Predictable result at Reading with a decent away following suffering the consequencies. Heroes the lot of them.
With few exceptions, automatic promotion out of this league involves getting a head of steam from the get go. This seems beyond us i predict sadly. Only 4 games in of course, but I still think play offs.
Reading is just one of those teams for us I am afraid.
We did have a number of openings but our final pass, ball in, composure was very lacking. Not sure why but we need to sort it or doesn't matter who we have playing up front.
We played poorly, seemed to me too many players were having an off day at the same time. One defeat in four, one point off top spot, no need to start getting negative in my opinion. We play next Saturday beat Rotherham and all will be OK again. Good teams don't often lose 2 on the trot, let's hope that's us!
No dressing it up, barring a 15 minute spell that was rubbish. Nathan Jones took far too long to react to the Reading formation. Was it a change and they caught us out or were we just lethargic and not "at it"?.
As bad as we were and as much of the ball that Reading had they never really looked like scoring until the second worldie of the season beat Maniin. We could have defended that better if I am honest, no pressure on Savage and am sure Doherty had a chance to clatter him before he set himself to shoot.
After that it was frightengly similar to last season lost our heads completely and then conceded an absolutely calamitous/avoidable goal. WTAF was Jones doing? Wrong decision or not, you don't stand there arguing the toss while the opposition break away.
We were so poor in possession today. No fluidity, constantly giving the ball away cheaply and zero attacking threat aside from humping long balls towards Ahadme.
Really think the Ahadme and Campbell experiment needs to be put to bed now. They are showing no signs of working as a partnership. Campbell plays too far away from him and it results in Ahadme being totally isolated. I accept that he hasn't looked great, but he has had zero service in the games he has played and we really aren't playing to his strengths by smashing long balls to him constantly - even if he does win a flick on or knock down Campbell is nowhere near him anyway.
Small has been poor in both his games imo. Zero end product, poor decision making and his end product is non existent. Ramsey was equally bad in possession and offered nothing going forward
Yet again set plays are at best bad and at worst utterly shit.
Manion also had his first wobble today. Not panicking about him, but his kicking left a lot to be desired and he looked nervous all game.
Fear for Lloyd Jones after that. One poor performance and mistake saw his form fall off a cliff last season. Will it happen again?
Someone needs to get hold of Aneke and tell him that his job is not to come on and solely go to war with defenders. He gives away so many cheap freekicks it's ridiculous.
Can't really say there were any plus points and we've let down a big away following yet again.
I've said once before that the bench is, for me, horribly unbalanced as well. We don't need 3 strikers on the bench. Would rather see Edun who can potentially cover a few positions.
Have we seen a plan B yet this season? A change of formation if it's not working?
No bed wetting yet, but winning when you play an ugly style is palatable but by christ does it make losing seem so much worse.
To be fair, we brought in Godden to replace May. I think it's about time he started in place of TC, I reckon his nous will be more useful than Campbell's pace and we can always bring him on later when teams are tired. Campbell just doesn't have the awareness and experience as a striker yet to make the most of the scrappy way we play
TC has been decent and carried all the threat from the front two. I’d like to see him on the pitch with Godden or Chuks. I don’t want to get into a pile on with Ahadme, or write him off yet, but I think we need TC’s pace and running down the channels and you could argue he’s been holding the ball up and doing a better job of linking the play than Ahadme too.
He's decent in moments, but he doesn't know how to manage his role. His bursts of pace are fantastic and terrify defenders but he's too often run away from the play because he hasn't read it right or moved out wide when the long ball comes in so Ahadme's headers go nowhere. Ahadme was poor today no question, but I'd be wary of replacing him with another slight striker, as hard-working as Godden is, because then TC's lack of experience as a striker will stand out even more if we're losing the physical battle. If we had Leaburn available then I'd love to see him come in but I think a more canny striker next to Ahadme would make the stuff he is there to do come off far better. Godden will put the running in
To be fair, we brought in Godden to replace May. I think it's about time he started in place of TC, I reckon his nous will be more useful than Campbell's pace and we can always bring him on later when teams are tired. Campbell just doesn't have the awareness and experience as a striker yet to make the most of the scrappy way we play
TC has been decent and carried all the threat from the front two. I’d like to see him on the pitch with Godden or Chuks. I don’t want to get into a pile on with Ahadme, or write him off yet, but I think we need TC’s pace and running down the channels and you could argue he’s been holding the ball up and doing a better job of linking the play than Ahadme too.
TC paired with Godden wouldn't work as a lot of our play is long balls up to a big target man.
Well maybe that needs a rethink because Ahadme isn’t winning that many headers and the ones he does aren’t really directed towards anyone. We look much more threatening when it’s balls into the channels for TC to get onto.
My son’s first away game today….. big following….. should have seen this result from a mile off!
We needed to make that spell in the second half count as for 20 mins before their goal we were well on top. But we didn’t and the rest is history.
Compare this team to the 2013 promotion side and it’s clear what we are lacking - a genuine 20 goal a season striker (maybe that’s Leaburn but it’s a lot of pressure on a young player), and I’m still not convinced on Mannion as a promotion number 1.
Im not concerned about the midfield per se. But Anderson’s passing was once again wayward and I’m not sure if what he brings to the team at present. If we had May / Leaburn with the rest of the team behind it we would be on our way.
But we don’t - we had TC and Ahadme today and that’s not getting you out this league.
Poor from all today. Can’t believe it was same team who beat Bolton last week. Never at the races and Campbell is a real lazy player and plays too far off the Number 9. His touch is poor. But he wasn’t the only one poor from everyone today. But we’ve been ok so far so hopefully just a blip. Probably needs to cancel next weeks game to reset.
