Reading away match thread

[RedM]

9 minutes ago, Supersonic Robin said:

I find it incredible that stuff like this genuinely bothers some people.

And to suggest his reason for being sat down is that he's "bored, run out of ideas, or couldn't give a toss" is just ridiculous.

Look, I've just sat through that absolute shambles. I'll say what ever I flippin well want thanks.

Did he look like he had a clue how to get the players to get a grip of the game, nope. Maybe he was silently fuming or written the match off, who knows. But as the Manager he has to take some responsibility and not slump back and sit on his arse. 

[bexhill reds]

38 minutes ago, Marina's Rolls Royce said:

Yes- it does look that way.

My point has been and is that people  can't have it both ways....... 'We are a rubbish team with no talent "get rid" 'when we're doing badly and something which is beyond Nige's control yet when we have the odd game when we look very impressive(and we do) that it's totally down to Nige and his skill as a Manager.

In my opinion, neither the team nor the Manager look anything other than below average the majority of the time. We are not improving and this season after 17 games are looking increasingly suspect. The goals which were flowing have dried up and the mistakes are still legion.

It's just my opinion but the performances and results tell their own story.

 

For me, losing Naismith and trying to shoehorn Semenyo in has changed the way they play

[Mr Hankey]

30 minutes ago, Cardy said:

Pring needs to start next game. He made a difference today & has so much more desire to affect the game than Dasilva.

No, he absolutely doesn’t. Dasilva is crap, but Pring is ******* awful….same as O’leary.

Both players have come in to the team (after fans have called for them) over the past few seasons and done **** all…..then promptly get dropped again for 8 or 9 months until the next poor run. Sooner we get the likes of these out the club, the sooner we can kick on, easier said than done however especially in our financial situation.

[Cardy]

2 minutes ago, Mr Hankey said:

No, he absolutely doesn’t. Dasilva is crap, but Pring is ******* awful….same as O’leary.

Both players have come in to the team (after fans have called for them) over the past few seasons and done **** all…..then promptly get dropped again for 8 or 9 months until the next poor run. Sooner we get the likes of these out the club, the sooner we can kick on, easier said than done however especially in our financial situation.

We’re you there today?

[Marina's Rolls Royce]

Just now, bexhill reds said:

For me, losing Naismith and trying to shoehorn Semenyo in has changed the way they play

Agreed- despite Naismith giving people the colly wobbles with some of his wayward passes/gifts of possession- he also can completely change games and we are better with him playing than not.

Semenyo is a gem of a player but it's just not working with/for him at the moment. I'd definitely keep him as the impact sub but I guess it's not that simple.

[Chivs]

10 minutes ago, Marina's Rolls Royce said:

Agreed- despite Naismith giving people the colly wobbles with some of his wayward passes/gifts of possession- he also can completely change games and we are better with him playing than not.

Semenyo is a gem of a player but it's just not working with/for him at the moment. I'd definitely keep him as the impact sub but I guess it's not that simple.

Umm, right , really?  When?

Klose is the far better centre back despite today's mistake.

[Red Army 75]

Just got back , football absolutely dire , the day though was quality.

[Jerseybean]

Like us fans NP is far from happy post match: https://youtu.be/R1Ejv6MBHEA

[bexhill reds]

26 minutes ago, Chivs said:

Umm, right , really?  When?

Klose is the far better centre back despite today's mistake.

Problem is if Naismith had Klose’s defensive ability and Klose could bring the ball forward and deliver it like Naismith then neither would be earning a living at BS3 right now. Fact is we don’t look like scoring at present and we were pretty free flowing a couple of weeks ago. We’re getting into Football Manager territory now, but a back 4 with Naismith acting as a sweeper would be interesting, forget losing our wingbacks as they don’t / can’t cross

[1960maaan]

27 minutes ago, bexhill reds said:

For me, losing Naismith and trying to shoehorn Semenyo in has changed the way they play

Agree.
Klose for Naismith is , sort of, like for like. The standard of passing has dropped & Klose seems a little slower, but similar.
Semenyo is a one off, Wells and Conway looked a good pairing, with Weimann in behind. Even with AW misfiring, they looked as though they played well together. Bringing in Semenyo has upset the balance, though I get that it's hard to leave him out.

54 minutes ago, Shuffle said:

Spot on & Pring did more in 20 mins than Jay did. Wing backs are 100% our problem as essential that their delivery is spot on but both JD and Sykes rarely deliver. If they were on bonuses for hitting the first man they’d be millionaires! 

