Matt Mills

[Elmer Park]

Just had the official text to say the appeal was unsuccessful as most of us expected. Immediate four match ban.

[leww_rfc]

Appeal Rejected http://www.readingfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10306~2018514,00.html

[Wycombe Royal]

Just more confirmation fromthe FA that tackling is gradually being removed from the game. A few years ago that would not even have been enough to earn a yellow card.

Us, Keane, the player who was "fouled" all say it was not a red card, but the FA have to protect their referees.......

[brendywendy]

we are screwed with pearce at cb, he was toilet against ipswich

hope Mcd plays griffin with kish and gunnar at RB even if the pace is lacking

seemed ok for the whole second half.

i think alot of the crap thats thrown his way is unwarranted. he made some mistakes when playing in a totally unsettled back four, mostly playing alongside another CB with no pace, while the whole team was playing shit and all over the place, under a mentalist manager who put too much pressure and expectation on his shoulders
under McD, and alongside mills/kish he'll be fine


& id rather have cisse than brynn personally

did you not see the 1st goal? he was beaten to the ball for the goal, the guy just doesnt cut it at this level at the moment

IMO youd get the same kind of mistakes from cisse/brynn/ivar if he was thrown on unexpectedly for ten minutes at the end of a 1st half, while they sorted themselves out too.
to use that as evidence that pearce is just shit and always will be strikes me as a bit harsh.

the whole defence looked shit under rodgers, and i think that McD would sort pearce out, and in a settled pacy and organised back 4 would be absolutely fine at this level

[Muskrat]

I'm just glad we've got points in the bag now though...

[ZacNaloen]

Hopefully the attitude within the squad is the same as it was when Mcanuff was red carded, they need to do it for Mills now and keep this run going.

[PieEater]

IMO youd get the same kind of mistakes from cisse/brynn/ivar if he was thrown on unexpectedly for ten minutes at the end of a 1st half, while they sorted themselves out too.
to use that as evidence that pearce is just shit and always will be strikes me as a bit harsh.

the whole defence looked shit under rodgers, and i think that McD would sort pearce out, and in a settled pacy and organised back 4 would be absolutely fine at this level

Pearce is shit because he's scared of the ball, incapable of passing, can't jump, isn't very tall, has limited heading ability, is prone to mistakes, has the turning circle of an oil tanker, and is about as pacy as my dad.

The whole defence looked shit until Mills got in the team and allowed the equally slow Ivar to play his normal game and Griff arrived. How on earth could Pearce ever be part of a "pacy" back 4?

The thought of the short and slow Zurab playing alongside Pearce scares the hell out of me, as I said earlier, I'm glad were now safe.

[brendywendy]

i think its harsh to judge pearce on his games under rodgers, because like many of our players, in this team, under BMcD he could easily still be very good for us.

i clearly meant that before there was no pace, and everyone played shit.
what im saying is, put a pacy CB alongside pearce, and like Ivar hell be fine.
add two full backs that know what their job is, and know how to do it and everyone suddenly looks great.

crack on if thats what you want though like.

[howser]

The FA really have to decide which are "violent conduct" red cards and which are a result of a "mistimed" tackle, there was nothing intentional or malicious in the Mills challenge, compared with a distinctive "over the top" challenge. For the "mistimed" tackle a one match ban should be the penalty !

[Snowball]

Yes, without Mills, a result in Cardiff is a VERY big ask,
but until we have failed there, please let us hope a little longer.

At home, with all-out attack we are capable of beating anybody
(including Newcastle 3-2)
but away, we need some luck or a couple of players to do the impossible

Two points from these two games and win the rest? 69 Points, a chance

Win one, lose one, then win our last four and we get seventy points

[PieEater]

i clearly meant that before there was no pace, and everyone played shit.
what im saying is, put a pacy CB alongside pearce, and like Ivar hell be fine.
add two full backs that know what their job is, and know how to do it and everyone suddenly looks great.
.

So nothing like the potential pairing we'll field for Cardiff then? Pearce may well do OK paired with Mills, but that's not going to happen is it?

[Sun Tzu]

Pearce is shit because he's scared of the ball, incapable of passing, can't jump, isn't very tall, has limited heading ability, is prone to mistakes, has the turning circle of an oil tanker, and is about as pacy as my dad.


The thought of the short and slow Zurab playing alongside Pearce scares the hell out of me, as I said earlier, I'm glad were now safe.

Pearce is 6'2 and Zurab is 6'1

If you can't get basic facts right why should anyone take any notice of the emotive stuff ?

[PieEater]

.... and Bothroyd is 6ft 3, but I take your point Pearce is taller than I thought. His lack of spring deceived me.

Fortunately Cardiff are also scratching for centre halves, with Gyepes (6ft 3) out.

p thanks for taking notice of the emotive stuff

[Sun Tzu]

.... and Bothroyd is 6ft 3, but I take your point Pearce is taller than I thought. His lack of spring deceived me.

Fortunately Cardiff are also scratching for centre halves, with Gyepes out.

p thanks for taking notice of the emotive stuff

A 6' 2 defender isn;t going to find a 6'3 forward too much of a problem !

Both Pearce and Zurab are decent in the air and physically strong.

Pearce's weakness is on the ground, where Zurab is strong.

If Pearce attacks the ball in the air and Zurab drops in behind we'll be OK.

[PremAddict]

How many straight reds have been successfully appealed this year in the Prem or C'ship?

[Muskrat]

Give up, how many?

[Rex]

I want to know who is taking over the captaincy. Hopefully not Pearce at this crucial stage of the season.

[T.R.O.L.I.]

I'f he's in the starting XI, then perhaps Howard could be given the armband.

[T.R.O.L.I.]

How many straight reds have been successfully appealed this year in the Prem or C'ship?

According to this - http://www.thefa.com/TheFA/Disciplinary ... dates.aspx

From most recent going backwards:

Decisions overturned:

Damien Delaney, Ipswich Town FC
Ipswich Town FC v Scunthorpe United FC

Decisions upheld:

Matthew Mills, Reading FC
Ipswich Town v Reading

Thomas Vermaelen, Arsenal FC
Arsenal FC v West Ham United FC

Jonathan Stead, Ipswich Town FC
Crystal Palace FC v Ipswich Town FC

Michael Turner, Sunderland FC
Manchester City FC v Sunderland FC

Philipp Degen, Liverpool FC
Fulham FC v Liverpool FC

Darcy Blake, Plymouth Argyle
Plymouth Argyle v Ipswich Town

Zurab Khizanishvili, Newcastle United
Newcastle United v Doncaster Rovers

The ones in bold were deemed frivolous and as such the player was given an extra game's ban.

This doesn't include after the event charges of violent conduct and the like.

So, 1 out of 8 overturned.

[Compo's Hat]

Would of said Bryn but i think he'll be kept on the bench now with no centre backs available!