Match Day North End 1-0 Reading

[TomPNE94]

Was worried about this with our back 4 being very inexperienced but what a performance again. Not sure how it wasn't 3 or 4.

Pearson is absolutely incredible. So important for us as shown on Tuesday.

 

[epic73]

Sean Maguire is absolutely incredible.

FTFY

 

[LeylandWhite]

Brilliant performance.

 

[TomPNE94]

FTFY

Played him on the right wing. Did alright

 

[mossypne]

Ben Pearson.

4th Game of the season - 4 Yellows, 1 red.

Todays yellow was bullshit anyway

 

[Madejski]

Played superbly against Villa midweek and then sounds like absolute crap today. Our Jekyll and Hyde performances for Home/Away games are showing just as much as last season. I don't understand how badly we can play away from home, consistently. 49 goals conceded in our away games last season, and we're very fortunate to have only conceded 3 so far in 2 games this, both could have easily ended 4-0.

Didn't help that after 30 minutes our midfield three who played so well against Villa were all out injured. Have to thank Ben Pearson for much of that..

Continued our absolutely atrocious record at Preston too. Would just be easier to hand Preston 3 points and not worry about playing a game - although sounds like we did that today anyway..

 

[TomPNE94]

Ben Pearson.

4th Game of the season - 4 Yellows, 1 red.

Todays yellow was bullshit anyway

Should've been a red. Two footed off the ground. He needs to learn to tackle properly.

 

[mossypne]

Should've been a red. Two footed off the ground. He needs to learn to tackle properly.

Wasn't though. He had a foot on the ground at all times

 

[TomPNE94]

Wasn't though. He had a foot on the ground at all times

We've clearly got different views as you're on the Town End. I've not seen it since but I was relieved at the time. Even if he was on the ground it was excessive force and that's a booking in today's rules.

 

[SirTomFinney]

I was sat on the Town End and thought it could have been a red. I love the guy and he was absolute immense today but he does need to chill out a bit!

He doesn't need to fly into tackles. He reads the game better than anyone ive ever seen in a PNE shirt. His hassling and intercepting is enough. We need him in the team as he is a huge huge loss when suspended.

 

[SirTomFinney]

Anyways. Thought we were fantastic all over the pitch today and can't quite believe it was only one.

Hugil is getting better by the game. Top class debut from Harrop, such a tidy clever player. And defence looks rock solid. To be sat 7th in the league after those first 4 games is ace

 

[SF_]

Should have won by 4 or 5 today, we were very good but Reading were poor, it has to be said, all possession, no substance.

Josh Earl made his professional debut and looked composed and steady at left back which is good news as Greg Cunningham has had an operation and will be out until Christmas supposedly, along with our other captain Tom Clarke. Fucking horrendous luck.

I thought Ben Davies was outstanding in defence in what I think was his first start at this level, Huntington and Fisher had good games too. Fuck knows what Rotherham did to Fisher, he came with shocking reviews but has been one of our most consistent players.

Maguire easily looks the best of our Irish imports, his movement and touch is superb, good knock back for Hugill's goal today.

Hard not to praise everyone as Hugill had a stormer up front, DJ controlled the game and Pearson was unplayable, he would walk into any side in this division, he's fucking brilliant.

Harrop looked tidy in his full debut as well.

 

[SF_]

Should've been a red. Two footed off the ground. He needs to learn to tackle properly.

He's a great tackler.

Looked a good, full-bloodied challenge to me.

Referees can't wait to book him early for anything he does to make their life easier for the rest of the game. They clearly talk and look for any excuse to book him in the first 20 minutes, utter shit houses.

 

[Madejski]

Should have won by 4 or 5 today, we were very good but Reading were poor, it has to be said, all possession, no substance.

That's how we play away from home.. keep the ball and hope to nick it.

Although, I don't like using it as an excuse, our injury situation is really harming us at the moment. After 30 minutes today our first choice midfield three were all injured, we only have our third choice striker fit (who came off the bench), no fit left backs and our first choice wingers are only fit enough for the bench after missing all of pre-season injured. We're trying to make do with what we've got for now.

Difficult month for us, but same amount of points as after 4 games last season, and same amount of points as we got from the same 4 fixtures last season.. so certainly not all doom and gloom yet.

 

[TomPNE94]

He's a great tackler.

Looked a good, full-bloodied challenge to me.

Referees can't wait to book him early for anything he does to make their life easier for the rest of the game. They clearly talk and look for any excuse to book him in the first 20 minutes, utter shit houses.

I don't think he is. Last week and today were both reckless and excessive force.

 

[SF_]

That's how we play away from home.. keep the ball and hope to nick it.

Although, I don't like using it as an excuse, our injury situation is really harming us at the moment. After 30 minutes today our first choice midfield three were all injured, we only have our third choice striker fit (who came off the bench), no fit left backs and our first choice wingers are only fit enough for the bench after missing all of pre-season injured. We're trying to make do with what we've got for now.

Difficult month for us, but same amount of points as after 4 games last season, and same amount of points as we got from the same 4 fixtures last season.. so certainly not all doom and gloom yet.

Didn't know your injury situation was so bad, was pleased to see Swift leave the pitch, good player who has caused us problems in the past.

 

[SF_]

I don't think he is. Last week and today were both reckless and excessive force.

