Royals v Blackburn Match thread

[The whole year inn]

So that's a no then.

[Alan Partridge]

I genuinely belive we will struggle to win a game away from home all season, well until January actually when we can get a few players in. I dont know what it is but we've gone from a solid side, hard to beat etc to a team you'd fancy to score 4, 5 or even 7 goals against! We are a shambles and absolute shambles. But like Coppell I'm genuinely not sure what the major problem is.

I think he was totally justified in dropping the two Icelanders, but 4-5-1? at Blackburn? Not Liverpool but Blackburn Rovers?? was seriously wrong. A bad call, and we were done by halftime.

Not sure where we go from here tbh, it's going to be a long season.

[The whole year inn]

The problem is pretty obvious, letting our best player go and not improving a squad that massively overachieved last season.

Coppell himself only knows why

LOLeon

[Alan Partridge]

The problem is pretty obvious, letting our best player go and not improving a squad that massively overachieved last season.

Coppell himself only knows why

LOLeon

I don't like the phrae 'overachieved' you finish where you deserve to finish it's not overachievement. Some of our more consistant performers aren't playing as well and our manager is making a few calls that are out of charactar and a bit hard to understand....still we shouldn't be THIS bad.

[The whole year inn]

Not sure we have reached our level if we finish 8th in the Prem every year. I see that as over achieving.

Anyway, our boss needs to sort the defence out. Sharpish

[leon]

The problem is pretty obvious, letting our best player go and not improving a squad that massively overachieved last season.

Coppell himself only knows why

LOLeon

It doesn't take an expert to understand our current situation. We didn't replace Sidwell and are suffering from not having Little holding the ball up and being able to take full backs on, home and away. Sonkos absence has also hit us as well.

We are where we are. Pissing our pants like a bunch of school girls and giving up won't help, so TWYI LOL away but I think we're good enough to stay up, we just need to stop conceding, I think Sonko will be key to this...

[Alan Partridge]

The problem is pretty obvious, letting our best player go and not improving a squad that massively overachieved last season.

Coppell himself only knows why

LOLeon

It doesn't take an expert to understand our current situation. We didn't replace Sidwell and are suffering from not having Little holding the ball up and being able to take full backs on, home and away. Sonkos absence has also hit us as well.

We are where we are. Pissing our pants like a bunch of school girls and giving up won't help, so TWYI LOL away but I think we're good enough to stay up, we just need to stop conceding, I think Sonko will be key to this...

If he'd have played today we wouldn't have conceeded 4. Sonko isn't THAT important for Reading he really isn't. He's a good defender, but not this saviour some of you are seeing him as. Our midfield is terrible and our backline can't handle the pressure it's being put under every game.

Playing Kitson up front on his own was an absolute nonsense, out of our 4 strikers, the one person that can't play as a lone striker is Kitson. He's not quick or sharp enough to play that role. Lita is the best at it but even then 1 up front? you deserve to lose.

[The whole year inn]

TWYI prediction for the January transfer window:

In:

Noone

Out

Simon Church - Crewe free
Simon Cox - Swindon - Free

[leon]

The problem is pretty obvious, letting our best player go and not improving a squad that massively overachieved last season.

Coppell himself only knows why

LOLeon

It doesn't take an expert to understand our current situation. We didn't replace Sidwell and are suffering from not having Little holding the ball up and being able to take full backs on, home and away. Sonkos absence has also hit us as well.

We are where we are. Pissing our pants like a bunch of school girls and giving up won't help, so TWYI LOL away but I think we're good enough to stay up, we just need to stop conceding, I think Sonko will be key to this...

If he'd have played today we wouldn't have conceeded 4. Sonko isn't THAT important for Reading he really isn't. He's a good defender, but not this saviour some of you are seeing him as. Our midfield is terrible and our backline can't handle the pressure it's being put under every game.

