Back From The Game - Bolton

[3points]

it would be interesting to see "territory" stats to understand where we've been playing our football in the past couple of games, as compared to the Forest and Wigan games

[kwik-silva]

I don't think there'll be as much difference as people are expecting. A few of the goals today were breakaways, and Watford we were hemmed back for 3/4 of the match.

[winchester_royal]

Ermm, if you're trying to imply that the more passes we misplace the more likely we are to win...

I think everyone (and yes that includes the management) realised that we needed to be playing football in more advanced areas of the pitch. That's what we were working towards, but when confidence is low defenders are less willing to look up and play that forward ball and that's when you get ploddy football. Nobody wanted that, but there's no point telling the defenders just to lump it long because that will take us str8 back to square one.

Confidence is high = players looking up = getting the ball into better areas = creating chances = scoring goals.

That's what we want, that's what we saw in glimpses early in the NA reign, that's what's been missing the last couple of months.

I'm inferring the more risky passes you attempt the more likely you are to win.
Merely tapping it around at the back or switching it from side to side in the middle will achieve very little.

The style we're finally getting now is nothing revolutionary, it's something we've been capable of all along.

Don't think anyone's trying to claim it's revolutionary, but (imo anyway) we've developed a different side to our game which puts us in a good place to really kick on.

I was as down as anyone about the way we were progressing a couple of weeks ago, my BFTG post from Brighton will highlight that, but when we have played at a good tempo this season we've been able to do it playing through the thirds, whereas a year ago we were only really able to advance up the field through balls over the top or a 50 yard run from the wide players.

We'll probably be utter shit at Ipswich after all of this, but I think the 'transition' work we've been putting in has been worth it, and I don't think the last couple of weeks have been a case of NA chucking out all the work we've done previously in the season and starting afresh. It's just a more effective version.

[St. Brynjar]

What's really pleasing for me is that Akpan, Gorkss and Blackman are getting decent reviews at the moment. Players many labelled 'deadwood'. Just goes to show how important confidence is.

[RoyalBlue]

Williams MOTM

Guthrie's slow motion play and his Hollywood balls into row Z not being there made a massive difference

Whether or not the team is better off without Guthrie, that is an idiotic, ignorant and factually incorrect comment!

[P!ssed Off]

Ermm, if you're trying to imply that the more passes we misplace the more likely we are to win...

I think everyone (and yes that includes the management) realised that we needed to be playing football in more advanced areas of the pitch. That's what we were working towards, but when confidence is low defenders are less willing to look up and play that forward ball and that's when you get ploddy football. Nobody wanted that, but there's no point telling the defenders just to lump it long because that will take us str8 back to square one.

Confidence is high = players looking up = getting the ball into better areas = creating chances = scoring goals.

That's what we want, that's what we saw in glimpses early in the NA reign, that's what's been missing the last couple of months.

I'm inferring the more risky passes you attempt the more likely you are to win.
Merely tapping it around at the back or switching it from side to side in the middle will achieve very little.

The style we're finally getting now is nothing revolutionary, it's something we've been capable of all along.

Don't think anyone's trying to claim it's revolutionary, but (imo anyway) we've developed a different side to our game which puts us in a good place to really kick on.

I was as down as anyone about the way we were progressing a couple of weeks ago, my BFTG post from Brighton will highlight that, but when we have played at a good tempo this season we've been able to do it playing through the thirds, whereas a year ago we were only really able to advance up the field through balls over the top or a 50 yard run from the wide players.

We'll probably be utter shit at Ipswich after all of this, but I think the 'transition' work we've been putting in has been worth it, and I don't think the last couple of weeks have been a case of NA chucking out all the work we've done previously in the season and starting afresh. It's just a more effective version.

The idea that Adkins has spent the last 9 months working towards a high-tempo 442 formation, with 48% possession and 65% passing success is laughable.

He wants Reading to play with 60% possession and 80% passing success in a 451 formation playing with a slow tempo. Retaining possession and working the ball in to the box. Can you really disagree with this assessment?
For the time being he's realised that this is unrealistic.


Retaining possession and passing the football are the two things he's spoken about most in press conferences and interviews. Yet you're telling me that 48% possession and 65% passing success at home to a team like Bolton has taken 9 months of hard training?
How many times this season have the Reading crowd groaned as Reading have passed it backwards when we've gained a bit of momentum? All in the name of retaining the ball, so the opposition can't score. If that's not Adkins encouraging a slow tempo, ball retaining philosophy then I don't know what is.

