You could say that Reading were lucky, but I think we got a demonstration this evening of why Reading have taken 43 points from 48 since January. So calm on the ball, we were all over them and they only had three good chances, yet they scored all three. You've got to take your hat off to them. As soon as they bought Le Fondre on I thought "he is bound to score" and I took no satifaction in being right. I mean bloody hell, the last five games they've beaten Blackpool, West Ham, Leeds, Brighton and Southampton. Fair play to them. But the prize is the PL and there is only one man that counts now. Somehow Adkins needs to pick the team up as we need to win two more games. It doesn't matter if we finish first or second, the prize is the same. I don't think we will win the Championship now, I can't see Reading dropping any more points, but promotion is in our hands. So let's pick oursleves up, dust ourselves down and beat Peterborough on Tuesday. One game at a time. We can still do this.
Id rather dominate and play attacking football and win well then hang on in and rely on a quality 30+ striker. Its obvious what reading are two great centre backs and roberts theyre not better than us dont let yourself believe that for a second because it just aint true.
He needs to pick a team that does not contain Hammond , Chaplow , Fox or Fonte and possibly Cork after tonights performance .
U mean with ease? Because saints had some glorious chances to put the game out of reach. Thats not realy with ease lets not get ahead of ourselves if we took only the easy chances we would be saying how are reading in the top half because it would have been a masacre trust.
Can you name 4/5 players who are better than them? With the exception of Spiderman, who's injured, I doubt it.
So he's going to pick a team with Harding, Martin, De Ridder, Ward-Prowse and Ben Reeves in it is he?
The fact of the matter tonight is they were better than us on the night getting the points and the win we both desperately needed. I'd rather just win the game. Forget the pretty football tonight it didn't win us the game. We need to cut out the individual errors. Their game plan seems to be working. Time for a change maybe ? Bench needs sorting, 3 defenders on the bench that didn't move and Barnie and Punch missing ? Le Fondre came on and won them the game.
Think that's a good point. With 10 mins left I couldn't really see who could come on and win us the game. Shame Lee's injured as he's a good bet of the bench 'IMO'
Why those players ? Well I would go for sure De Ridder to start , Harding possibly , what about Falque ?
I prefer Chaplow to De Ridder. Harding, although he works hard, is not good enough. Falque? Why start someone who has played once for us into the last four biggest games of the season?
Le Fondre is a brilliant impact sub and by bringing in Sharp and Lee you can see that Adkins was trying to create the same impact from the bench that Reading have avaialable. It's a massive shame that Lee got injured, we lost that option, but both those signings have got us extra points on this run in. Let's be down on our players - they played well and any other team would have got slaughtered by us this evening. It's a long season and this squad has got us to the brink of back to back promotions. We faced a quality team - if we don't recognise that we'll start to sound like West Ham!
First names that came into my head. Point is, we can't replace Hammond or Cork unless we move Chaplow into the middle. Fox is better than Harding, I would like to see De Ridder start though.
Well 3 now , so we continue as we were ? Thats just as much a risk as not changing anything . Martin/Seaborne/Jaidi (I know even less pace but stronger ) .
Watching the game tonight reminded me in a strange way of the Foreman Ali fight in 1974. He was all over Ali but gradually punched himself out. We were all over Reading tonight then suddenly...................... we're on the floor.
Although Chaplow's final ball was never the greatest I thought the team had a great shape until he was subbed!!
Shape maybe, but although he can be frustrating De Ridder did cause them a threat tonight, delivering several balls in from the byeline. I felt Chappers took the wrong option too often. Even the shot that the keeper saved, he should have pulled back for Sharp.
