MATCHWATCH : Blackburn Rovers (a) sponsored by 3 league wins in 2018

[Hound]

Ilori wasn’t terrible last season

And his performances have been consistently good since Clement arrived. It’s a totally different situation to Popa

And I don’t think anyone(with any sense) thinks we should have kept Samuel

[Victor Meldrew]

Watched the game last night on the Sky red button-it reminded me of the tapes that I used to buy 30 years or more ago of our away games where there was use of just the one camera and all the commentator did was reel of facts that were repeated and repeated.
However it was good to be able to watch the game.

A few comments:-
A lot of long ball especially in the first half-no problem with that because it worked.
Great levels of effort from both Moore and Bod-Moore's block in the first half which was one of 3 occasions when Blackburn could well have scored (including them hitting the woodwork and a good Mannone save) was the Moore of the season before last.

Apart from Bod and Moore there were no other special performances although it was good to see Yiadom back to his pre-Bolton form. (no way back there for Gunter).
McShane-surely the future is Ilori and not 35 and 36 year-old centre-backs and maybe losing the 2 points last night will prove a good thing in the long run as the manager will surely not persevere with him and the team will be better without him.
One season too many as it was with Yann.

[Zip]

Watched the game last night on the Sky red button-it reminded me of the tapes that I used to buy 30 years or more ago of our away games where there was use of just the one camera and all the commentator did was reel of facts that were repeated and repeated.
However it was good to be able to watch the game.

A few comments:-
A lot of long ball especially in the first half-no problem with that because it worked.
Great levels of effort from both Moore and Bod-Moore's block in the first half which was one of 3 occasions when Blackburn could well have scored (including them hitting the woodwork and a good Mannone save) was the Moore of the season before last.

Apart from Bod and Moore there were no other special performances although it was good to see Yiadom back to his pre-Bolton form. (no way back there for Gunter).
McShane-surely the future is Ilori and not 35 and 36 year-old centre-backs and maybe losing the 2 points last night will prove a good thing in the long run as the manager will surely not persevere with him and the team will be better without him.
One season too many as it was with Yann.

That’s better. You managed to mention Gunter in a negative light having not done so for the first time ever after the Bolton game. I was becoming concerned about you.

The problem we have is the stupidity of the O’Shea signing. McShane should not have played last night but with Ilori injured Clement appears to have considered he had Hobson’s Choice. That’s not good enough. We should have signed a centre back who could genuinely have challenged. Instead we bought O’Shea.

[leon]

2 up at half time and you draw because your captain - gives away 2 stupid penalties?

Not fcuking good enough.

It’s one self inflicted disaster after another. I’ve no confidence in the manager or this shambles of a team.

One of those penalties was highly doubtful and very probably the referee got it wrong. However Paul McShane gave the referee a decision to make so one bad decision looks to have been compounded by another.

Let's not forget the McShane probably feels like **** this morning and while he's made a couple of costly mistakes he hardly deliberately set out to do that. It's honest errors he's made in effort to prevent goals. Just appears to be that Reading are getting more than their fair share of these cock ups at the moment.

You can equally point fingers at other contributions made by members of the team, poor decisions at dead ball situations, poor passing, not enough movement etc.

And while we're all singing the praises of Ilori at the moment let's not forget he has had his less than convincing moments over the last year or two as well.

At the end of the day we have a point more than we set out with yesterday so at least that's something. Luck has to change at some point if you keep asking the right questions and at least Reading seem capable of doing that this time round.

I actually hope McShane plays against Villa and turns in a real MoM performance for the sake of him if not the team.

Really good points here, over the course of last season Illori was terrible and was one of the reasons we were in such a mess at the back. Reading fans sometimes take 'the grass is always greener' to the extreme like demanding popa played this season
If Samuels had scored I bet you would of had many on here asking why the club sold such a talented individual too

McShane has been poor for some time. He’s hot headed and always has been.

Remember when he got sent off in the play off semi final against Fulham? In such an important game?

Unfortunately, his performance has now dipped to a point where he needs to be dropped.

[Denver Royal]

The problem we have is the stupidity of the O’Shea signing. We should have signed a centre back who could genuinely have challenged. Instead we bought O’Shea.

