MATCHWATCH : Derby County (h)

[tmesis]

I was expected a 3 point deduction and to lose tonight. Delighted to be wrong on both counts, or we'd be 10 points behind.

Why were you expecting a 3 point deduction? Has anyone been deducted 3 points for a single pitch invasion?

Because it wasn't just a pitch invasion. It was a deliberate act by our fans to get a game abandoned, and we've effectively got away with it unpunished.

I think the EFL were lenient, not wishing to seen as kicking us even more than they have already.

[Royal_jimmy]

We really need another win as I believe 5 of our next 7 are away from home.

Not quite that bad, just 4 of the next 7 are away.

Reading's next ten fixtures.

Sat 27 Jan - Leyton Orient (h) - currently 10th - DRAW
Sat 03 Feb - Oxford United (a) - currently 6th - DRAW
Tue 06 Feb - Stevenage (a) - currently 7th - LOSS
Sat 10 Feb - Charlton Athletic (h) - currently 16th - WIN
Tue 13 Feb - Fleetwood Town (a) - currently 24th - DRAW
Sat 17 Feb - Portsmouth (a) - currently 1st - LOSS
Tue 20 Feb - Port Vale (h) - currently 18th - WIN
Sat 24 Feb - Shrewsbury Town (h) - currently 20th - WIN
Sat 02 Mar - Carlisle United (a) - currently 23rd - DRAW
Sat 09 Mar - Wycombe (h) - currently 17th - WIN

Need to be targeting the minimum of the above. 15-16 points (upper midtable form) from these games would get us out of the drop zone. Not sure I see us losing just 2 games but it is absolutely a favourable run in.

We may nick another away win somewhere (Carlisle or Fleetwood) and lose one of the home games. I think we could get a result at Oxford as well who are out of form.

[WestYorksRoyal]

Not quite that bad, just 4 of the next 7 are away.

Reading's next ten fixtures.

Sat 27 Jan - Leyton Orient (h) - currently 10th - DRAW
Sat 03 Feb - Oxford United (a) - currently 6th - DRAW
Tue 06 Feb - Stevenage (a) - currently 7th - LOSS
Sat 10 Feb - Charlton Athletic (h) - currently 16th - WIN
Tue 13 Feb - Fleetwood Town (a) - currently 24th - DRAW
Sat 17 Feb - Portsmouth (a) - currently 1st - LOSS
Tue 20 Feb - Port Vale (h) - currently 18th - WIN
Sat 24 Feb - Shrewsbury Town (h) - currently 20th - WIN
Sat 02 Mar - Carlisle United (a) - currently 23rd - DRAW
Sat 09 Mar - Wycombe (h) - currently 17th - WIN

Need to be targeting the minimum of the above. 15-16 points (upper midtable form) from these games would get us out of the drop zone. Not sure I see us losing just 2 games but it is absolutely a favourable run in.

We may nick another away win somewhere (Carlisle or Fleetwood) and lose one of the home games. I think we could get a result at Oxford as well who are out of form.

We should be targeting wins at Fleetwood and Carlisle. Our away form has improved and they are 2 dire teams.

The next 3 are tough and I'd take 3 points happily, but even they're not as tough on paper as last night. After that it's a very winnable run of games except the trip to Portsmouth. My only concern is fixture congested and its toll upon the squad. Both Stevenage and Port Vale are rearranged games and our competitors will have more rest than us.

[tidus_mi2]

I was expected a 3 point deduction and to lose tonight. Delighted to be wrong on both counts, or we'd be 10 points behind.

Why were you expecting a 3 point deduction? Has anyone been deducted 3 points for a single pitch invasion?

Because it wasn't just a pitch invasion. It was a deliberate act by our fans to get a game abandoned, and we've effectively got away with it unpunished.

I think the EFL were lenient, not wishing to seen as kicking us even more than they have already.

It could be that but it matches the precedence set when Blackpool fans got a game abandoned via a pitch invasion.

[RoyalBlue]

A fantastic win. Azeez MOTM. We can do this!

I'd have given it to Mukairu, Azeez is great going forwards but too often, IMO, fails to track back quickly enough and leaves our right back very exposed. Last night Yiadom and Mbengue quite often found themselves having to try to look after two players attacking down our right.

[RoyalBlue]

Seriously wtf is the obsession with subbing our full backs?

At the time I thought he'd done it because their new signing is really pacey and full of tricks. Mbengue is a lot faster than Yiadom and Yiadom was clearly tiring.

After the game Selles apparently said it was to manage Yiadom's fitness, having recently come back from injury.

[South Coast Royal]

In Ian's absence I will make a rare substitute appearance.
A strange but entertaining game where I don't remember either keeper making a save which is rare in any game of football.

Having read a report of Derby's Saturday game away at Lincoln (0-0) I was quite optimistic about our chances as apparently Derby's man of the match in that game was the keeper and the manager said that without his performance they would have lost that game.

There was so much space in midfield last night that it looked as though there would be loads of goals but the posts prevented that and the only goal, calmly taken by Mukairu,came after Azeez's shot hit a post.

