Pre-season friendlies 2014

[jd82]

I thought it was pretty bad, apart from the last 5/10 once Pog came on. Not that he was great but it opened up a bit.

I can only remember 2 shots on target the whole game.

[paddyaze]

This is sad to hear
I went to Wycombe Saturday and enjoyed it. It seemed like some progress was made but now unfortunately as I feared it was Wycombe being bad that made us look good.
I agree with Floyd about Pog's performance and he is actually a class act with a delightful left foot.
Obita is so good for such a young age.
Blackman turned up
HRK needs to see a Sports psychologist (and now a physio) asap.
Cummings has had a rough time here but I thought he was decent after Bodgers left and he got past the halfway line but will always be in the shadow of Gunt's
I hear McCarthy had a good game (tonight) but pls sell him as Feds is better all round IMO.
Pearce & Morrow can cope with half the championship strikeforces but pace will destroy us.
Big Hec was good on Saturday controlling the tempo of the first half.
Akpan? Sir Steve Coppell rates him and no royals fan can say anything bad about Sir Steve
Edwards such poor finishing in the warm up that even my 10 yr old commented on, but finally there is a Reading player that has movement which we have missed so much in the last couple of years.
Finally the kidz, If we're mid table and using these guys without wasting money on Billy Sharp (who I didn't enjoy watching in the hoops) et al then I'll enjoy myself this season

[winchester_royal]

It really wasn't that bad

[blueroyals]

kids vs. 30 something bald part time builders that want to play rugby? 0-0 sounds acceptable

[RoyalBlue]

Absolutely shyte at Stevenage. Worse even than some of our worst displays last season.

And I suggest anyone who was there last night and claims otherwise, goes to watch the women's team to remind themselves what decent football looks like!

Struggle to name many of our players who looked better than their League 2 Counterparts. McCarthy (although his distribution was again woeful, needlessly kicking out of play on at least 6 occasions that I counted - one absolute horror; ball played back to him centre of his area, no pressure, stopped ball, took couple of paces back and then proceeded to thump out of play on right hand side near touchline). Obita, although completely wasted in central midfield position. Possibly Akpan when he came on for a few minutes near the end.

Players seemingly scared stiff of shooting. Two or three shots on target (none of which really tested their keeper) in the whole of the game.

A lot of passing sideways and backwards until we managed to lose possession. Absolutely no threat down either wing (even some of his critics are going to regret McAnuff's release). Some of the passing was dire - behind or too far in front of the intended recipient. Worst pass of the night came from Hector who, faced with a simple pass out to his right, and under no real pressure, managed to hoof the ball high into the stand (in fact I think he may have cleared it!).

HRK offered little up front and then was forced off by a dreadful challenge behind, which went unpunished by another shyte ref who was more interested in booking players for failing to retreat from free kicks quick enough for his liking and let a series of 'robust' challenges go unpunished.

I don't like to join the Blackman witch hunt but he was very poor last night, even when working out wide (which I thought was his stronger position).

Maybe the bright star that is Edwards has already burnt out? - he was anonymous last night and rightly subbed.

Youngsters can carry us? Not on the basis of last night's performance.

Too many good keepers? Don't think so, because where we are now, Feds looks a good bet for playing up front!

We are starting this season with a palpably weak squad (not helped by existing long term injuries) and each time someone else gets injured (particularly strikers and central defenders) we are going to end up even deeper in the shyte. On the basis of last night's performance (only one, I know) our squad is more suited to League One, at best, than the Championship)

Now is the winter of our discontent...........

kids vs. 30 something bald part time builders that want to play rugby? 0-0 sounds acceptable

Very unfair on Stevenage who had a number of players who looked far more like gifted footballers than ours. It was our team that looked like the Sunday pub outfit.

It really wasn't that bad

You really do need to go and watch a few decent teams play football. It was absolutely dire. How many shots on target and when?

No scapegoating! Just calling it how I see it. He's a tidy player but either needs to bulk up or stop trying to back into players.

