Back From the Game-Posh 3 Royals 1

[holsgrove breaks a leg]

urrgggghhh

Well i guess it had to come at some point, three tough away games in a row and perhaps we were doomed to fail against the Posh. That's the third time i have been there and come away with absolutely zilch, not sure i can stomach a 4th time!. We do really seem to struggle against a more passing side - Swansea, Arsenal in the Prem we just seem to get caught on the counter a lot. However Peterborough's two goals came from corners which was particularily irritating given our solid shape at the back. Pearce and Gorkss had a real off day against a very impressive Tyrone Barnett, not winning the headers (Pearce at fault for the equaliser) and looking cumbersome and off the pace. I have only seen him for the 90mins but i wasn't overly impressed with Mullins he looked a bit of a carthhorse at rb, surely he is best in cm and whilst Cummings doesn't set the world on fire he is solid?.

We were overun in centre midfield, when Ledge has a poor game he really does, passing across the pitch like its Brazil except he never looked up and it went straight to the opposition. I was particularily impressed with MCann and Boyd always seems to score against us. Kebe looked rusty tonight after time off injured, a brilliant piece of skill to set up the opener but that was largely it. We really need to get the full backs to push the ball on to Kebe to run at more rather than Kebe collecting it and running against the defence as his control lets him down. The forwards battled hard but you could tell they were frustrated, particularily Roberts. I just hope his hamstring is not too bad as he has clearly galvanised this team and we are then back to short sized/mis matched forward pairing. I generalyl think it was blip against a tough Posh side away from home, however Blackpool next and as Negative Jeff alluded to they are another team who knock it around nicely so we really need to do our homework to get back amongst the points.

[Agent Balti]

Without being at the game I can't comment per se, but I think by having 3 away games in a week with all the travelling to and fro, with no rotation (Mullins aside) then it was sure to catch up with us at some point, especially against a team we know scores goals.

Brian will need to take some responsibility for this as he knew the fixture list and should have rested some legs by now. I can totally understand the urge to keep together a winning team, but it was always going to take its toll at some point and last night was definitely that game by the looks of it.

[RepressedRoyal]

Dear oh dear, what a shocker.

Agree with the first report, we were second best all over the pitch tonight. Peterborough had pacy and skilful players in midfield and attack, passed it around on the deck to each other Swansea style, then in Barnett, had a centre forward who looked a constant threat, in short, everything that we were not on the night.

In Paul Taylor they had a player of good skill who controlled the ball, always passed to one of his own players, drew our defenders in, then released it to one of their dangerous looking wingers. Why Taylor isn't playing for a bigger club I just don't know on that evidence, by far and away the best player on the pitch, confirmed by his MOM rating at the ending.

Karacan and Leigertwood were overrun time and again in midfield, Jobi had an off night, Gorkks had an absolute mare (two goals conceded from corners with little or no challenge) Pearce was only slightly better but exposed for pace.

Roberts looked good in patches but by the end his attempts at drawing fouls, although it worked on occasion, became tiresome, and was eventually sussed by Peterborough's centre half who returned his muscle with some interest, all culminating in Peterborough's third goal when Roberts lost out on the edge of the Peterborough area trying to draw the foul. The ball was then hoofed straight back up the pitch for the perhaps inevitable exposure of our defence and the third goal.

The real enigma was Kebe again. I took a mate with me, a Spurs fan, who spotted with no prompting that Kebe must be carrying an injury, which we know he is of course. But he kept asking why Kebe was on the pitch in that case. A good point as in the second half he should really have been taken off as we had HRK on the bench. I can only imagine Kebe stayed on in the hope that he would produce a piece of magic, as indeed he did for the first goal. But that never happened so perhaps a misjudgement there.

So did any of our players come out of that with any credit? Well, yes, Noel Hunt. He was our best player by a large margin and was noticeably the one who looked most gutted at the end by our tepid display. He fought all night and well done for that.

Harte looked tidy at times but his set pieces were not up to their usual standard, which was disappointing. There was a brief period in the second half when we were 2-1 down when I felt Leigertwood did at least get his foot on the ball a few times and start to impose himself. That lasted for about 15 minutes before Peterborough got hold of it again.

One can only imagine that Peterborough must be inconsistent, noted by their manager after the game, as playing like that they should be in a much higher position in the table.

We were well beaten by the much better side on the night so dust ourselves down and move on. Some consolation that West Ham failed again with Middlesborough's late goal and obviously we can do better than that.

Good honest report this, much of what I wanted to say last night but I was shattered from one of the most frightening motorway drives I have ever had. Is there any point during calendar when the A1 M1 don't have major roadworks? My only fear is that in the coming matches we will see confirmation that we have been performing well above our level in recent months and we will hit the buffers at just the wrong time. Blackpool is now a massive game and probably time for some fresh legs.....as you say Brian...."It's all about the group, not just 11 players"

[Croydon Royal]

Probably the worst game since Cardiff away - but as already mentioned there was a certain sense of inevitability about it after a backlog of games and the feeling that the run couldn't last forever. Some brief and random thoughts:

- It still seems that if Leigertwood plays well, this Reading team plays well. We need him to take the game by the scruff of the neck and let our wingers play. Yesterday was one of the worst games I've seen him play for us. Countless miss-placed passes and lost out in the tackle far too much too.

