PLAYER WATCH v Reading (A)

[tonyoz]

PLAYER WATCH v Reading (A)

Each incident in the match was rated on the following scale: 

+5 GOAL 

+4 Excellent play 

+3 Very good play 

+2 Pleasing/good play 

+1 Decent play 

  0 Routine stuff 

-1 Sloppy play 

 -2 Disappointing/poor play  

 -3 Very poor play 

 -4 Terrible play 

 -5 Own goal 

The ratings for each player were then combined to produce a measure of the players overall contribution to the match. 

 
Ratings       

Key incidents per player = coloured stars              Overall contribution = numbers

Kaminski                     *******  ***    19                              

Khadra (24)                **  ***     -2

Lenihan                       ******************  **********     14     

van Hecke                   ****************  *****     13

Wharton                     ****************  *******     11

Giles                            *********  *********     -2

Travis                          ********* ********     2

Buckley (58)               **********  ******     3      

Rothwell                     ***********  *****     9   

Gallagher                    *************** *********     4

Dolan (58)                  ***** ******     -3

 

Pickering (24)            ******  ***    6

Dack (58)                    **  **     0

Hedges (58)                *      -2

 

Highlights and Lowlights 

(A justification for the main ratings given above)

Reading are in a relegation battle and haven’t kept a clean sheet forever, have only one home win since October and we won last time out. We meet again with Paul Ince and son, Junior Hoilett and Lucas Joao. What could possibly go wrong?

00 It’s a back 3 with Khadra (!) and Giles as wing backs.

07 Absolutely nothing happening at all!

13 Reading attack down their left. Wharton puts in a good challenge on Joao and it runs to Khadra but he’s not strong enough and loses the ball. McIntyre close to the byline crosses to the feet of Ince on the penalty spot. His lovely first touch takes him past Wharton and Kaminski pulls off a brilliant save near the left post, rushing out to smother the shot. Eventually Rothwell hoofs clear. Wharton and especially Giles left Ince free there.

19 A poor Rothwell free kick goes over every one and out for a goal kick!

Then a fairly powder puff attempt at a shot from Dolan just outside the box.

20 Poor quality all round so far…..from both sides.

24 Khadra off injured, Pickering on. Giles moves to the right.

29 Reading hurrying Rovers in their own half until Kaminski rushes his pass into touch.

Joao beats Lenihan to the long clearance. Reading work the ball across the edge of our box and 2 attackers have good chances to shoot but they send it right to an unmarked Yiadom who fires in a shot. Kaminski is there to save near the post. Reading hero Swift is brought on.

31 Swift gets the ball 27 yards out on the left wing and sends in a perfect ball to the head of Joao, 8 yards out, (van Hecke had drifted away from him) but Kaminski parries the downward header up into the air and is fouled as he goes to collect. That was a sitter missed by Joao.

32 Swift flashes a shot past the left post. Reading are on top since Swift came on. Hmmm, the ref’s letting the play flow as some dodgy challenges go unpunished.

35 Dolan chases a long clearance into the box with Morrison. He tries a fancy back-flick to Buckley but it doesn’t come off. Buckley does get to the ball though, beats a couple of men and tries to drive in to goal but it’s narrow and his attempted shot is blocked by the keeper at the near post. He wins a corner. Giles takes and it goes to the far post where Lenihan’s header is disappointing.

36 Joao beats van Hecke in the air and Wharton attempts to stroke the ball back to Kaminski but it’s a poor pass and it’s there for Ejaria to run on to. Kaminski is out in a flash and puts in a tackle Keith Newton would be proud of to save the day…..again! The Reading fans are howling for a penalty but Kaminski definitely got the ball.

38 Another of those long hoofs downfield where Gallagher doesn’t even attempt to get off the ground to challenge!

A nice crossfield ball from Swift; he looks a player this lad.

39 Lenihan is beaten in the air again and Reading attack. Joao rolls it across the edge of the box to Swift who does a clever flick to the on-rushing Laurent 12 yards out. He fires in his shot and Kaminski tips it over the bar. What a game he’s having! Reading should have this game in the bag already! Kaminski is exhorting his teammates to greater efforts! Unconvincing defending from the corner but it goes out for a goal-kick.

41 A nice cross from Pickering finds Dolan 12 yards out but his header barely reaches the keeper.

43 Dolan wriggles, as he does, in the box, and manages to slip the ball sideways to Gallagher but the defender is too close and blocks it away.

