BFTG - Burton

[Hampshire Royal]

+1.
The 7-5 against Arsenal was an exciting game. Give me 'boring' 3-0 win against Burton very time.

[Ian Royal]

It just seems to me that this is a case of 'not as good as the old days' mostly from fans who've been around for a long time.

First it was complaining about results and saying they'd rather win ugly / dull than lose excitingly. Then they get wins and they're not exciting enough. Personally, I'd suggest that if you're not enjoying an unrxpected period of success after a few years of shit, the problem probably isn't with the football, but with you.

It's easy to become jaded after having it so good then watching it all fall apart. Nothing is ever going to live up to 2005 - 2010 ish again in all probability. But, give it a while for the disappointment of the last few years to fade and I reckon the passion and joy will come back to an extent at least.

[Nameless]

There's a difference as well between quick hit 'excitement' of a single game and longer term excitement of a developing season.
I can agree that some games have lacked that smash bang wallop excitement of end to end action, loads of goal mouth incident etc. For people,e going to just the odd game it might be hard to see what is going on.
However for regulars I can't really see how this season cannot be anything other than hugely exciting. We started from a very low base with zero expectation. We had a manager with no pedigree and a bunch of unknown players. We've seen the manager introduce a completely new way of playing and players gradually growing into their roles. We've achieved unexpected results, and had the odd fairly spectacular disaster. Even after those we've shown character in coming back stronger.
Who knows where we will be come May, but it's a fascinating season already.
There's a bit of a cricket parallel, some people love 20-20, others see test cricket as far superior. This is a test match season....

[Stranded]

I prefer to be bored and see us win a game 3-0 than be bored and see us leave empty handed as has been the case for much of last couple of seasons.

As for the 106 season being dull, I'd take that season over any season before or since with the possible exception of our first premier league season - maybe it was the cup run as well that helped?

Dull was probably the wrong word to use - but by about Nov/Dec any tension in that season had gone, most people turned up not wondering if we would win a game but by how many we would win it. Games were great until we got a couple of goals up and then we managed the game and maybe picked off another goal or two when needed. Was easily the best season of being a Reading fan, with the first PL season 2nd.

We are starting to do that again now, we are controlling games - stopping opponents getting up a head of steam and beginning to take chances from open play - which was an understandable complaint earlier in the season. The style in which we are doing it is not quite as gung-ho as 05/06 but it is paying dividends.

Stam wanted to sort the defence first and bar a couple of horror games at Wolves, Newcastle and Brentford he's done that and goals are also starting to come. We are 3rd on points and if you take GD as a guide as to if it is a blip or not, then it isn't as we have the joint best after the top two.

[Maneki Neko]

the 4 wins in a row without conceding

We were being battered at Rotherham in the first 20. No control of the game what so ever. Results are at times misleading. As that's what the record books show. Doesn't tell the real story.

its a real story. just not the only story.

[Ian Royal]

the 4 wins in a row without conceding

We were being battered at Rotherham in the first 20. No control of the game what so ever. Results are at times misleading. As that's what the record books show. Doesn't tell the real story.

its a real story. just not the only story.

Reading not getting it all their own way shocker.

[paultheroyal]

the 4 wins in a row without conceding

We were being battered at Rotherham in the first 20. No control of the game what so ever. Results are at times misleading. As that's what the record books show. Doesn't tell the real story.

Good to see posters jostling for position, getting their quotes ready for a "I told you so" moment.

[Sutekh]

I prefer to be bored and see us win a game 3-0 than be bored and see us leave empty handed as has been the case for much of last couple of seasons.

As for the 106 season being dull, I'd take that season over any season before or since with the possible exception of our first premier league season - maybe it was the cup run as well that helped?

Dull was probably the wrong word to use - but by about Nov/Dec any tension in that season had gone, most people turned up not wondering if we would win a game but by how many we would win it. Games were great until we got a couple of goals up and then we managed the game and maybe picked off another goal or two when needed. Was easily the best season of being a Reading fan, with the first PL season 2nd.

We are starting to do that again now, we are controlling games - stopping opponents getting up a head of steam and beginning to take chances from open play - which was an understandable complaint earlier in the season. The style in which we are doing it is not quite as gung-ho as 05/06 but it is paying dividends.

Stam wanted to sort the defence first and bar a couple of horror games at Wolves, Newcastle and Brentford he's done that and goals are also starting to come. We are 3rd on points and if you take GD as a guide as to if it is a blip or not, then it isn't as we have the joint best after the top two.

Agree totally that thngs are getting better as the team gets more understanding. One thing that still needs work though is the fact that Reading still look nervous defensively. That is to say that you're never wholly confident that Reading won't concede.

[Platypuss]

Not sure that's true Stranded. I was at the game Saturday and the second half was absolutely turgid.
We were 2-0 up and comfortable, but at no time did we decide to turn it up and go for the jugular.
Hey, maybe I'm spoilt. but I felt the second 45 was very short of excitement and entertainment - as Schards said it felt passionless and robotic.

[3points]

I just think football, generally, is not as exciting as it used to be. I hardly ever watch Premier League games these days on TV as they are tactical battles; occasionally you get a right humdinger end to end blood and guts affair, but it's pretty rare these days.

