Back from the Game - 'boro

[dogzbollox]

most of us saw it on our lappys, please ignore or close this thread until someone who actually attendeed the game can start one

OK no worries dude.... when does the train get into Reading?

[PremAddict]

I think most fans, even those that predicted a Royals win, would have gladly taken an away draw, myself included.

And it would seem that BM had the same desire as the play was visibly a mix of focus on breaking-up play, absorb whatever pressure Borough dish out, and take whatever chances are given. And if that was indeed the gameplan, then the boys did more than their job and BM is definitely a shrewd tactician.

In the US, the NFL calls that the "prevent defense" which is hard on the eyes and nerves, but can be effective. Most turned-in a good job.

Back 5 - did well and appeared composed even though there was a bit too much hoofing it up the pitch.

Midfield - Jobi did ok, but looked average whenever he turned inside. Jem was off had had several stray passes. Kebe was his usual exciting/frustrating self and Ledge was all about breaking-up play.

Up top, it was strange to see Roberts play so far back with Nunt playing deep. Several times Roberts defended in our box which made it difficult to take advantage of the breaks we did get.

Overall, it's 3 points when I think we'd all have taken 1 and now we're third. No complaints.

[Darlo Royal]

Just got home. I'll have you know the A66 was very busy tonight.

Our midfield and defence is just awesome. Not the most exciting or colourful game I've ever seen but such a solid performance. This team is going up. How can anyone score against us?

[Ian Royal]

Just got home. I'll have you know the A66 was very busy tonight.

Our midfield and defence is just awesome. Not the most exciting or colourful game I've ever seen but such a solid performance. This team is going up. How can anyone score against us?

Based on the last six games, only the lack of an obvious offside call will do it.

[ddetisi]

epic FAIL, and IMHO pretty disrespectful of those who DID make the effort to trek up there to see a classic away win.

+1

Bore off!



What a result! Year after year we are in contention at the end of the season lets focus on that excellent fact rather than board ethics.

[1871 Royal]

Just got home. I'll have you know the A66 was very busy tonight.

Our midfield and defence is just awesome. Not the most exciting or colourful game I've ever seen but such a solid performance. This team is going up. How can anyone score against us?

Based on the last six games, only the lack of an obvious offside call will do it.

Based on the last seven games ^that^ and our own defense!

[Rex]

I agree premaddict. We absorb, frustrate the opposition and are effective enough or economical enough in phases to win the game. It's like slapping an angry bull, running away and watching cohesion go out of the window.

Effectivee.

[BenReadingFC]

Boro's attack force on the day was woefull, sending shots high and wide and reduced to shooting from distance. Feder's made 1 great save but otherwise was a bystander.
Boro were always chasing after our 1st goal but never looked like the team on the front foot.
You always felt that Reading had another goal tucked up their sleeves, and that Boro were toothless.
Cheers Ian for that sublime freekick.
The 2nd goal killled the game. It made the long journey home sweet.
Roberts was unlucky not to score from the 1 on 1 with their keeper........Should of buried it

[Bedale Royal]

We were woeful for the 1st 15 minutes. Short passes, second to the ball everytime. The goal changed everything. All of a sudden 'Boro were making the mistakes. The back 4 were immense. Ledge too did well after a poor start, and gets my man of the match vote. Roberts worked hard up front, often on his own. And we should have had a penalty near the end as well.

Definantly a "ground out result."

[oldebiscuit]

There are a lot of people on this site that slag off Harte, so it was great to see him get one and play a prominent part in the first.
For all those that slag him, remember, Ian is very important part of the squad and Brian knows when and how to use him. Thats orl!

[dogzbollox]

Although technically it's not back from the game for me - due to financial constraints etc. I wasn't there I did watch it on a dodgy P2P network (http://www.hahasport.com for those interested) after we scored the 1st goal the team did seem to settle, 'boro did have their moments it was a pretty solid performance from all concerned, back four were immense as (what is increasingly becoming) usual.. thoughts peeps?

Edited coz' Ive drunked 2L of Strongbow & can't spell...

DON'T USE THIS LINK IT WILL ASK YOU TO DOWNLOAD A PLUGIN OR EXTENSION TO VIEW THE CONTENT - TOOK ME 2 HOURS THIS MORNING TO REMOVE THE BROWSER HIJACKER SOFTWARE THAT WAS DOWNLOADED WITH IT - IT'S CALLED SEARCHQU\406 AND ATTACHES ITSELF TO THE BROWSER CONFIG AND RESETS YOUR HOME PAGE TO SEARCHQU, IN SOME CASES IT WILL ALSO REDIRECT YOU CONSTANTLY TO OTHER SITES OF A USUALLY PORNOGRAPHIC NATURE

NB IT ISN'T A VIRUS AS SUCH SO MOST AV SOFTWARE WON'T PICK IT UP - IF YOU HAVE THIS PROBLEM AND REQUIRE ASSISTANCE USE THIS LINK.. http://deletemalware.blogspot.com/2011/ ... guide.html

[Dick Habbin's hairdo]

Again, not technically back from the game as watched in the comfort of my front room on Al Jazeera in HD.

Three comments:

1) Ledge was immense. Broke everything up. Quiet destroyer. Used the ball short and sensibly. MotM.

2) It all seemed a bit "tippy tappy" as Martin O'Neil described it. Lots of balls given away carelessly by both sides, passes going short, "after you...." "No, after you". Bit odd, really.

3) Ruthlessly efficient three points. Get in.

[Royalee]

Although technically it's not back from the game for me - due to financial constraints etc. I wasn't there I did watch it on a dodgy P2P network (http://www.hahasport.com for those interested) after we scored the 1st goal the team did seem to settle, 'boro did have their moments it was a pretty solid performance from all concerned, back four were immense as (what is increasingly becoming) usual.. thoughts peeps?

