And that's our season in a nutshell. No shortage of effort but missing that cutting edge up front. Key player lost to injury. Let down by referees when we need the big decisions (how blatant does a handball need to be for a penalty?). Despite all that, we somehow give ourselves a chance then shoot ourselves in the foot.

4

Two poor teams. They were marginally better and thus take the points.
It is so frustrating being a Town supporter this season. So much promise, but the final pass/shot/header is invariably misplaced or poor. Aimless headers from defence when not under pressure. Simply put, we are not good enough and I hope Skuse and Chambers do not feature again. They epitomise the lack of skill.

1

Reading were poor and were there for the taking. The fact we were even worse is why we are finishing rock bottom of this league.

There was the good, the bad and the ugly. Collins wasn't at full fitness but was our best player until he went off. Oliveira was rightly booked for diving early on but he got the last laugh by scoring the goal that gave them the lead for most of the match. How he didn't get a second yellow for celebrating provocatively in front of the home fans I am unsure. I think ref's conversation with him was probably along the lines of "that was a booking if you hadn't already had one". His pirouette from Nsiala's foul on him ended his afternoon early and while his team mates did their best to give away the game, our ability to do that outshone theirs.

Chambers was twice caught out for the goals and capped it all by putting a free header on the edge of the six yard box wide. Nsiala looked no more lost playing up front than he does in defence but that isn't a compliment to him. Quaner is supposedly a striker. His ability to control the ball looks Premier quality. His ability to stay onside, make decisions and do something positive with it afterwards is a different class altogether. For him to miss a similar free header to Chambers' at the death belies the fact he will never be a prolific goal scorer at any level.

Bishop and Judge tried their best as did Kenlock but it showed that he had less quality. Edwards came on and showed he has ability but that only serves to frustrate even more how little of it he has shown with any consistency.

To start the game with only Quaner up front was poor. To finish it with Jackson still on the bench and Nsiala partnering Quaner just goes to show how far short we are up front. Surely Edwards could have been given a go there if Jackson could not be.

1

Very poor team selection for the first half.
What are Bishops strengths, running at defenders and then creating. To play him alongside Quaner in attack?
I had hoped that Chalobah would have been the player to cause havoc up front alongside Quaner, with Skuse replacing him in centre mid, and Bishop and Judge as suppliers.
Jonus a left sided player, out for a game, Collins, good but a walking injured comes in to change the whole of our defence. Surely any professional footballer can use both feet and head and pass?
I suggest that PL starts watching our U23 team, see the players that can use both feet, and benefit the 1st team.

2