He makes numerous successful tackles every game, even the ones he's booked for, he always wins the ball.

 

[TomPNE94]

He makes numerous successful tackles every game, even the ones he's booked for, he always wins the ball.

Yeah I know but he always makes a yellow card challenge every single game. He was the best player on the park by a country mile today, any other player in that situation would have been subbed off but he's so important for us we can't take him off. Just needs to cut out those stupid tackles.

 

[LeylandWhite]

It's a joke really that a full blooded and well timed tackle is now deemed as out of control and reckless.

Football's becoming a non contact sport and it's worse for it

 

[Dazza]

Played superbly against Villa midweek and then sounds like absolute crap today. Our Jekyll and Hyde performances for Home/Away games are showing just as much as last season. I don't understand how badly we can play away from home, consistently. 49 goals conceded in our away games last season, and we're very fortunate to have only conceded 3 so far in 2 games this, both could have easily ended 4-0.

Didn't help that after 30 minutes our midfield three who played so well against Villa were all out injured. Have to thank Ben Pearson for much of that..

Continued our absolutely atrocious record at Preston too. Would just be easier to hand Preston 3 points and not worry about playing a game - although sounds like we did that today anyway..

Yeah I should have known better than to make my 6th visit to Deepdale. Seen us get turned over 5 times there now and the other time was a draw.

 

[The Southbank]

Yeah I should have known better than to make my 6th visit to Deepdale. Seen us get turned over 5 times there now and the other time was a draw.

My last visit up there was when Lita bagged a few in 2005, were you there for that? What a team that was.

 

[Dazza]

My last visit up there was when Lita bagged a few in 2005, were you there for that? What a team that was.

That was the only game I missed that season. I also missed our midweek win up there when Brendon Rogers was in charge. Think we won 2-1 and Preston battered us for most of the game.

 

[PrestonCha]

My last visit up there was when Lita bagged a few in 2005, were you there for that? What a team that was.

0-3 I think wasn't it? Best performance by an away team, in a league game, I've ever witnessed (off the top of my head)

We were an awesome team ourselves back then, so it makes your performance that bit more special.

Completely bummed us from start to finish.

Teams don't do that to us very often at Deepdale.

 

[SF_]

I vaguely remember that game, they had a good team back then (was it the one that broke the points record?), Steve Sidwell used to boss it at this level.

Remember that winger, Bobby Convey having a good season then he seemed to disappear off the face of the Earth.

 

[KevinMcallister]

haven't seen them play yet but I suspect REading being in the top 6 again is not going to happen this season

yes they had the same points last season, but I just think Stams time has come, we had 1 point this time last season and now have 8 , we've played 3 decent teams too in Preston, Sunderland and Fulham

 

[TomPNE94]

haven't seen them play yet but I suspect REading being in the top 6 again is not going to happen this season

yes they had the same points last season, but I just think Stams time has come, we had 1 point this time last season and now have 8 , we've played 3 decent teams too in Preston, Sunderland and Fulham

I would say I agree but I thought that all season last year too. Plus we dicked them 3-0 last season and they were alright.

 

[Madejski]

haven't seen them play yet but I suspect REading being in the top 6 again is not going to happen this season

yes they had the same points last season, but I just think Stams time has come, we had 1 point this time last season and now have 8 , we've played 3 decent teams too in Preston, Sunderland and Fulham

We got 4 points from the same 4 fixtures last season (QPR & Preston away, Fulham & Villa home) so still too early to say. Arguably most of those teams have stepped up from last season too.

If we don't sign a decent striker then there is no chance.

But since last season we've only lost two first team players (GK & CM), and Mannone should be a decent replacement for Al-Habsi. If we bring in another striker I do not think we are any weaker than last season. We will have far more depth to the squad too. The league will undoubtedly be stronger.

Said about 2 months ago I expect us to finish 10th (play-off contention but falling short in April) and I would still back that.

Aston Villa at home was one of our best performances under Stam, but all 3 other games have been poor.

 

[KevinMcallister]

We got 4 points from the same 4 fixtures last season (QPR & Preston away, Fulham & Villa home) so still too early to say. Arguably most of those teams have stepped up from last season too.

If we don't sign a decent striker then there is no chance.

But since last season we've only lost two first team players (GK & CM), and Mannone should be a decent replacement for Al-Habsi. If we bring in another striker I do not think we are any weaker than last season. The league will undoubtedly be stronger.

Said about 2 months ago I expect us to finish 10th (play-off contention but falling short in April) and I would still back that.

Aston Villa at home was one of our best performances under Stam, but all 3 other games have been poor.

ok fair enough, no idea why you got rid of Shaugnessy, apart from giving a penalty away in his first appearance , against Fulham he was solid!!

did he play CM for you because he looks a decent young prospect at CB for us

 

[Madejski]

ok fair enough, no idea why you got rid of Shaugnessy, apart from giving a penalty away in his first appearance , against Fulham he was solid!!

did he play CM for you because he looks a decent young prospect at CB for us

I would lie if I said I knew much about him. If I remember he was first choice for most of his time in our youth levels playing at CDM. Those that saw him regularly said he didn't particularly stand out. Got nowhere near the first team.

Given all 3 of our current first choice CMs are 22, he would not have got a look in.

Don't think I have heard of him playing CB before though..