has played very poorly all season.

Credit for swapping Long for Azeez though and going 4 at the back.

So lets just hope it is the second half team that starts at Cardiff......