Reading v Villa post match thread

[Marlon From Bearwood]

Took my 8 year old son to his 4th away game last night. All 4 have been defeats, by Bristol City, Preston, Cardiff and Reading.

He doesn't really want to go away any more. Unfortunately I now feel the same. I can't justify the expense and time taken to repeatedly watch such rubbish.

Not heard Bruce's interview but if he really said we were unlucky then he's reaching Lambert levels of delusion.

[ciggiesnbeer]

Oh - and is Hourihane the only player in the team who can take a free kick ??

No Hourihane isn't the only player who CAN'T take a free kick we have lots of others who are useless deadball kickers.

During warm up Sam Johnstone delivered a genuinely great free kick. When we had that free kick in the last few minutes I hoped Bruce was going to give it to him, it just felt like it could have been his day. I am bummed we didnt get to find out.

[Marlon From Bearwood]

i'm surprised that Green is getting praised (or at least, not being criticised) by some. Not only did he miss the 1-on-1, some of his crosses were worse than anything Hutton's been slated for in the past.

Not read the whole thread but I though Green was absolutely woeful last night. His first half performance was similar to Lansbury on Saturday, i.e. Everytime he touched the ball he made a fuck up. His 2 missed sitters in 2 different games this season have cost us massively.

[The Edge]

Green has the excuse of nerves and we know hogan can finish

Gabby's always been shit at one on ones

Fair enough about Green but from what I've witnessed Hogan is just as poor as Gabby in a one on one situations. Hogan's more of a natural one touch finisher if the ball is played into a dangerous position.

[The Edge]

Took my 8 year old son to his 4th away game last night. All 4 have been defeats, by Bristol City, Preston, Cardiff and Reading.

He doesn't really want to go away any more. Unfortunately I now feel the same. I can't justify the expense and time taken to repeatedly watch such rubbish.

Not heard Bruce's interview but if he really said we were unlucky then he's reaching Lambert levels of delusion.

You'll have the NSPCC after you.

[SoccerHQ]

I assume this is legit




image upload

We actually won a premier league away game with 23% possession once (Southampton 3-2 in December 2013).

As we saw with Lambert though you can't expect to consistently win with that low possession as teams will simply punish you with the ball.

I could understand it at prem level but it's really shameful we've spent all this money and are one if not the biggest club in the division and we play like this.

[RussellC]

I was amazed when the team came out for the 2nd half without any changes, either in personnel or shape. We had absolutely no foot-hold in the game at that point, and I have no idea how Bruce was expecting that to change without actually changing anything himself.

There were a few obvious tweaks too. Onomah moving into into a deeper midfield position would have been one. Whelan was invisible there and gave us no outlet to play out form the back. Swapping Bjarnason for Adomah would  have been another. Even if he'd been no better it would have shown some intent, if just to the fans if no-one else. 

[aj2k77]

I was amazed when the team came out for the 2nd half without any changes, either in personnel or shape. We had absolutely no foot-hold in the game at that point, and I have no idea how Bruce was expecting that to change without actually changing anything himself.

There were a few obvious tweaks too. Onomah moving into into a deeper midfield position would have been one. Whelan was invisible there and gave us no outlet to play out form the back. Swapping Bjarnason for Adomah would  have been another. Even if he'd been no better it would have shown some intent, if just to the fans if no-one else. 

To be fair to Bruce he'd only been in the job 6 minutes at that point and we'd already missed 6 or 7 game changing one on one's.

[Ads]

We ought to have really scored with the Green chance and after that, stopped pressing.

Reading have a way of playing, they’re nowhere near good enough to execute it the way Stam would like and that is by and large due to their personnel. Chief weakness is their back 5, none of whom are comfortable on the ball under pressure, as nobody in this league is good enough to beat the press.

Instead of playing three up top we adopted a 4411, which soon became 10 players in our own half and poor old Hogan somewhere doing an impression of Tom Hanks on a desert island. The least we could do is get him a volley ball and some paint so he can draw himself a face and a friend for company.

Green became an auxiliary full back, as did Thor. De Laet and Taylor tucked in, to the point they became very narrow and in fairness, the gap for Reading was none existent. I presume there was a fear of Barrow, but fear gripped the way the side retreated full stop first half.

You must, categorically must, play a three or a two up top and have your front 3 or 4 press their back four, as McShane and co. are not Man bloody City or Barca, they’re jobbing 2nd division muck who will, if under no pressure, be capable of switching a ball side to side. You must have your midfield push onto their deep lying midfielder and make them do what they did not want to last season, which is look for the long diagonal. Make it a percentage ball.

We did not do any of that, we let them have it, get comfortable, build confidence. Yes they only had two chances, one of which was from a blatant foul on Hourihane, but momentum in sport is key. They had it, as ineffectual as they were and we had the wrong kind.

Second half was worse. The first goal De Laet gets caught out, as he presses on his own into the wing position and they’re in behind. The goal was hugely unfortunate, the Reading player is crossing the ball back towards the edge of the box. The second however is criminal.

We’ve adopted a quasi zonal/ man marking system and to have a player unmarked 8 yards out, pass it to a player3 yards out is shocking.
A good goal from us, but you sensed it was that false hope we sometimes like to provide. Green went close mind. But 5 minutes of a game, although enough to win you a European Cup, is not usually enough time to do anything at all.

Hourihane should be in and around the opposition box. He can and will score goals. Its no use being deeper than the Mariana Trench.


It’s a confidence thing with Green, he’s powerful and direct. When picking the ball up somewhere close to the box, where he should, he has an effect. Hacking the ball to nobody 20 yards from our goal and he looks poor.

Whelan looks off since his ill fated dummy at Hull.

