Back from the game (Wednesday away)

[RobRoyal]

I can't remember the last time I saw a more boring 45 minutes than the first half today. And I can't remember the last time our traveling support was so quiet. What happened there? To be fair there was nothing to get excited about on the pitch. We defended pretty well, McAnuff had a couple of decent forays forward, but that was about it.

Once again, though, we came out after half time looking much more up for it. 3 times in the first few minutes of the half we opened them up down the right and McAnuff played it into the box. First time Rasiak headed over from a couple of yards out. Second time he came onto the ball and shot tamely at the keeper with the outside of his boot. Third time he headed it down and past the keeper. Moments later more good work on the right presented Rasiak with another chance, Tab swinging the ball over only for the striker to head straight at the keeper. Some minutes later, possibly the pivotal moment of the half. Wednesday had started to get back in the game a little, and Luke Varney (shudder) fired against the inside of the post with a fine swiveling shot. We were still opening them up down the right, though, and McAnuff did well to hold up a high ball and play it backwards, receiving it again after a cute through pass from Matejovsky. He picked out Cisse 8 yards or so out, who stroked the ball confidently into the far corner. At this point we looked pretty comfortable and it seemed we'd go on to get a third and finish the game. The nerves set in a little, though, and we started to miss out on the 50/50s. Wednesday had a goal ruled out (no idea what happened there) but apart from that they really couldn't create a whole lot. Their confidence looked even more shot than ours.

Credit to:

McAnuff, man of the match again. On top of his game and constantly threatening. Two great assists, and with better finishing from Rasiak it could have been more.

Cisse, whose goal capped a decent performance. I don't know why he was back in the side over Karacan, and I really hope it's not another case of reactive management following his comments recently. But he put in a strong and smart showing, only fading a little late on and missing a few challenges in the midfield. Took his goal very well, and looked delighted and committed to the cause after the final whistle. Good man.

Pearce and Ingi, who looked solid after a lot of criticism recently. Still, Wednesday had so little going forward it was probably a pretty easy day.

Downsides would be another anonymous and ineffective performance from Kebe, and the removal of Church - seems unlikely it was tactical, so assuming he got a knock, hopefully not too serious?

Overall, a largely poor game between two sides low on confidence. The result gives us 10 points from the last 5, though, and it seems very clear to me that we are slowly starting to get it right. It's not great, it's seldom pretty, but we're improving none the less.

[UpNorth]

Excellent summary Rob Royal.

The first half was the most boring and uneventful that I have watched in many a year.

Clearly the half time team talk is now having an effect and we could have been home and hosed in the first ten minutes if Rasiak had taken his chances. Key moment was the Wednesday shot hitting the inside of the post and running to safety.

Feds only had one decent save to make but the ball was lumped forward and Pearce and Ingi were under a lot of pressure. They reacted well but taller forwards would have been real threat.

Tabb again was very solid and put in a peach of a cross that Rasiak should have converted.

Sigi was good but he is not really a forward (he switched when Church went off). Are we really down to one fit forward?

Overall the second half was very encouraging and when we got the bal down and played it around Wednesday had no answer.

Kebe looked like he did not want to be there and was awful.

[Royal Rother]

Church has a bad back apparently - had to be helped onto the team coach so it's more than a twinge.

[Chaney]

Excellent summary Rob Royal.

The first half was the most boring and uneventful that I have watched in many a year.

I take it you didn`t go to Watford in the PL then?

[bcubed]

Excellent summary Rob Royal.

The first half was the most boring and uneventful that I have watched in many a year.

I take it you didn`t go to Watford in the PL then?

or Coventry away last year (in fact that was two boring and uneventful halves)

[RobRoyal]

Excellent summary Rob Royal.

The first half was the most boring and uneventful that I have watched in many a year.

I take it you didn`t go to Watford in the PL then?

or Coventry away last year (in fact that was two boring and uneventful halves)

Aha, but did you two go to Wednesday in 09?

