BFTG - PNE

[Victor Meldrew]

Have just read the stats for the game and apparently we had just 36% of possession , 1 corner compared to their 7 and we had 2 more shots than them.
IMHO it shows once more (Stam) that having the ball and doing nothing with it is nowhere near as good as not having the ball so much but being effective when you do.

Barcelona and City have a lot of possession and do a lot with it whereas when we used to dominate possession we did so little with it over these past 2 seasons.
Gomes has changed the way we play, admittedly with better players, and long may we play effective football rather than worry about possession stats and supposedly controlling the game.

[Henley Royal 1]

I was wondering driving back from the game last night where we would have been if we hadn't made these 5 loan signings-I believe we would have been where Bolton now are in the table or thereabouts.

Whoever was responsible for those signings saved our season- I'm sure Gomes has played his part in our upturn but I doubt that he would have done so well with the squad that we already had.

As others have said, a good first half yesterday and in the second we didn't know whether to stick or twist.
Looking ahead I feel that we might only need one more win and possibly a draw to be safe, a position that we could only hope and dream of back around Christmastime.

Without the loan signings we would be relegated the goalkeeper has made a huge difference.

Without the loanees we’d have struggled to get a side on the pitch at times. Impossible to underestimate what they have done for us.
Which is a bit of a shame really as I have always looked down on clubs whopack their teams with players from other clubs. One of the really good things about the 106 side was it was done without the aid of mercenaries (allowing for the fact that all players are mercenaries !)

Like wise i have always felt the loan system has been abused by both clubs though it appears to have saved us this season.

[Dave the rave]

Well that was a great day out. Finally.
I have to admit I don't get to go too often these days. This was my boy's 5th or sixth time and he's previously been treated to zero wins and one goal (Bristol City last season I think) so you can imagine how pleased he was to finally have some goals and a win to cheer.

Great atmosphere in and outside the ground today.

Not going to rate the players as can't remember who's who these days but just to say it's great to see some proper effort being put in. That's all I ask to be fair and if pro players are putting it in then you'll get some results. I was in the East and thought Swift's pass was lovely stuff. Outside and inside from the outside of the boot. I think I was shouting 'deserves a goal' and was duly delivered.

Scenes. My boy jumped up from under my chin and I've got 2 teeth marks in my inner lip. Who cares....
Second goal and he's somehow found his was on to my shoulders as we dance about.

Final shout out to the ticket pricing. Me, my boy and my mum all in for £27. Makes the cost of the £3.50 (truly awful) wedges slightly more bearable. At least cook the bleeding things!

Thought the day couldn't get any better when someone in front mentioned the Derby score.

Happy days. Would be gutted if we mess this up now.

[Hound]

Yep, you’re able to concede a point, and some aren’t (I’ll tell you a story one day )

any names Denver? And maybe you should share your story

[Denver Royal]

Dave the rave, nice write up, thanks for sharing.

'Outside and inside from the outside of the boot. I think I was shouting 'deserves a goal' and was duly delivered'.

Yep, a Hoddle-esque pass, if you will. And just prior, receiving the ball facing his own goal, he shielded the ball, turned, and shrugged off the challenge from the Preston player. 16,771 were there.

[Steve_Upper_West]

Couple of obscure stats from yesterday's game.

Meite's goal was his 8th in the league this season. He needs 1 more to "beat" Carl Asaba's obscure "record" of being RFC's lowest Highest League Scorer in a season. Asaba managed 8 league goals in Terry the Taxi's disastrous 2nd tier relegation team of 1997/98.

Only 2 players this season have been involved in every match squad to date. Andy Yiadom with 40 starts, 1 sub and 1 non-playing sub. Surprisingly the other one is John Swift, 31 starts, 6 subs and 5 non-playing subs. I always thought he was a bit of a "sick-note". Clearly I know nothing!

Thanks, interesting stats...

Had also noted Swift’s new found resilience, long may it continue - as we know a luxury player at times but has the quality to turn a game.

