BFTG - 'uddersfield

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Has there been a rule change. Huddersfield had a player treated on the pitch and once the trainer went off, he was allowed to continue without going off the pitch and waiting for the referee to allow him back on.

[moo]

Has there been a rule change. Huddersfield had a player treated on the pitch and once the trainer went off, he was allowed to continue without going off the pitch and waiting for the referee to allow him back on.

Yep, new rule.

[download]

Has there been a rule change. Huddersfield had a player treated on the pitch and once the trainer went off, he was allowed to continue without going off the pitch and waiting for the referee to allow him back on.

Yep, new rule.

Thanks for that. Do you know how does the ref decide who stays on and who has to go off ?

[bikey_is_god!]

He can stay on if the tackler is shown a yellow card

[Mikey_1985]

Anyone still booing?

[Maneki Neko]

Anyone care to suggest what it is that has allowed Stam (untried, inexperienced in this county and league) to look like he knows what he is doing when recent managers with more experience have struggled ?
Beginners luck ?

The complete clean sweep has helped. Getting rid of all the negative feeling in the squad from the last few years
Having a clear and simple plan, and buying players that fit into that.
Getting the players to buy into it and having their instant respect
And with moore, Vdb and Swift we now have a spine.

[CountryRoyal]

Not having to play through Norwood helps. (Serious)

[Royal Ginger]

Noticed ripples of applause for the passing and ball retention across the back today with only occasional individuals shouting lonely instructions to get it forward. Glad the majority are onboard.

[marlowuk]

Not much to add to what has already been said. It was an entertaining, fast and exciting game. We were certainly under the cosh for the final 20-25 minutes of the second half but no more than they were under the cosh in the final 20-25 minutes of the first half! I felt we needed to get that second goal before half-time to steady the nerves but it wasn't to be. It was a pity that Swift's thunderbolt hit the post!

McShane has had a lot of plaudits here but I felt he had a very nervy first 20 minutes, giving the ball away in dangerous positions on a couple of occasions. In fact the team in general were slow out of the blocks for the first 10 minutes of both halves.

In the second half Huddersfield certainly deserve credit for the way their 10 men put us under pressure with Mooy (their No 10) their main playmaker. It was a time when we needed to keep our composure and keep possession of the ball but, for some reason, we resorted to hoof ball - and that ball kept coming back to us! It was also disappointing to see some of our players remonstrating with each other rather than supporting and encouraging each other.

But, in the end, the BBC stats tell the story in terms of possession and shots so I don't think we were 'lucky' to win. No one player stood out to me - they all did well in general but made mistakes. But - overall - an encouraging result (and clean sheet) that puts us in a position I think no-one predicted before the start of the season. In Stam we trust!

[bobby1413]

First of all, oxf*rd off with Sweet Caroline, it really ruins it for me.

Abso-fuking-lutely. I agree 131% with you.

I absolutely detest it. Mainly because the club SHOVE it down our throat at EVERY OPPORTUNITY. Before game, half time, after game...

As around 2000 fans mumble along "sweeeet Caroline... Duh duh duh..." Yawn.... When some form of atmosphere and chants are trying to get started.

Why why why? It is not OUR special song - if it was I could understand it being on constant repeat.

Please RFC, just delete the MP3 of your system and move on.

[bobby1413]

Enjoyed it today but spent whole of half time queueing on the concourse. The agency staff need better supervision.

This has been going on years. What is it like as a home fan at bigger clubs?

How do Chelsea/Man United/Liverpool fans get served at half time? I don't know why it's so bad. It's hardly a shock is it... They don't suddenly get caught off guard as 6000 fans (or whatever) come at half time.

Maybe they should sell bottles or something? I went to the Olympic stadium (West Ham ground) over the summer for a rugby game (it was shit), but they had massive buckets everywhere with ice and bottles in where you just threw £4 at the person next to it and grabbed one. It took around 1 second to get your drink.

...

On a separate note I bought a beer at the bit outside the east stand and also a bottle of water. Water cost £2.10 - nearly had a heart attack.

[bobby1413]

Anyone care to suggest what it is that has allowed Stam (untried, inexperienced in this county and league) to look like he knows what he is doing when recent managers with more experience have struggled ?
Beginners luck ?

At a guess; commands respect and has brought in players he feels can implement his philosophy and style of play.

