Two Points Lost?
CC started with the same set up as against Leeds with Westwood replacing Price in goal. I feared that we would play 442 & have a bad first half like we did against Leeds. As it turned out, we dominated & the opening 15 minutes was probably as good as we have played all season. Bannan hit the post, Hooper fired us in front as we created great opportunities. We were playing virtually 352 with Hunt & Pudil playing almost as wingers with Hutchinson playing between the two CBs.
Out of the blue, Reading got a penalty when Loovens dallied on the ball and by the time he tried to clear, the striker had got in ahead of him and he brought him down. Fortunately he failed to convert and we kept our lead.
Gradually we fell deeper and 352 became 442 or 532. Hunt & Pudil got forward less and less and Wallace & Bannan spent more & more playing as auxilliary full backs. Despite this we still came closest to scoring before half time when Hooper made something from nothing and forced the keeper into a scrambling save.
Reading were dominating possession but never tested Westwood. It should have been 2-0 when Lee picked out FF beautifully but his shot was deflected over the bar by a defender. Joao replaced FF and Reading equalised a couple of minutes later. Haven't seen the goal on TV but it seemed like a free header. That was the only effort that Westwood had to save all afternoon.
At the death, Reading had a free header from six yards but the striker fluffed it.
Westwood - 5
Hunt - 6
Loovens - 6
Sasso - 6
Pudil - 6
Hutchinson - 6
Lee - 6
Wallace - 5
Bannan - 6
FF - 6
Hooper - 7
............................
Joao - 5
Helan - 5
Nuhiu - 4
Stat Attack:
Goals: 1 - Hooper
Assists: 1 - Lee
Tackles: 4 - Pudil, 3 - Hunt, Lee, Hutchinson, 2 - Loovens, Hooper, Helan, 1 - Sasso, Bannan
Interceptions: 5 - Loovens, 4 - Sasso, Hutchinson, 3 - Lee, 2 - Hunt, Pudil, Helan,
Clearances: 11 - Loovens, 5 - Sasso, Hutchinson, 4 - Hunt, 3 - Pudil, 2 - Bannan, 1 - Wallace, Hooper, Helan, Nuhiu
Attempts: 2 - FF, Bannan, Hooper, 1 - Sasso, Loovens, Joao
Attempts On Target: 2 - Hooper, 1 - FF
Key Passes: 2 - Lee, Bannan, 1 - Westwood, Hutchinson, Wallace, Hooper
Dribbles: 1 - Wallace, FF
Dispossessed: 1 - Hunt, Lee, FF, Bannan
Bad Control: 2 - Pudil, FF, Lee, Hooper, Joao, 1 - Loovens, Hutchinson
Crosses (Accurate in brackets): 4 - Wallace (0), Bannan (2), 1 - Loovens (1), Lee (1), Helan (0)
Passing Accuracy (Total Passes in Brackets):
Lee - 88% (25)
Hutchinson - 86% (36)
Loovens - 85% (20)
Hooper - 77% (30)
Wallace - 76% (38)
FF - 74% (23)
Bannan - 73% (40)
Pudil - 60% (20)
Hunt - 50% (24)
Sasso - 46% (26)
Westwood - 44% (32)
Joao - 17% (6)
Helan - 14% (7)
Nuhiu - 0% (2)
As soon as we slipped back into the 442, Reading controlled possession and almost inevitably, they scored.
Each of the substitutions made us weaker. Loovens may come in for some criticism but generally he was outstanding except for one mistake. That said, defenders are inevitably judged by their mistakes.
CC needs to go back to the 4321 or at least 4231 or 352 or else we are going to continue to drop points against inferior teams.
The statistics show we had far few touches than normal & our pass completion rate was as low as any all season. FF was well below par & gave the ball away too many times in dangerous positions. Only Hooper played up to form.
Hopefully we can give FF & a few others a rest on Saturday so we are ready to fire fully against Burnley & Birmingham next week.
FF hit it well enough. It was a brilliant block by the defender.
The pitch looked fine.
