Hahnemann: Reading v. Bolton, 2/2 (R)

Discussion in 'Yanks Abroad Gameday' started by BuffloSoldier, Feb 2, 2008.

  1. BuffloSoldier

    BuffloSoldier BigSoccer Supporter

    Jan 31, 2000
    Northern NJ
    Marcus starts. No Convey in the 16.
     
  2. uniteo

    uniteo Member+

    Sep 2, 2000
    Rockville, MD
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Allow me to be the first...

    Convey should have gotten out during the transfer window. Despite starting every game he's an 'iffy' every game starter...

    Injured or coaches decision, BTW?
     
  3. BuffloSoldier

    BuffloSoldier BigSoccer Supporter

    Jan 31, 2000
    Northern NJ
  4. Katsbox

    Katsbox New Member

    Jan 17, 2005
    LBC
    Talk about a couple of stitches in his shin, but he'll have a hard time getting a start once fit.
     
  5. Mattgs84

    Mattgs84 New Member

    Feb 17, 2006
    He's injured needed stitches in his shin I think i heard. Leaving reading would be stupid . He hasn't shown much this season so leaving a team where the coach actually believes in him would be a mistake. Reading are not going to get relegated and convey probably isn't 100% yet from his injury anyway. I'd rather see him fighting for a spot for Reading then a "lock" at a mid-levl colaship side which would pretty much be his only option now.
     
  6. Plan B

    Plan B New Member

    Aug 9, 2004
    Chicago
    They've lost four in a row and gone eight games w/o a win-- it's possible that they'll be in the relegation zone in a few hours...but other than that, I agree with you. Convey is in his fourth year at Reading and, for a variety of reasons, has only dazzled in one-- and it wasn't in the EPL. It's not like other clubs are going to simply welcome him with open arms. He's in a place he seems comfortable, knows his role, has a manager who wants him. Perhaps this is cautious thinking, but he should stay and fight here, even if they are relegated.
     
  7. BuffloSoldier

    BuffloSoldier BigSoccer Supporter

    Jan 31, 2000
    Northern NJ
    Marcus saves a Taylor penalty.
     
  8. Plan B

    Plan B New Member

    Aug 9, 2004
    Chicago
    A penalty that new Reading midfielder Marek Matejovsky conceded.
     
  9. uniteo

    uniteo Member+

    Sep 2, 2000
    Rockville, MD
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    did that really require a smiley? And 'iffy' starter every game?

    stitches in his shin could keep him out a couple games seeing as how you have to put your shinguards right on top of that.

    Bobby's got the minerals to take on some competition for his spot
     
  10. BuffloSoldier

    BuffloSoldier BigSoccer Supporter

    Jan 31, 2000
    Northern NJ
    Nolan gives Bolton the lead.
     
  11. wooglin12

    wooglin12 Member

    Mar 26, 2005
    Birmingham, AL
    Club:
    Reading FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    So, Marcus went through that rough spot around Christmas time and it seems like he's been playing really well (I'm basing this almost solely on MOTD and these boards) lately, but he's not getting any help up top. To think they could have been playing in Europe... it might be much worse than this now...
     
  12. BuffloSoldier

    BuffloSoldier BigSoccer Supporter

    Jan 31, 2000
    Northern NJ
    Hegluson doubles the lead.
     
  13. dark knight

    dark knight Super Moderator
    Staff Member

    Dec 15, 1999
    Club:
    Leicester City FC
    Finished 2-0
     
  14. Clint Eastwood

    Clint Eastwood Member+

    Dec 23, 2003
    Somerville, MA
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    I've been worried about Reading for quite a while now. They're squarely in the relegation battle, and haven't shown me much. They did next to nothing in the transfer window to shore up a shaky defense, and they simply aren't scoring enough. This was Bolton at home people. That's one they had to win. Reading have only won 2 games since the start of November, home to Boro and Sunderland. Their next five games are away to Everton, home to Aston Villa, away to Boro, home to Manchester city, and at Liverpool. How many points from those do you honestly expect this team to win? 4 at most?

    The bottom 3 this year could easily be Derby, Fulham, and Reading. A YA disaster. And with every weekend we get closer to that possibility.
     
  15. RichardL

    RichardL BigSoccer Supporter

    May 2, 2001
    Berkshire
    Club:
    Reading FC
    Nat'l Team:
    England
    Oh dear oh dear.

    As the dark storm clouds that had seemingly enveloped Berkshire for most of January gave way to crisp sunshine, optimism was in the air that the green shoots of recovery would start to sprout this afternoon. The sunny weather sadly also brought with it an icy chill as the now very real spectre of relegation arrived to rattle its chains as the night drew in.

