by Hendo » 18 Mar 2021 08:46
by Stranded » 18 Mar 2021 09:00
ZipStrandedZip
Since the great start to the season 11 wins, 12 defeats. Brum have done the double, lost to Wycombe and didn’t beat ten man Wednesday. All were in dire dire form when we played them. We will do very well to make the play offs based upon a long stretch of results spanning most of the season.
Yeah the season has been hit and miss since the start you could say but in context, our record of W11 D6 L12 would put us 10th and 6pts off the play-offs with 9 to play, a position we would have all taken at the start - the run was a bonus and we always knew we would regress from that.
Further, start a form table after Bournemouth away, and we are 7th just 2 pts shy of Cardiff.
We have actually been pretty consistent throughout if you split the league to date into 12 game thirds:
1st third: 22pts
2nd: 21pts
3rd: 18pts
So at our worst, we still took half the points available to us. Do that in the last 10 and we should make the top 6.
Good response Stranded.
by Stranded » 18 Mar 2021 09:03
Hendo Yes, it was poor last night and yes it would be incredibly frustrating for us to miss out on the play-offs but;
a) it isn't over yet, there are still 27 points to play for, which is loads. Yes, it is probably going to be a lot closer than we'd like but that's football, it doesn't always go your way and it would be boring if it did.
b) I'd much rather be in a position where a result last night is surprising and comes out of nowhere rather than previous seasons where most of us would've been expecting a loss anyway - that is when it is really bad.
c) Reading have always played better against the better clubs, we've never really been one to smash our way past teams on bad runs. Been supporting the team for 20+ years and its always been the same, so the remaining fixtures don't worry me too much.
I'm still confident we'll finish in the top 6, but if we don't we don't. It won't be the end of the world and it'll certainly be a vast improvement on the last few seasons and I think puts us in a strong position to kick on next season with hopefully a couple of new faces.
by Hendo » 18 Mar 2021 09:06
StrandedHendo Yes, it was poor last night and yes it would be incredibly frustrating for us to miss out on the play-offs but;
a) it isn't over yet, there are still 27 points to play for, which is loads. Yes, it is probably going to be a lot closer than we'd like but that's football, it doesn't always go your way and it would be boring if it did.
b) I'd much rather be in a position where a result last night is surprising and comes out of nowhere rather than previous seasons where most of us would've been expecting a loss anyway - that is when it is really bad.
c) Reading have always played better against the better clubs, we've never really been one to smash our way past teams on bad runs. Been supporting the team for 20+ years and its always been the same, so the remaining fixtures don't worry me too much.
I'm still confident we'll finish in the top 6, but if we don't we don't. It won't be the end of the world and it'll certainly be a vast improvement on the last few seasons and I think puts us in a strong position to kick on next season with hopefully a couple of new faces.
Hard to disagree with this - I don't want us to miss out - I like being in the play-offs but the key is if we do miss out that we use a good season as a base to build next year - sell assets and re-invest wisely so that we can come back stronger - we need to make sure that we don't do a Forest (or indeed an us of the last few seasons) and collapse as a result of missing out if we do - and currently, I don't think we will.
by Millsy » 18 Mar 2021 09:06
Millsy If Meite starts Brum can play like Brazil for all I care, they ain't gonna get sh*t from the game.
by leon » 18 Mar 2021 09:12
Snowflake RoyalleonZip
Since the great start to the season 11 wins, 12 defeats. Brum have done the double, lost to Wycombe and didn’t beat ten man Wednesday. All were in dire dire form when we played them. We will do very well to make the play offs based upon a long stretch of results spanning most of the season.
Careful Zip. Ian will call you a bed wetter.
It's a bit much using Wednesday as an example when we got done on 4 penalty decisions by the ref.
Didn't hear you moaning about it a few games ago when it was 8 wins 11 defeats.
We lose one game after a good run and it's always the end of the world.
by Norfolk Royal » 18 Mar 2021 09:19
Greatwesternline Last night lots of people cooed at our bench pre match. Ejaria, Puscas, Rino, Baldock, Aluko, with those players on the bench, we were getting back to full strength.
But what that bench actually meant was we were still playing 4 at the back, with a CD in DM, plus Semedo and Laurent, two more DMs.
SO just like against Wycombe, we started with 7 defensive outfield players, and lo and behold, we didnt create much whatsoever, aside from some better than usual Olise free kicks.
Its a far too negetive way to set up a team against a team struggling for form.
