News and Views

Burton Gifted Three Points

23 December 2017
By Hob Nob Anyone?

Reading marked the occasion of their 500th first team fixture at the Madejski Stadium with a dismal defeat against struggling Burton Albion. Having enticed a huge crowd to attend with reduced ticket prices the Royals missed a golden opportunity to increase their following in future matches. It is however the manner of the defeat which will concern everyone associated with the club. Having conceded a soft goal in the first half Reading managed to mount some pressure on the Albion defence in the second half and scramble an equaliser fifteen minutes from time. In a game in which Albion had rarely ventured out of their own half it seemed reasonable to expect Reading to go on and win the game. The expected surge to kick on and win the game was scuppered by some dreadful defending culminating in a bizarre winning goal for Albion. That was the last straw for many, and the ground emptied.

Jaap Stam identified poor touch, passing and decision making throughout the side as the key factors contributing to the result, which is a pretty fair summary. In short Reading significantly underperformed individually and collectively against a mediocre team and managed to lose in spite of having seventy six per cent of the possession.
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Discussion On This Story:

 Sutekh

» 23 Dec 2017 17:10

If anyone knows just what the hell that pile of stinking fetid @#£& actually was please could you write it on a postcard and send it to Jaap c/o Reading FC as I’m sure he’d like to know just as much as the rest of us.

People paid £5 for that and it wasn’t worth 5p. Still at least they’ve now all been reminded why they’d given up going to watch the team in the first place.

 RG7Fan

» 23 Dec 2017 17:16

Piss poor.

 John Madejski's Wallet

» 23 Dec 2017 17:16

Beat me to it by seconds :D

 Hound

» 23 Dec 2017 17:18

I don’t think there’s much to write up

We were shocking, simple as. First half was prob the worst performance I’ve seen from is under Stam

Second half plenty of effort, huffed and puffed but created little. The passing was woeful hence why we couldn’t get any momentum going

The two goals conceded were horrendous. Just absolutely gifted them. The second one bizarrely I don’t think a Burton player touched it for about 10 passes before it went on

Stam screwed up his subs. Way too late. Bod is offering far more than Yann and getting 10 mins a game

Ratings:
Joey, Kelly, Aluko, Yann : 3
Gunter, Mannone: 4
Bacuna, Edwards, Moore, McShane: 5
Barrow, Swift, Bod: 6

 AthleticoSpizz

» 23 Dec 2017 17:26

Most definately an opportunity missed to win back some of those missing fan numbers....a shame for the club.

Bodvarsson is not the panacea for all of our ailments right now, but Jaaps stubborness in not starting with him has surely cost us a few points by now. His cameo appearances have been (in the main) encouraging and he HAS actually scored occasionally....whatever your issue with him is, it’s time to give him the starting berth Mr Stam.

 John Madejski's Wallet

» 23 Dec 2017 17:28

Stam just needs to bugger off now

 AthleticoSpizz

» 23 Dec 2017 17:30

well that’s not going to happen this side of the seasonal festivities is it?

 genome

» 23 Dec 2017 17:32

I'm not going to bother with a BFTG report - there's no point - every player was awful, all 3 goals were shit, that's about it.

Unfortunate for the club today, opportunity to get some fringe fans on board, but on that evidence I don't think they'll be back anytime soon.

 windermereROYAL

» 23 Dec 2017 17:32

Firstly a big shout out for the guy that pulled us up for voicing our displeasure on the way out, support the team at all costs he told us.

Well that was as bad as I have seen in any game at the mad stad since we have been there. I have always stood by Stam but today that was just so bad, cant think of a single player I would give more than 5. but special mention to Joey, Kelly and Kermit for a single point each.

 Sutekh

» 23 Dec 2017 17:34

On the upside

Oxford United 0-7 Wigan Athletic

 Hound

» 23 Dec 2017 17:36

Tbf I’m fuming with Stam after that performance and the subs or lack of them was utterly baffling

He just can’t seem to recognise how to influence a match when it’s not going our way with the subs this year

Some of the favoured treatment of some (ie McShane, Yann, Kelly) at the expense of others (Popa, Bod, Richards) is just wrong. Another little dig at the fans doesn’t help his cause

In saying that I still wouldn’t advocate sacking him. But now there is big pressure on us back to win 2 of the next 3

 genome

» 23 Dec 2017 17:36

By the way, I thought Burton were half decent. You could see they had a great team spirit there

 Winston Biscuit

» 23 Dec 2017 17:37

Worst. Game. Ever.

Left on 85 minutes 8)

 Snowflake Royal

» 23 Dec 2017 17:37

Burton were a shit team with very limited players who looked like they'd peak about mid-League One.

On the other hand, they were organised, well drilled and determined.

We, were abject, insipid, timid, directionless, disorganised and clueless.

