Back from the game - Bristol City (H)

[melonhead]

It's all so passionless - and any outbreaks of passion are stamped down on by those in authority.

that is a problem, but i do think that alot of the looking back at the glory days of passionate support and atmosphere is coloured by forgetting all the shit games with none.

when i think back to elm park its all packed home ends, crowd surges and singing

but being a sensible chap i realise that actualy ive just forgotten all the shit games, and id imagine there were plenty of them where the stands were half empty, no one could be arsed to sing etc

and im sure we'd get some atmosphere back when we go up and have full houses again

[Wimb]

It's all so passionless - and any outbreaks of passion are stamped down on by those in authority.

that is a problem, but i do think that alot of the looking back at the glory days of passionate support and atmosphere is coloured by forgetting all the shit games with none.

when i think back to elm park its all packed home ends, crowd surges and singing

but being a sensible chap i realise that actualy ive just forgotten all the shit games, and id imagine there were plenty of them where the stands were half empty, no one could be arsed to sing etc

and im sure we'd get some atmosphere back when we go up and have full houses again

Exactly this ^^^^

I've blocked out plenty of dour homes games stood on the Tilehurst End watching us lose to the likes of Grimsby and Tranmere in front of around 8,000.

[Mr Angry]

It's all so passionless - and any outbreaks of passion are stamped down on by those in authority.

that is a problem, but i do think that alot of the looking back at the glory days of passionate support and atmosphere is coloured by forgetting all the shit games with none.

when i think back to elm park its all packed home ends, crowd surges and singing

but being a sensible chap i realise that actualy ive just forgotten all the shit games, and id imagine there were plenty of them where the stands were half empty, no one could be arsed to sing etc

and im sure we'd get some atmosphere back when we go up and have full houses again

Exactly this ^^^^

I've blocked out plenty of dour homes games stood on the Tilehurst End watching us lose to the likes of Grimsby and Tranmere in front of around 8,000.

8,000??

[Woodcote Royal]

Our central midfielders' only consistency is the ability to be busy fools, we are crying out for creativity

But unless we want to play one upfront there's more chance of hell freezing over than us playing a creative central midfielder when our two are out numbered by the oppositions three.

In just containing the opposition in these circumstances Jem & Tabb are doing a decent job but the former has been doing far more than that in recent weeks.

isnt it more to do with the fact we didnt have an attacking midfielder worthy of the label that meant we stuck with 4-4-2
McD didnt seem that bothered about playing 1 up top when we had sig to fill that role

I agree. My point is that we won't see a creative midfielder as one of a central two.

[Alan Partridge]

So many blame out of town stadia for the lack of atmosphere but how many houses surrounded Elm Park when we started playing there? Stanley Park in Liverpool is miles from the city centre these days but was probably not too far from a few farms 100 years ago. Most town centres have never had pitch sized expanses of grass reserved for their local sports teams who invariably end up building their arenas on the outskirts.

Whilst there's no doubting that all seater stadia place something of a hand brake on atmosphere, IMHO most true fans know what makes a great atmosphere at the vast majority of games...........................a full quota of away fans behind one goal.

The fact is that most selfish clubs have gone out of their way to ensure that this can no longer occur. .......................and, in my view, they should be prevented from doing so without good reason.

Apart from that, there are so many obstacles to away travel that fewer and fewer supporters travel away each match. Reading would love to fill the entire away stand with away supporters at each match (although not as much as they'd like to fill half of it with home supporters)! But away clubs can't sell the whole 4,000 tickets.

But quite apart from the cost and time of travelling away, there's the whole business of being treated like a hooligan en route and at the match, of being meant to sit meekly and sing nice polite songs and dance along to music after goals, so you don't offend the nice family audience who are worth so much more to the clubs than traditional supporters who have sustained them for years are.

It's all so passionless - and any outbreaks of passion are stamped down on by those in authority.

One other thing to add, more and more of the sides that traditionally bring 4000 away fans or fill their allocation are bringing less and less each year.

There are of course many reasons for this, high ticket prices, their team being poor or whatever but also if you consider Reading and the MAdejski Stadium as an away fan. Unless it's your first visit would you really want to go again? It offers nothing for the away supporter. There are no pubs withiin 2 or 3 miles of the place. They can't go in either of the horrendous bars onsite either. If they are coming by train the ground is miles out of the town centre also, they can get a bus but it's all excess cost on top of a high priced ticket and a soulless half filled bowl. Even if they drive they get stung by an £8 minimum car parking fee and an hours wait after the game. Rank

[Mr Angry]

As for the game; Roberts brought some genuine class to the proceedings before tiring, Antonio had a much better game than against Hull and Karacan had a good game in central mid.

Apart from creating a few chances, it was a pretty dull game that won't live long in the memory, but getting 3 points from games like this is what ending up in the top 6 is all about.

[Wimb]

8,000??

On a good day

To be honest I started watching at the start of 95, so by then we were getting closer to 7-10 thousand at Elm Park rather than the lows of the earlier nineties, helped by decent away followings.

