BFTG Rotherham

[Westwood52]

That was it, only a fluke will keep us up-not so much the result but the players attitude.Today was the day to put on a performance , but it just wasn't there. Rotherham were unbelievably poor & were there for the taking out wide; but there just wasn't any self belief or commitment. I for one am fed up turning up to see once again bang average. I cannot remember our last convincing performance, bar Brum in the League cup.


IMHO:


Martinez 6: Another howler of a pass out; whats wrong with the guy ? Couple of nice catches, but that was it.

Yiadom 6: Typical Andy performance. never once did he get wide with any conviction.

Tyler 6 : Solid enough. Lost his man a few times; but as with Yiadom never got forward with any conviction.

Miazga 7: Solid. Won his battles.

Moore 6 : Too often very shaky and needed to be more of an inspiration as Captain.

Baker 6: Neat and tidy, a couple of wonder passes. But lost the ball far too often, and missed a good chance 2nd half.

Swift 5 : One of those floppy performances, which he puts in far too often.

Ejaria 7: Mom. Great goal and our one player with belief and conviction.

Meite 2: Simply dreadful.

Oliveira 5: Just not his day-still not fit or sharp enough.

Macca 5: Created the goal; but that was about it. Rotherham were hopeless out wide-but never attacked them with any great conviction.


O Shea : Really. We were under the cosh when he came on & we needed to grab the inniative back by being bold. Their goal was always likely to come once we sat back.
Barrow: Should have played a better ball back for Oliveira late on.

Big time screw up all round from Gomez downwards. To be blunt after our performances this season we deserve to go down.

Ref: Another idiot. Missed all their CF s obstruction & his failure to pick up the obstruction on Oliveira 1st half when he was through, was just pathetic. I repeat why do we have to put up with rubbish, week in week out.

[AthleticoSpizz]

Playing the leagues draw-kings it was always going to be a draw with just that one goal between us.

Missed outi on all of the pre-match waffle, but where was Bod? could he and Nelson not get a start together?

[Hound]

Don’t disagree with a lot of that

There is clearly a lack of confidence and we should have comfortably killed the game off at 1-0 but sat back instead. And then missed a hatful of chances at 1-1

Not really buying the cliched ‘spirited long ball Rotherham’ stuff. Didn’t think they threatened much at all. We defended their long throws and corners very well. Real killer to concede to 1 of their 2 efforts on target. Can’t even remember the other one - Martinez didn’t make a single save

The ref was abysmal and continuously gave soft fouls in their favour which played right into their hands.

Martinez: 6
Yiadom: 6
Blackett: 6
Moore: 7
Miazga: 7
Baker: 6
Swift: 6
Ejaria: 7
McCleary: 7
Meite: 4
Oliveira: 4

O Shea: 4

[Jackson Corner]

Today confirmed two things. Gomez was a terrible choice as manager utterly clueless negative out of his depth.
Two we will be playing division one football next season.

[URZZZZ]

Our form against the sides around us is horrific, 4 points from a possible 15 from the teams in the bottom three. That just is not good enough, and Ipswich aside, it's been the same story every time, take the lead, and lose it late on

Today's result was a shocking result, there's no two ways about it. It was an absolute must win game IMO with us having the home advantage and we've completely blown it, and you can't look beyond Gomes for today's disaster. His hands were slightly tied behind his back, but you have to question the need for two similar players in Baker and Ejaria

Also Martinez - very good goalkeeper - comfortable on the ball, but we already had three goalkeepers adequate enough. On the other hand, we had 0 holding midfielders who can just screen the back four. In hindsight, getting a holding midfielder rather than a 4th goalie/two similar more attacking midfielders was the wrong choice

Martinez 7

Yiadom 6
Moore 7
Miazga 7
Blackett 6

Baker 6
Ejaria 7

Meite 5
Swift 5
McCleary 7

Oliviera 4

O'Shea - 4
Barrow - 4

Two fullbacks were solid enough, but my biggest gripe with Blackett is when he looks like he's on an afternoon stroll when he's caught forward out of position, he should be busting a gut to get back. Moore and Miazga played well

