Absent from HNA tonight

[Thaumagurist*]

According to that same form table, we've only lost 2 games in the last six games, so it looks like we might be on an upward trend.

[Ryn]

Who was it that said you can prove anything with statistics?

[Ian Royal]

In terms of producing the goods, Kebe is our top man this season. Three assists and a goal in our two wins. No wonder managers persist with the guy.

Except Kebe doesn't have 3 assists, because winning a penalty doesn't count as an assist, nor does having a shot and hitting the post/having it saved and another player picking up the rebound and scoring.

Siggurdsson has 3 assists (or using your rules 4) and a goal. (plus another goal in the league cup and maybe assists too) which makes him our top man.

Great game from Kebe though.

[Gus the teenage cow]

Who was it that said you can prove anything with statistics?

snowball

[CMRoyal]

In terms of producing the goods, Kebe is our top man this season. Three assists and a goal in our two wins. No wonder managers persist with the guy.

Except Kebe doesn't have 3 assists, because winning a penalty doesn't count as an assist, nor does having a shot and hitting the post/having it saved and another player picking up the rebound and scoring.

Siggurdsson has 3 assists (or using your rules 4) and a goal. (plus another goal in the league cup and maybe assists too) which makes him our top man.

Great game from Kebe though.

Yeah, we can all split hairs on what is an assist, and the pen was the result of better play than the first goal in my opinion. But my point is that when Jimmy's on fire, the evidence so far - certainly this season anyway - is that he can be the difference between one point and three. Simplistic I know, but football's a simple game.

[Royal Lady]

So sorry I wasn't on here last night, only we went to visit our baby granddaughter who was born late yesterday afternoon.

For the record, I like Kebe and stick up for him when Schards slags him off! I was gobsmacked when we heard it was 2-0 at half time, but thought history might repeat itself. When Schards told me we won 2-1, I was really pleased, obviously, because I am a Reading fan. However, we shouldn't get carried away just yet - but having said that, it sets us up nicely for Saturday, though I won't be there. My thoughts on Rodgers and the backroom staff are unchanged at the moment. I said I'd give him until January in that poll that asked the question, but I sincerely hope that I can come on here by Xmas and say how wrong I was.

Hope that's ok with you Tosser or whatever your name is.

[Dirk Gently]

I wasn't here last night, either. Apologies.

I just prefer to go and support the team in person rather than decide beforehand it's a lost cause and not bother to go.

[Trosser]

Royal Lady
Schards
Ideal
Royalee

Any other absentees?

You don't think, maybe, maybe they went to the game that clearly you didn't, Tosser?

No I don't and no I didn't and no, neither did you.

Brilliant of both you and RL to leave the "r" out of my username that was originally designed to take the piss out of Tredder. You wouldn't have known that but then again you're both a little bit thick, aren't you?

[Fezza]

Delighted we won - but still worried that we seem to fall away in the second half, so like RL I will continue to reserve judgement (Is that ok with you Trosser?).

Still not convinced by BR, but am looking forward to having egg on my face at the end of the season....

[Sun Tzu]

Except Kebe doesn't have 3 assists, because winning a penalty doesn't count as an assist, nor does having a shot and hitting the post/having it saved and another player picking up the rebound and scoring.

.

Why don't they count as 'assists' ?

Given that the concept of an 'assist' in football is pretty nebulous it's reasonable to give anyone a bit of credit for playing a significant role in the immediate run up to a goal ?

To claim it 'doesn;t count' if all you do is gain a penalty seems to simply be trying to wriggle out of recognising that a player has had an impact on a game...

[Maguire]

Except Kebe doesn't have 3 assists, because winning a penalty doesn't count as an assist, nor does having a shot and hitting the post/having it saved and another player picking up the rebound and scoring

You have some truly, truly strange ideas

[CMRoyal]

Except Kebe doesn't have 3 assists, because winning a penalty doesn't count as an assist, nor does having a shot and hitting the post/having it saved and another player picking up the rebound and scoring.

.

Why don't they count as 'assists' ?

Given that the concept of an 'assist' in football is pretty nebulous it's reasonable to give anyone a bit of credit for playing a significant role in the immediate run up to a goal ?

To claim it 'doesn;t count' if all you do is gain a penalty seems to simply be trying to wriggle out of recognising that a player has had an impact on a game...

I laid the seed of this little meta-debate by falling into the trap of joining in the general tendency amongst football followers to over-use the word "assist" as a noun, especially as these days it's treated as if it has defined rules behind its use. Let's just say that Kebe made a significant contribution to all three goals at Barnsley.

[Schards#2]

I suspect Ian Royal doesn't have a Fantasy Football team.

[Rawlie19]

So sorry I wasn't on here last night, only we went to visit our baby granddaughter who was born late yesterday afternoon.

