BFTG Barnsley

[paultheroyal]

First away game for me in a long time. Don't think I will bother going again for a while.

We were utterly devoid of creativity, bar one decent cross which resulted in our goal.

Their equaliser infuriated me. A full back who played regularly under Van Gaal at United decides in injury time to completely stand off the Barnsley player that crossed the ball for their goal. Call me old fashioned, but I thought full backs were supposed to close down wide players. It wasn't an isolated incident either. Time and time again they were allowed space and time to cross the ball.

Unforgivable given the manager was one of the finest defenders of his generation. Basic simple stuff that Sunday league players can grasp.

Is the radio berks report true that the players (and stam) didn't go over the travelling supporters after the game and just cleared off down the tunnel ?

Yes that was true. One or two of the players clapped the fans (can't remember which ones tbh). The tunnel is at the away end at Oakwell but none of them went out of their way to properly applaud the supporters.

This is not true.

[Lower West]

Something upset Moore today. Looked infuriated after the final whistle had gone.

Mmmmm, wonder what that could have been? It’s a mystery alright........

I would hazard a guess at at the equaliser. We've conceded a far few from poor defending from crosses this year. Both goals at Bolton for example.

Although Cooper was never going to a Stam type of player. Would have been better to have kept him until a suitable replacement was found.

[Lower West]

Edwards & Evans in the middle do little (at least today),

Evans didn't come on until the 62nd minute. I'd preferred Evans to have replaced Edwards.

[Victor Meldrew]

Absolutely stunning cross from Blackett for Kermorgant to score.

Fairly standard RFC fullback standing off the crosser for their goal. McShane comprehensively beaten in the middle. I wish we got tighter on wingers.

Ian,
The mate I go to football with used to play full-back and for years we have yelled at our full-backs to block crosses and not just try to jockey the opposing winger.
Also, so many times they haven't done their homework and readily allow the opposition players to go onto their stronger foot.
This is simple stuff-too simple it seems for the players and coaching staff.

[RoyalBlue]

Was at the game myself, well done to everyone that went!

Big positives were that Yann is now up and running and we didn’t lose.

It is clear that our team isn’t good enough to play the football Stam demands, I have to ask what on earth are we trying to achieve by playing across the back?

McShane would be lucky to make a league one side at the moment never mind be the skipper. He’s been woeful recently and again he gave the ball away numerous times.

That captaincy needs to go to Moore who sets the standard every week, I’m sick of him being let down by his team mates we don’t deserve him and he deserves much better.

I’m trying to look at it from both sides but what inspiration do the fans get from watching this every week never mind the fact Stam doesn’t really appreciate the fans.

Something has to give and unfortunately I think Jaaps time is up if we lose next Tuesday.

Admiration for you for making the trip and I feel for you, genuinely. Not only has he let you down, he’s let lots of people at this club down. Stam in his world is the centre of the universe and he can never, ever be wrong or personally at fault. That’s why we’re in this mess.

I wouldn’t blame McShane or any other player, they’re just as pissed off as we are, after all it’s their career Jaap’s oxf*rd with.

There's an easy solution to that - start playing better as individuals (there are far too many cases of lack of effort, conviction and concentration - Stam doesn't make them stop concentrating or tell them to switch off and misplace simple passes) , then another club might come in for them. Currently many of the squad are more to blame them Stam. Trouble is, if he started dropping the big names, his critics would moan about that too.

[RoyalBlue]

Great cross by Blackett for the goal which we celebrated before Kermit connected with it, shame he was then done like a kipper for their goal.

I love it!

When the lineups were revealed I smiled turned to my wife and said "Well if he's on that's at least one goal we're conceding today..."

If a fan can predict this from an armchair what the **** is a ex-defender manager doing? I'm guessing Omar Richards is injured. Even then I'd play anyone else there other than the ridiculous defensive liability that Blackett is

---

As for Stam.... I'm done with him.

