Back from the Burnley game...

[From Despair To Where?]

First half we were pretty good, created some decent chances but poor finishing and great goalkeeping kept us out. Their only chances of note both came from Rosenior losing his footing. Hahnemann did well on the first chance, their forward should have buried the second, scuffing a tame shot straight at Marcus when it was easier to score but we could have beenn 2 or 3 up by that stage

Second half we were less and less effective. Had a couple more decent chances, hit the woodwork and again the keeper pulled off a couple of excellent saves and although a draw would have been a fairish result, to be honest, the goal was coming in the last 25 minutes.

Defence was iffy again. Bikey needs to learn to take the safe or simple option and was also denied a good set piece goal by an excellent save., Ivar was solid on the ground but was done in the air time and time again. Rosenior put in some decent tackles but, as stated, kept falling over and offered little going forward. Armstrong was solid but completely lost his man in the build up to the goal which put us under pressure but there were still chances to clear. Marcus pulled off a couple of decent saves, claimed crosses well but his distribution at times was ropey. Could he have saved the goal? Probably not.

Midfield, Hunt's crossing and distribution was poor. Kebe made a few good runs but his crossing was weak. Had a couple of chances to shoot but always seemed to want to take that extra touch or beat the extra man. When he did pull of a couple of shots, he did force the keeper into making good saves. Thought Cisse and Harper were decent in the middle in the first half but faded badly in the second and we lost control of the game in midfield. Harper's floated corners were awful, as were the short corners. We needed fast delivery into the box at set pieces and it just wasn't there. Failed to beat the first defender time and time again.

Doyle and Hunt looked lively in the first half, creating decent chances and forcing good saves. Faded in the second half as the supply dried up.

The ref got better as the game went on. absolute homer in the first half, every 50/50 decision went Burnley's way.

In summary. An improvement in performance on Preston and QPR but we need to be much more clinical away from home. Don't know if there's a stamina issue but we seem to fade in the last 30 minutes and our concentration seems to go. We struggle for ideas when we don't get the early goal. Burnley are a decent, well organised side.

[Slinky]

all in all we were too casual and thought we'd win it, you could see the sucker punch coming. Yes we created chances and yes their keeper made some good saves but that's what he's there for, 1st 15mins we played some lovely football but then decided to revert to lump it forward to Hunt!

[Royal Rob]

It was frustrating - we didn't deserve to lose but now find ourselves closer points wise to seventh than second. Burnley have been one of the best sides in this league so far this season but we are better than them. We need to be getting three points from games like these, a good performance is not enough. Well done to all those Reading folk who attended tonight I thought it was a good showing for a Tuesday night in October.

Kebe showed some excellent touches but as was said above, he needs to have a go at goal instead of trying to do too much. We were dominant tonight until their goal but in the last few minutes we were all over the place. Like against QPR on Saturday we had a ridiculous number of corners but did nothing with them. In August we were getting all of our goals from set pieces. Too many of them were played short and ended up with us giving away a throw in.

The highlight of the night for me was Andre Bikey's free kick in the first half... Stephen Hunt clearly wanted to take it but up stepped Bikey and blasted it high into the stand. Hilarious at the time, not that funny given that we couldn't score.

[From Despair To Where?]

Agreed to an extent. Wouldn't say we looked casual but we clearly ran out of ideas and started to look shaky. Burnley are a decent enough team to take advantage and yes, you could see the sucker punch coming.

[papereyes]

When it required football, we were good.

When we tried to match them physically, we were abject.

And I respected Coppell's brave set of substitutions that looked like turning the game around.

[I was there at Elm Park]

Well I missed the first 20 minutes, which was ironic as I probably had the shortest journey to get there of all the Reading fans. Talking to my Burnley mate who went he said we were all over them and Doyle was unlucky not to score. As I missed all of that my judgement of the game may not be fair but I'm pissed off. We had more than enough chances to win but yet again we didn't. For me it has reached the stage where we shouldn't be pleased if we play well or teams say we're the best they've played we need to win! It was the same at Preston and from what I've seen and heard Charlton, Watford and Stoke too. I think Bikey sums us up really. He's too good for this division and knows it. He strolls through games taking it easy and at times doesn't show enough respect. What was that stupid flick inside our area about? If he had enough time to do that he probably had enough time to try and keep it in and turn and hoof it up pitch. Until he starts to have Sonko's aerial ability to win everything he should stop swanning it around. Maybe I'm being unfair but I'm pissed off and sadly I'm not sure all the players are. The one key difference between 05/06 and this team is that there isn't as much hunger and desire. Too many of the players have been spoilt by the Premier League and know they can leave in January. Sorry for the rant but there is only so often that you can be optimistic from defeat when you're supposed to be going for automatic.

[PEARCEY]

First half we were pretty good, created some decent chances but poor finishing and great goalkeeping kept us out. Their only chances of note both came from Rosenior losing his footing. Hahnemann did well on the first chance, their forward should have buried the second, scuffing a tame shot straight at Marcus when it was easier to score but we could have beenn 2 or 3 up by that stage

Second half we were less and less effective. Had a couple more decent chances, hit the woodwork and again the keeper pulled off a couple of excellent saves and although a draw would have been a fairish result, to be honest, the goal was coming in the last 25 minutes.

Defence was iffy again. Bikey needs to learn to take the safe or simple option and was also denied a good set piece goal by an excellent save., Ivar was solid on the ground but was done in the air time and time again. Rosenior put in some decent tackles but, as stated, kept falling over and offered little going forward. Armstrong was solid but completely lost his man in the build up to the goal which put us under pressure but there were still chances to clear. Marcus pulled off a couple of decent saves, claimed crosses well but his distribution at times was ropey. Could he have saved the goal? Probably not.

