Blades fans back from the game...

[Archie's penalty]

LOL @ Sheff U.

Incisive comment there.

[Alan Partridge]

vs




Coppell wins 1st Rd KO!

Mick's kit looks better

[Alan Partridge]

But Strapon thinks Kebe can't play football.
I'm confused.

I do not think that, I know it, as would anyone with an ounce of footballing sense.

My credentials for saying that may well be suspect, only having watched football for 40 odd years, but Mick Gooding seem holds a similar view, and I wouldn't argue with him.

When Kebe learns how to pass, or tackle, or trap a ball, or shoot, or mark, or track back, or cross or head the ball, to go with his Mr Woo skills, I might beginb to change my mind. Until then, when I want to see tricks I'll go to my local park and watch them for free.

There is a very good reason he was out on loan playing second division French football when we signed him for £400k (they MUST have seen us coming!) - it's because he's not a footballer.

I'm not a massive fan of Kebe but that analysis is wrong. At Forest afterwards I was genuinely seething at how crap Kebe still was, having seen absolutely nothing in his performances to warrant him being remotely good enough for any professional club, I was staggered that he was going to be our right winger for the season. He has improved, drastically in fairness. He's still not brilliant (which brendywendy would have you believe) but he's far better than that assesment. In this division pace and a little bit of end product is enough and that's what Kebe has currently. It's obvious that given time he will continue to improve and do a job. Wingers naturally are a bit hit and miss, they drift in and out of games and when they are bad you really notice them.

I'm a big fan of Ingimarsson, i read every report with Ivar being 'steady' it's because people don't notice him, in reality Ivar would probably tell you himself he's been well down this year in terms of performance than in the last 2 or 3. He's going for headers he can't win, he's getting exposed and Bikey is having to do a lot of tidying up for him.

Kebe and S Hunt are at the fore of nearly all of our attacks, by that virtue they will stick out more in people's minds. I personally think in the games i've seen recently that Kebe has been the better of the two wingers but he's nowhere near the finished article, if and when he does get there then he certainly won't be playing for Reading.

[brendywendy]

i think hes brilliant yes
though not a brilliant footballer yet.
as far as entertainment goes hes the new little.
and i just love his attitude etc.

i overplay the praise because i just think the guy deserves credit for the near infinite improvement weve seen since we first saw him play, when admittedly everyone must have been thinking , what the oxf*rd has coppell bought here?
and i thought the criticisms leveld at him previously in the thread showed signs of blinkered vision
in that his workrate, tracking back, tackling, crossing, dribbling and decision making have all showed real signs of improvement too, its not just his pace anymore.
that said, ive stopped backing him to score now though, cos i seriously think he could go all year without netting once

[79Royal]

Agree completely with AP on Kebe. Awful at Forest but improves with every game. Warrants his place in the first team.

Interesting what you say about Ingi though. I've thought all season he's been one of our best players consistently, second only to Doyle. I haven't watched him closely though. What's changed?

[FiNeRaIn]

He's like rougier, does some great things and some rubbish things, we need to accept what he is.
He installs fear and can destroy a defence in minutes, this is why he is effective.
I have no problems with him being our right winger for the season as he can pull off a bit of magic that changes a game, although, equally, he can complete fanny something simple up and look a clown.
Just accept him for what he is.

[Alan Partridge]

Agree completely with AP on Kebe. Awful at Forest but improves with every game. Warrants his place in the first team.

Interesting what you say about Ingi though. I've thought all season he's been one of our best players consistently, second only to Doyle. I haven't watched him closely though. What's changed?

Watch Ivar a bit more closely (maybe not against Saints because I think Reading will win easy) but maybe against better opposition closely next time. I thought Ivar looked awful early doors, improved a bit recently but still wa off. I thought we was one of our poorer players in the last couple of home games. More his judgement than anything. He's never had that much pace but his reading of the game and judgement of when to win headers, when to make tackles and when to just back off etc have been a feature of Ivar's 'steady' game. A consistant performer that gets the basics right, that's all he needs to do. I have just found this season that his judgement hasn't been quite what it was. Summed upp by his year or two of never gettng booked was because he never did anything stupid and his decision making was so good.

I have literally lost count of the times he's gone up for headers he can't win this season, the attacker has got the flick on and Bikey or AN Other have bailed him out a bit. I just think he's been a bit off the pace. I still think he's been brilliant for Reading though and is still in my top 3 of the current players.

[Archie's penalty]

Agree completely with AP on Kebe. Awful at Forest but improves with every game. Warrants his place in the first team.

Interesting what you say about Ingi though. I've thought all season he's been one of our best players consistently, second only to Doyle. I haven't watched him closely though. What's changed?

Watch Ivar a bit more closely (maybe not against Saints because I think Reading will win easy) but maybe against better opposition closely next time. I thought Ivar looked awful early doors, improved a bit recently but still wa off. I thought we was one of our poorer players in the last couple of home games. More his judgement than anything. He's never had that much pace but his reading of the game and judgement of when to win headers, when to make tackles and when to just back off etc have been a feature of Ivar's 'steady' game. A consistant performer that gets the basics right, that's all he needs to do. I have just found this season that his judgement hasn't been quite what it was. Summed upp by his year or two of never gettng booked was because he never did anything stupid and his decision making was so good.

