BTFS - QPR

[CountryRoyal]

I'm fed up with us always going for the difficult option. I'm not sure if it's a lack of communication or awareness, or both, but time after time a player receives ball to feet and then takes too many touches deciding what to do with it, turning multiple directions before either passing backwards or trying to run around their marker, Swift and Williams guilty of this but particularly the latter. Yes by law of probability this style of play will eventually see him run into space at some time, but then more than often loses it anyway.

When good teams lose more often than not they come out of the game thinking, damn how have we lost that (see Newcastle V Blackburn and return), but when we lose we are so poor it's untrue, heck, we're not that great half the time we win either.

If I didn't think it before the game I could be accused of being a bit knee jerky, but I was thinking this morning now we've played everyone once will the second half of the season be harder now teams have played us and potentially sussed us out?

[Saaaaaaaammmmmm]

So I've done some statting...

Joey van den Berg has played 24 games for us in all competitions this season, for the sake of this at either centre-half or centre-mid

Central Defence
Played 9
Won 1 (Preston home)
Drawn 2 (Brighton home, QPR away)
Lost 7 (Does include Man Utd and Arsenal)
Conceded 18 (2 goals per game)

Central Midfield
Played 15
Won 11
Drawn 1 (Birmingham home)
Lost 3 (Brentford away, Fulham away, Leeds away)
Conceded 18 (1.2 goals per game)

So basically, playing Joey at centre-back makes one almighty difference results-wise (I will treat Brentford and Fulham away as anomalies), oh and to make things worse for our big Dutchman, we're unbeaten in all six games he hasn't featured in this season, winning all of them except Derby at home..... Hopefully someone tells him all stats are irrelevant and he shouldn't listen to me, ever

[CountryRoyal]

So I've done some statting...

Joey van den Berg has played 24 games for us in all competitions this season, for the sake of this at either centre-half or centre-mid

Central Defence
Played 9
Won 1 (Preston home)
Drawn 2 (Brighton home, QPR away)
Lost 7 (Does include Man Utd and Arsenal)
Conceded 18 (2 goals per game)

Central Midfield
Played 15
Won 11
Drawn 1 (Birmingham home)
Lost 3 (Brentford away, Fulham away, Leeds away)
Conceded 18 (1.2 goals per game)

So basically, playing Joey at centre-back makes one almighty difference results-wise (I will treat Brentford and Fulham away as anomalies), oh and to make things worse for our big Dutchman, we're unbeaten in all six games he hasn't featured in this season, winning all of them except Derby at home..... Hopefully someone tells him all stats are irrelevant and he shouldn't listen to me, ever

I think every single person associated with Reading Football Club, in any capacity, could tell you he's not a CB and an utter liability.

It was blindingly obvious ever since the Bournemouth pre season friendly.

Everyone... apart from the one fukking person who should know MORE than anyone else?!

Must be something contractual - no one is that stupid.

[Gunny Fishcake]

Having just got back from the game I've calmed down a bit. It was so bad with so many players having absolute nightmares the game and result must be a one off , we can't possibly play as bad as that again ......can we ? Had to be on bloody Sky as well . All the hardy souls who were there tonight braving the elements deserve a medal for having to suffer that load of crap.

[CountryRoyal]

Having just got back from the game I've calmed down a bit. It was so bad with so many players having absolute nightmares the game and result must be a one off , we can't possibly play as bad as that again ......can we ? Had to be on bloody Sky as well . All the hardy souls who were there tonight braving the elements deserve a medal for having to suffer that load of crap.

Last season went downhill pretty quickly.

[Royality creeps In]

No passion
No drive
No pace
Oh and No heat!
That has to be one of the most inept, boring performances I have had to sit through and in 40 odd years of following the Royals

The Fake Hoops were hapless and sat behind the ball but probably deserved to win because they were less useless than us on the night

By the way. VDB and Beerens shakes head

[paultheroyal]

What the oxf*rd was that formation in the first half? Totally lop sided, players out of position and the inability to do anything about it.

Al Habsi lucky there player stayed on feet or he would of been off.

Van den Berg so poor.

Don't understand hate towards Williams tonight. He was the one driving force.

BBC Berkshire and the stirring up afterwards was just embarrassing.

Since the lush green grass has disappeared at madjeski we have been poor.

Good night.

[Oilroyal]

So I've done some statting...So basically, playing Joey at centre-back makes one almighty difference results-wise

I think every single person associated with Reading Football Club, in any capacity, could tell you he's not a CB

Everyone... apart from the one fukking person who should know MORE than anyone else?!

Must be something contractual - no one is that stupid.

It's both with an added dose of ego unfortunately

[marlowuk]

I live in Stevenage. It was snowing. I didn't go to the match but sat in a pub and watched it on Sky. I am so angry but probably not as angry as if I had made the effort to drive through the snow and rain to see that performance.

It's all been said! We are a passing side who can't pass. Not on the evidence of that performance at least. How many times did we pass to the opposition whilst under no pressure? We played at home against a team of very limited ability and managed only 1 shot on target!! We never looked like scoring! We never looked to have the energy or desire for the fight.

Mackie was completely unmarked for their goal and that was down to Kelly I think. As they attacked down the right, Kelly took a look at Mackie, as if to check on his position, and then was left ball-watching as Mackie moved into position to collect the pass and score. Pathetic!

To be honest, QPR had chances to add to their one goal and probably should have done so. I thought Williams did OK as did Moore and Kermie. I think Meite should be given a start and JVDB should never be given a start. It was a spineless performance and probably, though I pray I'm wrong, signals the start of our drop into mid-table mediocrity!

