BFTG - Wigan

[John Madejski's Wallet]

The first 20 min were as bad as I've seen Reading play. Utterly woeful across the board, especially Dorsett who looked lost.
Then came a break and a huddle with Selles and we looked a different team afterwards. Once we got the goal Wigan looked utterly broken.

Looked far more settled second half and Dorsett finally started getting the better of their no20 (their only decent player). Also, Great to see us hunting in packs when trying to get the ball back or win second balls.

Fair play to Button for a great save after Abbey's blunder to keep it at 2-0

Craig and Mukairu MotM for me. Nice cameo from Elliot too

[Brogue]

Yes fine game from Mukairu. He’s best performance yet. Craig is going to be a special special player for us. Everytime he plays he runs the midfield

[Brogue]

Also, isn’t it noticeable that this last 6 games were our results have improved (since Shrewsbury) that Harlee dean NGW and hutch have not been in any of the match day squads.

[Crowbar6753]

Yes fine game from Mukairu. He’s best performance yet. Craig is going to be a special special player for us. Everytime he plays he runs the midfield

We are hitting form at a great time for us with still over half a season to play. My concern is the transfer window which is a week away! The team is just starting to gel together and find some rhythm, the last thing we need is to be losing players in this window!!

Even scarier is the fact we will be easy pickings as we have no cash to fend off anyone wishing to swoop for our young stars. I can handle Vickers leaving as he hasn't really been an influence so far this season, however, if we were to lose lets say, Azeez, Craig and Abbey then we're pretty much done for i guess.

[Brogue]

Yes fine game from Mukairu. He’s best performance yet. Craig is going to be a special special player for us. Everytime he plays he runs the midfield

We are hitting form at a great time for us with still over half a season to play. My concern is the transfer window which is a week away! The team is just starting to gel together and find some rhythm, the last thing we need is to be losing players in this window!!

Even scarier is the fact we will be easy pickings as we have no cash to fend off anyone wishing to swoop for our young stars. I can handle Vickers leaving as he hasn't really been an influence so far this season, however, if we were to lose lets say, Azeez, Craig and Abbey then we're pretty much done for i guess.

Yes it is a concern. I’m hoping with ejaria now off the books that might mean we don’t need to sell. And to be honest if I were in charge of the club I would rather turn down any offer for these players and let them leave on a free at the end of their contracts.

The reason I think that is

A) as we can’t buy any players till 2025 we won’t be able to replace them
B) we have to survive in this league, and if they go we are down.
C) no matter how many players we sell for however much money it doesn’t mean Dai will start paying wages and the tax man on time.

[AthleticoSpizz]

Also, isn’t it noticeable that this last 6 games were our results have improved (since Shrewsbury) that Harlee dean NGW and hutch have not been in any of the match day squads.

yes, noted, Selles and his starting squad (without them), is actually starting to look a little bit like potential for success.

Plenty here, of course, with the mention of Selles will disagree

[Royal_jimmy]

Pretty poor from both sides to be honest especially first half.

Second half we were worthy winners. Nothing to get carried away about but feel optimistic we will stay up.

Interesting to see the pitch starting to deteriorate. Now we're in winter and lots of games at home as well as looming redundancies and imagine less if anything spent on maintaining our football pitch I wonder if we'll see some issues with matches as the pitch worsens.

[Hound]

Also, isn’t it noticeable that this last 6 games were our results have improved (since Shrewsbury) that Harlee dean NGW and hutch have not been in any of the match day squads.

yes, noted, Selles and his starting squad (without them), is actually starting to look a little bit like potential for success.

Plenty here, of course, with the mention of Selles will disagree

Yes well he has settled on our best team. Craig is better than Hutch, Dorsett a much better defender than NGw and that’s what we needed. Holmes I’m not fully convinced by but he’s better than Dean

Need to keep this lot fit

[WestYorksRoyal]

Also, isn’t it noticeable that this last 6 games were our results have improved (since Shrewsbury) that Harlee dean NGW and hutch have not been in any of the match day squads.

Senior pros should be setting an example and holding youngsters to account, but I think Hutchinson and Dean were doing the opposite. Their performances scream a "not my fault " attitude as if the club's situation gives the side a free pass.

Now it seems we have a team believing they can make a difference and taking responsibility on the pitch.

Let them stay away from the team except for an injury crisis.

[Royal Ginger]

Couldn’t get to this one as had to work so just watched the highlights.

That Azeez goal was a bit special!

[stealthpapes]

A bit scrappy in places but, once it went 2-0, basically a straight forward home win.

Best players the same few who've impressed since November - Smith, Craig, Dorsett.

Gratifying to see Azeez slowly but surely come good.

[Delboy]

What was the attendance. Great atmosphere in 1871 some great chants

[Clyde1998]

What was the attendance. Great atmosphere in 1871 some great chants

The club's not published the figure yet - would imagine around 12,000.