[bobbybottler]

Clearly this is a thread for those who have forgotten the Walsall triptych of tedium in January 2003.

[T.R.O.L.I.]

Aha, but did you two go to Wednesday in 09?

Which one - we've wone at Hillsborough twice this year

[LoyalRoyal22]

Just got in. first half was awful- so boring. Second half we played some nice stuff, Mcanuff, Matejovskiy and Cisse were brilliant.

Fed- 7
Tabb- 7
Bertrand- 7
Ivar- 7
Pearce- 7
Kebe- 4
Mcanuff- 9
Cisse- 8
Matejovskiy- 8
Sigurdsson- 7
Rasiak- 8

church- 6
gunnarsson- 6

[RoyalBird]

Clearly this is a thread for those who have forgotten the Walsall triptych of tedium in January 2003.

I'll raise you a Luton League Cup game in the 05/06: first half was mainly noticeable for Obinna's countless offsides.

[Royalshow]

Great display and good goals.I think the clean sheet was important for confidence. Fans were terrible, the first half was just embarrassing and yeah Reading really need trams

[SLAMMED]

Clearly this is a thread for those who have forgotten the Walsall triptych of tedium in January 2003.

I'll raise you a Luton League Cup game in the 05/06: first half was mainly noticeable for Obinna's countless offsides.

QPR away last season was another one. As was Palace away.

[Elm Park Old Boy]

I can't remember the last time I saw a more boring 45 minutes than the first half today....Once again, though, we came out after half time looking much more up for it. ..we are slowly starting to get it right. It's not great, it's seldom pretty, but we're improving none the less.

Interesting. Do you think we're now getting the second half performances that somehow went missing earlier in the season?

[Archie's penalty]

Just got in. first half was awful- so boring. Second half we played some nice stuff, Mcanuff, Matejovskiy and Cisse were brilliant.

Fed- 7
Tabb- 7
Bertrand- 7
Ivar- 7
Pearce- 7
Kebe- 4
Mcanuff- 9
Cisse- 8
Matejovskiy- 8
Sigurdsson- 7
Rasiak- 8

church- 6
gunnarsson- 6

I would say it was the troika of Marek, Jobi and Rasiak what won it. They were the standout players. Good win. First half awful, second half great. Midfield still a bit weak. I'm still not convinced but I like the developments of recent times.

Rasiak is a quality striker for this level, Mcanuff has the beating of most of the division's full backs and Marek at times is just class. Would like to see Jem instead of Cisse in future, although Cisse was decent today. Probs is Kalifa can't pass and can't tackle! Kebe was poor, Sig didn't do that much, and all the defence were pretty decent.

Rodgers seems to be learning so an 8 for him today.

[Big McC]

First half was truly awful and frankly boring. Agree our support was terrible in the first half too. Took until 37 minutes to get about 10 seconds of 'Blue Army', then a few chants about five minutes later. Better of course in the second half after we scored. Don't know what's happened to our away fans - it was always the joy of away matches to enjoy the quality singing, chants and banter.
Great result and great to keep a clean sheet

[RG30]

Pleased with the win. We deserved it on our 2nd half display and could have won by a greater margin. First half was a shocker, little to note other than Sigurdsson firing just wide with a free kick. Interesting to note Sheff Wed were booed off at HT, it's always a good sign that we're slowly winning the battle.

2nd half as ever we start excellently, and McAnuff was unplayable. Accuracy of crossing, ability to beat a man, linking play was all exceptional and Rasiak will be dissapointed he didn't tuck away his 1st header. Eventually, he got another chance and didn't make the same mistake (thought the keeper should have done better). It was pleasing to see all the players enjoy the moment, I get the feeling the squad is more united than in the last couple of years under Coppell. At 1-0, we rode our luck. They could have had an equaliser when they hit the post. I always felt we would need a 2nd to secure it, and I'm delighted it was Cisse. Not been the easiest of seasons, I felt for him a bit with his press conference midweek where he sounded like he genuinally wanted to play 1st team football and wasn't being disruptive for the sake of it, and his performance today was good.