I totally get the sentiment of our home games being "boring", but also I'd prefer to win. The past couple of seasons have been real dross. At some point this season I think we will score 5 or 6 in a game; I still think we will lose by at least 3 goals in a couple of games too. But you create your own luck to some extent, and by retaining possession the opposition get more desperate when they do get a chance in front of goal (much like we did in the past two seasons) and end up missing good opportunities. And confidence of our own players also means they are more likely to make the most of their chances too.

[WestRoyal]

Thought the atmosphere was decent considering the game. The atmosphere is solely dependant on success plus away following. That will never change. Some decent teams are yet to visit.

It's a new breed of football and one I am enjoying watching before my eyes.

I just find it incredible that we are 3rd yet I have learned from this thread and others is that we are...

Boring
False position
Standard of the division is awful (as said in 15/16, 14/15, 13/14 etc)
Bristol City are amazing and will bring us down to earth
Al Habsi is a liability
No atmosphere in the ground
This position last year and look what happened
Division does not settle down till Xmas (from the posters who said it would be end of October)
Team has no identity

Feel free to add to the list.

3rd in table with further chances to cement that position. I am proud of this team, enjoying it and fully behind them all.

Brilliant post mate, so so true. One needs to take what people say on this forum with a pinch of salt a lot of the time

[WestRoyal]

Boring
False position
Standard of the division is awful (as said in 15/16, 14/15, 13/14 etc)
Bristol City are amazing and will bring us down to earth
Al Habsi is a liability
No atmosphere in the ground
This position last year and look what happened
Division does not settle down till Xmas (from the posters who said it would be end of October)
Team has no identity
.

I think you're being harsh tbh and you're wrong...

Boring - our last three games: 2-0 win, 3-0 win, 3-0 win, I don't think we're that boring when compared to other Championship sides

False position - not sure what this means - we've won and earned the points

AAH is a liability - people continue to say this but he's won player of the month (is it more than once?) and he's saved us SO MANY times

No atmosphere - could say the same about most other grounds

Team has no identity - I think things are improving in that regard, there is a much much better feel about the team and they look like they're playing/fighting for each other

I think you need to re-read his post?

[Snowball]

Big difference for me this game was SPEED. I lost count of the times we used through balls or balls over the top and either McCleary or Samuel got to the ball first or forced a hasty clearance.

The speed of those two showed what we've been missing with Kermie up front and unless we go 442 I wouldn't play him, certainly not for ninety minutes.

I was impressed by Samuels and he looks like he would improve a lot given game time.

BTW I had £20 on Samuels first goal and 3-0, £820 back. (They had to run off to get more cash)

I've had worse days out.

[tidus_mi2]

Big difference for me this game was SPEED. I lost count of the times we used through balls or balls over the top and either McCleary or Samuel got to the ball first or forced a hasty clearance.

The speed of those two showed what we've been missing with Kermie up front and unless we go 442 I wouldn't play him, certainly not for ninety minutes.

I was impressed by Samuels and he looks like he would improve a lot given game time.

BTW I had £20 on Samuels first goal and 3-0, £820 back. (They had to run off to get more cash)

I've had worse days out.

I dare say if you bet on a Samuels first goal, the betting company owe you nothing.

It's Samuel.

[Snowball]

Samuel's

[Platypuss]

I was impressed by Samuel's and he looks like he would improve a lot given game time.

Yeah, that works.

[Kitsondinho]

There's a difference as well between quick hit 'excitement' of a single game and longer term excitement of a developing season.
I can agree that some games have lacked that smash bang wallop excitement of end to end action, loads of goal mouth incident etc. For people,e going to just the odd game it might be hard to see what is going on.
However for regulars I can't really see how this season cannot be anything other than hugely exciting. We started from a very low base with zero expectation. We had a manager with no pedigree and a bunch of unknown players. We've seen the manager introduce a completely new way of playing and players gradually growing into their roles. We've achieved unexpected results, and had the odd fairly spectacular disaster. Even after those we've shown character in coming back stronger.
Who knows where we will be come May, but it's a fascinating season already.
There's a bit of a cricket parallel, some people love 20-20, others see test cricket as far superior. This is a test match season....

This +1000

I was against Stam getting the job. I thought it was a stupid idea. I was wrong and I'm very glad that I was. We weren't great Saturday but we were more than good enough.......That is the kind of game we would have drawn 2-2 in the last few years. Boring 2nd half maybe.....but we were never in danger of throwing it away.

[Silver Fox]

If you’re going to quote from the Book of Revelation
Don’t keep calling it the Book of Revelations
There’s no “s”, it’s the Book of Revelation
As revealed to St John the Divine
See also Dominic Samuel
He must despair

[Nameless]

Can I also mention that Coppell didn't put the 106 run together in his first season. He had to do some pragmatic short term work to build the base on which his great side was to stand.
My memory for detail is rubbish but I suspect Stam is ahead of where Coppell was after his first 4 months.
If Stam ends this season with a group of young players who are fully versed in a system of playing that has been successful (playoff place perhaps), and then has some cash to add a couple of upgrades the I think 2017-18 should be exciting.
He may deliver this season, although we can then fall back on 'it's too soon to go up'.. but he's delivering significantly ahead of what could have been reasonably expected....

[genome]

I'm keeping my feet firmly on the ground, after what happened last season due to Clarke.