MATCHWATCH : Watford (h) sponsored by a difficulty to enthuse

[Snowflake Royal]

Clement has made clear that those that came into the side tonight didn’t do enough. So it looks like Bacuna and Meyler in central midfield on Saturday. No problem with these two when we are setting up to try and nab a draw as in Villa away but we need to win on Saturday....but where are the options?

Meyler, Bacuna. Swift, Kelly.Clement, Edwards (injured) and Sims can play there, that hardly fills you with confidence does it?

Nope. Poor options all around. Clement and Edwards should have been moved on and a space opened up for a creative midfielder to play alongside Bacuna but it hasn’t happened.

Yes that's all well and good, but you can't move someone on if no one wants them and you can't afford to buy an entirely new midfield in a summer. Even Jem and Legs weren't great... they were basically bypassed and only there to defend and hook the ball clear for Hunt to chase.

Bacuna has hardly impressed and Edwards has been injured the entire time, so we've no idea if Clement can get more outof him in a new season.

Meyler is looking like maybe a total dud, but I dont think many were expecting that. And losing Evans looks the real mistake now.

I'm a little surprised Clement has reverted to two midfielders because it really didn't look like that was what he wanted with his signings and pre-season. We do desperately need someone who can pick up the ball and drive us forward 20 yards before passing to a forward / winger. Bacuna should be that player but he's barely done it.

I think Meyler's lack of pace and ability going forward is exposed in a two, as is Kelly's size and drive, Swift's total disinterest in making a challenge, Edwards pace and Clement's ability to get stuck in.

But we can't afford the extra body in there that reduces the exposure of their weaknesses because we've got so little going forward to get goals so we need a second striker.

[Snowflake Royal]

If that had been Liverpool or Arsenal I would not be too worried.

But that was Watford. Reserves. And they totally, wholly and uncompromisingly outclassed us in every department. A club we would have considered to be of a similar standing as ourselves.

Meite, Moore and Ilori, whilst not perfect, can at least consider themselves to have performed well. Everyone else disappointed.

A very poor night that reflects the decline in Reading FC.

You have some weird expectations. Liverpool would slaughter us. Watford are currently a solid PL team and we're a Championship relegation fighter devoid of confidence or form. There is absolutely no way we should consider ourselves of a similar standing to Watford at the moment. What matters is not that we were regularly exchanging bore draws a decade ago, but where we both are now.

This game tells us literally nothing we didn't already know and shouldn't be making anyone more disallusioned or worried about the season than they were after we drew with Villa.

[Old Man Andrews]

Really think football will be the winner in this one.

It wasn't.

[RoyalBlue]

Not surprising but once again concerned about the manner of the defeat.

Week in week out we are getting further and further away from that winning feeling. The mentality of the club stinks from the top down.

I feel for Clement and I don’t think he can be held accountable really, let’s be honest his hands are so tied!

Could anyone else really do a better job with that squad other than Pep?

So the signings we made over the summer and releasing Evans were all decisions made over his head and against his will? I suspect not.

[Armadillo Roadkill]

If that had been Liverpool or Arsenal I would not be too worried.

But that was Watford. Reserves. And they totally, wholly and uncompromisingly outclassed us in every department. A club we would have considered to be of a similar standing as ourselves.

Meite, Moore and Ilori, whilst not perfect, can at least consider themselves to have performed well. Everyone else disappointed.

A very poor night that reflects the decline in Reading FC.

You have some weird expectations. Liverpool would slaughter us. Watford are currently a solid PL team and we're a Championship relegation fighter devoid of confidence or form. There is absolutely no way we should consider ourselves of a similar standing to Watford at the moment. What matters is not that we were regularly exchanging bore draws a decade ago, but where we both are now.

This game tells us literally nothing we didn't already know and shouldn't be making anyone more disallusioned or worried about the season than they were after we drew with Villa.

My "would have" referred to the past; we used to consider ourselves a club of similar standing. Watford are a reasonably established PL club now. We have gone from top end to bottom end of the Championship with small crowds and no prestige.

[Sutekh]

If that had been Liverpool or Arsenal I would not be too worried.

But that was Watford. Reserves. And they totally, wholly and uncompromisingly outclassed us in every department. A club we would have considered to be of a similar standing as ourselves.

Meite, Moore and Ilori, whilst not perfect, can at least consider themselves to have performed well. Everyone else disappointed.

A very poor night that reflects the decline in Reading FC.

