Blackburn (H) - Back from the game

[Whore Jackie]

Surprised at all the negativity with Akpan's performance today. He's got his limitations for sure, but for my money, him and Williams have been the best centre midfield partnership this season. As others have noted, it's a real shame that Ledge hasn't been available this season. Thought it interesting how the dynamics in the Williams / Guthrie partnership have changed, with Williams very much the leader these last few games. His progression has been one of the few bright spots this year.

Today was another disappointment in a season of disappointing performances. No idea why we continually revert to long ball at the merest hint of trouble, especially with our current front two. Even when we got it wide our final ball was piss poor. As indeed was every single set piece. Sustaining a play-off place looks a long-shot at best, in a quite frankly, very average division.

[loyalroyal4life]

Always hesitant about triple substitution, always associated it with desperation and reflecting now I guess we were just that!!

Akpan is awful, mind you guthrie as a replacement is not much better and I think we do need someone else next to williams

Worry about the two centre backs next to each other, both as useless on the ball as each other. Passing game/style is not going to work with these group of players. I know it seems NA has worked that out now but I think it is going to be too little too late for a serious push for promotion

[download]

Just wanted to say, time has not been kind to Paul Robinson.

[FridaysGhost]

This team got plaudits for dicking QPR last week away. Today, we were at home. Some of our players may not be brilliant at performing the same way every week but, surely, that is why the Manager has a squad. Do'nt give the individual players a bad time if they have a bad game - why did'nt the Manager use a bit of management?

[MmmMonsterMunch]

Just wanted to say, time has not been kind to Paul Robinson.

He can rival Drenthe in the fat b@stard stakes for sure. In his defence, he was seriously ill & out for a long time but even so surely you could watch what you eat?!

[MmmMonsterMunch]

This team got plaudits for dicking QPR last week away. Today, we were at home. Some of our players may not be brilliant at performing the same way every week but, surely, that is why the Manager has a squad. Do'nt give the individual players a bad time if they have a bad game - why did'nt the Manager use a bit of management?

Don't or didn't. I suggest you DON'T use apostrophes at all because your posts look worse with them in the wrong place than not using them at all.

Have you actually just said don't blame the players for playing poorly, blame the manager?! What do you think management constitutes exactly?? Waving a magic wand & all of a sudden one of the set pieces comes off? Abracadabra.......

He made a triple sub & it did make a difference I thought. What else do you want him to do? Get some boots on & get out there?

I don't even know why I reply to you as you're clearly mental - no offence.

[Jemba]

Only positive I can take from the game is our fans trying to create an atmosphereat the start of the game. Only to be ruined by the jobsworth stewards.

[@sonkimarsson]

The only real conclusion I reached today is that Guthrie needs an oxf*rd haircut!!!

I do wonder how the 2 season ticket holders at the back of the North Stand will cope with each other for the rest of the season after the "fight"....

[RoyalBlue]

In all aspects it was a pretty poor day.

- McAnuff kicking the ball out - agree, he shouldn't have done that. I'm well up for sportsmanship but I don't think that extends to stopping when a player or two goes down. Play to the refs whistle.

I have no intention of joining the morons from the McAnuff lynch mob but I was disappointed that he played the ball out. However, the complete and utter useless c*nt of a ref should have taken control of the situation - either blow the whistle or, when you see players wondering what to do, tell them to play on. Not surprisingly the complete and utter arsehold in black today stayed true to form and let the players decide how the game should be played.

FA and respect for refs? Well after the dire performances we have witnessed over the past three games from the officials they can f*ck off.

No respect whatsoever is deserved when they continue to tolerate such mediocrity from officials and fail to hold them publically accountable for their dismal performances. We are not talking old boys or youngsters getting £30 cash in hand for looking after Sunday morning games, these are well paid semi-professionals. As such they should be expected to perform to a decent level and face proper sanctions when they don't. If they are doing their jobs properly why should they be shielded from the media after games? What have they got to hide if they are acting in good faith. They should damn well have to explain their decisions and be brave and honest enough to hold up their hands and admit to their mistakes. Only when they are prepared to do that will they truly deserve the respect they ask for.

