BFTG Norwich,

[Pepe the Horseman]

Before we scored it was the worst performance I've seen this season. Second half was the best I've seen this season.

[Armadillo Roadkill]

A much better performance, and the first signs of resilience in the team. But they’re no world-beaters yet – Norwich were surprisingly poor for an in form team. Clarke will have had limited opportunity to affect tactics too much, although the defence looked far better drilled and took up a far better shape than they ever did in the Adkins era, but the drive and belief must have come from him.

The Referee was doing OK until the Norwich goal. If he had stopped play – which he had, because they didn’t take the throw in right away – then he has to clearly re-start the game, which would involve notifying BOTH teams.

Hector was my MOTM. We will miss Murray if, as I assume, he either goes back to Palace or to Derby. Great to see Mackie back. Love Simon Cox – even when he makes a mistake his drive and determination to put it right is outstanding.

(Note: Murray, Cox and Mackie all Adkins signings. Hector introduced into the team by him also, so there are some things he got spot on).

Top 10 and a cup run now and I’ll be happy.

[MmmMonsterMunch]

Great performance from all of them. Toss up between Norwood & Murray as MOTM for me.

First time in ages we've actually won the midfield battle. The urgency, tempo & desire all on the money. Some really neat passages of play & we deserved more than 2 goals.

Onwards & upwards. Thank fcuk Adkins is gone.

Hope & pray we keep Murray. He really is quite a player IMO.

[P!ssed Off]

Really good performance from everyone.

Thought Norwood was MoTM. A number of great set piece deliveries, plus so many tackles and interceptions.
HRK played well. Think that's 3 good performances from his last 4 starts.

[Nameless]

The Referee was doing OK until the Norwich goal. If he had stopped play – which he had, because they didn’t take the throw in right away – then he has to clearly re-start the game, which would involve notifying BOTH teams.

.

Not so, the ref merely has to signal that play can commence, and he can do that any way he wishes. Whistle, hand signal or word and there is no obligation to ensure both teams are aware.
In this case his problem was he had indicated that the subs could be made but then restarted without allowing us to make them. We were unsurprisingly not lined up ready to defend ....

[Pepe the Horseman]

Should Johnson even have been on the pitch when he scored? Was booked for the penalty and should've been booked again for a cynical challenge on Williams, when Martin ended up getting booked for dissent.

[Ian Royal]

Decent performance and a vital and deserved result.

I'm concerned about our tendency to sit back and surrender the game at times, but we rallied well today. The ref was woeful, for both sidess. Missing what looked like numerous free kicks and giving a lot of soft ones (mainly to us with the latter). We plaued some good stuff but still make too many mistakes and poor decisions. We're going long more often than I'd like.

Federici 7 solid performance, didn't look to have a chance with the goal andcommanded his area better
Gunter 6 not bad, not great - wasn't tested too much.
Obita 7 better, looks like he's been told to cross near not far, which sorts his overhit crosses
Pearce 7 good
Hector 7 few mistakes
Norwood 8 good passing and got stuck in too
Williams 6 ok, bit panicked withcleqrances at times
Hrk 6 good pen, didn't see a lot otherwise. Doesn't seem to want to go for things fully
McCleary 6 looks slower and uncomfortable, did ok
Cox 7 good goal and decent effort
Murray 7 everything but scored. Good cross for Cox's

Guthrie - looked surprisingly fit and sharp. His career might not be toast afterall.
Mackie - v pleased he's back. Good showing
Blackman- er?

Horah for a win. Not sure what happened for their goal, did we bring on Guthrie for Cox but not Mackie for McCleary, or didwe get neither on with one or more of the outgoers off slready? I'm not sure there's an option where it isn't a bigfuck up by the ref.

[tidus_mi2]

Decent performance and a vital and deserved result.

I'm concerned about our tendency to sit back and surrender the game at times, but we rallied well today. The ref was woeful, for both sidess. Missing what looked like numerous free kicks and giving a lot of soft ones (mainly to us with the latter). We plaued some good stuff but still make too many mistakes and poor decisions. We're going long more often than I'd like.

Federici 7 solid performance, didn't look to have a chance with the goal andcommanded his area better
Gunter 6 not bad, not great - wasn't tested too much.
Obita 7 better, looks like he's been told to cross near not far, which sorts his overhit crosses
Pearce 7 good
Hector 7 few mistakes
Norwood 8 good passing and got stuck in too
Williams 6 ok, bit panicked withcleqrances at times
Hrk 6 good pen, didn't see a lot otherwise. Doesn't seem to want to go for things fully
McCleary 6 looks slower and uncomfortable, did ok
Cox 7 good goal and decent effort
Murray 7 everything but scored. Good cross for Cox's

Guthrie - looked surprisingly fit and sharp. His career might not be toast afterall.
Mackie - v pleased he's back. Good showing
Blackman- er?

Horah for a win. Not sure what happened for their goal, did we bring on Guthrie for Cox but not Mackie for McCleary, or didwe get neither on with one or more of the outgoers off slready? I'm not sure there's an option where it isn't a bigfuck up by the ref.

