Royals found wanting again in search for play-off place

Teams struggling for points at the wrong end of the Championship table have found a warm and friendly welcome at the Madejski Stadium in recent months. Barnsley were the latest side to leave with a point in the bag after easily containing a Reading side clearly still languishing in a deep trough of form . Thankfully there's only one league game to go this season and on recent showings it simply can't come soon enough for the Royals.

Credit where it's due, Barnsley played some quite tidy football, attempting to pass to feet through a fairly makeshift Royals central midfield. Had they had more cutting edge they might have threatened the Reading goal, but like so many Championship sides they fall short in the areas that count. For the Royals Jay Tabb and Jem Karacan acquitted themselves well enough, but elsewhere there were very off days for Jimmy Kebe, Stephen Hunt, Dave Kitson and Andre Bikey. to name just a handful.  Though we still need points to secure that play-off berth but after a poor first 45 you'd be forgiven for thinking we  had nothing to play for and we'd resigned ourselves to another year in the Championship. It's astonishing really, we seem to have lost all belief in our abilities. The crowd were unhappy and vented their frustration with a chorus of boos as the players went down the tunnel; it's one thing being held by high-flying Sheffield United, but to be unable to create one decent chance in 45 minutes against Barnsley was deemed wholly unacceptable by the Mad Stade faithful. 

At least the team looked as if they were trying in the second half, but to be truthful it was all panciky huff and puff. Where there is a need for an assured and calm presence, a tidy pass here, a thoughtful ball there we simply have aimless hoofing and headless chickens. With Marek dropped to the bench we don't have anyone with the quality to make things happen in that way. It seems poinless to single out individual performances for criticsm when so many are under-achieving. Once can 0nly come to the conclusion that if the players are trying their hardest then a lot of them simply aren't good enough. What's most galling is the style of play we have now adopted: one dimensional, prosaic and frankly a bit dumb. We need a rethink and that starts with a manager with a clear vision who is given the power to make tough decisions and the finances to bring in some quality. While it's still not impossible to gain promotion this season it seems such thoughts belong to the realm of fantasy. I fully expect us to sneak into the play-offs because we are at least capable of not losing away from home, but beyond that we're just not good enough.