The Official Palace Match Thread: Sponsored by Colin & Wally

[readingfc13]

I thought Doyle was fantastic today and that is coming from someone who wanted him out of the team last weekend. He held the ball up and ran at defenders. Despite N Hunt being offside a few times after coming on, him and Doyle linked up better than Doyle and Long did in the entirity of the previous 70 minutes.

[papereyes]

Reading:
Hahnemann, Rosenior, Armstrong, Ingimarsson, Pearce, Harper (c), Karacan, Kebe, SHunt, Doyle, Long
Subs: Federici, Kelly, Bikey, Convey, NHunt

Palace:
Speroni, Lawrence, Hill, Butterfield, McCarthy, Derry (c), Soares, Oster, Hills, Carle, Andrew
Subs: Ertl, Fletcher, Scanell, Lee, Mosses

Yes.

[URZZZZZZZZ]

Wow, I predicted hat trick after he got his first. I am bloody good

I did exactly the same thing!!

[URZZZZZZZZ]

Correction - Kitson's goal given as a Justin Hoyte og, so Dave still to get off the mark.

Bugger for my fantasy football team

[dean horrix legend]

It should have been Doyle if anyone to be dropped and after scoring a second cup goal in as many weeks and then setting up three more, N.Hunt should have started today.

.

Probably a good job you're not manager

[dean horrix legend]

It should have been Doyle if anyone to be dropped and after scoring a second cup goal in as many weeks and then setting up three more, N.Hunt should have started today.

.

Probably a good job you're not manager

[brendywendy]

So much positive in the game.coppell put in armstrong and moved hunt,was maybe pushed into playing the 2 lads due to injury but they both showed maturity and promishe,kebe good again and a balanced looking team at last. 7.9/10, just hunt in for long and we are sorted!

[Gordons Cumming]

Doyle yet again worked his socks off and has been waiting for a goal...but 3 came at once! Could be a bad thing though as this is going to attract the Prem Clubs.

Wont make any difference.

He was an International player before the game and will be afterwards. 3goals against Palace wont make any difference.

[Jimmy the Tree]

3 goals gives his Agent something to go knocking on the doors of the Prem clubs again, hoping to get a last minute panic move.

Not sure about him at the moment, want him to stay as he might recover his form, worried about his attitude as a 'want away'

[RoyalBlue]

His attitude appeared very good in his post match interview with BBCRB. Struck me as the most honest and open interview they broadcast yesterday afternoon.

Poor old Steve Coppell really isn't that good when put right on the spot and expected to wriggle out of giving anything away! Even his sharp sense of humour couldn't really rescue him yesterday when pushed on possible approaches about our players.

[Schards#2]

I thought Long put in a good solid performance and worked hard and covered some ground for a change. Can't say Sonko was missed, was pretty impressed overall with our defence. Really pleased for Doyle, was despairing that he'd ever regain his form again, was fairly sure he'd get a hat trick after his second.

I'm sorry but he didn't, he really didn't. An absolutely bewildering decision to play him. He was given his chance on Tuesday against the side bottom in the entire league and was, comfortably, the worst player on the pitch.

On the back of that, he starts ahead of Hunt who scored one and made three. Can someone explain to me the logic of this.

Doyle was poor today too other than the three gimmees. We look weak up front unless Mooney got something to help Hunt as Lita Doyle and Long just don't look the part.

I'd be happy enough for him to be that poor every week. Gary Lineker made a career out of being ordinary until the ball fell at his feet. Remind me - was he any good ?

Yes Gary Linekar was very very good.

Could you explain what that has to do with the merits of Long?

[Streets]

It should have been Doyle if anyone to be dropped and after scoring a second cup goal in as many weeks and then setting up three more, N.Hunt should have started today.

.

Probably a good job you're not manager

No one is more pleased for him than I, but the fact remains, Coppell stuck by him for far to long last season and cost us. He desperately needed those goals and that will now rejuvinate his confidence and that of the whole team I'm sure.

Murked gladly.

[glass half full]

Have i missed something? Do we have concrete evidence that Doyle 'wants away'?

[Schards#2]

Have i missed something? Do we have concrete evidence that Doyle 'wants away'?

Yes and yes.

See the report of the fans forum

[Royal Rother]

It's funny how people will salivate over Birmingham's ambition whenever Phillips scores without any notion of how well he's played otherwise, but when one of our players scores a second half hattrick to turn 1-2 into 4-2, we can still say he was "poor".

Hilarious really - a striker scores a hat-trick and was poor. You couldn't make it up!

I hope he has a good game next week+1.

[Schards#2]

It's funny how people will salivate over Birmingham's ambition whenever Phillips scores without any notion of how well he's played otherwise, but when one of our players scores a second half hattrick to turn 1-2 into 4-2, we can still say he was "poor".

Hilarious really - a striker scores a hat-trick and was poor. You couldn't make it up!

I hope he has a good game next week+1.

Do you think any professional footballer would have missed any of those three chances? I pretty confident I would have scored all three and i'm 44.

Glad for the goals but Doyle's still poor and, reading the fans forum report, it sounds like his attitudes a part of the problem as he wants away. Which is a great shame given what he got out of joining Reading from total obscurity.

[glass half full]

It's funny how people will salivate over Birmingham's ambition whenever Phillips scores without any notion of how well he's played otherwise, but when one of our players scores a second half hattrick to turn 1-2 into 4-2, we can still say he was "poor".

Hilarious really - a striker scores a hat-trick and was poor. You couldn't make it up!

I hope he has a good game next week+1.

Do you think any professional footballer would have missed any of those three chances? I pretty confident I would have scored all three and i'm 44.

Glad for the goals but Doyle's still poor and, reading the fans forum report, it sounds like his attitudes a part of the problem as he wants away. Which is a great shame given what he got out of joining Reading from total obscurity.

Right place, right time...

[Kingsley's Kousin]

In terms of his 'general' performance, until he scored, Doyle WAS poor yesterday - he did well to be in the places he was in the last 20/25 minutes - and his confidence just sky rocketed, but he was still running down the wings into nothing, still looked poor off the ball, etc etc - again, all of this is only true of the first 68 minutes. His movement dramatically improved as soon as Nunt came on - who seemed to find Doyle every time, with every flick on.

Long was shit, and I was warned for swearing by a Steward when he was announced on the team sheet.

[Royal Lady]

In terms of his 'general' performance, until he scored, Doyle WAS poor yesterday - he did well to be in the places he was in the last 20/25 minutes - and his confidence just sky rocketed, but he was still running down the wings into nothing, still looked poor off the ball, etc etc - again, all of this is only true of the first 68 minutes. His movement dramatically improved as soon as Nunt came on - who seemed to find Doyle every time, with every flick on.

Long was shit, and I was warned for swearing by a Steward when he was announced on the team sheet.

Naughty, naughty!

[Royal Rother]

If any other team had a striker who scored a hat-trick the comment would be - "don't care how much he contributes during the rest of the game, a striker's job is to score goals etc. etc."

Anyway, have you forgotten Doyle's lovely piece of control, swivel and volley that Spironi just tipped over - would have been goal of the season if it had gone in.