BFTG - Wembley

[PieEater]

It was gutting to lose on penalties after going ahead, football is such a cruel game of highs and lows and you experience it all within a few minutes.

We didn't play well, first half JvdB was a liability and rightly subbed, Blackett was poor but played better when Obita came on, but overall we really weren't at it. It was a battle of tactics that each team cancelled each other out. Huddersfield had a couple of chances early on before we settle but that was it, but on balance they probably deserved it.

I hope we can add some sharpness in attack next season as we're really not great to watch.

[yuomi]

I cannot fathom Stam's setup today. So narrow, so negative. Credit to Gunts for the shift he put in but he and Blackett ain't wing backs and there was a total absence of pace and penetration up top. Things improved slightly when Obita came on. Danny Williams was immense but there was just noone looking for it. Grabban was back to his ponderous and ineffective worst and the less said about Swift the better.

Huddersfield should have been out of sight by half time. Joey had rings run around him all half and it was sheer good luck that they didn't grab 2 or 3. It was like we were playing for pens and then had 2 defenders in the 5?!?!

The only reason it doesn't hurt more is that Huddersfield genuinely deserved it.

[From Despair To Where?]

Thought we on for a spanking after Huddersfield created 2 decent chances in the first 10 minutes but we did a pretty decent job of stifling them after that. Unfortunately that was at the expense of creativity. Swift and Evans were pedestrian, Grabban always seemed to need an extra touch and then turn into trouble.

I thought the defence, small individual errors aside, were pretty solid as a unit, McCleary and Kelly instilled a sense of urgency when they came on but Williams was head and shoulders the best player on the pitch.

Don't think either team deserved to win it over 120 minutes, and although Huddersfield created the better chances, I don't remember Al Habsi having a save to make. We were always going to lose on penalties though.

Though the ref gave every 50/50 in Huddersfield's way and wasn't great but at the end of the day that didn't affect the result.

[tmesis]

Too many didn't turn up, Grabban and Swift being the most obvious culprits, but out passing was poor, movement slow, and attacking threat non-existent.

120 minutes and we didn't create a single decent chance. That says it all really.

Our Wembley scoring record continues to go downwards.

4 v Luton
3 v Bolton
2 v Swansea
1 v Arsenal
0 v Huddersfield

The next game there could be interesting, just to see how we manage the -1.

[Cureton's Volley]

The next game there could be interesting, just to see how we manage the -1.

Own goal...

Cue Tom Hark

[Davezk]

We'll lose by an OG.

[AthleticoSpizz]

.....in the warm-up

[Davezk]

Auto disqualified to save everyone the time as we would lose anyway

[alfie9]

If you don't create a single clear cut chance in 120 minutes, you don't deserve to be a Premier League club. Period

We were woeful, the setup was far too negative. Hopefully the new investors saw enough of Williams today to invest in keeping him here. One of the few players that gave 110%.

We'll win the league next season. RTID

[Schards#2]

Credit to the players for a season that exceeded all expectations but today was a game too far and our performance was absolutely abject.

Pretty disappointing to get to Wembley and not really try to win the game, particularly as the opposition were nearly equally as poor.

Surely one of the worst games ever played at the stadium

[John Madejski's Wallet]

Finish 3rd and spend 120min playing for penalties

Just pffffffft

[Westwood52]

What a waste of time that was-that was by far our worst performance of any of the last three play off attempts or the FA cup semi.
We never really gave it a go apart from some poor long range shots and a couple of half chances.
Our lack of pace on and off the ball , meant that although we had a lot of the ball we rarely applied pressure.
Still I will not criticise Jap, as he has done very well, with very little.
Udders had four clear cut chances and cocked them all up-they are as unprepared for the Prem as we would have been-their corners and missed chances were totally embarrassing. But we were slightly worse.
IMHO:

Al Habsi 6: Really didn't have much work to do-usual one howler of a pass.
Gunter 6: Started badly, but got better and constructed our best chance-seemed to be in no mans land throughout-neither helping out at the back or getting forward.
Blackett 5: Looked strangely lethargic throughout-shades of OLd Trafford.
Moore 6: Little to do one awful shank, plus an awful penalty-surely Macca should have been on the list-despite his record this season.
Ilori 6: Started badly but got better.

Joey 5: An accident waiting to happen-should never have been a starter.

