There are still twelve games left to play in the League this season. We are only six points off the play-off places. We have only got three games remaining against teams currently in the top half of the table. It might happen, you never know.
Well, it's not going to happen. It just isn't. There is no chance of Reading making the play-offs this year as we have drawn way too many games when a win was what was needed and, as has been proven against the top sides, we just aren't quite good enough.*
However, that is not to say this season has not been a success. At the start of the season, following the sale of Gylfi Sigurdsson and with some very little of the money being reinvested, I felt a good season would be survival, a great season would be a top half finish, both of which we are on course for. Furthermore, we are still in the FA Cup (but only if you are reading this before Tuesday at 10pm or are reading this in January 2012).
But,throughout the season, we have always been there or thereabouts when it comes to the play-off positions but since the New Year we have just been slowly slipping away, dropping points here and there whilst the top teams steadily accumulate points and cement their top 6 finishes.
At times this, year we have looked as good as anyone with a strong attacking three of Shane Long, Jimmy Kebe and Jobi McAnuff, backed up by an industrious centre midfield, a solid if not particularly pacey defence and a above average goalkeeper. That said, we have also looked, at other times, toothless up front, powderpuff and uncreative in centre midfield, dodgy at the back and a distinctly average keeper.
Mikele Leigertwood has made a huge difference in strengthening the midfield but the lack of goal threat up top, aside from Long, has been our undoing, leaving us unable to convert draws into wins in games we should be winning. Plus, the same problem we have had for our three previous seasons at this level, if teams double up on our wingers, we are effectively neutered.
It's a bit of a shame that, with still 36 points to play for, our season looks to be petering out but there we go. With a strong spine of the team, making the loan signing of Leigertwood permanent and some youngsters getting some experience, but more importantly, keeping our key players from this season, we could mount a challenge for the play-offs next year. All big ifs though. As the voicemail from the Chairman used to say on Ultimate Soccer Manager 98 "On to next season," though that was always said on the last day of the season…
*Though I'd love to be proved wrong on this and we make a big push for the play off places.
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