[RoyalBlue]

Also, why did the stewards throw their toys out the pram about standing today? They've been fine with it nearly all season, now they kick out(?) two people today for standing, what's the problem?

Because the club will face sanctions if it continues to allow fans to break the law.

Oh, well said Mr Clive Doyle!

How many other clubs have been punished for breaking the law in this manner?

What's more the law says it is perfectly safe and legal to let away supporters stand up throughout games?!

As far as I am aware, it is only good old RFC who feed their fans this utter shyte about being punished for allowing supporters to stand.

Cue, the it's Reading Borough Council line. To which I respond, all Madejski has to do is tell them that if they don't back off he will stop financing their pet projects!

Far too much moaning from us about bad officials. Everyone gets them, deal with it! Our biggest problem is we are still far too nice and far too honest in our approach. In the Premier League we were on the end of gamesmanship almost every week, and this season several times already, yet we stand there and let it happen. McAnuff stopping play today when we were on the break. It's the refs decision to decide if the game should be stopped, not the players, but he walked with the ball for what felt like 20 seconds, the fans baiting him because he should have played on, and then he put it out and shrugged his shoulders - and that's the captain // Mr Nice Guy McAnuff. What happened in the second half when they should have returned the ball to us? Did they? No, and then both the fans and the players felt hard done by! That guy who rolled around for 5 minutes until the stretcher came out, then jumped to his feet and when called back on got straight to a jog and 15 seconds later a sprint!! Gamesmanship is wrong, but it happens far too often and we are far too soft and honest for our own good. It's time to play equally as dirty. If you're nice, you get rolled over!

This was the worst of many aspects of Macanuff today
Apparently his contributions are subtle and not everyone can see them
I saw poor decisions, no end product (especially when put through by Pog) giving the ball away for the goal and weak shots.
Very good second half last week but boy was this poor today
And to cap it all the above incident when I had to question how serious he is about winning

That last comment is just completely

I do, however, sadly agree that it is time for the whole club to be no longer Mr Nice Guy - what a great job the FA and their useless officials have done to allow standards in our leagues to deteriorate to the point that you have to cheat in order to succeed.

[John Madejski's Wallet]

He made a triple sub & it did make a difference I thought.

True, we got way less threatening after the triple change. Didn't think that would have been possible tbh

[paultheroyal]

Dull, uninspiring, insipid, baggling and bewildering after Millwall and QPR away.

Why oh why our fans squeal like girls when the 9 minute board gives up when after 90 we are lucky to have one shot on target!

[Pepe the Horseman]

I liked that it looked like a 4 before it went up, and everyone was getting ready to be outraged, then the whole stadium shared a joke when it was actually 9. That was my take on it anyway...

[Silver Fox]

He made a triple sub & it did make a difference I thought.

Each player that went off was replaced with an inferior counterpart. The triple sub is the hallmark of a desperate manager trying to draw attention away from his failings but this simply magnified Adkins', which tbf had been well hidden of late. We were average today until he stuck his oar in and then we were poor.

[Jemba]

Just a suggestion after seeing Hull dominate Cardiff. Why not try a 5-3-2 / 3-5-2

Shaping up like :
.........................McCarthy. ...................
.........Gunter......Hector........Gorkss......
Mcleary...Guthrie..Williams..Akpan...Obita
............Pogrebynak.......Le Fondre

[MmmMonsterMunch]

He made a triple sub & it did make a difference I thought.

Each player that went off was replaced with an inferior counterpart. The triple sub is the hallmark of a desperate manager trying to draw attention away from his failings but this simply magnified Adkins', which tbf had been well hidden of late. We were average today until he stuck his oar in and then we were poor.

Didn't all of the attempts on goal (admittedly not many) come after the subs? And I'm pretty sure Adkins made a triple sub in a home game last year & it worked a treat.

Pog didn't have his best game today so no complaints with him coming off & the same for Akpan. I was surprised at McCleary going though I must admit & I thought Jobi would be off instead.

[Basingstoke Royal]

Another game lost and it was all our own doing.