You have some weird expectations. Liverpool would slaughter us. Watford are currently a solid PL team and we're a Championship relegation fighter devoid of confidence or form. There is absolutely no way we should consider ourselves of a similar standing to Watford at the moment. What matters is not that we were regularly exchanging bore draws a decade ago, but where we both are now.

This game tells us literally nothing we didn't already know and shouldn't be making anyone more disallusioned or worried about the season than they were after we drew with Villa.

Let's not get carried away with the defeat. A Reading side without several players who have been starting were turned over by a PL reserve side. Same thing happened to Sheff Wed in their tie and several other Championship sides

Yes it's frustrating that Reading are so far behind sides like Watford, Brighton, Bournemouth now but that's what happens when you get to the PL and manage to survive a season or two. Reading had their opportunity twice but blew it each time because of the perceived penny pinching and lack of investment in the team.

At the moment the whole club needs to be re-invigorated from top to bottom, let's hope the owners and the current management are capable of doing that.

[Coppells Lost Coat]

If that had been Liverpool or Arsenal I would not be too worried.

But that was Watford. Reserves. And they totally, wholly and uncompromisingly outclassed us in every department. A club we would have considered to be of a similar standing as ourselves.

Meite, Moore and Ilori, whilst not perfect, can at least consider themselves to have performed well. Everyone else disappointed.

A very poor night that reflects the decline in Reading FC.

You have some weird expectations. Liverpool would slaughter us. Watford are currently a solid PL team and we're a Championship relegation fighter devoid of confidence or form. There is absolutely no way we should consider ourselves of a similar standing to Watford at the moment. What matters is not that we were regularly exchanging bore draws a decade ago, but where we both are now.

This game tells us literally nothing we didn't already know and shouldn't be making anyone more disallusioned or worried about the season than they were after we drew with Villa.

Let's not get carried away with the defeat. A Reading side without several players who have been starting were turned over by a PL reserve side. Same thing happened to Sheff Wed in their tie and several other Championship sides

Yes it's frustrating that Reading are so far behind sides like Watford, Brighton, Bournemouth now but that's what happens when you get to the PL and manage to survive a season or two. Reading had their opportunity twice but blew it each time because of the perceived penny pinching and lack of investment in the team.

At the moment the whole club needs to be re-invigorated from top to bottom, let's hope the owners and the current management are capable of doing that.

Can you stop talking sense please. There is not enough space for it on the internet.
Before the game was played, people on here were not interested in the EFL cup. Concerned about a poor attendance and injuries.
Watford comfortably won and reading players did not look like they were going to pull up trees to battle for a win.
The likes of Swift and Kelly under performing is a big worry as Clement probably saw them as our creative spark in the middle, the season starts and they look so out of their depth is crazy.

[Hound]

Wasn’t at the match and tbh when I saw our team lost any real interest

PC prob did the right thing in resting basically the entire first 11 bar Bacuna (who seems on half decent form and prob worth keeping him going) and the CB pairing who a few of us agreed before he game would be good to keep together. Sounds like those 3 did quite well

But that side was never going to beat any 11 Watford put out. Swift and Kelly obvs a big concern but both will be dropped on Sat

Reckon we’ll go 4-4-2, Meyler and Bacuna in the middle and play quite direct. And that’s prob the right thing to do

[Westwood52]

Really BFTG, but cant be bothered.
Firstly I have to say I was impressed by Watford Reserves. Just shows what you can achieve with a good coach and staff. Everytime one of their players were under pressure in possession, there was always at least one player available to accept a pass. Then that second or third transition was always to a front or middle field player on the move. This meant hours on the practice field getting this right, and this was their Reserves ! For us how often were we static, with the player in possession moving forward look for movement and options, until he was caught in possession. Watford rarely gave away the ball, and when they occasionally did, the ball went into touch, as the intended recipient did not read the movement.
IMHO:

Walker 6: Three smart saves, but oh he is so slow (like Jakkola) on his goal kicks. Is this Beasant ?

Gunter 6: Typical Gunts performance.One peach of a cross 1st half, but nothing on the 2nd.
Richards 6: One of those wine into water players. He use to be a good confident attacker, but next to nothing as a WB last night.
Ilori 6: Blew hot and cold; but at least he came forward with the ball, looking for non existent movement up front.
Moore 5: Bit of a horror show really-remember that back pass 1st half ?
O Shea 5: One peach of a pass 1st half, but at fault for the 1st goal.
Bacuna 7: One of our better players, but surrounded in midfield with c**p.
Swift 3: Another wine into water players; how far is he going to sink, Division 2 ?
Kelly 3 : Plain awful throughout. What about that shot in front of goal 2nd half ?
Mc Nulty 2: Awful shot 1st half. Early days, but have we bought a player for whom the Championship is a step too far ?
Meite 7: Won everything in the air, and at least tested Gomez. But he was a woeful 1st touch.

