Quick Decisions And Fast Improvement Needed

No questioning the importance of this one, for us in particular, with the winless run having reached 12 and a league position of 19th, plus some tough fixtures coming up - although when you’re on a run which has included failures to beat Port Vale, Burton (twice), Bristol Rovers and Cambridge just what constitutes an easy fixture is hard to say. But we were against opponents who would undoubtedly have been boosted by their midweek win at Stevenage, which took them out of the bottom four, with two wins and two draws in their last four. Throw in the wildcard factor of our possible ‘new manager bounce’, plus the backing of a substantial away support, and you had the makings of an unpredictable six-pointer.

We may have turned them over 4-0 at The Valley, a result which at the time took us to four points off the play-offs, but that was back in October and even then it had taken us almost an hour to get in front. Although we merited the victory, the final score flattered us. Indeed, a look back at the game made for sobering reading. We opened the scoring from a Blackett-Taylor cross for Aneke to head home, with the game also featuring Tedic, Fraser, and Leaburn. Would anyone say we are stronger now?

What we ended up with was another disappointment, a sobering one. In a scrappy, error-ridden contest we lost because we were not clinical enough to take one of the few half-chances we created and not strong enough at the back to keep them out for a full game. Not good enough in both boxes is not exactly a recipe for footballing success. And perhaps worse than that, we ended up clueless as to how to play to strengths as we don’t really know what they are, in terms of both personnel and formation. All played out by a group which looked as if it had just been thrown together and placed under a new manager, which is of course the reality of the situation.

The team selected by Jones contained some surprises. As against Derby there was no sign of Dobson (and this time really no mention of him). Isted replaced Maynard-Brewer in goal, harsh on the latter but a judgement call. And Jones returned to the starting X1 in place of Ness (who might also feel hard done by as he had a reasonable game against Derby) in the central defensive three alongside Thomas and Gillesphey. Watson(L) and Edun were the wing-backs in a retained 3-5-2 while in midfield Edmonds-Green moved to the bench, with Watson(L) coming in to replace him alongside Coventry and Bakinson, with Ladapo and May up front. On the bench there were returns for both Anderson and long-term absentee Camara, with Fiorini not making the squad.

As so often of late we began the game brightly, dominating possession and dictating the tempo, albeit not causing them any problems. It wasn’t to last as Reading gradually got into the game and over the first half probably shaded it in terms of good chances, with us ending up without an effort on target and with Isted having been called on to make a couple of good saves.

Both sides coughed up possession cheaply and from a couple of those times we had our best moments, with Watson(L) sliding a ball through for May, who waited an age for it to sit right for him to shoot which gave the time for a defender to get across, then later Watson(T) played in Ladapo, who cut inside and got in a shot which caused the net to billow – but only because it had been deflected behind and bounced back to hit the netting. For a glorious two seconds I really thought we had scored. But again those two moments for Reading early on a corner returned to the taker saw him send in a shot turned over by Isted, then a long ball was missed by us and found a guy in space, only for his early effort to be saved by Isted and equally important he managed to palm the rebound away. And shortly before the break they caused chaos in our box as we failed to clear, the threat ending when their forward took out two defenders trying to reach the cross. Added to those moments were a fair shout for handball against Thomas in our box, one which the replays at half-time showed could easily have been given.

I trust that doesn’t make the first half sound exciting. In truth it was very poor fare between two sides which struggled to string passes together and seemed more intent on keeping the other at bay than taking risks. At half-time my abiding thought was that the game had 0-0 written all over it, but that meant that if one side did take the lead it would be crucial.

We made what seemed to be an enforced change at the interval, with Edmonds-Green (getting the nod ahead of Ness) coming on for Gillesphey, who had taken a knock to the head. That changed nothing and quite frankly the first 20 minutes of the second half was a good opportunity to go and make a cup of tea – and take a long time about it. Poor passing, balls into the area under- or overhit, plenty of endeavour from both teams but precious little cohesion. And then in five minutes the game turned as we missed probably our best chance to date – as a free kick dropped for Bakinson around the far post but he was unable to bring the ball under control or get in a decisive strike – and shortly after they went ahead.

Long throw into the box not dealt with decisively, it sat up for their guy to hit it on the turn across Isted. Well taken but once again just soft from our perspective. That was the cue for Kanu to enter the fray for Ladapo, but his first meaningful touch was probably to prevent us from equalising. A Watson ball in from the right seemed to be going through to an unmarked Bakinson to poke into the net only for Kanu to manage to make contact and divert it away from his path. And on 75 minutes the game was up as we went 2-0 down. Another long throw, this one headed on, Watson failed to get any power or distance on his header away, and the ball dropped nicely for their guy to volley home into a similar spot to the first one.

We might have got back in the game when a long ball was missed by their defender and Kanu was able to take it on, but his shot was comfortably saved. Camara and Campbell were introduced, for Coventry and Watson(L), for the final 10 minutes or so, but quite frankly nobody was bothering to work out what that meant for the formation as Reading, like Derby a week ago, saw the game out quite comfortably, our only bright spot being a good cameo from Camara.

When a manager says that the positives from the game were that he learnt a lot you pretty much know there weren’t any. There were flashes from players, most often Watson(L) and especially Camara, and there was no lack of effort. Rather at the back we continued to look like a group of strangers, a midfield trio of Coventry, Bakinson and Watson(L) doesn’t look like a particular productive mix, while Ladapo and May are generally feeding off scraps and both now looking in need of a goal.

We’ve gone from being a team playing 4-3-3, with the division’s leading goalscorer and the top player for assists, which shipped too many goals to be competing for promotion to one stymied by 3-5-2/5-3-2 – as the wing-backs are not providing the necessary attacking threat, central midfield is not cohesive or providing any goals, the front two are still working out how to play together (with one of them still building match fitness and the other looking in need of a break), we don’t look like scoring from set pieces, and we still can’t manage clean sheets. And of course now the pressure is really going to be on, starting on Tuesday evening.

Heaven only knows what Jones will decide to do. First up, if the indications today are accurate, is reincorporating Dobson, who it seems will be off to Hungary but not until July, with Charlton having prevented an early departure. That may be chaotic but surely good news. Having Coventry join us and immediately be the cornerstone in the middle of the park was a big ask. Second, the formation. Needs a decision now and whatever it is stuck to. A decision on that for me rests on whether Aneke will soon be available, even if not for full games. Third, sort out central midfield. If Dobson is staying and up for the task, pair him with Coventry and have the pair of them shore things up, then add either the box-to-box option (Bakinson, perhaps Camara) or more of a No.10 (Watson, even Fiorini). We can’t go back to a front three as we no longer have the players (CBT, Campbell on loan, while our Campbell is struggling for form and confidence), so look at options, including a front two or even a lone striker if you pack midfield. Tottenham many moons ago played with Clive Allen up front on his own and didn’t expect him to do anything other than get on the end of things in the boxes. They did have Hoddle and Ardilles, plus Galvin out wide, but it can work.

In that context we have to hope Jones learnt a lot yesterday, because time is obviously not on our side. Relegation has gone quickly from being no more than a theoretical possibility to a frighteningly feasible outcome. If we play the rest of the season as we have been doing it will become a reality. We have to improve, quickly. The first step is obviously winning a game, by whatever means necessary, and see what that does to confidence. And yes, the crowd will need to play its part on Tuesday night. We remember that game against Cardiff at The Valley under Sir Chris. A repeat performance would be very welcome.