Back from the game (an armchair view)

[SteveRoyal]

I have to say, Matejovsky was probably our best midfielder all game, and he was a substitute.
MUST start the play-offs.

[Royal Lady]

exactly, we are a mid championship team, who I think have been performing above our programme for a while now, which is great, ive loved it. We finished forth in a very hard league, and can still go up.

we were in old division 2, and struggling their not so long ago

We have no debt like stockport, soton etc and we will survive losing any prem parachute payments due to having a good business head with our chairman

all positives for me

Ok, but just imagine for a moment that we don't win the play offs, we lose the likes of Marek, Doyle, Bikey to better teams, the likes of Doobs, Ingi, Gunnar and maybe USA retire - we have to rebuild the team - we don't spend much money - we struggle next season, gates are down, we don't get a cup run, we're rarely one of the televised games - we finish outside the play offs next season - the following season we lose more of our better players, we struggle, the gates are even further down....etc etc - can you see that we could easily be back in old division 2 and struggling?

[wolsey]

I'dve been quite happy with lower mid-table last season, although I don't see finishing in exactly the same position as we were 6 years ago as any sort of progress.

Trend it out for longer than six years. We're doin' alright.

You mean before Coppell took over? Yeah we were making steady progress then.

Have you "graduated" from Dorset IHE yet? Have you thought of a career as a holocaust Denialist? Your skills and mindset would be ideally suited.

Meanwhile....

G E T S O M E T H E R A P Y

[Terminal Boardom]

I'dve been quite happy with lower mid-table last season, although I don't see finishing in exactly the same position as we were 6 years ago as any sort of progress.

Do you understand the concept of reality? Some of the stuff you spout forth makes me laugh at times. Be careful what you wish for. Given the circumstances and the history of this club, I would much rather be at the top end of this division rather than chase "Ridsdale's impossible dream". Why dont you just oxf*rd off and support norwich, southampton and charlton? THey would more thanhappily swap places.

Just what exactly is your problem? The most successful manager in the history of this club and you want to get rid? You are a f uckwit! It even seems to me that you are enjoying having a good old gloat about it. Go stick your head up your arse!

[shoey]

royalee how exactly does football work in your world.

To be 4th in a very hard league, after suffering relegation and coming back this season quite strong( look at derby!!!!) we have done better than most.

we can still go up

and things at reading have been much worse

you need some perspective


royal lady- i see you point of view but dont agree

we have never spent much money, and we got up, why does everyone think money is the option. we got up with out it, why do we need bankrupt ourselves to fulfill fans greed of using money.

and if the money is spent on shite players all the fans wil moan more

[Terminal Boardom]

Back to the whole point of the thread, Birmingham did a professional job on us. If I had to give a MoM it would go to the supporters. Great noise, passion, effort and encouragement throughout. Such a shame that the players could not deliver. And for once, we could not blame the pitch

[Gav]

I'dve been quite happy with lower mid-table last season, although I don't see finishing in exactly the same position as we were 6 years ago as any sort of progress.

Trend it out for longer than six years. We're doin' alright.

You mean before Coppell took over? Yeah we were making steady progress then.

You really are a mentalist.

The period in which Coppell has been in charge has been our most prosperous in well over 100 years, and now we're categorically in no worse a state (give or take some moderate subjectiveness) than when he took over. We're also now established as one of the teams in the Championship and may well end up back in the Premier League before the summer's end. Yes, Pardew also took us to playoff failure and had some promising early season form before he left, but Coppell has cemented our place at the right end of the table. Like I say, it doesn't have to be epic growth all the time, but the long-term trend is definitely a positive one.

[Royal Lady]

I'm more concerned with the prospect of lower attendances if we don't have a good start to the season in the Championship (assuming that we don't win play offs) - we'll definitely lose our better players and we won't be replacing them with like for like, due to not spending much money. We'll probably still have SHunt who will cost us a fortune but play cr@p, as I can't see anyone coming in for him.

