Match Day Thread Reading

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Stroller said:
Well, not many expected that did they? Apart from super-optimist me, of course, but I predicted 2-1. We could have had five, but then we could easily have conceded a couple too. The back three of Onuoha, Perch and Lynch look very porous, but all of the midfield three were superb, complimenting each other perfectly. Scowen, looking very much like a playing reincarnation of Holloway, was bit every the 'rat' that he describes himself as, all industry and simple passing, and, whilst we are on comparisons to ex-players, I think Luongo, when running with the ball, is slightly reminiscent of Gerry Francis. Alright, I know, a pale comparison, but he too was excellent today. Man of the match for me, though, was Freeman - superb on the ball in tight spaces and seeming to find passes that others wouldn't see. With Manning, Borysiuk, Cousins and Goss on the sidelines, we really are blessed with midfield resources.

Reading were the perfect opening opponents for a Holloway side. They think they can play out from the back and keep possession, but they're really not good enough for that and our high-press game, with Mackie (who was excellent) and Washington (who should have had a hat-trick) never letting them settle on the ball, made them rush their passes and constantly give it away. They look a poor side, but they very nearly got promoted last year didn't they?

We need to recruit a centre-back and a striker, but we should be okay.
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Agreed. I still **** myself whenever Lynch is near the ball which really wasn't fair on the rest of N block.
 
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Back now with glass of wine in hand.
Well, I'm very pleased I went!!

That was a really good performance and fair play to Holloway; we were really ready for this and looked a yard sharper than Reading all over the pitch. He also picked two up top to enable us to press Reading and stop them playing out, which we did superbly all game. So well done Ollie.

Before we get too carried away though, the back three looked likely to leak goals all game. Get Hall and Caulker in for Perch and Lynch and it would look much better imo. The ball over the top got us in trouble a few times, especially into the usual gaps down the sides of a team playing with a back three. Ned's pace got us out of trouble a few times and, apart from one terrible brain fart, he played very well.

However, going forward we were a revelation imo. The midfield three of Luongo, Scowen and Freeman were outstanding. With Reading looking like they were still on the beach, these three ran the show. Luongo was very good, Scowan was a terrier and found some good passes and Freeman was "man of the match" outstanding. Great skill from him for the first goal and lovely to watch all game. A genuine Rangers No10 imo.
With Pawel getting forward well and even Bidwell getting some crosses in, the system worked well, with Washington and Mackie working their nuts off and not allowing Reading to build from the back as they like to.
With better finishing Rangers genuinely should have been out of sight by half time. Washington hit it badly over the bar when through on goal and Luongo was so unlucky, hitting the post with a crisp drive after another good Rangers move.

At 1-0 Smithies pulled off a fantastic save following Ned's brain fart and then the keeper set up a counter attack with a superb quick kick forward, leading to a lovely dribble in the box by Pawel who was brought down, resulting in a penalty and red card.
Washington placed the ball right in the corner and it was no more than Rangers deserved.

All in all it was a pleasure to watch a Rangers team full of energy, endeavour and creativity. The youth in the team really getting around the pitch and closing Reading down.

It's one game and we looked good in the first game last season, but I'm genuinely optimistic after seeing that. Ollie MUSTN'T mess too much with this side!!
 
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rangercol said:
Back now with glass of wine in hand.
Well, I'm very pleased I went!!

That was a really good performance and fair play to Holloway; we were really ready for this and looked a yard sharper than Reading all over the pitch. He also picked two up top to enable us to press Reading and stop them playing out, which we did superbly all game. So well done Ollie.

Before we get too carried away though, the back three looked likely to leak goals all game. Get Hall and Caulker in for Perch and Lynch and it would look much better imo. The ball over the top got us in trouble a few times, especially into the usual gaps down the sides of a team playing with a back three. Ned's pace got us out of trouble a few times and, apart from one terrible brain fart, he played very well.

However, going forward we were a revelation imo. The midfield three of Luongo, Scowen and Freeman were outstanding. With Reading looking like they were still on the beach, these three ran the show. Luongo was very good, Scowan was a terrier and found some good passes and Freeman was "man of the match" outstanding. Great skill from him for the first goal and lovely to watch all game. A genuine Rangers No10 imo.
With Pawel getting forward well and even Bidwell getting some crosses in, the system worked well, with Washington and Mackie working their nuts off and not allowing Reading to build from the back as they like to.
With better finishing Rangers genuinely should have been out of sight by half time. Washington hit it badly over the bar when through on goal and Luongo was so unlucky, hitting the post with a crisp drive after another good Rangers move.

At 1-0 Smithies pulled off a fantastic save following Ned's brain fart and then the keeper set up a counter attack with a superb quick kick forward, leading to a lovely dribble in the box by Pawel who was brought down, resulting in a penalty and red card.
Washington placed the ball right in the corner and it was no more than Rangers deserved.

All in all it was a pleasure to watch a Rangers team full of energy, endeavour and creativity. The youth in the team really getting around the pitch and closing Reading down.

It's one game and we looked good in the first game last season, but I'm genuinely optimistic after seeing that. Ollie MUSTN'T mess too much with this side!!
Click to expand...

We seem to agree for once, Col.
 
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rangercol said:
Back now with glass of wine in hand.
Well, I'm very pleased I went!!

That was a really good performance and fair play to Holloway; we were really ready for this and looked a yard sharper than Reading all over the pitch. He also picked two up top to enable us to press Reading and stop them playing out, which we did superbly all game. So well done Ollie.

