BFTG - Norwich home

[Hendo]

Enjoyed that today.

First half was a pretty even affair, we restricted them to long range efforts and we took our chance well. Still need to move the ball quicker for me. Gunter and McCleary were in so much room sometimes we just don't switch the play quickly enough. That might change now with Swift coming back into the team.

2nd half was a good half of football, both teams going for it, Norwich goal was inevitable. They put us under a lot of pressure and it was only a matter of time before we cracked. Credit to the boys today though, they didn't panic and regrouped and got back ahead. Yann, come on mate, jeez, McCleary got you out of that one.

Cracking goal from Harriott, think he could be a very decent acquisition. I have seen him score 3 excellent goals now and he has some pace about him. Swift little nutmeg pass to him as well

Williams adds something no one else in the team can, he picks the ball up and actually drives forward with it. Kelly very good as well, impressed with the little guy, cracking free-kick for Yann's goal. Moore is just different class, he will be the next Reading captain, I have no doubt about that.

Only issue I had, I would've made the JvdB - Evans sub earlier as I think we are more balanced with him in the side and he picks the ball up well from the defence.

AAH - 7 - Made some good saves, distribution got better in the second half (threw it out more), no chance with the goal. But some iffy moments, but thats what you get with AAH so I have grown to live with that

Gunter - 7 - Pretty solid. Let Oliveria get away from him once in the 2nd half, but it came to nothing. Made himself available for switch passes throughout the 1st half but didn't get anything.
McShane - 7 - Solid enough, one great takedown from the air. Great partnership with Moore.
Moore - 9 - The rock. 'Nuff said.
Blackett - 7 - Probably his best game at LB. Still prefer him being in a back 3 though.

Williams - 7 - Gives you something different, drives with the ball. Good to see him back.
JvdB - 6 - Some sublime and some dross. Too slow on the ball when under pressure.
Kelly - 8 - Good on the ball, good vision. Great free-kick for Yann's goal. Shame his chance didn't quite sit down for him, would've been a stunning goal to end a stunning team move.

Beerens - 6 - Unsure what to make of him, looks dangerous for parts of the game, but then goes missing for long parts. I like him and want him to succeed because I think he can be a difference maker. Can't defend mind.
Yann - 8 - Good header for the opening goal. Wins everything in the air with ease. Penalty..... I just hope he got McCleary a nice Christmas present, that or he owes him a oxf*rd big one!
McCleary - 8 - Grew into the game. Looked more threatening in the second half. Great header and great reactions for the rebound. Should've done better with a pull-back cross when Yann was steaming into the box.

Evans - Calmed things down, becoming a vital member of the team, would expect him to start v Fulham after a little rest.
Swift - Oozes class. Unsure whether to start him v Fulham as Kelly had such a good game
Harriott - Great finish, good option to have on the bench to come on and run at the oppo.

Onto Fulham and hopefully another 3 points. Will be a tricky game though.

[Westwood52]

I just can't help feeling we are going to hit the wall , and go on a bad run-today was not the day however.
Shocked at how poor Norwich were-however they had a good spell 2nd half , when for ten minutes we were absolute pants-then shot on goal, pen and player sent off and we were on the money.

Habsi 6: Saw the worst of him today-one awful clearance, and put his defenders under pressure with his passes out .Just about got away with it.

Gunter 6: Usual mix of very good and very uninspiiring.
Blackett 7: Solid throughout
Moore 7: Not at his absolute best.
Mc Shane 7: took a bit of a clattering today-but stood up to it.
Joey 6: Probably should have been sent off-some nice passes, but then ran out of steam when Norwich put their foot down.
Kelly 7: If only he was a bit taller-loads of energy and nous.
Williams 6: Not one of his better games, kept on being caught in possession
Beerens 6: Lazy and a wus, but when he is on the attack, a real handful.
Kermit 8: MOM-did everything, a great team man
Macca 7: Blew hot and cold

Swifty: Looks very rusty, as you would expect, but nice nutmeg.
Harriot: Great goal; one of the best this season.
Evans: Nice and calm

Ref: Fairly average-was it really a howler 2nd half on the offside in our own half-or did he see handball ?

We move on-crunch game Friday, if we are to keep on going.

[CountryRoyal]

"Again a game that could have gone wither way"

But it didn't, and we won, again, and having played everyone now at least once, we are where we are on merit.

Thought Norwich's all round play shaded the first half with both teams devoid of much quality but we had a couple of good spells at the start and after 35 minutes or so which the latter, bouyed on by the crowd, saw us get the opener.

After that we were always favourite to pick up the 3 points though credit to Norwich who at times didn't look like a man down.

Half way stage and 3rd. Happy days.

[AthleticoSpizz]

Decent enough viewing, no real stand-outs but Kermies workrate impressed, as did CH's goal.
Wouldn't want to be Alex Neill right now, his fans that adored him a couple of years ago being very vocal in their opinion of him today.
Second half minutes' applause nicely observed by all four sides of the ground.

[West Stand Man]

Terrible decision making by the ref. If we didn't score from the penalty there would have been a meltdown about the disallowed goal

Really? If so it would simply show how silly some people are. He'd already blown his whistle so it wasn't a 'disallowed' goal, it wasn't even a goal. You can't score when the ball is not in play.

[Winston Smith]

This^

You can't disallow a goal that was never allowed in the first place.

[AthleticoSpizz]

Ultimately, did it really matter anyway

[M Brook]

Terrible decision making by the ref. If we didn't score from the penalty there would have been a meltdown about the disallowed goal

Really? If so it would simply show how silly some people are. He'd already blown his whistle so it wasn't a 'disallowed' goal, it wasn't even a goal. You can't score when the ball is not in play.

