MATCHWATCH : Wycombe Wanderers (h)

[Orion1871]

Wycombe far the better team in the first half, Reading far the better teams in the second half. Draw would've been fair, but the imbecile had to dive in and oxf*rd it up.

Need to start better, would've thought wr would have learned from the start of the last home game but clearly we did not.

Referee an absolute clown their keeper is probably still at the stadium time-wasting now.

[Crowbar6753]

That first 45 mins was as bad as it gets!! the players obviously got a bollocking during the interval and came out looking much sharper and actually looking like they want to win the game!! Now my point is, why does it take a half time screaming at to get the players in that frame of mind to start playing with the required intensity to win a game!!
We are battling for our lives, battling for the existence of the club and the fans have responded by turning up in good numbers and its a local derby to boot!!! Surly that is enough motivation to start the game all guns blazing. Its baffling, and really, this should be on the manager to get the players fired up!! According to Tim and Mick, Selles was down playing the game and trying to keep the players calm.....lets just say Neil Warnock was our manager today, I'm pretty sure he would be foaming at the mouth and doing everything in his power to get those players fully motivated to give 110% straight out the blocks!!

We have Derby on Tuesday which with a result today would be a pretty fair "Free Hit". All of a sudden we are back in the mix with 8 games left after Derby and a rapidly deteriorating home form and still the possibility of further points deductions. We really now need a point against Derby plus three more wins after that.

Reading never do things the easy way!!! Come on Urrzzzzzz.

[leon]

That first 45 mins was as bad as it gets!! the players obviously got a bollocking during the interval and came out looking much sharper and actually looking like they want to win the game!! Now my point is, why does it take a half time screaming at to get the players in that frame of mind to start playing with the required intensity to win a game!!
We are battling for our lives, battling for the existence of the club and the fans have responded by turning up in good numbers and its a local derby to boot!!! Surly that is enough motivation to start the game all guns blazing. Its baffling, and really, this should be on the manager to get the players fired up!! According to Tim and Mick, Selles was down playing the game and trying to keep the players calm.....lets just say Neil Warnock was our manager today, I'm pretty sure he would be foaming at the mouth and doing everything in his power to get those players fully motivated to give 110% straight out the blocks!!

We have Derby on Tuesday which with a result today would be a pretty fair "Free Hit". All of a sudden we are back in the mix with 8 games left after Derby and a rapidly deteriorating home form and still the possibility of further points deductions. We really now need a point against Derby plus three more wins after that.

Reading never do things the easy way!!! Come on Urrzzzzzz.

That was a fcuking appalling performance because the team demonstrated for about 30 minutes how they actually can play until equalising and then going back to the incompetent, insipid football from the first half with the inevitable result.

This one is entirely at Selles door. No where good enough.

[windermereROYAL]

We`ve had one (missed) penalty all season, I wasn`t close enough to see the Sam Smith shout in the second half, he was penalised for diving.

[traff]

That first 45 mins was as bad as it gets!! the players obviously got a bollocking during the interval and came out looking much sharper and actually looking like they want to win the game!! Now my point is, why does it take a half time screaming at to get the players in that frame of mind to start playing with the required intensity to win a game!!
We are battling for our lives, battling for the existence of the club and the fans have responded by turning up in good numbers and its a local derby to boot!!! Surly that is enough motivation to start the game all guns blazing. Its baffling, and really, this should be on the manager to get the players fired up!! According to Tim and Mick, Selles was down playing the game and trying to keep the players calm.....lets just say Neil Warnock was our manager today, I'm pretty sure he would be foaming at the mouth and doing everything in his power to get those players fully motivated to give 110% straight out the blocks!!

We have Derby on Tuesday which with a result today would be a pretty fair "Free Hit". All of a sudden we are back in the mix with 8 games left after Derby and a rapidly deteriorating home form and still the possibility of further points deductions. We really now need a point against Derby plus three more wins after that.

Reading never do things the easy way!!! Come on Urrzzzzzz.