Before we get too carried away though, the back three looked likely to leak goals all game. Get Hall and Caulker in for Perch and Lynch and it would look much better imo. The ball over the top got us in trouble a few times, especially into the usual gaps down the sides of a team playing with a back three. Ned's pace got us out of trouble a few times and, apart from one terrible brain fart, he played very well.

However, going forward we were a revelation imo. The midfield three of Luongo, Scowen and Freeman were outstanding. With Reading looking like they were still on the beach, these three ran the show. Luongo was very good, Scowan was a terrier and found some good passes and Freeman was "man of the match" outstanding. Great skill from him for the first goal and lovely to watch all game. A genuine Rangers No10 imo.
With Pawel getting forward well and even Bidwell getting some crosses in, the system worked well, with Washington and Mackie working their nuts off and not allowing Reading to build from the back as they like to.
With better finishing Rangers genuinely should have been out of sight by half time. Washington hit it badly over the bar when through on goal and Luongo was so unlucky, hitting the post with a crisp drive after another good Rangers move.

At 1-0 Smithies pulled off a fantastic save following Ned's brain fart and then the keeper set up a counter attack with a superb quick kick forward, leading to a lovely dribble in the box by Pawel who was brought down, resulting in a penalty and red card.
Washington placed the ball right in the corner and it was no more than Rangers deserved.

All in all it was a pleasure to watch a Rangers team full of energy, endeavour and creativity. The youth in the team really getting around the pitch and closing Reading down.

It's one game and we looked good in the first game last season, but I'm genuinely optimistic after seeing that. Ollie MUSTN'T mess too much with this side!!
Click to expand...

Yeah but what do you think of Theresa May?
 
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Might fork out the fiver for the next game. Lovely day so hit the golf course. Delighted when I checked my phone and saw the score. Sounds like a good performance too.
 
Stroller said:
Well, not many expected that did they? Apart from super-optimist me, of course, but I predicted 2-1. We could have had five, but then we could easily have conceded a couple too. The back three of Onuoha, Perch and Lynch look very porous, but all of the midfield three were superb, complimenting each other perfectly. Scowen, looking very much like a playing reincarnation of Holloway, was every bit the 'rat' that he describes himself as, all industry and simple passing, and, whilst we are on comparisons to ex-players, I think Luongo, when running with the ball, is slightly reminiscent of Gerry Francis. Alright, I know, a pale comparison, but he too was excellent today. Man of the match for me, though, was Freeman - superb on the ball in tight spaces and seeming to find passes that others wouldn't see. With Manning, Borysiuk, Cousins and Goss on the sidelines, we really are blessed with midfield resources.

Reading were the perfect opening opponents for a Holloway side. They think they can play out from the back and keep possession, but they're really not good enough for that and our high-press game, with Mackie (who was excellent) and Washington (who should have had a hat-trick) never letting them settle on the ball, made them rush their passes and constantly give it away. They looked a poor side, but they very nearly got promoted last year didn't they?

We still need to recruit a centre-back and a striker, but we should be okay.
Click to expand...
A perfect summary from my perspective. Top performances by the midfield trio and Mackie at his best but those who think Ned had a great game must have a different understanding of what the centre back role is all about.
 
QPAAAAAGH said:
A perfect summary from my perspective. Top performances by the midfield trio and Mackie at his best but those who think Ned had a great game must have a different understanding of what the centre back role is all about.
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I thought he made one mistake for the chance where Smithies made a great stop but apart from that did well. Bear in mind he had to play with Lynch
 
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West WindsR said:
I thought he made one mistake for the chance where Smithies made a great stop but apart from that did well. Bear in mind he had to play with Lynch
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Exactly. Lynch is poor and leaves a lot of gaps. Ned was forever covering him and used his pace on several occasions to rescue things. The one mistake was a big one, but apart from that he was the best of the three CBs imo.
 
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Happy with that. Always happy to beat the plastics and seems to be becoming a habit against them. Won't get carried away because we beat Leeds 3-0 last season and I got carried away. 'Hollow' did a good today but needs to continue.
 
I feel I should take some credit for the result. All last season, I was giving the team the benefit of the doubt on Tranmere's Prediction League with 2-0 wins all over the fc uking place and the sods let me down. So on Thursday, I go for a 1-4 Reading win...

Anyway, Luongo played the best game I've seen him in, wearing the hoops. Freeman continues to be a great Holloway buy. And I remain a firm fan of Pavel. The effort and motivation from all today was 100%. As has been said, a good CB and a striker, and we could be top half, perhaps even compete for top 6. Clive W said QPR have a habit of doing the opposite of what might be expected. So I may go for a 6-0 Wednesday win next week, and who knows, we might turn them over.
 
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Although we won 3 nil on the opening day last season I think there are key differences. Against Leeds this time last year although a great result it wasn't a one sided game and could easily have gone the other way but today by all accounts we were by far and away the better team. Also and perhaps key we've got Connor up and running from day one, he wont have that monkey on his back that he had for so long last season. Clearly we cant get too over excited but a more than promising start.
 
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Travelling back from France so listened on a very crackle and intermittent 5Live on AM!
Gutted to miss that display and hoping it will be the first of many.
 
A good start and we should have had more goals. Still worried with that central three at the back, if Caulker has his head together and Hall returns from injury we will be in better shape there. No point in getting carried away yet, some tough tests coming up in the next few weeks and the key will surely be whether we bring in any late signings...
 
Sooperhoop said:
A good start and we should have had more goals. Still worried with that central three at the back, if Caulker has his head together and Hall returns from injury we will be in better shape there. No point in getting carried away yet, some tough tests coming up in the next few weeks and the key will surely be whether we bring in any late signings...
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I think Norwich away is a good barometer. A draw thwre would be a very good sign. A win? Incredible.
 
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