MATCHWATCH : Brentford (h)

[Royal_jimmy]

Extremely frustrated. Felt like we were holding on for a draw based on the tactics and 2 lapses in concentration at the end did for us. We deserve what we got. Didn't test their keeper at all 2nd half and Joao was poor when he did get the ball, otherwise he was isolated. Brentford will go up. They are the best side I've seen us face this season.

Hoping we can add a bit more depth this summer with players who aren't crocked for 20 matches a season.

[Sutekh]

Annoying thing of course is that Dasliva would have been suspended if the game had been played as originally scheduled

If only the club had managed to get deals for Rossi and Besic over the line in January things may have worked out differently tonight, instead we’re all yet again looking at the lack of depth and impact left on the bench after losing just 4 first teamers (Moore, Puscas, Meite and Swift).

Still if Reading can repeat that winning run that they had at the start of the season the pressure would really be on the top 3.

[URZZZZ]

I fear the lack of depth only compounds issues further. 10/11 players played 90+ in an end-to-end game increasing the load on their bodies and injury risk in training or the next match (in only 66 hours time...)

A fair few faded quite a bit in the last 20.

Tbf is happier seeing the likes of Esteves, Aluko and Baldock come on against Millwall. You could see Aluko just wasn’t up to the quality of this game

He played a couple of awful balls but in his defence, by the time he came on, we really were on the back foot, would have been more useful to change 2-3 others around too, admittedly that being hard with the lack of options

[Pepe the Horseman]

We play like that on Saturday we should batter Millllll. Just a shame our squad is so thin that Aluko is our only real option off the bench. Players should be proud of that performance, so hopefully heads stay high.

[Pepe the Horseman]

Also big up Tom McIntyre who kept the league's second best striker in his pocket for 85 mins.

[Zip]

We bought on Aluko they bought on Canos, that tells you the story really.

In truth yes but it’s a bit harsh on Aluko because we really did run out of steam and that’s not down to him. Brentford got stronger and we dropped deeper. They were on top and it was a matter of time before they scored. I don’t mind losing to a side as good as that.

Very important that we don’t drop off from here. I hope the players have light training before another slog of a game on Saturday. We really need Puscas back to take some of the workload because we are too reliant on Joao. When Joao is not in his game we carry him.

[Felt91]

I know we lack strength in depth but why we don’t chuck on one of the youngsters on nearer the end gets to me. Granted today was a “big game” so a lot to ask but the reluctance to do it in previous games where they could of showed a flash of something to mayb get them the nod when we fade In the last 10mins of “bigger” games. Onen must of been on the bench 10times this season and had 10mins at the end of a Norwich game.

We just look tired and out of ideas at the end of games.

[WestYorksRoyal]

Was it earlier in the season that Boro effectively got a free pass by playing Rotherham reserves because of Covid? Why did Brentford get to postpone? I'm particularly bitter because Dasilva was suspended for the original fixture.

Missing Swift and Meite today was massive. They had quality on the bench; we didn't. We're definitely moving in the right direction, but playoffs clearly a realistic ambition this season.

[Norfolk Royal]

You could point to a few unlucky breaks for us, Swift and Meite suddenly vanishing, individual errors, maybe should have had two or three in the first hal, Joao having a poor game etc.

But at the end of the day our lack of strength in depth was brutally exposed tonight when they brought on Canos who had an immediate effect and we brought on Aluko who kicked the ball out of play a couple of times.

We ran out of puff because we had no quality to bring on as subs while Brentford bided their time and took advantage of the situation.

Thought some of our players were excellent tonight though, Ejaria was on it and McIntyre had another stormer, but beaten by the slightly better team who maintained their shape and intensity better than us in the last quarter of the game.

[Hound]

Im pleased we had a go at them. It probably contributed to us tiring in the last 20, but too often seen weak and meek performances against good teams at home in recent times - the game against the same oppo last year being an example

Anyway

8 Morro, McIntyre
7 Laurent, Richards, Yiadom, Rino, Joao, Olise, Semedo, Ejaria
6 Rafael, Aluko

[Zip]

Was it earlier in the season that Boro effectively got a free pass by playing Rotherham reserves because of Covid? Why did Brentford get to postpone? I'm particularly bitter because Dasilva was suspended for the original fixture.

Missing Swift and Meite today was massive. They had quality on the bench; we didn't. We're definitely moving in the right direction, but playoffs clearly a realistic ambition this season.

Swift has a soft tissue injury and is out for a minimum of two weeks. Not sure about Meite but with games coming thick and fast it’s very frustrating.