46 Reading are playing the ball around with confidence. Ince moves to the edge of the box, Travis turns his backside to the ball in a poor attempt at a challenge, Wharton gets a foot in and Buckley collects. He tries a pull back right in front of goal and is dispossessed but Wharton gets his foot in again but it’s straight to Ejaria who pokes the ball back into the box where Wharton, on the stretch, gets another touch! But it goes out to Joao, unmarked 8 yards out and he slides his shot across the face of goal and out by the right post by a foot. We look like the relegation team right now!

50 Half time

 

45 Rovers win the ball in midfield and Buckley slides a nice pass to Dolan on the right edge of the box but he miskicks his shot again and it’s way off-target.

47 Rothwell, on the right, bends a lovely ball behind the defender to the on-coming Gallagher 12 yards out but his first time shot is way off-target. Sadly we are all getting used to these pathetic attempts at finishing.

48 A totally unnecessary sliding foul by Buckley earns him his usual yellow card.

50 Lenihan heads away a Reading free kick but they retrieve and a shot flies in from the edge of the box where Kaminski does brilliantly again to get down and palm it round the post for a corner. Gallagher clears the cross and then clears again.

54 Van Hecke brings the ball forward to midway in the Reading half and lays off a lovely ball for Giles to run on to. He gets in a cross but the defender blocks and Gallagher picks up and squares perfectly for Buckley 15 yards out. He hits it firmly, first time but the goalie is equal to it and tips over the bar. Good save.

58 Dolan and Buckley off, Hedges and Dack on. 423 formation.

63 Rothwell wins the ball and drives downfield. He slips a nice ball to Hedges on the edge of the box but his attempt to clip the ball square is blocked all too easily by the defender.

67 A Giles corner is met by Lenihan under pressure but it’s straight at the keeper.

71 I’ve just witnessed the miss of the decade! Pickering lofts a lovely ball into the box where Dack ghosts behind the defender and takes it on his chest and shoots from the edge of the 6 yard box. Nyland saves well at his near post. The ball bounces invitingly for Gallagher 5 yards out with the goal gaping but he miskicks and slips on to his backside! Hedges hacks at the ball with a defender challenging but it’s well wide. You have to see this one to believe it!

72 Junior Hoilett on.

77 Reading attack down the left and a flat ball comes across the box where Wharton sticks out a foot to clear. But it’s straight to Laurent just outside the box and central and he bends a wonderful ball into the top right corner of the net. Even Kaminski couldn’t save that one, he was left clawing the air.

86 Strange. It’s a Rovers corner and Gallagher is very clearly dragged to the ground but the ref is looking the other way and, for some reason, is ordering the corner to be taken again!

Giles puts it right into the keeper’s arms!

94 Wharton takes a yellow for the team and the final whistle goes. The slide away from the top 6 continues relentlessly.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

4 hours ago, tonyoz said:

PLAYER WATCH v Reading (A)

Each incident in the match was rated on the following scale: 

+5 GOAL 

+4 Excellent play 

+3 Very good play 

+2 Pleasing/good play 

+1 Decent play 

  0 Routine stuff 

-1 Sloppy play 

 -2 Disappointing/poor play  

 -3 Very poor play 

 -4 Terrible play 

 -5 Own goal 

The ratings for each player were then combined to produce a measure of the players overall contribution to the match. 

 
Ratings       

Key incidents per player = coloured stars              Overall contribution = numbers

Kaminski                     *******  ***    19                              

Khadra (24)                **  ***     -2

Lenihan                       ******************  **********     14     

van Hecke                   ****************  *****     13

Wharton                     ****************  *******     11

Giles                            *********  *********     -2

Travis                          ********* ********     2

Buckley (58)               **********  ******     3      

Rothwell                     ***********  *****     9   

Gallagher                    *************** *********     4

Dolan (58)                  ***** ******     -3

 

Pickering (24)            ******  ***    6

Dack (58)                    **  **     0

Hedges (58)                *      -2

 

Highlights and Lowlights 

(A justification for the main ratings given above)

Reading are in a relegation battle and haven’t kept a clean sheet forever, have only one home win since October and we won last time out. We meet again with Paul Ince and son, Junior Hoilett and Lucas Joao. What could possibly go wrong?

