BFTG Hull (H)

[Ian Royal]

Disappointing result.

I thought we played some extremely good football and were unlucky.

We started brilliantly, carving Hull apart almost at will. Two straight forward goals conceded and it's another good performance marred by loss.

Al-Habsi - perhaps could have done more with the goals. Thought he hesitated a touch coming out for the first.
McCleary - good game, impressed with him at RB better going forward than Gunter, no worse defensively.
Taylor - ok
Cooper - ok, gave the ball away with Long loose passes and i thought should have done more with the first. Good goal.
Ferdinand - classy but immobile
Hector - classy but took too many risks
Norwood - good game in an unusual position for him
Quinn - tireless as ever, lacks a bit of final quality
Cox - good game, very busy, lacks that deadly end product
Rakels - ran hard, looked positive, promising
Vydra - started sublime, tried to over do a couple of things then just gave up in his head. Stopped looking for good runs and the ball early, but kept up some pretence at effort.

Kermorgant - did nothing but flick to no one
John - looked languid and did nothing

I'm positive after that. A fresh statt with some new blood and those sort of performances will see plenty of wins. Lots of good football on display. Plenty of good players. We looked a more cohesice unit. Still not sure about the diamond.

[tidus_mi2]

I agree with all you said really. It was yet another game we should have won but those goals were so poor, if that's the standard of Hull this season I would not back them for promotion.

First goal in particular was just terrible quality, long punt upfield that tall defender like Cooper should really be clearing easily, instead it just went over both of them and once Hernandez was past them, they couldn't catch up.

[Top Flight]

I don't think the result was that important to either side last night. Hull didn't look like they were desperately in need of a win. They were pretty relaxed and patient. Being 10 points off the top 2 and 9 ahead of 7th before the game meant that a win wasn't needed for Hull.

We did look good in the first few minutes. I couldn't believe it was so easy to open them up. I was surprised Cooper was left unmarked to head home freely in the centre of the box. But you could see that Hull have much better players than us. We are weak in comparison.

I'm not sure that Rakels has the beating of strong Championship defenders. He is a bit like a mosquito that you just bat away. He is a nuisance, but he is not going to cause much harm.

[No Fixed Abode]

"We support our local team"

[Maguire]

I thought Hull looked extremely flat last night for a team aiming for promotion. Point taken that they're not in any danger of coming 3rd not dropping out of the p/os but they just seemed uninterested tbh.

RFC played pretty well in the first half but really lost their way once Rakkels' penalty claim was reversed. I thought it was a penalty form my position in the North Stand, didn't look like the defender got any ball but who knows.

Please end this season ASAP.

[Top Flight]

I thought Hull looked extremely flat last night for a team aiming for promotion. Point taken that they're not in any danger of coming 3rd not dropping out of the p/os but they just seemed uninterested tbh.

RFC played pretty well in the first half but really lost their way once Rakkels' penalty claim was reversed. I thought it was a penalty form my position in the North Stand, didn't look like the defender got any ball but who knows.

Please end this season ASAP.

Yes, they did look flat. Totally. They didn't look like they needed a win, and to be fair, they didn't.

[George_]

Another game where we played well, created chances, missed those chances and were punished. Hull looked dangerous on the counter, but overall didn't think they we're that great. The team are getting so used to losing that they don't know how to find a way to win and get over the line (similar happened at the back end of last season).

Think Rakels could with a full pre season with the club be a revelation next season.

Cooper again proving that he has a mistake in him every single game (should have followed his man for the 1st goal). The worst bit about this is that its happening so often and he's not learning from it. Think we need to sign a minimum of 2 center backs this summer with the departures of Ferdinand & Hector.

This summer is HUGE and if the club doesn't get it right we are in danger of being in a relegation fight next season.

[Silver Fox]

I thought we played ok but gifted them 2 goals and although we got riled by the mystifying penalty non-decision that wore off and the game, like the season, petered out really. Nothing to boo about

[Top Flight]

If we stay up next season, that will be a good achievement by Brian McDermott when you consider the absolute monumental challenge that this summer will pose.

I will support the Royals home and away next season and all I want is to stay in the division. A point at Wigan on a Tuesday night in October will be a point well won and a point towards our goal of survival in the 2016/17 season.

[WoodleyRoyal]

"We support our local team"

indeed, fans voting with their feet, lowest league attendance since 2004.

[Top Flight]

I thought we played ok but gifted them 2 goals and although we got riled by the mystifying penalty non-decision that wore off and the game, like the season, petered out really. Nothing to boo about

Regarding the penalty. My first reaction was that it was not a penalty. I haven't seen any video or replay of the incident, but from my vantage point inside the stadium it looked like a corner and I was surprised when the ref pointed to the spot.

It was a good bit of controversy to liven up the crowd. Apart from the first five minutes, we'd offered Fffk all going forward before that incident anyway. And very little afterwards.

One moment of magic was the excellent Cantona-esque back flick from Yann Kermorgant that put Rakels in for an angled volley that brushed past the side netting.