Hogan, we may as well not bother if we’re not getting close.

Terry isn’t doing all the snidey parts of the game that I thought he would. There’s nothing wrong defensively, but its not clear whether this is impacting Chester whose form the past two games has been rank. That can happen I suppose.

The biggest worry is that we lack a template or an identity as to how we’re going to go about winning this game. Its hard to see that changing away from home.

[darren woolley]

I assume this is legit




image upload

We actually won a premier league away game with 23% possession once (Southampton 3-2 in December 2013).

As we saw with Lambert though you can't expect to consistently win with that low possession as teams will simply punish you with the ball.

I could understand it at prem level but it's really shameful we've spent all this money and are one if not the biggest club in the division and we play like this.

Those sort of stats are incredible they look like the stats of a Sunday league team playing a professional football team it shouldn't be happening to us we seem to be getting worse.

[Rudy65]

We ought to have really scored with the Green chance and after that, stopped pressing.
Reading have a way of playing, they’re nowhere near good enough to execute it the way Stam would like and that is by and large due to their personnel. Chief weakness is their back 5, none of whom are comfortable on the ball under pressure, as nobody in this league is good enough to beat the press.
Instead of playing three up top we adopted a 4411, which soon became 10 players in our own half and poor old Hogan somewhere doing an impression of Tom Hanks on a desert island. The least we could do is get him a volley ball and some paint so he can draw himself a face and a friend for company.
Green became an auxiliary full back, as did Thor. De Laet and Taylor tucked in, to the point they became very narrow and in fairness, the gap for Reading was none existent. I presume there was a fear of Barrow, but fear gripped the way the side retreated full stop first half.

You must, categorically must, play a three or a two up top and have your front 3 or 4 press their back four, as McShane and co. are not Man bloody City or Barca, they’re jobbing 2nd division muck who will, if under no pressure, be capable of switching a ball side to side. You must have your midfield push onto their deep lying midfielder and make them do what they did not want to last season, which is look for the long diagonal. Make it a percentage ball.

We did not do any of that, we let them have it, get comfortable, build confidence. Yes they only had two chances, one of which was from a blatant foul on Hourihane, but momentum in sport is key. They had it, as ineffectual as they were and we had the wrong kind.

Second half was worse. The first goal De Laet gets caught out, as he presses on his own into the wing position and they’re in behind. The goal was hugely unfortunate, the Reading player is crossing the ball back towards the edge of the box. The second however is criminal.

We’ve adopted a quasi zonal/ man marking system and to have a player unmarked 8 yards out, pass it to a player3 yards out is shocking.
A good goal from us, but you sensed it was that false hope we sometimes like to provide. Green went close mind. But 5 minutes of a game, although enough to win you a European Cup, is not usually enough time to do anything at all.

Hourihane should be in and around the opposition box. He can and will score goals. Its no use being deeper than the Mariana Trench.


It’s a confidence thing with Green, he’s powerful and direct. When picking the ball up somewhere close to the box, where he should, he has an effect. Hacking the ball to nobody 20 yards from our goal and he looks poor.
Whelan looks off since his ill fated dummy at Hull.
Hogan, we may as well not bother if we’re not getting close.
Terry isn’t doing all the snidey parts of the game that I thought he would. There’s nothing wrong defensively, but its not clear whether this is impacting Chester whose form the past two games has been rank. That can happen I suppose.

The biggest worry is that we lack a template or an identity as to how we’re going to go about winning this game. Its hard to see that changing away from home.

Good post. I don't think we, as a team are fit enough to press any opposition, particularly with Gabby still stinking the place out

[Tugby Villain]

To compound matters, Villa hadn't sent my tickets down to Reading, so I missed the first 30 minutes while the useless muppets in their ticket office strolled around and informed me I couldn't have bought them.  Ended up being seperated from my mate as we were given random tickets.  Then found it was a duplicate, so three other blokes also had a ticket for my seat.  And being treated like a criminal by the police (told to 'shut up' etc.) didn't exactly help.

Villa ticket office has been a fucking joke this season.  Whoever the fuck is in charge there needs a P45, they're clearly incompetant.

[auntiesledd]

To compound matters, Villa hadn't sent my tickets down to Reading, so I missed the first 30 minutes while the useless muppets in their ticket office strolled around and informed me I couldn't have bought them.  Ended up being seperated from my mate as we were given random tickets.  Then found it was a duplicate, so three other blokes also had a ticket for my seat.  And being treated like a criminal by the police (told to 'shut up' etc.) didn't exactly help.

Villa ticket office has been a fucking joke this season.  Whoever the fuck is in charge there needs a P45, they're clearly incompetant.

Ahhhhh, good ol' Thames Valley Plod. They love visiting footy supporters down their way, yes siree Bob. 

[Legion]

What's the difference between a triangle and Aston Villa?

A triangle has 3 points.

[Tugby Villain]

To compound matters, Villa hadn't sent my tickets down to Reading, so I missed the first 30 minutes while the useless muppets in their ticket office strolled around and informed me I couldn't have bought them.  Ended up being seperated from my mate as we were given random tickets.  Then found it was a duplicate, so three other blokes also had a ticket for my seat.  And being treated like a criminal by the police (told to 'shut up' etc.) didn't exactly help.

Villa ticket office has been a fucking joke this season.  Whoever the fuck is in charge there needs a P45, they're clearly incompetant.

Ahhhhh, good ol' Thames Valley Plod. They love visiting footy supporters down their way, yes siree Bob. 

They were quite lucky it didn't kick off, in all honesty.  The guy in front of me was about 6ft8 and he was really having a go, but the copper just turned a blind eye.  I guess if you're short then it's inevitable the police will feel free to abuse you.