Playing Kitson up front on his own was an absolute nonsense, out of our 4 strikers, the one person that can't play as a lone striker is Kitson. He's not quick or sharp enough to play that role. Lita is the best at it but even then 1 up front? you deserve to lose.

fair enough, Agree the second point - it was the wrong formation we play 442 - Kitson and Doyle/Lita and we'll score goals - f*cking around with it is asking for trouble.

Disagree fundamentally the first point. We are missing strength, some pace and power in central defence. Sonko is important because he provides that.

Anyway did you read my post? I thought I said the problem was midfield?????

[Alan Partridge]

The problem is pretty obvious, letting our best player go and not improving a squad that massively overachieved last season.

Coppell himself only knows why

LOLeon

It doesn't take an expert to understand our current situation. We didn't replace Sidwell and are suffering from not having Little holding the ball up and being able to take full backs on, home and away. Sonkos absence has also hit us as well.

We are where we are. Pissing our pants like a bunch of school girls and giving up won't help, so TWYI LOL away but I think we're good enough to stay up, we just need to stop conceding, I think Sonko will be key to this...

If he'd have played today we wouldn't have conceeded 4. Sonko isn't THAT important for Reading he really isn't. He's a good defender, but not this saviour some of you are seeing him as. Our midfield is terrible and our backline can't handle the pressure it's being put under every game.

Playing Kitson up front on his own was an absolute nonsense, out of our 4 strikers, the one person that can't play as a lone striker is Kitson. He's not quick or sharp enough to play that role. Lita is the best at it but even then 1 up front? you deserve to lose.

fair enough, Agree the second point - it was the wrong formation we play 442 - Kitson and Doyle/Lita and we'll score goals - f*cking around with it is asking for trouble.

Disagree fundamentally the first point. We are missing strength, some pace and power in central defence. Sonko is important because he provides that.

Anyway did you read my post? I thought I said the problem was midfield?????

No tbh I skimmed it.

I said it before, we've just got to get to Januray and be still in with a decent chance of staying up, sadly most away games are going to be a write off.

[The whole year inn]

LOL @ anyone that thinks Reading will be signing anyone significant in January

[leon]

The problem is pretty obvious, letting our best player go and not improving a squad that massively overachieved last season.

Coppell himself only knows why

LOLeon

It doesn't take an expert to understand our current situation. We didn't replace Sidwell and are suffering from not having Little holding the ball up and being able to take full backs on, home and away. Sonkos absence has also hit us as well.

We are where we are. Pissing our pants like a bunch of school girls and giving up won't help, so TWYI LOL away but I think we're good enough to stay up, we just need to stop conceding, I think Sonko will be key to this...

If he'd have played today we wouldn't have conceeded 4. Sonko isn't THAT important for Reading he really isn't. He's a good defender, but not this saviour some of you are seeing him as. Our midfield is terrible and our backline can't handle the pressure it's being put under every game.

Playing Kitson up front on his own was an absolute nonsense, out of our 4 strikers, the one person that can't play as a lone striker is Kitson. He's not quick or sharp enough to play that role. Lita is the best at it but even then 1 up front? you deserve to lose.

fair enough, Agree the second point - it was the wrong formation we play 442 - Kitson and Doyle/Lita and we'll score goals - f*cking around with it is asking for trouble.

Disagree fundamentally the first point. We are missing strength, some pace and power in central defence. Sonko is important because he provides that.

Anyway did you read my post? I thought I said the problem was midfield?????

No tbh I skimmed it.

I said it before, we've just got to get to Januray and be still in with a decent chance of staying up, sadly most away games are going to be a write off.

well at least your honest...and yes they will be...but we've got to get something from Fulham surely?

[Alan Partridge]

LOL @ anyone that thinks Reading will be signing anyone significant in January

We'll see. We will certainly try going by what he's said. One major factor is who is going to want to join a team struggling to stay up?? but we'll see.

[Alan Partridge]

The problem is pretty obvious, letting our best player go and not improving a squad that massively overachieved last season.

Coppell himself only knows why

LOLeon

It doesn't take an expert to understand our current situation. We didn't replace Sidwell and are suffering from not having Little holding the ball up and being able to take full backs on, home and away. Sonkos absence has also hit us as well.

