Blackburn (H) - Back from the game

[Wimb]

My player ratings over on The Tilehurst End.

http://thetilehurstend.sbnation.com/pla ... ampionship

Obita running away with the POTM vote which is understandable.

Loving the website and overall like your ratings. I do however shake my head in disbelief when people say Akpan was anything more than a bystander today. You said he made tackles, in my opinion Macanuff made tackles, Pogrebnyak made tackles, Williams made many tackles but Akpan seemed to 'hold his central position well' (maybe more important than I'm giving him credit for as Williams does seem to follow the ball a lot) but not actually get close enough to his man to make a tackle. Yes, he picked up a few lose balls but he didn't WIN the ball often. When he had the ball at his feet I don't feel he played progressive football. He needs too many touches to get it under control and then plays the first pass he sees which is usually the second or third best option in my opinion. I actually think there's a good player in there somewhere, but I'd rather he went on loan to get confidence and meanwhile we give the position back to Guthrie to see if he can play a genuine box to box role/higher tempo game with Williams and, if not, to one of the youngsters until Legs is back.

The dream scenario for me would be Karacan and Williams snapping away at players - can't see many opposition teams enjoying playing those two!

Cheers Pete, no offence taken, why the website is there as a starting point rather than a full stop on opinions.

Just thought Akpan could have taken more of the initiative going forward when Rovers were playing fairly deep but I realise that's not really his game. He didn't have a bad game I just couldn't think of too many applaudable moments from Hope who sadly once again played a suicide cross-field pass to nobody (needs to cut those out).

I think he should keep his place but when we're chasing the game and need something a bit more creative it's sometimes hard to justify his place on the pitch.

[Wimb]

Overall record under Adkins:

W 15 D 10 L 17

Anyone got stats for our previous managers in their first 42 games? Expect Brian's to be much better, but would like to see how it compares to Coppell.

Not the first 42, but here it was up to 27 league games.

http://thetilehurstend.sbnation.com/201 ... c-managers

I've taken away Adkins two cup games, to leave a league record after 40....

Adkins first 40 W15, D10, L15 - 55pts
Brian's first 40 - W15, D12, L13 - 57pts
Coppell's first 40 - W19, D7, L14 - 64pts

Brian's would have been much higher but for that dire run at the start of 2010/11 where we lost four in a row, likewise Adkins had the disadvantage of being in the Premier League.

[RoyalBlue]

Interested to see Conway has been awarded the goal - admittedly I was down the other end of the pitch but I thought McAnuff absolutely buried it

I was dead in line with that cross/shot, and without Jobi`s touch it would have gone 2 yards wide at least, OG every day of the week

As he struck the shot I thought 'thank God, he's hit it wide' then sadly Jobi followed through with his attempted block and buried it. Watching the replay of their goal I noticed how Rhodes conveniently stumbled into the back of Gunter (Adi Williams' style) knocking him over and pinning him to the ground thus removing any chance Gunter might have had of closing Conway down. Watch it in slow motion and you will see that it is not Gunter's initial challenge that brings Rhodes down and that Gunter himself is starting to move towards Conway before Rhodes' stumble brings them both down.

[RoyalBlue]

There was a scuffle, albeit a one punch scuffle, at the back of the North stand today, strange atmosphere, sheeite game.

It was a two punch scuffle...

What I can only describe as a drunk hobo appeared after half time, and started berating the referee with a complete lack of wit or perspective. It was all rather funny and more interesting than the game to start with, then eventually a middle aged bloke in front dared look at him, hobo yelled at him, middle aged said he was leaving and got his phone out, hobo started telling him to oxf*rd off and die, then the bloke next to middle aged, something of a bantam weight, stood up and had a go at hobo, presumably because hobo was muttering about how they let lowlifes in - irony - and then hobo told him to "sit down! I can't see the match" - more irony as hobo was standing every time he berated the ref - and after a few exchanges bantam weight suddenly threw what looked like a left jab at hobo, and repeated the gesture about 30 seconds later, with hobo both times correctly exclaiming "he just hit me!" Someone from another section of the crowd then turned up and managed to calm hobo down, the old folks next to hobo tutted generally about bantam weight secure in the knowledge that their friend hobo was beyond reproach, and eventually bantam weight and hobo shook hands before both leaving at the start of 9 minutes of stoppage time. I left at full time and hobo was still barely out of the stadium, asking a bloke "are you Scottish?"

