MATCHWATCH : Cheltenham Town (h)

[skipper]

No disrespect to Cheltenham at all but we simply have to win this game and ideally win it by a couple of clear goals - anything less than a home win and the atmosphere will really begin to turn on the team, which is the last thing we need.

I hope you’re right but unless Selles is brave with his team selection, I can only see us getting a draw at best.

The more senior members of our squad don’t look fit enough to play the way Selles wants to play. I am not going to judge until we’ve played 10+ games, but the recent transfer news has dampened most of my expectations.

Which aspect of the transfer news? As I was worried were not going to get any fresh faces in and yet we've managed quite well.

Incedentally, the juniour squad out performing the seniors indicates we may have been better off just going with them!!

[bcubed]

Was at Cheltenham v Bolton yesterday. Cheltenham got absolutely battered and couldn't get anywhere near the Trotters who look ominously good. Not really surprising as Cheltenham have the lowest budget in the league. Last year Alfie May was our highest earner on something like £120k a year.

Curtis Davies had an absolute stinker but, generally, Cheltenham's defence is a strong point. Lewis Freestone, Sean Long and Will Ferry are all solid L1 defenders (Ferry, if he plays as he's had an injury, is the biggest attacking threat from wing back).

It's up front where the problems are. Keena, Street and Goodwin are all development players. Hard workers but still learning. And they get no service from a midfield completely devoid of any creativity. Consequently, expect Wade Elliott to set Cheltenham up to try and frustrate.

And, if you'll forgive the personal indulgence, I'll be in the away end on Tuesday which will be properly weird after 20 years home and away with Reading at Elm Park and the Madejski. I've barely been to a Reading game since 2009, and have been pretty regular at Whaddon Road for the past decade. Have no idea how I'll feel on the day, but my son is definitely a Cheltenham-boy so that's what swung it.

Useful info
Hope our management team are as clued up

Enjoy the game
And probably the 3 points

[blythspartan]

No disrespect to Cheltenham at all but we simply have to win this game and ideally win it by a couple of clear goals - anything less than a home win and the atmosphere will really begin to turn on the team, which is the last thing we need.

I hope you’re right but unless Selles is brave with his team selection, I can only see us getting a draw at best.

The more senior members of our squad don’t look fit enough to play the way Selles wants to play. I am not going to judge until we’ve played 10+ games, but the recent transfer news has dampened most of my expectations.

Which aspect of the transfer news? As I was worried were not going to get any fresh faces in and yet we've managed quite well.

Incedentally, the juniour squad out performing the seniors indicates we may have been better off just going with them!!

The reporter from the Mirror who is usually reliable is suggesting that clubs/players don’t want to engage with us due to the mess going on behind the scenes. I fear that in a week’s time we could be under another embargo but hopefully I’m wrong.

I am happy with the club’s transfer business so far. I am not sure about Button but he needs to be given a chance.

[Royal_jimmy]

No disrespect to Cheltenham at all but we simply have to win this game and ideally win it by a couple of clear goals - anything less than a home win and the atmosphere will really begin to turn on the team, which is the last thing we need.

This. Despite the mess I still think we'll win but I reckon it'll be a hard one and we'll nick it. With no disrespect to Cheltenham we 100% should be winning it and they are the underdogs. Expecting a tricky game still.

[Snowflake Royal]

I worry this team still thinks it only has to turn up and pass nicely to win games, and until we realise we need to actively go at teams and work hard all game we won't be getting any results.

I'm not sure anyone at RFC realises that you have to have a game plan on how to win, to win. And that Ince running at a defence/hoofing to Carroll/passing pointlessly in your half isn’t a game plan.

[Stranded]

No disrespect to Cheltenham at all but we simply have to win this game and ideally win it by a couple of clear goals - anything less than a home win and the atmosphere will really begin to turn on the team, which is the last thing we need.

This. Despite the mess I still think we'll win but I reckon it'll be a hard one and we'll nick it. With no disrespect to Cheltenham we 100% should be winning it and they are the underdogs. Expecting a tricky game still.

We haven't won in 15 league games we absolutely shoud not be 100% any game at this point in time but we simply have to win one soon. We simply have to win ideally with a similar style to that we saw against Millwall, ideally with some of the current senior players doing it.

[windermereROYAL]

A win at this stage of the season will probably propel us up to a dizzy mid-table slot, it`s been a long time since we could say that.

[NathStPaul]

A win at this stage of the season will probably propel us up to a dizzy mid-table slot, it`s been a long time since we could say they.

We can say "they" quite a lot actually.

[Royal_jimmy]

A win at this stage of the season will probably propel us up to a dizzy mid-table slot, it`s been a long time since we could say that.

We were there last season until Ince lost the plot

[Orion1871]

I worry this team still thinks it only has to turn up and pass nicely to win games, and until we realise we need to actively go at teams and work hard all game we won't be getting any results.

I'm not sure anyone at RFC realises that you have to have a game plan on how to win, to win. And that Ince running at a defence/hoofing to Carroll/passing pointlessly in your half isn’t a game plan.

Well that's Reading for a lot of the last decade, excluding the likes of Clement and Ince. We're still trying to master tiki taka whilst the rest of the world has moved on to a more direct style of vertical passing.

[Hound]

I worry this team still thinks it only has to turn up and pass nicely to win games, and until we realise we need to actively go at teams and work hard all game we won't be getting any results.

