BFTG - Brum

[John Madejski's Wallet]

A lot to take in from that game.

First the negatives.
Brum should have scored a lot more, there were chunks of both halves where they were cutting us open so easily, getting it out wide and putting really dangerous balls across the box. Terrible kicking out from Hein and Holmes a lumbering liability on the deck and when they ran in behind. Ref absolutely bottling sending off their defender early in the second half

Positives.
Hein was solid, and Holmes was imperious in the air. And end to the zonal marking and not always having all 11 in the box was very welcome. And in the second half we stopped dicking about at the back so much. And for once a HT team talk seemed to make decent changes and get us to step up. More of that please!

Highlights.
Rino easily MotM for me, Swift was also great, as were Hoilet and Ince in fits and spurts. Good to see TMac back in defence

7 from 9, onwards and upwards. Well two more winnable games until we hit a difficult run, so hopefully we can get another 4-6 from Blackpool and Millwall

[Royalwaster]

How can you not mention the big positive of Joao having found his goal scoring form again - thought his goal was beautifully taken once again ...

[John Madejski's Wallet]

How can you not mention the big positive of Joao having found his goal scoring form again - thought his goal was beautifully taken once again ...

Yeah the second he turned onto his right foot you just knew there was only one outcome

Nice to have that feeling back

[Snowflake Royal]

How can you not mention the big positive of Joao having found his goal scoring form again - thought his goal was beautifully taken once again ...

Beautifully stroked into the corner.
5 goals since he got back in the first XI 7 games ago.

And he's not even at his best yet.

[mikey0406]

How we went in at half time level escapes me, made it too easy to split the full back/centre half and pull the ball back along the box. Thought Henandez and Taylor completely bossed the first half.

Second half we came out, pushed swift further forward and showed what we can do when we get players around Joao. Held up the ball well today and brought other players in.

Positives:
3 points
TMc back and Yiadom - thought had good games after coming through a tough first half
Rino/Swift/Joao could easily be MOTM. Thought drinkwater had a good came too.

Still mixing up zonal/man marking, but felt the mix was much better today. Morrison really commands that back 4.

-ve’s
Stop messing around in the back line, dodgy clearances and lack of confidence nearly cost us
Holmes needs the confidence on the deck, he controls arial duels
Hein - distribution?!?

Great to see another 3 points and the crowd seemed to want to get behind the team tonight

[NathStPaul]

First Reading game that I've attended in person since October, glad to be back and watching a team that have a bit of fight and passion in them again. I'll reserve judgement on Ince as a long term appointment until we have played a few more games but you can tell right away that he is a decent short term appointment.

Few quick thoughts:

Hein doesn't fill me with confidence, thought he was badly at fault with their goal and his kicking is atrocious.

Danny Drinkwater looked like a different player, you can tell Ince has had a word and asked for more. Drinkwater delivered tonight.

Not entirely sure what Tom Ince brings the side? Hopefully Meite will come in on Saturday but it will be for Hoilett and not Tom Ince for obvious reasons.

Joao wanted it tonight, he's hungry for goals.

Onel Hernandez for Birmingham is some player, unplayable at times in the first half.

Whoever the bellend was who threw the ball on the pitch in the build up to Birmingham's goal you can get fcuked.

[Loafer]

8

How can you not mention the big positive of Joao having found his goal scoring form again - thought his goal was beautifully taken once again ...

Beautifully stroked into the corner.
5 goals since he got back in the first XI 7 games ago.

And he's not even at his best yet.

Did you see it live?

[Royal_jimmy]

We weren't at our best tonight but ground out a win which was pleasing. Birmingham should feel a bit hard done by not to have got a point out of it having the chances they had. But it's about results and I dont care about performances if we're picking points up. We need wins, we've had 2 in a row and we need maybe another 5 wins to be almost assured of safety.

Swift MoM.

Birmingham were a tidy side considering their injury list. If they had more quality up front they would have won that tonight. Very lucky not to be losing at HT. Chuffed with 3 points, let's hope Millwall do us a massive favour tomorrow.

[RG30]

First Reading game that I've attended in person since October

Plastic

[NathStPaul]

First Reading game that I've attended in person since October

Plastic

Sensible.

The club under Paunovic didn't deserve mine or anyone else's support. Said I'd go back as soon as he went and I kept my word.

