BTFG Cambridge

[Sutekh]

Awful tonight. Didn't look like scoring really. The away from is the same as last season but vs even weaker sides.

Truth is we've had a poor start to the season. We've lost every game except Cheltenham to an OG and against 10 man Stevenage. We've lost the rest. I am not Dellor's biggest fan but he has a point about it not being a good start.

Onto the game:

1) Button was solid
2) Hutchinson was good and love the guy but him and Savage can't play together, it has to change and Selles needs to do it.
3) Kelvin made us look better when he came on. We looked poor otherwise.
4) The rest of the team were poor
5) Michael Morrison won't have an easier game all season

And it still rankles that this utterly gormless club let Morrison go in favour of keeping a clapped out walking injury. He should have been retained and this club may well have had him alongside Abbey last night.

[WestYorksRoyal]

I very much doubt it was any tactic to hoof it up to Vickers - it was forced on us due to some good pressing and the midfield not being on top of their game and keeping possession

It’s a frustrating result. Another 1 goal defeat in a game we could easily have won. Cambridge couldn’t have complained if we’d scored late and won 1-0 either really tbh, was all pretty even as shown by the stats. And again an inch away from a decent enough result and performance at the end.

Positives:
Abbey
Button
Ehibhatiomhan is the boss
Carson’s crossing
Azeez had quite a good game
Vickers, Eliot, Savage all had their moments

Negatives
This formation. I know Selles is wedded to it but I’m struggling with it. Asks too much of the full backs who are getting knackered and exposed (hence their goal)
We’re weak physically up front without smith and Ehib
Injuries disrupting us again already
Midfield 4 were off the pace and didn’t really work as a unit

There are good signs and it’ll be interesting to see what Selles does if Smith, Wing and co are fit after the break. Imo we have gone a bit too far with the youth thing and would like to see Smith and Wing asap, and potentially Mukairo and Ejaria as well in the mix

As said in the other thread the likes of Savage, Eliot, Craig, Carson, Mbengue, Ehib, Vickers all look excellent players but they’ve barely a season in men’s football between them. They are on long contracts mainly (or if not they should be extended asap) and their time will come

If we're going to pass out we need options for forward passing, midfielders who will show and who can pull off a threaded pass or roll a presser to turn into space. But there's none.

Wing when fit. Try Elliott deeper too.

[YorkshireRoyal99]

I very much doubt it was any tactic to hoof it up to Vickers - it was forced on us due to some good pressing and the midfield not being on top of their game and keeping possession

It’s a frustrating result. Another 1 goal defeat in a game we could easily have won. Cambridge couldn’t have complained if we’d scored late and won 1-0 either really tbh, was all pretty even as shown by the stats. And again an inch away from a decent enough result and performance at the end.

Positives:
Abbey
Button
Ehibhatiomhan is the boss
Carson’s crossing
Azeez had quite a good game
Vickers, Eliot, Savage all had their moments

Negatives
This formation. I know Selles is wedded to it but I’m struggling with it. Asks too much of the full backs who are getting knackered and exposed (hence their goal)
We’re weak physically up front without smith and Ehib
Injuries disrupting us again already
Midfield 4 were off the pace and didn’t really work as a unit

There are good signs and it’ll be interesting to see what Selles does if Smith, Wing and co are fit after the break. Imo we have gone a bit too far with the youth thing and would like to see Smith and Wing asap, and potentially Mukairo and Ejaria as well in the mix

As said in the other thread the likes of Savage, Eliot, Craig, Carson, Mbengue, Ehib, Vickers all look excellent players but they’ve barely a season in men’s football between them. They are on long contracts mainly (or if not they should be extended asap) and their time will come

We spend a lot of time passing between keeper, CB and fullback. And midfielder if he's in a CB position. But there is no shape for a pathway through and we either end up hoofing without having set up for it, or going up the wing and coming back.

I'd rather we just kicked long intelligently from the off, set up for it and tried to win scraps off the second ball.