[Woodcote Royal]

We miss Elwood but there's no room these days for the powder puff Hoddle's and Caskey's that some never stop asking for without losing a striker (which is not something I'm against in principle)

How does Wilshire fit in at Arsenal then? Is he just behind the one striker? I thought he was behind the two?!

The same way that many players who we can only dream of affording fit into sides who we'd be unlikely to risk playing against with more than one striker.

Furthermore, Wilshire is hardly in the non tackling creative midfielder catogory and I've no doubt we could find room for him in our current 4-4-2. Do you have any views as to when this might become a realistic possibility

[melonhead]

But unless we want to play one upfront there's more chance of hell freezing over than us playing a creative central midfielder when our two are out numbered by the oppositions three.

In just containing the opposition in these circumstances Jem & Tabb are doing a decent job but the former has been doing far more than that in recent weeks.

isnt it more to do with the fact we didnt have an attacking midfielder worthy of the label that meant we stuck with 4-4-2
McD didnt seem that bothered about playing 1 up top when we had sig to fill that role

I agree. My point is that we won't see a creative midfielder as one of a central two.

got ya


thats more a modern football thing though, unless you have a yaya torre and a silva(or their ilk)

[SWLR]

All around me in b17 did this followed by followed by (saved); followed by

Now seen it on the video (reverse angle to us) and it is a clear shove.

Fan in 'I was wrong' shock!

[bcubed]

I sort of disagree
Macanuff is consistent - he never delivers a good cross or a good shot.....
Kebe HRK Antonio should all start ahead of him IMO and probably Cywka too

You are of course entitled to your opinion. Can't say I agree with it, mind.

McAnuff puts in some intelligent defensive work in and is one of our more versatile players in that he can also play in the middle if called upon. He has far more of a footballing brain about him than HRK, Kebe and Antonio combined tbh.

I have never understood the faith in Macnuff from others but I will give you his tracking back and tackling - it's excellent
But as for going forward (and he might be better on the right) his decision making is IMO generally woeful
Shoots when he should pass and vice versa

Watford fans were I believe quite pleased to see him go, having got fed up with a lot of flattering to deceive and no end product
And for that reason I'm out

[JC]

I had not realised until I saw the highlights how close Antonio came to scoring in the first half. James was slightly fortunate to save with his klegs.
I have always thought Antonio was rubbish but I have to admit he did a few pretty reasonable things on Saturday

[Mr Angry]

8,000??

On a good day

To be honest I started watching at the start of 95, so by then we were getting closer to 7-10 thousand at Elm Park rather than the lows of the earlier nineties, helped by decent away followings.

Fair enough.

I just remember a game late December in iirc, 1993, on an ice-rink of a Elm Park pitch when Stockport - with 6'10" tall Kevin Francis doing a great impersonation of Bambi - and the frission of excitement when the crowd of 5,000 was announced.

[Barry the bird boggler]

8,000??

On a good day

To be honest I started watching at the start of 95, so by then we were getting closer to 7-10 thousand at Elm Park rather than the lows of the earlier nineties, helped by decent away followings.

Fair enough.

I just remember a game late December in iirc, 1993, on an ice-rink of a Elm Park pitch when Stockport - with 6'10" tall Kevin Francis doing a great impersonation of Bambi - and the frission of excitement when the crowd of 5,000 was announced.

5000? Just over 11000 as I recall.

[Bandini]

I thought about 9-10K for that game. It was a cracking ("FREEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAK") atmosphere.

[Mr Angry]

5000? Just over 11000 as I recall.

Oops - old age catching up!!

[Maguire]

That was on Dec 28th and EP was rammed. Andy Preece and Kevin Francis playing up top for Stockport IIRC, and we totally outclassed them. Archie scored twice.

[Ian Royal]

I'm surprised with some of the negativity

Don't be mate. It was absolutely mince as usual, with precious little entertainment value or skill on show.

I'll look forward to watching it on wednesday then.

[Fox Talbot]

That was on Dec 28th and EP was rammed. Andy Preece and Kevin Francis playing up top for Stockport IIRC, and we totally outclassed them. Archie scored twice.

Indeed the gates were locked (safety gone mad) - with Reading fans sneaking onto the Town End.

[philM]

...we were almost pleased James made such a great save....

Couldn't believe the number of Reading fans who appeared pleased by it, and actually applauded the save

The Arsenal syndrome.

So you can't appreciate a bit of skill if it's the opposition who provide it? That's a shame for you

Huh? Of course I can appreciate the skill you condescending git. It didn't make up for us not scoring IMO and therefore I wasn't pleased it happened. I can understand applauding an oppo team that have played incredibly well, like Liverpool did when they clapped us off at Anfield, but applauding our failed penalty attempt? Nope.

Also, you were "almost pleased" because, as you said, "Sitting 15 yards from the incident it looked a blatant dive, we were almost pleased James made such a great save." So your initial "pleasure" was all about justice apparently being done, not some purist football skill nonsense.

Will you be "almost pleased" if Watford beat us with a ghost goal one day?