Added grit, determination and unity to the squad while setting realistic (or perhaps slightly low) expectations.

Think you're spot on there.

When JS said "we aren't good enough for promotion, we want mid table" or words to that effect I was initially a bit deflated as it seemed defeatist.

But if you're a player and a manager - like some of our previous ones - have said "we want promotion...", or "we want 100 goals" then it immediately sets a massive goal and each set back is a huge knock.

I can see there is now a "team" forming. Players really playing with passion and desire.

[dontbedaft]

A rare treat for me, living in Canada, to be able to contribute on one of these threads. There had been a huge turnover in playing perssonel since my previous game (season before last) so it took me a while to reliably identify all the players. I was sat close to the home dugout and found it really interesting to see Stam in action - he seemed to be delivering instructions on positioning to the players throughout the game, and they actively seemed to be listening and responding. I had come with high hopes of Swift after reading BFTGs so far this season but I only noticed the odd flash from him. McShane I was impressed by his composure on the ball because I had expected him to be more of a traditonal centre back and Harriot obviously made the goal with his acceleration and looked to be the primary attacking threat. Kermogant seemed to be playing quite deep and had some nice touches but did not seem to be a real targetman. Huddersfield were quite fortunate to not be down to 9 with how assertive the ref was being about dissent. Just before half-time one of their players reacting angrily to be penalised and the ref started to make a beeline towards him reaching for his pocket for what I think would have been a second yellow but the Hudderfield captain intervened and calmed the situation down, and there was some terrible play-acting from Kachungo in particular, some of which was effective and drew freekicks but the ref dismissed some as well and could have given a second yellow for some of that. On one occasion Kachungo did the classic sniper bullet collapse and roll holding his face because his hand has pushed away at waist level. The Gunter challenge was a little clumsy and warranted a booking but was just about on the half-way line so I think it would have been a stretch to have given a straight red for it. I enjoyed the game a lot and feel optimistic that we should have a reasonable season.

[Ian Herring]

Stam's team is encouraging me to buy tickets to games at the Spakker Dome again.

Certainly got my money's worth yesterday afternoon. And on my way in to town, with beautiful blue skies and a warm Indian summer breeze rippling the trees and blowing up skirts, I was actually looking forward to it all.

Watched the first half from the top of the Eamonn Dolan stand. What a view of the pitch, I had forgotten how good that is.

First half - for me - showed just how much this team is gelling. Some of what Stam seems to be instilling appeared to be becoming second nature to most of the players. I had expected Huddersfield to live up to their position as league leaders and the reports of their style of play so far this season. Reading made them look tame and ordinary - without seeming to have to do too much more than retain possession.

What looked even better from 'pigeon point' was some of the creative play. There were a number of moves where the angular passing and running suddenly opened a vast swathe of space for us to attack - which we did. At those points the Huddersfield players seemed to have been spending most of their time looking back over their shoulders as play switched direction before they could get themselves near the first point of triangulation. And thank bollox it's not 'tikka-tikka' or whatever the dribbling TV morons call it - instead it reminded me of some of the great zonal play from sides like Germany and Holland in the 1970s. Really good to watch and stuff you just could not take your eyes off.

The goal was absolutely deserved and a reward for patience, discipline, confidence and team spirit. A second goal would not have been an unfair reflection of the play.

Parra? Got what he deserved. And the visitors could not have complained if another of their players had received the same fate not long afterwards.

I watched the second half from the front of Y26 (I'm not explaining on here how I managed this) and I'm glad I did. Because I saw a defensive performance from the Royals that exemplified just how much team spirit and determination Stam has brought into this squad in a short space of time. And a little note to the people here who have described the second half performance as a 'shambles' or 'ultra-defensive' - that, in my mind, is scornful of both the Rz and the 'Udders - whom both approached the second half with a full-blooded display of wanting to win and not wanting to lose.

The ten-men visitors flung the lot at the Royals, and it built like waves of pressure - roared on by some excellent visiting support free of the usual big-club bollox you get from more than many who come her. Now you could see them unleashed somewhat and realise fully how they had claimed top spot in Division Two by the end days of September.

