Smith And Given 'Pushing The Boat Out'?

Last updated : 30 October 2007 By Footy Mad - Editor

 

I was at the game, and I think I saw it in a different light to the two United stars.

Yeah, perhaps we could have nicked it at 1-1, but I'd be hard pushed to say we deserved it.

It was a shocking performance against a team that - on paper - should have been beaten out of sight.

We only got back into the match thanks to an own-goal, and even Sam Allardyce admitted the result fair on Reading.

Yes we all "bleed black and white" and yes we want the best for our team, but for God's sake, every defeat is littered with excuses from the players and the manager.

At least Sam faced the music after the match and said he had ran out of reasons to defend another poor performance. So that in itself is a step forward, and he has at long last realised there IS a problem.

Smith found himself on the bench after missing the game through suspension, and Sam today claims he doesn't know his best team.

Well perhaps we should point him in the right direction and say his tactics at Reading were shocking, just as they were at Derby and Man City. Our strength at home this season has been the performances of the wide men James Milner and Charles N'Zogbia, so WHY change it for away games?

Smith: "I had to accept it. The gaffer told me that the reason I wasn't playing at Reading because the team did so well against Tottenham.

"I then had to just try to make an impact when I came on as sub, which I did.

"James Milner has played every game and I missed out in the last game through suspension and we made a difference.

"We got the equalizer and I thought we looked the most likely to get the winner.

"It could have been all three points."