Reading (H)

[Zoo]

The tackle didn't look that malicious to be honest, it did just seem like he jumped in for the ball and caught him late. I think the landing did most of the damage to be honest not the actual tackle itself, he landed in a rather awkward position.

[Steve_E]

Those highlights and that analysis on MOTD That must have taken lots of effort.

[Zoo]

I've not watched MOTD since about October/November. I always watch the first few weeks because I have the buzz of the new season with me but it really is a pretty piss poor show. Both Hansen & Lawrensen are wankers who I can't stand watching so it doesn't entertain me in the slightest, I'd love to be able to just watch the highlights and have some better pundits on there.

 

Even when one of them steps out Alan Shearer pops up and that's arguably worse.

[Steve_E]

I sort of liked Lee Dixon, he made sense more than the others, but I think he's left this season?

[MikeO]

Those highlights and that analysis on MOTD That must have taken lots of effort.

 

Agree....it's ridiculous.

 

"It's Everton guys so do a short piece on Fellaini and then we'll move on."

[MikeO]

I sort of liked Lee Dixon, he made sense more than the others, but I think he's left this season?

 

Gone to ITV.

[Dalziel Kane]

I didn't see the game and didn't get in 'til late. Been having a few 'problems' today but what was it, a 3 - 1 home success against any given opposition that hasn't won a league game for weeks on end, but this time we got it right and got the victory.

 

I still think despite this, a champions league place has passed on (weeks ago) although still a mathematical possibility, but with games running out and the above sides will surely continue to pick up points themselves, I just think the dream or whatever it is, has passed for this year, but of course it would be outstanding to achieve, but I don't think it will happen now.

 

In the end we got the three points against an opposition we may have (before time) struggled against and it appears we played well and one or two names truly stood out today. It's all anyone could have asked for.

 

I didn't see Match of The Day, but it's no damn loss.

[Pearso]

Coleman, mirallas and Pienaar were all class. Would love Le Fondre too next window if we could pick him up. Not back to our best given the opposition but its a start. Let's hope Moyes plays Duffy against City, I don't think he could do any worse than Heitinga to be honest.

[Romey 1878]

"It's Everton guys so do a short piece on Fellaini and then we'll move on."

 

Which made no sense for yesterdays game as he was pretty poor!

[Romey 1878]

For most of the first half we were as bad as we've been for the past couple of months and I was in danger of nodding off, while the side were in danger of falling a goal behind and could count themselves lucky that we failed to concede in that period. I have Mirallas and Coleman to thank for keeping me awake; those two provided excitement pretty much every time they got the ball; particularly Mirallas. I don't need to go into it too much because it was just more of the same - we had a lot of the ball but didn't have the tempo required to do anything with it or create many clear cut chances, and those chances we did create we blew. We also had our usual defensive deficiencies - we looked all over the place whenever the ball was launched into our area and how Le Fondre didn't at least work Mucha with his attempt is beyond me. He should have punished us. Every time the ball went near our area (aerially) I was shitting myself. Literally at every corner Reading got I was scared of us conceding a goal. We did improve towards the end of the half, although it was nowhere near anything approaching what we're capable of. It was in this spell of play that we grabbed our chance for once. It really was fantastic interplay and Fellaini needs commending for the massive role he played in it. Up until that point in the game I thought he'd been shockingly bad, but he exchanged passes with Jelavic and then fed Coleman the ball and instead of just standing and admiring his good play he instantly ran straight for the penalty area and got himself on the end of Coleman's cross with a brilliant header.

 

I don't know what Moyes said to the lads at half time but the difference in the side right from the whistle was marked. Where there were flashes of good play in the first half it was the standard in the second half. We had vigour for the first time in god knows how long and a certain swagger to our play that we haven't seen since the beginning of the season. Our movement improved massively and we were creating chances effortlessly. I felt like we were going to run riot and I was disappointed we only managed to score another two goals. If we'd have gone 5-0 up it wouldn't have flattered us at that time. At the same time I'm just grateful that we managed to put two of our many chances away because we all know what we've been like in front of goal this season! And those two goals were lovely to watch. Pienaar with a brilliant run and an unstoppable shot for one of them (for once I'm glad he had a shot!), and then he played Mirallas in with a perfectly placed through ball who showed what a good finisher he is by wrong footing the keeper by calmly slotting the ball in at his near post. Once again we let ourselves down defensively and failed to keep a clean sheet, again. And again, it was a collective failed effort. First Anichebe failed to track his man who then put the cross in unchallenged, and then Heitinga made a feeble attempt at being a defender and their player had a free header on goal and duly put it in the back of the net.

