BFTG Charlton

[PieEater]

Pretty much as Pissed off put on the match thread.

The first half was woeful, devoid of any entertainment and just two poor battling teams.

Second half we got better and started to run at their defence. Alf had the best chance but it was on his left foot and hit it wide, Hamer saved well from a Guthrie free kick, Pog hit a decent shot into the side netting, then Williams scored a peach of a goal.

Charlton were a pretty poor side but battled hard and had a lot of the game but no real goal threat, you can see why they struggle to score goals. We looked better with Guthrie and Williams back, with Williams my MOTM even before he scored.

Good prematch in the Market Porter and Antigallician.

[JC]

Do you think we might have been struggling to get to grips with the awful pitch in the first half. There was quite a lot of slipping and sliding and balls sticking in the pitch or bobbling. Maybe they worked out a strategy to cope in the second half.

[Cripple Creek]

I wouldn't rule it out.

[Will95]

Dull, first half especially, neither deserved the win but a good goal by Danny W who came alive in the second half.

[phil in cornwall]

It sounded from the commentary as if the pitch was a bog. Aren't there rules about pitch standards?

[PieEater]

The pitch was poor, and near the away stand was just total mud and devoid of grass. Strangely there were watering it heavily before the game and at half time.

[phil in cornwall]

The pitch was poor, and near the away stand was just total mud and devoid of grass. Strangely there were watering it heavily before the game and at half time.

Maybe Charlton are better at mud wrestling or water polo?

PS I don't think Simon Church would be any better at these than he is at football.

[urz13]

First half was very, very poor from both sides. Don't remember a single shot on target from us or them, it was that poor. Second half we actually started to get forward in numbers, had a purpose to our passing and dominated the game. Goal was coming and Williams took it superbly, great play from Guthrie in the build up too.

McCarthy - 7 - had literally nothing to do.
Gunter - 7 - got forward well, and was untested defensively.
Pearce - 7 - won every long ball
Gorkks - 7 - as with Pearce
Obita - 8 - really learning his trade now. Great composure to shield the ball out a couple of times and bombed forward a lot.
Drenthe - 7 - poor in the first, lively in the second until he came off.
Williams - 9 - MOTM. Great goal, changed the game in the second half when he began picking it up and driving forward. I lost count of the number if times he ran 40-50yards with it upfield. Great defensively too.
Guthrie - 7 - really kept things ticking over in the second half. I think he's underrated defensively as well, as he never shirks a tackle and wins a fair share if headers. Also helped to change the game.
McAnuff - 6 - lots of effort that paid off at times, didn't stand out however.
Le Fondre - 7 - linked play well, could've scored, probably should've had a penalty when he was tripped.
Pogrebnyak - 8 - battled very well physically and defended from the front. Held it up well and made the right runs.

McCleary - 6 - great in his first 5 on the pitch, annonymous thereafter.
HRK - 6 - the ball didn't quite stick to him but he was pretty good at winning things or making it awkward for the defenders.

Referee - poor. Took his sweet time to get Gorkšs back on the pitch, missed a trip on ALF which should've been a penalty, but got most of the niggly fouls right.

Good turnout from our fans, shame about one or two tw@ts who seem to think that bellowing a swear word every few seconds will help the team.

[Schards#2]

Terrible first half, we improved second half, they didn't.

Williams MOM, Drenthe shambles of the match

Charlton were never, ever going to score and will surely struggle to stay up

[kwik-silva]

I know how much you guys hate clicking links but this post comes courtesy of the actual post.

Somehow with Reading faltering at home without a win in six they've managed to remain in the playoffs; it's fortunate that they've managed to pick up 16 points from 18 away from the Madejski. A game against Charlton should be a certain three points for The Royals sitting in the play-off places, but as a hard-fought game against Birmingham a fortnight ago showed it's not always that simple.

The first half was completely devoid of any sort of quality, or passion. Drenthe overhit several crosses, and everything was so rushed. Charlton looked like a side who had the ability to cause problems, with pace and skill all over the pitch. Half an hour in and Reading started to take more time in possession, and play the ball around on the floor. There was no way through, and no chances, but it was a much better way to end the first forty-five minutes.

The most excitement came when Gorkss wasn't allowed on the field for a couple of minutes after taking a knock to the head. I've never seen a referee take so long to usher a player back onto the field, it was really quite ridiculous. Made up for by the fact that McAnuff managed to sideline a player in red for a significant period of time, and just as he was ready to come back on the whistle sounded for half time.

The second half saw much more urgency from the away side. A Gunter cross fell to Williams on the edge of the area, but the American could only scuff wide. With Reading showing much better build up there was still nothing to show for it. Danny Guthrie - who should be taking all set pieces on today's evidence - put in a fantastic corner that somehow evaded everybody, including an unmarked Drenthe on the back post.

The pressure was mounting, a ball pulled back from McAnuff into Alfie was shot wide. It may have been better if he'd let the cross run to Drenthe, who looked in a great position to slam the ball home. Then set piece specialist Guthrie lined up a beautiful free kick, but ex-Royal Ben Hamer expertly got to the shot to tip it wide.

