BFTG - Portsmouth (A)

[Portsmouth Royal]

That was a reasonably entertaining performance. Couldn't be arsed to stick around for the mickey mouse penalty kicks at the end.

First half was a bit stodgy but thought we controlled it pretty much.

Second half was quite incisive but far more open.

Though McIntyre looked good till his mystery injury.
Samuel was lively.
Kelly played well.
Gravenberch could well be a new cult favourite I think.

Bit disappointed by Mendes, ball just seemed to keep bouncing off him and lost most of his aerial duels

[Portsmouth Royal]

Guess you might want to know about the goals too...

Novakovich opener was nicely sidefooted home after a quick series of passes on edge of area.

Penalty was very soft i thought.

Both Pompey goals from balls slicing our defence wide open. Second was a good finish bent past keeper

[TBM]

Attendance?

[Royal Ginger]

I think they said 1,300

[sloughroyal123]

I think they said 1,300

133 from Reading, which is one of the larger away attendances

[6 Million Dollar Man]

And did the walk out protest from the Portsmouth fans materialise?

[John Smith]

Couldn't be arsed to stick around for the mickey mouse penalty kicks at the end.

You went to the most local game possible for you in years, with no traffic and you left before the end without finding out the result?

Absolutely mental.

[LWJ]

You went to the most local game possible for you in years.

We did play them last year

[Greatwesternline]

The penalty shoot out had exquisite goal keeping.

Gravenback has some good feet, but didnt run back much when out of position. He is built like a brick house, but is very slow.

Watson always looked to take a touch and pass which was nice.

Mendes looked ineffectual, and not that interested in linking up, takes a great pen though.

I was sat in the home end in front of Mr Portsmouth, he was drunk all match and never stopped *singing* which was essentially a series of drunken rambles one after another.

Portsmouth looked ok, 2nd goal was a good finish.

Not sure what the penalties are trying to achieve, more penalty practice in match day environment to make young english players better at penalties? That's the only reason i can think of.

[Royalwaster]

Finally for those who didn't know the result, we won 4:3 on penalties ... which gave us a bonus point.

[The Royal Forester]

And did the walk out protest from the Portsmouth fans materialise?

According to a Pompy fan interviewed on Radio Berks. last night. A walk out was their original intention, but as that would have given a false "attendance" figure they decided to boycott the game altogether., to keep the figure as low as possible.

[fred sharpes nose]

Was there - everyone has a different game perspective - not helped by eyeballs in line with the players knees.

Was looking forward to seeing some of the younger talent and see who could be pushing hard for a first team slot - but overall was pretty un-impressed.

Wanted to see more from Samuel - wasn't much in the game and seemed disinterested IMO, Mendes looked lethargic and seems a dubious signing - I couldn't see them putting real pressure on Stam for a regular first team call up at the moment. Novakovich should have stayed on and got moved the the middle - seemed to have more spark than Mendes

Al-Habsi - streets ahead of Jaakkola - distribution and composure with the ball for the new style very lacking

Blackett - didnt stand out as a senior/expensive pro

Kelly was a live wire and gave it a go but got out--muscled. Thought Gravenbersh was solid - could have been move to the defensive midfield role as they bossed us around through out the second half

The young lad Frost second half ran around a lot

Last 20 mins we we on the back foot and ragged

First team picks itself at the moment

Certainly an interesting evening - and also couldn't be arsed to hang around for penalities. The game was a draw end of.
================================================================================================================
From the O S


There are seven players from the Reading Academy in the starting XI for our Checkatrade Trophy meeting with Portsmouth this evening – and another seven on the bench!

That includes 17-year-old pair Tyler Frost and Tom McIntyre, who both netted in our Premier League Cup win away at Birmingham City on Saturday.

Frost forms part of a young midfielder trio which includes Liam Kelly, 20, and Andy Rinomhota, 19.

Supplementing the starting XI are summer signings Tyler Blackett, Danzell Gravenberch, Anssi Jaakkola and Joseph Mendes. Four of the substitutes – Omar Richards, Harrison Bennett, Terence Vancooten and Ryan East – are first-year professionals.

Of the homegrown starters, Tennai Watson, Liam Kelly, Andrija Novakovich and Dominic Samuel all have first-team experience under their belts.

Five players that have been regularly involved for Martin Kuhl’s Under-23s this season – Luke Southwood, Jake Sheppard, Zak Jules, Josh Barrett and Axel Andresson, are all unavailable due to international duty.

A further eight young homegrown players are also out on loan to gather more senior experience - including Dominic Hyam, who is currently with Portsmouth.

Reading: Jaakkola, Watson, Blackett, Gravenberch, McIntyre, Kelly, Rinomhota, Frost, Novakovich, Mendes, Samuel.
Subs: Moore, Vancooten, Richards, Griffin, East, Bennett, Cardwell.
Read more at http://www.readingfc.co.uk/news/article ... CrAxJrW.99

[Royals and Racers]

Goals plus winning penalty https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEAZdPYChBI

[genome]

Mendes looks like he has pretty good pace