It doesn't need Poirot to work out why consistency remains elusive to Peterborough United and despair at how games are officiated

Opponents have to work extremely hard to stop a gifted set of attacking players scoring, but they hardly have to work at all to score at the other end. That’s it. A fact wrapped up in a nutshell. It’s why consistency of results, as well as clean sheets, remain elusive. We are now 16 games into the League One season and Posh haven’t won two games in a row since the second and third outings of the campaign. Their best unbeaten run is three matches and two of those were drawn.

They are still without a clean sheet in a League One game which isn’t down to bad luck, but down to a defensive unit struggling to cope with the risk-reward football the team employs. Posh will doubtless continue to rip apart the weaker teams they face, but opponents with tactically astute managers, speed going forward and defenders who block shots will fancy their chances of exposing some pretty obvious frailties. Reading did it yesterday to eke out a 2-1 win and boost what had been a dismal away record.

TALKING POINTS FROM POSH 1, READING 2…

1) Posh conceded 61 League One goals when finishing fourth last season, which was the second-most in the top half of the table. The game plan was as bold last season as it is now with huge demands on full-backs expected to excel at both ends of the field. But if Harrison Burrows was caught out of position last season he had Ronnie Edwards covering him. Peter Kioso was covered by Josh Knight, and often Archie Collins. The level of protection has diminished, but then so has the standard of defender. There is individual potential in the current back four, but as a defensive team they are not gelling at all which is a major reason why Posh are 12th with the second worst goals against record in the division.

2) Reading’s impressive boss Ruben Selles probably realised his team would give up chances yesterday. The Royals turned up with the worst defensive record on the road in League One to face the division’s most prolific scoring team at home. Posh delivered some glorious passing football at times, in the first half and in the final 15 minutes, but couldn’t get the most important bit right. Only six of 21 shots were delivered on target and sitters were missed. Former Posh star Mick Gooding, who was commentating for Reading radio, described some of the one-touch passing as ‘exquisite’ and he was right. Posh beat the press pretty comfortably for the most part. There was one move of what seemed like a dozen passes before Archie Collins found Ricky-Jade Jones free in the penalty area. It looked set to be a goal-of-the-season contender, but the shot went wide. Posh had pace and purpose, but no finish, yet to be 2-0 down at the break was really quite remarkable given how well they had played.

3) In contrast two simple straight passes were enough for Reading to score twice in the opening 24 minutes. They could have added more goals in a second-half which they pretty much controlled. The visitors looked full of energy while Posh laboured until changing formation for the final stages. Defensively Posh remained suspect, but they survived some scares before the switch to 4-4-2 breathed life into the forward line with Kwame Poku of all people failing to accept a gift when there was still enough time left to make Reading sweat a little.

4) It’s hard to blame a player who has been outstanding for two straight months though. Poku was suffocated by several defenders whenever he was in possession out wide in the second-half and Posh can expect more of the same for the rest of the season so others have to step up and exploit the space that will inevitably be left. Forwards Jones and Malik Mothersille have five League One goals apiece this season, that’s now only one more than centre-back Emmanuel Fernandez who showed them how to finish, albeit too late for it to matter.

5) And yet Posh remain within five points of a play-off place, until Tuesday at least when Darren Ferguson’s side are one of only six not to have a fixture. Wycombe Wanderers are setting a blistering pace at the top, but the rest of the division, hot title favourites Birmingham City now included, are not threatening to power away. Posh simply have to stay within striking distance until January when they should have a fitter squad with more competition for places. Defenders Jadel Katongo and Rio Adebisi should be back soon and they’ll need to get up to speed quickly if Posh are to stay in touch with the best teams in League One. The next three League One games are against the teams bottom, 20th and 16th, and they just have to be won.

6) I despair at the way games are refereed these days as much as I despair at the blatant acts of cheating players employ. Put together it’s a frustrating cocktail. If a player decides to sit down, but insists he doesn’t need the physio, he should still be forced to spend time off the field. Otherwise there is no deterrent to what is usually an act of time wasting. So often yesterday a player would fall to the ground without requiring treatment while everyone else stood around, had a leisurely drink and a chat with the manager. When Fernandez was injured and required treatment Posh had to play with 10 men for while. It makes no sense. It’s all so obviously by design to take the sting out of games and yet our witless officials are happy to indulge it while waiting for an opportunity to pounce on a manager stepping out of his technical area.