In the early part of the season we played with 4 attacking players, Olise, Ejaria, Joao and Meite, with Rino and Laurent as DM.
Then we signed Semedo and he has played almost non stop, as someone or other has always be injured. At first if an attacking player was injured Aluko would start, but over time, no matter who is injured, they are replaced with a DM.
Surely, with 6 players on defensive duty, if Ejaria is injured, Aluko should come in, not adding McIntyre or Semedo to the mix.
After the Wycombe debacle Pauno went with 2 up top, and it has worked. But 2 up top with only Olise to create things for them does not work. Why is he so defensively minded against relegation fodder.
by windermereROYAL » 18 Mar 2021 09:26
by Millsy » 18 Mar 2021 09:47
windermereROYAL Yiadom was on the post when the corner came in, if he stayed there it`s an easy headed clearance. I can never understand why they come out before the danger is cleared.
by John Smith » 18 Mar 2021 10:10
by Hound » 18 Mar 2021 10:15
by Millsy » 18 Mar 2021 10:24
by URZZZZ » 18 Mar 2021 11:02
by URZZZZ » 18 Mar 2021 11:14
ZipNorfolk Royal Agree with most comments. Bottom line is that Birmingham wanted that more which is the big disappointment. It must be obvious by now to anyone who watches championship football that you have to match opponents for desire and grit. If you don’t then no matter how many players of skill you have, you will get stuffed more often than not. I’d leave Yiadom out of that criticism. Lots saying McIntyre and Holmes played well tonight. They weren’t awful but to me McIntyre’s position is superfluous. We’re playing three centre backs and one, McIntyre, seems to have no designated role except wandering around where he likes putting the odd foot in. Moore wandering down the left wing, what’s that about? Ditto Semedo, no obviously defined role, Laurent lost without Rino, also doesn’t seem to know what his role is. Very disappointing.
Agree with a lot of that Norrers. We looked pretty clueless. The lack of movement was very disappointing. Not a lot of conviction in our play. I don’t know what our stats are when Semedo starts but I don’t think they are very good. Not just down to him of course but we don’t seem balanced when he plays.
by Delboy » 18 Mar 2021 11:59
by Snowflake Royal » 18 Mar 2021 12:46
Millsy Embarrassingly I missed the starting lineup and didn't work it out during the game as I was too busy wondering wtf was going on with Brum being better than us. I honestly didn't even notice Rino was playing till like the 2nd half.
Did Pauno actually NOT use the Laurent-Rino pairing in front of the defence this game?
by Millsy » 18 Mar 2021 12:52
Snowflake RoyalMillsy Embarrassingly I missed the starting lineup and didn't work it out during the game as I was too busy wondering wtf was going on with Brum being better than us. I honestly didn't even notice Rino was playing till like the 2nd half.
Did Pauno actually NOT use the Laurent-Rino pairing in front of the defence this game?
Rino came on in the second half as a sub.
by 3points » 18 Mar 2021 13:16
Hendo Yes, it was poor last night and yes it would be incredibly frustrating for us to miss out on the play-offs but;
a) it isn't over yet, there are still 27 points to play for, which is loads. Yes, it is probably going to be a lot closer than we'd like but that's football, it doesn't always go your way and it would be boring if it did.
b) I'd much rather be in a position where a result last night is surprising and comes out of nowhere rather than previous seasons where most of us would've been expecting a loss anyway - that is when it is really bad.
c) Reading have always played better against the better clubs, we've never really been one to smash our way past teams on bad runs. Been supporting the team for 20+ years and its always been the same, so the remaining fixtures don't worry me too much.
I'm still confident we'll finish in the top 6, but if we don't we don't. It won't be the end of the world and it'll certainly be a vast improvement on the last few seasons and I think puts us in a strong position to kick on next season with hopefully a couple of new faces.
by RoyalBlue » 18 Mar 2021 13:20
MillsywindermereROYAL Yiadom was on the post when the corner came in, if he stayed there it`s an easy headed clearance. I can never understand why they come out before the danger is cleared.
Yeah for the second goal Yiadom was on the line but then seemed to just move out the way, probably because he saw or heard Rafael coming for it, not sure what happened there.
by CountryRoyal » 18 Mar 2021 13:38
Hendo b) I'd much rather be in a position where a result last night is surprising and comes out of nowhere rather than previous seasons where most of us would've been expecting a loss anyway - that is when it is really bad.
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