Player Ratings - Reading

[Skaville]

Maenpaa - 6 - should he have saved the second? Looked like he got a hand to it
Hunt - 7 - The one member of the back four who didn't make a mistake in a calamitous first half. Grew into the game and was a threat in the final third in the last 20 minutes
BFG - 6 - a few shaky moments when put under pressed in the first half
Goldson - 7 - same as BFG, but looked much more comfortable in the second half. Had a lot of possession culminating in some mazy runs forward and a couple of decent crosses
Poc - 5 - not the instant Bong replacement I was hoping for. Nearly cost us a goal twice in the first half and looks like a red card waiting to happen
Norwood - 6 - frustrating evening. Some terrific passing, some wasteful moments
Ince - 5 - looked at fault for the first goal. Does not seem to suit Hughtons brand of football. Nearing the exit
Sidwell - 5 - the game passed him by
Baldock - 6 - huffed and puffed. One good cross for Manu in the first half.
Manu - 7.5 - our greatest threat. Caused them all sorts of problems with his strong running. Great technique for his volleyed effort. Reminds me of rashford, a raw talent. Defenders don't know what he'll do next. Unfortunately, nor did our players
Murray - 6 - typical Glenn. flashes of brilliance, periods of anonymity. Hit the bar and got an assist so credit where credit is due

Hemed - 6
Murphy - 6
Skalak - 6

 

[Blackadder]

Maenpaa - 6 - should he have saved the second? Looked like he got a hand to it
Hunt - 7 - The one member of the back four who didn't make a mistake in a calamitous first half. Grew into the game and was a threat in the final third in the last 20 minutes
BFG - 6 - a few shaky moments when put under pressed in the first half
Goldson - 7 - same as BFG, but looked much more comfortable in the second half. Had a lot of possession culminating in some mazy runs forward and a couple of decent crosses
Poc - 5 - not the instant Bong replacement I was hoping for. Nearly cost us a goal twice in the first half and looks like a red card waiting to happen
Norwood - 6 - frustrating evening. Some terrific passing, some wasteful moments
Ince - 5 - looked at fault for the first goal. Does not seem to suit Hughtons brand of football. Nearing the exit
Sidwell - 5 - the game passed him by
Baldock - 6 - huffed and puffed. One good cross for Manu in the first half.
Manu - 7.5 - our greatest threat. Caused them all sorts of problems with his strong running. Great technique for his volleyed effort. Reminds me of rashford, a raw talent. Defenders don't know what he'll do next. Unfortunately, nor did our players
Murray - 6 - typical Glenn. flashes of brilliance, periods of anonymity. Hit the bar and got an assist so credit where credit is due

Hemed - 6
Murphy - 6
Skalak - 6

Pretty much spot on. I would not have taken Elvis off.

 

[nwgull]

BFG, Goldson and Poco haven't played a senior game in 9 months, 4 months and 7 months respectively. Don't think we can make too much of a judgement of this 'reserve' back 4, particularly when the 4th is a youth teamer with a total of 15 mins first team experience!

At least it sounds as if Elvis is showing some sort of form.

 

[Skaville]

BFG, Goldson and Poco haven't played a senior game in 9 months, 4 months and 7 months respectively. Don't think we can make too much of a judgement of this 'reserve' back 4, particularly when the 4th is a youth teamer with a total of 15 mins first team experience!

At least it sounds as if Elvis is showing some sort of form.

They all looked rusty. Goldson certainly seemed more st ease in the second half but he didn't have a lot of defending to do. I wouldn't expect to see pocomon anytime soon. Credit to Reading, their game plan was to press our back four and they executed it perfectly.

 

[Machiavelli]

Easy to score that:
Elvis 8 -- fast, direct, up for it. I've no idea why he was taken off
Goldson 6 -- a few mistakes in the first half, and at least one dire 'cross' in the second, but at least he played with some urgency
All others including subs 4 -- you missed your chance to shine

The better team won tonight. It was a flat evening. Just above 6,000, but those that didn't attend seem to have got it right.

 

[big nuts]

Maenpaa - 4 - quicker anticipation from the deflected shot would have prevented the corner for the first goal.
Hunt - 5
Pognolli - 5
Hunnemeier - 5
Goldson - 6
Norwood - 4
Sidwell - 6
Ince - 5
Baldock - 6
Manu -7 MOTM
Murray - 4

Hemed - 7
Skalak - 4
Murphy - 5

 

[Whitechapel]

Those who went, do Manu deserve a chance V Barnsley?

 

[BensGrandad]

Maenpaa 6 not at fault for the goals
Hunte 7. Good performance good prospect
Goldson 7 started shaky but got better
Huniemier 6 similar to Goldson
Pocognoli 5. No improvement on Bong and at fault for 2nd goal as he was too slow getting back
Sidwell 5 didnt impose himself
Norwood 5 poor all round
Ince 5 a few good moments but generally went missing
Baldock 6. Did his usual lots of effort but no end product
Murray 6 some good some bad moments but got no supply.
Manu. 8. MOM the only one who looked like he may produce something
Subs
Hemed 6 at least he scorec
Skalak 5 did very little
Murphy 5 one good effort but other than that did he touch the ball.

 

[Machiavelli]

Those who went, do Manu deserve a chance V Barnsley?

I'm not so sure that 'Man of the Match and your captain' Sam Baldock deserves a place on the bench, let alone the pitch, ahead of him. In fact, from what I saw last night, I'd start Elvis on Saturday. Might happen. This is as much based on how poor Murray, Baldock and, to a lesser extent, Hemed were.
He's still enormously frustrating: he makes poor decisions on the ball, and at times was off positionally when playing on the left of an attacking three (or on the left of a 4-5-1) -- and this is what will really count against him with CH and CC. But whenever I've seen him, he excites me. He's rapid, strong and powerful and is very direct. I'd love him to start in the Championship and score. It might prompt a major transformation in him.