That was a fcuking appalling performance because the team demonstrated for about 30 minutes how they actually can play until equalising and then going back to the incompetent, insipid football from the first half with the inevitable result.

This one is entirely at Selles door. No where good enough.

Was not convinced by Selles, certainly early season, but has strung a good run together and seems to be ticking boxes in terms of selection, team spirit, and tactics. We certainly looked flat in the first half but why would he change a winning team to start with? We do look tired but options to change are minimal. I like Elliott, but thought Mukairu may have been a better choice, wide, but that is very subjective. Even the top teams have off-periods. I am mentally drained by all this crap (though despite a decent turnout the fans were flat too) so have to empathise with the management and team. Wycombe came up with a plan, not a good team and time-wasting was unchecked by the ref but it is what it is.
Qnly one thing matters now, having a club to continue supporting.

[leon]

That first 45 mins was as bad as it gets!! the players obviously got a bollocking during the interval and came out looking much sharper and actually looking like they want to win the game!! Now my point is, why does it take a half time screaming at to get the players in that frame of mind to start playing with the required intensity to win a game!!
We are battling for our lives, battling for the existence of the club and the fans have responded by turning up in good numbers and its a local derby to boot!!! Surly that is enough motivation to start the game all guns blazing. Its baffling, and really, this should be on the manager to get the players fired up!! According to Tim and Mick, Selles was down playing the game and trying to keep the players calm.....lets just say Neil Warnock was our manager today, I'm pretty sure he would be foaming at the mouth and doing everything in his power to get those players fully motivated to give 110% straight out the blocks!!

We have Derby on Tuesday which with a result today would be a pretty fair "Free Hit". All of a sudden we are back in the mix with 8 games left after Derby and a rapidly deteriorating home form and still the possibility of further points deductions. We really now need a point against Derby plus three more wins after that.

Reading never do things the easy way!!! Come on Urrzzzzzz.

That was a fcuking appalling performance because the team demonstrated for about 30 minutes how they actually can play until equalising and then going back to the incompetent, insipid football from the first half with the inevitable result.

This one is entirely at Selles door. No where good enough.

Was not convinced by Selles, certainly early season, but has strung a good run together and seems to be ticking boxes in terms of selection, team spirit, and tactics. We certainly looked flat in the first half but why would he change a winning team to start with? We do look tired but options to change are minimal. I like Elliott, but thought Mukairu may have been a better choice, wide, but that is very subjective. Even the top teams have off-periods. I am mentally drained by all this crap (though despite a decent turnout the fans were flat too) so have to empathise with the management and team. Wycombe came up with a plan, not a good team and time-wasting was unchecked by the ref but it is what it is.
only one thing matters now, having a club to continue supporting.

Really not convinced with the tactics. We bang it long to a lone striker. Wing does this constantly. Savage looked the only one who wanted to pass the ball in an intelligent way.

[Crowbar6753]

That first 45 mins was as bad as it gets!! the players obviously got a bollocking during the interval and came out looking much sharper and actually looking like they want to win the game!! Now my point is, why does it take a half time screaming at to get the players in that frame of mind to start playing with the required intensity to win a game!!
We are battling for our lives, battling for the existence of the club and the fans have responded by turning up in good numbers and its a local derby to boot!!! Surly that is enough motivation to start the game all guns blazing. Its baffling, and really, this should be on the manager to get the players fired up!! According to Tim and Mick, Selles was down playing the game and trying to keep the players calm.....lets just say Neil Warnock was our manager today, I'm pretty sure he would be foaming at the mouth and doing everything in his power to get those players fully motivated to give 110% straight out the blocks!!

We have Derby on Tuesday which with a result today would be a pretty fair "Free Hit". All of a sudden we are back in the mix with 8 games left after Derby and a rapidly deteriorating home form and still the possibility of further points deductions. We really now need a point against Derby plus three more wins after that.

Reading never do things the easy way!!! Come on Urrzzzzzz.