Next you'll be telling me that hat-trick hero ALF has been Adkins' favourite player all along.

[John Madejski's Wallet]

Really struggle to find fault in any player today, thought Blackman seemed off the pace and not-that-fussed when he came on. But considering the scoreline and the performance he was walking into, you can't blame him, any sub was going to struggle to look good after the first 60min

Midfield now looks strong and attacking, and Obita at LB is a revelation.

So nice to see wingplay again, rather than the wingers always cutting in. Hopefully Adkins has relaxed about that and decided that crosses can actually be dangerous if you have a decent midfield backing up the front men

[RoyalBlue]

Bolton running at the barrier.

Were they actually kicking off or just the same typical away fans trying to act tough?

I thought the Bolton fans showed a lot of class today actually. There was only 3 or 4 of them who ran at the barrier, and the rest joined in, cheered our last couple of goals and had a good bash at replicating the goal music when they scored. At 7-0 down they were still behind their team and there wasn't any booing (other than our lot every time Mills touched the ball.)

I thought the ref was leaning our way a bit (about time).

Did you nip out early for a half-time drink? There was some very loud and clear booing of their team by the Bolton fans as the players went off. They were not at all happy with the performance as the gestures of many showed! That having been said, some of them were very good in the second half but I guess they'd got to the point where the best option was to have fun!

[winchester_royal]

I think he's been working towards us creating chances and controlling games. I'm not sure why the possession stat is relevant tbh. We played the ball through the thirds, created chances, scored goals, and controlled the game. That's exactly what we''ve been working towards. He's been talking about passing the football because sometimes that's what the game situation requires. As I will continue to say, we've spent most if the season looking for a balance between retention and attack. We found it today. You don't get performances like today through luck, and thus the idea that they haven't been working in training to get to exactly this point is even more laughable imho.

[Pepe the Horseman]

Really struggle to find fault in any player today, thought Blackman seemed off the pace and not-that-fussed when he came on. But considering the scoreline and the performance he was walking into, you can't blame him, any sub was going to struggle to look good after the first 60min

Midfield now looks strong and attacking, and Obita at LB is a revelation.

So nice to see wingplay again, rather than the wingers always cutting in. Hopefully Adkins has relaxed about that and decided that crosses can actually be dangerous if you have a decent midfield backing up the front men

Yeh, Blackman was just strolling around and looked pretty disinterested when he came on. I've not seen much of him, so dunno if that's just his 'style'.

[Royal Ginger]

Really struggle to find fault in any player today, thought Blackman seemed off the pace and not-that-fussed when he came on. But considering the scoreline and the performance he was walking into, you can't blame him, any sub was going to struggle to look good after the first 60min

Midfield now looks strong and attacking, and Obita at LB is a revelation.

So nice to see wingplay again, rather than the wingers always cutting in. Hopefully Adkins has relaxed about that and decided that crosses can actually be dangerous if you have a decent midfield backing up the front men

Yeh, Blackman was just strolling around and looked pretty disinterested when he came on. I've not seen much of him, so dunno if that's just his 'style'.

I agree, but none of the substitutes were as good as who they replaced. It may have been because they were dropped into a team that was firing on all cylinders in 5th gear. Like turning up to a party sober, when everyone else has already been drinking for a few hours.

[P!ssed Off]

I think he's been working towards us creating chances and controlling games. I'm not sure why the possession stat is relevant tbh. We played the ball through the thirds, created chances, scored goals, and controlled the game. That's exactly what we''ve been working towards. He's been talking about passing the football because sometimes that's what the game situation requires. As I will continue to say, we've spent most if the season looking for a balance between retention and attack. We found it today. You don't get performances like today through luck, and thus the idea that they haven't been working in training to get to exactly this point is even more laughable imho.

My opinion is thus:
On a scale of 0 to 10 (with 0 being 'total hoofball' and 10 being 'total football').

You had Coppell at about 6
Then Rodgers came in and tried to get us at about 9. Never going to happen.
Then you had Brian at about a 3 (no offence Brian)
Then Adkins has come in and spent 9 months trying to get an 8. Except now he's realised that is unrealistic so he's settled round about Coppell's 6, maybe 6.5.

