Back From The Game - Wigan

[paultheroyal]

From the very beginning last night something was amiss, I wouldn't be surprised if it was behind the scenes. A lot of the players just seemed to be niggling each other. Pearce within the first 30 seconds gave one of the ball boys a bollocking for not being quick enough and then mouthing "for fcuks sake", bang out of order,

Ah, the good ole "something not right in the camp" comment.

Next week... Not playing for the manager?

[Pepe the Horseman]

He's lost the dressing room already

[Pepe the Horseman]

The last couple of home performances does kind of piss on the idea that Adkins had lost the players. Turns out they're just lazy and shit.

[Reading4eva]

We were shit but we didn't deserver to lose.

The only thing I can disagree with on the whole thread. We didn't deserve to win or draw with that performance.

Send Chalobah back to Chavski, surely we have academy players better than him.

I don't know why we aren't introducing Kuhl for a good 20 minute run each match. Cooper was solid until Birmingham when he absolutely collapsed. His confidence must be ebbing away. I would also like to see Samuel, Tanner and Stacey get a few sub appearances when they are back from their loans.

I'm wondering what the point in signing Travner was

[Reading4eva]

He's lost the dressing room already

It might be they are a disruptive bunch. Get to 50 points ASAP I say, then put them all on the transfer list. Lets see which of them are ready to pull their socks up.

Although I wonder if the FA Cup run is due to a couple of them wanting a move out. The door is open I say

[Pepe the Horseman]

As back up for our first choice left back.

[Haag Royal]

Just a thought. If we beat Bradford and get through to the semi's can you imagine what Man U or Arsenal would do to this team live on telly? It would have to go out after 9pm and would make our last mauling by Arsenal look tame.

[Snowball]

From the very beginning last night something was amiss, I wouldn't be surprised if it was behind the scenes. A lot of the players just seemed to be niggling each other. Pearce within the first 30 seconds gave one of the ball boys a bollocking for not being quick enough and then mouthing "for fcuks sake", bang out of order,

I've ben thinking this. The Leeds game debacle started with Kelly shanking an easy "up the line" straight into touch. This game had the same hot potato feel. Both games we saw argument between players. I remember Cox having a real go in the Leeds game.

Their heads don't seem right (and the booing won't have helped).

[Esteban]

Against Leeds, you could blindly make excuses about being tired after a tough game against Wolves, poor pitch, etc, etc. But two atrocious home performances in a row is no blip. What worries me most of all is that there is no drive in that team, no energy, no tempo. People questioning Parkinson's ability on another thread - oh to have him in our team last night.

A hangover from the Adkins regime, yes, but Clarke has to solve that very quickly.

Some bloke near me was moaning about the style of play. We're one bad result away from being dragged into a scrap, if we're not there already, so you can forget about good football. It's all about results from here on in.

[Esteban]

Against Leeds, you could blindly make excuses about being tired after a tough game against Wolves, poor pitch, etc, etc. But two atrocious home performances in a row is no blip. What worries me most of all is that there is no drive in that team, no energy, no tempo. People questioning Parkinson's ability on another thread - oh to have him in our team last night.

A hangover from the Adkins regime, yes, but Clarke has to solve that very quickly.

Some bloke near me was moaning about the style of play. We're one bad result away from being dragged into a scrap, if we're not there already, so you can forget about good football. It's all about results from here on in.

[Pepe the Horseman]

Just a thought. If we beat Bradford and get through to the semi's can you imagine what Man U or Arsenal would do to this team live on telly? It would have to go out after 9pm and would make our last mauling by Arsenal look tame.

Doesn't really work that way luckily. Bradford lost at home to Rochdale before spanking Millwall in the cup. Then lost at bottom of the league Yeovil before winning at the Bridge. Reckon we'd put up a lot more fight against Utd or Arsenal than we did last night.

[Snowball]

Oh for the days when we went hell for leather at home from the first minute.

I like SC2's basic idea of safety first (away from home) and gradually grinding our way into a game.

But at home we are far too negative

[Rollerbob]

I can't think of a worse Reading performance.. ever. (I wasn't at Birmingham)

Federici: 2/10 - We all know why he underperformed, but gains an extra point for kicking the ball really well.. once.
Kelly: 4/10 - Probably one of our better players (sigh). Hoofed it out too often, passed to nobody too often.
Pearce: 1/10 - Dreadful.
Chalobah: 0/10 - Embarrassing. Beaten time after time, and when he did get it, passed it straight to Wigan or hoofed it to Wigan. Simply not a CB
Obita: 1/10 - Looked uncomfortable all night. Man with silly hair had him panicking throughout.
McCleary: 2/10 - Totally anonymous. One encouraging run towards the end, and he also did a wee.
Williams: 2/10 - Lost, confused and made lots of fouling. Ineffective in everything he tried.
Norwood: 1/10 - His worst performance in a Reading shirt. Couldn't pass, looked as tired, slow and unpredictable as the pitch itself.
Robson-Kanu: 5/10 - Not a good performance by any stretch of the imagination, but our best player on the day with some.. runs. Unlucky to be subbed.
Pog: 3/10 - Looked good first 15 mins, but quickly got bundled out time and time again so that he could create nothing. Low score was not entirely his fault, as he was given about as much support as Hitler had in Britain.
Cox: 1/10: Pathetic. Didn't even look like a professional footballer.

Subs:
Yakubu: 2/10 - So easy to tackle, so easy to read, couldn't jump. Wigan CB's must have been laughing.
Blackman: 1/10 - Wait, Blackman came on?? Oh God. Did he make any contribution at ALL?? Absolutely not. Barely touched the ball, and was on the pitch for a decent amount of time.
Akpan: 4/10 - not given a whole lot of time, but I did see him pass to a Reading player... so.. that's something.. I think.


When you say "our best player on the day" followed with the reasoning, "because he made some.. runs", you know you've witnessed an absolute stinker.

[Haag Royal]

Looks like we may have to develop a player rating system that goes from -10 to 10 after last nights game.

Can anyone get minus?

[melonhead]

Terribly flat performance.
Selection poor. Cooper should have played and chalobah should have played centre mid.wigan appalling.mental réf.
But still could/should have scored. Had 5 cleared/saved off the line.

Was always going to be like that after Saturday Though.

And it was so bad It Became a bit funny and I thoroughly enjoyed the game as a result

[ZacNaloen]

Got to be up there with the worst Reading performance I've seen.

[Reading4eva]

Maybe our players don't like playing at night anymore

[Gordons Cumming]

Don't worry everyone.

I'll let you into a little secret.

Listen closely........................

Leeds and Wigan performances............either side of a great cup result.

Both designed to lull the opposing scouts, including ex Leg Phil into a false sense of security and complacency.

It's all a carefully laid out psychological plan.

The only flaw in it is we could get relegated implementing it!

Hope that helps.

[blythspartan]

That was an awful awful game, the FA Cup is papering over some serious cracks.

Even going back to the 70s, I don't recall going to watch so many poor games of football. This is worse than the Tommy Burns era.

In the last 2 years I can honestly count on one hand the number of games that have been watchable.

Wolves away recently was one of them, along with the first half at home to Watford last season.

[TFF]

Got to be up there with the worst Reading performance I've seen.

Even when we were clogging away in the bottom two leagues at Elm Park the games were largely enjoyable.

I certainly can't think of worse in the modern era. Even the Bristol Rovers defeat.