MATCHWATCH : Cardiff City (h)

[tmesis]

I said at 1-1 that it was a game we could win 2-1 or lose 1-4. Neither team played well, but we managed to have a spark, and Cardiff didn't after the equaliser.
They were woeful, in truth, and we'll need to play better than that to stay up. Not many teams will come to Reading and look so poor.

[AthleticoSpizz]

Blinky blimey

We’ll be fine

[NewCorkSeth]

[quote="Snowflake Royal] and there were defenders close[/quote]
Yes, the one hanging off his shirt was very close.[/quote][/quote]

Close but ince would clearly be first to the ball with an open goal ahead[/quote][/quote][/quote]

The angle wasn’t acute either. A very good goalscoring opportunity so therefore a red[/quote]

Not acute at all. Very cute in fact.

[Hound]

I said at 1-1 that it was a game we could win 2-1 or lose 1-4. Neither team played well, but we managed to have a spark, and Cardiff didn't after the equaliser.
They were woeful, in truth, and we'll need to play better than that to stay up. Not many teams will come to Reading and look so poor.

Don’t think that’s fair. Cardiff werent great but partly because we ground them down

We played fine after the start - barely conceded a chance whilst making and taking a couple of good ones of our own

Cardiff bear Norwich last week. Once we get a few more experienced heads in there and if we can get them to stay fit, nothing in todays performance to think we won’t be fine

[Zip]

I said at 1-1 that it was a game we could win 2-1 or lose 1-4. Neither team played well, but we managed to have a spark, and Cardiff didn't after the equaliser.
They were woeful, in truth, and we'll need to play better than that to stay up. Not many teams will come to Reading and look so poor.

Don’t think that’s fair. Cardiff werent great but partly because we ground them down

We played fine after the start - barely conceded a chance whilst making and taking a couple of good ones of our own

Cardiff bear Norwich last week. Once we get a few more experienced heads in there and if we can get them to stay fit, nothing in todays performance to think we won’t be fine

Agreed. That was the most encouraged I have been by a performance in a long time. We won and deservedly so having brought three teenagers on in the second half.

[Zip]

Not acute at all. Very cute in fact.

Well said Sethmondo,

[Hound]

I said at 1-1 that it was a game we could win 2-1 or lose 1-4. Neither team played well, but we managed to have a spark, and Cardiff didn't after the equaliser.
They were woeful, in truth, and we'll need to play better than that to stay up. Not many teams will come to Reading and look so poor.

Don’t think that’s fair. Cardiff werent great but partly because we ground them down

We played fine after the start - barely conceded a chance whilst making and taking a couple of good ones of our own

Cardiff bear Norwich last week. Once we get a few more experienced heads in there and if we can get them to stay fit, nothing in todays performance to think we won’t be fine

Agreed. That was the most encouraged I have been by a performance in a long time. We won and deservedly so having brought three teenagers on in the second half.

Yep. Saw you mentioned the games we won last year - this just seemed different from games like PNE and Peterboro where it was either a big struggle or we seemed determined to throw it away. Genuinely looked solid

Was pretty entertaining as well. Half decent game

[Zip]

Don’t think that’s fair. Cardiff werent great but partly because we ground them down

We played fine after the start - barely conceded a chance whilst making and taking a couple of good ones of our own

Cardiff bear Norwich last week. Once we get a few more experienced heads in there and if we can get them to stay fit, nothing in todays performance to think we won’t be fine

Agreed. That was the most encouraged I have been by a performance in a long time. We won and deservedly so having brought three teenagers on in the second half.

Yep. Saw you mentioned the games we won last year - this just seemed different from games like PNE and Peterboro where it was either a big struggle or we seemed determined to throw it away. Genuinely looked solid

Was pretty entertaining as well. Half decent game

We looked physically stronger today. Fitness levels are good too. If we can sort out the injuries and bring in a few more we will be absolutely fine.

[PieEater]

I thought we deserved that.

I thought that was a clear a red card as I've seen, the ref was clueless. Then as if to prove a point he kept giving soft fouls to Cardiff and not to us. The free kick he gave they scored from was for nothing and a few seconds earlier he gave nothing to us for worse contact. Then he surprised me by giving 5 mins injury time when there was a 3 min stoppage and loads of subs, he did play 7 though.

Cracking goal from Ince, we really need goals from him and Hoilett until Joao gets back. I'm still wondering have Guinness didn't tap into an open goal but somehow managed to sky it over the bar from within the 8 yd box.

[Nameless]

I thought we deserved that.

I thought that was a clear a red card as I've seen, the ref was clueless. Then as if to prove a point he kept giving soft fouls to Cardiff and not to us. The free kick he gave they scored from was for nothing and a few seconds earlier he gave nothing to us for worse contact. Then he surprised me by giving 5 mins injury time when there was a 3 min stoppage and loads of subs, he did play 7 though.

