MATCHWATCH : Luton Town (h)

[Hound]

Would be absolutely delighted with a point

[South Coast Royal]

IMHO If we can pick up a point here, then we will go in to the last 3 games outside of the relegation zone.

Assuming that QPR lose at home to Norwich and Cardiff lose away at Watford, both results looking quite likely.
I do think it is all about QPR for the rest of the season especially with Cardiff and Rotherham both having a game in hand.

I wouldn't be surprised to see us line up for both the Luton and Coventry games to try not to lose.

[Stranded]

IMHO If we can pick up a point here, then we will go in to the last 3 games outside of the relegation zone.

Assuming that QPR lose at home to Norwich and Cardiff lose away at Watford, both results looking quite likely.
I do think it is all about QPR for the rest of the season especially with Cardiff and Rotherham both having a game in hand.

I wouldn't be surprised to see us line up for both the Luton and Coventry games to try not to lose.

Hard to call Cardiff's run in - they have a game in hand - that is at Rotherham - they were winning there, not sure how the abandonment will affect them esp if they go back and find themselves a goal down quickly.

Outside of that - they host Huddersfield in their penultimate game - Watford (a) and Stoke (H) could go either way and they finish at Burnley, so will be getting the trophy. You can make a case for them picking up a fair few points, or close to none at all. Ideal for us is draws v Rotherham and Huddersfield and defeats everywhere else.

[URZZZZ]

It’s not difficult we need a defensive midfielder who can kick people get the ball pass it on. we’ve missed one of those since Leigertwood.

Mentioned it a few weeks ago but the midfield balance is so important and we’ve got it wrong time and time again over the past few years, from trying to cram in too many “technical” players to using a midfield with little energy/dynamism this season

Laurent and Rinomhota worked briefly but both seemed happier as a box to box rather as a disciplined holding midfielder. To an extent, our last effective midfield three was VDB - Williams - Swift. VDB held, Williams was the engine and Swift the playmaker. We’ve had plenty of better midfielders on an individual basis than those aforementioned but very few collectively

[Hound]

It’s not difficult we need a defensive midfielder who can kick people get the ball pass it on. we’ve missed one of those since Leigertwood.

Mentioned it a few weeks ago but the midfield balance is so important and we’ve got it wrong time and time again over the past few years, from trying to cram in too many “technical” players to using a midfield with little energy/dynamism this season

Laurent and Rinomhota worked briefly but both seemed happier as a box to box rather as a disciplined holding midfielder. To an extent, our last effective midfield three was VDB - Williams - Swift. VDB held, Williams was the engine and Swift the playmaker. We’ve had plenty of better midfielders on an individual basis than those aforementioned but very few collectively

Yeah agreed though from memory Williams and Swift never quite hit peak form at the same time. Remember Williams getting a fair bit of stick early season, but then he was brilliant at the end of the season when Swift wasn’t recapturing his early form. But yeah basically agree; that was a nice balance

[Snowflake Royal]

It’s not difficult we need a defensive midfielder who can kick people get the ball pass it on. we’ve missed one of those since Leigertwood.

Mentioned it a few weeks ago but the midfield balance is so important and we’ve got it wrong time and time again over the past few years, from trying to cram in too many “technical” players to using a midfield with little energy/dynamism this season

Laurent and Rinomhota worked briefly but both seemed happier as a box to box rather as a disciplined holding midfielder. To an extent, our last effective midfield three was VDB - Williams - Swift. VDB held, Williams was the engine and Swift the playmaker. We’ve had plenty of better midfielders on an individual basis than those aforementioned but very few collectively

Yeah agreed though from memory Williams and Swift never quite hit peak form at the same time. Remember Williams getting a fair bit of stick early season, but then he was brilliant at the end of the season when Swift wasn’t recapturing his early form. But yeah basically agree; that was a nice balance

Baker - Rinomhota worked fairly well both put the graft in. Rino sat back a little more while Baker pulled the strings.

Rino-Laurent-Swift worked while Joao was on fire and Laurent stayed disciplined, playing back. Once Clowno took him off the leash it went wrong.

[MR.CYNICAL]

IMHO If we can pick up a point here, then we will go in to the last 3 games outside of the relegation zone.

Assuming that QPR lose at home to Norwich and Cardiff lose away at Watford, both results looking quite likely.
I do think it is all about QPR for the rest of the season especially with Cardiff and Rotherham both having a game in hand.

I wouldn't be surprised to see us line up for both the Luton and Coventry games to try not to lose.

That sounds familiar, thought we got rid of Ince because of that negative mindset. Got to try and win our last 2 home games because I can't see us winning any more away.

[South Coast Royal]

It’s not difficult we need a defensive midfielder who can kick people get the ball pass it on. we’ve missed one of those since Leigertwood.

