Manchester City vs Reading *Match Thread* Sponsored by 4-5-1

[Mr.T10]

I've just noticed we are 9 points off 16th place which will be 10 if Villa get anything tomorrow at Chelsea.

We have to get at least 4 points from the next 2 games - the transfer window will be too late otherwise

I think we have already missed the bus...

Losing to Villa, Sunderland, Wigan and Southampton and not getting all three against Fulham (H), QPR (A) and Norwich (H) have defined our season.

We need some sort of Miracle now or a Messiah of January buy. I still believe our best first 11 with the right tactics are good enough to stay up but McDermott's selection and tactics have let us down.

[Scutterbucketz]

Think Platypuss was looking for this picture.

[windermere_royal]

20 points from 20 games needed, it can be done

[leicsRoyal]

20 points from 20 games needed, it can be done

Do you think 29 points will be enough?

[The Beardy Man]

Thought we played pretty well.

Had a defensive plan which the players stuck at well. Nobody let us down. Kebe, McAnuff and Pog had very decent games.

This was the sort of thing I was hoping for from McDermott. More of the same please.

[soggy biscuit]

We need some sort of Miracle now.

6 points off the top of our 4 team mini league, not even half the season played yet, transfer window still to come and the other 3 teams in our mini league have all to come to our place yet.

Lol @ people saying we are down already

[windermere_royal]

20 points from 20 games needed, it can be done

Do you think 29 points will be enough?

[Turns8]

We need some sort of Miracle now.

6 points off the top of our 4 team mini league, not even half the season played yet, transfer window still to come and the other 3 teams in our mini league have all to come to our place yet.

Lol @ people saying we are down already

[peterroyal76]

We need some sort of Miracle now.

6 points off the top of our 4 team mini league, not even half the season played yet, transfer window still to come and the other 3 teams in our mini league have all to come to our place yet.

Lol @ people saying we are down already

[Royalclapper]

Better performance that's for sure, we actually looked like tough opponents for a change. Quite different from the grateful whores we were against Arsenal.

Glad to see Guthrie come on and pass it a few times although deadwood looks tired and set for the knackers yard.

[Mr.T10]

20 points from 20 games needed, it can be done

Lets test that theory. What I see is a respectable minimum and a Maximum obviously matter of opinion.

TL;DR: minimum I expect from our next 20 fixtures is : 18 Maximum: 32. So by the way Reading are going we will be below minimum expected so I will put my neck out and say we are going down but it can be done. Lets hope I am wrong.

Reading v Swansea Min: 1 Max: 3
Reading v West Ham Min: 1 Max: 3
Tottenham v Reading Min: 0 Max: 0
Reading v West Brom: Min: 1 Max: 1
Newcastle v Reading Min: 0 Max: 1 (Not as good as last year)
Reading v Chelsea Min: 0 Max: 0
Reading v Sunderland Min: 3 Max: 3
Stoke v Reading Min: 0 Max: 1
Reading v Wigan Min: 3 Max: 3
Everton v Reading Min: 0 Max: 0
Reading v Aston Villa Min: 3 Max: 3
Man Utd v Reading Min: 0 Max: 0
Arsenal v Reading Min: 0 Max: 0
Reading v Southampton Min: 3 Max: 3
Reading v Liverpool Min: 0 Max: 1
Norwich v Reading Min: 0 Max: 1
Reading v QPR Min: 3 Max: 3
Fulham v Reading Min: Max: 1
Reading v Man City Min: 0 Max: 1
West Ham v Reading Min: 0 Max: 3 (It can be done)

[Mid Sussex Royal]

I've just noticed we are 9 points off 16th place which will be 10 if Villa get anything tomorrow at Chelsea.

We have to get at least 4 points from the next 2 games - the transfer window will be too late otherwise

I think we have already missed the bus...

Losing to Villa, Sunderland, Wigan and Southampton and not getting all three against Fulham (H), QPR (A) and Norwich (H) have defined our season.

