Too Poor To Prosper - Division 2 2020/21

[Satchmo Distel]

Barnsley climb to the dizzy heights of 16th by beating QPR 3-0, leapfrogging them in the process.

[Gangster Octopus]

Apparently it's the game that I hate the most tomorrow. Luckily I won't have to watch anything of it.

[diggedy derek]

Reading have taken 22 out of a possible 24, which is remarkable. No-one really seems to know why. Something just seems to have clicked and they're all playing with confidence and towards the top of their potential. For that reason, it's hard to think it will last.

To be honest, without crowds, I'm finding it really hard to get motivated about this season.

[Amor de Cosmos]

Barnsley climb to the dizzy heights of 16th by beating QPR 3-0, leapfrogging them in the process.

Not taking anything away from Barnsley, but Christ on a bike we were bad tonight. Amateur hour mistakes lost us the match. Calls for Warburton's head started and will only increase in volume if we don't beat Cardiff on Saturday.

[jwdd27]

Reading now 7 points clear after 8 games, and 7 goals better off too.

What's the deal with them? The guy I know of as "Reading's best player", George Puscas, was an unused sub, I'm not sure I knew any of their starting XI tonight.
Discerning recruitment? Good coaching? Or just a run of good form? Who is bankrolling it?

[diggedy derek]

There is no explanation. It defies science. It's like the way that they have no idea how bumblebees can stay aloft.

[Janik]

Except that is an urban myth - that science can't explain how bees can fly, I mean. Not that Reading are seven points clear at the top.

[Janik]

What one scientist apparently once said was that if you treated a bumblebee's wings as if they were rigid, like in a fixed-wing aircraft, then the equations showed they didn't produced enough lift to get the bee off the ground. Which was a pointless observation because bees wings and aircraft wings are patently very different. Once a less crude mathematical model was developed, which took into account how bees wings actually moved, then the equations showed enough lifting force was generated to keep bees airborne. Science has a very clear idea of how Bees stay aloft.

The one science genuinely can't currently explain regarding bees is much more serious - what causes Sudden Hive Collapse syndrome. If we knew what the environmental factors that drove that were, we could take steps to eliminate them and safeguard our key pollinators.

[diggedy derek]

I am aware that they have solved the bee conundrum. Reading in 2020, however...

[cantagalo]

Reading have scored 14 goals from 54 shots this season. That's an unsustainable conversion rate of 26%.

Last night, according to Infogol, they were out-xG'd by Blackburn by 1.58 to 0.50 (though admittedly, having seen the Reading goals, I'm not sure how they've worked it out to be as low as 0.50).

They have though assembled a very decent looking squad with some depth. Looking at last night's line-up, they were also without John Swift and, probably their best player, Ovie Ejaria. It should also be noted that last year they spent a remarkable ?225 on wages for every ?100 of income so if they don't go up this season their finances might be as unsustainable as their shot conversion ratio.

[Hot Orange]

Reading have taken 22 out of a possible 24, which is remarkable. No-one really seems to know why.

It's got to be that pre-season video, hasn't it? We all feel silly having mocked it now.

[longeared]

Their top scorer is Lucas Joao, who they bought from my lot at the start of last season. There's always been a player in there (he played for Portugal in the year they won the Euros) but getting him to perform consistently has defeated several managers over time.

They might also be participating in a repeat of that season a little while back when they finished third after they kept winning matches for no obvious reason.

[Snake Plissken]

Reading have scored 14 goals from 54 shots this season. That's an unsustainable conversion rate of 26%.

I thought that this wasn't all that outrageous a stat, so out of curiosity, I looked up Burnley's equivalent. According to the official PL site, in six seasons they are running at 236 goals from 794 shots on target, a conversion rate of 29.7%.

Then again, we did once manage to win 2-1 without having a shot on target* so...




* OK, OK, not actually true but close enough.

[Sits]

Well I have no explanation for what’s going on with Reading. Paunovic’s record at Chicago Fire wasn’t stellar, but maybe he’s just an improvement on Mark Bowen, who was an improvement on the hapless Jose Gomes. Things improved a bit when Bowen took over (Gomes was definitely taking them down). I don’t know what happened in the close season for Paunovic to be brought in, but I’m glad it did.

Let’s see how things look after another ten games.

[cantagalo]

I thought that this wasn't all that outrageous a stat, so out of curiosity, I looked up Burnley's equivalent. According to the official PL site, in six seasons they are running at 236 goals from 794 shots on target, a conversion rate of 29.7%.

Then again, we did once manage to win 2-1 without having a shot on target* so...




* OK, OK, not actually true but close enough.

The figure for Reading was for both on and off target shots. Their conversion rate for on-target shots is 50% (14 from 28).

[Snake Plissken]

Ah, now that is unsustainable.

[lambers]

Wycombe finally got their first second-tier point against Watford last night, also managed to score their first goal that wasn't gifted by the opposition keeper. Perhaps that will distract Reading from their superlative form.

[ad hoc]

A drone has stopped play in Rotherham

[longeared]

Bring it back!

[Satchmo Distel]

Guardian has "other reason" on its live page.

[nmrfox]

You'd think after gifting Brentford a goal last week the Wednesday keeper would have learnt that parrying a shot toward the penalty spot isn't such a good idea, but obviously not. 3-0 Rovrum.

[Gangster Octopus]

If you finally vanquish evil from your home turf after nearly 45 years and no-one can see it, does it count?

[Voidoid]

Luton’s negativity after Forest went down to 10 men persisting with 3 centre halves passing it amoung themselves inevitably invited them on for an equaliser. Would have been happy with a point before hand but it felt like two dropped.

I still don’t think we are actually very good but I think we’ll settle more comfortably in the bottom half than last season

[longeared]

We've got six points back on appeal - so that puts us back into positive territory, above Wycombe and off the bottom. That'll be why the chairman's holding a rare press call tomorrow morning, then.

Nine points in a day though. Bet the BRC's never manage that.

[Foot of Astaire's]

We've got six points back on appeal - so that puts us back into positive territory, above Wycombe and off the bottom. That'll be why the chairman's holding a rare press call tomorrow morning, then.

Nine points in a day though. Bet the BRC's never manage that.

Wow! That's a great result. At the time, I, and others, couldnt believe your owner had appealed rather than just thank his lucky stars they'd dodged relegation. That gives Wednesday a fighting chance now.