Wasn't a thriller, but we could easily have scored a couple. Taylor impressed me, I like his style, and Obita looked good in the no. 10 role towards the end. Not going to draw too many conclusions as we played most of the game with no recognised central midfielders and a right footed player at left back..

Isn't that latter point at the centre of the whole problem? And there is no sign that Adkins is going to be allowed to do anything to rectify it. And after last night we are now left with just Pog (so much hope is going to rest on his shoulders) and Blackman as strikers.

[winchester_royal]

Jesus wept m8, it was a friendly. We started the game with a LB/LM and a CB (both of whom are still very young) playing in the middle, and a RB offering no width down the left. We then had to bring an 18 year old with no first team experience on half way through the 1st half after our main striker got kicked out the game. It's not bloody surprise we weren't playing free flowing football..especially as Stevenage just sat deep in their banks of four and kicked any of our guys who dared to approach.

It was a dull game, but that's what these type of games are. Man City lost 2-0 at Dundee a couple of weeks ago, does that mean we can safely say they're going to be relegated? I saw a very young side, that has been stretched to the limit by injury, play some tidy football at times and more importantly they all looked fit and strong. We've got a number of key players to come back in, let's not forget that our best player (Pog) and our only fit midfielder (Akpan) were sat on the bench for most of last night, and we'll improve for getting Guthrie back in the team.

I've come to expect the ridiculous from you RB - but that post is right up there with your worst.

[Pepe the Horseman]

Well said, winch. Except for the shameless escapegoating of Jack Stacey.

[winchester_royal]

Well said, winch. Except for the shameless escapegoating of Jack Stacey.

I thought Stacey was pretty good actually, considering the circumstances. Sod it, might as well go through all the players:

McCarthy - A couple of excellent saves but distribution still very poor. Fed my number 1 - sell AMc
Gunts - Same as usual.
Pearce - Got bullied a bit by Charles.
Morrison - Very tidy, looks back to his best.
Cummings - HATE it when this guy plays on the left. Always goes back onto his right foot to pass back to keeper.
Hector - Played alright in the middle actually, a couple of wayward passes but otherwise pretty accurate and is physically very good.
Obita - Prefer him on the left than in the middle tbh. Put in a couple of fantastic crosses when he found himself in wide areas. Wasted when trying to dict8 play.
Taylor - Neat, nimble, technical, clever. Think this is his season.
Edwards - What I expected really. Good little player, but isn't ready for the Championship physically.
Blackman - Not much went right for him, but he worked hard and looks fit. Think he'll have a decent season.
HRK - Didn't do very much. Not the biggest loss we've encountered.

Stacey - Struggled to get into the game, but did some decent things down the right when he got the chance. Lots of potential.
Akpan - Looked strong, we improved with him on pitch.
Pog - See above.

[jd82]

I think you're being a shade kind on, well everyone, there WR. It wasn't as bad as RB is making out though.

Incidently, the disallowed goal (the shot that went through McCarthy not the foul on him) for 'Boro didn't look offside to me.

[winchester_royal]

I think you're being a shade kind on, well everyone, there WR. It wasn't as bad as RB is making out though.

Incidently, the disallowed goal (the shot that went through McCarthy not the foul on him) for 'Boro didn't look offside to me.

Quite possibly. It was a pretty dire game, but I don't think that was because of poor performances - just the fact it was a friendly and the way Stevenage were playing. We never seem to perform particularly well against Graham Westley sides. That 1-0 cup defeat at home a couple of seasons ago is the worst RFC performance I've ever seen.

I was in the Stevenage end pretty much side on and it looked well off from where I was. The locals weren't happy about it though so maybe my eyes are off.

[maffff]

Maybe the bright star that is Edwards has already burnt out? - he was anonymous last night and rightly subbed.

Started off well at Perth, then faded. All the problems blew up, and led to Ali's sacking, were around the reluctance to drop him etc when he lost form.

