BFTG Brum

[LUX]

Workmanlike away win from a side that is showing promotion form away from home, if only we could have worked out how to unpick defences at the Madejski, we'd have been challanging for automatic promotion.

Going to Birmingham is like being visited by the ghost of christmas to come. A soulless, hopeless, passionless club drifting relentlessly downwards. We need to sort out the ownership desperately to avoid a similar fate.

Negatives, Le Fondre completely invisible unless he scores, which he hasn't for some time. Ponderous passing accross the defence put us in trouble on a couple of occassions. At one stage we were being dominated by a side that hasn't won at home since 1st October. Gunter's astonishing square ball to no one when clear in on goal. What on earth was he thinking?

Positives, we took the game to them well in the last 20 minutes to force the win. Mcanuff took both goals well, Drenthe continues to grow into the season. I'd like to single out Akpan though as he seems to get a lot of criticism. I believe this guy could be a top player in time, he has absolutely everything you want as a midlielder in his locker, he just needs to bring it more consistently. He has a tremendous engine, does a lot of the dirty work well, plays a simple ball quickly and efficiently and has a quality pass at his disposal. His through ball to Gunter to set up the winner was quick and beautifully weighted. Yes, he switches off for short periods and yes he gets caught in possesion occassionally but he has it all and, with more experience and maturity could be a huge asset. He needs to be supported and encouraged.

Cheers Schards, always a good read on the TB.

Now, on AE............( gay wink )

[SCIAG]

technically far more adept than Ledge.

He must perform really well in the matches I don't make, because from what I've seen he is nowhere near Leigertwood's level. I think people forget how good he is, particularly how good his close control is.

I think Akpan is the worst central midfield regular we've had in 10 years (i.e. since promotion to what is now the Championship). Unless you count Mullins, in which case it is close. Yes, he's young, but we have younger players who look like more accomplished footballers, and we've had younger first team midfielders (Sidwell, Harper, Karacan, Sigurdsson if he counts). Personally, I hope Tshibola and Kuhl take up Akpan's role next season.

[winchester_royal]

technically far more adept than Ledge.

He must perform really well in the matches I don't make, because from what I've seen he is nowhere near Leigertwood's level. I think people forget how good he is, particularly how good his close control is.

I think Akpan is the worst central midfield regular we've had in 10 years (i.e. since promotion to what is now the Championship). Unless you count Mullins, in which case it is close. Yes, he's young, but we have younger players who look like more accomplished footballers, and we've had younger first team midfielders (Sidwell, Harper, Karacan, Sigurdsson if he counts). Personally, I hope Tshibola and Kuhl take up Akpan's role next season.

Leigertwood, at this best, was obviously 10x the player Akpan currently is, but he never had the technical ability to take himself to the next level. That's why, despite being as physically strong a player as any we've seen at this club, he struggled to ever play consistently above Champ level throughout his career. Akpan has more potential ability, he just doesn't put it to good enough use yet.

[SCIAG]

I don't think Akpan will ever play consistently above the Championship either.

I also don't think it's meaningful to talk about differences in something as broad as "technical ability". Akpan might be more inclined/able to play 20 yard forward through balls, but Leigertwood didn't make as many cringeworthy air kicks. According to whoscored?, they're roughly as good at completing passes - Akpan's pass success this season is 75.7%, compared to Leigertwood's of 75.4% last season. Leigertwood was also playing more long passes (3 per match instead of 2.3) and marginally more through balls (0.1 per match instead of <0.1). Bear in mind that Legs was playing at a higher level, in a side with a rather different ethos.

If Akpan reaches Leigertwood's level in the next five years then he will have had a very good career.

[winchester_royal]

I also don't think it's meaningful to talk about differences in something as broad as "technical ability".

I'll shut up then.

[floyd__streete]

Any win is a good win of course and performances don't matter so much at this stage in the season.....but in all honesty Reading were uninspiring once again and it is hard to imagine them turning around a fairly mediocre season at this stage and hitting a bit of form to win through in the play offs.

