MATCHWATCH : Birmingham City (h)

[URZZZZZZZZ]

I am possibly too manically positive, but now we know it’s likely to be a two way battle between us and QPR - I feel like we will overhaul them.

[Hound]

I am possibly too manically positive, but now we know it’s likely to be a two way battle between us and QPR - I feel like we will overhaul them.

Being slightly better than a team who has about 9 points in 25 games is as manically positive as anyone gets on here!

Would still think we are slight favourites over them as they have been so so bad. Obvs it just takes one or two wins either way to change it though

[Snowflake Royal]

Thought we were ok today, but in the context of where we are that isn't enough.

In the first half Mbengue kept getting isolated against Khadra, with both centre backs being static for their goal.

The ref was poor throughout his 70 minute performance.

Casadei looked very effective.

Gripes: why do none of our wide players try to beat their man? Why does Hendrick always look for the safe pass? Why wan't there any energy in the six minutes added on? The lack of a press killed us.

He’s supposed to be our play maker and he spends all game hiding.

Don’t disagree with the notion he doesn’t get involved enough but not quite sure where you’re got that idea from - certainly isn’t a playmaker

He’s done OK but not quite sure done enough to earn a contract next year. Sum of all parts though. Surround him with legs and energy and it’s tolerable. Play the likes of Carroll and McIntyre alongside him and it magnifies his weaknesses

What is he actually for then?

He can't tackle, rarely fouls and makes few interceptions so he's not a DM.

Despite a couple of worldies he mostly can't shoot, doesn't create goals, can't run with the ball or beat a man and doesn't play high enough to be an AM.

He doesn't play box to box. He just sits in the middle and watches the game pass him by. He doesn't have a high pass per game number, his passing accuracy isn't very good.

The only thing you can say about him is he's an improvement on Drinkwater because he doesn't make 2 or 3 catastrophic errors a game. But that's because he's not involved.

He's an absolutely nothing midfielder and yet he's the one Ince has highlighted as worth keeping. Not Fornah with his high pass success, ability to dribble, cross and beat a man. Not Casadei with his energy, shooting and tackling, not Loum with his occasional defensive solidity.

Ince wants to keep the guy the currently in freefall QPR wouldn't touch with a bargepoll.

[URZZZZZZZZ]

I am possibly too manically positive, but now we know it’s likely to be a two way battle between us and QPR - I feel like we will overhaul them.

Being slightly better than a team who has about 9 points in 25 games is as manically positive as anyone gets on here!

Would still think we are slight favourites over them as they have been so so bad. Obvs it just takes one or two wins either way to change it though

It’s an absolute dogfight now, and it doesn’t matter how it happens, we just need to get ourselves above one other team.

We both have equally difficult run ins where neither team will get many points, but the joker up our sleeve is that Wigan home game hopefully.

[Snowflake Royal]

I am possibly too manically positive, but now we know it’s likely to be a two way battle between us and QPR - I feel like we will overhaul them.

In contrast, I'm not convinced we can overhaul them if they lose every remaining game.

We've got 1 point and conceded 15 goals in our last 7 away games, scoring just 2

Our best chances of points will be an already relegated Wigan under no pressure while we're under immense pressure with a toxic home atmosphere by then.

Or against a, by then, probably already safe Huddersfield who are on the beach. But Warnock would cheerfully send us down.

[paultheroyal]

Excellent atmosphere yesterday and crowd were behind the team. Just th frustrated boos at the end.

That fan shat himself at the end and was seen Scurrying to the toilets at the end of the match. Didn’t quite go to plan for him and well done on Carroll coming over.

As for what’s on the pitch, it’s just an ugly mess. No plan, no cohesion, it’s just a mishap of styles.

Meite had such a poor game. Fornah is scared to cross and he as lost out on the left. Sarr a rock, caroll and Joao could work together. Azeez needs to start.

[URZZZZZZZZ]

I am possibly too manically positive, but now we know it’s likely to be a two way battle between us and QPR - I feel like we will overhaul them.

In contrast, I'm not convinced we can overhaul them if they lose every remaining game.

