Blackpool v Reading Official Matchday Thread 30.07.22

Old_Laytonian said:
There’s a few. I was going to start a post with who’s the most negative poster during a match? I have a list of three
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Wonder what happened to old 63 from last season? Maybe he didn't have enough negative energy left to face this season
 
BlackpoolsFinest said:
Thankfully, it's 3 points.
Because based on that performance, they're all gonna count.
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Well we edged a nervous looking and probably undeserved win against a side that will be looking upwards for most of the season. I'm sceptical about the whole of our midfield today. Not sure that any of them are Championship players. And apart from Bowler, I can't see where goalscoring chances or goals are going to come from.
 
I think MA will give Kenny a gentle ease in. He had a tough last season with lots of travel, but I’d expect him to be starting in the middle. Carey still coming back to match sharpness, so no concerns there. Fiorini, did well first half, but careless in possession / passing at times, but obvious quality. Again, he’ll need match fitness.

Virtue, does things well, when he has time, great cross for the goal. However, his lack of pace causes issues and he can slow things down. Struggles in tight spots with touch, and his pace over short distances makes him easy to play around. I felt he was a weak link today in the middle. He again needs match sharpness, but his pace has always been an issue.

Connolly was very good, but Gabriel gives us something more, particularly with Bowler. We will always need a fit Connolly, such a good pro in different positions.

Thompson was outstanding. Williams solid, but you can see he lacks a yard of pace. However, great positional sense.

Jerry I thought was excellent and very disciplined in that wide position.

Gaz did what he does.

Lavery, I don’t really think he’s bringing much to the team, but that can change.

Bowler, could be a £20m player, if only he can be more consistent with his final shot / pass. Very dangerous, they were scared stiff. Will we offer him a better contract? In this formation he could be worth significantly more than £3m come the season end, if he’s on contract. I think we should give that another go.

Great start to the season!
 
First half, I thought we played some really nice stuff but in the second half it was backs to the wall but if we get 2-3 players in soon then I think we’ll do ok this season, roll on Stoke UTMP! 🍊
 
I can see us hanging on to more points when we need backs to the wall…hands up who fancies facing Appleton the dressing room after giving a late goal away?
 
interesting to read this. A ot of you thinking Thompson was excellent but not for me. I thought he was given a tough going over by Hoilett.
 
20togo said:
interesting to read this. A ot of you thinking Thompson was excellent but not for me. I thought he was given a tough going over by Hoilett.
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Junior Hoillett is a top player to be fair but considering it was his first game for us in a league he's not played in before I thought he did well

First half he was great but like the rest of the team I thought we struggled second half when they pressed higher and pushed us deep
 
Philbfctrois said:
Junior Hoillett is a top player to be fair but considering it was his first game for us in a league he's not played in before I thought he did well

First half he was great but like the rest of the team I thought we struggled second half when they pressed higher and pushed us deep
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yep, first game for us but I just gave an honest assessment of how I saw it. Second half for me he just was never in the right place.
 
20togo said:
yep, first game for us but I just gave an honest assessment of how I saw it. Second half for me he just was never in the right place.
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Yeah I see that I thought second half none of our players were in the right place

It was a mystery how every ball into our box missed everything several times in the last 30 mins or so
 
Philbfctrois said:
d I see that I thought second half none of our players were in the right place

It was a mystery how every ball into our box missed everything several times in the last 30 mins or so
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indeed. Not saying we were lucky but nothing fell right for them in the box today with their balls into the box.
 
Philbfctrois said:
Yeah I see that I thought second half none of our players were in the right place

It was a mystery how every ball into our box missed everything several times in the last 30 mins or so
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I'd like to see the second half back. Were we just lucky or was it good defending, positioning etc? Thompson made 2 great tackles in the second half and I remember thinking Garbutt or James would never have been able to do that and he got the ball out our midfield. I thought he had a great game up until about 65 minutes when he was clearly really struggling with a niggle and lack of fitness. Apparently he hasn't had a full pre-season training, so coming in like he did I thought he was outstanding for 65 minutes.
 