I'm not sure anyone at RFC realises that you have to have a game plan on how to win, to win. And that Ince running at a defence/hoofing to Carroll/passing pointlessly in your half isn’t a game plan.

Well that's Reading for a lot of the last decade, excluding the likes of Clement and Ince. We're still trying to master tiki taka whilst the rest of the world has moved on to a more direct style of vertical passing.

That’s not really true. Man City and Arsenal best two teams play very possession based football. As did Burnley in our div last year

You play the system that best suits the players. And play the players that best suit the system. Which is what we didn’t do vs PV

[Orion1871]

I worry this team still thinks it only has to turn up and pass nicely to win games, and until we realise we need to actively go at teams and work hard all game we won't be getting any results.

I'm not sure anyone at RFC realises that you have to have a game plan on how to win, to win. And that Ince running at a defence/hoofing to Carroll/passing pointlessly in your half isn’t a game plan.

Well that's Reading for a lot of the last decade, excluding the likes of Clement and Ince. We're still trying to master tiki taka whilst the rest of the world has moved on to a more direct style of vertical passing.

That’s not really true. Man City and Arsenal best two teams play very possession based football. As did Burnley in our div last year

You play the system that best suits the players. And play the players that best suit the system. Which is what we didn’t do vs PV

There is a difference between their possession based and tiki taka.

I loathe all that passing for the sake of it, all that tiki-taka. It's so much rubbish and has no purpose. You have to pass the ball with a clear intention, with the aim of making it into the opposition's goal. It's not about passing for the sake of it.

Be yourselves. You need to dig into your own DNA. I hate tiki-taka. Tiki-taka means passing the ball for the sake of it, with no clear intention. And it's pointless

[Snowflake Royal]

Smart lad is that Pep

[Hound]

Well that's Reading for a lot of the last decade, excluding the likes of Clement and Ince. We're still trying to master tiki taka whilst the rest of the world has moved on to a more direct style of vertical passing.

That’s not really true. Man City and Arsenal best two teams play very possession based football. As did Burnley in our div last year

You play the system that best suits the players. And play the players that best suit the system. Which is what we didn’t do vs PV

There is a difference between their possession based and tiki taka.

I loathe all that passing for the sake of it, all that tiki-taka. It's so much rubbish and has no purpose. You have to pass the ball with a clear intention, with the aim of making it into the opposition's goal. It's not about passing for the sake of it.

Be yourselves. You need to dig into your own DNA. I hate tiki-taka. Tiki-taka means passing the ball for the sake of it, with no clear intention. And it's pointless

Yeah I’m well aware of that. And I’m also well aware we don’t try to play tika taka. And I can’t actually think of anyone who still does. Maybe Russel Martins teams.

[YorkshireRoyal99]

I worry this team still thinks it only has to turn up and pass nicely to win games, and until we realise we need to actively go at teams and work hard all game we won't be getting any results.

I'm not sure anyone at RFC realises that you have to have a game plan on how to win, to win. And that Ince running at a defence/hoofing to Carroll/passing pointlessly in your half isn’t a game plan.

I'm sure it's being worked on and I suspect it will take some time to put together as well, especially considering all the disruption of the summer in terms of transfers and pre-season as well.

Irrespective of who the manager is, I'd imagine it would take anyone a good 6 months to get some consistency out of us. Not exactly the most encouraging of starts by Selles and I'm expecting a win tomorrow, but I won't be calling for his head if we don't.

[Sutekh]

I worry this team still thinks it only has to turn up and pass nicely to win games, and until we realise we need to actively go at teams and work hard all game we won't be getting any results.

I'm not sure anyone at RFC realises that you have to have a game plan on how to win, to win. And that Ince running at a defence/hoofing to Carroll/passing pointlessly in your half isn’t a game plan.

I'm sure it's being worked on and I suspect it will take some time to put together as well, especially considering all the disruption of the summer in terms of transfers and pre-season as well.

Irrespective of who the manager is, I'd imagine it would take anyone a good 6 months to get some consistency out of us. Not exactly the most encouraging of starts by Selles and I'm expecting a win tomorrow, but I won't be calling for his head if we don't.

Depends on the nature of the performance in losing.

[Royal_jimmy]

Might be one of those seasons where some weeks everything clicks and we tonk someone 3, 4 or 5 nil or we're rabbits in the headlights and lose to very poor opposition. But end up in upper midtable.

I expect the players will want a reaction after Saturday so we may play well and win comfortably if we score early but if they score first then they'll put 10 men behind the ball and slow the tempo down to frustrate us.

[Sutekh]

Might be one of those seasons where some weeks everything clicks and we tonk someone 3, 4 or 5 nil or we're rabbits in the headlights and lose to very poor opposition. But end up in upper midtable.

I expect the players will want a reaction after Saturday so we may play well and win comfortably if we score early but if they score first then they'll put 10 men behind the ball and slow the tempo down to frustrate us.

Expecting a similar season to 98/99 with club finding its way and having a reasonably decent mid-season that gets everyone half excited as we go into March only to crash and burn. Selles to last the season though

[Brogue]

Right I’m going tonight so no ‘Goal ™’ updates from me on here. We better fcuking win.

[NathStPaul]

Right I’m going tonight so no ‘Goal ™’ updates from me on here. We better fcuking win.

Will you be providing a detailed half time report on the game, the quality of food and beverage and the idiocy of the home supporters around you?