Back from the game Stevenage

[Jackson Corner]

Do not be fooled by the scoreline. This was not an easy win against a team sitting 15th in the 2nd division. The first half hour was truly dreadful. The usual backwards sideways slow passing till we give the ball away with a shocking pass. Against a better team we would have been 2 down. Then out the blue a deflected cross by Gunter falls at the feet of Bod 1-0 our first shot on target. They say goals change games and Reading improved with the second coming on the stroke of half time a cracking header from bod. A usual Stams H/T team talk made no difference and more sloppy passing from our midfield almost allowed them back into the game. The impresive Gunter's run and cross set up Bods easy third to settle the match. I doubt Brentford will have any sleepless nights watching that. MOTM Bod

[Norfolk Royal]

If I'm correct then we haven't scored three goals in a game since 1872, have had no threat up front all season, played half the season without a recognised striker in the team, but have had a player on the bench all season capable of getting a hat-trick in one of his few starts. Is that about right?

[genome]

It's always hard to judge what to take from a match against League Two opposition, but it was an enjoyable watch. A more clinical side probably would've beaten us. Our passing was a bit odd - it was either brilliant or awful - and I think we were trying the Hollywood pass a bit too much.

The first 20/30 minutes were dreadful, then we took the most undeserved lead in the history of undeserved leads, which seemed to knock the stuffing out of Stevenage. The second goal was excellent, nice work by Bacuna, and incredible header from Dadi to turn in Gunter's cross. Stevenage came out a bit better in the 2nd half, missed a couple of absolute sitters, then another nice move from us finished them off. A much needed win, whatever the opposition, and a 3rd clean sheet in a row won't hurt either.

Honourable mentions:
Bodvarsson for obvious reasons.
Gunter. A good performance. A couple of his crosses were awful, but he got three assists, so there you go...
Kelly blew a bit hot and cold but was in general much improved from previous performances.
Ilori was good, a couple of really good tackles and vital interceptions, seems much more comfortable taking the ball out than McShane.

[Stranded]

One for the statto's but has a Reading player ever scored a hat-trick before with the same player assisting each goal?

[Snowball]

I think the first three posts are a bit harsh. Bod also missed a sitter so could have had four.

Whatever the opposition, that's three clean-sheets on the bounce, three games undefeated, into FA Cup 4th round.

The first 20 or so minutes we lacked confidence, true, but the facts are the facts, we won 3-0.

Answer me this, if we had X chances, missed the lot, the other side had just 4 chances and scored three,
would we be saying we deserved to win?

The keeper's job is to make saves, our keeper made saves.

The CF's job is to score goals. Ours scored three goals from four chances.

I really like Ilori and I wish Stam would have the guts to give him an extended run. He is class. Yes he is always likely to make a mistake, but he will get better if he gets games. Blackett was decent too.

Richards looked very good when he came on and one lovely trick. I wish Stam would give HIM a run, also, with Gunts back to RB and put Bacuna in midfield in the Williams' driving role.

If I hear a WHISPER of a Bod niggle as Stam starts looking for excuses to drop him...

[tee peg]

If I'm correct then we haven't scored three goals in a game since 1872, have had no threat up front all season, played half the season without a recognised striker in the team, but have had a player on the bench all season capable of getting a hat-trick in one of his few starts. Is that about right?

Yep.I wonder if he will start on Saturday..........

[paultheroyal]

One for the statto's but has a Reading player ever scored a hat-trick before wearing two different colour shirts?

No, don’t think they have.

[Stranded]

One for the statto's but has a Reading player ever scored a hat-trick before wearing two different colour shirts?

No, don’t think they have.

[Old Man Andrews]

There were definitely positives last night. I was sat behind the dugout for the first time in Stam's era and got to see him communicating with the players etc. I think he might be as frustrated as we are with some of the players based on his reactions.

Aluko was so, so poor the whole game, I have completely run out of patience with the guy. The club should do all they can to flog him, not a Reading player.

[Hound]

The 2nd and 3rd goals were superb team goals - exactly how we should be playing. Quite why we can't do this more often is confusing. I don't think its just down to the quality of the opposition

maybe it is a case of confidence.

[Sutekh]

Let's hope the last hour is repeated on Saturday but will be a lot harder against superior quality opposition who will, quite frankly, be going for 3 points.

[Silver Fox]

How many goals would people have needed for last night to be considered a success? Sure the first 30 minutes seems to have been a bit sketchy but as that's only a third of the game it's not how you judge the whole. People say "a better team would have punished us" well, who's to say Jakkola wouldn't have been equal to the task if this imaginary better team had made more of their chances? It's a good result with a couple of cracking goals that I hope will give the players a bit of confidence going into the remaining league games, hopefully with JDB leading the line

[muirinho]

It was flipping freezing.
The kit clash was actually ridiculous. Who decides these things?
They ran out of Bovril at half-time. We didn't even break 5000 fans, and it was predicted to be cold - how on earth do you run out of bovril?

Onto the game

First 30 minutes pretty poor, and we could have been a couple down. Defence shaky, midfield cover non-existent, sloppy passing. Perhaps partly caused by the slightly makeshift nature - of the back 4 only Ilori was in his "proper" position (I see Blackett's natural role as one of a back three, rather than two), and lack of confidence also a feature.

Then we get a scrappy goal against the run of play, the players seemed to relax a bit, and as a result improved dramatically.

Second goal was an excellent team goal

Second half, Reading had maybe relaxed too much, Stevenage came out strong, but they didn't take their chances.

Once Reading scored another, it was all over bar the shouting.

