Barnsley -vs- Reading - 17/9/16 - 15:00

[Craig]

We're on fire at the moment and I'd fancy us against anyone right now. Got to go for a home win here. I wouldn't be as disappointed with a point as I would have been against the likes of Rotherham but we really should be going for the jugular at home. An away trip to Brighton then Villa at home after this so a difficult second half of the month.

Barnsley wins - 22
Reading wins - 27
Draws - 15

Last five meetings.
19/3/2011 - Barnsley 0-1 Reading
20/8/2011 - Reading 1-2 Barnsley
17/3/2012 - Barnsley 0-4 Reading
1/10/2013 - Barnsley 1-1 Reading
25/3/2014 - Reading 1-3 Barnsley

Barnsley form - WLWWW
Reading form - LDWWD

 

[Madejski]

Before the season was definitely eyeing up this game as one for us to get a rare away win in, but with Barnsley's form so far, i'll definitely take a draw.

We're tough to beat, though with a lack of goalscoring power, not too hard to play against. Be prepared to have less than 30% of the ball, so make sure you're efficient with it when you have it.

I also didn't realise you had one former Reading academy player in MacDonald, had wondered where'd he got to. Replaced another in your team..

 

[Craig]

Done well has Angus MacDonald. Was worried losing Mawson would be a massive blow but MacDonald has stepped up and hit the ground running. Looking like another triumph for our scouting network.

 

[tarnluke]

Should be looking to win this one, if you would have asked me before the season started then I would have looked at this one as winnable so it should be more so now.

Also I agree with what Craig said about the games coming up after this one look very tricky so it's important to get a good result on Saturday.

I've seen all of Reading's highlights and the one game they played on Sky and they're resolute but not particularly threatening.

Should be an interesting one with the contrast of styles, a point wouldn't be horrendous but I'll go for 1-0 or 2-1 win.

 

[tarnluke]

We're tough to beat, though with a lack of goalscoring power, not too hard to play against. Be prepared to have less than 30% of the ball, so make sure you're efficient with it when you have it.

If you look at our stats over most of our games you'll see we've had about 40% possession and still scored quite frequently and won all but 2. Shouldn't be too much of a problem for us but you will be a very different outfit to anything we've faced before.

 

[Dazza]

Been to Oakwell 5 times and yet to see us lose up there. Would be pleased to take a point and keep our unbeaten run going. Hopefully Swift will start. Made a difference on Tuesday night. Looked a lot more threatning when he was on. Think we will start like this

Al Habsi
Gunter
McShane
Moore
Obita
Quinn
Williams
Swift
McCleary
Kermorgant
Beerens

 

[Craig]

Can't say it wasn't a deserved three points for Reading. Would probably have been a more convincing victory had they not had a player sent off, it was definitely a red card though.

They came out of the blocks blazing and it seemed a bit of a shock to our players. They obviously took us as a serious threat and knew they had to try and put us away early. Our players didn't really get into gear until the second half but credit to them for never giving in and towards the end we were looking good for an equaliser. Wasn't to be though, and as I say it was the correct result over the 90 minutes I thought.

 

[tarnluke]

Fair play to Reading, good first half showing from them and defended well in the 2nd.
Reading were the best side I've seen us play so far (in the first half anyway).

In all honesty I think we deserved a point from that one though. We weren't good enough in the first half but 2-0 flattered Reading a little, particularly because imo it was a clear foul on Scowen in the build up to their 2nd goal and we could have easily had a couple of goals ourself. Cracking finish though.
Also Reading should have definitely had 9 men at the start of the 2nd half, I've no idea how Williams got away with only a yellow for the stamp on Hourihane. They looked a very dirty side in the first half.

It was one of those days for us, the ball just wouldn't go in and it was too late when it eventually did. On another day we'd have scored 4 or 5 today.

The penalty was daft by Davies, he was going nowhere and didn't need to leave his foot in. It was unfortunate after he saved it that it fell straight back to tap home too.

A point would have been fair but no real complaints, just a frustrating watch.
Nothing much to worry about for us imo, conceding from a penalty and then a cracking 25 yard strike doesn't highlight any major issues.
Got to bounce back asap, will be very tough away at Brighton though.

 

[Craig]

I really don't expect we'll get anything at Brighton. I've seen nothing to suggest we can't turn Villa over a week on Tuesday under the floodlights though.

 

[Jamo]

God sake. We could be in the Premier League and Reading in the Conference South and they'd still ponce up to Oakwell and turn us over.

We deserved at least a point but yet again didn't do enough against 10 men. And tbf, with 11 men I think the scoreline could've been even worse, Reading looked a very tidy side and time and time again picked out McCleary and we just couldn't deal with them. We weren't terrible by any stretch but weren't clinical and defended really poorly in the first half.

Oh well, onto the next one. We're still 4th although we'll do very well to still be up there with Brighton (a) and Villa (h) up next.

 

[The Southbank]

Yip Jaap Stam is a big Dutchman!

 

[Madejski]

The next Sami Hyypia

 

[The Southbank]

Just seen the McCleary red card. Fair play to him, got nothing against that.

 

[Dazza]

The next Sami Hyypia

The exact comment one of my mates said when he was appointed. Certainly doing well so far. Started last season well though and we know how that went. Team spirit looks a lot better this season.

 

[Dazza]

Fair play to Reading, good first half showing from them and defended well in the 2nd.
Reading were the best side I've seen us play so far (in the first half anyway).

In all honesty I think we deserved a point from that one though. We weren't good enough in the first half but 2-0 flattered Reading a little, particularly because imo it was a clear foul on Scowen in the build up to their 2nd goal and we could have easily had a couple of goals ourself. Cracking finish though.
Also Reading should have definitely had 9 men at the start of the 2nd half, I've no idea how Williams got away with only a yellow for the stamp on Hourihane. They looked a very dirty side in the first half.

It was one of those days for us, the ball just wouldn't go in and it was too late when it eventually did. On another day we'd have scored 4 or 5 today.

The penalty was daft by Davies, he was going nowhere and didn't need to leave his foot in. It was unfortunate after he saved it that it fell straight back to tap home too.

A point would have been fair but no real complaints, just a frustrating watch.
Nothing much to worry about for us imo, conceding from a penalty and then a cracking 25 yard strike doesn't highlight any major issues.
Got to bounce back asap, will be very tough away at Brighton though.

Must admit after Williams got booked i was hoping Stam was going to take him off as i felt there was a chance he would do something silly in the second half. Think we have had more bookings than most sides in the Championship this season. About time. Been complaining for a few seasons that we were a soft touch.

 

[tarnluke]

Must admit after Williams got booked i was hoping Stam was going to take him off as i felt there was a chance he would do something silly in the second half. Think we have had more bookings than most sides in the Championship this season. About time. Been complaining for a few seasons that we were a soft touch.

Yeah I didn't mind it, upped the atmosphere and was more entertaining.
To be fair Hourihane was giving as good as he got!