Reading long ball merchants

[russyb]

http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2016/10/10/th ... am-this-s/?

interesting, for all those "get it forward" i have no understanding of the game of football moaners.

highest amount of long balls according to this article anyhow.

[genome]

In the Championship, Reading have in fact played more long balls than any other team, yet most would consider them one of the best 'footballing' teams in the division since the arrival of Jaap Stam.

[Nameless]

If they actually stated what they meant by a 'long ball' it might be possible to discuss the article !
Presumably the cross field passes we play regularly count as 'long balls', the 50 yard passes that Evans, JVDB and Moore hit cross field to the wingers ?
I think the article falls into the trap of lumping 50 yard pinpoint Glenn Hoddle passes in with route 1 Wimbledon hoofs and calling them 'long balls'

[Jagermesiter1871]

Isn't our tactic basically short ball - short ball - short ball round the back four - draw the opposition attackers and midfield in - long ball over the top?

This article would make sense if so.

[Nameless]

Definitely not 'long ball over the top'.

[BR2]

Definitely not 'long ball over the top'.

Maybe not,but how about "long ball generally to defenders for a free header or a Yann flick-on to nobody but occasionally get set-pieces from which we have scored most of our goals" strategy?

[Green]

Route one as I like to call it. It may not be the prettiest way to your destination, but it's generally the quickest.

[Nameless]

Route one as I like to call it. It may not be the prettiest way to your destination, but it's generally the quickest.

We kind of played that when we had Shane Long, not sure route one really uses wingers as a key element which is how we play....

[Nameless]

Definitely not 'long ball over the top'.

Maybe not,but how about "long ball generally to defenders for a free header or a Yann flick-on to nobody but occasionally get set-pieces from which we have scored most of our goals" strategy?

Blimey, someone's not watched us much this season !

[Sutekh]

Nothing wrong with long ball game when it is played properly and effectively. I'd suggest that when it is played properly, and with the right fitness levels, it's a lot more exciting than watching an endless snoozefest of sideways crab football which is what the game seems to be becoming - esp. at international level.

When its not played properly it is, however, utter cr@p.

[tmesis]

I saw these stats a while back, and the thing they don't take into account is the total number of passes each team has played.

It's how we play the most long passes, and also the 2nd most short passes. Simply, we pass the ball a lot because we have a lot of possession.

More useful would be the % of long passes.

[Saaaaaaaammmmmm]

Agreed, percentage of passing would surely be more accurate, if you pass the ball as much as we do then you're obviously going to have a few that get categorised as 'long'

Other rubbish stats - we are the best team in the division in...
Penalties Taken
Penalties Scored
Possession
Dispossession (getting tackled)
Accurate Long Balls (to emphasise this, we lead with 54.5 per game followed by Brighton in 2nd with 38.3, then Blackburn with 38.0, then Bristol City with 37.2 and so on)
Accurate Free Kicks
Woodwork Hit
Shots Saved Within Penalty Area (Al-Habsi)
Least Amount Of Passes Blocked
Least Amount Of Crosses Blocked (Gunter)
Least Total Amount Of Tackles
Least Attempts On Goal From Middle Of Pitch
Highest Percentage Of Shots Within Penalty Area
Lowest Percentage Of Shots Within 6-Yard Box
Least Time Spent In Opposition Third
Most Time Spent In Own Third
Carded Fouls
Red Cards

Some obviously more important than others, I'm not really sure what to make of any of them though

[Jagermesiter1871]

Best team in red cards as in we're the best at getting them?

[Nameless]

What on earth is 'penalties taken' supposed to mean ?
It suggests some teams are awarded penalties and then don't manage to actually take them !
Is anyone on less than 100% for this ?

[Sutekh]

What on earth is 'penalties taken' supposed to mean ?
It suggests some teams are awarded penalties and then don't manage to actually take them !
Is anyone on less than 100% for this ?

Probably means most penalties awarded.

Least Amount Of Crosses Blocked (Gunter)

Is that the player that has blocked the least amount of crosses ?

Lowest Percentage Of Shots Within 6-Yard Box

About says it all.

[stealthpapes]

What on earth is 'penalties taken' supposed to mean ?

Number of penalties taken would be the obvious thought.

No wait, you were trying to be funny.

Christ.

[genome]

What on earth is 'penalties taken' supposed to mean ?
It suggests some teams are awarded penalties and then don't manage to actually take them !
Is anyone on less than 100% for this ?

[BR2]

Definitely not 'long ball over the top'.

Maybe not,but how about "long ball generally to defenders for a free header or a Yann flick-on to nobody but occasionally get set-pieces from which we have scored most of our goals" strategy?

Blimey, someone's not watched us much this season !

My comment taken out of context-the earlier poster had accurately stated that it is short ball-short ball-short ball (almost ad infinitum) and THEN long ball.
I was agreeing with you that the long balls are not over the top, they are played in the general area of our attackers.....and then the defenders head clear.

One of the spread betting firms used to do a performance index (they may well still do) for players where they are awarded 2 points for a successful pass but only in the opposition half plus further points for shots on target, corners won, goals scored etc.so there are presumably stats out there that differentiate between passes made in our own half and those made in the opposition's.
That then would explain why we are high both in long ball and short passes categories which on first look contradict each other.

The only times in my memory when we could genuinely be referred to as a passing side, i.e. through midfield with less emphasis on the longer game were the Mansell and McGhee eras.

This topic crops up most seasons with fans having differing views of what type of team we are-I just wish that our passing were done further upfield and executed by good passers of the ball like Swift rather than by our defenders who need to work more on defending.

Going back to the 60s the successful and very attractive Spurs were renowned for their pass and move approach requiring tireless running off the ball-regrettably too many teams (including England) now play pass and watch.

[Saaaaaaaammmmmm]

Sounds like these need clarifying

Penalties taken is obviously the amount of penalties taken. We are also top at penalties scored, despite missing one

Red Cards is most Red Cards, and that's not including Blackett's in the cup

As a team we have the lowest percentage of crosses blocked. Therefore Gunter isn't entirely to blame but given the stick he gets on here for his inability to stop the cross, here's your statistical evidence

I looked at some player stats but they weren't as interesting as they tended to be all goals scored and assists etc, of which we have very little. Al-Habsi has the 2nd most saves in the league behind the Rotherham keeper, which I guess is a worry. Also Wes Hoolahan is the only player in the league to have lost the ball more than Roy Beerens, who lies in 2nd. John Swift is 8th......

[No Fixed Abode]

The best footballing side = the team that wins the division. (IMO).

Lots of different ways of playing the game, but it's how effective you are at getting points.