Back from the Game / Pub

[Stuka]

A dreadful day characterised by sloppy passing, lack of confidence, and dismal organisation.

And that was just me at the pub.

[Still Hate Futcher!]

At least 3 people have suggested Hunt never touched the ball. Didn't he play in ALF to set up HRK?

[urz13]

I thought Karacn and Leigertwood had decent games today, Karacan won lots of scrappy headers in midfield and occasionally got forward, one nice touch stand out.
Leigertwood played average in the first half but stepped it up in the second - a better range of passing than he's given credit for, some fantastic balls out to McCleary and HRK.
McAnuff dreadful, Harte wasn't great but it's harsh to slate him for his lack of pace - its evidently a problem but there are solutions.
McCleary rinsed Naughton a fair few times, looked great and helped contain Bale for 90% of the match

McCarthy - 6
Harte - 5
Pearce - 7
Gorkks - 6
Gunter - 5 needs to stop hoofing it towards pog or anywhere when he receives it, but got forward occasionally
McAnuff - 3. Scrap the Mac.
Leigertwood - 7
Karacan - 6
McCleary - 7
Guthrie - 6
Pog - 7

HRK - 7
ALF - 7
Hunt - N/A

Let's not forget we were playing a (world) class side today - Bale scored a hattrick at the San Siro, Defor scores for fun, Vertonghen is a superb centre back, Lennon is arguably the quickest player in the PL, Walker is an England international (although that's hardly saying much ATM), not to mention the midfield of Gylfi, Dembele and Sandro. Then about £30m worth of talent on the bench....it's easy to forget that Spurs are a Champions League quality team and are twice as strong as us in every area.

Onto West Brom, an important game in which a point at the least is essential.

[Stuka]

Did anybody see the Lancaster Bomber fly over the stadium about 25 mins into the first half?

[winchester_royal]

Poor first half, better second. Sloppiness at the back cost us. Tottenham were decent.

Only thing that disappointed me was that we didn't have a go until after HT. Have to go 4-4-2 at home.

[RadicalRoyal]

Did anybody see the Lancaster Bomber fly over the stadium about 25 mins into the first half?

No missed that , did see some seagulls circling over mc Carthy

[muddyfeet]

Saw a plane and the seagulls

The game was THAT good

[maffff]

I understand the applause for Sigurdsson when he came off, but what was with the standing ovation from our fans for Bale?

[Handsome Man]

Did anybody see the Lancaster Bomber fly over the stadium about 25 mins into the first half?

Didn't look like a Lancaster to me, but I saw a plane.

[Stuboo]

I don't really know where to start after that, but this is probably the best succinct take on affairs today

Brian got it badly wrong today.
Spurs and AVB have had a dreadful start and the knives were sharpening already.
Now call me stoopid but to me Brian should have had an attacking side with the emphasis on making life uncomfortable for them from the start, thus putting pressure on their already fragile status.
But no! Lets just let them take control and raise their confidence!

FFS we surrendered in the first five minutes and made a previously poor side look half decent.

Very poor today. Mcleary and Pog were a glimmer of light in an otherwise very poor performance.

McD got it badly badly wrong with 4-5-1 or 4-4-1-1 or whatever it was. Inexperiencedly so. Which is worrying.
Brian "I've got 2 for every position, so I'm happy" McDermott. Jesus. If that is our best first 11 then (excusing injuries) then goodnight Vienna.
Leigertwood! No wonder QPR affectionately call him legs of wood. He was like an overweight sumo wrestler.
No game for yonks, I know lets go and stuff an Irish Sunday League side, keep Noel Hunt happy and say that is good preparation for an up and coming Premiership game against a very good Tottenham team.


Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Basic fundamental MANAGERIAL errors. I fear McD, like the majority of his (Championship quality) squad are out of their league.

Love to be proved wrong, but as I have said previously, the door might just be beginning to open for you Brian

[The Real Sandhurst Royal]

How dire a first half was that probably one of the worst halves of football I have ever watched at Reading. At least McDermott learnt that 4.4.1.1 or 4.5.1 with Guthrie as a roaming player did not work he was never in the game in the first period.

The change to 4.4.2 with Guthrie as the holding midfielder got us in the game for the first 20 minutes of the second half.

At the start of the season this was a game probably written off with no points considering Spurs form over the last few seasons.

We should have gone for it from the off with a 4.4.2 set up as there was nothing lose.

If we play like that for the rest of the season Derby’s lowest points tally is in danger of being beaten!!

[Royal Ginger]

Screaming for Roberts back to hold up a ball or two. Pog was class, but needed Roberts' style help.

[RIP apes]

Odemwingies' red card could prove to be vital ahead of next week!

Not when Lukaku get's a few goals.