Sims: Not ready for this level. Why did we take him ?
Baldock: Pathetic attempt on goal, and amateurish header missed.
Viadom: Got forward well, good to know he can play LB. One cock up.

Ref: Seen worse, but a bit average.

How far will we sink, before we start restructuring ?

[bracksroyal10]

Not surprising but once again concerned about the manner of the defeat.

Week in week out we are getting further and further away from that winning feeling. The mentality of the club stinks from the top down.

I feel for Clement and I don’t think he can be held accountable really, let’s be honest his hands are so tied!

Could anyone else really do a better job with that squad other than Pep?

So the signings we made over the summer and releasing Evans were all decisions made over his head and against his will? I suspect not.

Well with the way we are ran quite frankly it wouldn't surprise me if we were against risking missing out on a fee of 500k - £1 million. Evans hardly set the world alight lets be honest he was nothing more than a squad player.

[Hound]

Evans was dire here. Let’s not pretend for one minute he would have improved us currently at all

[Royal Bison]

For someone seemingly so big and strong, Meite seems to fall to the ground an awful lot?!

Also, and maybe just where I was sitting in Y21, but never heard the fans so quiet, I don't recall any singing at all.

[Snowflake Royal]

Evans was dire here. Let’s not pretend for one minute he would have improved us currently at all

That's ridiculously harsh. He barely played last season and did fine the one before. He'd at least cover more ground than Meyler and be better defensively than Kelly and Swift.


Just seen the goals. Typical Swift playing himself into trouble, losing it and then trotting back. Don't know what the hell Moore was doing watching their goalscorer run totally free and doing nothing to get goalside. He played Swift into trouble to lose it too.

Shambolic.

[Hound]

It’s not though is it? He was dreadful last season and offered nothing. Did ok the season before but only really in the shadow of Williams, a decent Swift, Kelly and Joey. His first season he was useless as well

He wouldn’t improve the current team in the slightest. In fact the opposite

[NewCorkSeth]

Evans was dire here. Let’s not pretend for one minute he would have improved us currently at all

That's ridiculously harsh. He barely played last season and did fine the one before. He'd at least cover more ground than Meyler and be better defensively than Kelly and Swift.


Just seen the goals. Typical Swift playing himself into trouble, losing it and then trotting back. Don't know what the hell Moore was doing watching their goalscorer run totally free and doing nothing to get goalside. He played Swift into trouble to lose it too.

Shambolic.

The first was for sure poor but blaming Swift? If you slow down the highlights it's easier to see the pass he received was awful. He tried to get a touch to it to bring it around his man but their number 20 did a superb job closing down.

After that 3 Watford players close in on the ball and not a single Reading player other than Swift is even trying to recover it or add pressure. Kelly is stood watching and even more to blame is Bacuna who tries to split himself between the 2 others (by standing 5 yards back and not moving until the pass is made) allowing a fast attacking movement to overrun our defenders who were well out of position.

Swift has been disappointing but he's becoming a magnet for abuse even when receiving an awful pass. Not his fault this time.

[Sutekh]

Evans was dire here. Let’s not pretend for one minute he would have improved us currently at all

That's ridiculously harsh. He barely played last season and did fine the one before. He'd at least cover more ground than Meyler and be better defensively than Kelly and Swift.


Just seen the goals. Typical Swift playing himself into trouble, losing it and then trotting back. Don't know what the hell Moore was doing watching their goalscorer run totally free and doing nothing to get goalside. He played Swift into trouble to lose it too.

Shambolic.

PC was not impressed with the performance overall either so I guess it makes his selection decisions easier on Saturday. Trouble is though where does he go when the inevitable injuries start up again? Think we could do with one of Kelly or Swift getting out on loan somewhere to see if they can get some confidence and form back.

[RoyalJones]

If that had been Liverpool or Arsenal I would not be too worried.

But that was Watford. Reserves. And they totally, wholly and uncompromisingly outclassed us in every department. A club we would have considered to be of a similar standing as ourselves.

Meite, Moore and Ilori, whilst not perfect, can at least consider themselves to have performed well. Everyone else disappointed.

A very poor night that reflects the decline in Reading FC.