I voted IN on the thread but have changed my mind. I actually cheered when we let one in. That's not right. You know you're done with a manager when you want his team to lose.

Come on Brum!

Actually it's your team that you are wanting to lose. If you want Birmingham to win, kindly get a ticket in the away end.

As for your criticism of Blackett - at least he came out even yesterday (one assist and one scapegoating - who was supposed to be marking the guy who scored?) , unlike many of his team mates who have escaped your criticism

[Hound]

Blackett looked terrified of being skinned, hence held back. Wasn’t great, but it was just a cross lumped into the middle. McShane then left his man totally unmarked despite having plenty of time to line him up, hence the free header

[bcubed]

Or on the train to be precise

A first half utterly devoid of skill from both teams, yes it was windy but there were 22 players stealing a living out there.

Great cross by Blackett for the goal which we celebrated before Kermit connected with it, shame he was then done like a kipper for their goal.

Mannone kept us in it at times, Joey had a reasonable first half and then was completely off the pace for the second.

Glad I went because there's nothing quite like singing yourself hoarse at an away game but dear God I'm glad I don't pay to watch that every week. (ifollow doesn't count)

Good effort from you and your group
Were you the guy with an impressive beard?

No, he was a couple of rows behind me, I wasn't actually part of the group, myself, my brother and brother in law were the three standing in the row in front of that group. I laughed when the steward informed us very seriously that it was "allocated seating today" on entry. Took one look at our assigned seats and made a bee line straight for the back of the stand.

Likewise when I turned up I said, I guess we can sit anywhere and two stewards both said no it's allocated seating. I looked for a smile but they were deadly serious!

[bcubed]

Cold but more significantly very windy which usually makes for a scrappy game and it did.

Actually thought Blackett played one of his better games (at left back) and looked to be positive and get forward whenever he could. I didn't see what happened with their goal.

Generally forgettable game that Barnsley got more and more into and deserved their point. Mannone stopped it being even more.

Subs were interesting and whatever the thinking Stam got it wrong again.

Moore did look pissed off at the end. He's probably wondering why he's playing in such a lacklustre and poorly organised team.

[Denver Royal]

Absolutely stunning cross from Blackett for Kermorgant to score.

Fairly standard RFC fullback standing off the crosser for their goal. McShane comprehensively beaten in the middle. I wish we got tighter on wingers.

Ian,
The mate I go to football with used to play full-back and for years we have yelled at our full-backs to block crosses and not just try to jockey the opposing winger.
Also, so many times they haven't done their homework and readily allow the opposition players to go onto their stronger foot.
This is simple stuff-too simple it seems for the players and coaching staff.

This is footy 101 stuff. As a fullback you are taught this at youth level, high school level, and most certainly at Academy level.

[Hound]

It is but it’s too simplistic to just get close and stop the cross. If he’d got tight to him, and then skinned the winger would have been in all sorts of space to pick someone out

As it was he just put it into the box from a way out. That should have been dealt with by the CBs comfortably

[Denver Royal]

Yep, agreed, Hound. We are vulnerable in the middle to crosses late in games. Home to Cardiff was another example of it.

[muirinho]

It is but it’s too simplistic to just get close and stop the cross. If he’d got tight to him, and then skinned the winger would have been in all sorts of space to pick someone out

As it was he just put it into the box from a way out. That should have been dealt with by the CBs comfortably

Agreed. This is actually what fullbacks get told these days. Stop the cross if you can, but concentrate on pushing them wide, and not letting them cut inside. It's the central defenders that are supposed to deal with the crosses.

I hate to say this, because I like Macca, but he's not doing enough for me to justify his selection right now. Time to give Ilori another go?

[Snowflake Royal]

Absolutely stunning cross from Blackett for Kermorgant to score.

Fairly standard RFC fullback standing off the crosser for their goal. McShane comprehensively beaten in the middle. I wish we got tighter on wingers.

