MERGED - QPR: Back from the game

[Rex]

After continuing an ineffective surge forward. The pass out to the wing went awry and went out of play. To me it wasn't deliberately put out.

[bcubed]

Not sure what people were expecting from this game
Anyone who went to Swansea would not be expecting a great deal from our away performances at the moment
I didn't expect a thrilling game and didn't see one, but I enjoyed the day nevertheless
Walkabout was good - good recommendation from someone on here, thanks for that
The atmosphere in the tiny "corridor" inside the ground waiting for a beer, before the game started was excellent
It was VERY cold and it was windy so not conducive to good football.
I am not a fan of Lita but thought he played pretty well but I am still not convinced that he and Doyle are a good combination - they just don't seem to read each other's runs.
Despite what others have said I thought Hunt was much improved from the Wolves game and put in a lot of work and many key tackles
The game was not great but I'll settle for the point and a good day out

[IMAMATEOFJOVSKY]

Take it from the comments that Harper didnt play too well then......

My my .....that is a surprise considering hes been playing to that level all season - good to see that more people are now recognising it - he's over-rated, and I am absolutely astonished that any premiership club would want to buy him- even more astonished that they would pay for him the same as Hull paid for Bullard and more than double what Wigan paid for Watson - Im sure there are many more examples where up to £5m has been better spent on players than that ludicrous amount of a average championship level player like Harper

The football world has gone effing mad

[madreadingfan]

absolutley freezing colod and a shit performance

thought cisse pearce and leroy had a good match though
and the atmosphere was good but it could of been alot better if if wasnt so cold and stood up all game for once which was goood, it was all about Z6 though and that man who went mental at us in the QPR end

[Rex]

Yeah his chest beating was funny. Even funnier when his partner told him to sit down.

[SLAMMED]

From these photos Slammed, you must have been behind me, I was sat next to the "odd couple" that moved in the first 10 mins. The reason they moved was because the idiot behind them kept efin and blinding continually.
But please tell me you are not the tosser who slagged the team off the whole game shouting,
"this is fkcin sh*t"
"fkcn sort it out"
"your all twats"
"fkc off to Spurs Hunt"
etc. etc. etc.
In fact I nearly saved the stewards a job.

Nah i wasnt the tosser, he was sitting next to me. He pissed me off as well. Every 5 minutes i would get "Hunt dont take the corner your f*cking sh*t!" hammered into my right ear.

[loyalroyal4life]

That was a shocking game!!! I would of taken a point before the game thinking qpr are a decent side but in all honesty, we should of beaten them.


Highlight was being in z3 and being able to actually stand up for the full 90 minutes without intervention from stewards or an old man complaining behind me!!

Hope Harper goes, he is toilet

[Woodcote Royal]

It was a flat performance but you have to give QPR some credit for that, it's a tight old pitch at Loftus Road, and QPR flooded their midfield and kept their 4-5-1 all the way through the match, their Midfielders worked very hard to close us down, to rush us and deny us space, and their centre-backs played well.
In fact, QPR have a great record against the top sides in this division and their tactics gave us a clue why...
Perhaps, if QPR played 4-4-2 or changed the tactics rather than subs coming on like for like, it would have opened the match for them, indeed some QPR mates I chatted to felt that we were there for the taking if they had done so.
Who knows.

Anyway, Reading lacked that bit of quality, composure and guile to break down the puzzle offered by QPR and the performance from the team as a result led to the wrong option, silly mistakes and all round ineffective team performance.

On the upside, defensively another clean sheet, Fed is really looking like the number 1 and Doyle and Lita laboured, but never gave up for that ONE CHANCE with the scraps fed to them.
But the midfield really strugged to get a grip, just didn't happen today and it frustrated many fans looking for their rightful victory on what seemed to be their big day out...

I'm very pragmatic about it all, credit to QPR, nevermind RFC, we didn't lose.

