The Unofficial "Official" Boro v Reading Matchday Thread and Programme

Well we deserved that, they didn’t deserve their goal, and with that much of the ball we were always worth at least one. It didn’t feel like it, but we had quite a few chances with hitting post, the deflection going just by it and their keeper making a few saves.

When teams sit back like that I think we need to go for plan B earlier, get the bigger lads on and get balls in the box.

Balogun looked good, some neat touches and tricky passes.

Crooks MOM for stepping up twice.

Thought Sporar was quiet, should have had him off early.

If Jones sorts his passing out, and gets it to the level of his crossing, then we’re going to struggle to keep him, if he keeps improving. He’s had every left back for breakfast.
 
We really made hard work of that. Fair play to Reading they parked the bus, scored a loopy header, and then just sat 10 players in a 15 yard strip and asked us to get through....but our boys showed just how much better our fitness and mental strength is in the last two months. 3 injury time winners in three games when we rarely scored in the last 10 before that.

Not the greatest performance as a team and individually:
- didn't really break the lines very much against a team packed in defence, however that's exactly why McGree has been brought in, to run with it and commit defenders when they are packing the back
- moved the ball two slowly today in midfield
- didn't get our overlapping CBs forward enough
- Lumley, not a lot he could do about the goal, did everything else asked of him
- Jones, MoTM? or crooks? beat their LB with ease tried pull backs a couple of times that didn't work, but was a constant thorn
- Dijksteel, defended ok not a lot going forward
- Fry, stood up well, showed that his early career when he didn't have the strength to compete against powerful guys is now behind him
- McNair, defended ok but didn't do enough going forward which is his strength
- Taylor, his poorest game, was very negative
- Howson poor game
- Tav, better, good assist, worked hard, but needs to start to build that confidence and believe in himself
- Crooks, two good goals (is there a bad goal?), worked hard in midfield, tried to be positive all game
- Connolly, showed promise, good movement off the ball, couple of chances that he will be disappointed he didn't do better
- Sporar, very quiet game tonight, pretty much anonymous
- Balogun, showed some real class touches, this kid is going to make a difference
- Watmore, won the ball a few times, kept it simple
- Coburn, didn't have any opportunities
 
Never count this team as down and out, Reading were tougjh to break down but always felt if we scored one another would follow. The two new lads applied themselves well and look good additions, think it might be time in the next few games to give Howson or Crooks a rest and give Payero a run, especially against opposition like today, he will have space and can pick a pass it would have suited him. Will keep legs fresh too, despite his goals today I thought Crooks looked tired at times, he has been ever present this season. That being said, what a finish these lads really do play for each other and are hungry to win, not seen that in a Boro side for a while.

What a finish eh! UTB
 
Never count this team as down and out, Reading were tougjh to break down but always felt if we scored one another would follow. The two new lads applied themselves well and look good additions, think it might be time in the next few games to give Howson or Crooks a rest and give Payero a run, especially against opposition like today, he will have space and can pick a pass it would have suited him. Will keep legs fresh too, despite his goals today I thought Crooks looked tired at times, he has been ever present this season. That being said, what a finish these lads really do play for each other and are hungry to win, not seen that in a Boro side for a while.

What a finish eh! UTB

The Crooks/Jones axis is vital to the team. Between them, they have bagged us a lot of points since Wilder arrived.
 
Never count this team as down and out, Reading were tougjh to break down but always felt if we scored one another would follow. The two new lads applied themselves well and look good additions, think it might be time in the next few games to give Howson or Crooks a rest and give Payero a run, especially against opposition like today, he will have space and can pick a pass it would have suited him. Will keep legs fresh too, despite his goals today I thought Crooks looked tired at times, he has been ever present this season. That being said, what a finish these lads really do play for each other and are hungry to win, not seen that in a Boro side for a while.

What a finish eh! UTB
You say Crooks was tired and maybe he was but think it’s probably the Covid situation as much as playing too much. He only played 20 mins last week and he’s had a full 7 days to recover from that
 
The Crooks/Jones axis is vital to the team. Between them, they have bagged us a lot of points since Wilder arrived.
I know, but we can't run him into the ground at the same time is all I am saying. We need a plan B if injury occur, we now have five options for tghat position be good to see some different combinations tried. At the appropriate time and opposition obviously :)
 
Please get us out of this league, we’ve played some poor sides but they were on another level
 
We really made hard work of that. Fair play to Reading they parked the bus, scored a loopy header, and then just sat 10 players in a 15 yard strip and asked us to get through....but our boys showed just how much better our fitness and mental strength is in the last two months. 3 injury time winners in three games when we rarely scored in the last 10 before that.

Not the greatest performance as a team and individually:
- didn't really break the lines very much against a team packed in defence, however that's exactly why McGree has been brought in, to run with it and commit defenders when they are packing the back
- moved the ball two slowly today in midfield
- didn't get our overlapping CBs forward enough
- Lumley, not a lot he could do about the goal, did everything else asked of him
- Jones, MoTM? or crooks? beat their LB with ease tried pull backs a couple of times that didn't work, but was a constant thorn
- Dijksteel, defended ok not a lot going forward
- Fry, stood up well, showed that his early career when he didn't have the strength to compete against powerful guys is now behind him
- McNair, defended ok but didn't do enough going forward which is his strength
- Taylor, his poorest game, was very negative
- Howson poor game
- Tav, better, good assist, worked hard, but needs to start to build that confidence and believe in himself
- Crooks, two good goals (is there a bad goal?), worked hard in midfield, tried to be positive all game
- Connolly, showed promise, good movement off the ball, couple of chances that he will be disappointed he didn't do better
- Sporar, very quiet game tonight, pretty much anonymous
- Balogun, showed some real class touches, this kid is going to make a difference
- Watmore, won the ball a few times, kept it simple
- Coburn, didn't have any opportunities
I thought howson was ok today.
 
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