Reading marked the occasion of their 500th first team fixture at the Madejski Stadium with a dismal defeat against struggling Burton Albion. Having enticed a huge crowd to attend with reduced ticket prices the Royals missed a golden opportunity to increase their following in future matches. It is however the manner of the defeat which will concern everyone associated with the club. Having conceded a soft goal in the first half Reading managed to mount some pressure on the Albion defence in the second half and scramble an equaliser fifteen minutes from time. In a game in which Albion had rarely ventured out of their own half it seemed reasonable to expect Reading to go on and win the game. The expected surge to kick on and win the game was scuppered by some dreadful defending culminating in a bizarre winning goal for Albion. That was the last straw for many, and the ground emptied.
Jaap Stam identified poor touch, passing and decision making throughout the side as the key factors contributing to the result, which is a pretty fair summary. In short Reading significantly underperformed individually and collectively against a mediocre team and managed to lose in spite of having seventy six per cent of the possession.
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Burton Gifted Three Points
From the Discussion
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SU Sutekh 23 Dec 2017 · 5:10pm
If anyone knows just what the hell that pile of stinking fetid @#£& actually was please could you write it on a postcard and send it to Jaap c/o Reading FC as I’m sure he’d like to know just as much as the rest of us. People paid £5 for that and it wasn’t worth 5p. Still at least they’ve now all been reminded why they’d given up going to watch the team in the first place.
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RG RG7Fan 23 Dec 2017 · 5:16pm
Piss poor.
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JM John Madejski's Wallet 23 Dec 2017 · 5:16pm
Beat me to it by seconds :D What the fukking hell was that! :shock: No movement, no tempo and everyone's passing was off Stam is completely incapable of changing things around and substitution-wise is the anti-McDermott. Zero tactical nouse and unable to make a change and go for the jugular. Prime example being having Bod stood waiting to come on, us fluking a goal, then not making the sub and going for it. We concede again and suddenly Bod is on. Are we only allowed 2 up front if we're losing or something? Really difficult to criticise the boo-boys today
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HO Hound 23 Dec 2017 · 5:18pm
I don’t think there’s much to write up We were shocking, simple as. First half was prob the worst performance I’ve seen from is under Stam Second half plenty of effort, huffed and puffed but created little. The passing was woeful hence why we couldn’t get any momentum going The two goals conceded were horrendous. Just absolutely gifted them. The second one bizarrely I don’t think a Burton player touched it for about 10 passes before it went on Stam screwed up his subs. Way too late. Bod is offering far more than Yann and getting 10 mins a game Ratings: Joey, Kelly, Aluko, Yann : 3 Gunter, Mannone: 4 Bacuna, Edwards, Moore, McShane:…
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AT AthleticoSpizz 23 Dec 2017 · 5:26pm
Most definately an opportunity missed to win back some of those missing fan numbers....a shame for the club. Bodvarsson is not the panacea for all of our ailments right now, but Jaaps stubborness in not starting with him has surely cost us a few points by now. His cameo appearances have been (in the main) encouraging and he HAS actually scored occasionally....whatever your issue with him is, it’s time to give him the starting berth Mr Stam.
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JM John Madejski's Wallet 23 Dec 2017 · 5:28pm
Stam just needs to bugger off now
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AT AthleticoSpizz 23 Dec 2017 · 5:30pm
well that’s not going to happen this side of the seasonal festivities is it?
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GE genome 23 Dec 2017 · 5:32pm
I'm not going to bother with a BFTG report - there's no point - every player was awful, all 3 goals were shit, that's about it. Unfortunate for the club today, opportunity to get some fringe fans on board, but on that evidence I don't think they'll be back anytime soon.