I'm not saying I disagree, although what I would add is that it's not always a bad thing to just keep hold of possession at the back and just stem the flow of the game a bit, it does help us try to establish some control. It doesn't always have to be back to front and at a 100 miles an hour all the time and I think that would have probably suited them more than us last night anyway.

I get what you're saying and yes, probably would have been better for us than what we saw last night, although thought it's just worth adding that it's not always a bad thing to just keep hold of possession for spells.

[Sutekh]

I very much doubt it was any tactic to hoof it up to Vickers - it was forced on us due to some good pressing and the midfield not being on top of their game and keeping possession

It’s a frustrating result. Another 1 goal defeat in a game we could easily have won. Cambridge couldn’t have complained if we’d scored late and won 1-0 either really tbh, was all pretty even as shown by the stats. And again an inch away from a decent enough result and performance at the end.

Positives:
Abbey
Button
Ehibhatiomhan is the boss
Carson’s crossing
Azeez had quite a good game
Vickers, Eliot, Savage all had their moments

Negatives
This formation. I know Selles is wedded to it but I’m struggling with it. Asks too much of the full backs who are getting knackered and exposed (hence their goal)
We’re weak physically up front without smith and Ehib
Injuries disrupting us again already
Midfield 4 were off the pace and didn’t really work as a unit

There are good signs and it’ll be interesting to see what Selles does if Smith, Wing and co are fit after the break. Imo we have gone a bit too far with the youth thing and would like to see Smith and Wing asap, and potentially Mukairo and Ejaria as well in the mix

As said in the other thread the likes of Savage, Eliot, Craig, Carson, Mbengue, Ehib, Vickers all look excellent players but they’ve barely a season in men’s football between them. They are on long contracts mainly (or if not they should be extended asap) and their time will come

Agree about bringing in more experience if fit. I think Selles can see it - I can understand the Ehibhatiomhan decision last night but it was frustrating that all our alternative options were out. But it suggests he know to rest and rotate youngsters.

I'd like to see Wing, Smith and Ejaria when fit. I also think there could be room for Yiadom to return too. Would also like to see Elliott deeper. His control and ability to carry the ball is a class above this level - you can see it immediately. But we barely got him in the game yesterday. Not sure it's the best position for him.

Agreed that the long ball to Vickers was a reaction to their pressing and us being off the pace. Would definitely not have been our gameplan.

Then the management was to blame rather than the palyers, Selles should have had the nous to give himself the necessary options to change things, he must have had reports on the way Cambridge play and therefore known what to expect.

[Snowflake Royal]

I very much doubt it was any tactic to hoof it up to Vickers - it was forced on us due to some good pressing and the midfield not being on top of their game and keeping possession

It’s a frustrating result. Another 1 goal defeat in a game we could easily have won. Cambridge couldn’t have complained if we’d scored late and won 1-0 either really tbh, was all pretty even as shown by the stats. And again an inch away from a decent enough result and performance at the end.

Positives:
Abbey
Button
Ehibhatiomhan is the boss
Carson’s crossing
Azeez had quite a good game
Vickers, Eliot, Savage all had their moments

Negatives
This formation. I know Selles is wedded to it but I’m struggling with it. Asks too much of the full backs who are getting knackered and exposed (hence their goal)
We’re weak physically up front without smith and Ehib
Injuries disrupting us again already
Midfield 4 were off the pace and didn’t really work as a unit

There are good signs and it’ll be interesting to see what Selles does if Smith, Wing and co are fit after the break. Imo we have gone a bit too far with the youth thing and would like to see Smith and Wing asap, and potentially Mukairo and Ejaria as well in the mix

As said in the other thread the likes of Savage, Eliot, Craig, Carson, Mbengue, Ehib, Vickers all look excellent players but they’ve barely a season in men’s football between them. They are on long contracts mainly (or if not they should be extended asap) and their time will come

If we're going to pass out we need options for forward passing, midfielders who will show and who can pull off a threaded pass or roll a presser to turn into space. But there's none.

Wing when fit. Try Elliott deeper too.