Evans 6: Did OK
Williams 8: Ran himself into the ground MOM.
Swift 4: Awful-completely overpowered-needs to build himself up for next season after a nice Summer break.

Kermit 6: Painfully slow.
Grabham 6: This was his stage to show what he could do-but failed completely to take the opportunity.

Kelly: Usual high energy-well done for fronting up a well taken pen.
Obita: Should have started then gone off-probably not fit & this resulted in one of those insipid performances he often use to produce

Ref: Poor decision making-why keep Kermit waiting so long for his penalty.Two soft yellows on us right from the outset.

I hope Jap stays -we just need a couple of dynamic strikers-every other position we will improve over time.

[John Madejski's Wallet]

Sheff Wed & Fulham must be gutted watching that game

120 min if football and neither keeper had to make a save

[Platypuss]

Sheff Wed & Fulham must be gutted watching that game

120 min if football and neither keeper had to make a save

Not convinced - sure we had a great chance second half which Ward beat away.

[John Madejski's Wallet]

Sheff Wed & Fulham must be gutted watching that game

120 min if football and neither keeper had to make a save

Not convinced - sure we had a great chance second half which Ward beat away.

I must have been having a wazz then

[moo]

The real highlights were being told to sit down every 10 seconds from daytrippers.. in the singing section.

I think it was Ian Royal and his mum.

[Sutekh]

Utterly awful performance lacking any threat or way forward at all. Stam did a job to stifle and stop Huddersfield and, to a large extent, Wagner did the same for Huddersfield on Reading. Result was an utterly abysmal game of tedious chess leading to the utter farce of penalties. I've said for 30 years plus that penalties is a stupid way to decide any game, largely falling down to complete luck and next to no skill. I'd have opted for one on ones between an outfield player and keeper, at least there's some modicum of skill necessary. Also can't see why - if it is penalties - they can't be held at both ends of a ground given there is a 4th official.

Don't want to take anything away from the players though, they gave pretty much everything within the defined game plan and given we all thought that mounting a challenge on the top 10 would be an achievement this season Reading have done excellently. It's just a shame that yet again, after coming so far, it's these damn stupid play offs that do us over again. And it was expected once Reading were lumbered with the jinx of having to play in blue and white hoops (don't believe any team wearing that colour kit has ever won a game at Wembley - QPRs two victories there were in all white (league cup) and red and black (play off) and Reading's Simod cup victory was in yellow).

Lets hope the Chinese backing now allows some reasonably serious investment in the playing side as Stam's next step really has to be to give the side a lot more bite going forward while retaining the possession side of the game. For that he needs players who are better technically with quicker passing and thought and can provide more movement off the ball.

Sadly think though that that will be Danny Williams' last game and that Yann Kermorgant will gradually become more of a bit part player while I can't see any of the loan players moving permanently.

Busy summer ahead but on the bright side Reading will still be in the best league in the world - but just not the one they want to be playing in.

PS - if there is ever another play off final let's boycott it completely. It works for Blackpool and you don't have to give the FA a wad of cash to sit in their crappy blunderdome sited in the most ridiculous place.

[tmesis]

I've said for 30 years plus that penalties is a stupid way to decide any game, largely falling down to complete luck and next to no skill.

Then you've been wrong for 30 years then.

There is luck involved, but a good penalty is one that'll go in even if the keeper goes the right way. That is entirely about skill.

Mind you, I do agree no play-off final should go to penalties. If it's level after 120 minutes, the highest placed team should win.

[John Madejski's Wallet]

We really could have done with one of the those early Huddersfield chances going in so the game could open up

[oldebiscuit]

Finish 3rd and spend 120min playing for penalties

Just pffffffft

I don't think some of you lot understand this game of football. Both teams play a similar style with the only difference being that we play it around at the back and Huddersfield play it at the front, so it was always going to be tight and there was never going to be many, if any goals. The reason Huddersfield had a few chances is because they are a GOOD TEAM. They didn't happen to just stumble into the playoffs, they actually earned it.
If you guys want perfection then you had best fcuk off to Stamford Bridge where it is probably as good as it gets.
Now we have just had a season which surpassed all expectations and ended up at Wembley. Hopefully it can be carried into next season, and i for one think that it will.
Yes, it was disappointing, but please, please, please, all you whingers, get a grip.