Last night showed that Craig has to play ahead of Savage and that Tom Holmes looks really strong when faced with little strikers.
Posters have said about Knibbs working hard but I felt Smith did even more-who would want to be a lone striker feeding off scraps in every game that you play?

So, on to Leyton Orient with hopefully greater confidence having beaten one of the top sides, although in this division the "top" all seem to be vulnerable and it is the luck of the draw as to when we get to play them.

[blythspartan]

Where is IR? Is he involved in secret takeover talks?

[morganb]

Where is IR? Is he involved in secret takeover talks?

Pang has sold him to Bolton for a Caramac and a Red Bounty - and we also get Ten Bobsworth in return too

[stealthpapes]

Where is IR? Is he involved in secret takeover talks?

Pang has sold him to Bolton for a Caramac and a Red Bounty - and we also get Ten Bobsworth in return too

I'd take that.

[blythspartan]

Where is IR? Is he involved in secret takeover talks?

Pang has sold him to Bolton for a Caramac and a Red Bounty - and we also get Ten Bobsworth in return too

Ten Bob (which sounds a bit gangster rapper ish) might have had him taken care of.

[morganb]

Where is IR? Is he involved in secret takeover talks?

Pang has sold him to Bolton for a Caramac and a Red Bounty - and we also get Ten Bobsworth in return too

Ten Bob (which sounds a bit gangster rapper ish) might have had him taken care of.

Bolton's equivalent of 50 Cent

[Snowflake Royal]

Where is IR? Is he involved in secret takeover talks?

Completely forgot about the game after a long day and did something else last night. Turns out I missed our best performance of the season apparently.

Not suprised to see Holmes getting plaudits. He was excellent at the start of last season, and he's had one bad game this season (Vale).

Very pleasant surprise this morning seeing if there was any takeover news and realising we'd played and won last night.

[From Despair To Where?]

Pang has sold him to Bolton for a Caramac and a Red Bounty - and we also get Ten Bobsworth in return too

Ten Bob (which sounds a bit gangster rapper ish) might have had him taken care of.

Bolton's equivalent of 50 Cent

Bolton's equivalent of Dave Royal.

[blythspartan]

Where is IR? Is he involved in secret takeover talks?

Completely forgot about the game after a long day and did something else last night. Turns out I missed our best performance of the season apparently.

Not suprised to see Holmes getting plaudits. He was excellent at the start of last season, and he's had one bad game this season (Vale).

Very pleasant surprise this morning seeing if there was any takeover news and realising we'd played and won last night.

It was the most complete performance I have seen from us in a long time.

Holmes was great and it’s brilliant to see him looking so confident. It’s a shame we can’t sign him permanently.

[WestYorksRoyal]

I'm pleased for Holmes tbh. His confidence was on the floor by the end of last season, and after Vale the consensus was he deserved to be dropped. Many suggested we should sell then as he was damaged goods who needed the change of scene.

If he can play a key role in keep us up this season and then push on at Luton next year, whatever division they're in, then that's a great outcome.

[Stranded]

Yep the big difference with Holmes is clearly confidence. He has the best of both worlds, he knows he'll move on in the summer but knows he can leave having hopefully helped the club turn the corner. He will really help Bindon's game as well, they will be first choice pairing.

[Pepe the Horseman]

Where is IR? Is he involved in secret takeover talks?

Completely forgot about the game after a long day and did something else last night. Turns out I missed our best performance of the season apparently.

Not suprised to see Holmes getting plaudits. He was excellent at the start of last season, and he's had one bad game this season (Vale).

Very pleasant surprise this morning seeing if there was any takeover news and realising we'd played and won last night.

What did you do last night? Why are you being so secretive about it?

[Snowflake Royal]

Where is IR? Is he involved in secret takeover talks?

Completely forgot about the game after a long day and did something else last night. Turns out I missed our best performance of the season apparently.

Not suprised to see Holmes getting plaudits. He was excellent at the start of last season, and he's had one bad game this season (Vale).

Very pleasant surprise this morning seeing if there was any takeover news and realising we'd played and won last night.

What did you do last night? Why are you being so secretive about it?

I didn't think anyone would be interested!

Played BG3 with some friends.

[RoyalBlue]

I was expected a 3 point deduction and to lose tonight. Delighted to be wrong on both counts, or we'd be 10 points behind.

Why were you expecting a 3 point deduction? Has anyone been deducted 3 points for a single pitch invasion?

Because it wasn't just a pitch invasion. It was a deliberate act by our fans to get a game abandoned, and we've effectively got away with it unpunished.

I think the EFL were lenient, not wishing to seen as kicking us even more than they have already.

You mean it was a pitch invasion with exactly the same motivations and objectives as that carried out by the Blackpool fans a while back?

They got a fine (little point with us when the owner doesn't pay them and we are in dire financial straits) and a home game behind closed doors (suspended punishment) from the FA whom I assume still have to adjudicate on our abandonment.

The Football League hit them with a three point deduction suspended for two seasons.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/aug/04/blackpool-point-deduction-pitch-invasion