Zip, yep, no passengers this level. On squad/bench, not playable? 'He won't play much anyway'? Ok...
Wasn’t sure re. McNulty/Baldock cos hard to start both. If you start either one or the other, you are saying that our only two purchases of the Summer are both part-timers.
Meyler hasn’t pulled up trees, re. why mighty Hull let him walk. If Bacuna plays D-mid, then why sign?
Like a few other teams, we’re not in position to buy our way out of anything, so relative to them, it’s crucial we get things right with the few we do bring in. Hopefully, we have.

[Snowflake Royal]

Even if Bacuna plays ahead of Meyler every week the obvious answer to why sign Meyler is because you need competition and cover for injuries. Given the number of injury lay offs we get that should be obvious to a Reading fan.

Not every new signing should be expected to play every game.

[Millsy]

Injuries I think are probably the most telling problem for Reading in the last couple of seasons. It suggests either a horrific training schedule, club medical team, or is just a reflection of very very poor morale (poor morale/mood is well known to slow healing, or how quickly people are motivated to get better).

Injuries in games are doled out fairly randomly primarily through collisions

We may just have more players with an unforeseen propensity for injury than other clubs (based on Gaussian type distribution of every player in the champ). There will prolly be another club attributing their lack of injuries to methods similar to those used by RFC

True it could be coincidence and bad luck. It just seems very strange.

[Millsy]

One of those penalties was highly doubtful and very probably the referee got it wrong. However Paul McShane gave the referee a decision to make so one bad decision looks to have been compounded by another.

Let's not forget the McShane probably feels like **** this morning and while he's made a couple of costly mistakes he hardly deliberately set out to do that. It's honest errors he's made in effort to prevent goals. Just appears to be that Reading are getting more than their fair share of these cock ups at the moment.

You can equally point fingers at other contributions made by members of the team, poor decisions at dead ball situations, poor passing, not enough movement etc.

And while we're all singing the praises of Ilori at the moment let's not forget he has had his less than convincing moments over the last year or two as well.

At the end of the day we have a point more than we set out with yesterday so at least that's something. Luck has to change at some point if you keep asking the right questions and at least Reading seem capable of doing that this time round.

I actually hope McShane plays against Villa and turns in a real MoM performance for the sake of him if not the team.

Really good points here, over the course of last season Illori was terrible and was one of the reasons we were in such a mess at the back. Reading fans sometimes take 'the grass is always greener' to the extreme like demanding popa played this season
If Samuels had scored I bet you would of had many on here asking why the club sold such a talented individual too

McShane has been poor for some time. He’s hot headed and always has been.

Remember when he got sent off in the play off semi final against Fulham? In such an important game?

Unfortunately, his performance has now dipped to a point where he needs to be dropped.

Yeah... in defence of leon's point I don't think people are jumping on McShane's back because of this one game alone. One only needs to look at the Bolton game to see McShane make two total cockups, one that almost lead to a goal, and one that did lead to a goal.

I do think though that our defence is in trouble. I've honestly always thought Moore is overrated (but solid), Illori dodgy, Blackett is ridiculous liability. I think it probably shows how poor we are when now I'm praying for Illori to come back and we're starting the likes of Blackett.

Oh what I'd give to have the likes of Bodin and Gurney back in the team!

[Denver Royal]

I don't think people are jumping on McShane's back because of this one game alone. One only needs to look at the Bolton game to see McShane make two total cockups, one that almost lead to a goal, and one that did lead to a goal.

Keep in mind also that people are biased and have their favorites. For example, if Ilori did the same 'total cockup' vs Bolton that lead to the goal, I doubt people would be saying 'Ilori cost us the game!' and 'Ilori cost us a point, maybe more!'. Or at least, some wouldn't. Not with the same venom, anyway.
(I actually don't really consider it a 'total cockup' anyway, more a well worked goal by Bolton, but hey...)

[Coppells Lost Coat]

I don't think people are jumping on McShane's back because of this one game alone. One only needs to look at the Bolton game to see McShane make two total cockups, one that almost lead to a goal, and one that did lead to a goal.

