Royals vs Swans match thread

[Scarface]

Fantastic performance, it was very refreshing to see a midfield actually tackling for a change. We hear all this crap about James Harper's contribution going "unoticed", well it was great to see 2 central midfielders actually being "noticed". Bryn is supposedly slower and less mobile, but he got around the pitch far more than I've seen Harper do recently and when he tired Cisse came on and did exactly the same.

I spotted Harper in the tunnell watching the game, so I hope the performance gives him a kick up the backside.

There is no way Harper should get recalled, but I feel sure Coppell will no doubt find a way to do just thaton Tuesday, perhaps resting Doyle (deal leg)and playing 4-5-1.

[brendywendy]

he'll be loathe to change a winning team as always
and only brynns fitness would enforce a change in my opinion.

thought he had a great game on saturday, and seemed mobile enough to me.
even cisse looked accomplished in his cameo at the end.

[Bill Oddie's Beard]

Another good home performance today. We did the job. Wasn't happy at the start of the game though to see Pearce wasn't playing.

I think Pearce didn't play because Harper didn't play. What i mean by that is that because our captain wasn't playing Coppell wanted Ingi (surely our 3rd choice captain after Murts and Harper) to provide some leadership. Tbh after Ingi im not sure who our captain would be, no-one really stands out!

Shunt or Marcus I'd guess.

[KC Royal]

1st game I've been to this season, and only the 2nd i've seen live (incl the televised game at Forest). I thought even before the Sheffield Wednesday match that we could go the whole season unbeaten at home, and this match didn't change that view. 1st time i've seen Armstrong, Karacan and Noel Hunt and really enjoyed the match, apart from the 2nd half which until the 4th goal was disappointing, although on a warm day (prob one of the nicest for a match i can remember) and with a big match at Wolves midweek with the game won it was perfectly understandable why we sat back. Tbh though apart from a 25/30 min spell before half-time i don't think we got of 3rd gear. Swansea looked the decent passing side I expected them to be, but I don't know where their goals are going to come from as they only had a handful of chances throughout the match most of which were off-target, although they did hit the bar in the 2nd half.

Ratings:

Hahnemann 6 - Dealt comfortably with what little he had to do. His kicks/throws were surprisingly effective.
Rosenior 8 My MOTM - Very impressed, definitely the best game i've seen from him. Very solid defensively, think he only got beaten once, and offered an attacking threat going forward.
Ingi/Bikey 7 - Neither were really troubled but both had solid games.
Armstrong 7 - Solid defensively
Kebe 6.5 - Still too inconsistent and greedy for me, but had a lively game and set up 2 goals in the 1st half
Gunnarsson 7 - Broke up play well and kept it nice and simple
Karacan 6 - Didnt do anything wrong but didn't really stand out for me. Outshone by Gunnar.
SHunt 8 - Thought he was poor until we scored but was great from then on. Scored and set up 2 more.
Doyle 8 - Scored twice from his only two chances of the match. Nuff said.
Noel Hunt 7 - Hard working performance capped by a well taken header from Shunt's cross.

Subs Cisse 5.5 - Didn't really get into the game but won the ball and passed it simply on one occasion i remember.
Long/Henry 5 - Neither had time to get into the game, not helped by the fact that we sat back in the 2nd half.

[papereyes]

Rother - yup, that's what we wanted. Hat duly doffed.