Ian,
The mate I go to football with used to play full-back and for years we have yelled at our full-backs to block crosses and not just try to jockey the opposing winger.
Also, so many times they haven't done their homework and readily allow the opposition players to go onto their stronger foot.
This is simple stuff-too simple it seems for the players and coaching staff.

The thing that bugs me is that they never even try to get withing two arms lengths of the player so much of the time. How can you untervene or affect their play if your a full 5 yards away.

You look at our wingers and they're barely ever in the same amount of space as our full backs give.

There's a big difference between tight enough and too tight.

[leon]

It’s basically get them on their wrong foot and keep them there. This doesn’t work however if they are very quick or just very good.

[Millsy]

Great cross by Blackett for the goal which we celebrated before Kermit connected with it, shame he was then done like a kipper for their goal.

I love it!

When the lineups were revealed I smiled turned to my wife and said "Well if he's on that's at least one goal we're conceding today..."

If a fan can predict this from an armchair what the **** is a ex-defender manager doing? I'm guessing Omar Richards is injured. Even then I'd play anyone else there other than the ridiculous defensive liability that Blackett is

---

As for Stam.... I'm done with him.

I voted IN on the thread but have changed my mind. I actually cheered when we let one in. That's not right. You know you're done with a manager when you want his team to lose.

Come on Brum!

Actually it's your team that you are wanting to lose. If you want Birmingham to win, kindly get a ticket in the away end.

As for your criticism of Blackett - at least he came out even yesterday (one assist and one scapegoating - who was supposed to be marking the guy who scored?) , unlike many of his team mates who have escaped your criticism

Your points are fair. Why would a Reading fan want Reading to lose? In my head I don't, but my emotions betray me and that's when I know there's something wrong. We all love Reading in our different ways. Some just like us to play less badly on a game by game basis so any goal or result is good as we may end up say 16th instead of 17th, But some of us take a more long term view and are willing to sacrifice a point or three if it will mean there will be meaningful change for the long term good. The former are happy for the odd goal to paper over the cracks, the latter want the cracks to be visible to everyone so there's meaningful change. The former are happy to us scrape the odd draw or win and end up midtable, hold onto a clueless n00b of a manager who will serve up the same shit next year if not get us relegated. The latter are wanting things to get worse before they get better so we bring in a manager who knows what he's doing and gets this set of individually excellent set of players to perform to their true potential. Whatever our view we all love Reading the same or we wouldn't be here. I feel I love Reading even more than you do. You will probably feel the opposite. That's fair and there's no right or wrong. For what it's worth I'd actually LOVE to be hearing on BBC that we're suddenly clicking and playing decisive flowing football and having lots of chances and to have won 5-0. That may happen against Brum and I'd be delighted. But when they keep moaning that the footy we play is shocking, we haven't learnt anything etc etc.. it just seems more of the same and there's no reason I'd want to let a lucky goal perpetuate the farce.

As for Blackett - yeah the assist sounds great, good man! Credit to the lad for that! But he's not well known for doing those sorts of assists, and he IS well known amongst most fans and pundits for being quite frankly a defensive liability. How uncanny that I rolled my eyes when his name was read out and surprise surprise he was at least partly responsible for the goal. Fair point though about the team mates. They are certainly also to blame certainly but they don't have the misfortune of having built up a poor reputation that's all so poor Blackett gets more grief I agree. An odd mistake is acceptable. Repeated blunders that build you up a reputation is different.

[bcubed]

Cold but more significantly very windy which usually makes for a scrappy game and it did.

Actually thought Blackett played one of his better games (at left back) and looked to be positive and get forward whenever he could. I didn't see what happened with their goal.

Generally forgettable game that Barnsley got more and more into and deserved their point. Mannone stopped it being even more.

Subs were interesting and whatever the thinking Stam got it wrong again.

Moore did look pissed off at the end. He's probably wondering why he's playing in such a lacklustre and poorly organised team.

And I forgot to add McShane was poor again. I counted four passes given away under no pressure in first half hour.