Funniest thing I've seen among home fans since myself and Dan - B15 Royal went to see Southampton v Ipswich in the Ipswich end a few years ago (we both lived in Southampton at the time and he was born in Ipswich so seemed a good idea) and the Saints fans near us had a punch up among themselves.

'Catweasel' and 'hobo'? Almost sounds like Blackie!

[If you still hate Futcher]

"Hobo" did give us one pure comedy moment when questioning one of many of the referee's decisions he blurts out

"You just cost us promotion!!!"

[Will95]

The officials were pcunts.

Rovers were cheating pcunts.

The stewards were oxf*rd pcunts.

Akpan needs to stop being shit and get back to his January form.

McAnuff was shocking, which is disappointing after being great since coming back.

Le Fondre keeps disappearing for whole games.

Gorkks is being damn solid with Pearce being so poor beside him.

I feel for Obita, he had to run the whole wing as McAnuff was totally reliant on his support, and he did a great job of it.

Why the hell did Pog and McCleary come off and McAnuff stay on?

It was shit.

[Kingsley Junior]

"Hobo" did give us one pure comedy moment when questioning one of many of the referee's decisions he blurts out

"You just cost us promotion!!!"

Aye, that was one of my particular favourites!

[Four Of Clubs]

"Hobo" did give us one pure comedy moment when questioning one of many of the referee's decisions he blurts out

"You just cost us promotion!!!"

Aye, that was one of my particular favourites!

... my eldest is convinced he's made an appearance before - a couple of season's back (H v Palarse) - behaved in the same manner - upset plenty around him and got turfed out by the Tangos before being set upon by the usually mild-mannered psychos up in B15/16.

[Shackleton Royal]

There was a scuffle, albeit a one punch scuffle, at the back of the North stand today, strange atmosphere, sheeite game.

It was a two punch scuffle...

What I can only describe as a drunk hobo appeared after half time, and started berating the referee with a complete lack of wit or perspective. It was all rather funny and more interesting than the game to start with, then eventually a middle aged bloke in front dared look at him, hobo yelled at him, middle aged said he was leaving and got his phone out, hobo started telling him to oxf*rd off and die, then the bloke next to middle aged, something of a bantam weight, stood up and had a go at hobo, presumably because hobo was muttering about how they let lowlifes in - irony - and then hobo told him to "sit down! I can't see the match" - more irony as hobo was standing every time he berated the ref - and after a few exchanges bantam weight suddenly threw what looked like a left jab at hobo, and repeated the gesture about 30 seconds later, with hobo both times correctly exclaiming "he just hit me!" Someone from another section of the crowd then turned up and managed to calm hobo down, the old folks next to hobo tutted generally about bantam weight secure in the knowledge that their friend hobo was beyond reproach, and eventually bantam weight and hobo shook hands before both leaving at the start of 9 minutes of stoppage time. I left at full time and hobo was still barely out of the stadium, asking a bloke "are you Scottish?"

Funniest thing I've seen among home fans since myself and Dan - B15 Royal went to see Southampton v Ipswich in the Ipswich end a few years ago (we both lived in Southampton at the time and he was born in Ipswich so seemed a good idea) and the Saints fans near us had a punch up among themselves.

'Catweasel' and 'hobo'? Almost sounds like Blackie!

This guy was (if it was the same guy) trying to get people to sing at The World Turned Upside Down. As he walked past us he was shouting some slurred bs about a song. One of our group started to try to talk to him which eventually ended with the bloke singing, which I use in the loosest term possible, zippady doo dah!

After we ignored him he started to follow someone down the road!

