Snowball It's hard to argue "small margins" after watching a 0-4 defeat
and yet, that's what it is really about.
Again we missed chances (which needn't be the end of the world)
but BECAUSE we missed chances, when they scored we were behind
(as opposed to, say, back to 3-1)
IMO that one goal was offside, one goal was a freak, and we fell
apart (because we have no leaders, no belief, no mental strength
no aggression) and suddenly we are down 0-4
Was it last week that Ipswich LOST 0-4 at home?
Had this been 1-1 (it could easily have been), had this been 2-2
(it could easily have been), had this been 3-3 (it could easily have been)
we would now be saying, "We did enough, crept over the line" etc
and would be "safe" and beginning to talk about who would leave etc
Individually, almost every one of our players could do well in another Championship side.
A couple of years ago Barrow was ripping Man City a new one (as one example)
What's wrong is the team's imbalances, the lack of a really lethal striker, and, let's be
honest, drastic, dramatic changes of style that have "done in" the heads of most of the team
The hang-on-to-the-ball until the other side surrenders is awful, was awful, and became easy to counter.
Finishing third last year was A FREAK. That's obvious when you look at our horrible defeats like 7-1
and 5-0 etc etc. The 3rd was a high blip, but the last few seasons have been dire as a block
19th-17th (3rd) and this year going into the last game possibly ending up a point short and finishing
22nd.
We have had dodgy Russians, Thais only interested in the land, now mysterious, invisible Chinese owners.
We've had a tough, simplistic, soak up pressure, win on the break long-ball McDermott, Mr Big Watch, Mr Fake Tan,
Clarke, and a brilliant defender who couldn't teach defending, and now Clement, who is another manager not renowned for
having entertaining attacking sides.
Meanwhile we started signing dodgy players, over-priced or over-the-hill, or bad attitudes, or Stam's mates.
Royston Drenthe, Piazon, Hurtado, Fernandez, Ola John, Sa, Pogrebnyak, Wayne Bridge,
and as for Vydra, Grabban, Sharp, how come we made them cr@p and yet they are all high up
in the top-scorers charts this year with Vydra and Grabban 1-2?
Think of Reading as if you might think of, say Sunderland = "a club in a mess", there's "something wrong"
too many managers, too may owners, two many punts, too many desperate, often expensive buys
Only last year's freaky "false 3rd" is in there to suggest there ISN'T a really deep problem in the club
A side that finishes 17th and 19th and somewhere between 18th and 22nd this year is a perfect example
of a club in long-term trouble, structurally wrong, or with hidden money troubles, (or whatever)
Take out the bizarre 3rd and we would be 19th, 17th, 18th (at the absolute best) but this year, even if we escape
relegation in 18th place, we are FAR worse. If we stay up, unless the fundamentals are dealt with, even 15th/16th
will be a challenge next season, and we could easily collapse into (and stay in) the bottom three.
I miss the Coppell days, the McDermott days. I didn't mind the "unsophisticated" high-tempo stuff.
I miss the thundering challenges, the players who would run through a brick wall for the team.
I go to games now and am BORED, expecting few half-chances, the inevitable cock-up, but the saddest part
is that feeling that too many of the eleven on the pitch, really look like they don't give a toss.
Well said sir. Nail,head !