Season 20/21: The Reading v Swansea City Match Thread

[LeonWasTheDog's]

Thankfully Reading still have to go to Norwich, so even if we lose here as looks likely we’ll probably still hang on to sixth even if we lose our last two. I can’t say I’m excited for the playoffs with the way we’ve been playing recently though.

The fact that we're even discussing hanging on to a playoff spot considering where we were a month or so ago is staggering.

Last 10 games we've got 11 points, which is 16th in the form table. Not the best.

 

[eteb]

Bidwell should not play in a back four. We’ve known that since early last season.

Mannings injured. So I suppose it’s amusing that the one time 3-5-2 makes some sense he didn’t do it.

Reading are terrible, but better than us. I still think we might well pull this out of the fire as both teams look so bad. We’re going down next year though unless we find ourselves a proper football manager.

Play naughts left back and Roberts right

 

[exiledclaseboy]

What can Cooper realistically do? At some point the players have to step up. No shots on target.

Do we even have a target?

 

[Captain_Sham]

This will be 6 defeats in 9. I have always said its a results business. I don't really care how we get the points, just so long as we do.
Simple mathematics. The sand of time have all but run out.

 

[bakajack]

Bidwell and Hourihane are bang out of form at the moment, Cooper doesn’t normally do half time changes but he needs to be decisive here

 

[Londonlisa2001]

We’re not losing this because of Cooper.

We’re losing this because Lowe and Cullen are just not very good. Everything bounces off them, their positional play is shocking, they make no effort to find space, and even when they inadvertently find themselves in space the ball isn’t controlled. It either goes to an opposing player or far enough away from the direction of travel that all momentum is lost and everyone is out of position. Added to that Hourihane’s almost comical lack of concentration and the lack of creative ability in midfield and it is what it is. Routledge stands out for his ability to control the ball. He looks like he always has time The others just don’t have the same ability.

 

[monmouth]

How many times has Lowe failed to keep control of the ball?

I know, but he is trying to do things. If I was a Cooperball forward I’d spend the whole match weeping uncontrollably.

 

[Captain_Sham]

What can Cooper realistically do? At some point the players have to step up. No shots on target.

Do we even have a target?

Well our initial target is no longer achievable. (0-0)

 

[Skippyjack]

We've been a dead horse for a while and Cooper is still flogging it, he's a busted flush, a fraud and a coward.

 

[Baron Goblet]

Not sure how anyone can describe Reading as terrible

 

[eteb]

We’re not losing this because of Cooper.

We’re losing this because Lowe and Cullen are just not very good. Everything bounces off them, their positional play is shocking, they make no effort to find space, and even when they inadvertently find themselves in space the ball isn’t controlled. It either goes to an opposing player or far enough away from the direction of travel that all momentum is lost and everyone is out of position. Added to that Hourihane’s almost comical lack of concentration and the lack of creative ability in midfield and it is what it is. Routledge stands out for his ability to control the ball. He looks like he always has time The others just don’t have the same ability.

Afternoon Mrs Cooper

 

[Fireboy]

The best through ball Hourihane has played all game has been to a reading player. That aside he almost always goes backwards and kills any momentum from breaking the lines.

Pull him off and put on Ayew at half time and put Routs in centre midfield

Id stick smith on for hourihane, sit him in front of the back 4 and push grimes further upfield.

If ayew is on the bench he must be fit so I'd keep him back until 60 mins in, id also stick whittaker on at 60 with ayew.

 

[monmouth]

Mannings injured. So I suppose it’s amusing that the one time 3-5-2 makes some sense he didn’t do it.

Reading are terrible, but better than us. I still think we might well pull this out of the fire as both teams look so bad. We’re going down next year though unless we find ourselves a proper football manager.

Play naughts left back and Roberts right

That makes sense.

 

[Itchysphincter]

We’re not losing this because of Cooper.

We’re losing this because Lowe and Cullen are just not very good. Everything bounces off them, their positional play is shocking, they make no effort to find space, and even when they inadvertently find themselves in space the ball isn’t controlled. It either goes to an opposing player or far enough away from the direction of travel that all momentum is lost and everyone is out of position. Added to that Hourihane’s almost comical lack of concentration and the lack of creative ability in midfield and it is what it is. Routledge stands out for his ability to control the ball. He looks like he always has time The others just don’t have the same ability.

You really think a decent manager couldn’t get more out of them? The players are good enough. Odd that you’ve taken this particular stance at this time.

 

[3swan]

They don’t want it do they? They couldn’t give a s**t, or they are so drilled to jog around doing nothing they can’t do anything different. Hourihane looks like a terrible football player in this system.

The weird thing is, when Reading scored I just said ‘oh great ball, good goal’. My wife said, what’s happened to you?

That's the main problem, we do not around for 80 mins and then in the odd game we up our tempo. There is nothing left in the team, it really is embarrassing to see considering what is supposedly at stake