MATCHWATCH : Stevenage (h)

[Sutekh]

Another point anyway.

[Sutekh]

Two games currently remaining next weekend that could make the playoff positions look more appealing for Reading.

Peterborough v Charlton
Wrexham v Stockport

[stealthpapes]

just frustrating, but I guess we've lost after better performances this season.

[Hound]

Unbeaten run kept as well

Very predictable score line and performance today

[Snowflake Royal]

Well that was poor. Admittedly we could have had two penalties, both a bit 50/50 and we should have done better in attack. But Stevenage out played us and we played right into their hands.

We needed to play passing football, through balls and get in behind, turning their defence around. Instead we just keeping playing to their strengths and let them control possession. And why oh why did we keep letting the ball bounce.

Abrefa was a highlight. Camara was very poor, Holzman wasn't great, nor was Rushesha.

[windermereROYAL]

Not great, it was clear they were targeting Garcia, don`t know what JP was doing for their goal, looked like he thought it was going wide.

[Armadillo Roadkill]

We seemed to keep playing it out wide to get a cross in against a side much taller and stronger than our front players. A bit naive at times.

Stevenage were the dictionary definition of neat and tidy.We can have no complaints, and if wins were won on points, they’d have won it. They didn’t just sit back; nothing spectacular, but they outplayed us for long periods of the game.

Abrefa was really good. Wing, Savage and Knibbs the motive force of the team as ever.

Surprised he took Wareham off - I thought we needed his strength up front.

Garcia blew hot and cold.

And Bindon wins the Ibrahima Sonko award for putting the ball over the roof.

[windermereROYAL]

And Bindon wins the Ibrahima Sonko award for putting the ball over the roof.

Saw some guy pick it up and stuff it up his jacket on the way out.

[Royal_jimmy]

We really are so inconsistent. Must learn how to kill games off against the dross teams.

7 points off Brum, Wrexham and Bolton but only 3 off Shrewsbury, Exeter and Stevenage.

[Crowbar6753]

A tough frustrating watch but to be expected in our current situation i guess. The youngsters are still learning and lack consistency and our senior players are in need of a rest!
They now have a 2 week break and hopefully a chance to recharge the batteries, then Peterbrough at home with no excuses and another run of games in a short period of time.
Ady mentioned today that the next 3 games should tell us whether we are good enough for the play-offs or not and i tend to think he's right.

[Royal_jimmy]

We seemed to keep playing it out wide to get a cross in against a side much taller and stronger than our front players. A bit naive at times.

Stevenage were the dictionary definition of neat and tidy.We can have no complaints, and if wins were won on points, they’d have won it. They didn’t just sit back; nothing spectacular, but they outplayed us for long periods of the game.

Abrefa was really good. Wing, Savage and Knibbs the motive force of the team as ever.

Surprised he took Wareham off - I thought we needed his strength up front.

Garcia blew hot and cold.

And Bindon wins the Ibrahima Sonko award for putting the ball over the roof.

Yeah no complaints about the result. Stevenage deserved at least a point

[9165]

Poor game.

Savage MOM, Abrefa and Bindon good, everyone else bang average.

Ref inept as usual.

A point is the most we deserved.

[Orion1871]

Time to knock kids for a quid on the head. Every time these screeching little scrotes turn up with their little clapper things we put in a poor performance.

Joking aside that was a very flat performance after Wrexham. Players out on their feet and the last 10 minutes was shambolic, especially between Holzman and Rushesha. Camara awful, it's weird how he looks like he's both quick and slow at the same time. Garcia for the love of all that is holy STOP. LETTING. THE. BALL. BOUNCE.

[PieEater]

Poor game.

Savage MOM, Abrefa and Bindon good, everyone else bang average.

Ref inept as usual.

A point is the most we deserved.

+1

It was a poor game but there were 2 occasions where we played some absolutely quality football in between the dross. I do wonder what it is with these refs that blow for fouls with minimal contact, like it was their first match in charge or they'd decided to be the star/villain of show

[RoyalBlue]

Poor game.

Savage MOM, Abrefa and Bindon good, everyone else bang average.

Ref inept as usual.

A point is the most we deserved.

+1

It was a poor game but there were 2 occasions where we played some absolutely quality football in between the dross. I do wonder what it is with these refs that blow for fouls with minimal contact, like it was their first match in charge or they'd decided to be the star/villain of show

And why do they waste more time than all the players combined with their lengthy petty lecturing of the players before so many of the corners & free kicks?!

[RoyalBlue]

Poor game.

Savage MOM, .

How many yellows is Savage on now? He can't be far away from a suspension.

[Crowbar6753]

Poor game.

Savage MOM, Abrefa and Bindon good, everyone else bang average.

Ref inept as usual.

A point is the most we deserved.

+1

It was a poor game but there were 2 occasions where we played some absolutely quality football in between the dross

. I do wonder what it is with these refs that blow for fouls with minimal contact, like it was their first match in charge or they'd decided to be the star/villain of show

Been watching Reading now since 1979 and I've noticed that just before our really successful seasons you kind of start to see things coming together and the team building towards something good.
I'm not saying that's whats happening now but over the last few games the neat fast paced triangles being played and that goal against Wrexham was an example of maybe the hard work on the training ground coming together and maybe just maybe if this takeover goes ahead we may be onto something special!
There's a ways to go but youngsters learn quick and with the likes of Abrefa, Garcia, Mbengue, Stickland, Craig, Savage, Wareham and Kelvin.E we do have a nucleus of a team that can only get better.

[tmesis]

Did any Reading player other than a defender win a header all game?

We just looked like we got bullied off the ball too easily by a bigger and stronger team. If we'd looked a bit less knackered we might not have been so wasteful with our passing, and given them a bit more to think about. Not having a confident squad in the team doesn't help.

The fact is that despite being 8th, this is still a makeshift team, with many players coming in and having to learn their jobs the hard way. About the only thing we can expect is inconsistency.

[tidus_mi2]

Disappointing result, we just don't seem capable of strining together two strong performances in the same week, hopefully the international break and players returning to fitness from injury will give us a final push to make the play-offs, but I do think we'll fall short.The upcoming run of 8 games in 2 weeks is going to be murder on our squad if we don't get players back.

[Royal_jimmy]

I find it sad when I see Camara on the pitch now. He's come through the academy and he's worked hard but he just struts around the pitch looking sulky as if he knows he's not good enough and his time here might be ending. Maybe he won't make it here but I feel like there needs to be a bit more encouragement as he's all we've got at the moment as an option.