Reality check

[West Stand Flash]

Why are people moaning, we were away to ONE OF THE BIG FOUR, look how far we have come, enjoy it while it lasts. Coppell has done such amazing things for us. He is so good I would eat his s**t.

Typical RTG post above.

Realists - We are completely awful & strong favourites to go down (& no not just based on tonights showing). 135 years to get somewhere & stay for 2 seasons. Well done Mr Madejski, Mr Howe, Mr Hammond & Mr Coppell. Top draw that...!

There is a large part of me that wants to say that this is a free world and everyone is entitled to their opinion. But what the hell, let's allow the small part of me that is itching to get out do just that.

You are a tit of the first order. You are unable to construct a sensible balanced case and can only produce endless negative nonsense. To use a balanced and considered case against you is pointless as you can't understand the logic or thought processes of educated people. It would delight many people if you'd just crawl back into your hidey hole and disappear, never to be heard from again.

Phew, that was enjoyable.

Calm down dear & get ready for Coppell's continuous cliché boring negative answer's at the Press Conferences after we lose our 7 straight game on Saturday. We tried hard, we were against a top side, I have no idea what a transfer window is ECT ECT.......

Isn't it funny that even in the mist of a relegation battle when Reading are probably in the WORST form out of anyone, people on here still can't see anything is wrong.

Laughable.

[Barry the bird boggler]

The issues with most people start on Saturday. After our pathetic dealings in this transfer window if we don't beat Bolton then many will be extremely annoyed with SC to say the least.

[Stranded]

Never mind all the woffle - here's the reality check.

We've won two premier games since the 27 October.
Our actual record is W2 D3 L9. That's 9pts from the last 14 games.

Co-incidentally we have 14 games left. We are on 22pts. Who thinks another 9pts will save us?

Only 3 times in those 14 games have we scored more than 1 goal.

We have only one 90th minute consolation (already 3-0 and beaten) goal scored this year.

The transfer window has been open a month and we have done no meaningful business.

MADNESS!!!!!

I'm assuming you're not including the win against Newcastle on the 27th October in that run of results as that gives us 3 wins and 3 draws since then.

Which is exactly the same number of points picked up by Birmingham and Wigan over that period - the two sides directly below us. Bolton have picked up 17pts and Sunderland 15 over the same period.

Beating Bolton on Saturday would clearly close that gap on Bolton and put us 3 points clear of them. With Sunderland at Liverpool we will also possibly have picked up the same amount of points as them over the period.

So whilst our form is not great, when put in context of the other sides around us it's not as doom and gloom as some would make out.

[Royal Rother]

So Birmingham, Sunderland, Bolton and Wigan - how many times have they played Man Utd, Arsenal, Chelsea (I'm excluding Liverpool, they don't count anymore) in that period? We've played them all.

[Stranded]

So Birmingham, Sunderland, Bolton and Wigan - how many times have they played Man Utd, Arsenal, Chelsea (I'm excluding Liverpool, they don't count anymore) in that period? We've played them all.

Birmingham and ourselves have played all 3 in that time

Sunderland have played Chelsea and Man U

Bolton just Man U

[Rev Algenon Stickleback H]

Reality check is that even 'We're too good to go down' & 'We don't deserve to go down' are starting to surface.

The manager and players have got to start picking up points at unexpected places, regardless of the value of the opposition players. Based on our form to date, we will not pick up maximum points against our relegation rivals.

0 points in January, some baffling tactics, and we sign two players in the transfer window that virtually noone has heard of and according to Coppell are, 'Not up to speed'
Anyone who doesn't think we are in serious danger of being relegated is living in cloud cuckoo land.
Me thinks Coppell is nearing the end of his stress tolerance level and will walk if not be pushed at the end of the season!

Marek is not up to full fitness, which is not quite the same as being "not up to speed". He's also looked pretty good. Nobody, not even Coppell it seems, has seen how good Kebe is. Still, why let little details like that stop a little tantrum?

[strap]

Never mind all the woffle - here's the reality check.

We've won two premier games since the 27 October.
Our actual record is W2 D3 L9. That's 9pts from the last 14 games.

Co-incidentally we have 14 games left. We are on 22pts. Who thinks another 9pts will save us?

Only 3 times in those 14 games have we scored more than 1 goal.

We have only one 90th minute consolation (already 3-0 and beaten) goal scored this year.

