Back From The Game - Barnsley

[hellopremiership]

Karacan, Tabb and Armstrong did well, although were anonymous at times.
What on earth was going on with Shunt and Kebe at the corners in the first half?

Hahnemann only kicked to touch once or twice which was encouraging. Although he didn't have much to do.

Crowd was above average today, but we need new chants instead of BOOM CLAP BLARMY x 500.

I did enjoy bits of it, although the whole match lacked professionalism - feigning injuries, pushing and shoving at every set piece, poor refereeing and timewasting is not Championship level at all.

[Schards#2]

Does anyone have anything positive to say about the performance? Please be honest now

No

But don't worry, it's still in our own hands - qualify for the play offs and win them

[rotherwick_royal]

It's all to do with the mentality of the team. When we had our promotion to the Premier League and the season that followed we had nothing to lose and the team just went for it. Now they've got everything to lose they can't cope with it.

I just hope the 'nothing to lose' mentality comes back with the cup-tie feel of the play-offs.

Oh, and yes Kebe is awful. One moment of creativity in a whole game is not enough. I'd prefer Marek there tbh.

[URZZZZZZZZ]

LOL of the game!!!

The north east corner shouting handball when Bikey handled in their box!!

[Terminal Boardom]

Does anyone have anything positive to say about the performance? Please be honest now

yes - after Long came on it was much better, and we were creating chances and playing with some pace.

That is somewhat worrying.

[floyd__streete]

Well that was a total waste of a beautiful day. I recall earlier this season a whole load of you drones getting you knickers in a twist when Alex McLeish had the temerity to suggest that we don't play the best football; the first half today was kick and rush drivel of the lowest standard and the reason for this dire style of football became abundantly clear second half when we did ocassionally get the ball to a wingers only to be let down time and time again by the total lack of any technique from the disgracefully disinterested Stephen Hunt and the utterly woeful Jimmy Kebe. Other worms in this steaming pile of turd were Andre Bikey for his couldn't-care-less distribution and the pathetic Dave Kitson who is - predictably - a shadow of his former self having wasted an entire season in Stoke City's reserve team.

[Rex]

Reading The Whiff and staring in a trance at the turbine never seemed so good.

This was all about Barnsley fighting for survival more that us pushing for anything that consolidating the playoffs.

Less hoofball i suppose.

[Rougier's Prayer Book]

My username reflects how long it has been since I’ve had the urge to post on here, but today’s game has driven me to it.

Our performances of late have been substandard, lethargic and uninspiring. Confidence has been lacking, we are not creating many (if any) clear-cut chances and have shown no real creativity, particularly when facing a five man midfield intent on stifling our play.

That said, I was relatively buoyed by our second half performance today. Barring an absolute disaster we will be in the play-offs. Time for the boo boys, seat slammers and scapegoat hunters to tone down the negativity and get behind the team.

Karacan and Kitson were our best players today. Fingers crossed they can have even more of an impact in influencing others to avoid playing “hoof” ball.

Finally Kebe - certainly not the worst player out there.
He has his faults. His fear of competing for headers is the most apparent. However he has skill and pace and is our most capable crosser (who can be considered for a start).

Fair play to him. Many players getting the (unjustified) stick that he does would want to play it safe and treat the ball like a hot potato. He continued to try to beat his men (most of the time there were two of them) today, and that shows balls and a level of commitment to the cause.

[The 17 Bus]

one word - "dullanduninspiring"

At least you went, some that have paid for their seats did not bother.

[jumpers for goalposts]

Weather was nice

[hellopremiership]

Weather was nice

Mmm and I got 3 shirts for £15.
Bargain.

[Terminal Boardom]

Shopping in town was good.

[statto]

Second half performance much better, although it's quite difficult to score when your main striker spends most of his time lurking on the halfway line.

Key moment second half when Kebe beat two or three on the left and fired it across the box and Kitson was too far away to tap it in.

Kebe, who beat men all afternoon, as well as his usual falling over and mis-control, was by no means the worst player.

Some people just want everyone to look at them by constantly slagging him off, what did Shunt do? What did Nhunt do for that matter?

Bikey had a bit of a shitter and anyone who comes out with the ridiculous statement that Kebe is not a footballer should look closely at the ability of the current captain as some who cannot do anything with a football.