[Millsy]

Good game. Cant' fault a single player.

Swift's pass brilliant.

Both goals down to Barrow - his pace is electric and as I've always said it terrifies defences.

Anyone would've thought we were the playoff chasing team.

McShane - good to see him back and putting his decent effort in, but he obviously doesn't match our style of play.

[Old Man Andrews]

McShane - good to see him back and putting his decent effort in, but he obviously doesn't match our style of play.

He was oxf*rd shite, don't dress it up as anything other than that.

[NewCorkSeth]

McShane - good to see him back and putting his decent effort in, but he obviously doesn't match our style of play.

He was oxf*rd shite, don't dress it up as anything other than that.

Do you have a notification system for every time the words "McShane" or "Kelly" are posted?

[Old Man Andrews]

McShane - good to see him back and putting his decent effort in, but he obviously doesn't match our style of play.

He was oxf*rd shite, don't dress it up as anything other than that.

Do you have a notification system for every time the words "McShane" or "Kelly" are posted?

So I am wrong then? McShane was brilliant?

[NewCorkSeth]

He was oxf*rd shite, don't dress it up as anything other than that.

Do you have a notification system for every time the words "McShane" or "Kelly" are posted?

So I am wrong then? McShane was brilliant?

Oh God no. He was shite. I was disappointed he came on. I was worried after the last time we switched in a CB while leading a game and struggle to see how he is ahead of younger, brighter options. Especially considering Moore has been doing a good job as captain.

You're just very fast at finding any comment talking about either of the aforementioned players.

[Old Man Andrews]

Do you have a notification system for every time the words "McShane" or "Kelly" are posted?

So I am wrong then? McShane was brilliant?

Oh God no. He was shite. I was disappointed he came on. I was worried after the last time we switched in a CB while leading a game and struggle to see how he is ahead of younger, brighter options. Especially considering Moore has been doing a good job as captain.

You're just very fast at finding any comment talking about either of the aforementioned players.

When he jogged on and Moore gave him the armband I nearly threw up. McShane should have been publically stripped of the captaincy after the Blackburn horror show, Moore has earned the right to captain our club for me.

I won't lie I can't stand either Kelly or McShane. Thankfully they will both be shipped out in the summer thank god.

[NewCorkSeth]

So I am wrong then? McShane was brilliant?

Oh God no. He was shite. I was disappointed he came on. I was worried after the last time we switched in a CB while leading a game and struggle to see how he is ahead of younger, brighter options. Especially considering Moore has been doing a good job as captain.

You're just very fast at finding any comment talking about either of the aforementioned players.

When he jogged on and Moore gave him the armband I nearly threw up. McShane should have been publically stripped of the captaincy after the Blackburn horror show, Moore has earned the right to captain our club for me.

I won't lie I can't stand either Kelly or McShane. Thankfully they will both be shipped out in the summer thank god.

Oh I know your feelings on them fairly well at this point! I dont hate them but they declined so much over the last 2 seasons that we (a club barely surviving in truth) have moved past both of them.

[72 bus]

Good game. Cant' fault a single player.

Swift's pass brilliant.

Both goals down to Barrow - his pace is electric and as I've always said it terrifies defences.

Anyone would've thought we were the playoff chasing team.

McShane - good to see him back and putting his decent effort in, but he obviously doesn't match our style of play.

Putting his decent effort in ?
He was shocking mate.

[Dave the rave]

Dave the rave, nice write up, thanks for sharing.

'Outside and inside from the outside of the boot. I think I was shouting 'deserves a goal' and was duly delivered'.

Yep, a Hoddle-esque pass, if you will. And just prior, receiving the ball facing his own goal, he shielded the ball, turned, and shrugged off the challenge from the Preston player. 16,771 were there.

You're welcome

[Millsy]

Good game. Cant' fault a single player.

Swift's pass brilliant.

Both goals down to Barrow - his pace is electric and as I've always said it terrifies defences.

Anyone would've thought we were the playoff chasing team.

