BFTG - Huddersfield (H)

[urz13]

Feds - 6
Gunter - 5
Hector - 7
Pearce - 7 loved the chip
Cummings - 6.5 unlucky to be subbed
Blackman - 6
Akpan - 5.5 despite my firm belief that he was at fault for the goal, he was better than Saturday. Still, he ONLY PASSES SIDEWAYS which I find incredibly frustrating
Obita - 7 much better at LB
Taylor - 6 ineffective
Cox - 7
Pogrebynak - 6 unlucky

Kuhl - 8 fantastic debut and helped Akpan out
Tanner - 6 had stars in his eyes a couple of times but some very encouraging moments
Mackie - 6.5 worked hard but didn't see much of the ball

Ref was shocking. Tactics were completely wrong in the first half, gave it a bit of a go in the second.

[DaveBanana]

ALSO. Blackman is mint this season - he skied a shot or two, but that was mostly for nostalgia and who can blame him, but he was possibly the only Reading player willing to run at their defence, and generally got past at least 2/3 before laying it off, falling over, or losing it. Ambition is there, and I think we're seeing what Adkins often refers to when he says how well Blackman trains. Shocking first season and a half, but I think theres a real diamond in there.

[sandman]

Feds - Could and probably should have done better for the second goal other than that not much to do. 6

Gunter - Back to his worst, totally dominated by their winger and majorly at fault for the second. 5
Hector - As good as he was Saturday he was equally as bad tonight. At fault for the first goal, he'll learn. 4
Pearce - Typical Pearcey performance. Solid and almost scored a great goal. 8 motm
Cummings - Out of position and it showed, no outlet offensively. 5

Akpan - Average first half. Improved second playing alongside Kuhl. 7
Obita - Much better second half playing in a left sided position than centrally in the first 7
Taylor - Anonymous, looks out of his depth at this level. 4
Blackman - Couple of good runs, drifted in and out of the game, should have done better with his shot in the first half that blazed over.
Cox - Took his goal well, still trying to find his role in the team. 6

Pog - Worked hard with little service. 6

subs:

Kuhl - My favourite from last seasons academy team and didn't disappoint on his debut. Drove the first team like he did the u18/21's. 7.5
Tanner - Very promising from him as well. 6
Mackie - Good cameo, look forward to seeing more of him. 7

[JordCot]

Christ I had almost forgot about Pearcy! If he had scored that chip I might of passed out

[winchester_royal]

Think you've got it pretty much spot on there Sandy.

[Tamworth_Royal]

One of those days. An early error from Hector cost us and from then on Huddersfield were content to make us try to hurt them. I thought we were always in it at 1-0 but concedeing that second did for us. Wayward shots. Dodgy refereeing and huddersfield time wasting after 35 minutes.

Akapan escapegoated from what I can see. He wasn't great again, but nowhere near as bad as many will say so I'm going to lay off him despite his flaws.

The left flank was a problem with cummings right footed and Taylor wanting to tuck in. We looked better with Obita back there. Decent debut from Kuhl, nothing to special. His sort though is more dependent on others to be able to play well than others are.

Mackie didn't impress but the game was largely a lost cause and I'm not gonna judge him on that.

Sure we had a nailed on penalty for Akpan.

We'll get rezults like that plenty this season. The thing to remember is its good learning experiences for the kids who'll get better with experience.

Fantastic analysis Ian-Royal from a match yet again you failed to attend, would you like to let us know your thoughts on the other 50 or so games played in the football league tonight or would that be the blind leading the blind ? in guessing what you saw on Sky Sports news 15 secs highlights of every game

[winchester_royal]

I don't think we're far off being really quite good. The passing and ball retention seems to be much better this season, as does the way we're pressing the ball, we just need to play midfielders that will move us up the pitch in the way Kuhl did this evening, and play with forwards that move into spaces that allow them to be found.

A couple of good additions and we'll be motoring imo, but tonight's result was always on the cards as our overall performances haven't been particularly good this past week.

[SCIAG]

I am incapable of having vaguely objective opinions right now.