00 It’s a back 3 with Khadra (!) and Giles as wing backs.

07 Absolutely nothing happening at all!

13 Reading attack down their left. Wharton puts in a good challenge on Joao and it runs to Khadra but he’s not strong enough and loses the ball. McIntyre close to the byline crosses to the feet of Ince on the penalty spot. His lovely first touch takes him past Wharton and Kaminski pulls off a brilliant save near the left post, rushing out to smother the shot. Eventually Rothwell hoofs clear. Wharton and especially Giles left Ince free there.

19 A poor Rothwell free kick goes over every one and out for a goal kick!

Then a fairly powder puff attempt at a shot from Dolan just outside the box.

20 Poor quality all round so far…..from both sides.

24 Khadra off injured, Pickering on. Giles moves to the right.

29 Reading hurrying Rovers in their own half until Kaminski rushes his pass into touch.

Joao beats Lenihan to the long clearance. Reading work the ball across the edge of our box and 2 attackers have good chances to shoot but they send it right to an unmarked Yiadom who fires in a shot. Kaminski is there to save near the post. Reading hero Swift is brought on.

31 Swift gets the ball 27 yards out on the left wing and sends in a perfect ball to the head of Joao, 8 yards out, (van Hecke had drifted away from him) but Kaminski parries the downward header up into the air and is fouled as he goes to collect. That was a sitter missed by Joao.

32 Swift flashes a shot past the left post. Reading are on top since Swift came on. Hmmm, the ref’s letting the play flow as some dodgy challenges go unpunished.

35 Dolan chases a long clearance into the box with Morrison. He tries a fancy back-flick to Buckley but it doesn’t come off. Buckley does get to the ball though, beats a couple of men and tries to drive in to goal but it’s narrow and his attempted shot is blocked by the keeper at the near post. He wins a corner. Giles takes and it goes to the far post where Lenihan’s header is disappointing.

36 Joao beats van Hecke in the air and Wharton attempts to stroke the ball back to Kaminski but it’s a poor pass and it’s there for Ejaria to run on to. Kaminski is out in a flash and puts in a tackle Keith Newton would be proud of to save the day…..again! The Reading fans are howling for a penalty but Kaminski definitely got the ball.

38 Another of those long hoofs downfield where Gallagher doesn’t even attempt to get off the ground to challenge!

A nice crossfield ball from Swift; he looks a player this lad.

39 Lenihan is beaten in the air again and Reading attack. Joao rolls it across the edge of the box to Swift who does a clever flick to the on-rushing Laurent 12 yards out. He fires in his shot and Kaminski tips it over the bar. What a game he’s having! Reading should have this game in the bag already! Kaminski is exhorting his teammates to greater efforts! Unconvincing defending from the corner but it goes out for a goal-kick.

41 A nice cross from Pickering finds Dolan 12 yards out but his header barely reaches the keeper.

43 Dolan wriggles, as he does, in the box, and manages to slip the ball sideways to Gallagher but the defender is too close and blocks it away.

46 Reading are playing the ball around with confidence. Ince moves to the edge of the box, Travis turns his backside to the ball in a poor attempt at a challenge, Wharton gets a foot in and Buckley collects. He tries a pull back right in front of goal and is dispossessed but Wharton gets his foot in again but it’s straight to Ejaria who pokes the ball back into the box where Wharton, on the stretch, gets another touch! But it goes out to Joao, unmarked 8 yards out and he slides his shot across the face of goal and out by the right post by a foot. We look like the relegation team right now!

50 Half time

 

45 Rovers win the ball in midfield and Buckley slides a nice pass to Dolan on the right edge of the box but he miskicks his shot again and it’s way off-target.

47 Rothwell, on the right, bends a lovely ball behind the defender to the on-coming Gallagher 12 yards out but his first time shot is way off-target. Sadly we are all getting used to these pathetic attempts at finishing.

48 A totally unnecessary sliding foul by Buckley earns him his usual yellow card.

50 Lenihan heads away a Reading free kick but they retrieve and a shot flies in from the edge of the box where Kaminski does brilliantly again to get down and palm it round the post for a corner. Gallagher clears the cross and then clears again.

54 Van Hecke brings the ball forward to midway in the Reading half and lays off a lovely ball for Giles to run on to. He gets in a cross but the defender blocks and Gallagher picks up and squares perfectly for Buckley 15 yards out. He hits it firmly, first time but the goalie is equal to it and tips over the bar. Good save.