Even at 2-0, we had chances. Rasiak toe-poked an effort only for their keeper to pull off a decent save.

Our first clean sheet since Doncaster I believe, and plenty of positives to take away. Pearce had a good game in defence, Tabb is better at right-back than Cummings by a long stretch, Cisse came back and had a positive impact, Marek is looker better every week, McAnuff is unplayable at times at this level and Rasiak will score goals with chances.

Let's hope we continue this good spell of form on Tuesday because Palace seem to have lost their way and it could be an opportunity to put some daylight between us and the relegation zone.

Been a couple of things said about the atmosphere, yes it wasn't great but it picked up in the 2nd half, I don't think the layout of the away end does much to encourage it but a pleasing win.

[brendywendy]

2 wins in a row

could we?

im hopeful

[floyd__streete]

Exactly the kind of result and performance we needed against a side down the bottom with us. The first half was a total non-event with Reading looking the better of two poor sides; in fairness to us, the Church injury required a tactical rethink and we saw out the opening 45 with some comfort.

Second half was exactly the kind of away performance we want to see if we are to pull away from trouble. A well earned clean sheet with Ivar and Pearce dominating Wednesday's toothless attack. Going forward we had McAnuff pulling the strings and Rasiak - who performed excellently - should have scored in the second half before he did manage to nod home a carbon copy chance created by Jobi. The second goal - after we had defended well and done the basics - was again well created by McAnuff and passd into the net by Cisse, who had a good game.

Good win, effective performance. Well played Reading.

[winchester_royal]

Exactly the kind of result and performance we needed against a side down the bottom with us. The first half was a total non-event with Reading looking the better of two poor sides; in fairness to us, the Church injury required a tactical rethink and we saw out the opening 45 with some comfort.

Second half was exactly the kind of away performance we want to see if we are to pull away from trouble. A well earned clean sheet with Ivar and Pearce dominating Wednesday's toothless attack. Going forward we had McAnuff pulling the strings and Rasiak - who performed excellently - should have scored in the second half before he did manage to nod home a carbon copy chance created by Jobi. The second goal - after we had defended well and done the basics - was again well created by McAnuff and passd into the net by Cisse, who had a good game.

Good win, effective performance. Well played Reading.

Care to modify your profile now?

[The Quiet Man]

Agree with others that the first half was very poor - two sides lacking confidence. Second half was better as we actually started to play as a 451 team and use the man advantage in midfield to get Marek or Gylfi to drift in between the Sheff Wed centre and left backs and then play Mcanuff in to hit some great centres. Rasiak should have had at least a hat trick . Once Gylfi went off things quietened down and we played out the game. One lucky break with Sheff Wed hitting the post but overall they were a poor side with no confidence whatsoever.

Player ratings

Fed 7 looked solid
Bertrand 7 solid
Tabb 6 still a bit concerned defensively
Pearce 6 his type of game with lots of aerial hump - kept heading everything back to Sheff Wed
Ingi 7 solid and assured
Cisse 7 some telling interceptions and has got goals in him as gets in good positions round the box
Marek 7 same problem as before for every good thing he does he has the ability to screw up - caught badly once again in possession today but set up the goals with his vision
The Sig 7 good game in second half playing in behind Rasiak and set up a lot of the play down our right side unlucky to be subbed
Mcanuff 8 game winner today when played in by his team mates put in 4 or 5 excellent crosses including both the goals
Rasiak 7 solid won the ball in the air but would have been marked higher if he converted the two sitters he was presented with
Church 4 poor before he went off
Subs
Kebe 4 anonymous
Gunnarsson 5 wasn't on very long and didn't do a huge amount

All in all a good away performance where we ground out the game where we had to in the first half and exploited a poor Shefff Wed team in the second - back to back wins now please against Colin on Tuesday.