Went our way

Reading 1 v Sheffield United 2 

(aet) 

FA Cup 5th Round 

Tuesday 3 March 2020 

SUFC 2019/20 Game 55 

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I sat down and planned out "the tactics" at a lovely bottle shop, beer bar in Windsor. A Hoppy Place (on St  Leonards Rd). A single room, shop front affair. With tables & stools by the door and in the window. The bar is down the end. Two cask on the wall. On gravity I assume. One cider. And then ten craft keg. Very welcoming place. I was able to ask all the important questions. Where is that brewery? Which ones are the two thirds glasses? Why is that one called a cheesecake IPA? All very politely answered as if I wasn't a badly dressed, over 60 beer nerd.

The best 'un was so good, I returned to it.

Phantom Brewing Co, Meadow Road, American Pale on keg at an ideal 4.5%. Brewed in Reading. I thought that was superb. Some orange marmalade underpinning the fruit sugar. Rich hop bitterness from more-or-less the first gob full. Great balance.

Well. That was an odd game. United seemed to be coasting without being comfortable. The benefit of a very early goal I suppose. Good goal as well. Illustrating the increasing charm of Ben Osborn. Looking for the ball. Moving it simply. Delivering it to hurt. And a neat finish from the Didzster. Osborn was a joy all night. Seemed to even be pushed into conventional midfield during one reshuffle. 

With hindsight, missing Fleck & Norwood, it was a bit of a risk going in without more midfield options sat on the bench. Particularly as it went to 120. Both LFreeman & Berge had to do the old - I'd better stretch out as I'm getting cramp - caper. And, none of the four strikers used really gelled as units. Mousset in partic looked well off it. What we do know is that the players & staff are intelligent. They know what's going wrong & will have a plan to put that right. And, they need to focus on Sander Berge. It's far from disastrous. But, currently, he's giving the ball away far too much. It's bizarre at times. He's comfortable on the ball. Looks around him. Weighs it all up. And passes it to the fucking opposition. Cure that, we're in.

Not a great night. Could have gone either way. Went ours. We're Hatting in the last eight.

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