We are where we are. Pissing our pants like a bunch of school girls and giving up won't help, so TWYI LOL away but I think we're good enough to stay up, we just need to stop conceding, I think Sonko will be key to this...

If he'd have played today we wouldn't have conceeded 4. Sonko isn't THAT important for Reading he really isn't. He's a good defender, but not this saviour some of you are seeing him as. Our midfield is terrible and our backline can't handle the pressure it's being put under every game.

Playing Kitson up front on his own was an absolute nonsense, out of our 4 strikers, the one person that can't play as a lone striker is Kitson. He's not quick or sharp enough to play that role. Lita is the best at it but even then 1 up front? you deserve to lose.

fair enough, Agree the second point - it was the wrong formation we play 442 - Kitson and Doyle/Lita and we'll score goals - f*cking around with it is asking for trouble.

Disagree fundamentally the first point. We are missing strength, some pace and power in central defence. Sonko is important because he provides that.

Anyway did you read my post? I thought I said the problem was midfield?????

No tbh I skimmed it.

I said it before, we've just got to get to Januray and be still in with a decent chance of staying up, sadly most away games are going to be a write off.

well at least your honest...and yes they will be...but we've got to get something from Fulham surely?

Even as bad as they are, I can't see us keeping them below 2 goals at the minute!! Something is fundamentaly wrong just keep conceeding bad goals to individual errors and basic mistakes. It's a huge worry.

[leon]

The problem is pretty obvious, letting our best player go and not improving a squad that massively overachieved last season.

Coppell himself only knows why

LOLeon

It doesn't take an expert to understand our current situation. We didn't replace Sidwell and are suffering from not having Little holding the ball up and being able to take full backs on, home and away. Sonkos absence has also hit us as well.

We are where we are. Pissing our pants like a bunch of school girls and giving up won't help, so TWYI LOL away but I think we're good enough to stay up, we just need to stop conceding, I think Sonko will be key to this...

If he'd have played today we wouldn't have conceeded 4. Sonko isn't THAT important for Reading he really isn't. He's a good defender, but not this saviour some of you are seeing him as. Our midfield is terrible and our backline can't handle the pressure it's being put under every game.

Playing Kitson up front on his own was an absolute nonsense, out of our 4 strikers, the one person that can't play as a lone striker is Kitson. He's not quick or sharp enough to play that role. Lita is the best at it but even then 1 up front? you deserve to lose.

fair enough, Agree the second point - it was the wrong formation we play 442 - Kitson and Doyle/Lita and we'll score goals - f*cking around with it is asking for trouble.

Disagree fundamentally the first point. We are missing strength, some pace and power in central defence. Sonko is important because he provides that.

Anyway did you read my post? I thought I said the problem was midfield?????

No tbh I skimmed it.

I said it before, we've just got to get to Januray and be still in with a decent chance of staying up, sadly most away games are going to be a write off.

well at least your honest...and yes they will be...but we've got to get something from Fulham surely?

Even as bad as they are, I can't see us keeping them below 2 goals at the minute!! Something is fundamentaly wrong just keep conceeding bad goals to individual errors and basic mistakes. It's a huge worry.

did you see Sanchez on MOTD? He was practically hanging by his belt from the door frame...I honestly think a match fit Sonko will help our defence, and then maybe we can stop conceding so many shit goals

[The whole year inn]

LOL @ anyone that thinks Reading will be signing anyone significant in January

We'll see. We will certainly try going by what he's said. One major factor is who is going to want to join a team struggling to stay up?? but we'll see.

As much as I love Steve Coppell, he has never been in charge of Reading football club when there is serious pressure on.

I personally think he may flip if results keep going as they have been.

He has never been under the kosh since he has been here, and in my opinion his transfers and team selections suggest he does not know how to deal with it.