58 Dolan and Buckley off, Hedges and Dack on. 423 formation.

63 Rothwell wins the ball and drives downfield. He slips a nice ball to Hedges on the edge of the box but his attempt to clip the ball square is blocked all too easily by the defender.

67 A Giles corner is met by Lenihan under pressure but it’s straight at the keeper.

71 I’ve just witnessed the miss of the decade! Pickering lofts a lovely ball into the box where Dack ghosts behind the defender and takes it on his chest and shoots from the edge of the 6 yard box. Nyland saves well at his near post. The ball bounces invitingly for Gallagher 5 yards out with the goal gaping but he miskicks and slips on to his backside! Hedges hacks at the ball with a defender challenging but it’s well wide. You have to see this one to believe it!

72 Junior Hoilett on.

77 Reading attack down the left and a flat ball comes across the box where Wharton sticks out a foot to clear. But it’s straight to Laurent just outside the box and central and he bends a wonderful ball into the top right corner of the net. Even Kaminski couldn’t save that one, he was left clawing the air.

86 Strange. It’s a Rovers corner and Gallagher is very clearly dragged to the ground but the ref is looking the other way and, for some reason, is ordering the corner to be taken again!

Giles puts it right into the keeper’s arms!

94 Wharton takes a yellow for the team and the final whistle goes. The slide away from the top 6 continues relentlessly.

Thanks Tony. That made difficult reading. The aggregate score must be the lowest ever. Picking our man of the match must have been very easy.

[tonyoz]

1 hour ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

Thanks Tony. That made difficult reading. The aggregate score must be the lowest ever. Picking our man of the match must have been very easy.

I don’t know if you caught this game Tyrone but it was another shocker. All confidence and urgency seems to have seeped away. Kaminski was outstanding.

[rigger]

18 minutes ago, tonyoz said:

I don’t know if you caught this game Tyrone but it was another shocker. All confidence and urgency seems to have seeped away. Kaminski was outstanding.

Kaminski's distribution was awful.

[tonyoz]

4 minutes ago, rigger said:

Kaminski's distribution was awful.

It’s been poor for a while but on this day I forgave him.

[bazza]

6 hours ago, rigger said:

Kaminski's distribution was awful.

If it hadn't been for Kaminski they would have scored 5.

[rigger]

2 hours ago, bazza said:

If it hadn't been for Kaminski they would have scored 5.

But his distribution was awful.

[K-Hod]

59 minutes ago, rigger said:

But his distribution was awful.

I’d sooner he stopped 5 goals than misplaced 5 goal kicks tbh.

[rigger]

14 minutes ago, K-Hod said:

I’d sooner he stopped 5 goals than misplaced 5 goal kicks tbh.

I was replying to Tonyoz saying Kaminski was excellent. For me to be excellent, he would have had to save the shots he did, and get the basic distribution right. If the quote had been that Kaminski kept us in the game with his saves, then I would agree. 

[tonyoz]

I used the word “outstanding” for Kaminski and I’m happy to stand by that. He stood out from the rest of the team and saved us from total humiliation. I did ping him for 3 disappointing clearances but none of them created immediate danger. It’s ok if other fans set different standards.

[Upside Down]

You're made of some tougher stuff than I am to be able to sit through that tripe and analyse it to the thorough extent that you do.

Bravo sir 👏

[tonyoz]

6 hours ago, Upside Down said:

You're made of some tougher stuff than I am to be able to sit through that tripe and analyse it to the thorough extent that you do.

Bravo sir 👏

Oh! Don’t remind me…..but I kinda feel a commitment somehow; I know there are some folks who read regularly. 

[rigger]

12 hours ago, tonyoz said:

I used the word “outstanding” for Kaminski and I’m happy to stand by that. He stood out from the rest of the team and saved us from total humiliation. I did ping him for 3 disappointing clearances but none of them created immediate danger. It’s ok if other fans set different standards.

Sorry for misquoting you, I agree Kaminski stood out, in comparrison to the rest of the players on the pitch. 

[tonyoz]

43 minutes ago, rigger said:

Sorry for misquoting you, I agree Kaminski stood out, in comparrison to the rest of the players on the pitch. 

Oh! That’s no problem. I like it when people take the trouble to comment. It helps to make the effort worthwhile.