McShane - good to see him back and putting his decent effort in, but he obviously doesn't match our style of play.

Putting his decent effort in ?
He was shocking mate.

It was good to see him back.

He did put in decent effort (i.e. he tried hard), doesn't mean the result was good enough.

I think most people will read "but he obviously doesn't match our style of play" correctly as "he was flipping awful and should never play for us again", but I don't like being so explicit after a positive result. Positive result = positive post.

Had we lost and I been angry you can be sure I'd be wording it a bit less diplomatically!

[Forbury Lion]

Have just read the stats for the game and apparently we had just 36% of possession , 1 corner compared to their 7 and we had 2 more shots than them.
IMHO it shows once more (Stam) that having the ball and doing nothing with it is nowhere near as good as not having the ball so much but being effective when you do.

Barcelona and City have a lot of possession and do a lot with it whereas when we used to dominate possession we did so little with it over these past 2 seasons.
Gomes has changed the way we play, admittedly with better players, and long may we play effective football rather than worry about possession stats and supposedly controlling the game.

Reminds me of the philosophy of Brian McDermott's title winning side where they were happy to let the opposition have the ball in areas where they couldn't do anything with it

[Mr Optimist]

After the first few minutes on Saturday I thought we might be in for a good afternoon as Preston weren't doing what most teams do against us, which is close us down quickly, reduce our time on the ball, and force us into silly errors and gifts for the opposition.

I was really surprised by that as I was expecting to see that being their main tactic to squeeze the space, but they were quite happy to sit off us.

The part Martinez is playing for us is huge as you can see how the confidence is growing from the back from having a "proper" keeper there.

Any news on Mo and if he will be out for long? Similarly hopefully Swifty just went off as a precaution.

[Denver Royal]

After the first few minutes on Saturday I thought we might be in for a good afternoon as Preston weren't doing what most teams do against us, which is close us down quickly, reduce our time on the ball, and force us into silly errors and gifts for the opposition.

I was really surprised by that as I was expecting to see that being their main tactic to squeeze the space, but they were quite happy to sit off us.

The part Martinez is playing for us is huge as you can see how the confidence is growing from the back from having a "proper" keeper there.

Any news on Mo and if he will be out for long? Similarly hopefully Swifty just went off as a precaution.

Good post. Yep, Preston came out flat and pedestrian. You're right, they sat off us, and it suited us. Surprising, given the tear they'd been on, and being in the playoff hunt, etc.
Alex Neil said afterwards that they were missing a few key players and that it showed. "We knew today was going to be a tough day for us. Reading are a very different type of team. We knew it was going to be a passing type of game, but we just didn’t really get in behind them".

That said, Barrow was crucial with his goal and the assist, because beyond that we didn't really have too many clear cut chances. Think their keeper only made one other save of note, which was a good save from Eja.

[NewCorkSeth]

After the first few minutes on Saturday I thought we might be in for a good afternoon as Preston weren't doing what most teams do against us, which is close us down quickly, reduce our time on the ball, and force us into silly errors and gifts for the opposition.

I was really surprised by that as I was expecting to see that being their main tactic to squeeze the space, but they were quite happy to sit off us.

The part Martinez is playing for us is huge as you can see how the confidence is growing from the back from having a "proper" keeper there.

Any news on Mo and if he will be out for long? Similarly hopefully Swifty just went off as a precaution.

Good post. Yep, Preston came out flat and pedestrian. And you're right, they sat off us, which suited us. Surprising, given the tear they'd been on, and being in the playoff hunt, etc.
Alex Neil said afterwards that they were missing a few key players and that it showed. "We knew today was going to be a tough day for us. Reading are a very different type of team. We knew it was going to be a passing type of game, but we just didn’t really get in behind them".

That said, Barrow was crucial with his goal and the assist, because beyond that we didn't really have too many clear chances. Think their keeper only made one other save of note, which was a good save from Eja.

I think there was just one more which was the cross Ejaria walked over. Had he made contact with it few keepers could have saved it.