Hector was having a really good game until he messed up for the goal (a small amount of blame could maybe be apportioned at Akpan's feet for not moving towards the ball quicker, but Hector is mostly to blame). After that, he went from playing killer passes and looking ridiculously confident to, well, not. He kept grabbing hold of opponents and giving away soft free kicks, imo he was lucky to not give away at least one penalty.

Pearcey was immense. A few overhit passes, he misjudged a bouncing ball and he definitely deserved his caution, but he was a calming presence at the back, brought the ball out from the back well and could have scored.

I thought Obita actually had a reasonable game in midfield and I wouldn't mind him playing there again, much improved after last season. He dropped into defence to make a back three and he kept play ticking over. However, we need him at left back. Cummings was fine, but he is very one footed and can't play around it. I would have no qualms with him playing at right back, particularly as Gunter hasn't quite hit his form of last season yet.

Akpan was mostly fine, there were a couple of cringeworthy moments including the worst pass of the night from a Reading player late on, but he surged forward well in the closing minutes. He's maybe too aggressive for this style (in terms of passing and runs rather than tackling, where he isn't nearly as reckless as Crawley fans made him out to be) but this was one of his better games. Never a 7/10 but also never a 4/10.

Blackman was excellent once again and unlucky to come off. Whilst there are questions over his final ball, the same is true over all our creative players right now, but he's by far the best dribbler of the three. I retract my previous negative remarks about him, even though they were right. He looks like he's stepped up a whole division in quality over the summer so it's like having a new player.

Cox and Taylor... meh. Taylor did his best stuff when he was briefly played through the middle, there were a couple of really exciting moves. Cox took his goal well and played one excellent flick to Pogrebnyak, but otherwise I was unimpressed. Is that the longest length of time it has taken for an outfield player to score for Reading after making their debut? 9 years? Murty grabbed one early on didn't he?

Pogrebnyak was mostly isolated, and blazed over his only chance. His link up play was decent.

Tanner is a real option off the bench. Mackie also looks good, as he should do really. I hope we see much more of both of them.

Kuhl missed a header so should never play for Reading again. Bring in Waritay against Forest.

[Thomas L'Heureux]

One of those days. An early error from Hector cost us and from then on Huddersfield were content to make us try to hurt them. I thought we were always in it at 1-0 but concedeing that second did for us. Wayward shots. Dodgy refereeing and huddersfield time wasting after 35 minutes.

Akapan escapegoated from what I can see. He wasn't great again, but nowhere near as bad as many will say so I'm going to lay off him despite his flaws.

The left flank was a problem with cummings right footed and Taylor wanting to tuck in. We looked better with Obita back there. Decent debut from Kuhl, nothing to special. His sort though is more dependent on others to be able to play well than others are.

Mackie didn't impress but the game was largely a lost cause and I'm not gonna judge him on that.

Sure we had a nailed on penalty for Akpan.

We'll get rezults like that plenty this season. The thing to remember is its good learning experiences for the kids who'll get better with experience.

Fantastic analysis Ian-Royal from a match yet again you failed to attend, would you like to let us know your thoughts on the other 50 or so games played in the football league tonight or would that be the blind leading the blind ? in guessing what you saw on Sky Sports news 15 secs highlights of every game

He lost me at 'escapegoated'.

Akpan definitely has to shoulder a lot of the blame for their first. I knew exactly what was coming when I saw him with his arms out asking for the ball just before Hector played it to him, as did Jacob Butterfield which was why he, a good five to ten yards away from Akpan at the time, managed to anticipate and ghost in ahead of him when the ball was played. Akpan should be coming to meet the ball and punching it back first time but instead he slows and has his pants pulled down through lack of awareness.

Having said that I do not sit pitch side and have no idea what, if any, the call was. Akpan definitely slows as the ball is played though.

[MmmMonsterMunch]

I don't think we're far off being really quite good. The passing and ball retention seems to be much better this season, as does the way we're pressing the ball, we just need to play midfielders that will move us up the pitch in the way Kuhl did this evening, and play with forwards that move into spaces that allow them to be found.