We've got 1 point and conceded 15 goals in our last 7 away games, scoring just 2

Our best chances of points will be an already relegated Wigan under no pressure while we're under immense pressure with a toxic home atmosphere by then.

Or against a, by then, probably already safe Huddersfield who are on the beach. But Warnock would cheerfully send us down.

All valid points, I just feel like we might do it for some reason.

[Sutekh]

Indeed, Cardiff, Huddersfield and Rotherham showed they have the fighting spirit needed to get out of this and you are correct, Sir, QPR's next four is as bad as ours lol. We really need to get something out of this Preston trip and just get above them!!

It’s a mentality thing. Starts from the top

Huddersfield’s last three fixtures, Millwall (A), Middlesbrough (H), Watford (A). 9 points. No one would have predicted them to get more than 2/3 points but compare the way Warnock is with Ince. One is upbeat and positive, the one is negative and defeatist. In turn, that reflects onto how the respective teams play

Couldn’t agree more - I was a vocal supporter of Warnock to replace Pauno last season.

Exactly. Really need to get shot of Ince, Hunt in for rest of the season.

[YorkshireRoyal99]

I do think it's tough to compare Ince to Warnock personally. Warnock came in when he had nothing to lose, his age means he's at the back end of his career and if he was to take a sinking ship down it would have been because of what's happened previously. I think what has really given them a lift is the new ownership, saving them from highly likely relegation as well as administration.

Ince on the other hand has it all to lose, especially considering come Christmas time we were in and around the play offs as well. The "siege mentality" and backs against the wall mantras are all well and good when there is no expectation on us, but once we were in a position where we were doing well and in the top half, I think most fans felt we were very likely to be safe. I wouldn't go as far to say it would be a calamity if we were to drop (that title would go to QPR if they were to go down), especially given the points off and how tight the league was, but it is certainly one hell of a drop off.

[Snowflake Royal]

Its not tough. Warnock is an exceptional manager with a great record, and Ince is someone's dad brought in as an emergency who has failed almost everywhere he's been.

[YorkshireRoyal99]

Its not tough. Warnock is an exceptional manager with a great record, and Ince is someone's dad brought in as an emergency who has failed almost everywhere he's been.

If we go down, I think we'd have gone down regardless of who was in charge. Warnock is similar to Ince, a firefighter, when it comes to longevity, he hasn't been great. A promotion with Cardiff was fantastic, but was then relegated and languishing in mid table with a team that should have been in and around the play off positions again.

Middlesbrough, firefighting again, kept them up and then didn't progress them and left when they were mid table.

That's with 2 sides in a far, far greater situation than what we are now. Ultimately, our chance to get Warnock was before he joined Huddersfield and, let's be honest, at the time we didn't really need him, we were doing ok, if unspectacular, in the league.

[Orion1871]

Excellent atmosphere yesterday and crowd were behind the team. Just th frustrated boos at the end.

That fan shat himself at the end and was seen Scurrying to the toilets at the end of the match. Didn’t quite go to plan for him and well done on Carroll coming over.

As for what’s on the pitch, it’s just an ugly mess. No plan, no cohesion, it’s just a mishap of styles.

Meite had such a poor game. Fornah is scared to cross and he as lost out on the left. Sarr a rock, caroll and Joao could work together. Azeez needs to start.

Yeah, rocks can't move either.

[windermereROYAL]

Well we now have the total points we got last season with 6 games to go. remember though we would have gone down but for Derby`s big points deduction.

[Snowflake Royal]

Excellent atmosphere yesterday and crowd were behind the team. Just th frustrated boos at the end.

That fan shat himself at the end and was seen Scurrying to the toilets at the end of the match. Didn’t quite go to plan for him and well done on Carroll coming over.

As for what’s on the pitch, it’s just an ugly mess. No plan, no cohesion, it’s just a mishap of styles.

Meite had such a poor game. Fornah is scared to cross and he as lost out on the left. Sarr a rock, caroll and Joao could work together. Azeez needs to start.

Yeah, rocks can't move either.

Sarr is a really poor defender... although he seemed to have one of his better games. With the exception of watching Jutkiwicz equalise.

