Back from the game - Ipswich

[kwik-silva]

Pretty dismal performance and were lucky to come out with something. Gunter had an opportunity to get a foot in just before the shot came which he didn't take and were taken apart too easily for the second goal. Fairly lucky with the Obita goal (thought the keeper should have done better) but glad to see that he's still got it, and again the keeper went down early for Mutch's goal which made it much easier than it could have been.

On the whole, Williams at RWB just didn't work - particularly with McCleary playing in a more legitimate forward role. Meant that Williams often became isolated. I think, although Beerens is not always the best player on the pitch, the way we play with him is much more conducive to the way we like to attack. He often helps out on the left side and McCleary takes the right side which gives us options going forward.

First game I've seen where we looked too lightweight as well - Kelly got bullied off the ball a lot but again the little triangles that help us go forward just didn't materialise (we switched back to having five forwards like we did for large parts under Adkins/Clarke). Swift was poor, and I don't think that was just down to the knock he suffered when he fell over - had it around the edge of the box a couple of times and just lost it.

Does anybody else hate the 'attack' chant? And just general impatience to get the ball forward? You can't chant about Stam and then completely reject his ideology - which has got us to third in the table no less.

[Hound]

Agree on the attack chants - 6th highest scorers in the division as well

[OLLIE KEARNS]

Gunter defo at fault for the first .. what's happened to Watson ? .. would rather see him in the team tbh ..

Looked like Gunter was more or less the last man for me on their first so if he'd lunged in he could have won the ball but equally he could have been beaten and left Lawrence with a simpler one on one or, worst case, taken Lawrence out altogether then adjudged by the ref to have committed a professional foul and possibly been sent off. Therefore backing off was the right thing to do. What I think he could have done better though was showing Lawrence towards the touchline but, not being a professional footballer myself, how easy that actually is to do in that situation I'm not sure.

Second goal both centre backs were just, well, hopelessly caught far too square.

If only we'd taken the game to Ipswich from the off the outcome would have been better in my opinion. But that just doesn't seem to be Reading's game.

In fairness, I thought he did the right thing initially in delaying so that others could get back in. However, once he'd done that (Obita was back and Swift / Blackett were closing in) he should have either made a tackle outside the box or shown Lawrence inside onto his wrong foot and into covering players. Unfortunately he didn't actually do anything other than let Lawrence get 10 yards from goal on his right foot.
There was also an Ipswich player making a run down the outside but you'd have much rather seen Lawrence forced to pass it to him than get a shot away himself as the outcome was pretty inevitable based on his recent form.
Again, it all comes down to opinion, but I'd much rather see someone try to prevent something and fail as opposed to defending like that.

[handbags_harris]

Gunter defo at fault for the first .. what's happened to Watson ? .. would rather see him in the team tbh ..

Looked like Gunter was more or less the last man for me on their first so if he'd lunged in he could have won the ball but equally he could have been beaten and left Lawrence with a simpler one on one or, worst case, taken Lawrence out altogether then adjudged by the ref to have committed a professional foul and possibly been sent off. Therefore backing off was the right thing to do. What I think he could have done better though was showing Lawrence towards the touchline but, not being a professional footballer myself, how easy that actually is to do in that situation I'm not sure.

Second goal both centre backs were just, well, hopelessly caught far too square.

If only we'd taken the game to Ipswich from the off the outcome would have been better in my opinion. But that just doesn't seem to be Reading's game.

In fairness, I thought he did the right thing initially in delaying so that others could get back in. However, once he'd done that (Obita was back and Swift / Blackett were closing in) he should have either made a tackle outside the box or shown Lawrence inside onto his wrong foot and into covering players. Unfortunately he didn't actually do anything other than let Lawrence get 10 yards from goal on his right foot.
There was also an Ipswich player making a run down the outside but you'd have much rather seen Lawrence forced to pass it to him than get a shot away himself as the outcome was pretty inevitable based on his recent form.
Again, it all comes down to opinion, but I'd much rather see someone try to prevent something and fail as opposed to defending like that.

Well quite. Backing off and backing off served Gunter, or al-Habsi, no good whatsoever. Very often you see players backing off but he simply shouldn't have backed off at the rate he did, or in the direction he did. He could have either (in no order of preference):-

1) Shown the lad wide early. If he gets into a running race with Lawrence then do so, I'd back Gunter to at least match Lawrence in that circumstance.
2) Commit to the tackle well outside the area. Get it right brilliant. get it wrong, take one for the team, and probably end up with a red card.
3) Show him inside early and on to his weaker foot, again back yourself in a running race. At the very least you hold up his progress.