[Sutekh]

The inevitable loss of players in January followed by the next points deduction will decide Reading's season.

[Clyde1998]

Also, isn’t it noticeable that this last 6 games were our results have improved (since Shrewsbury) that Harlee dean NGW and hutch have not been in any of the match day squads.

This. I think Dean has been poor this season. It cannot be a coincidence we've lost all but one of the games he's been involved in this season in the league (out of ten) - the only game we didn't lose was the 0-0 against Burton. NGW is in the same boat - played eight, lost seven, drawn one.

League record with (any match they played a part in) and without Dean and NGW:
With Dean - Pld 10; W0; D1; L9; GF 8; GA 21; P/G 0.10
Without Dean - Pld 12; W6; D3; L3; GF 19; GA 14; P/G 1.75

With NGW - Pld 8; W0; D1; L7; GF 7; GA 17; P/G 0.13
Without NGW - Pld 14; W6; D3; L5; GF 20; GA 18; P/G 1.50

Both last played a league game when they came off the bench late for our collapse against Shrewsbury.

Hutchinson's record isn't anywhere near as bad:
With Hutch - Pld 12; W3; D2; L7; GF 11; GA 17; P/G 0.92
Without Hutch - Pld 10; W3; D2; L5; GF 16; GA 18; P/G 1.10

Craig has certainly shown he's more effective than Hutch since he's come in though.

[paultheroyal]

Terrible first 20 minutes, break in play, a huddle, and a different performance.

Some noticeable performances by those already mentioned. Great save from button when needed. My usual gripe of him not commanding that six yard box continues to frustrate.

Other gripe is the passage of play down the left. Albeit with the ball or a thrown in. Drive forward, get it in the box, but no, we repeatedly go back to Abbey or Button. Need to be braver in those positions.

Special mention to Azeez, had so much stick and hate, he is proving to be our main threat and a player I always believed he was.

URZ.

[paultheroyal]

Oh and Mukairu, often rare but great to see that a player who started terribly grew into the match and got better and better. He is very quick over ten yards and that needs to be utilised more. When he moved across to the middle and switched sides at times he was very dangerous. Oh and Tom Holmes, he was excellent and a real presence at the back there. Great turnaround from him.

[morganb]

The one thing I noticed yesterday with Tom Holmes was how vocal he was with his other defenders, especially when Bindon came on. Nice to see.

[Gunny Fishcake]

A rare Christmas p*ss up game victory to warm the cockles in what was a very cold East stand, particularly impressed with the lone tennis ball that made it's way onto the pitch

[Snowflake Royal]

Also, isn’t it noticeable that this last 6 games were our results have improved (since Shrewsbury) that Harlee dean NGW and hutch have not been in any of the match day squads.

This. I think Dean has been poor this season. It cannot be a coincidence we've lost all but one of the games he's been involved in this season in the league (out of ten) - the only game we didn't lose was the 0-0 against Burton. NGW is in the same boat - played eight, lost seven, drawn one.

League record with (any match they played a part in) and without Dean and NGW:
With Dean - Pld 10; W0; D1; L9; GF 8; GA 21; P/G 0.10
Without Dean - Pld 12; W6; D3; L3; GF 19; GA 14; P/G 1.75

With NGW - Pld 8; W0; D1; L7; GF 7; GA 17; P/G 0.13
Without NGW - Pld 14; W6; D3; L5; GF 20; GA 18; P/G 1.50

Both last played a league game when they came off the bench late for our collapse against Shrewsbury.

Hutchinson's record isn't anywhere near as bad:
With Hutch - Pld 12; W3; D2; L7; GF 11; GA 17; P/G 0.92
Without Hutch - Pld 10; W3; D2; L5; GF 16; GA 18; P/G 1.10

Craig has certainly shown he's more effective than Hutch since he's come in though.

You have to remember that NGW and Dean featured mostly in a side playing in a way that set them up to fail.

NGW in particular (along with the other fullbacks) had ludicrous expectation on his shoulders to play forward and provide all our width, but also be able to be back and defend the flanks solo. Hiding to nothing.

Dean had a less hard job, and never looked much cop, but he was having to deal with being overrun down the flanks and through the soft middle at the time.

You'd see the same correlation in failure if you looked at formation vs formation. There are plenty still in the team who played throughhe shit losing system, and now look better picking up better results in the real shape we use now.

Dorsett's the right choice at LB, but I'd expect NGW to fair much better in this set up than early in the season too. Dean to a lesser extent, though he's way down the CB pecking order.

I think it's also worth praising Holmes. We're unbeaten since he came back into the side and a lot of people were happy to write him off as awful.

Wing has been a bit disappointing the last couple of games, but still ok.

It's amazing how when you find players who fit in complementary partnerships in a workable system things go better than when you play a flawed style and just throw in whoever you think is your best individual for each position.