Everything that I warned about in the preview came back and and haunted us as Reading did the things they do well, well and we did the things we do badly, badly !

In the run up to the game I warned of several things, including the need to tighten up at the back and not make errors, unfortunately we made those errors and in every single one of them we were punished. In truth each of their goals did not just see poor defending from one player, but a number.

The first goal started with a crossfield ball from Danny Fox being intercepted, but this was still a long way from the goal being scored, Reading moved the ball first to the right and then to the left before a cross into the area that really should have been dealt with by Jose Fonte who was caught napping leaving Jason Roberts a free header.

On the second Dean Hammond tried to be clever in a midfield tussle, he tried to turn rather than clear the ball out of danger and was caught, but again he would not be the last culprit, Reading tore our defence to shreds and when Le Fondre slotted home unmarked, both our central defenders had been lost by the men they should have been marking as well as at least one other who was at sea.

The last goal was mainly down to Fonte again, initially it didnt look that dangerous, but the defender rather than clear the ball out of danger tried to shield it and then head it back to the keeper, he failed on both accounts and the game was dead.

Sad to say though this was not an isolated game where this has happened, in fact its not an isolated season, I looked back to the start of last year and I was saying the same things as Im going to be saying today, defenders that for 99% of the game are tight but cant seem to make it 100% and lose concentration and get caught napping, games where we have many shots but dont score that many whereas the opposition score a far bigger percentage than they should do, we have not been learning the lessons well enough.

No one likes a smart arse and im sure i will get told what a great defence we have etc, but the stark reality is we have too many flat track bullies, we can defend very well at times, look at the number of shots on target Reading had, only 4, but when the chips are down and a bit of pressure is applied then we crack, as was shown by Reading's 3 goals from those 4 on target, especiaclly when you realise that Reading only had two off target on top of that, this is the tale of the season though, when teams exert a bit of pressure, our defence is found wanting, Millwall did it a month or so ago, Blackpool did it, even Pompey and now Reading, just at a time when we need our central defenders to be like rocks and stay tight, they are crumbling, some of you will point to clean sheets, but look at the games we have kept them in, Doncaster at home is typical.

The pressure is now on Saints, we have to show that we can come back from a run of four games that has seen only one win and 8 goals conceded earning only 4 points, we have given West Ham a chink of light, we have to now shut up shop and make sure they dont get any more.

Photo: Action Images

felly1 added 19:15 - Apr 15 Reading have been playing like Champions for the last three months. Saints have somehow clung onto top spot or second all season. We clearly have a good squad with quality throughout but we have never really looked like we could have ever have stormed the league, our centre midfielders have lacked variety apart from when Chaplow is in form and in the middle. We lack a goal threat from that area. Also our defence as Nick pointed out lack a certain steely presence you need when under the cosh. How strange it is to have envisaged back in August that with three games to go we would be second and three points clear of West Ham, but there is a real sense of a team about to choke and a dejected bunch of Saints supporters.

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saintstowin added 20:02 - Apr 15 as far as i'm concerned all that's happened since a solid and professional away win at palace is we've lost a game we dominated in the main, and lost to a team that is firing on all cylinders and will more than likely be in the premiership next year. i also think we'll join them and will get another solid win on tuesday. one thing i'm banking on is that our management and players are a lot less panicked by one defeat (and others' form which we have no control over) than many fans seem to be. they've taken us from the lower reaches of the 3rd tier to (almost) the premiership in 2 seasons. i trust them to achieve it.

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ThereIn76 added 20:42 - Apr 15 Fonte's mistake for the 3rd goal wasn't the poor attempt at a header back to Davis. It was his failure to push up with the other defenders. Had he done that, Le Fondre would have been offside.
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Fordy added 21:28 - Apr 15 Nick, when you're consistently gloomy and negative, as you are, it is very easy to say "I told you so" when things go wrong. I think it would be really better if you just gave an honest appraisal of things rather than all this "I told you so" because, as I say, it's all too easy when you are constantly predicting the worst.
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OldRed added 07:19 - Apr 16 Fonte should have been strong enough to have sheilded Le Fondre off the ball for the 3rd goal, but this was a typical Reading performance. It took a deflected shot to beat their keeper and Reading have been soaking up pressure and hitting teams on the break for the best part of the season. We would have thrashed most teams the way we played on Friday night and I have faith in them tomorrow night against Peterborough.

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SaintNick added 10:09 - Apr 16 Thanks for some kind words from some, the fact is the game is about opinions and what i try to do here is give an alternative view from the glossed over match reports on the official site etc, I try to point out the areas of concern rather than glorify the goals etc. Some see this as negative rather than opening up some discussion points, to some football is black and white, if you have won and kept a clean sheet then everything is rosy.

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TimSaint added 10:53 - Apr 16 Surprised to read that the report only focused on our 3 mistakes for their goals and failed to mention the possession and chances we created on the night. Yes, we are all disappointed about the result and look to point the finger, but we are a team and must take this defeat together. Goals do change games and to be fair, we could easily have been ahead before Reading scored and been ahead after they scored. It is the way it goes - onwards to Peterborough tomorrow and back on track for the 7 points we need to mathematically go up. I would say one of the other important differences between the 2 sides on Friday was Substiiutions. They brought on Le Fondre who changed the game with 2 goals. We brought on De Ridder and Guly and lost our shape. Fordy - not sure about your signings comments. Chances wise, we were well up, so Gorks is not necessarily the better defender - more so Reading have a good keeper !! Hoover has also scored more this season - and had more goal scoring opportunities - like on Friday night !! Not sure about Roberts either - yes he doing a job for Reading and is experienced, but he is all elbows, overweight, lazy and can dive as well as Ashley Young. Sharp is far younger, fitter and has not only scored for us this season, but will continue to score for us for many more to come.

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OldRed added 11:05 - Apr 16 Nick, don't worry about it. We're all going to agree and disagree with you at some stage and no matter what anybody's views are, someone is always going to have a different opinion. That's football!
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Fordy added 17:33 - Apr 16 TimSaint - Fair point - Jos is more of an asset going forward but he does scare me a little when people have time and pace to run at him. As for Roberts v Sharp I would probably have backed Roberts to penalty v Blackpool whereas Sharp seemed to let the pressure get to him. Ultimately that's what experience brings you and at the end of the day that penalty miss could be the difference between us getting promoted and not.

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