[Alan Partridge]

Maybe, he can't do much worse i suppose. Sonko giving away a penalty was a bit of a theme from last season, first game back and another one given away. Still first game being the major words, it was his first match in 9months and he was always going to be rusty. Who plays with him could be the next question. Presumably it will be Ivar but his form has been the worst of the other 3 imo.

I just don't see SOnko as being this saviour that will stop us shipping goals, we are making basic errors all over the park and Sonko is prone to them himself. But fans do have the blinkers on with him at times.

The midfield as you did say is the major major weakness for me. We don't stop people running through it, we don't create anything through it, it's unbalanced and plain weak. And we've got nothing in the squad currently to come in and improve it.

[Alan Partridge]

LOL @ anyone that thinks Reading will be signing anyone significant in January

We'll see. We will certainly try going by what he's said. One major factor is who is going to want to join a team struggling to stay up?? but we'll see.

As much as I love Steve Coppell, he has never been in charge of Reading football club when there is serious pressure on.

I personally think he may flip if results keep going as they have been.

He has never been under the kosh since he has been here, and in my opinion his transfers and team selections suggest he does not know how to deal with it.

I think the results and in particular the performances in the year before we got promoted put him under pressure, and then a 2-1 home loss to Plymouth had quite a few people questioning his position. I think reality is hitting home, we are where we all expected us to be last season, it's just come a year late. I don't think its 'second season syndrome' because we aren't the same team we were a year ago. Our team is weaker than it was last season. They say you can't stand still in this league, well we've gone backwards.

That's the one thing Coppell can be criticised for, he's too loyal to too many people in this squad. People that have been excellent players for the club but they are past their sell by date at this level and need replacing. It's a shame but that's life.

I think he knows he made a mistake today, he thought about it too much. Changed a team that had finally won and kept a clean sheet around far too much. I had no problem with the two icelanders being left out, neither has played well recently and they've both travelled lots. If Doyle was fit he should have started and if not then Lita should have done, playing Kitson on his own was madness.

The next 2 games are vitally imprtant for Reading because after that we welcome some of the top teams here. It's going to be a very tough time for them.

[The whole year inn]

Our manager has a history of mental illness, he has no way of adding to the squad until January (through his own fault).

Meh

[leon]

LOL @ anyone that thinks Reading will be signing anyone significant in January

We'll see. We will certainly try going by what he's said. One major factor is who is going to want to join a team struggling to stay up?? but we'll see.

As much as I love Steve Coppell, he has never been in charge of Reading football club when there is serious pressure on.

I personally think he may flip if results keep going as they have been.

He has never been under the kosh since he has been here, and in my opinion his transfers and team selections suggest he does not know how to deal with it.

I think the results and in particular the performances in the year before we got promoted put him under pressure, and then a 2-1 home loss to Plymouth had quite a few people questioning his position. I think reality is hitting home, we are where we all expected us to be last season, it's just come a year late. I don't think its 'second season syndrome' because we aren't the same team we were a year ago. Our team is weaker than it was last season. They say you can't stand still in this league, well we've gone backwards.

That's the one thing Coppell can be criticised for, he's too loyal to too many people in this squad. People that have been excellent players for the club but they are past their sell by date at this level and need replacing. It's a shame but that's life.

I think he knows he made a mistake today, he thought about it too much. Changed a team that had finally won and kept a clean sheet around far too much. I had no problem with the two icelanders being left out, neither has played well recently and they've both travelled lots. If Doyle was fit he should have started and if not then Lita should have done, playing Kitson on his own was madness.

The next 2 games are vitally imprtant for Reading because after that we welcome some of the top teams here. It's going to be a very tough time for them.

Sonko isnt a saviour but he's what the defence currently needs, especially away from home, where his...ahem..more agricultural method are an asset. He's also very rusty as you pointed out, but he will get better the more match fit he gets, this will hopefully breed more confidence in the defensive unit.

Midfield is still a major worry and I'm not sure there is an answer at the moment, however we are scoring goals, Kitson and Doyle are off the mark, thats more than alot of our relegation rivals (of which there are a few).