I have literally lost count of the times he's gone up for headers he can't win this season, the attacker has got the flick on and Bikey or AN Other have bailed him out a bit. I just think he's been a bit off the pace. I still think he's been brilliant for Reading though and is still in my top 3 of the current players.

Would you replace him then? If so, when and who with?

[Deadlock]

Duberry should be fit soon. Longer term maybe Pearce.

[Royal Rother]

Saints fans like Pearce.

http://www.saintsweb.co.uk/forum/showth ... lex+Pearce

[brendywendy]

good ploy taking him back now, leaving them with two Cbs whove not played together for a few weeks!

[St Pauli]

Why was the support so much better in Bristol then at Brammall lane? Obviously numbers and acoustics play a role, but I don't see how it makes THAT much difference? Anyone got a guess for this?

The train to Sheffield is considerably more expensive and more stressful then that to Bristol.The numbers using this form of transport compared with cars is far smaller. The majority of people are likely to have driven to Sheffield and as a result could not have more then a pint. Compare that to Bristol, where a far high proportion of people got the train and could drink considerable amounts.

Public transports + medium to short distance + beers = good atmosphere

cars + long distance + beer = morgue

I see your point, but 2 years back when we played United and beat them 2:1 it was a cracking day out, much better then last saturday. Obviously we'd take more in the premiership but how many of them would actually join in and sing if they hadnt been to Reading before being in the premiership?

[winchester_royal]

But Strapon thinks Kebe can't play football.
I'm confused.

I do not think that, I know it, as would anyone with an ounce of footballing sense.

My credentials for saying that may well be suspect, only having watched football for 40 odd years, but Mick Gooding seem holds a similar view, and I wouldn't argue with him.

When Kebe learns how to pass, or tackle, or trap a ball, or shoot, or mark, or track back, or cross or head the ball, to go with his Mr Woo skills, I might beginb to change my mind. Until then, when I want to see tricks I'll go to my local park and watch them for free.

There is a very good reason he was out on loan playing second division French football when we signed him for £400k (they MUST have seen us coming!) - it's because he's not a footballer.

You're a tool.

[Royal Rother]

As Arch put it once, the guy's a certifiable nut job, and long may it continue.

Posted after the Forest game:

I see, literally, nothing to be optimistic about.

I predict boos and Madejski out chants within weeks and have, again, backed Reading to be relegated as the 40/1 on offer seems very generous to me.

Seems there's at least 4 of us who can see tyhrough the bullshit spouted my Mr Ego, Sir Steve and Wally Hammond then! Schards#s, AP, Floyd and myself. Would hazard a guess we're a little older than many of the RTG's currently spouting on about how we're certs for promotion!! What a laugh!! Actually it's not in the least bit funny. Mickey Mouse FC run by disinterested and tired management who would all rather be doing something else.

Move over if you don't have the stomach or balls for the fight ahead.

etc. etc. etc....

[Rev Algenon Stickleback H]

I see, literally, nothing to be optimistic about...and have, again, backed Reading to be relegated as the 40/1 on offer seems very generous to me.

No doubt he invested the rest of his money in a load of very generously priced HBOS shares at the same time.

[juanpablo]

As Arch put it once, the guy's a certifiable nut job, and long may it continue.

Posted after the Forest game:

I see, literally, nothing to be optimistic about.

I predict boos and Madejski out chants within weeks and have, again, backed Reading to be relegated as the 40/1 on offer seems very generous to me.

Seems there's at least 4 of us who can see tyhrough the bullshit spouted my Mr Ego, Sir Steve and Wally Hammond then! Schards#s, AP, Floyd and myself. Would hazard a guess we're a little older than many of the RTG's currently spouting on about how we're certs for promotion!! What a laugh!! Actually it's not in the least bit funny. Mickey Mouse FC run by disinterested and tired management who would all rather be doing something else.

Move over if you don't have the stomach or balls for the fight ahead.

etc. etc. etc....

wow just wow

[winchester_royal]

I see, literally, nothing to be optimistic about...and have, again, backed Reading to be relegated as the 40/1 on offer seems very generous to me.

No doubt he invested the rest of his money in a load of very generously priced HBOS shares at the same time.

I just cannot believe anyone would actually bet on their own club to go down, regardless of the odds.

[S09Royal]

I know someone will probably state the obvious, but why do other fans refer to ReadingFC as a Mickey Mouse Club?

[Dirk Gently]

I know someone will probably state the obvious, but why do other fans refer to ReadingFC as a Mickey Mouse Club?

Because they believe that the only way to get success in football is by throwing lots of money at it.

[S09Royal]

I know someone will probably state the obvious, but why do other fans refer to ReadingFC as a Mickey Mouse Club?

Because they believe that the only way to get success in football is by throwing lots of money at it.

Ohh, but it hardly makes sense. The club isn't made of money and we haven't spent jaw-dropping amounts on players.
If i were them, i'd be calling any of the big 4 a 'Mickey Mouse Club.' + ALOL at other fans.