I like Pring, and after watching Jay continually hit the first man , or the far Stand, he has to get a run surely.

On todays showing, you could makes cases to drop Vyner, DaSilva , Klose , Sykes , actually almost any of them , could be "rested".
I did think Atkinson did OK and Williams and James didn't hit the depths of some. 

We dont have too many options, but Tanner for Sykes has to be worth think about. While I don't think we got the ball to him early enough, he turns back far too often. When he went on the front foot in that last 10 minutes, he looked far more effective.

If fit Kalas for Vyner ?

Pring for DaSilva seems obvious, Jay's crossing while never his strong point was shocking today.

Scott has been inconsistent, which is fair enough when you think of his age, but he won't be dropped.

Williams will be a question, if he is due his regular rest I'd want to keep the extra MF, we could even give Sykes the '10' role.

Weimann looks certain to come back so, I'd like to see him given a forward role. Maybe with Semenyo.

Some big decisions to be made, no one could be too upset about being dropped after today.

[ciderwithtommy]

Just spoke to Shane long in an Irish bar - this sounds like a joke I know, told me directly they knew we were soft at CB and needed to press us. Said they knew how good we can be, but they stopped us. Really really nice guy tbf, but please please please can our CBs read this and toughen up 

[Bristol Oil Services]

1 hour ago, RedM said:

Look, I've just sat through that absolute shambles. I'll say what ever I flippin well want thanks.

Did he look like he had a clue how to get the players to get a grip of the game, nope. Maybe he was silently fuming or written the match off, who knows. But as the Manager he has to take some responsibility and not slump back and sit on his arse. 

To be fair to Nige, you were both sat on yer arse. For all we know, Nige might've glanced over and thought: well, if she's sat on her arse ....

[bexhill reds]

1 minute ago, 1960maaan said:

Agree.
Klose for Naismith is , sort of, like for like. The standard of passing has dropped & Klose seems a little slower, but similar.
Semenyo is a one off, Wells and Conway looked a good pairing, with Weimann in behind. Even with AW misfiring, they looked as though they played well together. Bringing in Semenyo has upset the balance, though I get that it's hard to leave him out.

I like Pring, and after watching Jay continually hit the first man , or the far Stand, he has to get a run surely.

On todays showing, you could makes cases to drop Vyner, DaSilva , Klose , Sykes , actually almost any of them , could be "rested".
I did think Atkinson did OK and Williams and James didn't hit the depths of some. 

We dont have too many options, but Tanner for Sykes has to be worth think about. While I don't think we got the ball to him early enough, he turns back far too often. When he went on the front foot in that last 10 minutes, he looked far more effective.

If fit Kalas for Vyner ?

Pring for DaSilva seems obvious, Jay's crossing while never his strong point was shocking today.

Scott has been inconsistent, which is fair enough when you think of his age, but he won't be dropped.

Williams will be a question, if he is due his regular rest I'd want to keep the extra MF, we could even give Sykes the '10' role.

Weimann looks certain to come back so, I'd like to see him given a forward role. Maybe with Semenyo.

Some big decisions to be made, no one could be too upset about being dropped after today.

Who’d be a manager.

For me go back to the group that got us purring at the start of the season, and play to their strengths namely quick little through-balls and give and go’s, lumping forward doesn’t suit Wells. Chuck Semenyo on as an impact player, but he’s seems to be better wide than down through the middle as a 2.

Wing-backs have got to be able to deliver a decent cross, the starting 2 of late can’t seem to manage that, at least Naismith can deliver a dead ball.

[Bristol Oil Services]

1 hour ago, Supersonic Robin said:

I find it incredible that stuff like this genuinely bothers some people.

And to suggest his reason for being sat down is that he's "bored, run out of ideas, or couldn't give a toss" is just ridiculous.

Alan Dicks sat on his arse during games for 13 years, and it never did us any harm. Well, not until Gary Collier took his classy  arse to Coventry 

[1960maaan]

9 minutes ago, bexhill reds said:

Who’d be a manager.   

For me go back to the group that got us purring at the start of the season, and play to their strengths namely quick little through-balls and give and go’s, lumping forward doesn’t suit Wells. Chuck Semenyo on as an impact player, but he’s seems to be better wide than down through the middle as a 2.