The transfer window has been open a month and we have done no meaningful business.

MADNESS!!!!!

Oh oxf*rd! Putting it that way it does really seem we are in pickle.

Good post and thanks for making my day ever worse than it already is.

That 3-1 v Liverpool looks a long time ago now doesn't it. Also our biggest win of the season. Oops!

[Stranded]

As I mentioned in my posts strap, yes our form is poor but it is no worse than the majority of the sides around us - not quite razor blades time at the moment.

[seahawk10]

There are also a few reasons to feel good:

Ingimarsson has been much better in January. He looks back to what he was last year.

Cisse at the back the last two games has been a revelation.

Shorey is back to playing the way he was last year.

Marcus is playing out of his mind lately.

And even old man Murty is putting in plus performances. Watching the game las night (after listening to it live) some of our best attacks came down the right with good linkup play between Murty and Oster.

We have made it through the toughest part of our schedule. As others have posted the season starts fresh on Saturday. Let's go back to playing attacking football (home and away). Let's forget about bringing in a saviour to rescue us. Let's get the job done and try and enjoy this relegation battle. Yes we are in the midst of one. My first and I am enjoying it as much as the UEFA run of last year. I still love this club! We are competing in the best league in the world against teams that have 10 times our budget. Everyone has a right to their opinion. So the panic mob can whinge on all they like. That is their right. But nothing will change my opinion that each game at this level is a joy. I am already excited about Saturday. We have the talent needed to stay up. We have the coaching needed to stay up. And by god we have the fan support needed to stay up! Game on!

[Archie's penalty]

There are also a few reasons to feel good:

Ingimarsson has been much better in January. He looks back to what he was last year.

Cisse at the back the last two games has been a revelation.

Shorey is back to playing the way he was last year.

Marcus is playing out of his mind lately.

And even old man Murty is putting in plus performances. Watching the game las night (after listening to it live) some of our best attacks came down the right with good linkup play between Murty and Oster.

We have made it through the toughest part of our schedule. As others have posted the season starts fresh on Saturday. Let's go back to playing attacking football (home and away). Let's forget about bringing in a saviour to rescue us. Let's get the job done and try and enjoy this relegation battle. Yes we are in the midst of one. My first and I am enjoying it as much as the UEFA run of last year. I still love this club! We are competing in the best league in the world against teams that have 10 times our budget. Everyone has a right to their opinion. So the panic mob can whinge on all they like. That is their right. But nothing will change my opinion that each game at this level is a joy. I am already excited about Saturday. We have the talent needed to stay up. We have the coaching needed to stay up. And by god we have the fan support needed to stay up! Game on!

I'll raise a toast to all of that! Bring on Bolton!

[Old Biscuitman]

I no this may sound silly in a sick kinda way...but is no one else slighly enjoying the relegation battle that we are slipping into?

In the premiership only one of 4 (more realistically 3 as Liverpool always drop away) teams are going to win the league which leaves the rest to play each other. Yes we are still learning in this league and the only way to learn is to experience the league for the good and bad (last year the good!)

Not for a long time have we taken so much interest in the score of Sunderland v Birmingham, or hoping that Fulham sneak a point against Boro etc... It's what football is, if we go down we go down...but come next August we will start which ever league we deserve to be in.

A bit of me tends to agree with you SGH. Have more of an interest in results than if we were in mid table nowhere. But we must stay up just so that we can give miserable old WSF a good roasting.

[weybridgewanderer]

we have signed a player that plays for an international team that IS going to Euro 2008

he can't be a muppet!

we need to see him start a game soon!

assuming kits is still ill on saturday, at home against a team struggling to score and that put 9 men behind the ball v newcastle i'd go with

usa

murts cisse inga shorey

oster harps marek hunt

doyle lita

[PremAddict]

There are also a few reasons to feel good:

Ingimarsson has been much better in January. He looks back to what he was last year.

Cisse at the back the last two games has been a revelation.

Shorey is back to playing the way he was last year.

Marcus is playing out of his mind lately.

And even old man Murty is putting in plus performances. Watching the game las night (after listening to it live) some of our best attacks came down the right with good linkup play between Murty and Oster.