[Top Flight]

"We support our local team"

indeed, fans voting with their feet, lowest league attendance since 2004.

These are pre-season friendlies now and half the squad will be gone in the summer. So this isn't really our team anymore that we are watching. Why bother?

[BhatMhen]

Even though it's sad but all is well, we just have to keep our hopes up in the next game.

[WoodleyRoyal]

Another game where we played well, created chances, missed those chances and were punished. Hull looked dangerous on the counter, but overall didn't think they we're that great. The team are getting so used to losing that they don't know how to find a way to win and get over the line (similar happened at the back end of last season).

Think Rakels could with a full pre season with the club be a revelation next season.

Cooper again proving that he has a mistake in him every single game (should have followed his man for the 1st goal). The worst bit about this is that its happening so often and he's not learning from it. Think we need to sign a minimum of 2 center backs this summer with the departures of Ferdinand & Hector.

This summer is HUGE and if the club doesn't get it right we are in danger of being in a relegation fight next season.

Problem with cooper is he has never really had any time out on loan so is making his mistakes for us, he will learn he has all the attributes required to be a steady championship defender in the future.

[Top Flight]

Another game where we played well, created chances, missed those chances and were punished. Hull looked dangerous on the counter, but overall didn't think they we're that great. The team are getting so used to losing that they don't know how to find a way to win and get over the line (similar happened at the back end of last season).

Think Rakels could with a full pre season with the club be a revelation next season.

Cooper again proving that he has a mistake in him every single game (should have followed his man for the 1st goal). The worst bit about this is that its happening so often and he's not learning from it. Think we need to sign a minimum of 2 center backs this summer with the departures of Ferdinand & Hector.

This summer is HUGE and if the club doesn't get it right we are in danger of being in a relegation fight next season.

Problem with cooper is he has never really had any time out on loan so is making his mistakes for us, he will learn he has all the attributes required to be a steady championship defender in the future.

He does have alot of the tools like Sonko had (Strength, height, defensive quality) but Cooper does lack the pace that Sonko possessed. Maybe Cooper is like Sonko, post Sonko's injury that slowed him down.

[Harpers So Solid Crew]

Saw the highlights, looked like a flat end of season game, nothing to play for either team.

Still think there are just too many games, seem to have barely had a break since Xmas.
Bar Easter, has there ever been no Easter footy?

[WoodleyRoyal]

Another game where we played well, created chances, missed those chances and were punished. Hull looked dangerous on the counter, but overall didn't think they we're that great. The team are getting so used to losing that they don't know how to find a way to win and get over the line (similar happened at the back end of last season).

Think Rakels could with a full pre season with the club be a revelation next season.

Cooper again proving that he has a mistake in him every single game (should have followed his man for the 1st goal). The worst bit about this is that its happening so often and he's not learning from it. Think we need to sign a minimum of 2 center backs this summer with the departures of Ferdinand & Hector.

This summer is HUGE and if the club doesn't get it right we are in danger of being in a relegation fight next season.

Problem with cooper is he has never really had any time out on loan so is making his mistakes for us, he will learn he has all the attributes required to be a steady championship defender in the future.

He does have alot of the tools like Sonko had (Strength, height, defensive quality) but Cooper does lack the pace that Sonko possessed. Maybe Cooper is like Sonko, post Sonko's injury that slowed him down.

Lacking pace is not a problem for a CB as long as you are good positionally, and that comes with experience, A defender who has to use their pace to get out of trouble, is going to have a shorter career

[George_]

Problem with cooper is he has never really had any time out on loan so is making his mistakes for us, he will learn he has all the attributes required to be a steady championship defender in the future.

He does have alot of the tools like Sonko had (Strength, height, defensive quality) but Cooper does lack the pace that Sonko possessed. Maybe Cooper is like Sonko, post Sonko's injury that slowed him down.

Lacking pace is not a problem for a CB as long as you are good positionally, and that comes with experience, A defender who has to use their pace to get out of trouble, is going to have a shorter career

Pretty much Ferdinand who's positioning is superb.

[Top Flight]

Could it also mean that we can't play a more expansive game of football like during the Coppell era?

We could commit more people forward because our defenders were fast enough to get back. But if defenders are slow then we can't commit as many forward which takes something away from our game.

Saying that though, neither Ingimarsson or Shorey were fast. Ingimarsson was a very clever player positionally.

[Binfield Royal]

As though taken straight from Mock The Weeks "phrases you never thought you'd say" section

"Thank heavens for Nick Blackmans goals in the autumn...!"

4 defeats in 4 games is relegation form.

As other have said, it looks like our players have lost interest in this season. Considering there is nothing to play for as we cant go up or down, maybe that's not surprising but on the flip side, the club shouldn't be surprised if spectators decide not to waste money on "nothing" games that will be short on spectacle and entertainment value.

I doubt I'll go again this season and by the looks of the attendance, I am not the only one thinking this way.