You have some weird expectations. Liverpool would slaughter us. Watford are currently a solid PL team and we're a Championship relegation fighter devoid of confidence or form. There is absolutely no way we should consider ourselves of a similar standing to Watford at the moment. What matters is not that we were regularly exchanging bore draws a decade ago, but where we both are now.

This game tells us literally nothing we didn't already know and shouldn't be making anyone more disallusioned or worried about the season than they were after we drew with Villa.

Let's not get carried away with the defeat. A Reading side without several players who have been starting were turned over by a PL reserve side. Same thing happened to Sheff Wed in their tie and several other Championship sides

Yes it's frustrating that Reading are so far behind sides like Watford, Brighton, Bournemouth now but that's what happens when you get to the PL and manage to survive a season or two. Reading had their opportunity twice but blew it each time because of the perceived penny pinching and lack of investment in the team.

At the moment the whole club needs to be re-invigorated from top to bottom, let's hope the owners and the current management are capable of doing that.

Gourlay out for me, I really have a strong dislike for him, he seems like a poisonous character and I can't warm to him. Maybe I'm just being harsh. The match last night shows how far we've declined, we're in a sorry state.

[Zip]

Really BFTG, but cant be bothered.
Firstly I have to say I was impressed by Watford Reserves. Just shows what you can achieve with a good coach and staff. Everytime one of their players were under pressure in possession, there was always at least one player available to accept a pass. Then that second or third transition was always to a front or middle field player on the move. This meant hours on the practice field getting this right, and this was their Reserves ! For us how often were we static, with the player in possession moving forward look for movement and options, until he was caught in possession. Watford rarely gave away the ball, and when they occasionally did, the ball went into touch, as the intended recipient did not read the movement.
IMHO:

Walker 6: Three smart saves, but oh he is so slow (like Jakkola) on his goal kicks. Is this Beasant ?

Gunter 6: Typical Gunts performance.One peach of a cross 1st half, but nothing on the 2nd.
Richards 6: One of those wine into water players. He use to be a good confident attacker, but next to nothing as a WB last night.
Ilori 6: Blew hot and cold; but at least he came forward with the ball, looking for non existent movement up front.
Moore 5: Bit of a horror show really-remember that back pass 1st half ?
O Shea 5: One peach of a pass 1st half, but at fault for the 1st goal.
Bacuna 7: One of our better players, but surrounded in midfield with c**p.
Swift 3: Another wine into water players; how far is he going to sink, Division 2 ?
Kelly 3 : Plain awful throughout. What about that shot in front of goal 2nd half ?
Mc Nulty 2: Awful shot 1st half. Early days, but have we bought a player for whom the Championship is a step too far ?
Meite 7: Won everything in the air, and at least tested Gomez. But he was a woeful 1st touch.

Sims: Not ready for this level. Why did we take him ?
Baldock: Pathetic attempt on goal, and amateurish header missed.
Viadom: Got forward well, good to know he can play LB. One cock up.

Ref: Seen worse, but a bit average.

How far will we sink, before we start restructuring ?

Spot on re the lack of movement. It’s been a problem for a long time.

[Zip]

Evans was dire here. Let’s not pretend for one minute he would have improved us currently at all

That's ridiculously harsh. He barely played last season and did fine the one before. He'd at least cover more ground than Meyler and be better defensively than Kelly and Swift.


Just seen the goals. Typical Swift playing himself into trouble, losing it and then trotting back. Don't know what the hell Moore was doing watching their goalscorer run totally free and doing nothing to get goalside. He played Swift into trouble to lose it too.

Shambolic.

PC was not impressed with the performance overall either so I guess it makes his selection decisions easier on Saturday. Trouble is though where does he go when the inevitable injuries start up again? Think we could do with one of Kelly or Swift getting out on loan somewhere to see if they can get some confidence and form back.

I think Kelly needs a League one loan. I would keep hold of Swift in the forlorn hope he might show the form of two years ago.

[tmesis]

I don't really get all the praise for Watford last night. They passed the ball nicely, but didn't do a great deal with it. Plenty of Championship teams will give us sterner tests at the back than they did. Of course, they might have be half-arsing it, so it's difficult to tell how good they could be, but the "gulf in class" was more about how appalling we were, not how good they were.

And we truly are appalling. Forget talk about being "in danger of relegation". If we don't pull our finger out as a team, we are sinking without trace, and will be lucky to break 30 points. The football, the body language exuding hopelessness from the players throughout, reminds me of the Bullivant era.

The frustrating thing is that so many players are capable of so much better, but each and every one of them seems have set their own personal bar for acceptable performance to an all time low.