Back from the Game / Pub

[Ian Royal]

Bugger.

We just weren't in the first half at all, although still should have gone 1-0 up with what was a penalty. Admittedly it was a tough call from Webb's angle, so I don't blame him for giving a shove instead. I'm starting to get seriously worried about our defensive qualities. We let Defoe drift away from the defence and sit around the penalty spot three or four times in that game and in everyone he had an effort where he could have scored. And in fact did on two occasions. I'm pretty sure I saw the same dodgy qualities a couple of times against Chelsea.

There is no oxf*rd point in the centrebacks marking the six yard box if the strikers are standing on the 18 yard line unmarked because midfield hasn't followed in to pick them up.

Much better second half. Yes we looked much more open, but we made Spurs work for it and really troubled them. ALF completely turned us around and I think we have to start two up front the majority of our games. There are a lot of phenominal attacks out there, but there are also plenty of them with weak defences.

McCarthy nervy but no costly mistakes. Just. Harte poor, set pieces, absolutely rinsed for pace a couple of times, failed to win possession a few times when any normally paced leftback would have done and dropped an absolutely howler than went unpunished - like McCarthy. Pearce pick of the defence for me. McAnuff failed to create much, but then our midfield was chasing shadows a lot in general.

Pleased we gave them a run for their money second half and scored a goal. But must keep the ball better and absolutely must use it better. Too many loose passes and hopeful punts when a simple ball or the opportunity to advance in possession was on. Too many attempts to advance with the ball or play a short pass when the pressure was on and a hoof was needed.


0-1. Harte slaughtered for pace and either Karacan or Ledge (think Jem) failed to track Defoe from deep to make sure he was handed over and picked up by the defence. Easy Goal.
0-2. Defence drop deep to mark the six yard box allowing Defoe to drop into space mid-area and fire in. No tracking midfield to pick him up.
0-3. Class goal. I don't think Gorkss should have lost it, but you can't plan for that sort of run and finish.
1-3. great ball in by ALF. He's our link up man. I've not been impressed by Jem coming back and against all but the best we're better off with ALF in for him linking up with Guthrie to get some decent play going.

MOTM - er... Pearce or ALF maybe.

[double d]

I don't like playing with one upfront. No support today untill we went with Le Fondre, and looked more lively. Too many silly mistakes and giving the ball away. Plus the defending for all goals, but especially the 3rd was absolutely shocking!!!! Honestly cannot say who is MOTM...

[double d]

Oh and we NEED a left back who can actually keep up with somebody. Harte got rinsed by the pass for the 1st goal. He will be a weak link this season coming up against Sinclair, Nani, Lennon etc

[ManchesterRoyals]

We look well out of our league today

[Zammo]

If there is a plus side to that absolutely woeful performance, we surely cannot play that bad again this season.

[NR_Royal]

Can we all stop over-reacting? We'll go 4-4-2 against West Brom, and we'll probably win. Then you'll all STILL find something to complain about.

Shorey isn't the answer to Harte's issues.
McCarthy did well.
We should have started 4-4-2.

[Barry the bird boggler]

Shocking decision by Brian to play 451 or 4411 or whatever it was from the start and as a result we were absolute crap for the first 45 minutes.

Much better in the second half but still took us nearly the whole half to get a strike on target.

Overall it's just not good enough.

[Zammo]

Can we all stop over-reacting? We'll go 4-4-2 against West Brom, and we'll probably win. Then you'll all STILL find something to complain about.

Shorey isn't the answer to Harte's issues.
McCarthy did well.
We should have started 4-4-2.

LOLz. Don't mind losing, m8. Inept performances are something to complain about.

[super darren caskey]

Positives

We played Spurs a top side even though they have had a bad start

We aint bottom

Encouraging 2nd half and if it was a lesser team we would proberly have got back in it and maybe won

[dogzbollox]

Sooooo...that's how you play football in the Prem is it?

#masterclass


#verylongseason

[St Pauli]

Due to finances that was the first game I've been to in about 11 years where I wasn't drunk, which leads me to ask, is it always that bad?

[Rex]

Fcuking hell. End of thread.

[BrockManson]

Kneejerk reactions...

Quite simply Harte should never have been selected to play in this one. We're critically weak on the left hand side with him and Jobi. Both players are not cut out for premiership football. Harte has been finished for seasons, and we have Guthrie who can take set pieces now. The lack of investment in a first team left back will be biting us on the arse until January when it can be addressed. I'd play Mariappa there tbh.

Our Captain was meek as a mouse, not once was he shaking the team up and spurring the team on. Jobi was utterly dreadful all game, the juxtaposition with McCleary on the right was embarrassing. He was poor against Stoke too, time for a shake up and a big call in sitting him out for WBA - a must win game.

Gorks allowed a midget to muscle him off the ball, and the rest of the defence failed to challenge him as he ran to the goal. Defoe is a proven goalscorer (he could've had 4 today if he hadn't been going for goal of the month with each chance) so that's absolutely inexcusable.

Kamicarthy is not ready for premiership football. Play Taylor.

We were passengers for 2/3 of the game. Not good enough.

