Back from the game - Plymouth (H)

[weybridgewanderer]

Atrocious standard of football pretty much throughout, agree with floyd Reading's attacking options still leave a lot to be desired, and the decision to leave Thorvaldsson on the bench was peculiar at the time but I suppose it paid of by HRK winning the penalty.

Was the decision to bring Thor in all agreed prior to brenda's departure?

[Maguire]

Church needs a goal.

Cliched beyond belief but I really think it's true. WJ is right in that you wouldn't back him to score anything at the moment let alone the one Long bagged.

He has as much confidence in front of goal as Longy did until a few weeks ago. I'd like to think he'll come good.

I'll agree with that, Church was poor tonight, but that's inexperience. Long played well, as did Bryn, Kebe is rubbish and gives absolutely nothing to the team, I'm staggered people on here think he does anything - you're either listening on the radio or have no idea about football and look to some computer game for his ratings. Howard, and I'm not a huge fan, had a good game, Jem mis-placed a few passes and probably needed to come off - just not his night, but we changed after he came off. The Kinchelov (sp?) fellow and Griff are both class pro's and it shows. Bertie had a good game, energetic and covered a lot of ground

A great result, a flashes of good play, but we need to play better and slot away the chances.

Really bizarre you rag on Kebe so much - he played well tonight.

[BobKnows]

Really bizarre you rag on Kebe so much - he played well tonight.

A common condition amongst Reading fans, I find, called "Kebe Blindness". The silly pcunt behind me shouted "get off Kebe" the moment he was brought on . The man may seem languorous but he also happens to be really dangerous when running at defenders and putting in the ball. I don't hear the chronically ineffectual Church copping the same amount of stick (not that I necessary think he should).

[rob the royal]

yeah i thought he did alright when he came on as well. Tracked back well down on the right hand side just after he switched with mcanuff only thing is, he could have made a bit more effort to challenge for a couple of balls down the left hand side... but he went in weak. don't think that went down to well with the kebe-bashers.

[Arch]

Church needs a goal.

Cliched beyond belief but I really think it's true. WJ is right in that you wouldn't back him to score anything at the moment let alone the one Long bagged.

He has as much confidence in front of goal as Longy did until a few weeks ago. I'd like to think he'll come good.

The difference is Long has been scoring goals at this level and above for four years. If he goes through a patch of low confidence, it only take a couple of goals to remind him what he can do. Church has never done it, and breaking that barrier is much harder.

[Royal_Delight]

Anyone mind elaborating how Zurab played last night? Thanks.

[rhroyal]

Have to admit, I'm preferring reading about how disappointing the performance was despite the win, when compared to the days where ppl would come on here saying "we deserved more".

[West Stand Man]

Anyone mind elaborating how Zurab played last night? Thanks.

He was the class player on the pitch, it was quite clear why he is a PL player with a strong international pedigree. He reads the game well, is a strong as an ox, pretty good on the ground and very good in the air.

Those who have suggested that we should or ought to sign him permanently might take note of the BBCRB comment that 'he drives a Bentley', so in the HNA vernacular, WC definitely BAP.

[Jeffers217]

Church needs a goal.

Cliched beyond belief but I really think it's true. WJ is right in that you wouldn't back him to score anything at the moment let alone the one Long bagged.

He has as much confidence in front of goal as Longy did until a few weeks ago. I'd like to think he'll come good.

The difference is Long has been scoring goals at this level and above for four years. If he goes through a patch of low confidence, it only take a couple of goals to remind him what he can do. Church has never done it, and breaking that barrier is much harder.

LOL since when has Long become a hero with so many fans! He has been one of the most frustrating players to watch for years. Obv none of you fools were at the Donny game where Church put in a stunning display. In my opinion the lad will be better than Long in the future, as if that's a challenge! Thor should be played though

[Upper West Ginger]

Re Kebe: the man is afraid to tackle. So it is useless expecting him to run back 50 yards and make a brilliant defensive tackle like Kitson used to do, it is unlikely to happen. Once you've got that in your mind, enjoy watching him as a genuinely entertaining player.

Re Church: He may indeed be capable of greater things in future, but it is tough to find space in a Championship team struggling to escape relegation for a striker who cannot score goals. It is a conundrum - he needs experience = match time, but his contribution is limited by his inability to score.

[Franchise FC]

He has as much confidence in front of goal as Longy did until a few weeks ago. I'd like to think he'll come good.