Instead he did nothing, allowed Lawrence a free run into the area and shot, and got punished. He has to at the very least make the player make a decision, and he failed to do so.

[Ian Royal]

Yeah, you back off to allow the distance to close so you can affect the player without having to overcommit or get caught flatfooted.

Gunter let the distance stay too big too long to the point where Lawrence wasn't impeded in shooting in the slightest.

[Emeraldroyal]

Yeah, you back off to allow the distance to close so you can affect the player without having to overcommit or get caught flatfooted.

Gunter let the distance stay too big too long to the point where Lawrence wasn't impeded in shooting in the slightest.

This 100% and witnessed in the flesh. Our whole support screamed at him in unison.

Bless

[Ian Royal]

Yeah, you back off to allow the distance to close so you can affect the player without having to overcommit or get caught flatfooted.

Gunter let the distance stay too big too long to the point where Lawrence wasn't impeded in shooting in the slightest.

This 100% and witnessed in the flesh. Our whole support screamed at him in unison.

Bless

Having watched it again, I don't think he's any less to blame, but he wasn't helped by (I think) Obita running back in parallel with the Ipswich run rather than coming across, or Swift's I'll track to make it look like I try defensively, but won't actually make any effort to do anything to actively get involved.

Gunter looked like he had a 'mare in general from the extended highlights, and I can see why people were saying Swift had a shocker too.

Grabban and Mutch looked decent from what little there was on show from them.

[Emeraldroyal]

Yeah, you back off to allow the distance to close so you can affect the player without having to overcommit or get caught flatfooted.

Gunter let the distance stay too big too long to the point where Lawrence wasn't impeded in shooting in the slightest.

This 100% and witnessed in the flesh. Our whole support screamed at him in unison.

Bless

Having watched it again, I don't think he's any less to blame, but he wasn't helped by (I think) Obita running back in parallel with the Ipswich run rather than coming across, or Swift's I'll track to make it look like I try defensively, but won't actually make any effort to do anything to actively get involved.

Gunter looked like he had a 'mare in general from the extended highlights, and I can see why people were saying Swift had a shocker too.

Grabban and Mutch looked decent from what little there was on show from them.

Could be debated all day but Gunter was the sole player who could have had a positive influence by simply getting stuck in and he didn't.
Watched it again just now and swift was clearly carrying an injury. Drifted back almost nonchalantly and gives up before Lawrence strikes the ball !!

It's done now. JS will have had a word I'm sure.

[AthleticoSpizz]

Remember some of the "intelligence reports" on JS at the time of his signing, including his tendancy to drift into laziness on occasions.
Cannot say that I've seen much evidence of it myself....but maybe you just did....or maybe, just like you say, he's carrying an injury.

[CountryRoyal]

Remember some of the "intelligence reports" on JS at the time of his signing, including his tendancy to drift into laziness on occasions.
Cannot say that I've seen much evidence of it myself....but maybe you just did....or maybe, just like you say, he's carrying an injury.

The moment that sticks out regarding laziness was a couple of games ago (Cardiff maybe?) where he didn't continue his run into the box when Kermorgant crossed.

For me his recent performances have been reminiscent of not being full match fit (initially) and then consequently suffering from a lack of confidence thereafter. He's gotten worse with each game. It's a lot of sloppy individual mistakes which you've can't really workout why. Heavy touches, falling over, turning the wrong way... etc. All of this and he still will come up with a match defining moment so I can see the argument of him starting, but Stam was 100% correct taking him off at half time.

[marlowuk]

And it's getting confusing when JS can refer to John Swift or Jaap Stam!!

[Flyingkiwi]

Yeah, you back off to allow the distance to close so you can affect the player without having to overcommit or get caught flatfooted.

Gunter let the distance stay too big too long to the point where Lawrence wasn't impeded in shooting in the slightest.

This 100% and witnessed in the flesh. Our whole support screamed at him in unison.

Bless

You mean for their 2nd?

Ij was like the parting of the Red Sea. Our defender back-pedaling and then getting stuck out wide as this chasm opened up in the centre and everybody could see what was coming.

And I did, indeed, say some naughty words.

[Hound]

Reckon Swift is just in need of a break. Been very intense in terms of number of games since he came back from a 2 month injury lay off.

We've got plenty of options to do that now if needs be