Midfield, Hunt's crossing and distribution was poor. Kebe made a few good runs but his crossing was weak. Had a couple of chances to shoot but always seemed to want to take that extra touch or beat the extra man. When he did pull of a couple of shots, he did force the keeper into making good saves. Thought Cisse and Harper were decent in the middle in the first half but faded badly in the second and we lost control of the game in midfield. Harper's floated corners were awful, as were the short corners. We needed fast delivery into the box at set pieces and it just wasn't there. Failed to beat the first defender time and time again.

Doyle and Hunt looked lively in the first half, creating decent chances and forcing good saves. Faded in the second half as the supply dried up.

The ref got better as the game went on. absolute homer in the first half, every 50/50 decision went Burnley's way.

In summary. An improvement in performance on Preston and QPR but we need to be much more clinical away from home. Don't know if there's a stamina issue but we seem to fade in the last 30 minutes and our concentration seems to go. We struggle for ideas when we don't get the early goal. Burnley are a decent, well organised side.

Thanks for such a good review.
The stamina thing is a worry as we need to start nicking some of these close games so fitness matters in the last twenty minutes.
Its about time Rosenior changed his studs...he slips over far too often.

[Jerry St Clair]

Interesting stuff because Pravda (aka readingfc.co.uk) has a glowing match report which suggests we played like Brazil.

[6ft Kerplunk]

We played ok for the most of the first half and then ran out of ideas rapidly in the second. Burnley gained confidence and as soon as Blake came on you just knew he'd score. It was obvious by midway through the second half that we needed a plan b or a substitution or two to change things around none of which happened. Given how the second half went it was probably a pretty fair result, Burnley converted a chance we didn't and they looked more likely to get a second than we did to equalise. Think I'd have a lot more respect for officials if they could pick up schoolboy errors like foul throws and explain to me how taking a shirt off is a bookable offence but pulling your shorts down isn't.

[Harry Carry]

Lack of any real options on the bench is cause for concern. If the starting XI don't do it, then I fail to see who can come off the bench and change the game. What Reading need is a big awkward striker to throw on the last 15 minutes if things aren't going their way. I know it wouldn't be pretty but these things have to be done, especially in the Championship.

[Hoop Blah]

....explain to me how taking a shirt off is a bookable offence but pulling your shorts down isn't.

Unfortunately it's because it's in the laws and is clearly laid out with pictures of whats a booking by FIFA.

I didn't go, but it does sound like we keep losing games that we have enough chances to win. At home I think it's been quite the opposite and we've been pretty clinical, scoring more goals than we've possibly deserved to.

Can't understand the thinking behind the changes in the middle of the park. I'd have bought in Harper, but not both of them. Does Coppell have something against mixing up his two partnerships or something?

[Focher]

isn't it about time Mooney got a chance?

Not slating Doyle, Hunt or Long but surely he's 'bedded in' by now, or is he another Alan Bennett?

[Alan Partridge]

isn't it about time Mooney got a chance?

Not slating Doyle, Hunt or Long but surely he's 'bedded in' by now, or is he another Alan Bennett?

'we looked at him 4 or 5 times and we weren't sure'

answers your question.

[Alan Partridge]

Interesting stuff because Pravda (aka readingfc.co.uk) has a glowing match report which suggests we played like Brazil.

As they always do! Tony Gale was doing the Reading game yesterday, said we were the more likely side especially in the 2nd half, then they scored and we offered nothing. Seems a more likely review as he's a neutral rather than 'we battered them' passed it around them in triangles for 90minutes and should have won 15-0, that the OS reports.

[Scarface]

Am I right in thinking we used no subs ?

[Focher]

isn't it about time Mooney got a chance?

Not slating Doyle, Hunt or Long but surely he's 'bedded in' by now, or is he another Alan Bennett?

'we looked at him 4 or 5 times and we weren't sure'

answers your question.

How the hell can they be sure about Long? They must have looked at him 70 times. I often wonder what their criteria is.

[Alan Partridge]

Am I right in thinking we used no subs ?

Was the first attacking looking bench Coppell has named to be fair, nay subs. Can't see why Marek didn't get the last 10 or so, or even chuck Long on and play 3 up top? Nay plan B.

[Royalee]

Am I right in thinking we used no subs ?

Was the first attacking looking bench Coppell has named to be fair, nay subs. Can't see why Marek didn't get the last 10 or so, or even chuck Long on and play 3 up top? Nay plan B.

LOL

Never mind though, he's learnt from his mistakes last year apparently.

[braindead]

Without a doubt you are the best side to visit Turf Moor this season, and to be fair you deserved something from the game.
I thought we were going to get hammered after the first 20 minutes, when you hit the woodwork and Jensen made some excellent saves, but we gradually came into the game, although Doyle & Hunt gave our makeshift back four some worrying times.
I also thought that Harper and the other guy (Sorry can't remember his name) in Central midfield totally dominated Joey Gudjonnson & Chris McCann for the first hour and as a result we were a little disjointed and laxkin a decent supply line to our forwards.

Credi where it's due your following was excellent considering the weather and the distance and if you continue playing like that you may even finish above us

[Barry the bird boggler]

Oh dear, we are just not consistent are we? Home results good, away results terrible. That should keep us sniffing around the lower reaches of the play off places as per normal business for us in this division.

Come January Doyle, Harper and probably Hunt will be gone meaning another turnover in playing staff and more time to adjust. Looks like we're going to be in for the long haul and as predicted reckon another 2/3 years before having the consistency to return automatically.