(not yet) BFTG: Watford (H)

[Fox Talbot]

DISASTER-ISH - we need to take 3 points off likely rivals - which we failed to do last season.

Bring on 2 wingers to defend a 2 goal lead? McAnuff would at least run and cover for 90 mins surely.

But the first half was encouraging.

[One8Seven1]

I don't get all the hate for Blackman. He didn't have a great second half but it wasn't the equivalent of playing with 10 men as people were suggesting on BBCRB.

He did alright, but he's not the answer this season. The sooner Pog goes the better, and one or two more come in the better!

[melonhead]

Great game. Brilliant in first half.unplayable.then sat back a bit and invited it, probably brought on by the manager judgging from his comments.
Very hopeful though.plenty to build from.

Mcarthy 7
Pearce/morro 6
Bridge 7
Gunter 6.2goals
Karacan 8 everywhere.much better
Guthrie 7 far fewer mistakes, ran everything we did well
Drenthe 7 brilliant, but faded
Jobi 6 worked very hard
Blackman 6 worked hard.held up ok, won bits in the air.
Alf 7 great goal.didn't stop trying,but should have had 3

Didn't see who lost their man for the first, and pen looked a dive but Guthrie can't and didn't complain. Unlucky for their third, but Watford were always going to come back at us, and maybe deserved the draw in the end. We just need to play at our best for a full 90, and a clean sheet and a striker away from being potential champions imo.
And it'll be fun to watch either way

[Uke]

Not the result we wanted, we must learn from this

We move on...

[Cureton's Volley]

The subs made today were very poor... bringing on Mccleary for Karacan

Apparently Karacan asked to be substituted as he was shattered (rightly so he ran his árse off)

[MrCorky]

Eugh. Exciting game for the neutrals, frustrating for us though. Would have taken a point before hand, but after having a 2 goal lead TWICE, it's difficult to feel upbeat about a point against a good team. Gurthie and Jem had good games, and personally, I thought Blackman player alright today. Held the ball up well when it was punted into him, looked to run the channels. Few more games and a bit more confidence, he could partner ALF well. Hopefully Danny Williams will start against Blackpool, class again when he came on today.

Just read Sky's match report, and saw this "Guthrie pulled Fabbrini down in the area and referee Mike Jones had no hesitation in pointing to the spot." Now, from the North Stand, i'm fairly certain the ref hesitated A LOT in giving the pen, was the lino that actually gave it.

[Royal Ginger]

I don't get all the hate for Blackman. He didn't have a great second half but it wasn't the equivalent of playing with 10 men as people were suggesting on BBCRB.

He did alright, but he's not the answer this season. The sooner Pog goes the better, and one or two more come in the better!

He's ok, the hate is probably a bit unfair, but the problem is he's not our best striker, he's not our best left winger, and he's not our best attacking midfielder. he's second or third best in every position he plays, yet he repeatedly gets in the team. Why doesn't Akpan get a look in?

I'd like to see Kebe in for Blackman, and Kelly for Gunter going into Blackpool.

[Royal Ginger]

Gurthie and Jem had good game...

...Hopefully Danny Williams will start against Blackpool, class again when he came on today.

How does that work then?

[Chuckle Brother]

Ian did it all go wrong when the subs came on?

Williams should start ahead of mcAnuff IMO, tho Jobi did little wrong today I just think Williams is stronger on the ball.

Jobi did little wrong because he did very little full stop.

[melonhead]

Bollox

[P!ssed Off]

McCarthy - 8
Gunter - 7
Bridge - 7
Morrison - 8
Pearce - 8
Guthrie - 7
Karacan - 9 MOTM
McAnuff - 7
Drenthe - 8
Blackman - 7
Alf - 8

Williams - 7

[NewCorkSeth]

Gunter 8- Good toda y, although could have been sent off.

Really? How was he an 8? no assists and they shipped three goals against us? I'm inclined to believe the fellow who said he didn't make a single tackle in the game as I can barely recall him ever making a tackle in a reading jersey?
I just want to know what he did today to deserve such a high rating?

Huh? He makes loads of tackles, wins a fair few balls and is one of our better passers of the ball....

I've heard e was continually chasing his winger and never catching him. Whenever I watch him all I notice is his lack of defensive ability for a defender! He is always too far forward which might be good for attack but he leaves our defense open often, like Harte did all last season.. Watford are one of the best attacking teams in the league if not the best so Kelly would have been a better option simply because he can defend. I disagree with your ball passing statement too..