We have made it through the toughest part of our schedule. As others have posted the season starts fresh on Saturday. Let's go back to playing attacking football (home and away). Let's forget about bringing in a saviour to rescue us. Let's get the job done and try and enjoy this relegation battle. Yes we are in the midst of one. My first and I am enjoying it as much as the UEFA run of last year. I still love this club! We are competing in the best league in the world against teams that have 10 times our budget. Everyone has a right to their opinion. So the panic mob can whinge on all they like. That is their right. But nothing will change my opinion that each game at this level is a joy. I am already excited about Saturday. We have the talent needed to stay up. We have the coaching needed to stay up. And by god we have the fan support needed to stay up! Game on!

I'll raise a toast to all of that! Bring on Bolton!

I'll second that.

[Victor Meldrew]

we have signed a player that plays for an international team that IS going to Euro 2008

he can't be a muppet!

we need to see him start a game soon!

assuming kits is still ill on saturday, at home against a team struggling to score and that put 9 men behind the ball v newcastle i'd go with

usa

murts cisse inga shorey

oster harps marek hunt

doyle lita

Bearing in mind that we are playing a side renowned for bombarding defences with long balls in the air and playing for corners and long throw-ins do you not think we might go with Pearce (no,he's gone)Duberry (no,he is injured)Sonko(no,he is away on holiday),alright then Bryn to help with the battle in the air?
Hopefully our best defender at set-pieces (Kitson) will be fit.

[PEARCEY]

We certainly do need Kitson fit for Saturday. I really think it is a must win game because with Everton, Boro and Liverpool away and Man City and Villa at home as the next five matches Saturday represents our best chance of three points in the next batch of six games.
If we win on Saturday we may well move nine points clear of Fulham and five ahead of Wigan and Brum......but if we lose its going to start looking very dodgy.
We can beat Bolton on Saturday but I hope Coppell puts out a positive team with Kitson and Lita upfront, Doyle playing on the right, Hunt on the left and Harper and Marek central midfield. Convey can then come on in the second half when Marek starts to tire.
Lets be positive. We are certainly not strong favourites to go down at this stage but Bolton is huge on Saturday. Three points essential...otherwise we may be strong favourites to drop in a months time.

[Doyler]

Chelsea were crap tonight but we were worse. Their £150 million worth of talent didn't shine through like Utd's did, we were just clueless. If we had played the same way as we did against Utd or if the starting line up and positions had been different or if two or three of those who did start didn't look woefully inadequate then we'd have got something from the game.

I'm entirely bored with the "well done chaps, good show!" attitude, just because we didn't finish 5 goals behind. We lack quality in most areas and the manager doesn't want to rock the apple cart incase he upsets the squad that got us promoted nearly two years ago.

The phrase "running out of excuses" springs to mind.

So the fact that chelsea were 75 games unbeaten at home counts for nothing does it?

[Get Carter]

Wake up Coppell and smell the coffee - 49 goals conceded (before Chelsea), cannot buy a goal or win and he plays people like the unfit Oster, the unconvincing Convey & the less than prolific Lita - give the young players a chance - oh, I forgot you have loaned them all out - you can bring players in on loan as well you know. Only the mighty Derby have a worst defence and Coppell signs two midfield players who are not up to speed, hoping that Cisse, who he signed as a midfield player, can become a centre back. No more punching above our weight nonsense, it is boring - meanwhile, the transfer window closes and relegation beckons.....

[Elm Park Old Boy]

Let's get the job done and try and enjoy this relegation battle. Yes we are in the midst of one. My first and I am enjoying it as much as the UEFA run of last year. I still love this club! We are competing in the best league in the world against teams that have 10 times our budget. Everyone has a right to their opinion. So the panic mob can whinge on all they like. That is their right. But nothing will change my opinion that each game at this level is a joy. I am already excited about Saturday. We have the talent needed to stay up. We have the coaching needed to stay up. And by god we have the fan support needed to stay up! Game on!

Like the positivity. And the bit in bold makes me relaise why I don't feel as hysterically negative as so many of the juveniles on here. My first relegation battle was the one that took us down to the 4th division in our centenary year.

Believe me children - you don't know how well off we are!

[Get Carter]

So if we don't agree with you we are juveniles - nuff said.

[Royal Rother]

So if we don't agree with you we are juveniles - nuff said.

The verbal foot stamping and petulance of the hundreds of repetitively banal negative posts would indicate so, yes. Nothing personal - just a general comment.