Edited coz' Ive drunked 2L of Strongbow & can't spell...

DON'T USE THIS LINK IT WILL ASK YOU TO DOWNLOAD A PLUGIN OR EXTENSION TO VIEW THE CONTENT - TOOK ME 2 HOURS THIS MORNING TO REMOVE THE BROWSER HIJACKER SOFTWARE THAT WAS DOWNLOADED WITH IT - IT'S CALLED SEARCHQU\406 AND ATTACHES ITSELF TO THE BROWSER CONFIG AND RESETS YOUR HOME PAGE TO SEARCHQU, IN SOME CASES IT WILL ALSO REDIRECT YOU CONSTANTLY TO OTHER SITES OF A USUALLY PORNOGRAPHIC NATURE

NB IT ISN'T A VIRUS AS SUCH SO MOST AV SOFTWARE WON'T PICK IT UP - IF YOU HAVE THIS PROBLEM AND REQUIRE ASSISTANCE USE THIS LINK.. http://deletemalware.blogspot.com/2011/ ... guide.html

I just clicked off of it and it worked fine...

[Woodcote Royal]

There are a lot of people on this site that slag off Harte, so it was great to see him get one and play a prominent part in the first.
For all those that slag him, remember, Ian is very important part of the squad and Brian knows when and how to use him. Thats orl!

He's built this side in a way that accommodates two 34 year olds, which is highly impressive.

Every week people complain about our "poor start" "lack of quality" and "winning without playing well" but after 5 straight wins with no goals conceded, surely we all have to accept that this ain't no accident and must involve a fair amount of quality

Also, whilst I read comments slagging off Steve Claridge (and would agree he has got us completely wrong in the past) I thought his summary of all things RFC last night showed a better understanding than all of Dellor, Gooding and Williams combined.

We not only seem to have lost our overlapping full backs but, also, McAnuff and Kebe are spending much more time in our half of the pitch. Much of this side is slow yet very good at their jobs and collectively far too good for their rivals..................................if that's what it takes to reach the promised land, so be it.

[RG30]

Thoroughly enjoyable trip. What I really liked about how the team was set was as always we maintained our shape throughout the game without the ball and rarely got caught out of possession. McDermott's tactics to get the midfield four to drop very deep to stop Boro from playing through the middle worked really well and in the end they were forced out wide which is where they could least hurt us. Like a couple of others around me I didn't like the idea of the short corner for the opener but a deserved goal from Hunt who stuck his foot out from a Pearce header and was rewarded. For all their possession Boro had they didn't do much with it and we had some good chances in the second half with Roberts in particular missing a one on one. As for Harte's second it was as good a free-kick as I have seen in a Reading shirt. Power, movement and sealed the three points to send 278 souls home very happy. Couple of standout performances included Pearce who was as dominant as ever. McAnuff has been excellent in the last two matches while Harte’s delivery for both goals was brilliant. Legiertwood and Karacan were effective breaking up the play.

[old woman]

25 minutes until my train to Manchester comes, so I may as well contribute.

Typical performance if I am honest. Couldn't really see the first goal from our end, just saw the players celebrating so joined in.

I can't really remember any clear cut chances, apart from Roberts in the second half, but he went down and we all know what happened with the resulting free kick. Terrible atmosphere, or rather lack of atmosphere by both sets of fans, reminded me of a home game.

I know we keep saying 'another win from an average performance, wait til we step it up a gear', but I'm quite afraid as to whether or not we actually have another gear. Could be doomed in the playoffs if we stay like this.

Match ratings would go something like this

Feds 7
Harte 8
Gorks 7
Pearce 7
Connely 6 (Kebe seemed to be at right back more)
McAnuff 7 - Very dangerous with his vision and moving forward, but his final ball // shot was terrible
Legs 6
Karacan 6
Kebe 6
Hunt 7
Roberts 7 - first time I've seen him play and you can just see the experience he brings to the squad, brilliant judgement of balls and what to do off the ball

Obviously no subs to comment on.

Very happy with the three points and clean sheet and I'm hoping we can pick up another three at Millwall. Brum result went our way as did West Ham, so a bit of belief regarding automatic is creeping in. A long way to go yet though

Was at game- agree with this. Could have gone either way until we got the second.Up until then it was very tense. Pearce my MOM. Not playing well but winning

[Maguire]

Who cares if someone watched the game on TV or at the match?

You lot are weird

[Archie's penalty]

Who cares if someone watched the game on TV or at the match?

You lot are weird

Completely agree.

[Ark Royal]

Watched the game on a delayed screening. A ruthlessly efficient and thoroughly deserved win.

Although Boro had a lot of the ball in the first fifteen minutes, everything was in front of two lines of four and did not hurt us at all. Once Ledge and Jem started breaking it up, it was a non-contest. Pearce and Gorkss were just immense and were ball magnets every time Boro (had to) sling balls into the box. Feds had an easy day at the office because everything was in front of him. He could have thrown his cap on most of the shots he had to save. Kebe seems to have found a new disciplined Jimmy, who tucks in and helps out his full back. I always got the impression that Jimmy was frustrated in having to do the dirty work, but he did the long yards for the entire ninety minutes.

My MoM was Harte. Calm throughout, never gave the ball away, brilliant positional sense and great delivery on a training ground routine for the first and the second was just unstoppable - there was such pace and movement that the keeper was nowhere close.

This team is a machine.

[Ian Herring]

I watched the game through the eyes of a retired bamboo chess piece. We thought it a strategicically concise victory for the Reading.