(not yet) BFTG: Watford (H)

[Ian Royal]

Well that was a shitter. We were electric first half and totally out played them. They came out much better but I thought we'd done enough at 3-1. Still we wasted a few chances and we let them back in the game. Play like that every week and almost no one will live with us.

I thought there pen looked dodgy and the lino was badly placed to give it. Wrongsided by the watford player. But if you go to grojnd in the box your taking your chances.

McCarthy - 7 weak on crosses for once.
Gunter - 7 lozt the ball a bit and strugglsd against their winger at times.
Bridge - 7 somer weaker passes but looked good.
Morrison - 8 commanding.
Pearce - 8 similar.
Guthrie - 8 great stuff
Karacan - 9 MOTM
McAnuff-7 decent
Drenthe - 8 constant threat
Blackman - 7 quality first half but faded
Alf-7 same as blackman

Williams - 7 great cameo
McCleary - not much impact
Hal - same as McCleary.

Watford look a great side and we .ade them look stupid first half. Very xifficult start and we're unbeaten.

[Super_horns]

Well we were due a decent game between us 2.

[ManchesterRoyals]

Ian did it all go wrong when the subs came on?

[NewCorkSeth]

Thanks Ian! Who was weakest on the pitch IYO?

[Royal Lady]

Would have taken a draw before kick off but we really should have won that. We came out the blocks clearly wanting to win this - everyone played their part - drenthe and Guthrie fantastic again. Second half we didn't keep enough possession and let them into the game. Couldn't see if that was a pen - tho no one seemed to shout for it. Thought 2nd pen call looked clearer. Loved the fight til the end, loved out passing and thought fans were very vocal. Enjoyed the game but we've dropped 2 points as opposed to gaining one.

[Royal Lady]

Ian did it all go wrong when the subs came on?

Williams should start ahead of mcAnuff IMO, tho Jobi did little wrong today I just think Williams is stronger on the ball.

[Readallaboutit]

Hi Ian- just wondering how the back 4 are deserved of 7's and 8's when we conceded 3 goals at home?

I thought Bridge again looked slow and lethargic.
Gunter was for the third wk in a row outpaced and outsmarted by the winger. He never seems to tackle and just keeps backing off defensively. I also feel his offensive contributions are greatly overrated as a result of his lack lustre defensive contributions comparatively.
The manager needs to make changes here.
Kelly is by far the stronger all-round player for both right and left back. He must start before we begin playing catch up, also I don't think he deserved to be on the bench. He should have started the first game.

[WAZZOCK]

Goal aside Alfie was pretty poor today. Should have had a second or third really.

[John Peel]

Great game. We played better than in the Premiership. The standard from both team was great and you would not have seen that in the second tier a few years ago. They got lucky but we should hold our heads high. Even if we don't go back up, I will enjoy this season if we continue to play that well and that style of football (no more hoofball, which is great). Le Fondre's goal was superb but he should have taken his other chances. I think time to bring back Mariappa and for me Blackman is not of the standard of the rest of the team. We move on.

[SydenhamRoyal]

Goal aside Alfie was pretty poor today. Should have had a second or third really.

Alf missed two sitters, tho the one he got was class

[URZZZZ]

Should have hold on, the subs made today were very poor, taking off drenthe too early and bringing on Mccleary for Karacan.

Mccarthy 7- One good save, kicking still poor though
Gunter 8- Good toda y, although could have been sent off.
Bridge 7- Solid
Pearce 6- Should have won more headers and needs to track the runners.
Morro 6- Read Pearce
Guthrie 8- Good but gave away a sloppy penalty.
Jem 9- Very good today
Drenthe 7- Made things happen but still not 100% fit.
Mcanuff 6- Did O.K, could have done better though.
Blackman 5- Good first half followed by a very poor second half.
Alf 6- Needs to do better, should have scored more than 1 although his finish was good

Subs

Williams 8- Better than Mcanuff panicked quite a bit
HRK N/A- Useless sub
Mcleary N/A - Same as HRK

I would have brought on Mariappa for a more solid defence

Next game I'd put Mapps in for Pearce, Williams for Mcanuff, Gmac for Blackman and maybe a new striker for Alf

[NewCorkSeth]

Gunter 8- Good toda y, although could have been sent off.

Really? How was he an 8? no assists and they shipped three goals against us? I'm inclined to believe the fellow who said he didn't make a single tackle in the game as I can barely recall him ever making a tackle in a reading jersey?
I just want to know what he did today to deserve such a high rating?

[chilipepper91]

McCarthy 7

Gunter 6
Pearce 5
Morrison 6
Bridge 7

Guthrie 5
Karacan 7
McAnuff 5

Drenthe 6
Le Fondre 6
Blackman 5

[One8Seven1]

First half was the best football I've seen us play since Coppell's 106 team. We were simply brilliant. Second half we totally fell apart and looked nervous. Everything we did well in the first half was nowhere to be seen. With 20 minutes to go I had that horrible feeling we were looking at a draw. Watford were superb, but penalty or not, the player looked for it and made the most of it - some would say fair play, Reading on the other hand told Drenthe off for it at Bolton, and there was contact also.. Sometimes it really doesn't pay to be too honest!

The need for a better striker continues. Blackman did 'OK' in patches, but he is a long way off being the player we need to rely on this season. Thoughts of a Cameron Jerome coming in just make me lick my lips, especially if we can remain composed in future and play like we did first-half.

Le Fondre worked hard today and had a good game. The goal was sublime! Bridge too was superb, real class. Others had good games, but they were stand-out overall for me.

Excellent atmosphere also, but I really don't like so many away fans in the South Stand. It might bring added £'s in, but it does give the away side an extra edge, and I'd rather keep them to 2300 - not that it will happen unless the fair-weathers return, and that wont happen unless we are top two post Christmas.

[Royal Lady]

Gunter 8- Good toda y, although could have been sent off.

Really? How was he an 8? no assists and they shipped three goals against us? I'm inclined to believe the fellow who said he didn't make a single tackle in the game as I can barely recall him ever making a tackle in a reading jersey?
I just want to know what he did today to deserve such a high rating?

Huh? He makes loads of tackles, wins a fair few balls and is one of our better passers of the ball....

[PieEater]

Good game and quite entertaining, I really thought we'd win that and a draw is 2 pts dropped.

2 mins to go and Williams jumps over a lunging defensive challenge, if he goes down and we get a pen it's game over. Alf also missed a sitter.

Otherwise we played pretty well so I'm gutted we didn't get 3 pts.

We switched off for their first, the pen looked soft and I really wasn't sure the ref had given it, the third lucky rebounds and maybe offside.

Time to take off my RTGs and shout at the misses.

[URZZZZ]

I thought he was good defensively and did well against their winger, despite him having no help whatsoever. He got forward a lot and I just generally think he was worthy of an 8. He was certainly our bets defender today

[SLAMMED]

I don't get all the hate for Blackman. He didn't have a great second half but it wasn't the equivalent of playing with 10 men as people were suggesting on BBCRB.

[John Peel]

I don't get all the hate for Blackman. He didn't have a great second half but it wasn't the equivalent of playing with 10 men as people were suggesting on BBCRB.

Agreed. But the difference in quality between him and the rest of the players is noticeable, in my opinion. He is not good enough to be in the starting eleven at the moment.

[paddy20]

I thought we played brilliantly for most of the game. Trouble is I don't think we can play that way with that amount of energy for the full 90 mins, nor can any other side. We must learn to slow the game down when necessary to recover. Thats why Guthrie and Drenthe looked so tired at points in the game and why Watford looked stronger at the end. Learn that and get a new striker and we will be well on the way