Mentioned it a few weeks ago but the midfield balance is so important and we’ve got it wrong time and time again over the past few years, from trying to cram in too many “technical” players to using a midfield with little energy/dynamism this season

Laurent and Rinomhota worked briefly but both seemed happier as a box to box rather as a disciplined holding midfielder. To an extent, our last effective midfield three was VDB - Williams - Swift. VDB held, Williams was the engine and Swift the playmaker. We’ve had plenty of better midfielders on an individual basis than those aforementioned but very few collectively

I would love us next season to have a Barry Bannan or a Serri in our midfield to dictate play rather than have 3 who do a bit of this and a bit of that but have no great influence on our play.

I have never liked the idea of midfielders being defensive, holding or attacking as I feel as though they should be doing the lot.

Oh for the likes of Sidwell, Osborn, Beavon , Bowman and the late great Denis Allen

[Sutekh]

Luton have a few more injury doubts/late fitness tests. Firstly Adebayo is expected to miss the game as not quite recovered from a knee injury that kept him out at Rotherham, secondly Carlton Morris took a knock on Saturday and had to be substituted after an hour. Also in the late fitness test bin are Alfie Doughty, Gabriel No-Show, Jordan Clark and Dan Potts.

[Sutekh]

It’s not difficult we need a defensive midfielder who can kick people get the ball pass it on. we’ve missed one of those since Leigertwood.

Mentioned it a few weeks ago but the midfield balance is so important and we’ve got it wrong time and time again over the past few years, from trying to cram in too many “technical” players to using a midfield with little energy/dynamism this season

Laurent and Rinomhota worked briefly but both seemed happier as a box to box rather as a disciplined holding midfielder. To an extent, our last effective midfield three was VDB - Williams - Swift. VDB held, Williams was the engine and Swift the playmaker. We’ve had plenty of better midfielders on an individual basis than those aforementioned but very few collectively

I would love us next season to have a Barry Bannan or a Serri in our midfield to dictate play rather than have 3 who do a bit of this and a bit of that but have no great influence on our play.

I have never liked the idea of midfielders being defensive, holding or attacking as I feel as though they should be doing the lot.

Oh for the likes of Sidwell, Osborn, Beavon , Bowman and the late great Denis Allen

Still find hard to believe Bannan is at Sheff Wed, would have thought someone higher in would have signed him last summer.

[YorkshireRoyal99]

Mentioned it a few weeks ago but the midfield balance is so important and we’ve got it wrong time and time again over the past few years, from trying to cram in too many “technical” players to using a midfield with little energy/dynamism this season

Laurent and Rinomhota worked briefly but both seemed happier as a box to box rather as a disciplined holding midfielder. To an extent, our last effective midfield three was VDB - Williams - Swift. VDB held, Williams was the engine and Swift the playmaker. We’ve had plenty of better midfielders on an individual basis than those aforementioned but very few collectively

I would love us next season to have a Barry Bannan or a Serri in our midfield to dictate play rather than have 3 who do a bit of this and a bit of that but have no great influence on our play.

I have never liked the idea of midfielders being defensive, holding or attacking as I feel as though they should be doing the lot.

Oh for the likes of Sidwell, Osborn, Beavon , Bowman and the late great Denis Allen

Still find hard to believe Bannan is at Sheff Wed, would have thought someone higher in would have signed him last summer.

I reckon wages plays a big factor, isn't he still earning something daft like £20k a week? Pretty sure he's the highest earner in that division.

[Hound]

Thought someone had said his legs had gone this year

Think he’s past it tbh

[Once upon a time .]

Nice to see the late , great , Dennis Allen , getting a mention .

[From Despair To Where?]

Thought someone had said his legs had gone this year

Think he’s past it tbh

I suspect this is a big factor. Hes been in League 1 for 2 seasons and there's been barely a sniff of speculation about any Championship team taking an interest in him.

[Snowflake Royal]

Thought someone had said his legs had gone this year

Think he’s past it tbh

I thought his legs had gone last couple of times he played us in the Championship. Probably still a big enough step in quality on most L1 players he doesn't need them tho

[Stranded]

Last night's results essentially confirm Luton in 3rd or 4th. Great time to rest some tired legs.

[South Coast Royal]

Nice to see the late , great , Dennis Allen , getting a mention .

Probably my favourite ever Reading player.

Not saying that he was a hero to me and my mate Roger but we even knew his car registration no.!!!
Don't ask me the make of car but it was a dark colour and the lettering of the registration ended in RV.

[The Royal Forester]

Nice to see the late , great , Dennis Allen , getting a mention .

On away matches, we just had to ask him for complimentary tickets and he would get them if he could. I remember in a game at Exeter, he went in goal and cleared the ball with a header just outside of the box, the ball sailed way past the half way line. On another occasion, when the match at Workington was called off just before kick-off time, he invited the four of us into the players lounge and spent the evening talking and joking with all the players. Probably enjoyed the evening more than we would have done watching football. Did we sing daisy, Daisy give me you answer do. because he was good at "daisy cutters, or was ther some other obscure reason?

[Sutekh]

1 change - Carroll for Ehib

[SouthDownsRoyal]

I wouldnt say must win but its as close as it gets to it

are we all fizzing with excitement?