[Royal_jimmy]

Excellent atmosphere yesterday and crowd were behind the team. Just th frustrated boos at the end.

That fan shat himself at the end and was seen Scurrying to the toilets at the end of the match. Didn’t quite go to plan for him and well done on Carroll coming over.

As for what’s on the pitch, it’s just an ugly mess. No plan, no cohesion, it’s just a mishap of styles.

Meite had such a poor game. Fornah is scared to cross and he as lost out on the left. Sarr a rock, caroll and Joao could work together. Azeez needs to start.

Sarr was dreadful. Nearly gave 2 goals away from mistakes that a better side would have taken. He should have got a 2 year deal at best, we're stuck with him for 4 years. He's poor.

[Royal_jimmy]

Excellent atmosphere yesterday and crowd were behind the team. Just th frustrated boos at the end.

That fan shat himself at the end and was seen Scurrying to the toilets at the end of the match. Didn’t quite go to plan for him and well done on Carroll coming over.

As for what’s on the pitch, it’s just an ugly mess. No plan, no cohesion, it’s just a mishap of styles.

Meite had such a poor game. Fornah is scared to cross and he as lost out on the left. Sarr a rock, caroll and Joao could work together. Azeez needs to start.

Sarr was dreadful. Nearly gave 2 goals away from mistakes that a better side would have taken. He should have got a 2 year deal at best, we're stuck with him for 4 years. He's poor and a liability.

[Royal_jimmy]

Well we now have the total points we got last season with 6 games to go. remember though we would have gone down but for Derby`s big points deduction.

The poor sides at the bottom are better than last years ones. Barnsley and Peterborough were awful and worse than Wigan and Blackpool are

[Snowflake Royal]

Excellent atmosphere yesterday and crowd were behind the team. Just th frustrated boos at the end.

That fan shat himself at the end and was seen Scurrying to the toilets at the end of the match. Didn’t quite go to plan for him and well done on Carroll coming over.

As for what’s on the pitch, it’s just an ugly mess. No plan, no cohesion, it’s just a mishap of styles.

Meite had such a poor game. Fornah is scared to cross and he as lost out on the left. Sarr a rock, caroll and Joao could work together. Azeez needs to start.

Sarr was dreadful. Nearly gave 2 goals away from mistakes that a better side would have taken. He should have got a 2 year deal at best, we're stuck with him for 4 years. He's poor.

FOUR YEARS?!?

[Fezza]

Excellent atmosphere yesterday and crowd were behind the team. Just th frustrated boos at the end.

That fan shat himself at the end and was seen Scurrying to the toilets at the end of the match. Didn’t quite go to plan for him and well done on Carroll coming over.

As for what’s on the pitch, it’s just an ugly mess. No plan, no cohesion, it’s just a mishap of styles.

Meite had such a poor game. Fornah is scared to cross and he as lost out on the left. Sarr a rock, caroll and Joao could work together. Azeez needs to start.

Sarr was dreadful. Nearly gave 2 goals away from mistakes that a better side would have taken. He should have got a 2 year deal at best, we're stuck with him for 4 years. He's poor.

FOUR YEARS?!?

Thought yesterday was the best I've seen him play for us, he's starting to be more confident on the ball and didn't make any outrageous howlers... this said, both he and Holmes were completely flat footed for their goal (Jutkiewicz always seems to score against us). He seems a solid Div 1 CB.

[Sutekh]

Excellent atmosphere yesterday and crowd were behind the team. Just th frustrated boos at the end.

That fan shat himself at the end and was seen Scurrying to the toilets at the end of the match. Didn’t quite go to plan for him and well done on Carroll coming over.

As for what’s on the pitch, it’s just an ugly mess. No plan, no cohesion, it’s just a mishap of styles.

Meite had such a poor game. Fornah is scared to cross and he as lost out on the left. Sarr a rock, caroll and Joao could work together. Azeez needs to start.

Sarr was dreadful. Nearly gave 2 goals away from mistakes that a better side would have taken. He should have got a 2 year deal at best, we're stuck with him for 4 years. He's poor.

FOUR YEARS?!?

Yes, Reading are the proud owners of Naby Sarr until June 2026.