[Royalee]

That'd leave us with a better keeper, a younger midfield without Gunnarsson and still goals in the side with Long and N Hunt, not to mention a far larger wage budget freed up given we still have another year of parachute payments and those players will have been bigger earners. While it will make me sad when Doyle and Bikey go (although I can't see anyone coming in for Matejovsky as he hasn't played enough), we'll be in an extremely good position to make adjustments and push on.

[earleyroyal]

I'm glad that most Reading supporters, judging by conversations in the ground and on the radio - 'we were unlucky today, roll on the playoffs!!!' - are flag waving, clapper-banging mongoloids who would find a straw to clutch at in absolutely any situation. Not only are the players shit, which is forgivable, they largely don't seem to care, which isn't. No brains, no hearts, no guts - all we had to do today was not be rubbish, and we would be a Premiership team by now (albeit one that would get beaten every week); given our 94th chance to make amends we failed again. The standard of the league is awful this year, we have had so many opportunities to get promoted and whenever the pressure has been on, well

No positives at all to take, most games I can find something if I search hard enough but today nothing. In the long run it will be best to go up so we can take the money; hands up anyone who thinks that if we don't go up this year we'll go up next year? Coppell should go at the end of the year, he has been our best manager ever and deserves all the stands, statues and so on that we can make for him, but the same mistakes have been made this season as they were last time.

At least there was a little bit of the passion and defiance from the stands today after the first goal that was common from about 2005-2007, but the life seems to have been sucked out of the club, and it's probably because the fans don't see the players trying hard enough.

Roll on the playoffs

I've got some rope you can use...where were you when we were shit?

I'll be there next time we are shit and in League 1 because people like you are happy to blithely accept a lack of passion and effort from players who are, while not very good, easily good enough to get out of this division.

Happy to support Reading at any level but seeing so much wasted potential is immensely frustrating whatever division we are in.

[LoyalRoyalFan]

Poor performance. Birmingham wanted to win the game more. Lets hope we can go through the play offs.

Ratings :

USA - 4 - Let in two soft goals and his kicking was abysmal.
Rosenior - 6 - Alright. However he can only play one ball,which is always down the channel.
Harding - 5 - Didn't see much of him to be honest
Dubbery - 5 - Terrible performance. Did not close down anyone. Let O'Connor through to hit the post.
Bikey - 7 - So calm under pressure. Used his brain before his feet.
S.Hunt - 5 - Wasn't up for it today. Needs to be replaced.
Kebe - 6 - Wasn't up for it today. Can look dangerous at times.
Tabb - 7 - My Man of the Match today. Worked his socks off. Tracked back for tackles. Tried to get us passing on the ground. 110%.
Karacan - 6 - Quite good first half.
Kitson - 4 - Lazy. His quality is overrated. Needs to be replaced.
Long - 6 - No supply given to him today really. Should of scored in first half.

Subs :

Marek - 7 - Fantastic finish. Needs to start.
Doyle - 7 - Looked up for it. Needs to start.

Fans - 9 - Fantastic atmosphere created. Shame the players couldn't match it.

[Royal Lady]

I thought Karacan had a nightmare - his first 3 tpasses went to the opposition. And I thought he was pretty anonymous. It was surprising as I'd have thought he'd be one of the players who would be most up for it - and wanting to claim his place for next season.

[shoey]

all teams rebuild royal lady, and we would too, and if alot of the glory hunters left id be happy

[Dirk Gently]

I thought Karacan had a nightmare - his first 3 tpasses went to the opposition. And I thought he was pretty anonymous. It was surprising as I'd have thought he'd be one of the players who would be most up for it - and wanting to claim his place for next season.

He did look like it was his first ever big game - I'm sure it can't have been.

[Royalee]

I'dve been quite happy with lower mid-table last season, although I don't see finishing in exactly the same position as we were 6 years ago as any sort of progress.

Do you understand the concept of reality? Some of the stuff you spout forth makes me laugh at times. Be careful what you wish for. Given the circumstances and the history of this club, I would much rather be at the top end of this division rather than chase "Ridsdale's impossible dream".