The difference is Long has been scoring goals at this level and above for four years. If he goes through a patch of low confidence, it only take a couple of goals to remind him what he can do. Church has never done it, and breaking that barrier is much harder.

LOL since when has Long become a hero with so many fans! He has been one of the most frustrating players to watch for years. Obv none of you fools were at the Donny game where Church put in a stunning display. In my opinion the lad will be better than Long in the future, as if that's a challenge! Thor should be played though

LOL at you giving no credit where it's due.
According to you we should leave out our (currently) most potent weapon for a striker that can run but not score and another we have no idea about.

[bcubed]

He has as much confidence in front of goal as Longy did until a few weeks ago. I'd like to think he'll come good.

The difference is Long has been scoring goals at this level and above for four years. If he goes through a patch of low confidence, it only take a couple of goals to remind him what he can do. Church has never done it, and breaking that barrier is much harder.

LOL since when has Long become a hero with so many fans! He has been one of the most frustrating players to watch for years. Obv none of you fools were at the Donny game where Church put in a stunning display. In my opinion the lad will be better than Long in the future, as if that's a challenge! Thor should be played though

Long was outstanding at Doncaster - led the line superbly and won everything in the air
I thought he was under par yesterday and hardly won a header, although people are raving about him because he scored
But he is clearly ahead of Church in the pecking order. For one thing Church need to work out the offside rule before he plays again!

[brendywendy]

woohoo


well played griffa, khisha, shlonga, brynna, and keba


WNG

[Mr Angry]

Not at the game through illness, but.....

.....where we are in the League and at this time of the season, the most vital thing is for us to get 3 points. Especially against a team also down near the bottom.

So it was a great result last night, and the 2nd result in 4 days where the team showed character.

WHO cares if we don't play like Brazil, or even the 106 team - in the context of now, the performance is almost totally irrelevant to the end result. And with us on a winning trot and a number of teams who olny a few weeks ago looked rock solid safe begining a rapid descent (Brizzle as well as QPR) the light at the end of the tunnel appears less and less to be the 0658 to Paddington.

Frankly, after the run of 16 home league defeats on the trot in 2009, the fact that we have won the last 2 at home and are unbeaten at home since the Palace debacle in early December are surely causes for optimism?

[Ozymandias]

Really bizarre you rag on Kebe so much - he played well tonight.

No, No he didn't.

He ran up the pitch twice but no end product.

[Uncle Andy]

Interestingly, when asked about Long's renaissance on BBCRB, McD said "he knows where he is with me" and "we have to simplify things" for him. Sounds like the clearest condemnation of Big Watch Man and his Bumper Book of World Class Outstanding Tactics yet from inside the camp.

Either that or it is the clearest indication yet from inside the camp that some footballers are not bright enough to understand proper tactics and can only respond to 'kick the round white thing into the big netty/posty thing at the end' tactics.

[Franchise FC]

Interestingly, when asked about Long's renaissance on BBCRB, McD said "he knows where he is with me" and "we have to simplify things" for him. Sounds like the clearest condemnation of Big Watch Man and his Bumper Book of World Class Outstanding Tactics yet from inside the camp.

Either that or it is the clearest indication yet from inside the camp that some footballers are not bright enough to understand proper tactics and can only respond to 'kick the round white thing into the big netty/posty thing at the end' tactics.

But if that is the case, then it is the duty of the manager to either not play the relevant player, or make the system simple enough for him to understand. MaccyD appears to be switched on enough to cope with that little conundrum.

[Uncle Andy]

Yes, and maybe he can do their shoe laces up for them as well

[Stranded]

Decent result not a great performance but I'll take that at the moment.

Same old story that we had plenty of decent chances to score but have no-one capable of the coolness of thought needed to finish it. Church's blast over the bar being a case in point - the keeper had already given it up as Church could have put it anywhere and he choose's 5 yards over the bar!!

Think the praise for Zurab is a bit OTT. Whilst he was superb first half, second half he was guilty of some horrendous errors that caused us to be on the back foot and often wanted too much time.

[fester_royal]

Jem was poor tonight tbf, so it was the right decision.

agreed, he didnt appear to be up to his normal standard but also it did appear we lost the thread a little when he was taken off. you can never under estimate a player like Jem even when hes having a bad day. his child like energy to chase every ball and harass every player is a real benefit.