MATCHWATCH : Luton Town (h)

[biff]

Far better with 2 up front. Watch us start with 1 up front next match.

[Brogue]

Not sure if season ticket holder who don’t turn up are included in the attendance figures. But the attendance was 9611 oof

[Royal_jimmy]

Another pathetic midweek display. We've been bad midweek for a while now. Need to question how players are preparing for midweek matches as it's not good enough.

Shocking performance vs a nothing side. Luton were really average and I expected more from them. The most annoying thing is we didn't even make it hard for Luton.

This is the worst Reading side I've ever seen. This team would be bullied in league two. Ashcroft, Bristow, Holmes and Drinkwater should not be anywhere near our team. Need McIntyre and Meite back ASAP. Theres no identity, no strengths or mojo with this team. Pauno needs to go. Yes he's had hard circumstances but other managers could do better.

Also what's the deal with signings? Surely now we've freed up some wages we should be allowed to bring in a couple of loan signings? We are so thin in the squad and badly need reinforcements. The EFL are just trying to do whatever it takes to get us relegated.

Really don't feel like going to another game at the moment. The owner needs to sort this mess out or sell up. As I'm really starting to lose my enthusiasm for the club. Everything on the pitch and the general match day experience is just shit now. If the players won't bother then why should we?

[Zip]

Holmes has become a liability. First the Curtis Davies late equaliser where he was caught flat footed. Then the reckless challenge giving Fulham a pen last week and then that needless header tonight. He was dominated by their number eleven and had a terrible game.

The second goal was just as bad with the players dicking around with the ball around our penalty box with Laurent mis- kicking and conceding possession. Another big mistake from him.

I am sick of Pauno, this team and the dismal brand of football. Slow, laboured, no movement, no pace, constant sideways passing, short passes amongst clusters of players which achieve nothing, silly passing around at the back and abject errors gifting the opposition goals.

Pauno’s latest masterplan was to have the two centre backs inside the box on either side of Southwood for goal kicks. Utterly pointless.
We were also terrible in the air with only Morrison winning headers.

Luton were very ordinary and won at a canter. If Pauno stays we go down.
It summed it all up at the end when we came to applaud the fans and was met with a torrent of boos. Sad times.

[Zip]

The performance was unprofessional at times. Balls being played to players with their back to the ball unaware they were being passed to. It also looked like they were going through the motions for much of the game.

[Marcus Crassus]

Relegation is now almost certain but back to our roots is nothing to fear.
So really looking forward to the mass exodus of the over-hyped overpaid foreign mercenary players, management, and hangers-on.
Also really excited and looking forward to life in Division 1 with all those super-local derbies ie Oxford, Portsmouth, MK Dons, Cheltenham, and hopefully Swindon.

Jesus bleedin wept, relegation will be an utter disaster. The end.

[URZZZZ]

Really poor. Team showing no signs of improvement whatsoever. Just can’t fathom the decision to stick to the 4-2-3-1 with the current personnel. We have so many beige, ineffective lightweight forwards and midfielders and yet continuously cram them all in

Southwood 6

Ashcroft 4
Holmes 4
Morrison 6
Bristow 5

Laurent 4
Drinkwater 4

Rinomhota 5
Swift 4
Dele Bashiru 4

Puscas 4

Joao 4
Clarke 5

Constantly look so lethargic. Little incentive for the players when they’re not going to be here next season

[URZZZZ]

Holmes has become a liability. First the Curtis Davies late equaliser where he was caught flat footed. Then the reckless challenge giving Fulham a pen last week and then that needless header tonight. He was dominated by their number eleven and had a terrible game.

Lots of improvement needed in Holmes’ game but his name isn’t Liam Moore so the consensus is he’s better than how good he actually is

In particular, how he deals with crosses. He isn’t reactive enough and as you say, caught flat footed often. Mistakes do happen but his positioning for the own goal was terrible, really poor spatial awareness. Also think he needs to improve the physicality aspect of the game, think he’s bullied a little too often

Still, as a 5th choice CB, he’s a very good option. It’s more testament to him that he’s pretty much the only CB that can constantly stay fit and it’s his first real run playing as a CB so mistakes are bound to happen

[Hound]

Constantly look so lethargic. Little incentive for the players when they’re not going to be here next season

Just don’t buy this. If any of the players actually think this way they need a massive reality check

Truth is staying at Reading is probably as good as many of them will get. Can’t see clubs queuing up for Dann, Hoilett, Hal etc

Holmes, Swift and Laurent were being looked at by top end champ and prem clubs - that ain’t happening on their current performances. Swift has gone from Prem team to likely a strong champ team - and maybe even a reduction on current wages

Some of the kids - Camara etc - might be looked at, but realistically moving might put their careers back 2-3 years. They’d have not have got a game this year at most clubs

Few teams will be interested in players who got relegated in our current circumstances

If in your job your in the last 5 months of the contract, and know your next role depends on how you perform in that period, it should give you a massive kick up the backside, not the opposite. For some, this is the most impt 5 months of their career imo

[Zip]

Holmes has become a liability. First the Curtis Davies late equaliser where he was caught flat footed. Then the reckless challenge giving Fulham a pen last week and then that needless header tonight. He was dominated by their number eleven and had a terrible game.