For the record, I like Kebe and stick up for him when Schards slags him off! I was gobsmacked when we heard it was 2-0 at half time, but thought history might repeat itself. When Schards told me we won 2-1, I was really pleased, obviously, because I am a Reading fan. However, we shouldn't get carried away just yet - but having said that, it sets us up nicely for Saturday, though I won't be there. My thoughts on Rodgers and the backroom staff are unchanged at the moment. I said I'd give him until January in that poll that asked the question, but I sincerely hope that I can come on here by Xmas and say how wrong I was.

Hope that's ok with you Tosser or whatever your name is.

Congrats Grandma.

[jollyjiminy]

In terms of producing the goods, Kebe is our top man this season. Three assists and a goal in our two wins. No wonder managers persist with the guy.

In terms of balanced reporting, he did nothing at all, (and that is actually nothing), in the Doncaster game. His contributions in his other games this season, as I understand it, was minimal. 2 halves of positive contribution in 6 games he's started this season is NOT acceptable from of our allegedly "senior" players.

Hopefully his performance in the 1st half last night will kick start his RFC career. My heart wishes it tbe so, my head (based on the previous 50 odd apps of his), suggests otherwise.

There are many on here who are willing him to succeed, but he has flattered to deceive so often that our skepticism is well founded.

Can't wait for Saturday !!!

I'd go further - I'd say he was rotten against Doncaster. Incredibly frustrating, can't control, can't head, can't finish, like Thierry Henry in clown boots. I've said this in many of the 30 or so games I've seen him play. But a lot of it is about consistency. When he gets it right, at this level he is a game winner like few others, which is why I made the point about managers persisting with him. When he hits the groove he is a 2-3 point player.

Did you see what was going on at the Donny game though?? Time and time again Kebe was in position with a defender on him, and Cummings brought the ball up towards him but didn't release it. This gave the defenders time to double up on Kebe so he did the only thing he could do and move into the pitch meaning that Cummings could bring the ball up but was now on his own. It was all pretty disappointing but it was Cummings fault. The only thing Kebe could have done was be more mobile but this would have meant being out of position and would have required even more awareness from Cummings, and he wasn't showing enough as it was. It was all bad news, but there's no point looking at Kebe while not understanding the football that's going on around him.

[CMRoyal]

Did you see what was going on at the Donny game though?? Time and time again Kebe was in position with a defender on him, and Cummings brought the ball up towards him but didn't release it. This gave the defenders time to double up on Kebe so he did the only thing he could do and move into the pitch meaning that Cummings could bring the ball up but was now on his own. It was all pretty disappointing but it was Cummings fault. The only thing Kebe could have done was be more mobile but this would have meant being out of position and would have required even more awareness from Cummings, and he wasn't showing enough as it was. It was all bad news, but there's no point looking at Kebe while not understanding the football that's going on around him.

All true, but Jimmy is the experienced one. It's part of his job to impose himself, on the opposition and his teammates. And the above does not explain his singular inability to even control the ball that game. Regardless of the reasons behind it - frustration at Cummings, idiotic fans getting on his back, whatever - he was rotten against Donny Rovers even when he only had to do the simple stuff.

[Terminal Boardom]

That's a bit harsh to say the least.

[Royal Lady]

Hi Tosser (it sounds so much better and more relevant than Trosser)

I wasn't at the game again yesterday, so I haven't bothered saying anything about the game, as I wasn't there and don't really know quite how bad we were, but I've read lots of other posts and Schards and my son have told me a fair bit about the game and various players - so it does sound like I didn't miss much.

I wonder who you normally post as? Are you Royalee I wonder - whoever you are, you're not crowing now are you?

Believe me, I would far rather we were winning all our games or even just playing some great football - but we're not doing either. I STILL don't rate BR and his back room staff, but I'll STILL continue to give them until January - then, if we've not shown much in the way of improvement, I'll really vent my spleen, so I suggest you ask for a tin hat for Christmas.

Much love.

RL (Grandmother)

[Royal Lady]

Oh and Tosser, as for your reasons for calling yourself Trosser,

Tredder is so called because his niece, when she was little, couldn't say his proper name and so used a D instead of a V. So, why you think calling yourself Trosser has any relevance or link to his name, I don't know. I think it's you who is the "thick" one for not knowing why Tredder is so-called.

Much love anyway. Sounds like you need a hug.

[Trosser]

Oh and Tosser, as for your reasons for calling yourself Trosser,

Tredder is so called because his niece, when she was little, couldn't say his proper name and so used a D instead of a V. So, why you think calling yourself Trosser has any relevance or link to his name, I don't know. I think it's you who is the "thick" one for not knowing why Tredder is so-called.

Much love anyway. Sounds like you need a hug.

Check the location gran!

And the avatar is for Trevor, leader of the Caversham branch of the Champagne Socialists