by Ian Royal »
10 Jan 2009 11:46
I thought that was a pretty typical Reading performance tbh.
We attacked hard and fast down the wings and created a shed full of chances and half chances, but the other team had the majority of posession. I couldn't understand people getting frustrated in the second half when we were 3-0 up and Watford had the ball in our half. They were never getting anywhere with it. We defend in numbers around our box and wait for the other team to cock up. It works pretty well. When we tend to conceed it's when we're hit quickly and the midfield haven't had time to join in the siege defence.
I thought that was a very exciting and inspiring game personally. And 4-0 didn't flatter us in the least. Watford are a team in trouble, and once we get our nose ahead against a team like that our entire style of play is such that we'll punish them. And punish them hard.
Federici:- 7 Not a lot to do, covered his posts well whenever Watford shot wide and his distribution was great, best for any Reading 'keeper I've ever seen. He came and claimed well at crosses and corners to. We've got a player with great potential there IMO.
Rosenior:- 7 Did everything he had to closing down crosses, tackling and going forward. Had Kebe not been so calmost totally incapable of producing a final ball, or releasing the ball before he ran into a defender I think he'd have done even better.
Armstrong:- 7 Solid, did everything you could ask and scored.
Ingimarsson:- 7 Again, solid. Had a nice shot at some point in the second half as well.
Duberry:- 7 A few mistakes here and there, but like a brick wall in general. These two aren't right for against a counter-attacking team with pace, but Watford despite their individual speed, seemed incapable of attacking quickly enough to cause problems.
Harper:- 7 Very good game. Whenever a defender stepped up to make a challenge, or was caught out of position, we still had a back 4, because Harper had read the danger early and dropped seamlessly back into their place. Awful tackle in the second half, but keep the ball moving well when we had it, and made several good attacking passes, including the assist for Lita.
Cisse:- 7 Didn't see as much of Cisse as I did of Harper, but then I always enjoying looking out for Harps. Tackled fairly well, and bar some occasionally awful passing did fairly well. Borke forward and had a decent shot at one point too.
Kebe:- 6 Player with great potential, but almost incapable of TRYING to play a final ball, let alone succeeding. Got an assist for NHunt, but that was only really a case of penalty area pinball, and the defender got almost as much on it as Kebe, from the replay. Causes problems, but needs to stop trying to "beat man repeatedly" and just get the ball in the box.
SHunt:- 8 Worked hard and created a lot, was all over the pitch. How anyone would be happy to see him go is beyond me. Crossed for both Doyle's goal and NHunt's. Could have had at least one himself as well. Did everything you could possibly ask of him.
NHunt:- 6 Did ok. Nothing spectacular, but didn't need to. Was a little anonymous, but scored a well taken goal. 6 is probably a little harsh.
Doyle:- 10 One hell of a striker. Works unbelievable hard, can bring the ball down and control it better than any Reading striker I've ever seen, and in very little space. Tireless and is massively important to our team. Terrifys defenders and rightly so.
Long:- 6 but not far from a 5. Didn't do a lot, except be petulant and run fast.
Lita:- 6 Did nothing apart from lose the ball, and give away nothing freekicks (probably more to do with the ref). That is apart from miss with a header when noone was within at least 5 yards of him. AWFUL. Made up for it with a well taken goal. I'll give him my full support during a game. But unless that goal spurs some sort of change in him. I'm not happy he's at the club.
Gunnarsson: - 6 Came on, kept the game from changing. Did well, nothing spectacular.
Very very pleased.
Oh and well done to the Watford fans for their support. Ours was pretty poor. But frankly, I don't give a damn.