Interesting to think of it from QPR fans perspective. If my team played 4-5-1 at home I'd be okay with it so long as the spare man played off the front man. To play the spare man (Mahon) in front of the back four would drive me nuts. Especially on such a narrow pitch when 4 can cover the space of 5 in any case.
But, the QPR fans are probably right in that we'd have won against 4-4-2 (look what happened when Watford changed to 4-4-2) and I'm afraid we're just going to have to put up with it for the rest of the season. Our CM will never look good in 3 v 2 (as would be the case for any other team), our wide men will be denied space constantly and we'll see lot's of hoofball.
BUT...not many sides are going to score against us with 4-5-1 and we're capable of nicking goals to win games. So, promotion beckons but it won't be pretty !!

Would have gone had I been able to get a ticket at the last minute but I'm probably glad now that I couldn't

In the grand scheme of things, the point was a good one but it concerns me that our manager still appears susceptible to the tunnel vision that drove us to a needless relegation.

If his priority was to avoid returning empty handed from another form team like Swansea, I think he was absolutely right but the selection of his bench and, as ever, it's deployment suggests that he's dusted off those extra big blinkers that he wore 24/7 for the first half of 2008

Whilst I continue to despair of those who fail to grasp the basic economics that would make Stephen Hunt worth £5m to a number of Premiership clubs desperately attempting to avoid the drop, the fact is, he has not been at his best lately. Those expertly delivered corners, that almost justified his place on their own, have deserted him.

Furthermore, and despite what some of Harper's biggest fans may think, he, too, has been no where near his best for much of this season.

In fact, and as Royal Rother points out elsewhere, some of this seasons most impressive performances involved Karacan and Gunnarsson in the centre and yet these days the former can't even get on the bench. And, despite Hunt's current form, neither can Tabb

Meanwhile, Marek, a class act on his day, has failed to impress when given the chance yet, he still gets to collect splinters in his backside every Saturday despite his managers understandable reluctance to risk using him when not losing is the obvious priority

As Rother also observes, despite much panic in the ranks whenever seemingly vital players have been lost to injury/suspension, his replacement has invariably stepped into the breach with aplomb.

So why, yet again, is our manager so reluctant to place potential replacements on his bench for favourites who are struggling for form........................... have I just answered my own question

Tabb would not have been the liability that Marek is in a "backs to the wall" situation and would have been a viable option for any of the midfield (but Hunt in particular) capable of supplying the kind of service that would have gone a long way to justifying Lita's selection over Long.

Whilst I didn't see this match, our shortcomings in these games have been so well telegraphed that I bet half of those who went knew exactly what to expect yet, just like last season when our obvious demise was unfolding before our eyes, I'm starting to get the impression that some players will play until May regardless whilst others will continue to be ignored despite good performances when called upon in the past.

Basically, I believe the point will prove to be a good one but feel we could have done rather more in an attempt to win all 3.

[OLLIE KEARNS]

WR, part of me would also like to see things freshened up a bit not least because it might cause opposing sides to rethink the now set in stone 4-5-1 formation deployed against us every week. The flip side of that however is that we have lost only twice in the last 16 games including victories over both our nearest rivals. A trend that would see us go back up as Champions in May.
The other interesting element is the way the fixtures pan out. We took advantage of a softer run of fixtures up to the Norwich game and I feared we may backtrack from Brum away through to QPR away. However, we've actually continued that momentum and we now go into another run of potentially softer fixtures.
The bottom line is that it would be a difficult decision to start to change something that is working so well (results wise at least) as we head down the finishing straight.

[Woodcote Royal]

WR, part of me would also like to see things freshened up a bit not least because it might cause opposing sides to rethink the now set in stone 4-5-1 formation deployed against us every week. The flip side of that however is that we have lost only twice in the last 16 games including victories over both our nearest rivals. A trend that would see us go back up as Champions in May.
The other interesting element is the way the fixtures pan out. We took advantage of a softer run of fixtures up to the Norwich game and I feared we may backtrack from Brum away through to QPR away. However, we've actually continued that momentum and we now go into another run of potentially softer fixtures.
The bottom line is that it would be a difficult decision to start to change something that is working so well (results wise at least) as we head down the finishing straight.

