MATCHWATCH : Queens Park Rangers (h)

[Ascotexgunner]

Thought Bournmouth had played less games but they have played the same.....still have a 2 point lead.
Need Morrison back asap....Moore really isn't capable of organising in the same manner.

We are three ahead of Muff but have played a game more

They have just updated it.....

[Ascotexgunner]

Don't think I've ever looked forward to an international break so much.....here's hoping to getting a few players back.

[Zip]

I thought it was a good game today. QPR played some nice stuff in the latter stages. We were certainly better than Wednesday night.

[Snowflake Royal]

Holmes had his worst game at RB by far, but he's been consistently good there previously. He's ahead of Esteves for a reason.

Probably the same reason he brought Semedo on for Olise tbf

I struggle to see the point of Olise thesedays.

Yeah he has shown real promise and is clearly very talented but screwing up corners/free kicks/passes seems more the rule now for him rather than the exception.

5 goals. 10 assists. 1.6 shots per game, 1.9 key passes a game (most of any Reading player). And he's 18, in first proper full season.

He'll go on to play at a higher level than anyone else in our team will.

[Zip]

One defeat in last six games; 3 Wins, 2 draws, a single 1-goal defeat = 11 points

We feel disappointed but 2 points a game is normally enough for automatic.

Two points from our last three games against two teams fighting relegation and one mid table.

[Zip]

Probably the same reason he brought Semedo on for Olise tbf

I struggle to see the point of Olise thesedays.

Yeah he has shown real promise and is clearly very talented but screwing up corners/free kicks/passes seems more the rule now for him rather than the exception.

5 goals. 10 assists. 1.6 shots per game, 1.9 key passes a game (most of any Reading player). And he's 18, in first proper full season.

He'll go on to play at a higher level than anyone else in our team will.

Yep.He wasn’t great today but he has done plenty this season.

[Snowflake Royal]

I struggle to see the point of Olise thesedays.

Yeah he has shown real promise and is clearly very talented but screwing up corners/free kicks/passes seems more the rule now for him rather than the exception.

5 goals. 10 assists. 1.6 shots per game, 1.9 key passes a game (most of any Reading player). And he's 18, in first proper full season.

He'll go on to play at a higher level than anyone else in our team will.

Yep.He wasn’t great today but he has done plenty this season.

You know what?

I'm actually happy he's gone off the boil a bit. Makes it more likely he'll be here next season. What a result that would be!

Same with Joao. There was a real risk he'd be off too. Not so much now.

oxf*rd this season. Let's win the league next season when we can all actually enjoy it properly.

[Snowball]

Well that wasn’t memorable.

Nice little break and we will hopefully see Yiadom and Morro back too.

What a game we have in store up at Barnsley. This playoff race is going to go down to the wire, isn’t it

A win at Barnsley and we will be ahead of them by a point and a better GD
with just SEVEN games to go. Even a draw might not be a disaster.

Obviously, a defeat, this late, would be horrible.

And, sure Bournemouth have that game in hand, but they still have to win it
and even if they do, we will effectively be just a point (poorer GD) behind them

Good Friday

Barnsley v Reading
Bournemouth v Middlesbro

That is going to be a BIG day!

[leon]

And binned.

So we should get rid of our top scorer because you don't like his body language? Nonsense

I'm in two minds about Joao.

His general involvement in the game and effort has got better since his goals dried up.

But he's there to score goals and it's juts not working for him.

Still the impact of taking him off suggests he should still start.

Our entire way of playing is based around Joao. Without him we look a little lost.

[Stranded]

One defeat in last six games; 3 Wins, 2 draws, a single 1-goal defeat = 11 points

We feel disappointed but 2 points a game is normally enough for automatic.

Two points from our last three games against two teams fighting relegation and one mid table.

Yep but we'll pick up a winner two where we aren't expecting it. Never have we needed an international break more.

We go to Barnsley, 8 games left and our play off hopes in our own hands still. This week hasn't been great but still a pretty good place to be.

[Millsy]

I struggle to see the point of Olise thesedays.

Yeah he has shown real promise and is clearly very talented but screwing up corners/free kicks/passes seems more the rule now for him rather than the exception.

5 goals. 10 assists. 1.6 shots per game, 1.9 key passes a game (most of any Reading player). And he's 18, in first proper full season.

He'll go on to play at a higher level than anyone else in our team will.

Oh absolutely.

