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It’s just becoming all a bit predictable and tedious now. If you ever wanted a game that showed why Paul Ince may not be the man to take us forward as a club, then Saturday was it.
You can bear going behind in a game. It happens. But from the moment the visitors scored, we didn’t show an inch of guile or creativity or even a clear way of trying to get back into the game.
It was the old ‘go long to Andy Carroll and hope it sticks’ for 80 minutes. Millwall didn't even have to work that hard for three points and a clean sheet.
The fans were not happy with what they saw, and who can blame them?
Blunt attack
I mean, blunt is putting it politely. Zero shots from inside the box, zero big chances, zero shots on target. It’s just not good enough and the main worry is that it’s not new.
There is no identity, no obvious way of attacking or even trying to score a goal. Ince claimed after the game that Millwall defended for their lives when they went a goal up. That’s just not true. We didn’t give them anything to defend, so how could they have defended for their lives?
Fans just want to see entertaining football. Watching the team at the moment is painful...
Still can’t believe a professional football team in the second tier of English football can’t muster a single shot on target #readingfc
— Sean (@Hoops1791) March 12, 2023
Not asking for creativity. A run to the byline and a cross would be nice? Hell, maybe even a shot! #readingfc https://t.co/pIvejYB8Q0
— Sean Mobsby (@SeanMobsby) March 11, 2023
Only 2 shots in a full 90 minutes!!!?? #Readingfc
— tyler (@tylerrzrl4) March 11, 2023
We have no idea going forward, nothing.
— Adam GC Jones (@ajonesrfc) March 11, 2023
Just so frustrating #readingfc
Can't knock carrolls effort but still think we we were better early season playing channels/@ShaneLong7 feet, so predictable now straight to caroll every ball forward /cross is hung up is to him. Painful to watch #readingfc
— Julian Cox (@juskicox) March 11, 2023
Zero shots on target again. Can moan all you want about the lack of quality in the squad, but this group is easily capable of having at least one attempt on target at home. It’s a style, formation, organisational, & ultimately, managerial problem #readingfc
— Ben Thomas (@mrblthomas) March 11, 2023
Our first shot was in the 73rd minute. We had two shots the whole game, not one on target. We are playing @ home yet when chasing the game the only player who might go past someone is brought on, out of position, at left wb. That’s stupidity isn’t it?#readingfc
— Cal Miller (@milleR27H) March 11, 2023
TWO shots all game. None on target. Absolute rubbish. #readingfc
— Jacob Potter (@pott95) March 11, 2023
Thats a disgraceful performance at home! 0 I repeat 0 shots on target!!!! We cannot keep lumping the ball to AC! It clearly doesn’t work!
— BerkshireBoys (@BerkshireBoys_) March 11, 2023
Secondly the ref was absolutely dire! I think worst Ref I’ve ever seen and couldn’t wait to point to the spot! #readingfc
Had enough of this turgid, limp, awful football now. Keep doing the same thing every week. Millwall weren’t even good today and we couldn’t muster a single shot on target #readingfc
— Dom (@domwindle) March 11, 2023
Never have I watched a Reading side look so toothless in terms of attack and creativity. Along with making mistake after mistake, so irritating to watch #readingfc
— Jack (@thesimpsonRFC) March 11, 2023
Paul Ince’s future
Pressure on Ince is certainly starting to mount. His tactics weren’t bad, they were non-existent. I genuinely don’t think he has the managerial ability to coach a certain style of play.
And, yet again, his comments after the match were baffling, basically admitting the football is going to be turgid until the end of the season by pinning all of the team’s creativity on his son and saying we ‘competed’ against the Lions. If that’s competing, I’m dreading the day when the team don’t turn up.
I think it’s becoming pretty clear and obvious among the fans that Ince just isn’t the man to take us forward as a club. It’s just whether the club bite the bullet or now or wait until the summer...
I really like Paul Ince. However he’s making hard work of this. #readingfc
— BR (@Benjamin24BR) March 12, 2023
We stayed up late season despite Ince not because of Ince. Three worse sides and a massive points deduction kept us up. Get him out, he shouldn't even have been given the job in the first place. #readingfc
— Milo (@MiloRoyal1871) March 11, 2023
Paul Ince definitely believes no one can do any better than him with this group of players. Delusional. #readingfc
— Dan Hindmarsh (@DH_Editz) March 11, 2023
Paul Ince did a top job keeping us up & without a 6 point penalty, this season too would be a success. But the man is a dinosaur. He makes Mick McCarthy look like Mikel Arteta. More chance of us breaking into Fort Knox than breaking down a Championship defence #readingfc
— Imran Escőbar (@razor5edge) March 11, 2023
Ince has to go after that, give it Noel Hunt till the end of the season and we start fresh in the summer #readingfc
— SB15 (@SBeaverss) March 11, 2023
That was awful. No shots on target when we were behind for 80 minutes. Tried to support Ince but fed up with his garbage tactics now. Only thing that’s saving us is how bad the bottom three are. #readingfc
— Louis (@dinglouis_) March 11, 2023
Was all for Ince until last month, but you can't keep playing this losing side. Things have to be reshuffled, give the youngsters a start.
— RichieRoyal90 (@SRfc1985) March 11, 2023
This team is good enough, but I don't think Paul Ince is anymore #readingfc
Yet another dire performance. Get Ince out #readingfc
— Ryan (@Ryan1871_) March 11, 2023
I’d get rid of Ince. Points in the last 12 months are not much better than under previous managers but the enjoyment and excitement of watching #readingfc under Ince is zero. Big 50 yard diagonals is literally all we have. @willow1871
— Jordan Norris (@Jordo_Grittt) March 11, 2023
Forget Paul Ince having a go at it next season.
— Adam GC Jones (@ajonesrfc) March 11, 2023
If he can’t get enough out of these players now, he can’t continue until then.
And if he does, I’ll be very concerned about Mark Bowen’s judgment.#readingfc
I dont think I'll bother with Reading until Ince isn't in charge. Absolutely dreadful. #readingfc
— JackOliverG (@JackOliverG) March 11, 2023
Ince so devoid of any recognition of how poor we were today. The excuse of having no money does not mean you can’t set up to actually attack when we’re at home. Squad is better that what he’s doing with it. He’s got to go. @willow1871 #readingfc
— Simon Latson (@SimonLatson) March 11, 2023
Conclusion
I mean, I could have put 20, 30, 40 tweets in each of the above two sections. It was really was awful on Saturday. I haven’t seen an xG stat anywhere, but I’d be surprised if it’s over 0.00 to be honest.
(Editor’s note: it was 0.07, and even that seems high).
And Ince basically said it’s going to be like that for the rest of the season so that’s going to be fun. Onwards and upwards I guess.
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