That was a fcuking appalling performance because the team demonstrated for about 30 minutes how they actually can play until equalising and then going back to the incompetent, insipid football from the first half with the inevitable result.

This one is entirely at Selles door. No where good enough.

Was not convinced by Selles, certainly early season, but has strung a good run together and seems to be ticking boxes in terms of selection, team spirit, and tactics. We certainly looked flat in the first half but why would he change a winning team to start with? We do look tired but options to change are minimal. I like Elliott, but thought Mukairu may have been a better choice, wide, but that is very subjective. Even the top teams have off-periods. I am mentally drained by all this crap (though despite a decent turnout the fans were flat too) so have to empathise with the management and team. Wycombe came up with a plan, not a good team and time-wasting was unchecked by the ref but it is what it is.
Qnly one thing matters now, having a club to continue supporting.

I too have grown to like Selles and what he has achieved under the circumstances is a minor miracle. I just feel that we very rarely start games on the front foot and how many times are we left playing catchup!!
I feel the team almost picks itself atm with the only interchangeable parts being Craig/Savage and Kelvin.E/Elliot/Mukairu. Its almost like Craig is better in the away games as he shore's up the middle to the park and Savage is better at home as he is more creative than craig.

Kelvin.E has something about him but i think Mukairu is the better wide player of the three.

The long ball tactics are a bit surprising as both Wing and Savage are very good ball players and at this level we should be able to play through the middle as well as picking the wide men out to switch things up. All to often in the first half when the passing was piss poor both Bindon and Mbengue kept hoofing the ball up field to Smith who got nothing out of their defense!!
The first half in the game at Fratton Park we played some amazing neat fast paced passing and Pompey couldn't live with us!!

[WestYorksRoyal]

While the defending for the opening goal was poor, it's another once in a career goal in our goal against column. Is that 3 in 2 home games? Barely expect a PL centre back to score that, let alone a L1 one.

[Sutekh]

While the defending for the opening goal was poor, it's another once in a career goal in our goal against column. Is that 3 in 2 home games? Barely expect a PL centre back to score that, let alone a L1 one.

Defending should have been better. Quite ludicrous though that Reading have been on the receiving end of 3 of the damn things in the last 5 goals conceded at home. Wonder which Cambridge player will get their worldie next week? Mind you if the management got the players in the right frame of mind in the first place...

[Tony Le Mesmer]

Attendance 15,038.

[RoyalBlue]

That was a fcuking appalling performance because the team demonstrated for about 30 minutes how they actually can play until equalising and then going back to the incompetent, insipid football from the first half with the inevitable result.

This one is entirely at Selles door. No where good enough.

Was not convinced by Selles, certainly early season, but has strung a good run together and seems to be ticking boxes in terms of selection, team spirit, and tactics. We certainly looked flat in the first half but why would he change a winning team to start with? We do look tired but options to change are minimal. I like Elliott, but thought Mukairu may have been a better choice, wide, but that is very subjective. Even the top teams have off-periods. I am mentally drained by all this crap (though despite a decent turnout the fans were flat too) so have to empathise with the management and team. Wycombe came up with a plan, not a good team and time-wasting was unchecked by the ref but it is what it is.
only one thing matters now, having a club to continue supporting.

Really not convinced with the tactics. We bang it long to a lone striker. Wing does this constantly. Savage looked the only one who wanted to pass the ball in an intelligent way.

IMO Wing can do that and should continue to do so because he has the ability to reliably find players at the range more often than not and land it on a plate for them.

[RoyalBlue]

That first 45 mins was as bad as it gets!! the players obviously got a bollocking during the interval and came out looking much sharper and actually looking like they want to win the game!! Now my point is, why does it take a half time screaming at to get the players in that frame of mind to start playing with the required intensity to win a game!!
We are battling for our lives, battling for the existence of the club and the fans have responded by turning up in good numbers and its a local derby to boot!!! Surly that is enough motivation to start the game all guns blazing. Its baffling, and really, this should be on the manager to get the players fired up!! According to Tim and Mick, Selles was down playing the game and trying to keep the players calm.....