Wing-backs have got to be able to deliver a decent cross, the starting 2 of late can’t seem to manage that, at least Naismith can deliver a dead ball.

I keep saying, for his faults ,Naismith is a big miss. 
I' liked Tanner last year, and thought he was starting to look good. He also has an eye for a goal.
Pring is much more direct than Jay and his crossing can't be any worse.

We have options up front, but I think the problem has come from loosing that higher tempo passing game. The sooner Pearson can find a way to get that back, the better. We have started to go back to that Lump/chase football from a while back when we didn't get shots on target. 

[italian dave]

1 hour ago, Jerseybean said:

Like us fans NP is far from happy post match: https://youtu.be/R1Ejv6MBHEA

Like us fans, for sure. But unlike us fans he is in the position to do something about it.

I’m with @RedM and share her frustration. I’m fed up with reading that NP is a great bloke who “tells it like it is”. We can all tell it like it is….as the forum evidences. His job isn’t to tell us what we already know, it’s to fix it. 

[SouthS22]

That was depressing. Two away games this week, performances chalk and cheese. Only consistency was the support. Packed away end for both games, but really nothing to cheer about today. Could see their goal coming a mile off after that really poor start to the second half. Series of corners and it was inevitable that we were going to concede, and of course we did. 
 

Best way to describe that performance was limp. Players just didn’t seem up for it.  The 3 in midfield worked hard, so too did Wells and in parts also Semenyo. Scott probably our best player again. Zak and Jay on the other hand both had a really poor game, Jay the worst on the pitch, just nowhere near the pace and didn’t seem to have the energy or the desire to get up to it.
 

Pearson had to try something to change it up second half but why on earth did he take both Semenyo and Wells off? They were the only ones who remotely looked like they were going to make anything happen.  Weimann and Conway both ineffective, and though Martin got a few good touches in to link play he just looked unmotivated.

Teams seemed close in terms of quality overall, but where the margins are fine we lose because we still can’t defend set pieces. Such a big weakness in this league. 
 

 

[real_bristol]

Thoughts on the game, watched on Robins tv. A strong first half performance defensively, conceded too many set pieces but defended them very well. Needed to be quicker in tempo on the breaks, a game crying out for Weimann in that sense, but that could have been at the expense of a strong 1st half defensive display overall. Correct decision to keep with the same team for the start of the 2nd half. Another stupid set piece goal to concede, goalscorer unmarked in the end. A shame after probably 50 corners on the bounce which we’ve dealt with this game up to this point and v West Brom.

So we were forced to make attacking changes. Wells was fairly quiet so swapping him for Conway seemed fair. Weimann for Williams also fair for his energy. Martin for Semenyo fair but I’m less certain on that one because I think Semenyo was knocking at the door. He was a threat with the ball at his feet 1st half, but not as involved in the air as Martin is. On the flip side Martin is no where near as good as Semenyo with ball at feet, and does not have his strength with pace.

The subs seemed to click right away, the link up play between the 3 subs was good and a goal seemed to be coming.  Their game management ultimately cost us because it affected our tempo. The second goal, Klose clearly off the pace but we were all out offence at that point so it’s forgivable.

A draw would have been a fair result. It’s clear that we’re trying to get clean sheets now, probably due to the loss of Naismith. I also feel we’ve lost our tempo and “mojo” up front and because of our options he’s becoming a bit of a tinkerman, but I also feel he’s making correct changes at the right times. If we’d have equalised today, I feel we would have taken at least a point if not more.
 

Most importantly, no need to panic, our young guns are earning valuable experience right now and are getting stronger game by game. Nigel Pearson is essential for their development and the longer term ambitions of this team.

[Shuffle]

I was at both & as you say chalk and cheese.  The subs as you say we’re odd & as a defender I’d rather mark Martin & Conway than Wells and Semenyo.  Take one off maybe but what service did they have.  Personally, thought Vyner was ok whilst Klose, Sykes, Jay were shocking.  Also add in that thought that was Scott’s worst game for us so bad day all round.  Game of opinions but only person for me in credit was Williams.  Talk about highs and lows

[RedM]

32 minutes ago, italian dave said:

Like us fans, for sure. But unlike us fans he is in the position to do something about it.

I’m with @RedM and share her frustration. I’m fed up with reading that NP is a great bloke who “tells it like it is”. We can all tell it like it is….as the forum evidences. His job isn’t to tell us what we already know, it’s to fix it. 