Full backs were much better than they have been and Little showed a bit of the old magic.

Not half as bad as idiots on here are saying, the big problem, obviously, is not scoring. Quite how Kebe can be blamed for the strikers never looking like getting a goal is beyond me.

Still, I'm sure some of Hob Nob's great tactical geniuses will tell me.

[hughsies no.1]

LMAO at:

1) Y25 singing der der der adam federici with five mins to go. just embarrassing. because marcus hasnt been keeping clean sheets?
2) The kids in GU1 making more noise than those up there last week.
3) the amount of pure hatred it now seems being aimed at ssc now! awful. reserve judgement til end of season please
4)fans forgetting about where we have come from
5)us potentially playing in the last EVER game at Ninian Park in the play offs. imagine us knocking them out in there last game! would be so so good

we pushed and huffed and puffed and just couldnt break down the barnsley defence.

[Elm Park Old Boy]

Oh dear, here we go again with the hysteria.

Yes we have been in a slump of epic proportions. Yes we have looked at times as if we have forgotten how a football team actually creates a goal (last goal I saw scored by a Reading player - early January, Leroy Lita FFS!). Yes, when things go badly, the team panics and there's a lack of flair and leadership.

But - ever hopeful - I was quite encouraged by today, taken together with the SU and Blackpool games. There is no lack of effort and we are starting to play better, although not yet well enough. I may be the ultimate RTG but I actually left the ground thinking that maybe, just maybe, we are clawing our way out of the trough in form in time for the play-offs. We only need to limp through the next few games, improving steadily, and we might surprise the other teams who'll be expecting us ot be dead on our feet. After all, once you're in the play-offs, all teams start equal and frankly there still isn't the quality in any of the others that should frighten us.

I agree with some of the comments on here about the players (what on earth has happened to Stephen Hunt? Whether you like him or not, he was very effective in October and November). But some are too critical - I thought Kitson gave everything today, and there must be a reason Kebe always has defenders doubling up on him. Long also showed good spirit, as did Armstrong.

The crowd was good too, when roused, considering how poor our home form has been.

[statto]

WIth regards to goal kicks, there's a clear tactic for our forwards to stand right on the touchline, this gives Hahnemann only the top of their head to aim at or it goes out.

It's pretty difficult, yet people still slate him.

Personally, I think it's a stupid, pointless thing to do and only leads to moaning.

[AlexY25]

USA - 6 - Fine with a couple of saves but distribution was awful.

Rosenior - 5 - I prefered Kelly playing.
Doobs - 6 - Did fine.
Bikey - 6 - Passing was off, too casual but solid during times.
Armstrong - 7 - Good running forward and good in defence. Mr dependable.

Kebe - 6 - Not the worse player in the team. One, maybe two good bits of dribbling and a couple of good crosses. Still average.
Tabb - 6 - Looks better in the centre for sure.
Karacan - 7 - Was one of the better players but still nothing special.
S.Hunt - 5 - Did okay for the first 15 mins. End of.

Kitson - 5 - Good tackles was the only thing our STRIKER did well.
N.Hunt - 7 - Shame he had to come off. Best striker we've got IMO.

Subs:
Cisse - 5 - Not enough time to do anything.
Little - 6 - Would rather see him on the right and Kebe on the left from now on.
Long - 4 - I actually like Long. But he was on for nearly the whole 2nd half. Didn't notice him apart from 1 or 2 crap moments.

[John Madejski's Wallet]

Once long came on we actually looked half decent.

Even Kebe started doing some good runs and put in some very good balls that deserved to be buried in the back of the net

And Kitson, who was dire, suddenly became up for it. Chasing down balls, winning a lot of possession and worked well with Kebe

[Southbank Old Boy]

WIth regards to goal kicks, there's a clear tactic for our forwards to stand right on the touchline, this gives Hahnemann only the top of their head to aim at or it goes out.

It's pretty difficult, yet people still slate him.

Personally, I think it's a stupid, pointless thing to do and only leads to moaning.

Its not pointless, it means your not kicking straight down the two centre backs throats

It might not work all the time, but there is a reason for it

[Jerry St Clair]

5)us potentially playing in the last EVER game at Ninian Park in the play offs. imagine us knocking them out in there last game! would be so so good

Amen to that.