Back From The Game - Bolton

[Avon Royal]

Just got back after some celebratory bevvies.

All you Adkins haters...........suck my hairy balls

Although Bolton were fcuking awful

All those that doubted that Adkins could get Reading playing entertaining possession based, passing football look silly now don't they?
Oh wait...

Possession: 48%
Pass Success: 65%
No. of short passes: Less than the team we beat 7-1.

The last 2 games have been great victories for Reading, and great victories for Adkins.
But victories for all those that championed Reading's transition to a possession based, slow tempo, tippy-tappy team? I don't think so.

Yeah, absolute LOL at all those that said Reading's tactics for the first 24 games of the season were boring and ineffective.
Fair play to Adkins for realising that his preferred style of play did not suit the players at his disposal. But I'm not sure how you can gloat at the people who have been saying exactly this all season.

Well done to Adkins for motivating the players after a horrific run of form and for making some decent team selections e.g. Obita at LB.
But today merely shows what an absolute waste the first half of the season was.
How many other horrendous teams came to the Madejski, but left unpunished?

My god that's some pretty lame shit.

[Muskrat]

Great result and performance today. Fairly obvious what has happened, as NA himself has alluded to after the poor performances and results in the first half of the season, he's had to bow to player pressure and abandon his slow keep ball style and revert to the formation and method of playing which brings results in this division - the 4-4-2 with a solid midfield pairing, good wing play and strikers playing off each other.

Shame it's taken him over half a season when we all knew it from the start though...

[RoyalBlue]

Great result and performance today. Fairly obvious what has happened, as NA himself has alluded to after the poor performances and results in the first half of the season, he's had to bow to player pressure and abandon his slow keep ball style and revert to the formation and method of playing which brings results in this division - the 4-4-2 with a solid midfield pairing, good wing play and strikers playing off each other.

Shame it's taken him over half a season when we all knew it from the start though...

Absolute nonsense about him having to bow to player pressure. For those watching with their eyes open there was still a lot of passing from us, including several phases of numerous effective short passes. It was just that it was done at a higher tempo (something I'm sure Adkins has always wanted) and in the opponents's half. At least one of the players also clearly stated in the post match interview how Adkins had told the players how he wanted a much higher work rate from them (we have certainly seen that in the past two games) and for the to press the opposition more.

[Royal Ginger]

Great result and performance today. Fairly obvious what has happened, as NA himself has alluded to after the poor performances and results in the first half of the season, he's had to bow to player pressure and abandon his slow keep ball style and revert to the formation and method of playing which brings results in this division - the 4-4-2 with a solid midfield pairing, good wing play and strikers playing off each other.

Shame it's taken him over half a season when we all knew it from the start though...

Absolute nonsense about him having to bow to player pressure. For those watching with their eyes open there was still a lot of passing from us, including several phases of numerous effective short passes. It was just that it was done at a higher tempo (something I'm sure Adkins has always wanted) and in the opponents's half. At least one of the players also clearly stated in the post match interview how Adkins had told the players how he wanted a much higher work rate from them (we have certainly seen that in the past two games) and for the to press the opposition more.

I'd agree that the pace of the passing is the bigger factor here, but also the movement off of the ball has taken a sudden leap in the right direction.

[Lower West]

If and when we get promoted again. Then an RFC team needs to be able to play more formations than 4-4-2. All the team need to be able to be comfortable on the ball. Adkins is giving all the squad time to prove themselves. Longer term those that don't make the grade will be shipped out. Hopefully the style is being ingrained into the academy. As relying on uncovering lower league gems is getting tougher and tougher. With scouting so good these days.

[Unbelievable Jeff]

apologies if this has already been posted but this pre-match article from the Bolton website is priceless!!

http://www.the-wanderer.co.uk/bolton/about-reading

[Royal Ginger]

apologies if this has already been posted but this pre-match article from the Bolton website is priceless!!

http://www.the-wanderer.co.uk/bolton/about-reading

Bless.

[John Madejski's Wallet]

I'd agree that the pace of the passing is the bigger factor here, but also the movement off of the ball has taken a sudden leap in the right direction.

I think out movement is always fine when we're attacking with purpose and pace. The players really struggle creating space when everything is slowed right down and/or the ball isn't moving forwards. Even our throw-ins were taken a bit quicker today, and funnily enough occasionally found players in space

[mikey0406]

Can you not see the similarities to Rodgers and Adkins?? both of their styles of play suited sides who could retain the ball well, feed off players who like to come from wide positions but instead of crossing cut in with the ball. the two in midfield need to be two ball winners and have massive engines on them being box to box layers who are not afraid to throw in a challenge, this is what we had today in Williams and Akpan.

in previous games, we have been caught out when the midfield do not track runs and times when the full backs are left exposed. today saw a different game with the two central midfielders tracking most runs and putting in tough tackles as well as limiting the wide ball and the one on ones with the full backs.

I do think as well when Pog plays more in the hole rather than the furthest forward he is a massive asset to the team. his positional play and work ethic today was incredible. Plus you could not tell that Obita was not a natural left back today at all, he had a young Nicky Shorey presence about him today

[Royal Ginger]

Obita was great, yes, but he wasn't tested defensively today. Very positive early signals, but I'm reserving judgement.

[Platypuss]

Great result and performance today. Fairly obvious what has happened, as NA himself has alluded to after the poor performances and results in the first half of the season, he's had to bow to player pressure and abandon his slow keep ball style and revert to the formation and method of playing which brings results in this division - the 4-4-2 with a solid midfield pairing, good wing play and strikers playing off each other.

Shame it's taken him over half a season when we all knew it from the start though...

Bollocks - Adkins has NEVER wanted it slow, ever.

[Arnie_Pie]

Have we been on FLS yet?

[sputnik]

no

[Royal Ginger]

Good luck cramming all of that lot into 15 seconds.

[Royal Ginger]

Christ, they gave it a good crack.

[Arnie_Pie]

What a load of bollox.

[sputnik]

[Pepe the Horseman]

Think I might've been a bit harsh on Blackman. Looks like there wasn't a deflection.

[Royal Ginger]

Agreed, looked like the keeper got a hand to it.

I blinked, so missed the penalty decision again. Still no idea if it should have been given.

[P!ssed Off]

Think I might've been a bit harsh on Blackman. Looks like there wasn't a deflection.

Looked a slight deflection to me.