I definitely think Elliott should be in central midfield, exactly the sort of player who can wriggle through.

I'm leaning toward alongside Savage, but Wing is an option for sure. Savage can't play the creative role it seems, but his workrate could cover the defensive one. And he obviously knows how to take a yellow for the team.

[Snowflake Royal]

I very much doubt it was any tactic to hoof it up to Vickers - it was forced on us due to some good pressing and the midfield not being on top of their game and keeping possession

It’s a frustrating result. Another 1 goal defeat in a game we could easily have won. Cambridge couldn’t have complained if we’d scored late and won 1-0 either really tbh, was all pretty even as shown by the stats. And again an inch away from a decent enough result and performance at the end.

Positives:
Abbey
Button
Ehibhatiomhan is the boss
Carson’s crossing
Azeez had quite a good game
Vickers, Eliot, Savage all had their moments

Negatives
This formation. I know Selles is wedded to it but I’m struggling with it. Asks too much of the full backs who are getting knackered and exposed (hence their goal)
We’re weak physically up front without smith and Ehib
Injuries disrupting us again already
Midfield 4 were off the pace and didn’t really work as a unit

There are good signs and it’ll be interesting to see what Selles does if Smith, Wing and co are fit after the break. Imo we have gone a bit too far with the youth thing and would like to see Smith and Wing asap, and potentially Mukairo and Ejaria as well in the mix

As said in the other thread the likes of Savage, Eliot, Craig, Carson, Mbengue, Ehib, Vickers all look excellent players but they’ve barely a season in men’s football between them. They are on long contracts mainly (or if not they should be extended asap) and their time will come

We spend a lot of time passing between keeper, CB and fullback. And midfielder if he's in a CB position. But there is no shape for a pathway through and we either end up hoofing without having set up for it, or going up the wing and coming back.

I'd rather we just kicked long intelligently from the off, set up for it and tried to win scraps off the second ball.

I'm not saying I disagree, although what I would add is that it's not always a bad thing to just keep hold of possession at the back and just stem the flow of the game a bit, it does help us try to establish some control. It doesn't always have to be back to front and at a 100 miles an hour all the time and I think that would have probably suited them more than us last night anyway.

I get what you're saying and yes, probably would have been better for us than what we saw last night, although thought it's just worth adding that it's not always a bad thing to just keep hold of possession for spells.

Slowing the game down needs to be a conscious choice. Not a default position through lack of options. And we still ended up frantic last night.

So yeah, agree there's a place for it at the right time, but that's not the situation.

[SouthDownsRoyal]

Do we ever have a BFTG post by people who actually go to the game?

LOL

[hughsies no.1]

Such a frustrating display, but like previous games it’s difficult to vent frustration given most of them out there are academy boys playing their first season on senior football.

FWIW -
- Azeez and Vickers up top, Cambridge centre halves must have been delighted to see that on the team sheet, won’t have an easier game all season than against those two
- Elliott is clearly very talented and can pick a pass, swivel on the ball, what was he doing on the wing, has to be in the centre
- Hutch, coming in for unfair criticism and for me is probably our most important player on the pitch with Button. Experience, tough tackler, without him we are weak as pi** in the middle of the park
- Carson looks like he needs a break, clearly not ready yet (although Mola had a debut to forget)
- A lot of hype with Knibbs and Savage, yet to see anything to buy into the hype
- Abbey looks more than at home in our team, another solid display
- Kelvin, has come on leaps and bounds since his display against Posh on opening day, know he had a knock but we were such a better team with him on
- Button has been brilliant since we’ve signed him

In summary, good to see a sense of realism creeping in to Reading fans now. The two games we won were -
Cheltenham - scraped past them with a bobbler and they haven’t won a game all season, worst in the league
Stevenage - had 10 men. Would be amazed if we can get this team mid table.

Positives are we aren’t being walloped by anyone, losing by one goal, have injured players returning. I just hope the hierarchy haven’t underestimated the division with the lack of experience and know-how in the team…

[Hound]

Awful tonight. Didn't look like scoring really. The away from is the same as last season but vs even weaker sides.