I'm not looking for mass changes but the fact is, a certain amount of re-invention is invariably required mid season to avoid being "sussed" as we clearly have been in certain quarters.......................and a match changing bench plus a greater willingness to employ it would go a long way to ease my concerns.

[OLLIE KEARNS]

WR, part of me would also like to see things freshened up a bit not least because it might cause opposing sides to rethink the now set in stone 4-5-1 formation deployed against us every week. The flip side of that however is that we have lost only twice in the last 16 games including victories over both our nearest rivals. A trend that would see us go back up as Champions in May.
The other interesting element is the way the fixtures pan out. We took advantage of a softer run of fixtures up to the Norwich game and I feared we may backtrack from Brum away through to QPR away. However, we've actually continued that momentum and we now go into another run of potentially softer fixtures.
The bottom line is that it would be a difficult decision to start to change something that is working so well (results wise at least) as we head down the finishing straight.

I'm not looking for mass changes but the fact is, a certain amount of re-invention is invariably required mid season to avoid being "sussed" as we clearly have been in certain quarters.......................and a match changing bench plus a greater willingness to employ it would go a long way to ease my concerns.

But that's the issue in a nutshell. We've been sussed since we stuck 6 and 4 past Sheff Wed and Swansea in that everyone plays a defensive 4-5-1 against us and stops us getting width. And yet we continue on an upward curve points wise.
Yesterday was typical of the whole scenario. We were the better side in the second half but still without a great deal of creativity. Would you utilise a "match changing bench" (Matejovsky maybe ?) or stick with what you had given that we were the only side likely to win the game at that stage ?
It's a difficult question for sure. I can just understand why Coppell would continue to go with a formula that is picking up more points that all of our rivals. Even though I'd prefer your option as far as watching enjoyable football is concerned

[holsgrove breaks a leg]

Lol... we have been mediocre for a month as have Wolves and all of a sudden the division is rubbish...
you should have kept a close eye on it last year...now that really was sh1t.

except, as AP said, he mentioned this MONTHS ago.

yeah it is a particularily poor division this season but it begs the question, why there was such negativity in certain quarters at the beginning of the season about Reading's chances (im sure Schards could enlighten us!) when it is clear that we have a strong team compared to the majority that the championship has to offer, i really think a lot of posters underestimated what a decent side we still have....

[bishbosh92]

Though despite a very boring game which i predicted we did put alot of effort into the performance certain players anyway draw was fair result either team could of nicked it though!!

Lita looked sharp and didnt stop running

defence did well and also Cisse

Harps and Hunt both looked like they didnt wanna be there!!

but tbh for a boring game and shit view waste of money!!

[Woodcote Royal]

But that's the issue in a nutshell. We've been sussed since we stuck 6 and 4 past Sheff Wed and Swansea in that everyone plays a defensive 4-5-1 against us and stops us getting width. And yet we continue on an upward curve points wise.
Yesterday was typical of the whole scenario. We were the better side in the second half but still without a great deal of creativity. Would you utilise a "match changing bench" (Matejovsky maybe ?) or stick with what you had given that we were the only side likely to win the game at that stage ?
It's a difficult question for sure. I can just understand why Coppell would continue to go with a formula that is picking up more points that all of our rivals. Even though I'd prefer your option as far as watching enjoyable football is concerned

One of a number of points I'm making is that if a war of attrition was Coppell's main aim yesterday then, Marek should not have been on the bench because he is, indeed, too great a risk in these circumstances whereas Tabb would have been a much safer bet providing cover for half the team.

We may have only lost twice in the last 16 but this doesn't really tell the whole story, does it?

