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Blackburn Fans Verdict: Tired Royals Fall to Defeat

As ever, Harry rounds up the reaction of the Loyal Royals.

By harry.chafer
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PA Images via Getty Images

After the absolute disaster of last Wednesday, I think I speak for the rest of my fellow Reading fans when I say that we expected a response. I mean, anything would be better than that horror show, but we wanted to see something that would reassure us that the Blackpool game was just a blip. Albeit quite a big blip.

I had my worries going into the Blackburn game that that would not happen, and those worries frustratingly came to fruition. The injury crisis at the club at the moment meant Pauno couldn’t ring the changes he possibly wanted to, having to use many of the same players who have played virtually every minute for the past six weeks or so.

I think this will be the reality of our season until we do get players back - as frustrating as it is to say. That doesn’t give the players a get-out-of-jail-free card though, and Saturday was again not good enough.

Here's how the fans reacted to some of the key talking points to come from the game...

The defending

Up until Blackburn opened the scoring, I think it was two teams having a bit of an off day playing against each other. It was clear to see that Wednesday had knocked the stuffing out of us a bit, and Blackburn weren't threatening that much either.

However, as soon as Blackburn put their foot down in the second half, they breezed through us with ease at times. Laurent and Drinkwater in midfield were so open, and it looked Blackburn would score on every attack.

We were lucky to escape with just a 2-0 defeat in all honesty, the phrase ‘architects of our own downfall’ comes to mind. Here’s what the fans had to say about the defending...

Lack of options

Saturday clearly shone a light (if a light needed to be shone) on the severe lack of options Pauno has at his disposal. I understand the question marks over his tactics, and just straight blank refusing to use academy players on the bench - but when you’re without as many big-hitters as Pauno is, it’s always going to be difficult.

We are without Joao, Meite, Rinomhota, Halilovic, Hoilett, Morrison, McIntyre and now probably Azeez as well. That’s seven players who walk into the squad, most of whom walk into the first team, some of them walk into every team in this league.

The fans understand the need to get players back as quick as possible...

Best of the rest

The fans were quick to tweet their thoughts after the game, but there was a mixed reaction. Some keen to discuss the tiredness of the players, which was again evident on Saturday. Some tweeted their concerns with Pauno’s tactics. Some keen to move on to *gulps* Bournemouth next weekend.

I usually, as you know, whittle all the tweets into three main talking points, but that’s been a tricky task this week. Take a look at the ‘best of the rest’ reaction below...

Conclusion

It wasn’t as bad as Wednesday, which isn’t saying much, but it still was nowhere near good enough. However, on another day, it could’ve gone our way. I don’t think we got dominated, it was just two moments in the game that killed us off and we just didn’t have an answer.

Thankfully, we’ve got a week now to rest and recover before a huge game next weekend. Bournemouth haven’t lost this season, and will give us our toughest game of the season so far. We have to up our game for it from what we’ve seen in the last couple of games, otherwise it could be messy.

URZ.

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