[Victor Meldrew]

I wish Dellor had asked Adkins what our game plan was?
As everybody has said already we spent the whole game lumping the ball forward when we all know that our strength is pace (as at QPR) and in particular out wide right.
Adkins came out with his usual stuff about being great in training (especially Kanu) but you do wonder what they did all week as this was dire Wimbledon-like again and it doesn't suit the two current strikers nor indeed any other players on the books.

Blackburn played with a good shape all game and deserved their win but with us it is one step forward followed by one step back and Jobi sums it up well by playing well one week followed by a poor display the next.
This squad really is a long way off being anywhere near good enough to play at the next level and yesterday showed that our options were poor for changing things and that we really should have bought in the window using the money that our chairman said was available.

[Pepe the Horseman]

I wish Dellor had asked Adkins what our game plan was?
As everybody has said already we spent the whole game lumping the ball forward when we all know that our strength is pace.

We didn't though, did we? We spent the first half playing how we have been playing and were very unlucky to be behind at half time. Credit to Blackburn, they killed the game second half and did a job on us.

[RoyalBlue]

The officials were pcunts.

Rovers were cheating pcunts.

The stewards were oxf*rd pcunts.

Akpan needs to stop being shit and get back to his January form.

McAnuff was shocking, which is disappointing after being great since coming back.

Le Fondre keeps disappearing for whole games.

Gorkks is being damn solid with Pearce being so poor beside him.

I feel for Obita, he had to run the whole wing as McAnuff was totally reliant on his support, and he did a great job of it.

Why the hell did Pog and McCleary come off and McAnuff stay on?

Because McCleary was completely invisible in the second half?

And Pog was perhaps still suffering from the knock he got at QPR?

I wish Dellor had asked Adkins what our game plan was?
As everybody has said already we spent the whole game lumping the ball forward when we all know that our strength is pace (as at QPR) and in particular out wide right.
Adkins came out with his usual stuff about being great in training (especially Kanu) but you do wonder what they did all week as this was dire Wimbledon-like again and it doesn't suit the two current strikers nor indeed any other players on the books.

Blackburn played with a good shape all game and deserved their win but with us it is one step forward followed by one step back and Jobi sums it up well by playing well one week followed by a poor display the next.
This squad really is a long way off being anywhere near good enough to play at the next level and yesterday showed that our options were poor for changing things and that we really should have bought in the window using the money that our chairman said was available.

Adkins clearly wanted to buy/sign players in the January window and I am sure he would have done had Madejski actually put the money where his pre-Xmas big mouth was. However, once again Madejski talked the talk only to fail to follow it up with any form of walk.

[FridaysGhost]

This team got plaudits for dicking QPR last week away. Today, we were at home. Some of our players may not be brilliant at performing the same way every week but, surely, that is why the Manager has a squad. Do'nt give the individual players a bad time if they have a bad game - why did'nt the Manager use a bit of management?

Don't or didn't. I suggest you DON'T use apostrophes at all because your posts look worse with them in the wrong place than not using them at all.

Have you actually just said don't blame the players for playing poorly, blame the manager?! What do you think management constitutes exactly?? Waving a magic wand & all of a sudden one of the set pieces comes off? Abracadabra.......

He made a triple sub & it did make a difference I thought. What else do you want him to do? Get some boots on & get out there?

I don't even know why I reply to you as you're clearly mental - no offence.

I agree with you, the apostrophe should replace the missing letter. However, a lot of people on this site appear to think that the apostrophe should connect the shortened words. As the trolls will attack my posts any way they can, which, seemingly, they don't do to you, I started varying my spellings per post.

As to the other matter, top Managers vary their teams at times due to tiredness, inconsistency, youth, bad news etc. If it works for top guys, why do we put out potentially good teams whose individual parts then fail to function. Is this not Management?

[Kingsley Junior]

I agree with you, the apostrophe should replace the missing letter. However, a lot of people on this site appear to think that the apostrophe should connect the shortened words. As the trolls will attack my posts any way they can, which, seemingly, they don't do to you, I started varying my spellings per post.