Equally you could see why the Royals were a place or two behind in the league themselves. I haven't seen last-ditch defending like that from a Reading team since, perhaps, that rain-sodden night when that iconic photograph of Ibrahima Sonko was taken with his gleaming schwad rising above the shoulders of seven Southampton defenders. Time and time again a cross would come in from the high-revving Huddersfield team and time and time again a Reading head would meet the ball to clear it - neck tendons stretching and arms and shoulders pushing for control. Instinctive, unthinking, winning effort and instinct. Yes, the visitors could have put a couple of chances away, but credit to Reading, it was us that had put them under that kind of pressure to respond in the first place, and it was us that defended so doggedly that it raised their anxiety levels to just a high enough level that they would grab at the chances with desperation rather than calmly finish.

I haven't enjoyed a game at the Mad Stad like this for a long, long time indeed. And I have a (good) feeling that there will be more like this to come in the next few months.

We are far from the finished article yet, but it is brewing nicely. You can see it in the player's body language, and in Stam's demeanour.

Fans: In the ground, good passion and piss-taking. But a word for the visitors - in the town before and after the game they drank and engaged with Royals fans with some real friendship and good humour. Very nice individuals indeed, in the main. Nice people. You'd wish them well for the rest of the season.

[genome]

Brilliant post as usual Ian.

[Sutekh]

Anyone care to suggest what it is that has allowed Stam (untried, inexperienced in this county and league) to look like he knows what he is doing when recent managers with more experience have struggled ?
Beginners luck ?

I doubt it is totally down to Stam, remember he has Andries Ulderink and Said Bakkati alongside him as part of his "management" team plus the contribution of Dave Beasant and Steven Reid on the coaching side.

And Dave Beasant is presumably working well with the keepers as Habsi doesn't seem to be quite as "dangerous" with the ball when outfield players pass to him as he was a few weeks ago.

[Sutekh]

Enjoyed it today but spent whole of half time queueing on the concourse. The agency staff need better supervision.

This has been going on years. What is it like as a home fan at bigger clubs?

How do Chelsea/Man United/Liverpool fans get served at half time? I don't know why it's so bad. It's hardly a shock is it... They don't suddenly get caught off guard as 6000 fans (or whatever) come at half time.

Maybe they should sell bottles or something? I went to the Olympic stadium (West Ham ground) over the summer for a rugby game (it was shit), but they had massive buckets everywhere with ice and bottles in where you just threw £4 at the person next to it and grabbed one. It took around 1 second to get your drink.

...

On a separate note I bought a beer at the bit outside the east stand and also a bottle of water. Water cost £2.10 - nearly had a heart attack.

Rugby fans apparently don't hurl bottles at each other (or players) during the game whereas football fans would do.

[Sutekh]

Enjoyed it today but spent whole of half time queueing on the concourse. The agency staff need better supervision.

This has been going on years. What is it like as a home fan at bigger clubs?

How do Chelsea/Man United/Liverpool fans get served at half time? I don't know why it's so bad. It's hardly a shock is it... They don't suddenly get caught off guard as 6000 fans (or whatever) come at half time.

Maybe they should sell bottles or something? I went to the Olympic stadium (West Ham ground) over the summer for a rugby game (it was shit), but they had massive buckets everywhere with ice and bottles in where you just threw £4 at the person next to it and grabbed one. It took around 1 second to get your drink.

...

On a separate note I bought a beer at the bit outside the east stand and also a bottle of water. Water cost £2.10 - nearly had a heart attack.

Rugby fans apparently don't hurl bottles at each other (or players) during the game whereas football fans (obviously ) would do.

[Nameless]

Anyone care to suggest what it is that has allowed Stam (untried, inexperienced in this county and league) to look like he knows what he is doing when recent managers with more experience have struggled ?
Beginners luck ?

I doubt it is totally down to Stam, remember he has Andries Ulderink and Said Bakkati alongside him as part of his "management" team plus the contribution of Dave Beasant and Steven Reid on the coaching side.

And Dave Beasant is presumably working well with the keepers as Habsi doesn't seem to be quite as "dangerous" with the ball when outfield players pass to him as he was a few weeks ago.

Which adds an interesting extra dimension. For a rookie manager to manage to integrate half of a failed coaching regime with two foreign imports with whom he has a long connection is also quite impressive. I thought Reid would have gone when Clarke went as his appointment seemed like Clarke doing a mate a favour but for the team to gel on the pitch needs a good off field team too....

[genome]

I don't mean to jump the gun here but does the addition of Liam Moore and subsequent improvement remind anyone else of when we brought in Kaspars Gorkss?