 

[Marshy]

Maenpaa 6

Hunt 6
Goldson 5
Uwe 5
Poc 6

Norwood 7
Sidwell 6
Ince 5

Manu 7
Baldock 6
Murray 7

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Maenpaa 6

Hunt 6
Goldson 6
Uwe 6
Poc 6

Norwood 6
Sidwell 6
Ince 6

Manu 8 MOM
Baldock 6
Murray 6


Hemed 7
Skalak 6
Murphy 6

 

[AZ Gull]

Hunte 7. Good performance good prospect

That's the second time I've seen you spell his name like that. For future reference, he is Rob Hunt - H U N T - no "e" on the end.

 

[drew]

I am really struggling to see how Norwood has warranted a score as high as he has from many!

He is absolutely dire. Thank god that Stephens was retained otherwise this pile of crud would be in our first team midfield. He had a shot from a free kick that their keeper didn't even have to move for. Virtually every cross failed to clear the first defender. He was the very weak link in what was a poor performance by the team.

 

[Skaville]

Those who went, do Manu deserve a chance V Barnsley?

he came off with about twenty minutes to go. He was our biggest threat but we were 2-0 down in a game that was not as important as Saturday.

My interpretation of this was he'd passed the audition, have a breather and we'll see you on Saturday

 

[neilbard]

Maenpaa - 6 - should he have saved the second? Looked like he got a hand to it
Hunt - 7 - The one member of the back four who didn't make a mistake in a calamitous first half. Grew into the game and was a threat in the final third in the last 20 minutes
BFG - 6 - a few shaky moments when put under pressed in the first half
Goldson - 7 - same as BFG, but looked much more comfortable in the second half. Had a lot of possession culminating in some mazy runs forward and a couple of decent crosses
Poc - 5 - not the instant Bong replacement I was hoping for. Nearly cost us a goal twice in the first half and looks like a red card waiting to happen
Norwood - 6 - frustrating evening. Some terrific passing, some wasteful moments
Ince - 5 - looked at fault for the first goal. Does not seem to suit Hughtons brand of football. Nearing the exit
Sidwell - 5 - the game passed him by
Baldock - 6 - huffed and puffed. One good cross for Manu in the first half.
Manu - 7.5 - our greatest threat. Caused them all sorts of problems with his strong running. Great technique for his volleyed effort. Reminds me of rashford, a raw talent. Defenders don't know what he'll do next. Unfortunately, nor did our players
Murray - 6 - typical Glenn. flashes of brilliance, periods of anonymity. Hit the bar and got an assist so credit where credit is due

Hemed - 6
Murphy - 6
Skalak - 6

Manu reminds you of Rashford are you insane?

 

[Skaville]

Manu reminds you of Rashford are you insane?

Haha! Let me qualify that statement a little more! He is a raw talent like Rashford. Against Iceland, nobody otger than rashford took a player on because they were told not to. We were the same last night. However Manu is young and seems to play the situation rather than the tactics which can make him a real threat. He becomes the only one who is unpredictable. It can also make him frustrating for his team mates. At one point poc was bursting out of defence on the flank. Manu was jogging upfield ahead of him looking in entirely the wrong direction. I'm not sure he knew we had the ball!

So yes, there are similarities in the way that he approaches and plays the game, but not on the level that he plays it at!

 

[big nuts]

I am really struggling to see how Norwood has warranted a score as high as he has from many!

He is absolutely dire. Thank god that Stephens was retained otherwise this pile of crud would be in our first team midfield. He had a shot from a free kick that their keeper didn't even have to move for. Virtually every cross failed to clear the first defender. He was the very weak link in what was a poor performance by the team.

I'd completely agree with this. A complete luxury player who doesn't fit into a 4-4-2 system. Give him space he will spray the odd eye catching long ball. On the flip side doesn't cover enough ground and 2 or 3 times this season his been very lucky poor mistakes close to our own goal haven't been punished. Pognolli saved his blushes last night.

Also concerned by Skalak's form this season he looks completely lost out there.

 

[neilbard]

Haha! Let me qualify that statement a little more! He is a raw talent like Rashford. Against Iceland, nobody otger than rashford took a player on because they were told not to. We were the same last night. However Manu is young and seems to play the situation rather than the tactics which can make him a real threat. He becomes the only one who is unpredictable. It can also make him frustrating for his team mates. At one point poc was bursting out of defence on the flank. Manu was jogging upfield ahead of him looking in entirely the wrong direction. I'm not sure he knew we had the ball!

So yes, there are similarities in the way that he approaches and plays the game, but not on the level that he plays it at!

Fair enough I didn't attend last night so on what you saw would you start him on Saturday and who would be his best partner up front?

 

[Murray 17]

Manu reminds you of Rashford are you insane?

Reminds me more of Lua Lua.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Some generous scoring, for an abject display.

Maenppa 5 - first goal he should have come for.
Hunt - 6
Pogcomoli - 5.5 lacking match practice
Uwe - 6
Goldson 5 - distribution very poor.
Sidwell 4
Norwood 4 - ?Harley-esque
Ince 5.5 - looked weaker when he went off.
Murray 4.5 - very disappointing
Baldock 4.5 - MoM choice laughable
Manu 6 - poor miss at 0-0 but best display so far.

Hemed 5.5
Skalak 5.5
Murphy 4.5 weaker after he replaced Manu.

Whoever told the players to hit long diagonal balls against 10 men needs their head examined. Goldson and Norwood the biggest culprits.

None of these players look close to the first team. Although some of them should be.