[Zip]

You could point to a few unlucky breaks for us, Swift and Meite suddenly vanishing, individual errors, maybe should have had two or three in the first hal, Joao having a poor game etc.

But at the end of the day our lack of strength in depth was brutally exposed tonight when they brought on Canos who had an immediate effect and we brought on Aluko who kicked the ball out of play a couple of times.

We ran out of puff because we had no quality to bring on as subs while Brentford bided their time and took advantage of the situation.

Thought some of our players were excellent tonight though, Ejaria was on it and McIntyre had another stormer, but beaten by the slightly better team who maintained their shape and intensity better than us in the last quarter of the game.

Agreed Norrers. I think we could have made more subs. Esteves or Holmes for Yiadom. Tetek for Olise. Just to freshen things up a bit. We looked very tired going into the latter part of the game.

[Notts Royal]

I still think squad depth is a very tough thing to balance. We basically have the same players as we had last season but they’re performing much better...no doubt part of that is due to it being much smaller & close knit, with consistency in team selection.

Yes we need 1-2 more, or we need to replace our players with players of a similar standard who aren’t so injury prone!

But the approach this season is much improved to previous years of signing 5+ every window

[Lower West]

The team is built around Joao. Puscas is a different type of player. Would struggle in this formation to score.

[WestYorksRoyal]

I still think squad depth is a very tough thing to balance. We basically have the same players as we had last season but they’re performing much better...no doubt part of that is due to it being much smaller & close knit, with consistency in team selection.

Yes we need 1-2 more, or we need to replace our players with players of a similar standard who aren’t so injury prone!

But the approach this season is much improved to previous years of signing 5+ every window

You only need to look at the top 2 to see that evolution over a few years is the way to build a quality, consistent squad. If we knee jerk to missing out on promotion by signing 6 or 7 new players this summer don't expect any progress. Add in a few pieces of real quality and finish higher next season instead.

[Bristol Paul]

@ HT

I hate being right.

Not a difficult one to call to be fair Sherlock.

You didn't

Correction, I didn’t plaster it on Hob Nob, half the board probably thought it

[Zip]

I still think squad depth is a very tough thing to balance. We basically have the same players as we had last season but they’re performing much better...no doubt part of that is due to it being much smaller & close knit, with consistency in team selection.

Yes we need 1-2 more, or we need to replace our players with players of a similar standard who aren’t so injury prone!

But the approach this season is much improved to previous years of signing 5+ every window

You only need to look at the top 2 to see that evolution over a few years is the way to build a quality, consistent squad. If we knee jerk to missing out on promotion by signing 6 or 7 new players this summer don't expect any progress. Add in a few pieces of real quality and finish higher next season instead.

The problem will be keeping the squad together. Richards, Olise, Swift, Joao etc could all attract a lot of interest.

[Zip]

Bottom line. We have lost 8 already this season. That’s too may at this stage of the season for top two.

[South Coast Royal]

Enjoyable game to watch with both teams wanting to attack even if eventually there were very few shots in the game.

I know we, as fans, see it all like Championship Manager but , to a man, posters all said during the transfer window that we needed more to make a real challenge.

When Aluko trots on to the pitch does anybody feel that here comes a game changer?.
Fine if it were over 50s walking football but he really offers so little and I would sooner have seen Esteves come on or even Holmes at centre-back with McIntyre into midfield but Aluko.....no.

It's all very well going on about the difference Swift and Meite would have made as starters but I felt Semedo had a decent game in linking play and Olise played well and he would probably have been the one missing out for Meite.

So it's play-offs, which represents a really good season, and the lottery of those games but the shame is that we do know that boosting the squad could well have seen us over the line.
The other contenders brought players in and we didn't (for whatever reason) and this season is such a good opportunity that all the good work so far could well be wasted.
Am feeling a bit depressed despite seeing us match the best side in the division for 85 minutes and yet we end up losing 3-1 to them again.

The feeling is a bit like the Bolton play-off final when it turned out to be a game too far for players that were knackered or injured.
On the other hand tomorrow is another day and Norwich, Swansea, Watford and Bournemouth may all have a dire end to the season and we can look back and laugh at our (my) lack of faith.

[genome]

Bottom line. We have lost 8 already this season. That’s too may at this stage of the season for top two.

Yeah. It'll need a 2011-12 style run to break the top 2 from here I think. Brentford to win the league with Swansea in 2nd, and then hopefully we can finally break our playoff hoodoo...