QPR V READING 2-0

what a difference a win makes!

agreed it's only a game in
Let's not get too excited yet
Just watched highlights we played some good football today
How did scowen and freeman do today

IMO Freeman was the MOTM despite Washington scoring 2 goals. Everything good seemed to stem from Freeman and I thought he played some brilliant passes. I was also impressed by Scowen who did very well and of course Smithies who pulled off a brilliant save at 1 -0.  There was a lot of promise today and the fact we kept a clean sheet has got to be a huge positive. Its only the first game but I feel a lot happier than I did last week.

A big positive was the number of chances that we created, just a shame we wasted so many of them. 

Just got back from the match and powered up the laptop... What a game!
The line-up, minus Smith, meant Mackie was to be chasing alongside Washington; with a midfield minus Goss (for defending) and Manning (for forward play) but including the new lad Scowen and Wzsolek; and what seemed a back 4 of the usual suspects. Once the whistle went there was 8 minutes where QPR had more corners than the new pound coin, and Reading were decidedly on the back foot! The structure became apparent: Perch Onuoha & Lynch held back, whilst Bidwell played further forward so he could offer alternatives; and in midfield there was Loungo as DM and in front of him Wzsoleok/Scowen/Freeman. There was so much pressure form good attacking play but the whiff of fear was permeating the Ellerslie as chances, some almost sitters, were missed. Worst offender was Mackie who could (and should) have shot twice with his first touch but instead played himself into trouble. However, on the 22 minute good team passing resulted in that Washington header. A really good header!

OK Reading did break very fast and did occasionally get the better of the defence but we entered the break 1-0 up. The second half was really more of the same in terms of attacking play (marginally less corners), but the red card issued for a blatant foul on Wzsolek in a moment of pure stupidity and Washington's penalty conversion left a 10-man Reading a mountain to climb. Despite a few scares the defence held, bolstered by excellent back-tracking by Freeman, Luongo and Scowen. Towards the end Washington was replaced by Sylla (back problem); Mackie by Ngbakoto (fresh legs); and Bidwell by Robinson (hamstring tight). The subs made no real difference as the team carried on attacking.

A really good 2-0 win that could, if the finishing had been better, have been easily one or two more goals. Lots of positives to be found:

• Washington scoring so convincingly (despite a dire warm-up);
  
• Luongo, Scowen or Freeman could easily be MotM but I think the latter just shaved it;
  
• The team played at a high tempo and played very well as a team.
  

;

So glad I went!

Whilst I don't want to get carried away, I have to say that was a very very enjoyable afternoon at LR and a terrific performance. It really lifts us all to see a performance like that. Whatever the season holds we can have no complaints if the team works like that and plays like that. I am one happy fan this morning.

It is hard to pick a MOM and hard to pick out the most positive aspect.
- Olly's team selection and tactics were inspired
- The way we harried Reading whenever they had the ball was fantastic - they had no opportunity to build from the back and had to resort to hoofing the ball forward
- Mackie and Washington ran and ran and ran and caused havoc among the Reading defenders whenever we didn't have the ball
- Some of the football we played was a joy
- We created 4 or 5 really good chances
- Great to see Washington score 2 - we need him confident and scoring
- What a signing Freeman was in January - he had another fantastic game
- Luongo also had a great game in both defence and attack - he so nearly scored too, hitting the inside of the post
- Scowen looks like a good signing - gets stuck in when he has to, tidies up and plays simple passes to get us moving
- Smithies hardly had a save to make but when he did it was a worldie
- Even Perch had a good game - he looked pretty good as the right centre back of 3