A couple of good additions and we'll be motoring imo, but tonight's result was always on the cards as our overall performances haven't been particularly good this past week.

Yep agree. Adkins said Guthrie could be in contention for Scunny which would be a well needed shot in the arm. Would like to see another LB, CF & CM come in & then I think we could be in good shape.

[P!ssed Off]

Today's performance/result vindicates those that refused to buy into Saturday's post-match hype.

Today's 1st half was absolute oxf*rd. And not too dissimilar from Saturday's game:
CM partnership was useless, no forward penetration whatsoever.
Attack was toothless, offering nothing.
Fullbacks couldn't cross the half-way line.

The only difference was Huddersfield, unlike Ipswich, did not gift us a goal, and, unlike Ipswich, they pressed us high.

The decision for Akpan and Obita to play virtually as CBs during the first half was absolutely stupid. Was it a spontaneous decision from them, or were they told to do it?
oxf*rd ridiculous either way, and it cost us with goals.

Can't give Hector all the blame for the 1st goal, he was being pinned back and pressed high by his own teammates for christ's sake.

As for Akpan played much better in the 2nd half, a few things he did well tbf, but tbh I think his teammates were pretty much ignoring him, in favour of passing to the calm and commanding Kuhl. Essentially, he looked more comfortable (less shit) because we didn't let him touch the ball.

[handbags_harris]

One of those days. An early error from Hector cost us and from then on Huddersfield were content to make us try to hurt them. I thought we were always in it at 1-0 but concedeing that second did for us. Wayward shots. Dodgy refereeing and huddersfield time wasting after 35 minutes.

Akapan escapegoated from what I can see. He wasn't great again, but nowhere near as bad as many will say so I'm going to lay off him despite his flaws.

The left flank was a problem with cummings right footed and Taylor wanting to tuck in. We looked better with Obita back there. Decent debut from Kuhl, nothing to special. His sort though is more dependent on others to be able to play well than others are.

Mackie didn't impress but the game was largely a lost cause and I'm not gonna judge him on that.

Sure we had a nailed on penalty for Akpan.

We'll get rezults like that plenty this season. The thing to remember is its good learning experiences for the kids who'll get better with experience.

Fantastic analysis Ian-Royal from a match yet again you failed to attend, would you like to let us know your thoughts on the other 50 or so games played in the football league tonight or would that be the blind leading the blind ? in guessing what you saw on Sky Sports news 15 secs highlights of every game

Sadly for you though, he was there, just like he will be for the vast majority of home games and a smattering of away games. Much like last season too.

Made yourself look a bit of a twat there haven't you?

[Thomas L'Heureux]

urz13, Akpan is far from standing still you moron, he's moving towards the ball to show himself. Hector should never bave played the ball to him. Hector's the main culprit for that first.

Don't agree with you at all here. Akpan was 'moving towards the ball to show himself' as he was asking for it. He was originally moving towards it with greater pace and with his arms out asking for it, until Hector actually releases it, at which point he slows, waiting for it to arrive.

What you've got to ask yourself is why he's moving towards the ball and 'showing' for it in the first place. He should be moving away from the ball, thus either taking his marker with him which gives Hector more time and space or if his marker pushes on and squeezes the ball, move either left or right to receive it on the half-turn. However, when 'showing himself' at no point did Akpan glance over his shoulder to see what was around him, so why was he moving towards the ball and asking for it in the first place? Hector's played him the ball expecting it to be pushed back to him but Akpan has slowed and allowed Butterfield to ghost in.

It's poor central midfield play regardless of who you choose to blame.

[P!ssed Off]

Blackman is playing much better than last season, which obviously is a good thing, BUT:

Every +ive bit of play that comes from him appears to be created by him, and for him. Every move he attempts is for the purpose of him scoring a goal. If he beat a few men and then played a good pass that would be fantastic, but he'll dribble round one man, but then ignore a decent pass and either have an ambitious shot or try to dribble round three more opponents.

I've not seen him make a good pass, produce a good cross, or play the non-starring role in a good team move this season. Until he does a bit more of this, his spot in the 1st team should merely be temporary.

