We’ve been around the block a fair few times by now. We all knew that visiting a team who were hit for six last time out and have just sacked their manager – combined with our current run of form – was the perfect recipe for a home win.
So, while our performance was again nothing to write home about – and have no doubt, we’ll get onto that – the fact we’ve come away with a win deserves credit. As winning away in this division always should.
It was certainly an intriguing start to the evening as Leam
Richardson named the kind of starting XI that could have easily been a Paul Ince side.
Reading (4-2-3-1): Pereira; Nyambe, O’Connor, Ward, Dorsett; Wing, Fraser; Lane, Doyle, Roberts; Marriott
Subs: Stevens, Yiadom, Burns, Savage, Young, Ritchie, Ehibhatiomhan
First half
Simply put, the first half was one of the worst 45 minutes of football I’ve seen in a very long time. Both teams had moments, but neither could string together more than five passes, let alone build any kind of consistent pressure.
I’ve never seen two teams make so many unforced errors – it was almost impressive it was so bad.
Whether tonight’s setup was a tactical change in direction for Richardson, or a fixture-specific reshuffle, remains to be seen. What I will say though is a team with three centre-backs, Ryan Nyambe at wing back, Kamari Doyle at left wing (sort of) and a double pivot of Lewis Wing and Liam Fraser showed the kind of attacking intent you would expect it to (i.e. not very much).
To be fair to the players, they did start to knock it about a bit better as the half went on, but nowhere near enough to trouble the hosts. The half-time whistle was a mercy for all watching, particularly the poor souls who were braving the Wigan wind and rain. 0-0, and just one shot on target for both sides (from Reading).
Half time: 0-0
It didn’t take long for the scoring to be opened though – with big Jezza Dorsett popping up unmarked at the back stick to nod home his second in as many games. Nicely done, 0-1, and the perfect way to push the horror of that first half into the back of our brains, move on and go and put three or four past a wounded Wigan side.
Or not. More moments came and went, particularly a big chance for Wing, who found himself in acres on the edge of the box, only to sky his shot when a pass to Paddy Lane was probably the better option.
I understand the conditions weren’t exactly conducive to Total Football, but a comprehensive win was there for the taking if we wanted it. But it was the hosts who threw the next punch – substitute Joe Taylor beating Joel Pereira to a dangerous ball into the box and prodding home for 1-1.
It’s never easy, is it? Or even remotely enjoyable for that matter.
From then on it was almost as if both teams were a bit scared to lose, rather than desperate to win. The hosts are in a relegation scrap, and our current form has bruised the players noticeably.
It looked destined for a 1-1 draw, until Paudie O’Connor’s massive head came to the rescue when we most needed it, bundling home a Wing free-kick to win it for the Royals late on.
Full time: 1-2
It’s a win, away from home, in pretty gruesome conditions, against a team fighting for their lives. Out of context, as a one-off, you walk away from a game like that pretty happily.
The problem is the context. This was a game, particularly after going 1-0 up, that we should’ve won comfortably. And I’ll say it again just to re-emphasise the point: that first half was turgid.
The fact of the matter is it’s not a win that will breathe life and optimism into the fanbase. There is a certain melancholy and disconnect right now that is too big for any kind of win away at Wigan to fix – let alone one where we objectively didn’t play very well, again.
There were positives for sure. Although I indirectly dug out Fraser a little earlier and I reckon 75% of his passes either go backwards or sideways, he did add an element of calm to the midfield. Benn Ward impressed on his debut, and you’d imagine he’ll be a staple in this team going forward.
Like I said, looking at the game as a one-off, it’s a good result. But step back and look at it holistically, and a lot, lot more needs to be done to give the fans reason to be positive about the direction we’re going in.
A win is great, it gets us out of the mini rut we found ourselves in, but we will lose more than we don’t if we continue to play the way we did tonight – I have no doubt about that.