For starters, I think Dellor was probably misquoting what Selles said. He (RS) makes it clear that every game is of equal importance. Secondly, I suspect he was being wise after the event. DId he mention this before kickoff or only after we had lost. Had we won, he would doubtless have been praising the approach.

He topped things off by demanding that the team play like they did for a spell in the second half for every minute of the remaining nine matches and IIRC stated nothing less would be acceptable! Is he for real? No team or sports person is likely to be able to achieve that level of sustained and repeated peak performance.

[leon]

Was not convinced by Selles, certainly early season, but has strung a good run together and seems to be ticking boxes in terms of selection, team spirit, and tactics. We certainly looked flat in the first half but why would he change a winning team to start with? We do look tired but options to change are minimal. I like Elliott, but thought Mukairu may have been a better choice, wide, but that is very subjective. Even the top teams have off-periods. I am mentally drained by all this crap (though despite a decent turnout the fans were flat too) so have to empathise with the management and team. Wycombe came up with a plan, not a good team and time-wasting was unchecked by the ref but it is what it is.
only one thing matters now, having a club to continue supporting.

Really not convinced with the tactics. We bang it long to a lone striker. Wing does this constantly. Savage looked the only one who wanted to pass the ball in an intelligent way.

IMO Wing can do that and should continue to do so because he has the ability to reliably find players at the range more often than not and land it on a plate for them.

Unfortunately he doesn't though does he? It's fine if Aziz is free on the right however Smith is normally marked by two defenders and rarely gets the ball under control and we cede possession.

[Snowflake Royal]

Was not convinced by Selles, certainly early season, but has strung a good run together and seems to be ticking boxes in terms of selection, team spirit, and tactics. We certainly looked flat in the first half but why would he change a winning team to start with? We do look tired but options to change are minimal. I like Elliott, but thought Mukairu may have been a better choice, wide, but that is very subjective. Even the top teams have off-periods. I am mentally drained by all this crap (though despite a decent turnout the fans were flat too) so have to empathise with the management and team. Wycombe came up with a plan, not a good team and time-wasting was unchecked by the ref but it is what it is.
only one thing matters now, having a club to continue supporting.

Really not convinced with the tactics. We bang it long to a lone striker. Wing does this constantly. Savage looked the only one who wanted to pass the ball in an intelligent way.

IMO Wing can do that and should continue to do so because he has the ability to reliably find players at the range more often than not and land it on a plate for them.

Less than 50% of his long balls find their target.

Because it means we go back to front quickly, there's also often very little support for the player who receives it. And Smith is usually up against 2 centrebacks almost a foot taller than him.

We're much better when we make some more adventurous and progressive shorter passing through the thirds, providing there's any movement. And then occasionally mix it up.

[Clyde1998]

Attendance 15,038.

Not close to being the highest attendance of the season as was suggested before the game unfortunately - just under 16,000 is the highest so far.

[rabidbee]

For starters, I think Dellor was probably misquoting what Selles said. He (RS) makes it clear that every game is of equal importance. Secondly, I suspect he was being wise after the event. DId he mention this before kickoff or only after we had lost. Had we won, he would doubtless have been praising the approach.

No, they discussed it before the game. IIRC he suggested to Selles that it was a big game, with possible results meaning we could finish either 2 points or 8 point above the relegation zone (not sure why he's only just noticed this phenomenon, isn't it true every week?). Ruben replied it was just another week, just one more match, clearly indicating he meant he was taking each game at a time, and not heaping massive significance - and pressure - onto this one.

At the end of the day, if the players themselves aren't able to calculate that teams against the bottom half have to be targeted as winnable matches, I'm not sure what more Ruben can do to prepare them mentally. It's been a fraught period off the pitch, and I think we've all been expecting burn out to happen eventually. If they're mentally tired, I'm not sure heaping an extra dollop of anxiety into the mix is going to be productive, but then Dellor has coached some Sunday-league cricket team or something, so what would I know?