Ejaria and Baker were both a lot better, nice footwork throughout from Ejaria and a well taken goal. Swift had a really good first half followed by a really poor second half

Garath was a lot better today, put in some teasing balls, and was surprised he was hooked in all honesty, I thought we should have gone 4-4-2 with Loader up top with Nelson and GMac on the wing but never mind. Meite worked hard but was no threat, and Nelson apart from one through ball in the second half was really sloppy and missed a sitter

The O'Shea sub wasn't needed, unless it was to go 5 at the back. To put him as one of the midfielders was daft and ultimately costly as he didn't get to the crosser of the ball quick enough for their goal. Barrow needs to go, he's had his honeymoon period for 15 months now. A simple look up to pass/shoot and we win that 2-1

All in all, a disappointing performance and result

[Singing Defective]

Can’t even remember the other one

4

Wasn’t it in the first half, when they crossed left to right 6 yards out, and their twinkle-toes at full stretch couldn’t quite reach It?

[URZZZZZZZZ]

The usual knee jerk nonsense in here I see.

[Gunny Fishcake]

I'm wondering why this thread is so late, probably most of us who went to the game are drowning their sorrows.

Two crap teams producing a crap game not worthy of the Championship.

If we can't put a team like Rotherham to the sword after going one up in the first half, there's probably only one outcome for us , and nobody can really complain if we are relegated.

The club is a shadow of it's former self and not in a very good state to put it mildly.

[sandman]

The usual knee jerk nonsense in here I see.

It's not though is it? People are saying the same things they've said all season about games against the teams around us and our inability topit the game away.

These players continually fail to learn week after week and produce the same mistakes over and over.

[Singing Defective]

The usual knee jerk nonsense in here I see.

It's not though is it? People are saying the same things they've said all season about games against the teams around us and our inability topit the game away.

These players continually fail to learn week after week and produce the same mistakes over and over.

It’s not even that. Rotherham aren’t a team of great polish, but boy were they trying: Loose a ball, get it back. We looked like superstars who’d just come back from Internationals. Everyone (bar Oliveira and Swift in first half) was walking. Loose a ball, or try to get to one mis-passed by either side? Nah, ta very much.

[sandman]

The usual knee jerk nonsense in here I see.

It's not though is it? People are saying the same things they've said all season about games against the teams around us and our inability topit the game away.

These players continually fail to learn week after week and produce the same mistakes over and over.

It’s not even that. Rotherham aren’t a team of great polish, but boy were they trying: Loose a ball, get it back. We looked like superstars who’d just come back from Internationals. Everyone (bar Oliveira and Swift in first half) was walking. Loose a ball, or try to get to one mis-passed by either side? Nah, ta very much.

Exactly what I'm talking about. That's one of the things they fail to learn from.

[URZZZZZZZZ]

The usual knee jerk nonsense in here I see.

It's not though is it? People are saying the same things they've said all season about games against the teams around us and our inability topit the game away.

These players continually fail to learn week after week and produce the same mistakes over and over.

Actually, you’re right, it was a lazy post from me.

I’ll clarify the two comments that I feel we’re knee jerk nonsense.

1) It’ll be a fluke if we stay up - I’d agree with this if we were in Ipswich’s position, but as it happens we’re already out of the relegation zone

2) Gomes was a terrible choice of Manager. You could argue that today he messed up, and there’s certainly a case to say the results haven’t been good enough. However, our goal today showed exactly what he’s working towards and got us all off our seats.