My point is this: In spending 9 months trying to train us from a 3 to an 8 he would have passed where we are presently months ago. If he'd been realistic in the beginning then we would have saved a lot of time.
I think it's obvious to most fans that he tried to change too much, too fast and now he's had to settle on a more realistic approach.

[parky]

I think he's been working towards us creating chances and controlling games. I'm not sure why the possession stat is relevant tbh. We played the ball through the thirds, created chances, scored goals, and controlled the game. That's exactly what we''ve been working towards. He's been talking about passing the football because sometimes that's what the game situation requires. As I will continue to say, we've spent most if the season looking for a balance between retention and attack. We found it today. You don't get performances like today through luck, and thus the idea that they haven't been working in training to get to exactly this point is even more laughable imho.

My opinion is thus:
On a scale of 0 to 10 (with 0 being 'total hoofball' and 10 being 'total football').

You had Coppell at about 6
Then Rodgers came in and tried to get us at about 9. Never going to happen.
Then you had Brian at about a 3 (no offence Brian)
Then Adkins has come in and spent 9 months trying to get an 8. Except now he's realised that is unrealistic so he's settled round about Coppell's 6, maybe 6.5.

My point is this: In spending 9 months trying to train us from a 3 to an 8 he would have passed where we are presently months ago. If he'd been realistic in the beginning then we would have saved a lot of time.
I think it's obvious to most fans that he tried to change too much, too fast and now he's had to settle on a more realistic approach.

But hopefully with Adkins should he get us promoted at some point we are more likely to be playing 8 in the PL and staying up with him.

[3points]

It's a bit of a strange discussion really, because we passed the ball better today than the vast majority of our games. You don't score 7 goals if you haven't knocked the ball around well. None of our goals resulted from route 1 football. But we did break with pace and play a bit more directly. For me, the big difference was our ability to win it back again

[P!ssed Off]

But hopefully with Adkins should he get us promoted at some point we are more likely to be playing 8 in the PL and staying up with him.

Indeed, but you're unlikely to get promoted trying to play 'Premiership style' football with Championship players.
The only way you can play at an 8 is with Premiership standard players, and we won't be able to attract/afford such players until we actually get promoted.

[sandman]

You're more likely to stay in the PL by signing quality players and using the money you're given. Style of play doesn't matter and quite frankly the PL is not a great league for passing football bar a few exceptions.

Oh and on that "scale" McD was also a 6 mixing short passing and longer passing with pace and wing play. It only went longer when confidence was down.

[RG7Fan]

Big shout out for Akpan - added some much need pace and energy into the midfield. Did the basics well (and also made me laugh hearing his interview on BBCRB as I didn't know he had a Scouse accent).

Forgot to tell you I heard his mid week interview on BBCRB on Friday morning and couldn't believe he was a scouser - totally unexpected. I assumed as he came from Crawley he was a southerner!

Best game for him for Reading today - 2nd half better than 1st, and that goal was so powerful it should have taken the net off the ground. Him and Williams do seem to be working well - lets hope Guthrie is injured for a while...

[3points]

Forgot to tell you I heard his mid week interview on BBCRB on Friday morning and couldn't believe he was a scouser - totally unexpected. I assumed as he came from Crawley he was a southerner!

Shouldn't be a surprise as he came through the Everton youth system, but that doesn't often mean the player is that local to the club (especially in Premier League academies)

[P!ssed Off]

You're more likely to stay in the PL by signing quality players and using the money you're given. Style of play doesn't matter and quite frankly the PL is not a great league for passing football bar a few exceptions.

Oh and on that "scale" McD was also a 6 mixing short passing and longer passing with pace and wing play. It only went longer when confidence was down.

Don't think so.
We got a large proportion of our goals in the promotion season through counter attacking and set pieces. We rarely dominated games. A CB got PoTS, with GK in 3rd place, which says it all really.

[Millsy]

Why are we talking about Adkins suddenly changing his style?

Someone wrote something about Adkins after Brighton I think saying he wanted to rethink his direction and perhaps that's why Guthrie was dropped.

And to me that is one of the main two changes

1- no Guthrie, so we couldn't be strangled and no slow predictability
2- OBITA

After Pants Day Matt Robinson (IIRC) came in at left back and this one addition pretty much transformed the team even before other additions came in. We didn't suddenly play a different style, we just had one vital piece in a cog that made the back four solid and menacing. Now we have Akpan instead of Guthrie and Obita (FINALLY) instead of <insert any right footed non-left back here>.