We were fully in control of a tepid first half until a very soft penalty award. The referee took an age to give it and having seen it again it looks a poor decision. Second half however we were largely outplayed by Birmingham but still created the best 2 or 3 chances of the game, Pog somehow contriving to scoop over from 8 yards out. Obita was absolutely superb at left back, continually impressed by this young lad's quality and composure on the ball, he is a real plus in this season. Drenthe and Guthrie showed again how little we will miss them next season; the former's most telling contribution was in tackling a well-placed Gunter and the latter best summed up by a sloppy pass conceding possession back to Birmingham, forcing him into a challenge he otherwise wouldn't have needed to make which prompted an all-too-familiar strop.

[RoyalBlue]

Any win is a good win of course and performances don't matter so much at this stage in the season.....but in all honesty Reading were uninspiring once again and it is hard to imagine them turning around a fairly mediocre season at this stage and hitting a bit of form to win through in the play offs.

We were fully in control of a tepid first half until a very soft penalty award. The referee took an age to give it and having seen it again it looks a poor decision. Second half however we were largely outplayed by Birmingham but still created the best 2 or 3 chances of the game, Pog somehow contriving to scoop over from 8 yards out. Obita was absolutely superb at left back, continually impressed by this young lad's quality and composure on the ball, he is a real plus in this season. Drenthe and Guthrie showed again how little we will miss them next season; the former's most telling contribution was in tackling a well-placed Gunter and the latter best summed up by a sloppy pass conceding possession back to Birmingham, forcing him into a challenge he otherwise wouldn't have needed to make which prompted an all-too-familiar strop.

Really don't know why I am biting but...........

Drenthe's cross to McAnuff for the first goal doesn't count as a telling contribution then?

[floyd__streete]

Only in the spurious world of the Opta enthusiast would you count that pass as an assist.

Still, if you're satisfied with a few step overs in return for his huge wage - as a large amount of our dopey fanbase seem to do - then you crack on.

[EarleyRoyal16]

Good win. Probably the most even game of the season, either side could have scored quite a few.

McCarthy had a top drawer game. 3 or 4 brilliant saves, came close to tipping the penalty wide as well. Distribution OK.

Gunter and Obita both superb again. Although I do wish Gunter shot that chance he squared to Pog instead.

ALF was fairly anonymous all game, again. He's suffering a lot from not having Pog to play off recently, hope back to both up front on Tuesday, especially cause HRK was mediocre as always, Pog/ALF partnership offers more.

Jobi had a top game, obviously the two goals but also continuously ran at their full back and helped out defensively, joint with Gunter for MOTM. Shame he'll probably respond to this with a complete shocker on Tuesday.

[Will95]

Even game, they could've nicked it so a good away win, Alfie anonymous again, Pog missed a sitter, Gunter stupidly passed a one-on-one, Jobi was excellent, good day, shame about a couple of twats in our end. Enjoyable.

[paddy20]

technically far more adept than Ledge.

He must perform really well in the matches I don't make, because from what I've seen he is nowhere near Leigertwood's level. I think people forget how good he is, particularly how good his close control is.

I think Akpan is the worst central midfield regular we've had in 10 years (i.e. since promotion to what is now the Championship). Unless you count Mullins, in which case it is close. Yes, he's young, but we have younger players who look like more accomplished footballers, and we've had younger first team midfielders (Sidwell, Harper, Karacan, Sigurdsson if he counts). Personally, I hope Tshibola and Kuhl take up Akpan's role next season.

Totally disagree

[bcubed]

technically far more adept than Ledge.

He must perform really well in the matches I don't make, because from what I've seen he is nowhere near Leigertwood's level. I think people forget how good he is, particularly how good his close control is.

I think Akpan is the worst central midfield regular we've had in 10 years (i.e. since promotion to what is now the Championship). Unless you count Mullins, in which case it is close. Yes, he's young, but we have younger players who look like more accomplished footballers, and we've had younger first team midfielders (Sidwell, Harper, Karacan, Sigurdsson if he counts). Personally, I hope Tshibola and Kuhl take up Akpan's role next season.

Totally disagree

So do I


IN for short replies with no explanation/justification

[USA_Loyal_Royal]

saw the penalty. difficult to say if it was or not it certainly was harsh to be given though.