The build up - Chelsea 1st Aug 2009

[Deathy]

'sake.

[Wizard]

2-2 now. Final whistle.

[SteveRoyal]

Fantastic result.
I would have taken this result at the start, but towards the end I expected a win.
Still, it was against Chelsea, I'm pleased.

[crossie]

Oh well, result don't matter, it was a great performance from what I saw. Good to see the youngsters getting a run out and I was impressed.

[Royalwaster]

I think it's good we didn't win - that second half was dire. Passing was rubbish. Harper was his usual poor self - can't see him getting in the team with that performance. Hopefully we get some more signings in before end of August ....

[Deathy]

I wish Chelsea would quit picking on Federici. Unprofessional.

He'll get worse from the Reading faithfuLOL this season. Very unsteady indeed, as have been numerous apperances. But oh so many just recal 'that' great save at Old Trafford and think he's brilliant. He isn't.

For the LOL's, Celtic 0 Sunderland 2

Deathy - are you on a different planet? Fed has been awesome this game and numerous others. You seem to have this fantasy that he cant dive to his left...or whatever it is - i just know that the slightest mistake this season and you will be right on his back - unnecessarily so it has to be said.

Low to his right he is very vulnerable. Apart from today, I've seen all his apperances in a Reading shirt and no, he hasn't be awesome. He is extremly inconsistant to be fair. A decent shot stopper, but as mentioned, low to his right is a weakness, and coming for crosses is all very Simon Sheppard. I'm not waiting to jump on him at all. I just think he is one 'big' weakness at the back!

[PEARCEY]

Looked like Pearce og at the end. A real shame but Chelski did dominate the second half and we didn't seem able to hold onto the ball.

[Ian Royal]

Awesome?

You must be watching a different game. He made a couple of regulation saves, dithered about on pretty much every cross and gifted Anelka an open goal in the first half

He will get better, but he is still a bit shakey for me

One of the best moments for me was Bertrand defending at the far post, I think against Sturridge. Depsite his size he got in to clear well with his head. He looked good to me and I can see why BR moved for him

Lost Kalou totally for their first goal though. Disappointing finish, never really in it in the second half. I think we missed HRK NHunt did virtually nothing on the right. Much prefer him up top.

Church had a few nice moments. Henry barely touched the ball. Harper was ok...

Was fairly impressed with Cisse, thought he played well in both midfield and defence, but he has a habit of turning up against big teams. less so against he smaller ones.

Plenty of positives.

[handbags_harris]

Disappointing to concede two late goals, particularly a needless free kick in the 93rd minute. But to be fair we'd ridden our luck, everything was one way traffic particularly in the 2nd half. If we'd have kept a clean sheet it would have been incredibly lucky. It remains to be seen how this passing style holds up against far inferior opposition.

[Royalwaster]

Looked like Pearce og at the end. A real shame but Chelski did dominate the second half and we didn't seem able to hold onto the ball.

Cracking goal by Pearce - top corner! Played well though most of the game and should give him confidence. Don't think anyone played particularly well second half really - Fed did make some good saves, but looks shaky on corners.

Still, looking forward to new season and played teams more on our level ....

[Ian Royal]

Disappointing to concede two late goals, particularly a needless free kick in the 93rd minute. But to be fair we'd ridden our luck, everything was one way traffic particularly in the 2nd half. If we'd have kept a clean sheet it would have been incredibly lucky. It remains to be seen how this passing style holds up against far inferior opposition.

I didn't really see a lot of this famous passing style. We played pretty direct still, just in a different formation. OK so it was Chelsea, which means we had to do that a little more, no real revolution in style from that display.

[Southbank Old Boy]

Fantastic result.
I would have taken this result at the start, but towards the end I expected a win.
Still, it was against Chelsea, I'm pleased.

The result really doesnt matter

We did ok, considering the opposition, and although we didnt really create too much we looked alright. The youngsters did alright, but I do worry that they dont have the players around them to give them the secure team to integrate into

Tabb and Gunnar are decent players, but neither are quite up to what we need

I still feel we lack a centre forward to play upfront on their own and a centre back to partner Pearce. Bikey has all the ability but can he be relied upon as the senior defender when the pressure is on? I dont think so

Today was good though. It was a testing work out, the club sold a load of tickets and we even got a pretty good, if not flattering and meaningless, result against one of the best teams in Europe

[PEARCEY]

Looked like Pearce og at the end. A real shame but Chelski did dominate the second half and we didn't seem able to hold onto the ball.

Cracking goal by Pearce - top corner! Played well though most of the game and should give him confidence. Don't think anyone played particularly well second half really - Fed did make some good saves, but looks shaky on corners.

Still, looking forward to new season and played teams more on our level ....

Yep I agree. Chelsea knocked the ball around well in the second half in a way Championship teams wont do.

[Ian Royal]

On today's showing alone, I'd have Cisse ahead of Bikey. Cisse was solid and in control. Bikey was clumsy and made several errors.

[SteveRoyal]

Fantastic result.
I would have taken this result at the start, but towards the end I expected a win.
Still, it was against Chelsea, I'm pleased.

The result really doesnt matter

I know that, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't be pleased with the score.

[handbags_harris]

Come on Ian, Coppell football is direct football, Rodgers football is clearly much more on the deck. There is a massive massive difference in the way the team was set up today compared to a Coppell team. It is there for all to see. Every time Fed had the ball he looked to pass it short to the defence who looked to pass it on. If there was no forward attacking pass then the emphasis went straight to ball retention. In the last 15 we resorted to hoofing clear because we were so under the cosh, it seemed to me to be merely clear your lines and worry about the next attack.

[Ian Royal]

Come on Ian, Coppell football is direct football, Rodgers football is clearly much more on the deck. There is a massive massive difference in the way the team was set up today compared to a Coppell team. It is there for all to see. Every time Fed had the ball he looked to pass it short to the defence who looked to pass it on. If there was no forward attacking pass then the emphasis went straight to ball retention. In the last 15 we resorted to hoofing clear because we were so under the cosh, it seemed to me to be merely clear your lines and worry about the next attack.

I'm sorry, but I saw plenty of hopeful balls into the channels and hoofs down the pitch through out the game. It was in a different way, but that's because we weren't playing 4-4-2 with traditional wingers.

[Southbank Old Boy]

Fantastic result.
I would have taken this result at the start, but towards the end I expected a win.
Still, it was against Chelsea, I'm pleased.

The result really doesnt matter

I know that, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't be pleased with the score.

Fair enough, but "I would have taken this result at the start" implied that you were concerned with the result

IR, as for their first goal, I didnt see it, but I was just reassured by the way Bertrand showed he could read the game and defend his back post considering the type of fullback he is. It might be a one off and out of character for him, but like Shorey (who was a similar stature and an attacking fullback) he showed he could defender more than competantly

[Ian Royal]

Thought he played well, but I wish he was right sided because Rosenior is the clear defensive weak link IMO. Not Armstrong, who I still think is our best full back.

[SteveRoyal]

QUOTE(Steve Royal @ Aug 1 2009, 19:04) *
Who did you find impressive in our team? Did anyone stand out?

Yeah, Kebe. Thought he looked very composed on the ball and caused us a few problems.

He'd be a laughing stock last season.