As to the other matter, top Managers vary their teams at times due to tiredness, inconsistency, youth, bad news etc. If it works for top guys, why do we put out potentially good teams whose individual parts then fail to function. Is this not Management?

You used to make the same apostrophe error when you were The Siege.

[leicsRoyal]

Why the hell did Pog and McCleary come off and McAnuff stay on?

It was shit.

Probably due to the reason that we seemed to totally forget we had a right wing in the second half and of the dozen or so hoofs that had been aimed at POG in the previous 10 minutes he had won precisely f@&k all of them.

I suppose we could have switched to plan B.....................maybe not.

[handbags_harris]

Overall record under Adkins:

W 15 D 10 L 17

Anyone got stats for our previous managers in their first 42 games? Expect Brian's to be much better, but would like to see how it compares to Coppell.

Since McGhee, including the 1-0 win over Stoke on the final game of 90/91:-

P W D L F A GD
McGhee 42 14 12 16 50 57 -7
Quinn/Gooding 42 19 10 13 63 54 9
Burns 42 14 14 14 48 56 -8
Bullivant 42 12 12 18 41 57 -16 (worst record - fewest wins, most defeats, lowest goals scored, joint second highest conceded)
Pardew 42 17 13 12 52 50 2
Coppell 42 19 8 15 48 53 -5
Rodgers 23 6 6 11 29 36 -7
McDermott 42 20 11 11 76 48 28 (best record - most wins, fewest defeats, highest goals scored, fewest goals conceded)
Adkins 42 15 10 17 58 60 -2 (on the poorer side of average- average wins, second highest defeats, decent goalscoring, most goals conceded)

All competitions.

[FridaysGhost]

I agree with you, the apostrophe should replace the missing letter. However, a lot of people on this site appear to think that the apostrophe should connect the shortened words. As the trolls will attack my posts any way they can, which, seemingly, they don't do to you, I started varying my spellings per post.

As to the other matter, top Managers vary their teams at times due to tiredness, inconsistency, youth, bad news etc. If it works for top guys, why do we put out potentially good teams whose individual parts then fail to function. Is this not Management?

You used to make the same apostrophe error when you were The Siege.

I probably made the same error when I was Jesus. What do you expect to gain by your gibberish?

[Optimist]

Anyone else got that fcuking annoying Blackburn song stuck in their head?

I think I know the one you mean. I had no idea what they were saying, though, so in my head the lyrics now are;

Oh Kaspars Gorrrrrrrrrrkss!
Oh Kaspars Gorrrrrrrrrrkss!
Oh Alex Peeeeeeeeeeearce!
Garath McClearyyyyyyyyyyy!

[Hampshire Royal]

Overall record under Adkins:

W 15 D 10 L 17

Anyone got stats for our previous managers in their first 42 games? Expect Brian's to be much better, but would like to see how it compares to Coppell.

Since McGhee, including the 1-0 win over Stoke on the final game of 90/91:-

P W D L F A GD
McGhee 42 14 12 16 50 57 -7
Quinn/Gooding 42 19 10 13 63 54 9
Burns 42 14 14 14 48 56 -8
Bullivant 42 12 12 18 41 57 -16 (worst record - fewest wins, most defeats, lowest goals scored, joint second highest conceded)
Pardew 42 17 13 12 52 50 2
Coppell 42 19 8 15 48 53 -5
Rodgers 23 6 6 11 29 36 -7
McDermott 42 20 11 11 76 48 28 (best record - most wins, fewest defeats, highest goals scored, fewest goals conceded)
Adkins 42 15 10 17 58 60 -2 (on the poorer side of average- average wins, second highest defeats, decent goalscoring, most goals conceded)

All competitions.

How many of these managers started their Reading career in the PL with a poor, demoralised side like Adkins did?

[Lower West]

How many of these managers started their Reading career in the PL with a poor, demoralised side like Adkins did?

Meaningless stats. Different players, different leagues, etc........