[_royal]

Couldn't make the game - Who stood out? What was it that made us lose our lead?

[Ian Royal]

Ian did it all go wrong when the subs came on?

Watford looked like they could always score goals and it was one of those tricky situations where you dont know whether to try to kill them off or hold out. The momentum shifts and they get a bit of luck.

Mcanuff was doing stirling defensive work before he went off. I'd just write it off as one of those things.. someone is due getting a new arsehole torn by us from that showing.

[Readallaboutit]

I don't get all the hate for Blackman. He didn't have a great second half but it wasn't the equivalent of playing with 10 men as people were suggesting on BBCRB.

He did alright, but he's not the answer this season. The sooner Pog goes the better, and one or two more come in the better!

He's ok, the hate is probably a bit unfair, but the problem is he's not our best striker, he's not our best left winger, and he's not our best attacking midfielder. he's second or third best in every position he plays, yet he repeatedly gets in the team. Why doesn't Akpan get a look in?

I'd like to see Kebe in for Blackman, and Kelly for Gunter going into Blackpool.

I agree, but would play Kebe on the wing as Blackman seems to just do his own thing, several times today he ignored his teammates.
I definitely agree Kelly should be playing ahead of Gunter.
Gunter was again very poor! Lost the ball in possession, was lucky not to be sent off for what was a blatant penalty- he's going to cost us games! He has cost us at least 1 goal every game this season so far.
He failed to put any crosses in today in 90 minutes, against wing backs!!!! Our fullbacks should have annihilated their formation, but if Adkins continues to play Gunter we're going to lose games that we should be winning.

[Royal Lady]

Made me smile when Watford booed Jobi and our fans all started chanting his name - next home game they'll be slagging him again

[URZZZZ]

Why do people want Kelly in? He wasn't good enough for fulham, makes sloppy errors at the back and never gets forward, unlike gunter who gets forward and tackles. He was continuously with his man, the left winger didn't do much in the game and he was always forward. His passing though is a bit suspect but that's something he can work on.

[sandman]

Really disappointing to lose that as you should never lose a two goal lead at home once let alone twice. Why Blackman played the whole game is a mystery and the substitutions weren't good. We need to learn how to close out games as do the fans given the amount of groans when we tried to keep the ball when we comfortably had the lead.

McCarthy. Not many saves to make and couldn't do much about the goals. 7

Gunter. Awful defensively and not as good as he's built up to be offensively. Allows far too many easy crosses to come in. Would have Kelly or Cummings ahead of him everytime. Could easily have given away another penalty as well. 4
Bridge. Solid but struggled late in the game. 6
Pearce. Handled Deeney well. 7
Morrison. Solid. 7

Guthrie. Good on the ball but poor out of possession. Gave away a stupid penalty. 7
Karacan. Everywhere as usual. Took the third goal well. 9 MOM
Drenthe. Went out of the game in the second half but was magnificent in the 1st particularly the drag back near the end of the 1st half. 8
McAnuff. A couple of great runs at the start of the game and was solid throughout despite the disadvantage of having Gunter behind him. 7

Blackman. Some nice touches and some very bad loose ones as well. Seems to hold on to the ball too often when he does control it well when a simple lay off would suffice. 5
Alf. Brilliant goal but should've added to it twice. 6

Subs:
Williams. Some great runs particularly one that took him to the byeline struggled with final ball. 7
HRK. Not enough time to do anything. 5
Mcleary. Bit strange to bring him on when we were leading as he's not as effective defensively as our other wingers. 5

[Ian Royal]

Hi Ian- just wondering how the back 4 are deserved of 7's and 8's when we conceded 3 goals at home?

I thought Bridge again looked slow and lethargic.
Gunter was for the third wk in a row outpaced and outsmarted by the winger. He never seems to tackle and just keeps backing off defensively. I also feel his offensive contributions are greatly overrated as a result of his lack lustre defensive contributions comparatively.
The manager needs to make changes here.
Kelly is by far the stronger all-round player for both right and left back. He must start before we begin playing catch up, also I don't think he deserved to be on the bench. He should have started the first game.

That was a top side who'd just sscored six. They got a penalty off a midfielder and a lucky deflection off a partial block.

[LoyalRoyalFan]

Nick Blackman is the reason why we need to invest in a new striker.