First half was probably one of the worst halves this season. Utter utter shite.
Second half was a tad better, but being 2-0 it was a mountain to climb and comical defending for all three goals didn't help.
The defence was all over the place, obviously didn't trust Henderson at all, the fullbacks were ripped to shreds by the pace of the R's two wingers.(Stearman back to the cack.......) Yet again a non-existent midfield meant lumping the ball forward to Hayles and Fryatt and apart from a swerving free kick even before R's scored we looked inept and clueless.
Ollie then shoved Howard on, tbh he had to, replacing Mattock-though it must've been a close choice between him and Stearman, both useless.
Second half we looked better, but having effectively four strikers on the pitch(Hume and Fryatt out wide) meant against our rubbish midfield was bypassed for most of the game.
Fryatt SHOULD'VE done better with a close range header but it was a very good save by Camp on the line who just flung his legs out to block it.
We had a couple of other decent chances as well but tbh if we had've scored one of them R's would probably have just gone back down the other end of the pitch and scored again.
Ref was a whistle-happy picky wassock who wanted every free kick to be taken from the exact blade of grass it was given on. But seemed to think shirt-pulling was only a foul around the halfway line.
So all in all, a decent Christmas ruined by a shitty performance in the first game of the new year which makes you remember just how much work needs to be done to this squad!
I hope Fulop plays really crap for Sunderland so the asking price drops, cos having Hendo in goal is a bloody liability, flaps at everything, doesn't command his area, and the lads in front of him panic anytime the ball goes near him.
Happy New Year everyone!