[RoyalBlue]

Jesus wept m8, it was a friendly. We started the game with a LB/LM and a CB (both of whom are still very young) playing in the middle, and a RB offering no width down the left. We then had to bring an 18 year old with no first team experience on half way through the 1st half after our main striker got kicked out the game. It's not bloody surprise we weren't playing free flowing football..especially as Stevenage just sat deep in their banks of four and kicked any of our guys who dared to approach.

It was a dull game, but that's what these type of games are. Man City lost 2-0 at Dundee a couple of weeks ago, does that mean we can safely say they're going to be relegated? I saw a very young side, that has been stretched to the limit by injury, play some tidy football at times and more importantly they all looked fit and strong. We've got a number of key players to come back in, let's not forget that our best player (Pog) and our only fit midfielder (Akpan) were sat on the bench for most of last night, and we'll improve for getting Guthrie back in the team.

I've come to expect the ridiculous from you RB - but that post is right up there with your worst.

As they say, there is none so blind as those that won't see. Really suggest you go and watch some other teams play if you don't think that was bad.

As for the friendly excuse - how can that excuse highly paid professionals not being able to pick out simple passes or being prepared to take a shot?! For a neutral watching last night, it would have been very difficult to have picked out which was the team containing the Championship quality players. That's because so few of ours displayed the quality you would expect at that level.

Fitness and strength (didn't see much sign of physical strength in challenges from many of them) may be fine for League 2 but on their own won't see you through in the Championship.

Tidy football? On limited occasions and generally taking us nowhere or ending up with no one prepared to shoot. However, untidy football was more the order of the day.

Yes, we have some key players missing but how long until they are back? I would suggest months for a couple of them and just how long is Guthrie going to be suffering from his problem? Did anyone imagine it was going to keep him out this long? On top of that we have a woeful lack of cover in terms of strikers, in fact we don't really even have two proven strikers at Championship level and are hardly spoilt for choice at centre and left back either.

The fact that we had to bring on an 18 year old with no experience shows just how weak (partly due to injuries) our squad is, as did the bench. Who is Hyam?!

As for the suggestion that Stevenage just sat back and kicked us, you do them a very blinkered disservice. Yes they were very physical/determined but I don't think I would be wrong in saying they also played some good attacking football at times and created far more opportunities and tested the keeper more than we did. True, they wasted numerous corners by playing them straight into McCarthy's hands but our own corners were no more effective.

I went to the game with a neutral who had no axes to grind, yet he too thought we were pretty dire.

[SPARTA]

Pre-season isn't a reliable indication of what's to come next season. So far I've been delighted with what we've seen from Obita and Edwards, Tanner has also looked a real handful in the clips I've seen of him. Having Edwards feels like a new signing in itself. But we do need 4-5 new signings, and this takeover to hurry up. If we don't add at least two decent strikers and a winger before the window closes, I do fear a bottom third scrap this season. There aren't many goals in this team.

[Christof]

Went to see the U21s at Hemel last night (which may explain, along with injuries, why the senior bench at Stevenage was looking a little light). Good game against a full-strength Hemel team (who won the STEP03 Southern Premier last season), which finished 5-2 to Reading.

Credit to Eamonn Dolan for the team that he has fashioned, as we really did play some wonderful passing football starting from the back:-
- Lincoln looks a real prospect and made a couple of fantastic saves
- Griffin and (especially) Long pushed on and overlapped well with the wide players
- Sweeney and Cooper looked comfortable on the ball and were rarely troubled by the Hemel forwards
- Kelly may be a little lightweight at the moment but has the vision to pick something or someone out
- Fosu looks pacy, quick feet and a great shot on him

I'd say the 4 closest to 1st team action will be:-
- Samuel (scored 2, always looking to be involved)
- Tanner (great goal, full of running, links up with the rest of midfield and Samuel very well)
- Tshibola (strong, arrogant, able to both break up play and get forward)
- Kuhl (got the lot - vision, simple passes, cross-field Gerrard-esque 40 yarders)

Cameos from Owusu, Fridjonsson and (I think) Vastsuk topped it off, fair to say the future is bright if we can keep them, and carry on their development.

