Reading Post Match Thoughts

[millertop]

Yes we have three available wingers but insist on putting Wiles there’s 🙄

[flourbasher]

Really don't agree.

3/4 opportunities that we didn't come close on scoring from, we had 63% possession across the 90+ minutes and you think that 3-4 opportunities is okay?

In contrast, Reading had 37% possession, created 4-5 opportunities and scored 3 albeit one was a penalty.

Well one of those by Hirst was cleared off the line so I'm not sure how close you want our chances to be.

Other sides, like Reading, are going to have more chances than us because they have better midfielders and strikers because they can pay them more.

My point is that RUFC are going to get less chances so we need to make them count

Ladapo makes a great chance out of nothing, so credit to him for that, but he hits its straight at the keeper. With the speed he hit it and if puts it either side then the keeper has no chance

Smith breaks down the right free in space with Reading in panic and facing their own goal and if the cross finds our player then it should be put away

Two out of those three and we might have got something

Just to repeat a point made yesterday that Reading have only conceded one goal so as they are a bit frugal in defence then perhaps we didn't do too badly. Need to do better with the chances we have

[PerigordMiller]

Easy to be negative after we lose 3-0.

The passing game we played in the first half was some of the best I've ever seen from a Millers team. Ever. Yes we lack a cutting edge, but we are not giving the ball straight back to the opposition like we did 2 years ago. Obviously devastating to go one down from their first touch in our area.

We need a supply of goals from somewhere, and I think they may come - last year Crooks weighed in with quite a few, but hasn't looked like it so far. He'll come good again.

Also need to remember that we were playing against, so far, the best defence in this league.

[Grist_To_The_Mill]

Easy to be negative after we lose 3-0.

The passing game we played in the first half was some of the best I've ever seen from a Millers team. Ever. Yes we lack a cutting edge, but we are not giving the ball straight back to the opposition like we did 2 years ago. Obviously devastating to go one down from their first touch in our area.

We need a supply of goals from somewhere, and I think they may come - last year Crooks weighed in with quite a few, but hasn't looked like it so far. He'll come good again.

Also need to remember that we were playing against, so far, the best defence in this league.

Yes, Crooks and Ladapo got a few between them last season, but where were they yesterday?

And yes, Reading seem to have a frugal defence, but maybe that’s down to them camping out in the opposition’s half of the pitch thus reducing attempts on their goal?

[Windy442]

I don't understand why you are bigging Sadlier up so much. From what we've seen so far he's average at best, his end product is poor and he repeatedly loses possession. Apart from that he's the obvious answer 😉

Im not "bigging" anyone up MM. He played across our first three game when as a side we were playing very poorly and we couldn't string three passes together, so getting on the ball and making things happen was nye on impossible. He also came into the group from five months without football so was a good few weeks behind the rest in fitness and sharpness. In his last full game we had our backs against the wall for the entire second half against Huddersfield trying to hang onto a 1-0 lead and he spent the mot of the game covering his LB, yet he was named in the Championship side of the week but been dropped since.

The two areas that you you say he's poor at are a complete contradiction to what I have watched this season and last, his distribution is very good and he rarely gives the ball away.

Maybe, instead of being so keen to score points with your put downs are barbed comments, maybe take some time to watch the lad over a few games and we can then discuss it again.

[Grist_To_The_Mill]

Im not "bigging" anyone up MM. He played across our first three game when as a side we were playing very poorly and we couldn't string three passes together, so getting on the ball and making things happen was nye on impossible. He also came into the group from five months without football so was a good few weeks behind the rest in fitness and sharpness. In his last full game we had our backs against the wall for the entire second half against Huddersfield trying to hang onto a 1-0 lead and he spent the mot of the game covering his LB, yet he was named in the Championship side of the week but been dropped since.

The two areas that you you say he's poor at are a complete contradiction to what I have watched this season and last, his distribution is very good and he rarely gives the ball away.

Maybe, instead of being so keen to score points with your put downs are barbed comments, maybe take some time to watch the lad over a few games and we can then discuss it again.

From what I’ve seen via the vagaries of iFollow ( more accurately named I don’t follow) Sadlier seems to have done ok.

[millertop]

I think Sadlier is doing ok but I’d pick Miller over him to start atm, think both players offer something but need to get into the swing of things

[fc_miller]

Why not play Wiles in the advanced midfield / no10 role, leave MacDonald and Barlaser as holding cms. Don't think we should play Lindsay, MacDonald and Barlaser in same team, Lindsay could be used as cover for the MacDonald and Barlaser.

We do need stronger CH to go with Angus, Ihekwe is giving away too many mistakes. He was the one playing the first goal onside, when everyone else had stepped up.

[kevthemaltbymiller]

Warne needs to be more brave, he has fetched in players to create competition for places, ie he has 5 midfielder, 4 wingers etc... so he has to pick the players in there specialised positions instead of shoehorning them in the team which in my mind weakens the team. For example if he wants to play 3 in midfield he should choose the best 3 from Linsley, Crookes, Barlaser, Wiles & S.MacDonald and the same should apply for the wingers.

4411 is mine preferred set up for the championships as I think most teams play a five across the middle as it gives us a bit more steel in the middle of the park. My preferred middle three would be Barlaser, Wiles with Crookes in front of them. However S.MacDonald as been superb so Wiles would drop to the bench as I think we should have two of our specialist wingers on the pitch as well. Harsh on Wiles but he isn’t a winger and doesn’t have the greatest of pace nor much skill to dribble past a player IMO. I’m not for one minute saying Wiles isn’t a good player but in my opinion the others a better...

[BigLadonOS]

Played some good stuff throughout the game but I have to say that Warny got the formation wrong yesterday. 451 seems to be the only formation Warny plays away from home and I have to ask the question why?

You should always play a formation that the other team are vulnerable to and Warny missed a trick yesterday, a blind man could see before a bal was kicked that they would always struggle against 442 but it has always been clear that Paul does lack that little bit of tactical knowhow in this division and it showed yet again yesterday.