Akpan, Taylor and Cummings the other weak links in the team. They just contribute very little to team moves. Taylor has got the winner in our only win so far and Cummings has scored one and made a great clearance off the line etc but they are rarely in the midst of slick team movements. They're generally bystanders when the good play is going on, and are largely there just to make up the numbers.

[Royal Ginger]

Ref - 0, extremely poor for both teams. Didn't punish diving, didn't punish timewasting,

Gave a yellow for time-wasting and essentially stopped the clock in injury time when they were stretching the subs.

[Mike Hunt]

One of those days. An early error from Hector cost us and from then on Huddersfield were content to make us try to hurt them. I thought we were always in it at 1-0 but concedeing that second did for us. Wayward shots. Dodgy refereeing and huddersfield time wasting after 35 minutes.

Akapan escapegoated from what I can see. He wasn't great again, but nowhere near as bad as many will say so I'm going to lay off him despite his flaws.

The left flank was a problem with cummings right footed and Taylor wanting to tuck in. We looked better with Obita back there. Decent debut from Kuhl, nothing to special. His sort though is more dependent on others to be able to play well than others are.

Mackie didn't impress but the game was largely a lost cause and I'm not gonna judge him on that.

Sure we had a nailed on penalty for Akpan.

We'll get rezults like that plenty this season. The thing to remember is its good learning experiences for the kids who'll get better with experience.

Fantastic analysis Ian-Royal from a match yet again you failed to attend, would you like to let us know your thoughts on the other 50 or so games played in the football league tonight or would that be the blind leading the blind ? in guessing what you saw on Sky Sports news 15 secs highlights of every game

Sadly for you though, he was there, just like he will be for the vast majority of home games and a smattering of away games. Much like last season too.

Made yourself look a bit of a twat there haven't you?

IR always says if he was not at the game in his post, and asks more questions than actually posting an analysis. Maybe not 5 years ago but he has done for the past few.

[bobby1413]

Someone mentioned positivity I think - as in the fans were positive after briefly turning on the players. Where I was in the east it was almost entirely negative until about the 70th minute when reading started playing properly.

"Ref was shit" ... I agree. I never criticise them usually as I think fans are embarrassingly jaded about them. Listening to BBCRB Kevin Dhillon said "ref had a great game, let it flow". I remember in 90-91st minute and goal kick was stopped for over a minute. It was agonising watching ref walk to yellow card, then stop for a sub, then give out another yellow.

"kuhl to start" ... Adkins has said on BBCRB "hopefully Kuhl will get 90 minutes on Saturday". So it seems he will be starting the game

[loyalroyaldaz]

Right footed left back, left footed right midfield/winger, Obita in the middle !

WTF?

Would rather see Obita left Back, Blackman Left midfield and im guessing maybe Norwood and Akpan(or Kuhl)
In the middle.
Would even play Cummings right midfield if Mackie not fit yet !!

[Winnershroyal]

Some credit to Huddersfield due.

They worked really hard at closing down and deserved the win, could have taken 2 more early in the second half, agree about Wells, I'm surprised someone hasn't had a punt on him.

I have moved my ST to the south end of the a west stand GU2 so the atmosphere is better than the North being closer to the away fans.

Two tough away games now, would take two points but fear none.

[Sutekh]

Another home game, another dreadful pile of crap. Different season same old result.

Great to see the youngsters given their chance but without more experience in the team there's just going to be nothing to this season apart from hopefully laying the building blocks for something more successful next time round.

Huddersfield were nothing special but but instead of taking the game to them there was too much piddling about playing sideways instead of using width. Obita spent much of the first half playing just in front of the back 4.

We might have got away with it had it not been for yet more cretinous defending. First Akpan tees up their midfielder and then either Gunter or Federici - or both- make a right hash for the second.

Only for the last 20 minutes or so did Reading show anything approaching acceptability.

Pluses Kuhl (MotM) - as with many on here, why not start him instead of the dreadful combination of Obita and Akpan which does not work and is total waste of both players. Mackie looks more than useful (although most likely won't be around at Forest) and Cox got his first goal out of the way.