Keep in mind also that people are biased and have their favorites. For example, if Ilori did the same 'total cockup' vs Bolton that lead to the goal, I doubt people would be saying 'Ilori cost us the game!' and 'At least a point, maybe more!'. Or at least, some wouldn't. Not with the same venom, anyway.
(I actually don't really consider it a 'total cockup' anyway, more a well worked goal by Bolton, but hey...)

The guy ran for about 15 yards, straight, no currved run or clever bit of movement, he ran straight forward, past McShane, who stood there + barely chased back.
The well worked goal - throw - flick on - chip ball over top - i would call that simple and very easy to read. Which any defender even in L1 should be able to read.

[Denver Royal]

Think you missed my point. I was saying if Ilori had done same...

[Coppells Lost Coat]

Think you missed my point. I was saying if Ilori had done same...

Oh I have no allegiance to a favorite player atm, in my eyes they either play well or dont. Its a pity its been the same player 2 games in row which has cost us points.
I was commenting on you saying it was a 'well worked goal'.

[Hound]

Think you missed my point. I was saying if Ilori had done same...

true to a point, but I haven't seen anyone say McShane was solely to blame for Bolton (he 100% was for both Blackburn goals).

Ilori has cost us goals as well - remember he screwed up for all 3 of Derby's last year and had an absolute shocker. Seem to remember a Norwich goal that he made a pitiful challenge for as well. These were highlighted at the time. Maybe not as vociferously as the McShane pens, but they were 2 of the most brainless challenges Ive ever witnessed

[Snowflake Royal]

Really good points here, over the course of last season Illori was terrible and was one of the reasons we were in such a mess at the back. Reading fans sometimes take 'the grass is always greener' to the extreme like demanding popa played this season
If Samuels had scored I bet you would of had many on here asking why the club sold such a talented individual too

McShane has been poor for some time. He’s hot headed and always has been.

Remember when he got sent off in the play off semi final against Fulham? In such an important game?

Unfortunately, his performance has now dipped to a point where he needs to be dropped.

Yeah... in defence of leon's point I don't think people are jumping on McShane's back because of this one game alone. One only needs to look at the Bolton game to see McShane make two total cockups, one that almost lead to a goal, and one that did lead to a goal.

I do think though that our defence is in trouble. I've honestly always thought Moore is overrated (but solid), Illori dodgy, Blackett is ridiculous liability. I think it probably shows how poor we are when now I'm praying for Illori to come back and we're starting the likes of Blackett.

Oh what I'd give to have the likes of Bodin and Gurney back in the team!

Wash your mouth out with soap right now young man! I'll have no foul language like that on this board.

[Snowflake Royal]

Think you missed my point. I was saying if Ilori had done same...

He'd also rightly be pilloried for being caught flatfooted and paying no attention.

He's also not vastly experienced and captain. Nor has he single handidly thrown away two points by conceding two utterly ludicrous penalties.

[Denver Royal]

I haven't seen anyone say McShane was solely to blame for Bolton

Here's two quotes (the first is your's), and they read to me like he was solely responsible:
“He has cost the team 3 points in the last 2 games”.
"He cost us a point against Bolton".

'He has cost the team 3 points'. You are pointing the finger squarely at him, surely?

[Snowflake Royal]

I haven't seen anyone say McShane was solely to blame for Bolton

Here's two quotes (the first is your's), and they read to me like he was solely responsible:
“He has cost the team 3 points in the last 2 games”.
"He cost us a point against Bolton".

'He has cost the team 3 points'. You are pointing the finger squarely at him, surely?

No. Not necessarily.

[Hound]

Indeed. As I’ve said many a time he was 100% at fault for Blackburn and partly responsible for Bolton. If I could break his point cost down for Bolton would make it about .6 of a goal.

So if it makes you happier, he has cost us 2.6 points

[Snowflake Royal]

Indeed. As I’ve said many a time he was 100% at fault for Blackburn and partly responsible for Bolton. If I could break his point cost down for Bolton would make it about .6 of a goal.

So if it makes you happier, he has cost us 2.6 points

Swift 0.2 and Moore 0.2?

[Hound]

Yeah something like that