Truth is we've had a poor start to the season. We've lost every game except Cheltenham to an OG and against 10 man Stevenage. We've lost the rest. I am not Dellor's biggest fan but he has a point about it not being a good start.

Onto the game:

1) Button was solid
2) Hutchinson was good and love the guy but him and Savage can't play together, it has to change and Selles needs to do it.
3) Kelvin made us look better when he came on. We looked poor otherwise.
4) The rest of the team were poor
5) Michael Morrison won't have an easier game all season

And it still rankles that this utterly gormless club let Morrison go in favour of keeping a clapped out walking injury. He should have been retained and this club may well have had him alongside Abbey last night.

Like everyone else I love Morro but he’d come off a poor season. I also though Kelv had him on toast and had he started/been fully fit it’d been a different game

Abbey was the best CB on display yesterday by a distance

[Snowball]

1st time I’ve seen this lot play and I was happy with what I saw.

Looks like a decent team in the making.

Many of the comments above smack of entitlement.

THIS ten times over.

In the League Cup we won 0-4 away at 12th place championship side
side MILLWALL, then we drew 2-2 in normal time with IPSWICH who are
currently 2nd place in the championship.

In this league we have played 1st (AWAY), 3rd (HOME), 4th (AWAY),
and 6th (AWAY) .

We lost 2-1 at the current top side to a 93rd minute strike. We lost 1-0
to a late goal last night to a side currently averaging two points per game
and lost 1-0 to Port Vale (also 2ppg) after being on top and missing a penalty.

The side in third we beat 2-0 at home. That's 3-4 in for-against the top six
in League One and 6-2 for-against two championship teams.

For those poor at math that is 9-6 against some very decent teams.

Not one of the Reading starting 11 last night is a poor player and I feel
very confident we will finish top ten (barring any more points deductions!)
and will be pushing for top six by the season's end.

Now add that we have a proven League 1 striker to come in, plus Ballard
who looks very, very promising, a very good winger, a future US star CB...

My only slight worry is a temporary loss of form from Azeez, but class
will tell and he will come good.

As for Cambridge, they performed their "Great Escape" last season and
are buzzing as a club, hence 4 wins in the league in six games.

[BarryWhiteRFC]

Many of the comments above smack of entitlement.

I'm not seeing that at all.

There's very little 'should be beating Cambridge'.

Just frustration at leaving out our top scorer, tactics of high balls to Vickers against Bennett and Morrison and a lack of creativity.

I've seen all our league games and I'd say bar second half against Vale, that was our worst performance.

It's a very young team that will improve, but at the moment the balance is wrong.

We look like conceding any time the game opens up and there's a break where someone can run at us and cross. At least without Binden.

Football fans do make me laugh. Your first post "stop playing it out from the back", next post, "shouldn't be playing long balls".

How should we get the ball forward pray tell?

It's a young side learning. Just try and enjoy the ride. We'll have bad weeks and we'll have good weeks. Lets hope we have enough good weeks to keep us in this division.

[Sutekh]

Many of the comments above smack of entitlement.

I'm not seeing that at all.

There's very little 'should be beating Cambridge'.

Just frustration at leaving out our top scorer, tactics of high balls to Vickers against Bennett and Morrison and a lack of creativity.

I've seen all our league games and I'd say bar second half against Vale, that was our worst performance.

It's a very young team that will improve, but at the moment the balance is wrong.

We look like conceding any time the game opens up and there's a break where someone can run at us and cross. At least without Binden.

Football fans do make me laugh. Your first post "stop playing it out from the back", next post, "shouldn't be playing long balls".

How should we get the ball forward pray tell?

It's a young side learning. Just try and enjoy the ride. We'll have bad weeks and we'll have good weeks. Let's hope we have enough good weeks to keep us in this division.

All not helped by a young coach just learning as well!

[NathStPaul]

It is really annoying when Snowball
posts like this because it makes it
look like what he is saying is a poem
and we all know he isn't a poet.

