Reading v WBA - Match thread sponsored by "Sean" Long

[Royalupnorth]

Half time.

Carricho looks out of his depth, until their goal I thought we looked ok.
I still think we look more positive than we have for a while, but with that we look more likely to conceed again.

[RFCUK]

This needs to be like the Everton game and for us to come out like a different team in the second half. I'd like to see Le Fondre on personally.

Can we be Bradford please? At least they can beat Prem opposition

[Royal Monk]

Oh well best record MoTD as we will be last again

[ManchesterRoyals]

We dont even look like scoring frigging dire

[The Prisoner]

Two blindingly obvious observations:

1) Do we have any coaching at all on our first touch? Abysmal would be a kind assessment.
2) Is there a game plan to just toss the ball into the box? It makes most training sessions look tame.

Nothing created, no fight, no game plan. Good night Vienna.

[Royal Monk]

The best change we could make at half time would be the manager

[NR_Royal]

So far:

McAnuff isn't good enough.
Gunter looks woeful.
Carrico has made several errors.
Guthrie keeps losing the ball.

BUT...

Fedders made an awesome save.
Pearce and Mapps have dealt with most things.
Pog is trying his hardest.
Kebe has been 50/50 as usual.

We seem to take ages to pick a pass out. It's so bad compared to watching Swansea for example.

[Extended-Phenotype]

Carrico is absolutely woeful. Bad on the ball, zero athleticism, another shit signing for peanuts. F/ck this, I'm staying in the bar.

[akranes]

Carrico has quality. However no one in our entire team plays like him. He doesn't fit in, unfortunately.

Thrown into a relegation battle, and is now the scapegoat for fans. A lot of pressure taken from everyone else and put onto him.

Having said all this, admittedly, it hasn't been a great performance.

[blueroyals]

Woeful performance so far, lets hope a Brian miracle chat at half time sorts things out.

"I'm going to move Jobi to CM. We move on."

[southbank1871]

You realise that putting "we move on" at the end of anything isn't in the least bit amusing right?

[Millsy]

Oh look, we're missing Legs!

[The Beardy Man]

We look a little better in possession with carrico in midfield, but dare I say it, we miss legs in defence. Carrico, be it because he is off the pace or otherwise, seems not to have the discipline to sit in the hole and pick up their attacking mid. This has already cost us one goal.

Personally really don't want to see a switch to 4-4-2 as we will get over run and just pump long ball forward hopelessly. The key for me is that our midfield have to get forward and support pog, give our wingers something to aim at and runners for through balls.

Barring a stupid 5 minutes we really haven't looked worse than WBA, just a bit toothless.

[creative_username_1]

random.org says WBA win

[stickywhisky]

So far:

McAnuff isn't good enough.
Gunter looks woeful.
Carrico has made several errors.
Guthrie keeps losing the ball.

BUT...

Fedders made an awesome save.
Pearce and Mapps have dealt with most things.
Pog is trying his hardest.
Kebe has been 50/50 as usual.

We seem to take ages to pick a pass out. It's so bad compared to watching Swansea for example.

I'd agree with that, Carrico has only made 3 sub appearances this season so he's bound to be off the pace. A big ask really. Thought Akpan would have started ahead of him as he's match fit

[TBM]

I would bring on McCleary to run at their right back - he's on a yellow and McC will turn him inside-out.....

[LoyalRoyalFan]

McAnuff and Harte are shit as always.

[Esteban]

At the game. Pearce's positioning has been poor, him and Mariappa have been pulled all over the place. Carrico started off ok, but got worse as the half wore on.

Severe lack of confidence all across the pitch, made worse by our fans shitting bricks, even when we're in possession.

[blueroyals]

You realise that putting "we move on" at the end of anything isn't in the least bit amusing right?

Tell Brian that, I'm only the messenger m8

[Ian Royal]

I don't understand how we can play someone in a holding role just infront of the defence to distribute possession, and have two defenders against one striker and still their player in the hole is always in space.

First half, Fed's no chance with the goal and but for him it should have been two.
Defence still marking space rather than men. Harte's been poor, apart from an excellent ball out to Kebe, he's given away possession needlessly. Guthrie and Pog also guilty of playing poor passes that you can see coming half an hour away. Jem's been busy, but his usual chase the ball don't pass well game. Carrico's looked decent, but out of practice and not match fit yet. Some mistakes, not great positioning. Kebe's taken the sting out of our attacks too many times by touching back when he should try and use it or pass to someone going forward. Generally we've hoofed it at Pog when their defence is dominant, and put crosses into a 4/5 man defence with one man in the box. And if we get bodies forward to support the striker, or play 4-4-2 then we're wide open in midfield.

Unless we come out strong, I think that with QPR's turnaround, that's it, we're down. Because we don't appear to have learnt our lessons. We still punt it up to one man who's unsurpported. Our passing and decision making still isn't good enough and our defence still can't defend its box.

We are a bit better. And at least we'll have a very strong squad in the Championship.