Does anyone else say this as though they were on Shooting Stars?

[Lacoste]

Trying to avoid a kneejerk reaction here but i'm finding it really difficult.

MCD had a great opportunity in the summer, probably the best we have ever had to add real quality into the team. Instead he has gone again for workmanlike players who he thinks will keep the precious team spirit/Reading way in tact. This works in the Championship but will not in the prem and I think we will be massivley found out this season because of it.

He has been naive in the market and perhaps even more naive in the way we tried to play yesterday. Don't get me wrong, I know we can be better than we were yesterday however with the players that we have we will find it extremely difficult this season.

When you think we bought HRK and Hunt on - that really does show how weak our squad is as a whole - complete lack or foresight by MCD and also, why do we consistently start slowly under him? Again, we can get away with that in the Championship bet not in the prem.

[Croydon Royal]

First half was the worst performance for me since the opening 45 mins of our visit to Cardiff on New Years Day.

A +1 to those frustrated with McAnuff not being taken off. Especially when it's Guthrie who is being sacrificed. The only time Spurs look scared was when we were going direct and running at them, which was made for Robson-Kanu. Against these sort of talented defences, you simply can't have a left winger that doesn't have a left foot.

I've said it a few times now, but when Leigertwood plays well, Reading play well and vice versa. Yesterday he was woeful for the first 45 mins. Le Fondre my man of the match, he actually played without fear and didn't give them the respect and space that the rest of the Reading team seemed to afford Spurs.

My biggest annoyance from the game was our lack of heart and fight. I don't mind being outclassed, and we must remember that Spurs were excellent yesterday, but the way a 'lesser' team beats one of the bigger boys is by making sure you bridge that gap by running further than them, working harder than them, tackling more fiercely etc. When Sigurdsson, Dembele, Bale etc got the ball for the first time yesterday they needed to be welcomed with a tackle that said "you're not going to enjoy today". Instead we gave them the freedom of the Madejski. You need to treat each game like a cup final, and we didn't do that yesterday.

Anyway, let's put it behind us and roll on West Brom. Hopefully with a 442 formation and 1 or 2 new faces.

[Maguire]

25 days off and it showed. Seemed we had to go through the whole nerves/bedding in new players/learning to play as team thing all over again. Never a fan of one up front when you're playing at home - just invites pressure, particularly against teams likes Spurs with a very talented midfield.

First half was abysmal. Second half we played much better. No great surprise that if you isolate Lennon against Harte then we'll be in trouble.

Pogrebnyak is clearly much better than everyone else, certainly on ydays showing.

Bad days for: McCarthy, Harte, Gunter, McAnuff, Leigertwood, and Guthrie to name but half the team.

One last thing - we won the league last season because of our back five. Federici was clearly too good for the Championship last year. Couple of mistakes and people want him dropped. Well, you got McCarthy instead and he's was absolutely awful so congratulations for that. His kicking is dire.

[Stuka]

Did anybody see the Lancaster Bomber fly over the stadium about 25 mins into the first half?

Didn't look like a Lancaster to me, but I saw a plane.

There were a couple of other smaller planes flying over at various points too although I couldn't get such a good look at those. Could well have been related to Battle of Britain commemorations which were happening at the weekend.

[Croydon Royal]

Oh, and a massive oxf*rd off to the band. The only thing worse than watching Reading play like that is watching Reading play like that with a crap band in the background killing whatever little atmosphere there usually is. They play 3 crap songs over and over and at the most inopportune times. It's baffling. Surely they realised when absolutely no-one clapped/sung along that their efforts are pointless? It's not a bloody garden party, it's a football match. I sit near them and everyone around me was shouting at them to shut up. Unfortunately they won't, as it's a group of 10-15 people who enjoy massaging their own egos by believing that they are somehow more part of the club because they have their own little bit at the back and have learned a couple of songs that are sometimes played at England matches.

[loyalroyal4life]

I understand the applause for Sigurdsson when he came off, but what was with the standing ovation from our fans for Bale?

think you will find more a case of already standing and couldnt be bothered to sit down.....

[retro royal]

Biggest problem for me is that McAnuff was playing left back half the time covering Harte, we had no shape down the left, also Gorks was half covering him as well, Harte is a liability at this level. As for the new additions can't see Gunter is any better than Cummings, Guthrie for me doesn't work hard enough and left too much space for tottenham's attacking midfielders to run into, also caused leigertwood to be pulled about like a rag doll. McCleary whilst exciting to watch seems to run into defenders and not retain possession well enough but hard when you only 1 up front. Pogrebniak has done well but is not mobile enough to play as a lone striker.

Totally trust Brian to sort this out, just hope group ethos doesn't stop him dropping certain players. Paid too much respect to Tottenham but the 25 day break certainly didn't help us.