[Snowflake Royal]

Gomes - 5 poor sub, negative approach, not much choice with selection

Martinez - 6 came miles and flapped at a cross a defender was going to win anyway, hasn't learnt from the Sheff goal... played the same pass we got punished for at least three times, luckily the Rotherham players weren't as on it as the Sheff ones
Yiadom - 6 better than Gunter, but he plays himself into trouble too much
Blackett - 6 casual as usual but decent
Moore - 5 beaten for the goal, dithers with the ball
Miazga - 6 decent game
Baker - 6 better than I've seen before but not what we need
Swift - 5 usual tidy creative passing in the middle, usual lack of end product, poor shooting, poor set pieces and losing the ball... did actually win it occasionally though
Ejaria - 7 MotM much better in attack than screening defence, good goal, drove forward well
McCleary - 7 good run and pull back for the goal, works hard
Meite - 5 clumsy and wasteful but tries hard
Oliveira - 6 a class above our other strikers but not his best game, should have scored but denied by a n excellent block and then a terrible ball from Barrow

O'Shea - 2 literally didn't touch the ball in his first ten minutes on the pitch. Looked utterly lost and immobile in midfield. Dreadful.
Harriott - 6 looked to be hacked down when bursting through but got nothing. Tries hard, bit lacking in quality
Barrow - 6 did really well to nick the ball from their keeper, ruined it by dribbling a half shot half pull back barely beyond the keeper

I wouldn't describe this as a must win game, quite. Definitely must not lose and we at least achieved that.

The bottom 4 all deserve to go down to be honest. Woeful, the lot of us. Maybe we'll survive for the second year running thanks to other teams being worse, but it certainly won't be by us taking control of our own destiny.

[notloyalenuffroyal]

So weird...

I saw it quite differently. I saw a side up for a fight, snapping at heels trying to win back the ball.

I saw Olivera, when he made a mistake, chasing back and clearing up in the centre of defence.

I saw Mo Barrow pelting it from one wing to the other trying to chase down a lost cause and nearly making a winner.

I saw heart, fight and a team down on it's luck, which can happen anytime, against dogged hard working long ball troglodytes.

The goal was a thing of beauty and one of the best I have ever seen from a Reading side.

The crowd was noisy and whatever you say about the clapper things it got the kids involved and they were starting chants in the family end.

Huff and puff. An odd substiution, but one I could see plenty making. And for me a team that tried hard. I was disappointed by the booing at the end and much preferred a good number who stayed behind to see nearly the whole team for a change come and say thanks to each stand.

[Jagermesiter1871]

Looked by far the better team. Got the goal. Went into cruise control sitting back. Brought on John Oshea when we were struggling to get out of our own box, although Rotherham offered no threat whatsoever, and it was clear we needed another attacker on the pitch (Meite, despite working his arse just isn't very good) . They score a crap goal which wakes us up and we start actually trying to score again and look half decent but it's all too late. Such a oxf*rd stupid draw.

[Hound]

The usual knee jerk nonsense in here I see.

It's not though is it? People are saying the same things they've said all season about games against the teams around us and our inability topit the game away.

These players continually fail to learn week after week and produce the same mistakes over and over.

It’s not even that. Rotherham aren’t a team of great polish, but boy were they trying: Loose a ball, get it back. We looked like superstars who’d just come back from Internationals. Everyone (bar Oliveira and Swift in first half) was walking. Loose a ball, or try to get to one mis-passed by either side? Nah, ta very much.

Just think this is stereotyping and just coming in with a preconceived idea of what was going to happen

They didn’t try any harder than us. We put plenty of effort in. We also won many tackles, second balls etc. We fought, won our headers and battled to the end

We’re not a greatly talented side. We’ve a load of cast offs on loan, none of who have a future at their current clubs. We’ve a 31 year old winger who has seen better days and a very raw CF on the other wing. A 37 year old and Paul McShane on the bench. We’ve lost our best player on form to injury

We’ve been horrendously mismanaged for 18 months, gone through 3 managers, CEOs, Directors of football and owners.