    Reading started promisingly enough. Traditionally, against Bolton, you have to earn your right to play, and the Reading players were in their counterparts' faces like flies on a humid afternoon. For the first 20 minutes, Bolton barely got out of their own half, doing little to contain Reading's high-energy approach.

    As time ticked by though, it became clear that despite controlling the play, Reading didn't look like scoring. In fact they didn't even look like having a shot.

    How much of it was a Bolton tactical plan, and how much of it was Reading's failing it's hard to tell, but the premier's favourite tactical whipping boy lived up to their stereotypical billing, smothering the life out of the game like a murderer with his favourite pillow, while prestenting an impenetrable phalanx at the back.

    As Reading's desperation grew, so did the height and length of the balls hit to the front men. This is not Reading's style - or at least it's not the style when playing well. We are worse at head tennis than Anna Kournikova is at the real variety, and sadly rather less easier on the eye. With Bolton's team full of men who look like they wrestle bears on their days off, it was an inexplicable way to play and it resulted in a first half ending without Reading registering a single shot. Not just a shot of target or a decent chance half chance, but shot of any description. Even when presented with numerous set piece chances, the ball without fail not only failed to clear the first man, but typically it didn't even get above the height of Campo's kneecaps.

    Reading's one bit of inspiration was from new signing Marek Matejovsky, who sprayed a decent number of invariably wasted through balls about. His two very impressive 10 minute cameos previously had lead to fans pinning hopes that he'd be the midfield messiah we'd been missing all season, but midway through the half he showed he's not the messiah, he's a very naughty boy, as a needless and wayward challenge in the box lead to a clear penalty.

    Matt Taylor, by many accounts a Reading target in the transfer window, stepped up and hit the kick true enough, but Hahnemann guessed the right way to make a fantastic save. USA! USA! rang round the ground, at least until he kicked his nth long kick either of the day that either found a Bolton head or missed the big green thing altogether.

    Typically a penalty save can lift a team. Today it didn't, and Bolton had a brief spell of wanting to play instead. A quick free kick lead to a cross from the right, and with more players seemingly hopelessly out of position than in the correct one, Nolan had the sort of freedom you don't get outside schoolboy football to run unchallenged right through the middle of the area to tuck the cross in for the opening goal.

    The second half was virtually a non event. Reading's best effort, when they eventually had one, was a header cleared off the line which look suspiciously like it came off a Bolton head at a corner. Ingimarsson scuffed as scrapy effort wide. Lita and Hunt combined to give hunt a chance that was unlikely to succeed from such a narrow angle.

    At some time during that, Bolton had a half-hearted forray into the Reading half chipped a ball to the intially offside-looking Helguson, who poked it past Hahnemann with the coolness of a man expecting the flag himself. But the goal stood and the game was as good as over. On this showing, with Reading looking a broken team, it perhaps wasn't just the game over, but the season as well.

    They say it's always darkest before dawn, but at the moment that sunrise is looking a long way off.
     
  16. Owen Gohl

    Owen Gohl Member

    Jun 21, 2000
    Derby are gone, Fulham are on life support, and Reading, based on their form and goal difference (-22), are in critical condition.

    This topic probably deserves its own thread in the YA forum. How many of our people will be able to move to other EPL clubs and, of those who can't, should they come home to MLS, stay with their clubs in the Championship, or try to go elsewhere in Europe?
     
  17. RichardL

    RichardL BigSoccer Supporter

    May 2, 2001
    Berkshire
    Club:
    Reading FC
    Nat'l Team:
    England
    the problem is that he hasn't really had a good game since Reading got promoted, and he's looked worse this season than last season, when he was struggling with injury. He's not performing at all, but he's hardly alone in that respect.

    I would expect it was the injury today though, as he wasn't even on the bench.

    A loss at Everton next week would equal the club record for consecutive defeats (7) which was set in the 1997/8 relegation season - and remarkably equalled just 8 games later.

    Statistically this is arguably Reading's worst ever season, with the lowest points per game, highest ever proportion of defeats, and possibly the only season ever without an away win. Fans who can remember finishing 16th in the 4th division in the 1970s might disagree though.
     
  18. MJ-inBRITAIN

    MJ-inBRITAIN Member

    Feb 19, 2006
    Nottingham, UK
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Coppell was in the transfer market for a left winger but couldn't pull it off. I watched a lot of Convey the year the went up and he was full of confidence and looked a handful going forward. This year though they don't seem to have that bravado on the break and his game has suffered most from it.

    He's still been able to spring people with the right ball and his crosses are ok. I'd say he is good enough technically to start in the epl but confidence is a different beast.

    Marcus is ok too. He's still making mistakes but coming up with good reaction saves. He's too fat and i'd like to see him about stone lighter. It shows when he's trying to come out and his movement seems slow. I'd say on the whole he's below average epl gk. For me based on this season he doesn't look an international quality keeper.
     

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