We were decidedly 2nd best to both Cardiff and Swansea and failed to beat the lowly Scummers in 2 attempts.

Only heroics from Federici saved our blushes against a Cardiff side rapidly closing the gap between us by winning games rather than merely not losing.

As I said, I believe the point will prove to be a good one but just playing safe for the rest of the season could ensure that this will be Coppell's last whether he likes it or not.

[The Real Sandhurst Royal]

Another RFC lack luster away performance at QPR with about the same effort exerted by the players as they did at Swansea. The only difference for this game was that we picked up an away point in a boring 0-0 draw in very cold and windy conditions. The midfield has no drive or delivery as Harper and Cisse play much too deep and play to close together. Even when they do get the ball they cannot deliver a simple pass on the ground to start an attack all they do is play it airborne in the channels for the opposition defenders to defend easily.

It is time for some changes in the midfield for me as we maybe second at this moment but if we continue to put in performances like this I do question a top two finish.

[Row Z Royal]

But please tell me you are not the tosser who slagged the team off the whole game shouting,
"this is fkcin sh*t"
"fkcn sort it out"
"your all twats"
"fkc off to Spurs Hunt"
etc. etc. etc.
In fact I nearly saved the stewards a job.

Could be any of 2500 people really.

[Smoking Kills Dancing Doe]

We will look back on this as a good point at the end of the season.

However yesterday showed again we have no plan b. We rely on our front 4 so much and they are good players. But when Hunt 1 and 2, Doyle and Kebe are not doing it what else do we have? Thought Lita had is best game in a while, but we all know his short coming and he needs the players around him, Long isn't good enough, neither is Convey. Coppell won't play Marek in a 4 and doesn't seemed interested in replacing Kebe with Henry. Think Tabb is a decent signing, but he's tidy, runs a lot, we already have that.

People around me were getting upset that we didn't make any subs, but I was looking at the bench and thinking who would make a difference?

Our plan b seems simply to get our centre halves, who are not great passers, to play long balls up the pitch and it never works.

[Southbank Old Boy]

One of a number of points I'm making is that if a war of attrition was Coppell's main aim yesterday then, Marek should not have been on the bench because he is, indeed, too great a risk in these circumstances whereas Tabb would have been a much safer bet providing cover for half the team.

I agree with what your saying Woodcote but I'd guess that Marek was on the bench BECAUSE he is different to the players he sent out there to win the war of attrition. If that was had gone the other way and we'd again been looking at a lose Marek is the one to change it. Gunnarsson was on the bench to give cover for the dogs of war, and Marek there to change our approach if needed

Tabb or Marek? Well Coppell is always slow to introduce players into the team so there isn't much of a surprise there

[Woodcote Royal]

People around me were getting upset that we didn't make any subs, but I was looking at the bench and thinking who would make a difference?

I agree but think Tabb would have increased our options over Marek.

If Coppell didn't feel he had a sub worth bringing on in an attempt to the win the game he needs to re-assess who he puts on the bench.

[Smoking Kills Dancing Doe]

People around me were getting upset that we didn't make any subs, but I was looking at the bench and thinking who would make a difference?

I agree but think Tabb would have increased our options over Marek.

If Coppell didn't feel he had a sub worth bringing on in an attempt to the win the game he needs to re-assess who he puts on the bench.

I think with Tabb is was mind games on Coppell's part, making him hungry kind of thing. Which I think is a good idea and I'm sure he will be on the bench very soon.

Marek is a total inigma imo. He's shown quality that no one else at the club has, but he really doesn't seem to fit into a 442 the way we play and don't think we get the best out of Doyle (our best player) in a 451. I think it can be argued that it is pointless using Marek as a sub, yes he gives us something different, but can we use it?

I'd like to see Cambell - Ryce come in even if Hunt stays, a quick, strong winger, who can play both sides and actually push Kebe and Hunt for their places.