We need some sort of Miracle now or a Messiah of January buy. I still believe our best first 11 with the right tactics are good enough to stay up but McDermott's selection and tactics have let us down.

Agree - I wonder how many points we would have got from those games if we'd kept it tight like today and played Pearce?

[Royal Monk]

I think Gary Neville should take some credit , Brian said he was going to watch his analysis and it looks like he took note about the formation and defending

[creative_username_1]

20 points from 20 games needed, it can be done

Lets test that theory. What I see is a respectable minimum and a Maximum obviously matter of opinion.

TL;DR: minimum I expect from our next 20 fixtures is : 18 Maximum: 32. So by the way Reading are going we will be below minimum expected so I will put my neck out and say we are going down but it can be done. Lets hope I am wrong.

Reading v Swansea Min: 1 Max: 3
Reading v West Ham Min: 1 Max: 3
Tottenham v Reading Min: 0 Max: 0
Reading v West Brom: Min: 1 Max: 1
Newcastle v Reading Min: 0 Max: 1 (Not as good as last year)
Reading v Chelsea Min: 0 Max: 0
Reading v Sunderland Min: 3 Max: 3
Stoke v Reading Min: 0 Max: 1
Reading v Wigan Min: 3 Max: 3
Everton v Reading Min: 0 Max: 0
Reading v Aston Villa Min: 3 Max: 3
Man Utd v Reading Min: 0 Max: 0
Arsenal v Reading Min: 0 Max: 0
Reading v Southampton Min: 3 Max: 3
Reading v Liverpool Min: 0 Max: 1
Norwich v Reading Min: 0 Max: 1
Reading v QPR Min: 3 Max: 3
Fulham v Reading Min: Max: 1
Reading v Man City Min: 0 Max: 1
West Ham v Reading Min: 0 Max: 3 (It can be done)

wtf is this shit

[Hoop Blah]

Well that sounded so much better and we went into the game giving ourselves a chance with a more suitable formation. For those that fail to recognise the part McDermott has played in this season failure today must be a bit of an awakening surely?

Although its sometimes easier to play when the odds are stacked so far against you (23/1 wasn't it?) and the pressure is off there can be no doubt that going 4-5-1 for this gave us a much better chance. Interestingly it sounded like Tabb felt much the same.

Good to see Karacan back in the side too. He can make a difference despite not being the best on the ball. Odd that, like Kebe, he was deemed ready to be involved straight away after a long lay off unlike Guthrie before he had his strop.

[Esteban]

Everyone is w@nking over how well we did - we had 10 men behind the ball for the entire game. How many saves did Joe Hart make?

Hint: It's none.

You are joking? Right?

[ZacNaloen]

He's right. We were massively outclassed and nearly got a point.

How shit is that??

Playing like that we will pick up more points this season. It may be too late though.

[Esteban]

Momentum doesn't mean its not a foul.

Football is still a contact sport though! or am I missing something...Barry is in mid air...he has 2 options...duck out of the header and try and avoid colliding with Shorey (to not upset a few Reading fans!!)...or try and head the ball towards goal (winning the game for his employer!)...not really that difficult to work out which option he's going to choose...

Barry's movement impedes Shorey. It's a foul. It would take a far braver ref than Dean to award it though.

I'd say we can be forgiven for feeling hard done by.

[Haag Royal]

Momentum doesn't mean its not a foul.

Football is still a contact sport though! or am I missing something...Barry is in mid air...he has 2 options...duck out of the header and try and avoid colliding with Shorey (to not upset a few Reading fans!!)...or try and head the ball towards goal (winning the game for his employer!)...not really that difficult to work out which option he's going to choose...

Barry's movement impedes Shorey. It's a foul. It would take a far braver ref than Dean to award it though.

I'd say we can be forgiven for feeling hard done by.

What do you mean brave???? FFS its a foul and even Barry thinkis it might have been.

Brave??? It his feckin' job.

[Divvy]