Cracking goal from Ince, we really need goals from him and Hoilett until Joao gets back. I'm still wondering have Guinness didn't tap into an open goal but somehow managed to sky it over the bar from within the 8 yd box.

I had a stopwatCh on the added time , he blew at 5.45 added, which considering there wasn’t a hold up after the Ehib incident was spot on really.
Agree that the kick before their goal was very soft but it was the assistant that gave that !

[Elm Park Kid]

I think the ref needs to give the red as otherwise you just encourage defenders to take out anyone that's nailed on to score. A penalty and a yellow is better than conceding.

[mikey0406]

We stood off Cardiff far too much today and allowed crosses into the box - against a proven ‘9’ we might get punished for this later in the season.

Marking for their goal was dire and thought we would be in for a long afternoon

Absolute Red Card, did feel Ince played for it a little but fair play to Long after all the ballocks the keeper was up to

Thoroughly deserved the result, credit to Club 1871, absolute banging atmosphere

Ince complete stand out for me today and Lumley deserves credit for decision making.

Still need about 4 through the door but will need a juggler good at pursuading players to do one - Moore being the prime example.

PS it’s awesome to see T Mc and T Holm playing with such passion. This team needs to be built around these players going forward.

And Shlong with the finish

[AthleticoSpizz]

^ indeed, these are better times…we may not have the finess , but we appear to have the determination.

Shoot me down now….and despite our perennial injury crisis’s ..I reckon that this will be our most entertaining season since Brian Mc took over.

[skipper]

Worth pointing out that for our second goal, after regaining possession, we scored after 4 passes. It was literally boom, boom, boom, boom, box to box, back of the net.

Sensational stuff.

[Getthebeerens]

Enjoyed the game yesterday, we may have lost some players but the signs are there that we look a more functional team. Thought we saw out the last 20 minutes very well, Lumley makes such a difference when he can come out and claim crosses.

Long was brilliant up top, won so much in the air while offering runs in behind. There defence never had a minutes peace.

MOTM: Tom Ince - ENERGY ENERGY ENERGY

[Hound]

Worth pointing out that for our second goal, after regaining possession, we scored after 4 passes. It was literally boom, boom, boom, boom, box to box, back of the net.

Sensational stuff.

Even had Ovie slowing the play down twice in that move as well

[tmesis]

I said at 1-1 that it was a game we could win 2-1 or lose 1-4. Neither team played well, but we managed to have a spark, and Cardiff didn't after the equaliser.
They were woeful, in truth, and we'll need to play better than that to stay up. Not many teams will come to Reading and look so poor.

Don’t think that’s fair. Cardiff werent great but partly because we ground them down

We played fine after the start - barely conceded a chance whilst making and taking a couple of good ones of our own

Cardiff bear Norwich last week. Once we get a few more experienced heads in there and if we can get them to stay fit, nothing in todays performance to think we won’t be fine

Agreed. That was the most encouraged I have been by a performance in a long time. We won and deservedly so having brought three teenagers on in the second half.

I don't disagree that we deserved to win. It's just that we have a paper-thin squad, coupled with a terrible reputation for injuries, and we played a team that played so badly that their manager had to apologise to their fans for how poor they were.

At least 80% of our games will see us against teams playing considerably better than Cardiff did.

[tmesis]

I think the ref needs to give the red as otherwise you just encourage defenders to take out anyone that's nailed on to score. A penalty and a yellow is better than conceding.

I reckon he was 'evening up' after letting us off a potential red for a foul about 10 minutes earlier.

[Stranded]

Don’t think that’s fair. Cardiff werent great but partly because we ground them down

We played fine after the start - barely conceded a chance whilst making and taking a couple of good ones of our own

Cardiff bear Norwich last week. Once we get a few more experienced heads in there and if we can get them to stay fit, nothing in todays performance to think we won’t be fine

Agreed. That was the most encouraged I have been by a performance in a long time. We won and deservedly so having brought three teenagers on in the second half.

I don't disagree that we deserved to win. It's just that we have a paper-thin squad, coupled with a terrible reputation for injuries, and we played a team that played so badly that their manager had to apologise to their fans for how poor they were.

At least 80% of our games will see us against teams playing considerably better than Cardiff did.

They played badly as we made them do so. We responded excellently to the goal and controlled the match superbly after going ahead. Sometimes it is just easier to credit your own side than look for a "yeah, but".

[Hound]

I think the ref needs to give the red as otherwise you just encourage defenders to take out anyone that's nailed on to score. A penalty and a yellow is better than conceding.

I reckon he was 'evening up' after letting us off a potential red for a foul about 10 minutes earlier.

The Hoilett tackle? Looked a standard yellow to me