- Same old Kebe - never got into the game, but when he did get the ball he looked by far and away the best player on the pitch. This always poses a problem when we're chasing a game with 10 minutes to go - even if he hasn't been in it for 80 minutes you're reluctant to take him off because you just know he's capable of a moment of magic (as we saw with that brilliant run for the first goal). Where's do you draw the line? From what I heard from the crowd last night, there's still plenty split on either side.

- Gorkss had a real off night. Similar to the game against Stevenage if anyone can recall his performance then. Constantly pulled out of position, although a lot of this had to do with him having to cover the full-backs. Peterborough's tactic of knocking it long down the line over Harte or Mullins' head was very effective.

- Mullins looked nervy against a quick winger, reluctant to keep the ball on the deck. A mixture of still settling in to a new team and having to deal with a very dangerous Peterborough front line.

- For the first time in ages Reading almost looked under-prepared. While the amount of games played in quick succession definitely played a part in us being outfought in the midfield and second to every loose ball (although Peterborough should also be given a lot of credit for an excellent performance), we also looked disjointed and generally lacking ideas. The opening two goals were from badly defended corners, and looking at how the defence lined-up for them it was as if they had no clue who was marking who - you could actually see Kebe and McAnuff debating over whose man was whose before the second goal went in. And considering we were chasing the game, Brian just didn't seem to know how to change it. Strange Robson-Kanu didn't come on.

- When Le Fondre did come on, he played in a very weird position. Brian obviously knows best as he sees him every day in training, but I still don't think we've ever played Le Fondre in his best position - right up top as a poacher feeding off the crosses and scraps. Yesterday he came on and played a good few yards behind the front two, and was completely ineffective as he was out muscled and failed to retain possession. This led him to being dragged out wide on occassions - not great when Roberts and Hunt tend to do it too. There were a couple of times where we were screaming out for a simple ball into the box and hoping Le Fondre would have been there to feed off the scraps, but with where he was playing we never got in that position.

Overall I'm hoping it was more just "one of those days" that thankfully we haven't had in a long time, rather than anything else. Luckily there's not long to wait for the next game in order to put it right, and a home game is just what's needed to bounce back - will be a lot harder if we're without Roberts though. More annoyingly, I still haven't seen Reading win away this season. For the good of the team it may be worth me selling my West Ham ticket!

[Norfolk Royal]

Agree with the Le Fondre comments. It somehow summed up our night when he came on, sprinted enthusiastically across the pitch to where the throw was being taken, throw in came to him, hit him on the shin and he fell over.

[Maguire]

Good to read match reviews as ever so thanks to those who took the time to pass on their thoughts.

Obvs didn't see the game but generally speaking I think the Sat-Tue-Sat-Tue-Sat thing (or whatever) is bound to take a toll on the players eventually. There just isn't enough recovery time when you're playing such tough football.

Which brings me to my one, well not complaint, but query I might have of McDermott - when you bang on about your squad and how important it'll be in the run-in, why don't you actually try and use it? I'd be a fool to question his methods but as a fan you kind of expect to see a bit of rotation when the fixtures come so thick and fast. Now I worry how shagged they'll all be against a good Blackpool side on Saturday.

[mr_number]

Which brings me to my one, well not complaint, but query I might have of McDermott - when you bang on about your squad and how important it'll be in the run-in, why don't you actually try and use it? I'd be a fool to question his methods but as a fan you kind of expect to see a bit of rotation when the fixtures come so thick and fast. Now I worry how shagged they'll all be against a good Blackpool side on Saturday.

Yes, agree, McDermott out!

[mr_number]

But also, Blackpool will have one less day recovery time this week, after a hopefully tough game against LOLeicester. And yes, those straws are firmly clutched in my hand.

[Crowthorne Royal]

Awful performance, let's hope it's a one off. You can't keep on winning and winning...................although Southampton seem to somehow?!

A night to forget, bad day at the office etc, etc. Interested to hear Brian say that they are good at set pieces........um, well do you think we could have marked a bit better then. It was also one of those nights when the ball always seemed to fall to their players. Tactically Ferguson outwitted Brian I'm afraid.

Peterborough played like a play off chasing team, on another day though they will be poor. Ho hum. Soton and West Ham still have to go to P'boro, so we still might be thanking them at some point! (In fact West Ham's game in hand on us is at P'boro

So, having had a look at the run in's this morning I have to say WH and ourselves have significantly more difficult games than S'oton.

Predicting the scores however, I unfortunately come up with the following:

Soton - next 8 games W4 D2 L2 - Finish on 89 pts (I have us losing to Saints with their impeccable home record)
West Ham - next 9 games W6 D2 L1 - Finish on 88 pts (Incidentally I have us drawing with WH at their place)
Reading - next 8 games W4 D3 L1 - Finish on 85 pts
Draws at WH, Brighton & Birmingham, loss vs Soton

Any chance if we finish in the play off's? Yeah maybe.........but our record is appalling!