McCleary really provided impetus when he came on, driving forward and linking up well with Danny Williams. Numerous times saw the two combine, and the Jamaican's feet unlocked the defence a few times. Finally it was the American who managed to get Reading ahead, expertly lifting the ball over Hamer in the Charlton net to secure Reading's first win since Birmingham.

The pitch at The Valley was truly awful, and players were sliding all over the place - but I think it's clear that Charlton were far more used to the surface, and played very well on it. Perhaps it contributed to the slow Reading start, but we really should have adapted quicker to it.

It's clear, also, that the Le Fondre/Pogrebnyak partnership hasn't been gelling the way it did, and perhaps a couple more games will hopefully see the full benefit. The runs tended to be away from each other, and I can't remember a single piece of link-up between the two. Although, similarly, when ALF makes a run that splits the defence that should be the cue of either Guthrie or Williams to run through the middle.

Yet again Brighton, Forest, and Ipswich all lost - which means that Reading are five points clear of the chasing pack with six games left. With four teams all on 58 points, and Blackburn (possibly with Watford) are on 56 there's still a lot of work left to do. Every game, with the exception of Doncaster, is against tough opposition. Hopefully this is the time that Reading step up. Time to prepare for a massive game at Bournemouth on Tuesday!

[Cripple Creek]

Thanks for, as on previous occasions, the excellent report kwik-silva.

[Wycombe Royal]

Surprised to see someone give Obita an 8. I thought he was poor. He was caught out of position defensively gave the ball away a few times and looked a bit out of sorts. I would give him a 6 for that performance. In fact most of the team would get a 6 from me, except Williams, Pearce and Guthrie who would get a 9, 7 & 7 respectively.

[kwik-silva]

Obita I thought was pretty good, shielded a lot out well but was almost caught trying to play tippy tappy football where it was completely unnecessary. I didn't even think Williams was that good today. Definitely looked better after McCleary came on, but before that seemed to run at Charlton and then just lack anybody to pass to - admittedly not his fault - but often helped the game to peter out a little.

Thanks Creek!

[Millsy]

Genuine question:

We play 442 and we win. We play (if I'm correct) a type of 451 or 4411 at home and we struggle.

Should we not be playing 442 and really going for it, especially at home?

[EarleyRoyal16]

Piss poor first half from both sides. Much improved second half, played some brilliant football at times.

McCarthy - 7: Can't recall him having anything to do.
Gunter - 7: Good defensively and got forward well.
Pearce - 7: Won everything in the air and love his passion.
Gorkss - 7: Same as Pearce, absolute warrior.
Obita - 8: got forward well, shielded the ball out of play really well on numerous occasions.
Drenthe - 6: Quite poor first half, much improved in second, hope he starts at Bournemoith too.
Guthrie - 8: Had a great game, really showed what we were missing last week, loved his celebrations with Williams too.
Williams - 9: MOTM. Continuously drove at their defense and caused them loads of problems, top drawer finish as well. Passion with the celebration too.
McAnuff - 7: Pretty decent game from Jobi, cut in well, caused problems.
Pogrebnyak - 7: Bullied their defense and won a fair few headers, almost scored with a decent effort into the side netting.
ALF - 6: Decent game, got in behind their defense countless times which probably went unnoticed by his teammates at times, had a decent effort just wide on his left foot.

McCleary - 6: Caused problems when he came on.
HRK - 6: Didn't do much

Fans - 10: Probably best away atmosphere of the season

[SHORT AND CURLY]

played some brilliant football at times.

Fans - 10: Probably best away atmosphere of the season

I must have been somewhere else then. I cant relate to either

[seahawk10]

Genuine question:

We play 442 and we win. We play (if I'm correct) a type of 451 or 4411 at home and we struggle.

Should we not be playing 442 and really going for it, especially at home?

[Wimb]

We were playing 4-4-2 at home and it was still getting beat by Blackburn etc...

[Zana Badawi]

Well that was a League 1 game in everything but name. You might expect that of Charlton who have one of the weakest squads in the division and have all the hallmarks of a team holidaying in the championship before eventually returning down a division. But what is our excuse? The only real difference between the teams was a very good goal from Williams. In particular, Id have to mention Guthrie, Pogrebnyak, Gunter and McLeary because these are all players bought by the club to play in the Premiership. So when an opportunity arrives to play a club full of players two levels lower than you, and you end up being just mediocre again, then you can only conclude that you are playing way below your ability. We may have won, and we may be cementing a play off place, but I'm still waking up bitterly disappointed.

As for the playoffs, I'm as stunned as anybody that its looking like we're going to end 6th; and I too have this half feeling that we might spawn the playoffs, but we must go into them as heavy outsiders based on this form.

[Irvinchangeyaname]

Williams MOM, Drenthe shambles of the match

This ^^^ Drenthe seems to be immune from any real criticism on the basis that 'he looks lively'. For an hour he was incapable of passing to a blue shirt.