Thank you. I don't usually let it get to me. I take the lows as well as any highs, but today for some reason it did frustrate me. 

I understand fully the financial situation we are in regarding players. We aren't finding much consistency, lurching from being able to hold our own at times to looking like strangers to eachother at others.

My main gripe for a while is that we appear to have no one to be a leader on the pitch, and now the person who has that role off the pitch, Pearson, looked like he was struggling to influence or motivate today too.

As I said before I can take the losing, if we put up a good fight and performance. When we don't it's increasingly hard to accept. If we invite that much pressure it was only a matter of time before we cracked.

[italian dave]

24 minutes ago, RedM said:

Thank you. I don't usually let it get to me. I take the lows as well as any highs, but today for some reason it did frustrate me. 

I understand fully the financial situation we are in regarding players. We aren't finding much consistency, lurching from being able to hold our own at times to looking like strangers to eachother at others.

My main gripe for a while is that we appear to have no one to be a leader on the pitch, and now the person who has that role off the pitch, Pearson, looked like he was struggling to influence or motivate today too.

As I said before I can take the losing, if we put up a good fight and performance. When we don't it's increasingly hard to accept. If we invite that much pressure it was only a matter of time before we cracked.

I felt just the same. Not helped by the fact that it was just such a poor game. We were probably worse at Birmingham, but at least Birmingham played some half decent football that was worth watching; for the most part I thought Reading were as tedious to watch as we were.

I’m not anti-Pearson. I’m never anti any City manager (with a couple of exceptions) because a) it’s not in my control whether they stay or not so why get worked up about it b) I’ve no idea what’s going on behind the scenes and c) I’d always rather that they stayed and turned the corner starting next game!

But I do think he needs to be accountable. And some of the comments here give him an easy ride on that score sometimes. 
‘he tells it like it is’ - as above

‘he’s got pedigree/experience/respect in the game’ - counts for nothing if we keep losing

’he’s got no money’ - see the thread on here elsewhere today, neither have plenty of other clubs

‘he needs time’ - he’s the fourth longest serving manager in the division.

Like I say, I really want him to do well here, and there are times when it seems like he’s managed to turn that corner…..which makes performances like today so frustrating. And I don’t really need him to sit there and watch and then tell me that! 

[RedM]

9 hours ago, italian dave said:

I felt just the same. Not helped by the fact that it was just such a poor game. We were probably worse at Birmingham, but at least Birmingham played some half decent football that was worth watching; for the most part I thought Reading were as tedious to watch as we were.

I’m not anti-Pearson. I’m never anti any City manager (with a couple of exceptions) because a) it’s not in my control whether they stay or not so why get worked up about it b) I’ve no idea what’s going on behind the scenes and c) I’d always rather that they stayed and turned the corner starting next game!

But I do think he needs to be accountable. And some of the comments here give him an easy ride on that score sometimes. 
‘he tells it like it is’ - as above

‘he’s got pedigree/experience/respect in the game’ - counts for nothing if we keep losing

’he’s got no money’ - see the thread on here elsewhere today, neither have plenty of other clubs

‘he needs time’ - he’s the fourth longest serving manager in the division.

Like I say, I really want him to do well here, and there are times when it seems like he’s managed to turn that corner…..which makes performances like today so frustrating. And I don’t really need him to sit there and watch and then tell me that! 

I agree. For the record I''m certainly not anti Pearson and I've pretty much supported any manager that we've ever had, often trusting other peoples knowledge and judgement until I see it isn't working with my own eyes. The vast majority of fans were delighted with Pearson's appointment and hailed him as our saviour. Even with the mess he inherited I've seen little to convince me he will be looked back fondly on as one of our greats.

As you say plenty of clubs are in similar or worse situations than us. Yes he has also had plenty of time. But in all honesty I don't think he knows his best team or formation at times. He has his own staff and oversees the coaching, so why does it often seem like players have no gameplan or how to play together?

I want him to do well, like i would any manager. But he isn't above being questioned as he is our Manager. He should be able to get more our of his players, or at least get them well drilled and up for each game, at the moment we get bullied too easily. 

 

[Jerseybean]

Player ratings: https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/bristol-city-player-ratings-reading-7735593

[Offside]

I’ve seen the highlights and their first goal is typical of our defending with their player unmarked. We give away goals so cheaply.