NW9Valiant

Perhaps, but I see a clear difference, night and day in the player's motivation and energy levels today. I will at least stick with them as they go into the remaining games than wave a white flag because we lost away to a side in form at home. Tonight was always going to be tough, hell if the Loft chance fell our way could have been very different.

Lowe and Loft with our best chances of the game, can't get much worse than that for our offensive chances.

Benning's work rate and attitude I always thought were great assets even if he wasn't technically a great player. Definitely a transfer move we've regretted because I highly doubt Grant is on the same wages. Grant is just a player trading off his CV, just not good enough.

Welp. Complete defensive collapse for the second there. I thought there was a lot of positives in our play today, effort and tempo as well. But we are just absolutely toothless up front which is not helping the lads at the back get any sort of confidence at all. Grant coming on has not helped us one bit. A striker better than Loft might have put us ahead earlier in the game if they got on the end of the cross.

Goodness. That was a strike and a half. Damn. 😞

What a save by Ripley. Loved his celebration there as well.

Oh all the people that could fall to....

That at least sounds intimidating, tbf. 😄

The commentator pronouncing 'Mighten' as 'Might on' is really grating me 😄

Yeah not gonna be solved overnight with a change in formation. Think a lot of it will be confidence driven. The players in front are putting in a defensive shift as well which will help.

I'm just struck that despite their club being in real trouble it doesn't even feel like the Reading commentators support this team to me.

This Reading commentator is hilarious, doesn't know their players names 😄

Rippers distribution is good as well. Shame Chiz couldn't keep up

Quite like what I'm seeing. Solid foundations, better movement going forward and the direct play is catching them out a bit. The players seem much more suited to this shape.

4-2-3-1??? I'll eat my words if that's the formation. Get in,,,

Let’s go Valiants. No expectations so give it everything and get a result.

I can't stand Pope. Man's an embarrassment. The criticism at DF's way over footballing recruitment is pretty much justified.

That, or DF just isn't the right person to be shopping in that market. Makes a world of difference when the person doing the shopping has the right contacts, relationships and profile. I'm sure various bits have gone into helping us with targets in the past but we must always be looking at ways to do better. Would definitely be a different conversation and outcomes otherwise.

It's just public relations speak. They key bits are what he's not saying, as well as the results. A lot of talk about effort and things not panning out. Fair enough. Nothing about budgets, what the thinking was with Crosby's appointment, whether there is any reflection on what they might have done differently in some circumstances. Nothing about whether the tactical and philosophical approach is the right fit for the club in its current circumstances. All dealing with facts as he sees it at the time. Which makes it easy to paint a particular picture. Definitely some correct things said, like DM being a pull factor for players coming to the club. But if that is being recognised now, why did we go with Crosby a year ago? This is why I think a review in the summer is needed. Maybe it means DF goes, maybe it means additional support is brought in. What's key is that it's done with DM being completely on board. He is a someone with a record we can believe in. DF, with all due respect, less so having had a bit more of a checkered history and not as high profile in the game. All worthwhile looking at and considering whether DF is doing the best job he can do and indeed, the right job. He might be a better fit for more behind the scenes management than Director of Football duties.

If it's just to the end of the season I have no issue with it, personally. Better to try something than nothing.

Better than Loft? Plus, worked with DM before, so might be able to get a tune out of him. At this stage, outside the window, we are going to be looking at Free Agents (if at all) who are free agents for a reason. It's a shot for nothing but worth the gamble. Can't get much worse up front, can it?

DF Out.