[Reading West]

I dunno

I am hoping that 25 days without Prem football was a factor on how bad we played in the first half, it is bad enough losing to a half decent team, but with no fight as was the case in the first half is something else.

I honestly believe you won't see Reading play so inept without any fight like this for the rest of the season, and hopefully this will initiate the right sort of reaction at WBA

[bobbybottler]

Kneejerk reactions...

Finding that a Back From The Game thread has been started by someone who wasn't within 100 miles of the match.

[Plymouth_Royal]

Interesting match

1st half

We were clearly not with it. Thought we were very slow to react to second balls and
didn't play at the high tempo we're used to. Deservedly behind at half time. As for the pen, yes the player shouldnt have
had his hand up but it was a nudge in the back regardless IMO.


2nd Half.

change of formation to a 4-4-2 and we looked a lot better. Harsh on Jem to be replaced though as Ledge was awful.
Spurs dominated the middle though and hrk scored a real quality goal after great work from alfie.

Ratings
McCarthy 6 - two cracking, one awful error, which he was lucky to get away with. However, he didnt look shot of confidence like feds
did when he made an error. Jury still out on him IMO.

Harte 6 - average. couple of good free kicks couple of shite ones. done for pace but otherwise ok. got lucky for defoe's miss as his touch was to heavy.

Pearce 7 - Solid, great save for sig's shot.

Gorrks 6 - not as good as Pearce but ok.

Gunter 6 - tried to link up with McCleary well, defensively ok. couple of decent crosses.

Karacan 6 - played ok in a dire midfield first half. never lost possession. harassed and kept it simple. If he was taller
ledge would have gone off rather than him.

Ledge 5 - slow, not with it, lost possession on the rare occasion he had it and only stayed on because of his physical presence.
got better second half tbf but not impressed.

Guthrie 6 - didn't have one of his better games but worked hard and actually tried to make things happen.

Mcanuff 5 - well out of his depth. 1 great bit of skill to send harte on the overlap, that was it.

McCleary 7 - good skills, pace and looks a handful.

Pog 7 - worked hard, has good feet, put in a good ball to the box. needs better quality around him.

Subs

Alfie 7 - came on caused problems and setup hrk, needs to start in a 4-4-2 next game. I can't understand why he keeps getting dropped!!
HRK 6 - took his goal well and did more than McAnuff all game. should be given a chance next game but can't see that happening.
Hunt 0 - didnt touch the ball, can't give him a rating...not a fan anyway.

Observations.

we looked more comfortable when playing 4-4-2 and played our normal high tempo, direct style. ALfie needs to start with pog and
imo jem should be given a run with guthrie in the middle as ledge hasn't seemed up to it. Would also like to see HRK or Kebe given a run
in place of McAnuff.

Keeper debate
McCarthy looked ok. Great reflexs but my gut feeling is there is always an error waiting to happen, so doesn't really fill me with much more
confidence than feds.

[Davezk]

I don't know where everyone has this idea we play football 'the right way' because what I saw this game was, bar a few good passing moves, a lot of hoofing it forward into the channels which eventually lost the ball.

We don't look good enough. I could probably accept relegation but I'm worried we'll get battered week in week out. We look poor at the back (McCarthy and Harte with their comedy first touches) and lightweight upfront (on the rare occasion we make it into the final third with 2 players).

Hoping for a much better performance against WBA away, seeing that I'll be at that match.

[rob9182]

Back and I can only say one thing.

Does the Captaincy make you immune to substitution. McAnuff was simply not good enough, didn't track back and didn't stick to his position when Tottenham got the ball. This put Harte in sticky situations when we needed two player back in the corner. I know Harte didn't have a good game but Mcleary was always back helping Gunther when needed. I would have brought Kanu on straight away at half time and would certainly have never played 4-4-1-1. It pushes our midfield so deep that we never advance with the ball with the impetus that we had last season on the counter. Tottenham were good today but if McAnuff had been tracking back we wouldn't have gone 1 down and then who knows what else would have been different.

Drop him please he has a habit of playing badly 5 or so games in a row!!

[JordCot]

In theory I don't mind playing one up front because as we saw against chelsea we can score goals with it but for me Guthrie just looked lost today. As our creative midfielder and best passer we need him on the ball as much as possible and that is going to happen when he is slightly deeper. It seemed we were playing more 4411 rather than 451 and I don't think 1)guthrie has the right qualities to play so close to Pog and 2) we don't have good enough other midfielders for him not to player deeper. Roberts and Kebe back as soon as possible please to at least give us some options

[rob9182]

I don't know where everyone has this idea we play football 'the right way' because what I saw this game was, bar a few good passing moves, a lot of hoofing it forward into the channels which eventually lost the ball.

We don't look good enough. I could probably accept relegation but I'm worried we'll get battered week in week out. We look poor at the back (McCarthy and Harte with their comedy first touches) and lightweight upfront (on the rare occasion we make it into the final third with 2 players).

Hoping for a much better performance against WBA away, seeing that I'll be at that match.

Completely agree with this. As soon as we start to look negative we decide that hoofing it up the pitch is the best idea! This is awful play as we are clearly at our best when passing it about and keeping it away from opposition feet!