Women loose another one

[dicksmith]

1-0 away to Reading.

I think it's time we had a serious talk..........

[robm99]

The "Goals For" column highlights the problem.

[Steve Watts]

The players we have are trying their best but the sad reality is we cant compete at this level,

[dicksmith]

Oct 9, 2023 10:57:32 GMT Steve Watts said:

The players we have are trying their best but the sad reality is we cant compete at this level,

I have never doubted the effort or heart that each player has been putting in.  Comparing this team to some just a couple years back easily shows the major improvement in quality.  Unfortunately, stagnant playing budgets do not reflect the state of the game nor reality in today's world.

[dicksmith]

I've had the chance to see the match since it's now on FA Player.

Amazing.... In 4 years of viewing, I've never seen the team put together so many passing combinations and control. In the first half they probably commanded 75% of the ball and in a style that would make the Spanish National Team proud.

Reading played very compact defensively and made progress inside of the box very hard. I think that we got 7-8 corners in the first half alone. There were a few scattered shots that didn't amount to anything.

Sophie got a yellow for time wasting. It was very well deserved.

In the second half Reading came on stronger, but we still controlled a fair share of the play without threatening in the final 3rd. Reading's goal came on a "quit" by Vassell that allowed them to get an easy shot off. It was ugly, and something I wouldn't expect from any player. Sophie had it stopped, and then fumbled the ball right back into a shooter's feet less than 6 yards from goal.

I loved the great passing, positioning, and work rate. In some ways, this match set new standards for the team. The loss doesn't reflect the overall performance.