[Jackson Corner]

Another terrible Reading QPR game. Will Sky ever learn? We can't keep conceding soft goals and expect to win. I just wish I had stayed at home and watched rather than freeze my nuts off. Strange how you have 70% of the ball and yet be outplayed? Tonight will be te start of a slump to the middle of the table were we deserve to be are luck had to run out sometime.

[sloughroyal123]

Mackie is a cpunt

Why?

Agreed, why? Dont get why any of our fans were booing him tonight.

The level of his celebration after scoring

[Royal_jimmy]

I am still angry about that performance last night. None of the players didn't want to be there at all. Only Kelly and Moore did well, the rest were shit. Please don't play Van Den Berg at centre half again. To be honest he shouldn't be starting at all and should be used as a squad player, why the hell isn't Evans playing?

Massive 3 points drooped vs a side who were there for the taking if we'd run at them, moved into spaces and got into them early.

We need 3 players in this transfer window and Ilori is taking too long to be confirmed. This takeover is really frustrating me as well with the uncertainty. Can the FL just approve or disapprove it so we can get on with our lives!

Oh and oxf*rd off Sky, stop televising our games with QPR and don't ever make us play a Thursday night again!

[George_]

That was Adkins era bad, maybe even Rodgers era bad.

This season this lot had show fight, desire and passion while playing but that was missing last night big time. No body looked like they could be bothered to be there bar Moore really, with McCleary being the biggest culprate just wandering around second half. Gunter was more forward than him for parts of that half for goodness sake. The 2 times he ran at their left back we actually looked dangerous.

Stam got it all wrong from start to finish tonight. WHY ONLY MAKE 1 SUB? I know he's far more qualified and has a better football brain than any of us, but surely everyone could see we needed to freshen up going forwards. Meite came on with a bit pace and energy and he looked like he might do something. Feel for Samuel though, when are you going to get a game if your team is losing 1-0 and your the only striker on the bench and you don't get on.

Beerens must have something on Jaap. He's been beyond average for months now but won't get dropped? Admit he improved 2nd half from going from a 2/10 to 3/10. Joey VDB is an inspiration to fat blokes everywhere, but hes not a centre back and everyone new that in August. Don't rate Cooper much but SURELY he should be starting over him. Or Evans.

AAH - 6

Gunter - 5
Moore - 6
Joey VDB - 2
Obita - 2

Kelly - 5
Williams - 3
Swift - 3

McCleary - 4
Yann - 4
Beerens - 3

Roll on Derby away anyway. Huge game. The players need to list themselves for this big time.

[bobby1413]

Why?

Agreed, why? Dont get why any of our fans were booing him tonight.

The level of his celebration after scoring

I think you should grow up if that's upset you. He owes Reading nothing at all, and why shouldn't he celebrate. He scored a goal for his club, a club with which he has a much bigger connection and history with.

I'd share your views if it was Sidwell, or Shane Long, etc...

[Winston Smith]

Lolz at the booing at FT. How quickly expectations have changed in just a few short years.

[Ouroboros]

Why?

Agreed, why? Dont get why any of our fans were booing him tonight.

The level of his celebration after scoring

He was here on loan for a single f ucking season. It's a game, the idea is to score goals and then it's ok to feel happy about it. Get yourself in order.

[stealthpapes]

For all the negativity that there'll be (much of it fully justified), we were still only a whisker away from getting an equaliser a couple of times and rescuing a thoroughly underserved point. Obviously if QPR were any good they'd have scored several more themselves given the utter shambles our defence was, particularly JVDB.

For me, this is just pretty par for the course given where we're at and how we play. If the passing works well and we get an early goal, we'll do very well in a game. If we get frustrated and especially if the opposition knicks a lead, we'll huff and puff and commit suicide at the back repeatedly, and look absolutely shocking.

It's performances like this that make me think we aren't ready for promotion and certainly won't get it.

There's lots of positives to take forward for this team, if not this performance. But there are just way too many weak links right now.

You have to forgive me in that I do not get to go to many games but I'd read this a few times. Last night was pretty much a perfect example - we didn't have anything other in the quiver than patiently pass the ball and be slightly-too-sloppy to really implement it well.

Lad next to me was somewhat taken aback that we were third.

[Stranded]

The thing that annoyed me yesterday was the lack of urgency at any point. When this system has worked this season, we have had the patient play and then sped it up for a few passes to break in to a gap, create a chance and score.

Yesterday, nobody seemed willing to make a decision at any point or took the wrong decision i.e. Swift stopping running on the 18 yard line expecting a near impossible pull back from Yann. If he'd kept running it would have been close to a tap in. As a result of the lack of movement and indecision, QPR knew all they had to do was put pressure on players without the ball and eventually we would try something a little risky and 9/10 times they could get the ball back in our half.

[bcubed]

Lolz at the booing at FT. How quickly expectations have changed in just a few short years.

Have never booed and don't think I ever will but if there was a performance in any era that deserved it that was it

[Hound]

I don't agree with any of the comments about players not being bothered etc - just a depressingly poor performance

Jaap has done absolute wonders, and that shouldn't be forgotten, but I do think a lot of the performance was due to tactical errors. Obita for example was obviously dreadful, but he was given an impossible task due to Beerens lack of discipline, and JDVB not being a CB by any stretch as his covering players. McShane is a bigger loss than I expected

The midfield was all wrong - Basically 3 players who all play the same position. Williams had an ok 2nd half, but other than that they were awful. None of them were able to keep an eye on Mackie who ran the show 1st half. Dropping Evans was an absolute clanger IMO, and thought it the minute I saw the team. I'd go as far as to say it cost us the game.

I almost feel Jaap was a bit complacent and just assumed QPR would come for a point, and didn't need a DM. I just think we look so much better with 3-5-2 as well, I do hope he goes back to that for Derby.