Ratings:

Jaakola - 6 - Not a lot to do, one excellent save, distribution decent
Gunter - 7 - Mostly good attacking play - three assists, one was a fluke really, but the other two were excellent crosses. Had a couple of horror moments during that first 30 minutes, which Stevenage failed to capitalise on. Much more comfortable defensively when he switched sides once Richards came on
Ilori - 7 - Pretty solid. Should be ahead of McShane in general - but should at least get a run of games while Macca recovers
Blackett - 7 Bit shaky at the start but grew into it. Much better at CB than LB.
Bacuna - 7 - OK defensively, got involved in a number of attacks. That pass for the second goal was wonderful

Edwards - 6 - Solid enough. Not going to create much, but won't let you down
Clement - 5 - lightweight, didn't offer much, definitely second string.
Kelly - 6 - decent in patches, very sloppy in others

Beerens - 4- Why, Stam, why? Sloppy passing, didn't track back, lost the ball too easily, can't think of a single good thing he did. Is this just me?
Aluko - 6 - Better than usual (which is a low bar, I admit) Also guilty of some sloppy passing, but did put himself about a bit and get involved

Bod - 9. Not just the well taken goals, but he worked his socks off the whole night. Would be an absolute travesty if he doesn't start next game.
..........
Richards - 6 - Got turned inside out for one Stevenage attack, but otherwise defensively fine. Got involved in one attack. Streets ahead of Blackett in that role - I'm hoping he was on the bench because he's starting on Saturday

.........
We've had lots of games where we were good for half an hour, but don't take our chances, they get a goal, and it all goes downhill from there. It was nice, for once, to be on the other side of that. Hopefully this is a genuine confidence boost, and they take that with them into the Brentford game.

[Maneki Neko]

three clean-sheets on the bounce, three games undefeated, into FA Cup 4th round.

^^^^^^^^^^^^

Richards looked very good when he came on and one lovely trick. I wish Stam would give HIM a run, also, with Gunts back to RB and put Bacuna in midfield in the Williams' driving role.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^

[John Smith]

It was flipping freezing.
The kit clash was actually ridiculous. Who decides these things?
They ran out of Bovril at half-time. We didn't even break 5000 fans, and it was predicted to be cold - how on earth do you run out of bovril?

Onto the game

First 30 minutes pretty poor, and we could have been a couple down. Defence shaky, midfield cover non-existent, sloppy passing. Perhaps partly caused by the slightly makeshift nature - of the back 4 only Ilori was in his "proper" position (I see Blackett's natural role as one of a back three, rather than two), and lack of confidence also a feature.

Then we get a scrappy goal against the run of play, the players seemed to relax a bit, and as a result improved dramatically.

Second goal was an excellent team goal

Second half, Reading had maybe relaxed too much, Stevenage came out strong, but they didn't take their chances.

Once Reading scored another, it was all over bar the shouting.

Ratings:

Jaakola - 6 - Not a lot to do, one excellent save, distribution decent
Gunter - 7 - Mostly good attacking play - three assists, one was a fluke really, but the other two were excellent crosses. Had a couple of horror moments during that first 30 minutes, which Stevenage failed to capitalise on. Much more comfortable defensively when he switched sides once Richards came on
Ilori - 7 - Pretty solid. Should be ahead of McShane in general - but should at least get a run of games while Macca recovers
Blackett - 7 Bit shaky at the start but grew into it. Much better at CB than LB.
Bacuna - 7 - OK defensively, got involved in a number of attacks. That pass for the second goal was wonderful

Edwards - 6 - Solid enough. Not going to create much, but won't let you down
Clement - 5 - lightweight, didn't offer much, definitely second string.
Kelly - 6 - decent in patches, very sloppy in others

Beerens - 4- Why, Stam, why? Sloppy passing, didn't track back, lost the ball too easily, can't think of a single good thing he did. Is this just me?
Aluko - 6 - Better than usual (which is a low bar, I admit) Also guilty of some sloppy passing, but did put himself about a bit and get involved

Bod - 9. Not just the well taken goals, but he worked his socks off the whole night. Would be an absolute travesty if he doesn't start next game.
..........
Richards - 6 - Got turned inside out for one Stevenage attack, but otherwise defensively fine. Got involved in one attack. Streets ahead of Blackett in that role - I'm hoping he was on the bench because he's starting on Saturday

.........
We've had lots of games where we were good for half an hour, but don't take our chances, they get a goal, and it all goes downhill from there. It was nice, for once, to be on the other side of that. Hopefully this is a genuine confidence boost, and they take that with them into the Brentford game.

I agree with all of this, although I'd have given Aluko a 5 as I think he had a poor game in one where he really could/should have shone.

[muirinho]

I agree with all of this, although I'd have given Aluko a 5 as I think he had a poor game in one where he really could/should have shone.

Dithered a bit between a 5 and a 6. Maybe he gained an extra point because my expectations of him are so low at this stage that he gets bonus points for not having an absolute shocker.

[genome]

Sure the first 30 minutes seems to have been a bit sketchy but as that's only a third of the game it's not how you judge the whole.

Noone is doing that

[BR0B0T]

How many goals would people have needed for last night to be considered a success? Sure the first 30 minutes seems to have been a bit sketchy but as that's only a third of the game it's not how you judge the whole. People say "a better team would have punished us" well, who's to say Jakkola wouldn't have been equal to the task if this imaginary better team had made more of their chances? It's a good result with a couple of cracking goals that I hope will give the players a bit of confidence going into the remaining league games, hopefully with JDB leading the line

also not a fan of this argument

[Gunny Fishcake]

What was the crowd, I can't find it anywhere ?

[tee peg]

about 4900