[winchester_royal]

Jesus wept m8, it was a friendly. We started the game with a LB/LM and a CB (both of whom are still very young) playing in the middle, and a RB offering no width down the left. We then had to bring an 18 year old with no first team experience on half way through the 1st half after our main striker got kicked out the game. It's not bloody surprise we weren't playing free flowing football..especially as Stevenage just sat deep in their banks of four and kicked any of our guys who dared to approach.

It was a dull game, but that's what these type of games are. Man City lost 2-0 at Dundee a couple of weeks ago, does that mean we can safely say they're going to be relegated? I saw a very young side, that has been stretched to the limit by injury, play some tidy football at times and more importantly they all looked fit and strong. We've got a number of key players to come back in, let's not forget that our best player (Pog) and our only fit midfielder (Akpan) were sat on the bench for most of last night, and we'll improve for getting Guthrie back in the team.

I've come to expect the ridiculous from you RB - but that post is right up there with your worst.

As they say, there is none so blind as those that won't see. Really suggest you go and watch some other teams play if you don't think that was bad.

As for the friendly excuse - how can that excuse highly paid professionals not being able to pick out simple passes or being prepared to take a shot?! For a neutral watching last night, it would have been very difficult to have picked out which was the team containing the Championship quality players. That's because so few of ours displayed the quality you would expect at that level.

Fitness and strength (didn't see much sign of physical strength in challenges from many of them) may be fine for League 2 but on their own won't see you through in the Championship.

Tidy football? On limited occasions and generally taking us nowhere or ending up with no one prepared to shoot. However, untidy football was more the order of the day.

Yes, we have some key players missing but how long until they are back? I would suggest months for a couple of them and just how long is Guthrie going to be suffering from his problem? Did anyone imagine it was going to keep him out this long? On top of that we have a woeful lack of cover in terms of strikers, in fact we don't really even have two proven strikers at Championship level and are hardly spoilt for choice at centre and left back either.

The fact that we had to bring on an 18 year old with no experience shows just how weak (partly due to injuries) our squad is, as did the bench. Who is Hyam?!

As for the suggestion that Stevenage just sat back and kicked us, you do them a very blinkered disservice. Yes they were very physical/determined but I don't think I would be wrong in saying they also played some good attacking football at times and created far more opportunities and tested the keeper more than we did. True, they wasted numerous corners by playing them straight into McCarthy's hands but our own corners were no more effective.

I went to the game with a neutral who had no axes to grind, yet he too thought we were pretty dire.

Can't be bothered to argue with most of that emo drivel, but the reason we brought had to bring on Stacey is because our more likely to be involved youth were getting 90 mins elsewhere and Adkins clearly didn't want to play Pog for more than a few mins. Why? Because friendlies are about fitness. Nothing more nothing less.

[paddyaze]

FAO RoyalBlue

Dom Hyam is another Alex Pearce but better on the ball

[Ian Royal]

FAO RoyalBlue

Dom Hyam is another Alex Pearce but much better on the ball

[EPR2.0]

Why don't all friendlies finish with a penalty shoot-out if no winner in 90 mins as Man U are doing on their USA tour?

A little more entertainment for the crowds, and would give players, staff and match officials experience of managing and taking part in a penalty shoot out.

[double d]

Why don't all friendlies finish with a penalty shoot-out if no winner in 90 mins as Man U are doing on their USA tour?

A little more entertainment for the crowds, and would give players, staff and match officials experience of managing and taking part in a penalty shoot out.

they are in a tournament where draws don't count for some odd reason

[RoyalBlue]

Why don't all friendlies finish with a penalty shoot-out if no winner in 90 mins as Man U are doing on their USA tour?

A little more entertainment for the crowds, and would give players, staff and match officials experience of managing and taking part in a penalty shoot out.

Given the reluctance of players to shoot last night, we might have been there some time!