MATCHWATCH : Stoke City (h)

[YorkshireRoyal99]

Great performance again by the team today from 1 to 11 really, that's all you can ask for from the team. Ince was superb, an outstanding individual performance in midfield, Joao was a menace for their defence (so glad we didn't sell him because he doesn't run enough) and their defence never looked comfortable throughout as I thought both Wilmot and Flint were poor defensively throughout.

Fornah and Hendrick had decent games, a couple of sloppy errors by Hendrick that were never punished but in general a solid display. Long maybe didn't have his best day either, but not poor either. The defence were terrific as well, disappointed with the goal from a set piece but, other than that, Stoke didn't have too much other than a decent opening early in the second half.

If we continue like that for the season, especially at home, we will be more than fine this season. Bring a few players back from injury for some more quality options and keep most fit for a sustained period of the season and we will do well for sure. I love how we look like a real unit now and a team that is suited to this league, not a fractured set of individuals with some clear individual talent, but a disjointed team.

[Snowflake Royal]

Agreed, he reminded me of DD last year - people expect too much of ex PL players coming down a level.

If one of our own youngsters had played like that everyone would be raving about him.

Is it that shocking that people would expect more from a senior player with extensive top flight experience than a teenager / early 20s player with minimal league experience?

RR is right, though
Same performance, not about expectation it’s about absolute performance

Disagree. With a younger player part of the value is watching them accrue the experience to improve and the potential they have. You expect young players to have a mistake in them and be a bit inconsistent. Seasoned pros shouldn't have that, and you're not looking forward to them developing and growing into the side.

It's about more than just the one game.

[YorkshireRoyal99]

There is definitely more understanding towards a home grown youngster in situations like those, so I can see Ian's point, but I do think it's the overall performance rather than the situation of the player.

Seasoned pro or inexperienced youngster, if you make a mistake, you make a mistake for me. Of course the youngsters needs encouragement whereas the senior pro maybe less so, but might need reminding of standards (depending on the error), but it's still at the same cost to the team no matter who makes the error.

[Snowflake Royal]

Is anyone else, in the back of their mind, wondering which wheel is going to fall off and how bad?

Been conditioned to think any good run is only temporary over the last decade, and will be followed by shite.

It's depressingly pavlovian.

[Stranded]

I am starting to wonder who would now come into the side as this is possibly only one or two short of our best.
Ejaria just wouldn't fit in to the style of play otherwise I'm not sure who else really is "missing".

All 4 of Meite, Sarr, Loum and Ejaria would be part of the core 15-16 that Ince wants to play. 2 games a week and they’d be rotated in and used off the bench.

Difficult to say what the ‘first 11’ might look like even if we have one. Ejaria would fit in comfortably. He can play at pace when asked to

I wish I could agree with what you say about Ejaria, as he is one of my favourite players, but I can't.

Ejaria will fit. He can play at pace but when you have a hustle and bustle side like we do, having someone who can slow it down a touch can be deadly.

Ince's thunderbolt against Cardiff for example. Ejaria "slowed" the move down but in doing that it suddenly allowed Ince the space he would not otherwise have had.

[Singing Defective]

Is anyone else, in the back of their mind, wondering which wheel is going to fall off and how bad?

Been conditioned to think any good run is only temporary over the last decade, and will be followed by shite.

It's depressingly pavlovian.

The thing is..The playoffs in 2017: Both sides one-man-armies. And duller than a stealth bomber. That’s not supporting pride day. But just flying, doing its stuff, right?

Since then, again, so much emphasis on a saviour: Swift, Joao (sorry man, I know it’s your birthday, but I can’t do the thingy above the a on this keyboard). They got injured. We lost. A lot.

Now: Ok, I don’t get Rotherham. Yeah, the blunts are a lot better than us, but today’s ratings are the new normal, I hope and pray: No superhero on the pitch, but some very decent performances for a no-spend club.

[Royal_jimmy]

Poor first half, better second half. Really good to see the work rate in a Reading team again. Probably just about deserved to win.

I just want to get to 20 points as quickly as possible now.

Tom Ince is fast becoming my favourite player

[Snowflake Royal]

All 4 of Meite, Sarr, Loum and Ejaria would be part of the core 15-16 that Ince wants to play. 2 games a week and they’d be rotated in and used off the bench.

Difficult to say what the ‘first 11’ might look like even if we have one. Ejaria would fit in comfortably. He can play at pace when asked to

I wish I could agree with what you say about Ejaria, as he is one of my favourite players, but I can't.

Ejaria will fit. He can play at pace but when you have a hustle and bustle side like we do, having someone who can slow it down a touch can be deadly.

Ince's thunderbolt against Cardiff for example. Ejaria "slowed" the move down but in doing that it suddenly allowed Ince the space he would not otherwise have had.

I'd disagree he did any slowing down in that.