From My Seat: Reading (A)

A trip to Reading for what should be a routine three points was anything but routine with the Blues ending up losing those routine points, falling to our second defeat of the season and allowing Reading their first win of the season. Today leaves the club and manager much to ponder on as the whole team resembled a well oiled machine failing half-way through its cycle due to lack of maintenance.

Hitzlsperger making his first start in place of long term injury victim Neville was prominent from the off with two excellent crosses the first of which saw Jags fire in a good shot that brought a good save, the second saw a very out of form and confidence lacking Jelavic hit his shot into the deck and the ball bounced over the bar. What a fall in fortune from last term.

Hitzlsperger was showing well early doors with neat and tidy sensible play and simple passes knitting things together. He fed Osman who gathered the ball in and made a good turn but his resultant shot was weak and easily gathered.

On ten minutes we caused mayhem in their box and two defending headers were sent skywards and Jelavic got on the second and looped one to the far post which found Fellaini who somehow got it back across goal for Naismith to ram home from a yard out. The Goodison Roar had travelled well and all celebrated. Now the floodgates will open many thought but this is Everton and it was to transpire that no-one had brought the keys to any gates.

Right after the goal we were as usual vulnerable and a direct long ball saw Howard make a customary error of judgement and made himself look sort of comical as his ill-judged run out toward the player on the ball saw him easily bypassed but his luck held as the forward chipped the ball over the bar. From the look on the keepers face you would have thought that towel in the calendar shot had slipped off. What a let off and a warning.

We had another attack and Naismith was pulled down in the box... ‘Penalty’ yelled all those of a travelling nature. A head shaking Ref. put paid to that notion and the Ref. again let us know we would not get much from him was only moments later when Baines was blatantly blocked but play on was the verdict. But don’t get me wrong this Ref. Atkinson who is regarded as second only to H Webb was just as bad for Reading. How he gets his rating I will never know.

We remained on top and Pienaar was put through and shot to no avail when a pass to the unmarked Jelavic would surely have produced a tap in.

After the 25 min mark we seemed to go off the boil in degrees. Reading attacked more and had joy down our flanks but had little end product. We created a break and Naismith entered the box only to be felled in a tackle which caused another ‘Penalty’ yell but Atkinson waved away all protests. Naismith didn’t dive in fact he got a shot off as he was floored but it had little venom.
On the 35-min mark we at last saw a blast from ’Der Hammer’ which the keeper was glad to punch away.

Coming up to the break we one delightful joined up move of some 8 or 9 passes found Osman in sight of goal but his shot was tipped over. The resultant corner came to nought. Reading were persisting with the long ball down the middle as their main attacking move but nothing came to much, I hoped they would stay at that and not go down our flanks as Baines and Coleman were looking a little hesitant when defending. Baines going forward was better and he put one cross in that Jelavic had a shot deflected for a corner. He was adamant it was handball in the box but the Ref was having none of that. From my seat I could not tell but I wanted to believe Jelavic as not much was going for him.

Baines took a corner and Jags header was cleared from the line, Osman was put in but poked it straight at the keeper while at the other end Reading had a corner that went all the way to the far post and but for a poor header we would have gone in level. Very poor marking but we got a let off.

Half-time and the chat seemed to be exclusively on how we should have been three up, should have had a pen and how we needed that second goal. It seemed obvious after their first half showing the hosts would come out all guns blazing but perhaps not to Everton as we seemed ill prepared for the second half onslaught that would ultimately undo us.

In the first minute they broke up our attack and sent Roberts down the middle and it looked like he would outpace Heitinga but Jonny just got there and as he slid the ball for a corner Roberts kicked him in the ankle area with what he thought would be a shot, Jonny screamed and waved but soon recovered and came back on after we defended the corner without him.

Reading now attacked with gusto without end product after corners and shots we needed to get a grip and start holding the ball more and attempt to join a few moves up to take some of the sting out of the hosts—we didn’t and paid the price on 50 mins when after a couple of needless free kicks given away they got one just out of the box and when it was drilled in it was allowed to travel toward the far post where their smallest forward Le Fondre got ahead of much taller defenders and headed home — When will we ever learn?

The home crowd who had been quite subdued were now of a raucous nature and their team responded and we felt and showed the pressure.

We just fiddled about for over ten mins then at last we had a worthwhile attack forced a corner which Hitzlsperger sent over and someone headed onto the top of the net. Back came Reading and caught Coleman ball watching and he had to concede a free kick which we struggled to clear, in fact Coleman was finding defending a tad too much for him at times and with Baines not much better our flanks were obvious areas for attack especially as neither Naismith or Pienaar were in the mood for busting a gut to help. After 20 mins of us looking edgy Pienaar hit a cross at Fellaini which sort of hit him and fell for Hitzlsperger who shot just wide.

75 mins gone and Reading had another break down the middle and but for a great tackle from Coleman we may have paid the price. We attacked again but you could see tiredness creeping in and this was magnified when Ossie and Naismith got into the box with a good chance but some sort of communication breakdown took place as each left the ball to each other – the least said the better. That sort of summed up the half which would best be described as toothless and disjointed.


We paid a heavy price for our lethargy on 80 mins when Coleman floored his man in blatant fashion in the box and his protestation to the ref seemed ill judged – a clear ‘peno’. Le Fondre took- Howard went left – Le Fondre went down the middle 2-1 down and somehow our second half effort in particular deserved it- what a shame.

Oviedo came on for Naismith and a cross was met by Fellaini and the ball hit the post and rebounded into the keeper’s arms, definitely not our day that damned post was in better form than us.

Vellios came on for Hitzlsperger with ten to go but nothing changed Reading looked the more dangerous and the game petered out with us at the desperation stakes whilst the team from the lower reaches of the league were playing keep ball with on the ground footy and the half ended with Oviedo doing tricks and cross overs up the line and lost it when a simple ball was cried out for. We make our second loss of the season whilst Reading make their first win—says it all!

MotM – Jagielka with a kind word for Hitzlsperger.
Overall not the best of displays by our lot but a tale of two halves re-titled as a tale of woe. After being dominant in that first half the lack of a second or third goal came back to haunt us in the second period after squandering many chances. The second half was more of surrender as we could not respond to Readings no more than forthright attacking. We needed to silence their crowd when in fact some of our play urged them on.

Did the absence of Mirallas and Neville make that much of a difference? Coleman apart from one great tackle was horribly exposed defensively and Naismith flattered to deceive but more alarming was the lack of form shown by Baines, Pienaar, Fellaini and Jelavic four top players not performing as we know they can is a big blow even our new England man Osman played much better last Wednesday therefore I wonder if players being away on international break had anything to do with it or is it more likely that we have no squad depth to freshen things up and current first picks have no competition? With five potential first teamers out injured and a look at our bench today if a top four finish is the ambition of board and manager then I suggest they convene an urgent meeting, there will much to talk about.

I know defeats come from unexpected places but in our case the underlying reason is a tad worrying.
Still get everyone fit and raring to go and we can beat anyone. It is when injury and suspension bites that gives me the jitters as well as a touch of disappointment that our squad is a little short on quality in depth.

Norwich at home next – Hold on to your hats
UP THE BLUES

---

Reader Comments (17)

Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer

About these ads