I'm turning. The players were poor, but it was the set up that leads to that sort of pathetic serving. No movement, no plan, everything relying on centrebacks being Xavi and Iniesta, but with no bugger moving. Kelly was criminally misused, Swift was a terrible substitution.

Mannone 5
Gunter 5
Bacuna 4 (benefit of doubt that his early knock affected him)
Moore 6 MotM (Lol)
McShane 5
Edwards 5
Berg 4
Kelly 3
Barrow 4 (plus 2 for scoring)
Aluko 2
Kermorgant 3

Swift 5
Bodvarason 6

Stam 1

Somethjng has to change or he'll be gone within 6-8 weeks no problem. You can't put on a promotion like that and then serve up that bullshit against the smallest club in the division. They didn't even have to play even remotely well.

Our entire game plan is based around hoping that the opposition don't press our defenders, don't defend deep in numbers and don't make any effort to mark in midfield.

Not oxf*rd good enough.

 windermereROYAL

» 23 Dec 2017 17:40



What did he say this time?

 AthleticoSpizz

» 23 Dec 2017 17:41

who knew?

At least Maidenhead did the double on the Monkeyhangers today.

 Hound

» 23 Dec 2017 17:43



What did he say this time?

Just about ‘finally selling out’

Aluko was utterly dismal today. He needs to be dropped. Unable to beat a man, cross or hold the ball

 RG7Fan

» 23 Dec 2017 17:44



Disagree with that - this is a fairly stable line up. If professional players who earn several thousand pounds a week and who play regularly together cant string proper passes together, tackle the opposition, etc. then that's their fault, not Stams.

 blythspartan

» 23 Dec 2017 17:47

After staying with family in Stowmarket last week and going to the Ipswich game, I couldn't bring myself to go to thr game today even though I had a ticket. What a great decision that was.......

Stam needs to go, I like him but I don't believe that the players are capable of doing what he wants on a consistant basis.

Even a Tony Pullis team would be better than this........

 biff

» 23 Dec 2017 17:48

The whole day out gave me bad AIDS. Nothing at all redeeming about the experience, and I've been to a vast majority of the previous 499. Fold it now

 Dick Habbin's hairdo

» 23 Dec 2017 17:53

Abject, toothless, heartless. Absolutely one of the worst performances I have seen in c 1,000 watching RFC. Just terrible.

No movement. No passion. No fight. No idea. Did I say no movement?

Swift and Bod sparked things up a tad but the rest of them, possibly with the exception of Moore, are simply criminals if they are picking up their wages after that.

Time for Stam to go.

 Steve_Upper_West

» 23 Dec 2017 17:56

Just got home having left 10 mins early - NEVER done that before

UTTERLY PATHETIC !!

Stam out - and he can take JVDB with him :evil:

 alfie9

» 23 Dec 2017 17:57

Just seen the goals, glad I slept through this one :lol: :lol: :lol:

 P!ssed Off

» 23 Dec 2017 17:58

A right back on the left wing.
A player that wants to play CM on the right wing.
Two wingers in the middle, supporting a striker who's only in the team due to his ability to defend corners.
A 5ft technical CM stood in his own half filling in for the marauding CB who's charging forward attempting to thread through balls.
A player stood in the middle of the pitch doing oxf*rd all, until he decides to get involved and do something oxf*rd awful yet again. Only reason he's on the pitch is because he shares an agent & nationality with his manager.

An absolute f-ing shambles....

 McDermolenko

» 23 Dec 2017 18:00

As I told Ady on BBC Berkshire during the post match reaction, we need to have a little patience as Rome really wasn’t built in a day.

We’ve had 7/8 manager stints in the past 7 years and it’s got us absolutely bloody nowhere.

Stam is playing a style of football that is closest to emulating that of a team with genuine European pedigree. Hoof ball doesn’t belong in Europe, and alas sticking Pulis in the managers seat won’t gain us any long term success at all.

If you disagree, just p off.

 PieEater

» 23 Dec 2017 18:01

I'm guessing they'd all been out on the piss for their Christmas party last night, otherwise it was the inevitable of the team doing their utmost to extinguish any hope of a revival or get any enthusiasm going for the fans.

 P!ssed Off

» 23 Dec 2017 18:06



Why the oxf*rd are you going on about Europe...
Deluded.

 leon

» 23 Dec 2017 18:08

Well I’m baffled. WTAF was that?

We seemed to have turned a corner starting to play quick incisive passing and movement and then we go back to square one.

There was nothing positive to say about that except it’s over and I can have a drink

 CountryRoyal

» 23 Dec 2017 18:10

Piss off Jaap.

 CountryRoyal

» 23 Dec 2017 18:12



I was tempted to leave work 30 mins early to watch it. Decided we'd be shit so didn't bother. No oxf*rd regrets.


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