[Sutekh]

What the management said after the game

https://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/spor ... ed-defeat/

[Elm Park Kid]

Hey look - It's us winning the 'We beat Millwall 4-0 in the League Cup' Trophy.

[Snowflake Royal]

Many of the comments above smack of entitlement.

I'm not seeing that at all.

There's very little 'should be beating Cambridge'.

Just frustration at leaving out our top scorer, tactics of high balls to Vickers against Bennett and Morrison and a lack of creativity.

I've seen all our league games and I'd say bar second half against Vale, that was our worst performance.

It's a very young team that will improve, but at the moment the balance is wrong.

We look like conceding any time the game opens up and there's a break where someone can run at us and cross. At least without Binden.

Football fans do make me laugh. Your first post "stop playing it out from the back", next post, "shouldn't be playing long balls".

How should we get the ball forward pray tell?

It's a young side learning. Just try and enjoy the ride. We'll have bad weeks and we'll have good weeks. Lets hope we have enough good weeks to keep us in this division.

If you can't work out there's a world of options between hoofing to short or isolated players, and tedious passing between centrebacks that goes nowhere, I think it's beyond my abilities to educate you.

[Millsy]

People get triggered when I remind people of Selles' record so I won't mention it again here other than to say we can't be too surprised that a nobody manager with a track record of nobody results is producing nobody performances.

But it is what it is, and I've seen enough positives to get behind the chap. This was honestly not an awful performance and we were unlucky not to get an equaliser or even to have gone ahead.

Give it time, it'll definitely improve i.e. it can't really get any worse....

[Hound]

I'm not seeing that at all.

There's very little 'should be beating Cambridge'.

Just frustration at leaving out our top scorer, tactics of high balls to Vickers against Bennett and Morrison and a lack of creativity.

I've seen all our league games and I'd say bar second half against Vale, that was our worst performance.

It's a very young team that will improve, but at the moment the balance is wrong.

We look like conceding any time the game opens up and there's a break where someone can run at us and cross. At least without Binden.

Football fans do make me laugh. Your first post "stop playing it out from the back", next post, "shouldn't be playing long balls".

How should we get the ball forward pray tell?

It's a young side learning. Just try and enjoy the ride. We'll have bad weeks and we'll have good weeks. Lets hope we have enough good weeks to keep us in this division.

If you can't work out there's a world of options between hoofing to short or isolated players, and tedious passing between centrebacks that goes nowhere, I think it's beyond my abilities to educate you.

I think you get way too hung up on the passing out from the back thing. We did it well yesterday most of the time, and we don’t tediously pass between centre backs. It’s no Stamball

It was one of the things we did pretty well tbh, Button and Abbey big parts of that. Now the midfield need to show themselves better

And hitting it long, or out to the wings really didn’t work at all. Again if you have Kelv and Smith it might do

[Royal_jimmy]

One thing I will say about Cambridge (if any of their fans read this). I was impressed by the pace in their side on the wings. You showed us how to play with wingers. Clearly exploited Carson who I think needs to be dropped for a few games, not for much he's done wrong but feel like LB is a weak link and the opposition are targeting him.

[Snowflake Royal]

Football fans do make me laugh. Your first post "stop playing it out from the back", next post, "shouldn't be playing long balls".

How should we get the ball forward pray tell?

It's a young side learning. Just try and enjoy the ride. We'll have bad weeks and we'll have good weeks. Lets hope we have enough good weeks to keep us in this division.

If you can't work out there's a world of options between hoofing to short or isolated players, and tedious passing between centrebacks that goes nowhere, I think it's beyond my abilities to educate you.

I think you get way too hung up on the passing out from the back thing. We did it well yesterday most of the time, and we don’t tediously pass between centre backs. It’s no Stamball

It was one of the things we did pretty well tbh, Button and Abbey big parts of that. Now the midfield need to show themselves better

And hitting it long, or out to the wings really didn’t work at all. Again if you have Kelv and Smith it might do

If you think that was doing it well I despair.