My point is "thesedays" though. Like I say he's undoubtedly class, and I fully agree with your later point that him going off the boil is great for us means maybe we can hold onto him, but nevertheless I feel he's in the team more for his record earlier this season rather than merit. I wonder if dropping him would do him a bit of good.

[Snowflake Royal]

I'm fine with Joao to be honest. I'd love him to be a bit more all action and hard working, but he doesn't have to be.

I know he's flubbing chances right now, but I don't see that continuing long term and he's still adding something to the side. A couple of goals and he'll be away again.

[Sutekh]

Hoping that the fact that Reading will have the better more confident teams in the run in will help their game more than a load of sides trying not to lose.

[Snowflake Royal]

I struggle to see the point of Olise thesedays.

Yeah he has shown real promise and is clearly very talented but screwing up corners/free kicks/passes seems more the rule now for him rather than the exception.

5 goals. 10 assists. 1.6 shots per game, 1.9 key passes a game (most of any Reading player). And he's 18, in first proper full season.

He'll go on to play at a higher level than anyone else in our team will.

Oh absolutely.

My point is "thesedays" though. Like I say he's undoubtedly class, and I fully agree with your later point that him going off the boil is great for us means maybe we can hold onto him, but nevertheless I feel he's in the team more for his record earlier this season rather than merit. I wonder if dropping him would do him a bit of good.

Got another assist just the other day.

I actually have little problem with him hitting the first defender. Good corners arent boomed up or floated, they're whipped in just over the first defender. That leaves a narrower margin for error, but when they come off they're fantastic.

I reckon he's a big part of our set pieces being so inventive this season. And overall they've been a big success.

[Zip]

So we should get rid of our top scorer because you don't like his body language? Nonsense

I'm in two minds about Joao.

His general involvement in the game and effort has got better since his goals dried up.

But he's there to score goals and it's juts not working for him.

Still the impact of taking him off suggests he should still start.

Our entire way of playing is based around Joao. Without him we look a little lost.

Yes fair comment. If we play Puscas as a lone striker he struggles. It’s not ideal. We either play two up front in say Yaks and Meite but sacrifice one of our midfielders or do we stick with Joao as lone striker.
When Joao was flying it wasn’t up for debate. It has now has to be.

[Zip]

Hoping that the fact that Reading will have the better more confident teams in the run in will help their game more than a load of sides trying not to lose.

Hmm. Not sure about that. We will hopefully have three back after the break by which time Swift and Araruna may also be close.

[Snowflake Royal]

I'm in two minds about Joao.

His general involvement in the game and effort has got better since his goals dried up.

But he's there to score goals and it's juts not working for him.

Still the impact of taking him off suggests he should still start.

Our entire way of playing is based around Joao. Without him we look a little lost.

Yes fair comment. If we play Puscas as a lone striker he struggles. It’s not ideal. We either play two up front in say Yaks and Meite but sacrifice one of our midfielders or do we stick with Joao as lone striker.
When Joao was flying it wasn’t up for debate. It has now has to be.

Ultimately, it's defensive howlers that have cost us points recently, as much as misses.

[Zip]

Our entire way of playing is based around Joao. Without him we look a little lost.

Yes fair comment. If we play Puscas as a lone striker he struggles. It’s not ideal. We either play two up front in say Yaks and Meite but sacrifice one of our midfielders or do we stick with Joao as lone striker.
When Joao was flying it wasn’t up for debate. It has now has to be.

Ultimately, it's defensive howlers that have cost us points recently, as much as misses.

It’s both Ian.The Joao of October would have scored at least two today.

[Snowflake Royal]

Yes fair comment. If we play Puscas as a lone striker he struggles. It’s not ideal. We either play two up front in say Yaks and Meite but sacrifice one of our midfielders or do we stick with Joao as lone striker.
When Joao was flying it wasn’t up for debate. It has now has to be.

Ultimately, it's defensive howlers that have cost us points recently, as much as misses.

It’s both Ian.The Joao of October would have scored at least two today.

Does as much as mean something different to what I think it does?

[Westwood52]

TBF where we are from four seasons of relegation fodder is a pretty good achievement.I suspect the Owners however would expect us to be at least comfortably in the Play Offs.Pauno may well be the scapegoat and ditched.Pre season acquisitions were poor barring Ovie and Laurent.We went for Semedo who Forest didnt fancy and two trainees learning their trade in Estevez and Gibson.This means Pauno had zero options when it came to bringing players in once the usual starters lost form.His weakness as against say McDermott is that he didn’t recognise say L1 or L2 players like Laurent who could impact performance without costing us much in terms of salary and purchase price.