Not seen any TV replays, but was sat just to the right of the goal, third row back, and it looked to me that the ball had originally crossed the line before the handball.

[Stranded]

It hadn't.

[Vicky Pollard]

Well a drab game became pretty exciting!! Thought Norwich totally nullified us first half, marking us man to man making for a dire watch. Nicked a goal (Kelly's deliveries are excellent) and made some terrific blocks at the end of the half to go in 1-0 up. Norwich came into the game second half and grabbed a deserved equaliser. Kelly's delivery for the corner turned the game, class ball in and excellent header by Kermogant leading to the sending off. Obviously had a La Liga moment trying to chip down the middle, thankfully McCleary loves a pen rebound and we hold out. What a finish from Harriott and loved the celebration!

A few points

Joey's tackle- from where I was, a nailed on red. He lunged in completely unnecessarily- reckless and he was lucky the ref wanted to let things go today. Another day and that would have potentially cost us the game. No need to go in like that in a nothing area of the pitch. Joey you're a legend but KEEP YOUR HEAD ON

Al Habsi- a great shot stopper and fan favourite but he has to work on his distribution.

Alex Neil- think he is gone. When your away fans are calling for you to be sacked in the morning, you've got problems. Bizarre substitutions though, thought Oliveira and Naismith were both having good games.

The ref- thought he was very good particularly considering I thought his only howlers were the off side free kicks taken in our half!! He let things go (e.g. Joey) and it resulted in very little whining and whinging/ looking for free kicks from both sides.

Another win, albeit a little flattering but we are looking more and more assured. Players coming back from injury at the right time too. Things are looking good.

[Nameless]

While the offsides looked bizarre, they were in fact correct under the revised law.
Blame FIFA, the FA, the Football League or the club for not communicating but you CAN now be offside in your own half.
I think it is another daft change, but there it is. i've now seen 3 different refs do this so it wasn't just one official having a nightmare.

[West Stand Man]

Terrible decision making by the ref. If we didn't score from the penalty there would have been a meltdown about the disallowed goal

Really? If so it would simply show how silly some people are. He'd already blown his whistle so it wasn't a 'disallowed' goal, it wasn't even a goal. You can't score when the ball is not in play.

Not seen any TV replays, but was sat just to the right of the goal, third row back, and it looked to me that the ball had originally crossed the line before the handball.

No, I was in Y19, right in that corner. It was not over the line, well short in fact.

[Huckleberry Hound]

While the offsides looked bizarre, they were in fact correct under the revised law.
Blame FIFA, the FA, the Football League or the club for not communicating but you CAN now be offside in your own half.
I think it is another daft change, but there it is. i've now seen 3 different refs do this so it wasn't just one official having a nightmare.

I though it was widely publicised at the start of the season. Embarrassing/amusing in equal measure how many of our fans had no idea.

[RG7Fan]

Terrible decision making by the ref. If we didn't score from the penalty there would have been a meltdown about the disallowed goal

Looking at the replay on Sky ( http://www.skysports.com/efl/championsh ... -1-norwich ) the ref has blown for the hand ball before the ball is in the net. So no goal.

[Vicky Pollard]

While the offsides looked bizarre, they were in fact correct under the revised law.
Blame FIFA, the FA, the Football League or the club for not communicating but you CAN now be offside in your own half.
I think it is another daft change, but there it is. i've now seen 3 different refs do this so it wasn't just one official having a nightmare.

I though it was widely publicised at the start of the season. Embarrassing/amusing in equal measure how many of our fans had no idea.

Do you work at the F.A. or something? I don't think it was widely publicised and I watch a lot of football- I think most of the East stand do too. Anyway, we'll know for next time!

[RG7Fan]

While the offsides looked bizarre, they were in fact correct under the revised law.
Blame FIFA, the FA, the Football League or the club for not communicating but you CAN now be offside in your own half.
I think it is another daft change, but there it is. i've now seen 3 different refs do this so it wasn't just one official having a nightmare.

I though it was widely publicised at the start of the season. Embarrassing/amusing in equal measure how many of our fans had no idea.

Correct, the law states "A player in an offside position at the moment the ball is played or touched by a team-mate is only penalised on becoming involved in active". Kermorgant was in an offside position when the ball was played but was penalised as he became active by playing / interfering with play - this just happened to be in his own half (coming back from an offside position). The rule states that is where the free kick should be played from.

[Nameless]

While the offsides looked bizarre, they were in fact correct under the revised law.
Blame FIFA, the FA, the Football League or the club for not communicating but you CAN now be offside in your own half.
I think it is another daft change, but there it is. i've now seen 3 different refs do this so it wasn't just one official having a nightmare.

I though it was widely publicised at the start of the season. Embarrassing/amusing in equal measure how many of our fans had no idea.

If it was widely publicised then people would have known about it !
No one sat near me knew, and most are pretty knowledgeable football people. Most were aware of some of the other changes (pass back from kick off, players leaving the field after injury) but this one got everyone stumped.
By definition if people didn't know about it it was not properly publicised.
Maybe club's could use their big screens for something useful at the start of the season and show a video explaining any law changes.....

[Silver Fox]

Well, I got massively rattled by the offside free kicks so I'm glad to hear that the only real mistake the ref made was only giving JVDB a yellow

Decent result having been under the cosh around their equaliser. Still third, imagine if reality ever sets in

[Soul Man]

It's absolutely amazing we have just beaten Norwich 3 1 if anyone can upon this site and didn't know the score and just sat down to read the posts they would be convinced that we had just lost. It's a fact if you want to feel pissed off after a good result just log onto here guaranteed to bring you down. Never again for me anyway!

[genome]

I was in Y19

West Stand Man

You're a phoney! A big fat phoney!