Sherpa
First Team Player
- Joined
- Jul 1, 2020
- Messages
- 167
- Reaction score
- 0
I'm not sure whether the correct word is credit, respect or something else for Reading last night, but they deserve a mention for continuing to try and attack and play football throughout the 2nd half.
It would have been easy for them, particularly at 1-1 to just shut up shop, waste time and try and nick a draw, but one particular moment in the game gave me hope that we could do it. It was early/midway through the 2nd half, can't remember if it was still level or we were 2-1 up. Their keeper gathered the ball and instead of holding onto it like most keepers do, he immediately tried to launch an attack, and Reading continued to leave men up and attack us all through the game. Yes they could have scored on a number of occasions but for some poor finishing and some great defending by Guehi. but by attacking and leaving men up it kept the game open and gave us chances to get the goals we needed.
If they had just kept everyone behind the ball, i doubt we would be now in the play offs. Reading fans will probably say they were naive with 10 men, and if they had needed something from the game they may have played differently, but my heart lifted when i saw their keeper play the ball immediately after catching it.
It would have been easy for them, particularly at 1-1 to just shut up shop, waste time and try and nick a draw, but one particular moment in the game gave me hope that we could do it. It was early/midway through the 2nd half, can't remember if it was still level or we were 2-1 up. Their keeper gathered the ball and instead of holding onto it like most keepers do, he immediately tried to launch an attack, and Reading continued to leave men up and attack us all through the game. Yes they could have scored on a number of occasions but for some poor finishing and some great defending by Guehi. but by attacking and leaving men up it kept the game open and gave us chances to get the goals we needed.
If they had just kept everyone behind the ball, i doubt we would be now in the play offs. Reading fans will probably say they were naive with 10 men, and if they had needed something from the game they may have played differently, but my heart lifted when i saw their keeper play the ball immediately after catching it.