Poor from all today. Can’t believe it was same team who beat Bolton last week. Never at the races and Campbell is a real lazy player and plays too far off the Number 9. His touch is poor. But he wasn’t the only one poor from everyone today. But we’ve been ok so far so hopefully just a blip. Probably needs to cancel next weeks game to reset.
We were poor today but I wouldn't label Campbell as lazy, his chasing meant we won a fair few balls and he was praised by the Reading comms as being a thorn in their sides. Should've had an assist as well. Quality was lacking but not energy - we won the ball in good positions regularly but always seemed to rush the final pass and not make anything of it.
Said it during the summer. Needed to sign a goalscorer once May left & also a creative midfielder.
Need to teach wingbacks to cross like wingers.
Ahadme & Campbell up top isnt working. Need to put Godden up there.
Next week only us & Wrexham from the top 6 are playing. Get a win & we are back into the top 2 and ahead of the pack.
And finally......no-one will convince me that keeping clean sheets is more important than scoring goals. Better off losing 4-2 today than 2-0. Table goes on points, GD & then goals scored. Got to get this team creating chances & scoring goals.
That works if you have the best goal scorers in the division and a defense that only concedes one goal on average. We had the best striker last season and it got us no where as the defense was shocking.
Next week will be a big test of the team and NJ. Evans is a wiley manager whatever we think of him and at this level gets results . Rotherham will be there or there abouts at the end of the season as they always are in Lge 1. They beat Huddersfield today showing they are no pushovers. Time to bring on Godden to add some experience in the forward line that TC is not.
Comments
However when it does; Small certainly needs to improve his crossing, and beating the first man at the moment.
With few exceptions, automatic promotion out of this league involves getting a head of steam from the get go. This seems beyond us i predict sadly. Only 4 games in of course, but I still think play offs.
Reading is just one of those teams for us I am afraid.
Bollocks!
One defeat in four, one point off top spot, no need to start getting negative in my opinion. We play next Saturday beat Rotherham and all will be OK again. Good teams don't often lose 2 on the trot, let's hope that's us!
As bad as we were and as much of the ball that Reading had they never really looked like scoring until the second worldie of the season beat Maniin. We could have defended that better if I am honest, no pressure on Savage and am sure Doherty had a chance to clatter him before he set himself to shoot.
After that it was frightengly similar to last season lost our heads completely and then conceded an absolutely calamitous/avoidable goal. WTAF was Jones doing? Wrong decision or not, you don't stand there arguing the toss while the opposition break away.
We were so poor in possession today. No fluidity, constantly giving the ball away cheaply and zero attacking threat aside from humping long balls towards Ahadme.
Really think the Ahadme and Campbell experiment needs to be put to bed now. They are showing no signs of working as a partnership. Campbell plays too far away from him and it results in Ahadme being totally isolated. I accept that he hasn't looked great, but he has had zero service in the games he has played and we really aren't playing to his strengths by smashing long balls to him constantly - even if he does win a flick on or knock down Campbell is nowhere near him anyway.
Small has been poor in both his games imo. Zero end product, poor decision making and his end product is non existent. Ramsey was equally bad in possession and offered nothing going forward
Yet again set plays are at best bad and at worst utterly shit.
Manion also had his first wobble today. Not panicking about him, but his kicking left a lot to be desired and he looked nervous all game.
Fear for Lloyd Jones after that. One poor performance and mistake saw his form fall off a cliff last season. Will it happen again?
Someone needs to get hold of Aneke and tell him that his job is not to come on and solely go to war with defenders. He gives away so many cheap freekicks it's ridiculous.
Can't really say there were any plus points and we've let down a big away following yet again.
I've said once before that the bench is, for me, horribly unbalanced as well. We don't need 3 strikers on the bench. Would rather see Edun who can potentially cover a few positions.
Have we seen a plan B yet this season? A change of formation if it's not working?
No bed wetting yet, but winning when you play an ugly style is palatable but by christ does it make losing seem so much worse.
Bad day at the office and very disappointing to lose.
We needed to make that spell in the second half count as for 20 mins before their goal we were well on top. But we didn’t and the rest is history.
Compare this team to the 2013 promotion side and it’s clear what we are lacking - a genuine 20 goal a season striker (maybe that’s Leaburn but it’s a lot of pressure on a young player), and I’m still not convinced on Mannion as a promotion number 1.
Im not concerned about the midfield per se. But Anderson’s passing was once again wayward and I’m not sure if what he brings to the team at present. If we had May / Leaburn with the rest of the team behind it we would be on our way.
But we don’t - we had TC and Ahadme today and that’s not getting you out this league.
The positive is that Miles is training and will hopefully be like a new signing 😄
Until Leaburn comes back then perhaps Adamhe with Godden and TC on the wing might be work better?
We still have options as well... Godden and Kanu possibly.
Today was a meh day but nobody said this was an easy league.
Small kept giving the ball away and Ahadme is simply not good enough.
We had the best striker last season and it got us no where as the defense was shocking.
Dont want to be in Lloyd Jones' shoes listening to him talk about the second goal
And rightly so by the way, absolutely embarrassing from Lloyd Jones. Maybe on second viewing there are more issues with it that I didn’t pick up on.
Hope he’s a bit more upbeat in the drsssing room
One things for sure - it’s gonna be a different starting line up next week. He is NOT happy.
Embassaing their goalies first save in the 92nd minute...
Total shambles who the f**k thought our no 9 was buying needs a head shake