[Wimb]

Blergh <-- about sums up my thoughts

But if you'd like more here's the report from The Tilehurst End

http://thetilehurstend.co.uk/2012/03/21 ... -the-posh/

[Extended-Phenotype]

I agree - McD should have mixed up the squad a bit more. Too many away games on the trot, and it showed.

What is the f/ing point in bringing in Cywka if you aren’t going to use him? Perfect time for him to have stepped in or been subbed on. Jem and Kebe looked dead. Chasing for an equaliser was the perfect time to stick some attack in that midfield, or give the wing some fresh legs.

McD really could have helped us out in this game.

[Croydon Royal]

Obvs didn't see the game but generally speaking I think the Sat-Tue-Sat-Tue-Sat thing (or whatever) is bound to take a toll on the players eventually. There just isn't enough recovery time when you're playing such tough football.

Not necessarily a fitness issue taking it's toll, but I do wonder how prepared we were because of the Sat-Tue-Sat-Tue. Peterborough offered up a very different challenge to the ones Barnsley, Doncaster and Leicester presented us with, and we looked at times last night that we didn't know how to deal with it and ultimately ran out of ideas. I know footballers should be able to deal with different situations, but one of our biggest strengths is always being meticulously prepared (I still don't think out team is among the top 3 most talented in the league, but we always out-think and out-play opponents) and when playing so many games in quick succession, the last Tuesday match was always going to be the one we were least prepared for.

[Bucks Dave]

Glad I took the Star coach and didn't try driving. And that's about the only consolation.

Posh are an enigma. Their last two home games they beat Blackpool 3-1 and lost to Millwall 3-0. Then they demolish us.I can only hope the good team turns up when they play West Ham at home.

[sandman]

I agree - McD should have mixed up the squad a bit more. Too many away games on the trot, and it showed.

What is the f/ing point in bringing in Cywka if you aren’t going to use him? Perfect time for him to have stepped in or been subbed on. Jem and Kebe looked dead. Chasing for an equaliser was the perfect time to stick some attack in that midfield, or give the wing some fresh legs.

McD really could have helped us out in this game.

+1

Wished he'd fcuked off to Wolves. McDonut oot.

[Extended-Phenotype]

I agree - McD should have mixed up the squad a bit more. Too many away games on the trot, and it showed.

What is the f/ing point in bringing in Cywka if you aren’t going to use him? Perfect time for him to have stepped in or been subbed on. Jem and Kebe looked dead. Chasing for an equaliser was the perfect time to stick some attack in that midfield, or give the wing some fresh legs.

McD really could have helped us out in this game.

+1

Wished he'd fcuked off to Wolves. McDonut oot.

What a wonderfully clever thing to say. Sandman IN.

[Rob-Royal]

I agree - McD should have mixed up the squad a bit more. Too many away games on the trot, and it showed.

What is the f/ing point in bringing in Cywka if you aren’t going to use him? Perfect time for him to have stepped in or been subbed on. Jem and Kebe looked dead. Chasing for an equaliser was the perfect time to stick some attack in that midfield, or give the wing some fresh legs.

McD really could have helped us out in this game.

Harsh and unfair. If McD had changed it and used the squad and we'd lost then there would be howels of why change a winning team?! It also goes against the 'keeping hold of the shirt' ethos which has served us well so far.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

[Hoop Blah]

In Paul Taylor they had a player of good skill who controlled the ball, always passed to one of his own players, drew our defenders in, then released it to one of their dangerous looking wingers. Why Taylor isn't playing for a bigger club I just don't know on that evidence, by far and away the best player on the pitch, confirmed by his MOM rating at the ending.

I think he's got a long history of off the field problems (including failed drugs tests) which have held him back.

[FiNeRaIn]

In Paul Taylor they had a player of good skill who controlled the ball, always passed to one of his own players, drew our defenders in, then released it to one of their dangerous looking wingers. Why Taylor isn't playing for a bigger club I just don't know on that evidence, by far and away the best player on the pitch, confirmed by his MOM rating at the ending.

I think he's got a long history of off the field problems (including failed drugs tests) which have held him back.

he was playing for vauxhall motors not long ago, we made him look like messi.

[Rob-Royal]

In Paul Taylor they had a player of good skill who controlled the ball, always passed to one of his own players, drew our defenders in, then released it to one of their dangerous looking wingers. Why Taylor isn't playing for a bigger club I just don't know on that evidence, by far and away the best player on the pitch, confirmed by his MOM rating at the ending.

I think he's got a long history of off the field problems (including failed drugs tests) which have held him back.

he was playing for vauxhall motors not long ago, we made him look like messi.

Indeed, it was an ASTRAnomical performance on a CAVALIAR level....ahem.....

[Hoop Blah]

He was playing for Liverpool Everton and Man City a few years before that too. His talent doesn't seem to have been a problem, it's always been non-football things that have held him back.

Peterborough seem to have taken a gamble on keeping him on the straight and narrow and it's paying off. He's had a lot of rave reviews this year so the fact he played well isn't really a shock.