LOL, there is a huge difference between signing players to improve the team steadily and signing the likes of Seth Johnson and offering him 20k a week more than he was going to start negotiations at. Maybe it's you who needs some perspective.

[londinium]

Poor performance. Birmingham wanted to win the game more. Lets hope we can go through the play offs.

Ratings :

USA - 4 - Let in two soft goals and his kicking was abysmal.
Rosenior - 6 - Alright. However he can only play one ball,which is always down the channel.
Harding - 5 - Didn't see much of him to be honest
Dubbery - 5 - Terrible performance. Did not close down anyone. Let O'Connor through to hit the post.
Bikey - 7 - So calm under pressure. Used his brain before his feet.
S.Hunt - 5 - Wasn't up for it today. Needs to be replaced.
Kebe - 6 - Wasn't up for it today. Can look dangerous at times.
Tabb - 7 - My Man of the Match today. Worked his socks off. Tracked back for tackles. Tried to get us passing on the ground. 110%.
Karacan - 6 - Quite good first half.
Kitson - 4 - Lazy. His quality is overrated. Needs to be replaced.
Long - 6 - No supply given to him today really. Should of scored in first half.

Subs :

Marek - 7 - Fantastic finish. Needs to start.
Doyle - 7 - Looked up for it. Needs to start.

Fans - 9 - Fantastic atmosphere created. Shame the players couldn't match it.

You were watching a different game mate.

Marcus ..yes at fault for the first goal (possibly unsighted) only one kick into touch, rest were good.
Bikey... good defending... every single pass out of defence misplaced though, awful.
Doobs...rock in the air, played really well with no defence infront of him, and was left one on one most of the second half.

Kitson... dropped back to get the ball as there was no midfield, completely different when Marek came on, he needs someone who can play football with him, not pump it at his head.

[earleyroyal]

I'dve been quite happy with lower mid-table last season, although I don't see finishing in exactly the same position as we were 6 years ago as any sort of progress.

Do you understand the concept of reality? Some of the stuff you spout forth makes me laugh at times. Be careful what you wish for. Given the circumstances and the history of this club, I would much rather be at the top end of this division rather than chase "Ridsdale's impossible dream".

LOL, there is a huge difference between signing players to improve the team steadily and signing the likes of Seth Johnson and offering him 20k a week more than he was going to start negotiations at. Maybe it's you who needs some perspective.

Don't necessarily always/ever agree with you but this is true, why is it that supporters always take up one of two positions on this issue. If you advocate any sort of improvement and progression you are invariably shot down with 'at least we're not Leeds!!!1!' - yes, most of us do appreciate having a club which is run with an eye on the future, but at the same time it is possible to invest and move forward without risking financial oblivion.

[shoey]

royalee you make no sense

you want SC out, but what if his latest signings are the start on him steadily rebuilding??? which you just pointed out is what you think we should be doing??

but by your comments you want instant success

[Sun Tzu]

Disappointed not to have converted more of the chances we created.
Should have gone in at half time ahead but lack of a centre forward playing up front cost us.

More than matched Brum, who really don't look anything at all which makes finishing below then frustrating.

We've exceeded expectations this season (except for those who revise their expectations on a weekly basis) although if we stay down it will be a harder division next season. The rebuilding process will be interesting whatever division we are in but at least if we don;t go up we will be competitive again next season.

Overall not a bad afternoon but not a great one. I look forward to the Wembley showdown against the Blades....

[wolsey]

I'm more concerned with the prospect of lower attendances if we don't have a good start to the season in the Championship (assuming that we don't win play offs) - we'll definitely lose our better players and we won't be replacing them with like for like, due to not spending much money. We'll probably still have SHunt who will cost us a fortune but play cr@p, as I can't see anyone coming in for him.

I understand what you're saying but details like that are just part of being a fan.

We will lose players that we value.

We will gain players that we've never heard of/ previously under valued.

Some team in desperation will buy players that we've come to (rightly or wrongly) despise.

All part of the circus.

(Sorry if this sounds patronising - just trying to find some positives!)