MATCHWATCH : Stoke City (h)

[Snowflake Royal]

First game of the season for me. We are a limited side but fully committed. Ince a different gravy Hendricks needs to stop giving away the ball too cheaply. Club 1871 were very good. We will be fine this season if we continue with that showing expect us to finish around 12th.

Ince was the one giving it away cheaply for the first 20 minutes

Tbf it`s easy to mix up Tom Ince and Hendrick, and yes Tom did give it away quite a lot early on before he improved later on.

To be fair, Ince giving it away early was more woth failed killer passes to put someone away, rather than general passing in thr middle of the park.

Hendrick is decent, but if the team has a weak link, he's been closest to it.

How nice is it to be 8 games in and the worst you can say is someone has been consistently ok, other than a couple of otherwise very good players have had poor individual games.

[Nameless]

Down to 3rd has it stands, Ince out.

Really don’t want to finish in the PO spots, need to focus on getting 2nd back asap

[tidus_mi2]

Down to 3rd has it stands, Ince out.

Really don’t want to finish in the PO spots, need to focus on getting 2nd back asap

Well we've had recent examples of play-off bottlers actually winning them in Brentford and Forest, so why can't it be our turn?

[Ascotexgunner]

I make it 9 wins and we will be safe.

.....and playing Leicester and Forest next season hopefully.

[Hound]

Thought Hendrick did well today

And agree Stoke reminded me very much of us last year. Good players, not quite as fit as the other side, dodgy tactics and always likely to concede a goal

[windermereROYAL]

I make it 9 wins and we will be safe.

27+15= 42, a few draws on top of that and probably correct.

[Royal Rother]

Thought Hendrick did well today

Agreed, he reminded me of DD last year - people expect too much of ex PL players coming down a level.

If one of our own youngsters had played like that everyone would be raving about him.

[Hound]

His work rate is unbelievable. MOTM today imho.

Been brilliant today. Nice for him to absolute boss his old team

Excellent win again with half the team missing

I am starting to wonder who would now come into the side as this is possibly only one or two short of our best.
Ejaria just wouldn't fit in to the style of play otherwise I'm not sure who else really is "missing".

All 4 of Meite, Sarr, Loum and Ejaria would be part of the core 15-16 that Ince wants to play. 2 games a week and they’d be rotated in and used off the bench.

Difficult to say what the ‘first 11’ might look like even if we have one. Ejaria would fit in comfortably. He can play at pace when asked to

[South Coast Royal]

Been brilliant today. Nice for him to absolute boss his old team

Excellent win again with half the team missing

I am starting to wonder who would now come into the side as this is possibly only one or two short of our best.
Ejaria just wouldn't fit in to the style of play otherwise I'm not sure who else really is "missing".

All 4 of Meite, Sarr, Loum and Ejaria would be part of the core 15-16 that Ince wants to play. 2 games a week and they’d be rotated in and used off the bench.

Difficult to say what the ‘first 11’ might look like even if we have one. Ejaria would fit in comfortably. He can play at pace when asked to

I wish I could agree with what you say about Ejaria, as he is one of my favourite players, but I can't.

[Royal Rother]

A word for Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan who looked decent.

[CountryRoyal]

2nd place with a -2 GD

“False 2nd”

[Mr Optimist]

I also loved the divine justice of Ben Wilmott giving the penalty away after his shithousing of the home fans after scoring their equaliser.

[tidus_mi2]

I also loved the divine justice of Ben Wilmott giving the penalty away after his shithousing of the home fans after scoring their equaliser.

Absolutely, what a twat thing to do.

[Nameless]

I also loved the divine justice of Ben Wilmott giving the penalty away after his shithousing of the home fans after scoring their equaliser.

It was also him who nearly scored the comedy own goal when he mishit his attempted clearance into his own face and the ball just went the wrong side of the post.

[Mr Optimist]

I also loved the divine justice of Ben Wilmott giving the penalty away after his shithousing of the home fans after scoring their equaliser.

Absolutely, what a twat thing to do.

There seems to be more of this these days, I’m not sure why. If there is needle and an adage to the game, a local derby, an ex player getting stick, you can understand it, but that wasn’t the case, just go and celebrate with your team mates. I’m surprised there aren’t more cases of a player getting a 50p to the head at some more volatile home crowds than ours. No sympathy if it does happen either.

[Mr Optimist]

I also loved the divine justice of Ben Wilmott giving the penalty away after his shithousing of the home fans after scoring their equaliser.

Absolutely, what a twat thing to do.

There seems to be more of this these days, I’m not sure why. If there is needle and an edge to the game, a local derby, an ex player getting stick, you can understand it, but that wasn’t the case, just go and celebrate with your team mates. I’m surprised there aren’t more cases of a player getting a 50p to the head at some more volatile home crowds than ours. No sympathy if it does happen either.

[Franchise FC]

Ince was the one giving it away cheaply for the first 20 minutes

I’m not having that … that’s blasphemous

I withdraw the fact unreservedly ….

That’s one of the best midfield performances, by am individual, I’ve ever seen for Reading
(my memoery might be a bit iffy at my age)

[Franchise FC]

My spelling’s not that great, either

[Snowflake Royal]

Thought Hendrick did well today

Agreed, he reminded me of DD last year - people expect too much of ex PL players coming down a level.

If one of our own youngsters had played like that everyone would be raving about him.

Is it that shocking that people would expect more from a senior player with extensive top flight experience than a teenager / early 20s player with minimal league experience?

[Franchise FC]

Thought Hendrick did well today

Agreed, he reminded me of DD last year - people expect too much of ex PL players coming down a level.

If one of our own youngsters had played like that everyone would be raving about him.

Is it that shocking that people would expect more from a senior player with extensive top flight experience than a teenager / early 20s player with minimal league experience?

RR is right, though
Same performance, not about expectation it’s about absolute performance