[paultheroyal]

Wish people would get off Hein’s back. Kicking will improve but he made 3 quality saves tonight when easier to score and he was needed for them crossed and took them out. Unlucky on goal conceded.

Great win, great feeling, let’s win the next 2 and reel in Hull City.

[paultheroyal]

C1871 outstanding tonight, best yet and got the east stand going. Well done.

[NathStPaul]

C1871 outstanding tonight, best yet and got the east stand going. Well done.

The bellends in C1871 repeatedly tried to charge at the Birmingham supporters and hid behind the stewards. It was embarrassing.

Y26 lobbed a ball on the pitch which distracted our own players leading to a goal. Wonderful support.

[Vision]

Wish people would get off Hein’s back. Kicking will improve but he made 3 quality saves tonight when easier to score and he was needed for them crossed and took them out. Unlucky on goal conceded.

Great win, great feeling, let’s win the next 2 and reel in Hull City.

Yeah people really need to get over the fact that they don't think he was necessary ( FWIW I'm one of them)

His kicking isn't great and he's prone to flap at the odd cross but he makes vital stops and he's a big target on One-On-Ones.

He looked like a rabbit in the headlights at Ashton Gate but he's been perfectly decent since then.

[leon]

Thought McIntyre was excellent. Calm, assured on the ball out. Had a couple of moments but great to see him back.

Heins kicking was and I’d need to see their goal again. Wasn’t sure about his positioning.

[Kitsondinho]

Wish people would get off Hein’s back. Kicking will improve but he made 3 quality saves tonight when easier to score and he was needed for them crossed and took them out. Unlucky on goal conceded.

Great win, great feeling, let’s win the next 2 and reel in Hull City.

Yeah people really need to get over the fact that they don't think he was necessary ( FWIW I'm one of them)

His kicking isn't great and he's prone to flap at the odd cross but he makes vital stops and he's a big target on One-On-Ones.

He looked like a rabbit in the headlights at Ashton Gate but he's been perfectly decent since then.

He has let in 8 in 5, was at fault for their goal with yet another flap, he can’t kick it out for Oxf**rd and was lucky that he didn’t cost us two points! He made some really decent saves but the other areas of his game will cost us points before the end of the season. If Southwood or Rafael let that goal in, they get slaughtered. Just because we’re picking up form doesn’t mean we should make him out to be the second coming of Shaka! He is a work in progress, who really shouldn’t be here.

[tidus_mi2]

Hopefully Rahman's injury isn't too bad, if we can get him back and shift McIntyre to centre back instead of Holmes, that would be fantastic.

[Zip]

Thought we were very lucky to win. However a win is a win and it’s nice for the luck to go our way.
Swift clearly MoTM for me. With Yids a good second and Joao also impressive.
However we still struggle to make it more difficult for our opponents to get the ball out wide from where crosses are pinged into the box.

Thought Brum were decent and they will rue the numerous chances they failed to take.
Still as with Saturday we held in.Its been a very good week.

Now let’s beat Blsckpool

[Zip]

Wish people would get off Hein’s back. Kicking will improve but he made 3 quality saves tonight when easier to score and he was needed for them crossed and took them out. Unlucky on goal conceded.

Great win, great feeling, let’s win the next 2 and reel in Hull City.

Yeah people really need to get over the fact that they don't think he was necessary ( FWIW I'm one of them)

His kicking isn't great and he's prone to flap at the odd cross but he makes vital stops and he's a big target on One-On-Ones.

He looked like a rabbit in the headlights at Ashton Gate but he's been perfectly decent since then.

He has let in 8 in 5, was at fault for their goal with yet another flap, he can’t kick it out for Oxf**rd and was lucky that he didn’t cost us two points! He made some really decent saves but the other areas of his game will cost us points before the end of the season. If Southwood or Rafael let that goal in, they get slaughtered. Just because we’re picking up form doesn’t mean we should make him out to be the second coming of Shaka! He is a work in progress, who really shouldn’t be here.

1000% agreed. His distribution is the worst I have seen from a Reading keeper and he was badly at fault for their goal. He did make some decent saves but no way is he an upgrade in Southwood.

[TiagoIlori]

Hopefully Rahman's injury isn't too bad, if we can get him back and shift McIntyre to centre back instead of Holmes, that would be fantastic.

He’s out for six weeks. Suspect we’ll be finding a stand in replacement.