Lots of improvement needed in Holmes’ game but his name isn’t Liam Moore so the consensus is he’s better than how good he actually is

In particular, how he deals with crosses. He isn’t reactive enough and as you say, caught flat footed often. Mistakes do happen but his positioning for the own goal was terrible, really poor spatial awareness. Also think he needs to improve the physicality aspect of the game, think he’s bullied a little too often

Still, as a 5th choice CB, he’s a very good option. It’s more testament to him that he’s pretty much the only CB that can constantly stay fit and it’s his first real run playing as a CB so mistakes are bound to happen

Yep. If Moore had made the mistakes Holmes has recently this place would be calling for him to be hung, drawn and quartered.

[Zip]

Really poor. Team showing no signs of improvement whatsoever. Just can’t fathom the decision to stick to the 4-2-3-1 with the current personnel. We have so many beige, ineffective lightweight forwards and midfielders and yet continuously cram them all in

Southwood 6

Ashcroft 4
Holmes 4
Morrison 6
Bristow 5

Laurent 4
Drinkwater 4

Rinomhota 5
Swift 4
Dele Bashiru 4

Puscas 4

Joao 4
Clarke 5

Constantly look so lethargic. Little incentive for the players when they’re not going to be here next season

Go along with most of those although I thought Ashcroft was ok. Some of his passes were awful but he made one or two good breaks going forward but then checked and passed sideways or back. I don’t blame him for that. He is very young. For a slight lad he showed decent physicality.

[URZZZZZZZZ]

Any idea what the attendance was?

[Zip]

Any idea what the attendance was?

It’s on this page.....9611

[royal67]

I`ve never been more ashamed to call this team my own in over 50 years, we were in division 4 but at last they played with passion. gutted for our fans,many have abandoned the club and many more are going to follow.
If the owners do not act it`s proof they just don`t care.

Come back Carl asaba and Michael meaker all is forgiven

Leave Meaker out of this, he’s quite happy at Taunton Town thanks…….

[Zip]

I will say in Pauno’s defence the individual errors from the likes of Holmes, Laurent and Southwood have been dreadful and there is not much he can do about that.
We are incapable of keeping a clean sheet and then just go through the motions until the game ends.

[Snowflake Royal]

Holmes has become a liability. First the Curtis Davies late equaliser where he was caught flat footed. Then the reckless challenge giving Fulham a pen last week and then that needless header tonight. He was dominated by their number eleven and had a terrible game.

The second goal was just as bad with the players dicking around with the ball around our penalty box with Laurent mis- kicking and conceding possession. Another big mistake from him.

I am sick of Pauno, this team and the dismal brand of football. Slow, laboured, no movement, no pace, constant sideways passing, short passes amongst clusters of players which achieve nothing, silly passing around at the back and abject errors gifting the opposition goals.

Pauno’s latest masterplan was to have the two centre backs inside the box on either side of Southwood for goal kicks. Utterly pointless.
We were also terrible in the air with only Morrison winning headers.

Luton were very ordinary and won at a canter. If Pauno stays we go down.
It summed it all up at the end when we came to applaud the fans and was met with a torrent of boos. Sad times.

It was a poor header, but he had to make it. You cannot let a ball across the goal through as a defender.

Ashcroft let the ball in really easily too. Another young player simply not up to it right now.

[Stranded]

I will say in Pauno’s defence the individual errors from the likes of Holmes, Laurent and Southwood have been dreadful and there is not much he can do about that.
We are incapable of keeping a clean sheet and then just go through the motions until the game ends.

That's a concentration/decision making thing and can certainly be improved by coaching.

[Hound]

I will say in Pauno’s defence the individual errors from the likes of Holmes, Laurent and Southwood have been dreadful and there is not much he can do about that.
We are incapable of keeping a clean sheet and then just go through the motions until the game ends.

That's a concentration/decision making thing and can certainly be improved by coaching.

Yep a one off is difficult to do much about, but when its game after game...

[Snowflake Royal]

I will say in Pauno’s defence the individual errors from the likes of Holmes, Laurent and Southwood have been dreadful and there is not much he can do about that.
We are incapable of keeping a clean sheet and then just go through the motions until the game ends.

That's a concentration/decision making thing and can certainly be improved by coaching.

They're forced errors from the management.

They have no confidence. No faith in their play. They're constantly exposed and have no idea how to win.

Put players with no hope under pressure and you'll see mistake after mistake.

Sometimes you watch games and you can just say the players are at fault, the manager is doing his best with poor tools. We are exactly the opposite. The players have nothing to work with from management.

[Stranded]

I will say in Pauno’s defence the individual errors from the likes of Holmes, Laurent and Southwood have been dreadful and there is not much he can do about that.
We are incapable of keeping a clean sheet and then just go through the motions until the game ends.

That's a concentration/decision making thing and can certainly be improved by coaching.

Yep a one off is difficult to do much about, but when its game after game...

Quite. Laurent's mistake was so signposted, I could see it happening before it did and he still went through with it - if I can see what's going to happen sat in bed in Germany, then it's going to be bloody obvious to the Luton player 2 feet away.