CC started with the same set up as against Leeds with Westwood replacing Price in goal. I feared that we would play 442 & have a bad first half like we did against Leeds. As it turned out, we dominated & the opening 15 minutes was probably as good as we have played all season. Bannan hit the post, Hooper fired us in front as we created great opportunities. We were playing virtually 352 with Hunt & Pudil playing almost as wingers with Hutchinson playing between the two CBs.
Out of the blue, Reading got a penalty when Loovens dallied on the ball and by the time he tried to clear, the striker had got in ahead of him and he brought him down. Fortunately he failed to convert and we kept our lead.
Gradually we fell deeper and 352 became 442 or 532. Hunt & Pudil got forward less and less and Wallace & Bannan spent more & more playing as auxilliary full backs. Despite this we still came closest to scoring before half time when Hooper made something from nothing and forced the keeper into a scrambling save.
Reading were dominating possession but never tested Westwood. It should have been 2-0 when Lee picked out FF beautifully but his shot was deflected over the bar by a defender. Joao replaced FF and Reading equalised a couple of minutes later. Haven't seen the goal on TV but it seemed like a free header. That was the only effort that Westwood had to save all afternoon.
At the death, Reading had a free header from six yards but the striker fluffed it.
Westwood - 5
Hunt - 6
Loovens - 6
Sasso - 6
Pudil - 6
Hutchinson - 6
Lee - 6
Wallace - 5
Bannan - 6
FF - 6
Hooper - 7
............................
Joao - 5
Helan - 5
Nuhiu - 4
Stat Attack:
Goals: 1 - Hooper
Assists: 1 - Lee
Tackles: 4 - Pudil, 3 - Hunt, Lee, Hutchinson, 2 - Loovens, Hooper, Helan, 1 - Sasso, Bannan
Interceptions: 5 - Loovens, 4 - Sasso, Hutchinson, 3 - Lee, 2 - Hunt, Pudil, Helan,
Clearances: 11 - Loovens, 5 - Sasso, Hutchinson, 4 - Hunt, 3 - Pudil, 2 - Bannan, 1 - Wallace, Hooper, Helan, Nuhiu
Attempts: 2 - FF, Bannan, Hooper, 1 - Sasso, Loovens, Joao
Attempts On Target: 2 - Hooper, 1 - FF
Key Passes: 2 - Lee, Bannan, 1 - Westwood, Hutchinson, Wallace, Hooper
Dribbles: 1 - Wallace, FF
Dispossessed: 1 - Hunt, Lee, FF, Bannan
Bad Control: 2 - Pudil, FF, Lee, Hooper, Joao, 1 - Loovens, Hutchinson
Crosses (Accurate in brackets): 4 - Wallace (0), Bannan (2), 1 - Loovens (1), Lee (1), Helan (0)
Passing Accuracy (Total Passes in Brackets):
Lee - 88% (25)
Hutchinson - 86% (36)
Loovens - 85% (20)
Hooper - 77% (30)
Wallace - 76% (38)
FF - 74% (23)
Bannan - 73% (40)
Pudil - 60% (20)
Hunt - 50% (24)
Sasso - 46% (26)
Westwood - 44% (32)
Joao - 17% (6)
Helan - 14% (7)
Nuhiu - 0% (2)
As soon as we slipped back into the 442, Reading controlled possession and almost inevitably, they scored.
Each of the substitutions made us weaker. Loovens may come in for some criticism but generally he was outstanding except for one mistake. That said, defenders are inevitably judged by their mistakes.
CC needs to go back to the 4321 or at least 4231 or 352 or else we are going to continue to drop points against inferior teams.
The statistics show we had far few touches than normal & our pass completion rate was as low as any all season. FF was well below par & gave the ball away too many times in dangerous positions. Only Hooper played up to form.
Hopefully we can give FF & a few others a rest on Saturday so we are ready to fire fully against Burnley & Birmingham next week.
(24-01-2016, 21:50)Imre varadi Wrote: Again i ask someone who went ? was the pitch shit ? the ball was bouncing everywhere in the goal mouth ? i sure Forest would have buried that on a normal pitch !!
FF hit it well enough. It was a brilliant block by the defender.
The pitch looked fine.
The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.