Unfortunately the goal itself was mcanuffs fault. But these things happen.

I was more pissed off with the good opportunities that mcanuff didnt take and the fact that he has to be involved with all set pieces. Obita has a better freekick than jobi and what was he doing stepping in front as royston and buggering the whole thing up.

It was a bad day at the office for the team and jobi in particular and another game we shouldnt have lost but there are too many of these this season.

[bcubed]

He made a triple sub & it did make a difference I thought.

Each player that went off was replaced with an inferior counterpart. The triple sub is the hallmark of a desperate manager trying to draw attention away from his failings but this simply magnified Adkins', which tbf had been well hidden of late. We were average today until he stuck his oar in and then we were poor.

Didn't all of the attempts on goal (admittedly not many) come after the subs? And I'm pretty sure Adkins made a triple sub in a home game last year & it worked a treat.

Pog didn't have his best game today so no complaints with him coming off & the same for Akpan. I was surprised at McCleary going though I must admit & I thought Jobi would be off instead.

3 subs in one go is risky and we nearly paid the price when Williams went down shortly afterwards
I wouldn't have chosen those players to sub but those that came on all were all involved and all did pretty well so no complaints from me

[bcubed]

Also, why did the stewards throw their toys out the pram about standing today? They've been fine with it nearly all season, now they kick out(?) two people today for standing, what's the problem?

Because the club will face sanctions if it continues to allow fans to break the law.

Oh, well said Mr Clive Doyle!

How many other clubs have been punished for breaking the law in this manner?

What's more the law says it is perfectly safe and legal to let away supporters stand up throughout games?!

As far as I am aware, it is only good old RFC who feed their fans this utter shyte about being punished for allowing supporters to stand.

Cue, the it's Reading Borough Council line. To which I respond, all Madejski has to do is tell them that if they don't back off he will stop financing their pet projects!

Far too much moaning from us about bad officials. Everyone gets them, deal with it! Our biggest problem is we are still far too nice and far too honest in our approach. In the Premier League we were on the end of gamesmanship almost every week, and this season several times already, yet we stand there and let it happen. McAnuff stopping play today when we were on the break. It's the refs decision to decide if the game should be stopped, not the players, but he walked with the ball for what felt like 20 seconds, the fans baiting him because he should have played on, and then he put it out and shrugged his shoulders - and that's the captain // Mr Nice Guy McAnuff. What happened in the second half when they should have returned the ball to us? Did they? No, and then both the fans and the players felt hard done by! That guy who rolled around for 5 minutes until the stretcher came out, then jumped to his feet and when called back on got straight to a jog and 15 seconds later a sprint!! Gamesmanship is wrong, but it happens far too often and we are far too soft and honest for our own good. It's time to play equally as dirty. If you're nice, you get rolled over!

This was the worst of many aspects of Macanuff today
Apparently his contributions are subtle and not everyone can see them
I saw poor decisions, no end product (especially when put through by Pog) giving the ball away for the goal and weak shots.
Very good second half last week but boy was this poor today
And to cap it all the above incident when I had to question how serious he is about winning

That last comment is just completely

I do, however, sadly agree that it is time for the whole club to be no longer Mr Nice Guy - what a great job the FA and their useless officials have done to allow standards in our leagues to deteriorate to the point that you have to cheat in order to succeed.

But playing on is not cheating, it's just playing to the rules. The ref should blow if he thinks it's needed.

I agree we are too nice though, but when we try gamesmanship it doesn't usually come off, with players getting booked for diving for example. I also don't recall us faking injuries and time wasting in the manner of Blackburn or Wednesday.

I am convinced that one reason we don't get home decisions is because it's just not an intimidating place. Refs seem to have no misgivings about upsetting the home crowd.

[loyalroyal4life]

He made a triple sub & it did make a difference I thought.

Each player that went off was replaced with an inferior counterpart. The triple sub is the hallmark of a desperate manager trying to draw attention away from his failings but this simply magnified Adkins', which tbf had been well hidden of late. We were average today until he stuck his oar in and then we were poor.

Agree, triple substitution signals desperation or tired legs on Fifa