It suits Rotherham and Warne to blow smoke up our backsides about how talented we are, but I don’t see it a as a compliment, more a mind game to say ‘WTF are you at the bottom - it must be attitude’

The fact is we’re not a great side and should base our expectations on that

[Pandoras Box]

Personally thought they were very similar teams.

However I am now convinced of two things.
1. You get to the top of this league by playing at speed, quick passing and pinning the opposition defence back to make your chances.
2. You get results by not allowing the opposition to play and get comfortable on the ball by using the high press.
This has been shown by Norwich, Leeds and like last week Sheffield United over and over again.
Reading and Rotherham both played the slow lumbering, obvious, passing game. No press, so both teams could play at will.
If you can’t beat a team third from bottom who don’t press you and allow you to play your own game, then there’s seriously no hope.

[Hound]

So weird...

I saw it quite differently. I saw a side up for a fight, snapping at heels trying to win back the ball.

I saw Olivera, when he made a mistake, chasing back and clearing up in the centre of defence.

I saw Mo Barrow pelting it from one wing to the other trying to chase down a lost cause and nearly making a winner.

I saw heart, fight and a team down on it's luck, which can happen anytime, against dogged hard working long ball troglodytes.

The goal was a thing of beauty and one of the best I have ever seen from a Reading side.

The crowd was noisy and whatever you say about the clapper things it got the kids involved and they were starting chants in the family end.

Huff and puff. An odd substiution, but one I could see plenty making. And for me a team that tried hard. I was disappointed by the booing at the end and much preferred a good number who stayed behind to see nearly the whole team for a change come and say thanks to each stand.

Yep agree. Atmosphere was excellent as you say.

[URZZZZ]

It's not though is it? People are saying the same things they've said all season about games against the teams around us and our inability topit the game away.

These players continually fail to learn week after week and produce the same mistakes over and over.

It’s not even that. Rotherham aren’t a team of great polish, but boy were they trying: Loose a ball, get it back. We looked like superstars who’d just come back from Internationals. Everyone (bar Oliveira and Swift in first half) was walking. Loose a ball, or try to get to one mis-passed by either side? Nah, ta very much.

Just think this is stereotyping and just coming in with a preconceived idea of what was going to happen

They didn’t try any harder than us. We put plenty of effort in. We also won many tackles, second balls etc. We fought, won our headers and battled to the end

We’re not a greatly talented side. We’ve a load of cast offs on loan, none of who have a future at their current clubs. We’ve a 31 year old winger who has seen better days and a very raw CF on the other wing. A 37 year old and Paul McShane on the bench. We’ve lost our best player on form to injury

We’ve been horrendously mismanaged for 18 months, gone through 3 managers, CEOs, Directors of football and owners.

It suits Rotherham and Warne to blow smoke up our backsides about how talented we are, but I don’t see it a as a compliment, more a mind game to say ‘WTF are you at the bottom - it must be attitude’

The fact is we’re not a great side and should base our expectations on that

I think the trouble is people see how much money we spend in comparison to Rotherham and automatically assume we must be much better than them. I think people fail to recognize spending money doesn't guarantee success.

Historically speaking, we've always been better when spending less money, for the club it's about finding a young player who can develop (either via the academy or elsewhere). There's a reason why our academy produces good players but all our "big" name signings (Aluko etc) don't work. It's so unusual for "little old Reading" to spend big on a player so I think big name signings feel the pressure too much

As for the fight, I didn't notice a lack of fight today. Certainly not in comparison to Bolton etc earlier in the season. Rotherham are simply a stronger and more physical side and were always likely to score a big lump to the back post

I haven't warmed to Gomes yet but we still need to get behind him. All the best managers take a while to get their players to play the way they want to. He's made some farcical decisions, but let's not forget English football is completely new to him so I do think calling him out of his depth is a bit OTT

[leon]

The usual knee jerk nonsense in here I see.

Nah. We let a Rotherham dominate us for 75% of the match. At home. Absolutely disgraceful performance with no character or spine.