Another week, another performance that left us all scratching our heads and wondering how we ever ended up flirting with the playoffs. The second half against Stevenage was embarrassing, not least because we had zero shots, but also because we played in a manner that never allowed us to create anything in the opposition’s half.
I’m going to leave analysis of the Stevenage game for this week as any swear words will be omitted, and plenty of others have already picked the bones out of a strange but
sadly not uncommon performance.
So, my last word on the game is a quote from a Stevenage supporter, who summed up our performance brilliantly when he said we played football like an average League One side in the first half, with the execution of a struggling League Two side in the second!
Comments like these would normally provoke some sort of defensive response, or at least a counter-argument as to why said Stevenage supporter may be incorrect, but the fact is, I totally agree with him.
Football is an entertainment business
As far as watching this side is concerned, I AM BORED! I am bored with watching such negative dross week after week, and then somehow reliving the same boredom listening to Leam Richardson’s post-match analysis, which never seems to include the line: “I got it wrong.”
Much of that post-match analysis is focused on “we didn’t do this correctly” – but they were your tactics, Leam. “We had no width and therefore found it difficult to create chances” – but you picked the team and formation, Leam. Or “we found it difficult to break them down” – so have more than one way of playing then, Leam.
You see, many people will want to believe football is purely a results business, a phrase that was originally reserved for managers who had just been handed a P45 and wanted to provide a veiled answer as to why they had been sacked.
While the argument that three points is all that counts sits slightly easier with me, I still offer a counter-argument that football is as much an entertainment business as it is a results one.
The owners have addressed this to some extent by attempting to “jazz up” the matchday experience, with the introduction of live music before the game, activities for kids, and fireworks prior to kick-off. While all of this should be applauded for effort, I’m afraid the only fireworks I want to see is on the pitch when we have kicked off, and that is where the boredom kicks in.
For an increasing number of supporters (including myself), a Saturday at football is all about a release from daily life. Busy work schedules, Family commitments, the spiralling cost of living and your own wellbeing all contribute to the feeling that a day out to watch your team will put everything right. Except the football has now become a by product of my day out.
It wasn’t so long ago that the (compulsory/optional – delete as applicable) pub visit before the game could become a hindrance to the football that you came to watch. Frequent conversations took place in which I and others would state that “we didn’t want another drink as we didn’t want to miss kick-off”.
However, in recent months I have found that the football becomes a hindrance to the time I want to spend gaining that release which I referred to earlier. If I’m honest, there are times recently when I could have happily stayed in the pub with friends and followed the game on my phone, without even stepping foot inside the stadium.
I’m pretty sure many reading this will view that as a lack of loyalty to my team. However, after 46 years of supporting this club, I think I have a earned the right to decide whether I want to continue enjoying my Saturday in the pub or be thoroughly bored watching this side attempt to play.
Losing the next generation?
The thing is, I don’t think I’m alone in my thinking, as there are similar conversations going on every Saturday. While the owners may continue to blindly back a manager who is “getting results”, the fact is the club are losing supporters because of the way we choose to play.
There is a great emphasis on the word “choose” in that last comment, because no one other than the manager dictates the way we play. There have been too many horrible performances under Richardson since his arrival for it to be anything other than a chosen way of playing. These are tactics, not accidents.
To attract the next generation of supporters to the club, you need to make the football part of the entertainment. I’m sure many children attending Reading games for the first time will remember the fan zone before the game, the visit to the expensive club shop and the fireworks as the teams came out.
What they won’t remember is how exciting the game was to watch. So how many of those children will grow up wanting a season ticket because they like fireworks?
If by some miracle we go up via the playoffs this season, I would be 100% confident we would struggle massively under Richardson in the Championship. If, as I suspect, we continue in League One next season, there isn’t a great deal to look forward to in terms of exciting football.
Richardson’s argument is that he doesn’t have the pace or adaptability in the side to play fast, expansive football. But Wigan Athletic supporters will tell you that when Richardson got them promoted from League One, he never did!
Talking of Wigan, they are next to visit the SCL this Saturday, a game that could see Reading end the day as high as fifth, or as low as 11th.
After a poor start to the season, Wigan have been somewhat rejuvenated under Gary Caldwell, who has steered them away from the relegation zone and made them very hard to beat, with only one loss in their last five games, so I think the points will be shared.
Reading 1-1 Wigan
(Doyle / Vickers)
9,213
Until next week.
Much love and c’mon URZZZ!
Dixey