 

Hopefully, we've found our second wind and now we'll go on a run. After yesterday the signs are good anyway.

 

 

Mucha - I was extremely worried when it was announced that he was playing, but apart from one spilled save that he should have held on to I thought he did pretty well.

 

 

Coleman - First the negative of his game. I thought he was terrible defensively tbh. Almost every time they attacked our right he got wrong side of his man and it's a wonder that we were only punished once down that side. However, he was absolutely outstanding going forward. Because of him we were far more dangerous down our right than left for a change, and I really feel that's why we managed such a convincing win. Reading obviously tried to shut down our left so it gave Coleman a lot more space to exploit, and exploit it he did. It helped that he was running at the ageing Hart but that should take nothing away from his attacking display. Quite rightly his performance was topped off with an assist after a brilliant cross into the box for our opening goal.

 

Heitinga - It was extremely disappointing that he let himself down with some poor defending for their goal because I thought he'd played quite well until then. He's been criticised in the past for not putting himself on the line (a la Jags) but I thought he did yesterday, and threw himself in front of a lot of things and showed that he does give a shit.

 

Distin - I thought he had an under par game. He looked very awkward with the ball at his feet and he was bullied aerially for much of the game - early on in the game he was beaten extremely easily in the air but fortunately it didn't cost us.

 

Baines - A very quiet game from Bainesy. Reading shut him down effectively and he didn't really have an answer for it.

 

 

Mirallas - What an outstanding display of attacking play from him. He terrorised Reading from start to finish and was, I felt, the only constant bright spot for us in this game. In the first half while the majority of the side were struggling to get anything going he was showing them all how it was done and looked like he would be the one to unlock things. Every time he got the ball he just wanted to run towards goal. I just loved his positivity. In the second half he looked even better because he had people to play off now as the whole side had improved massively. So instead of having to do things alone he now had others to interplay with and link with to make openings. Highlighted many times throughout the half with the chances he helped to create, and then with his interplay with Pienaar that led to him getting on the scoresheet. My MOTM.

 

Gibson - A little sloppy with the ball at times and he was clearly playing within himself (due to him carrying an injury) but he did a job.

 

Osman - Terrible in the first half but got better in the second half, as the whole side did. There was one thing about his play yesterday that really pissed me off though. He was far too slow to spot or make a pass. Time after time Jelavic was pointing for where he wanted the ball played (i.e. a through ball) but he dallied on the ball and took another 3 or 4 touches and then the chance was gone. At one point Mirallas even had a word to him about not playing him the ball when he was in acres of space.

 

Pienaar - Another one who was terrible in the first half, he may as well have not been on the pitch for all the use he was. That was in part due to Reading doing a good job of stopping our left. He improved a lot once he was moved to the right and had more freedom. But I still didn't think he was all that good. Not until he scored did he really show what we all know he's capable of. The goal clearly gave him a big confidence boost and after that he pulled the strings for us and tormented Reading.

 

 

Fellaini - Absolutely shite in the first half. Apart from when he scored, and showed a massive amount of desire, he looked utterly disinterested. And in the second half I would describe his showing as nothing more than lacklustre tbh.

 

 

Jelavic - I thought his all round play was outstanding. He worked his socks off and all that was missing from his performance was a goal. And his movement really is class. I watched him closely during the second half and the runs that he makes are brilliant. We've got to start feeding him when he makes these runs. We do that and I feel confident he'll bang in a few before the end of the season.

[nutmegwolf203]

 

Jelavic - I thought his all round play was outstanding. He worked his socks off and all that was missing from his performance was a goal. And his movement really is class. I watched him closely during the second half and the runs that he makes are brilliant. We've got to start feeding him when he makes these runs. We do that and I feel confident he'll bang in a few before the end of the season.

 

I second that. It's no coincidence that his offsides have skyrocketed this season. To me it's a result of anticipating the early ball that he's used to receiving at his feet, much like the pass from Modric during the international break. I thought he played well and once he gets a goal he'll be able to relax.