From what I saw, we were about to make the first change, then McCleary went down so he needed to get treatment, we then decided to sub him so had 2 subs ready, probably thinking the referee would carry on with the substitution but instead he just allowed play to start again and Norwich went and scored.

[Para Handy]

Guthrie was already lined up waiting to come on for Cox. McCleary pulled up injured as the ball went out of play. Looked like the bench were telling McCleary to go down so the trainer could come on. After McCleary limped off I'm pretty sure the Ref looked over at the Reading bench and shook his head before restarting play and not letting either of the subs come on. Guess he thought it was timewasting.

[Avon Royal]

He clearly stopped the play for a substitution, then forgot to allow it to take place before restarting play. He screwed up pure and simple.

[Ian Royal]

That's what I thought. Shambles from him.

[RG7Fan]

Ref 3

You are having a laugh here? -5 at most!

Thing is, apart from not booking Jerome for an awful dive he had done quite well up to their goal.

I agree, he started off quite well. That dive was one of the worst I have ever seen (worse than our Pav) - ironically had he stayed on his feet he probably would have won the ball and scored.

[blueroyals]

The ref did the sub gesture and pointed to the 4th official. Then SC gestured to McCleary to delay things/go down so they had time to do the paperwork to take him off along with Guthrie for Cox (the planned sub). If we managed to get that all sorted before the ref resumed play then he should be in big trouble - allowing us to make a sub then preventing us from doing it once we'd gone down to 10 men, giving the oppo an unfair advantage. Never heard of him before so fingers crossed he'll be back in non-league next week - and staying there.

[Nameless]

Guthrie was already lined up waiting to come on for Cox. McCleary pulled up injured as the ball went out of play. Looked like the bench were telling McCleary to go down so the trainer could come on. After McCleary limped off I'm pretty sure the Ref looked over at the Reading bench and shook his head before restarting play and not letting either of the subs come on. Guess he thought it was timewasting.

Hard to time waste when the watch is stopped.....

[Huckleberry Hound]

Apart from the penalty, HRK was absolute toilet in the first half. Much improved second half though.

[RG7Fan]

I agree, he started off quite well. That dive was one of the worst I have ever seen (worse than our Pav) - ironically had he stayed on his feet he probably would have won the ball and scored.

Having said all that, this was the best home match for ages - perhaps all season. The team played like they wanted to win and didn't let their heads drop when Norwich scored (ahem...). Mick Gooding (BBC RB) was saying he was pleased the goal was allowed to stand as it forced Reading to dig in and defend - in a way he's probably right. The great thing is that they did knuckle down and protect the lead, not only that they had a number of really good counter attacks. Overall it was so much more positive, and 19500 'attendance' - result. Hopefully the start of more to come.

[Para Handy]

Hard to time waste when the watch is stopped.....

Yeah, sorry, should have been clearer. I meant waste time so they could get Mackie ready so they didn't go down to 10 men because Mackie wasn't stripped at that point.

[Ian Royal]

Hard to time waste when the watch is stopped.....

Yeah, sorry, should have been clearer. I meant waste time so they could get Mackie ready so they didn't go down to 10 men because Mackie wasn't stripped at that point.

Yeah but when you have a player down injured you want to sub during a stoppage, when was the last time you saw a ref not allow the sub.the issue is with players who pretend to be injured to kill time and then carry on, not the ones that actually want to come off.

[Para Handy]

Not sure what point you're trying to make.

Firstly, I don't believe that it's part of the laws of the game to add on time for throw ins although clearly it is for substitutions. Secondly, the substitution that was ready to take place was Guthrie for Cox. Thirdly, McCleary started hobbling when the ball went out of play.

I'm suggesting that the Ref was pissed off that the Reading bench signalled (or appeared to) for McCleary to go down so they had time to get Mackie ready. I'm not suggesting that he (the ref) was right or even that I am. I'm offering an opinion on what I saw from the West Stand.

Three posts on BFTG is enough for me.

[RoyalBlue]

The ref did the sub gesture and pointed to the 4th official. Then SC gestured to McCleary to delay things/go down so they had time to do the paperwork to take him off along with Guthrie for Cox (the planned sub). If we managed to get that all sorted before the ref resumed play then he should be in big trouble - allowing us to make a sub then preventing us from doing it once we'd gone down to 10 men, giving the oppo an unfair advantage. Never heard of him before so fingers crossed he'll be back in non-league next week - and staying there.

He was centre of some controversy last season when Birmingham were going to lodge a formal complaint about him. He apparently awarded a dubious freekick against them and then took the pee out of their captain when the opposition equalised through it.

The man was a complete arse today and had both sets of supporters incensed. It was disgraceful that he let Jerome off without a booking for that blatent dive, which would have led to a red card for Hector had the officials fallen for it.

Mind you, his assistant on the East Stand side was every bit as poor, missing some clear offsides against Norwich and then penalising them on other occasions when they were onside. He then trumped all of that with a shocking error when he raised his flag for offside against Cox when another Reading player was still in possession of the ball!