Thought Thompson did well on the whole
Simple, yet effective distribution when on the ball and not much time to adapt to our regime prior to his first league outing.
Not the easiest introduction against an experienced opponent at this level and I thought Dom was struggling with a niggling injury for some time before his departure.
Fiorini awarded MOM and, whilst he did seem to be the lynchpin in the first half, I'd have awarded it to CC, who produced another impressive performance, covering at RB and scoring the winner.
Also recovered well after an apparent kick to the head, which resulted in no caution for the perpetrator.
For me he was our most consistent performer last season and is proving an invaluable squad player
 
We didn't defend well in the 2nd half, its just that we weren't punished.
We had a very inexperienced midfield trio prior to the subs, and what we need to add in there is some steel and composure. Dougall made a difference, but if you go away to somewhere like Norwich or Burnley and start Virtue, Carey and Fiorini in midfield, you'll leak goals. And I like all three but not sure they're solid or physically strong enough to play together. Neither it seems does MA, or we wouldn't be on an eternal search for a centre mid.
 
Good result today I feel better than I didn yesterday about the season
 
A good 25 mins in the first half, we looked good and more fluid than i‘ve seen us for a while, hopefully that is the template for the season.
 
We really needed the points, as going to be hard until we get the injuries cleared up, a couple of additions and more fitness and more used to the managers game plan.
Hopefully the 9 out are not too far away.
 
Good for the players to get the first win, play all the pre seasons you want nothing like a league game, back 4 hardly gave Reading much of a chance, great shape out of possession, most people will prefer the high press but get your bodies in the right players and the opposition will struggle.
Ekpeteta passing was the main negative from the back 4, Fiorini looked good in a playmaking role first half, ran out of steam a little, Yates first 30 minutes played really well controlled passing and movement and looked good on the left, Madine did what Madine does well but isolated 2nd half.
Everyone else played well Connolly link up play with Bowler good.

Appleton said we looked a young team 2nd half and waiting for the final whistle, so maybe a bit of experience coming in?
 
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rememberlesshannon said:
Was it me or did Virtue look absolutely out on his feet, ten minutes into the second half ?
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He struggled 2nd half for sure, but for opening 30 minutes he was good and if Bowler had of scored before Connolly would have had an assist.
He is ring rusty after a year on sidelines, but his match fitness will improve and that was one of his first 10 Championship games he has ever played in.
I liked the movement in midfield in that opening spell and there are games when we need that more attacking midfield, other games we will be more defensive.
Think Appletons use of subs was good
 
A season ticket holder who couldn't attend today asked me what I thought about the match, so this was it....
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"First half hour, we were all over them, but Reading had most of the last hour. In the second half, Pool were down to breakaways, but Bowler did hit the post, which we wouldn't really have deserved to win 2-0. There was 3 or 4 superb Reading crosses in 2nd half but luckily, no-one was on the end of them. It wouldn't have been an injust if they'd have equalised, because our lads all looked knackered at the end..."
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Looking back to yesterday, it's great to win our first match of the season and not to see loads of backpasses to the keeper. Onwards and upwards.
🧡 UTMP 🧡
 
First game of a new season new manager was always going to be a bit of a lottery, Overjoyed with the three points it will do a lot for confidence
 
Henshman said:
A season ticket holder who couldn't attend today asked me what I thought about the match, so this was it....
.
"First half hour, we were all over them, but Reading had most of the last hour. In the second half, Pool were down to breakaways, but Bowler did hit the post, which we wouldn't really have deserved to win 2-0. There was 3 or 4 superb Reading crosses in 2nd half but luckily, no-one was on the end of them. It wouldn't have been an injust if they'd have equalised, because our lads all looked knackered at the end..."
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Looking back to yesterday, it's great to win our first match of the season and not to see loads of backpasses to the keeper. Onwards and upwards.
🧡 UTMP 🧡
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They may have had all the ball second half, but I can remember one clear cut chance they created. On the other hand, Bowler hit the post, Lavery was clean through, Madine missed a header and countless final balls wasted. Much the same as last season, we create chances with a smaller percentage of the ball.
 
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