Back from the game - WBA (a)

[Sarah Star]

I just wish the team looked fitter and tougher.

[working class hero]

Highlight of the day was the chant of 'How shit must you be it's only 2-1'

[Sarah Star]

I also enjoyed the guy who sang a solo "There's only 4 of you singing" to the West Brom supporters.

[Ian Royal]

Well, that was yet more absolute crud from Reading with the usual familiar failings:

- yet another perplexing team selection.
- a lead lost for the fourth time this season.
- our only chance of scoring a goal coming from a set piece.
- opposition keeper fails to get his gloves dirty.
- poor mistakes cost us goals.


Make no mistake, this Reading team absolutely have it in them to be relegated this season. Astonishingly poor play for the first and second WBA goals; from our corner ball cleared, Karacan fails to win a key tackle in the middle of the park and for reasons best known to himself our goalkeeper is forty yeards out of his goal and the ball is walked into the net and then in a nothing second half the painfully slow Cisse is caught in possession and the ball ends up in the back of our net thanks to a simple through ball.

Special mentions to Cummings and Howard who were particularly dire today; Cummings was given an absolute chasing by their left winger, it was almost cruel on such a poor footballer. Federici fails to convince to be absolutely honest and Mills once again showed that you don't get much for your seven figure transfer fee these days. One positive is that the wingers gave WBA plenty of problems throughout, but in all honesty when you have mediocrity like NHunt, Long and Rasiak in your forward line you are never going to score too many goals.

Still, at least we're a well run club.

Fed trying to get to that awful ball from McAnuff. Presumably having been stood just outside his area, like all keepers do for attacking corners.

[Ian Royal]

Well, where to start?
Really good start, we were completely on top, but once again faded, sat back, McAnuff really should have put us two up.

Feds: Solid, made some really good saves, but for their third poorly positioned, far too far off his line. For their first he was horrendously sold short, though not his fault. 7
Cummings: Shit, worse than Rosenior, should never be allowed to play football ever again. Never got near Jerome Thomas. -1
Mills: Good, finally match fit, took his goal well, maybe he should stop scoring the first goal, seeing as we always seem to lose! 7
Ivar: Not too bad, but not quick enough sometimes, lucky not to get a card for the foul on Luke Moore in the first half. 6
Bertrand: Another good run-out, didn't do anything wrong in the time he was on, hope his concussion isn't that bad. 6
Kebe: Drifted in and out of the game, flashes of brilliance, then moments of pure madness, sometimes he can brilliantly control the ball, run past his man, but then will cut in, or will run the ball so far ahead of himself the defender picks it up! 5
Howard: Assist for the goal. Didn't anything else apart from fluff his lines in front of goal right at the end. Is he really better than Harper? 5
Karacan: Fantastic work rate, seemed to be one of the only few that put their all into their performance, going to get better and better. 7
Cisse: Don't think he put a foot wrong all game, a very good performance, put his foot in everywhere, rushed, harried, was everywhere. My MOM. 8
McAnuff: Should have scored to put us two up, then proceeded to sell Feds short for their first goal. Ran fairly well, created some problems for their right back, but not enough. 5
Hunt: Hopelessly under-serviced today, ran, jumped (much higher than Olsson at some points) and tried to get the ball, but needs someone to help him. 6

Subs:
Long: Tried hard, few bright moments, not really long enough on.
Rasaik: He's a tall bugger, got a few headers, seems to work well with Long, but he's no impact sub!
O'Dea: Solid, but he's no left-back.

Rodgers: I'm still happy to give him time, you've got to.
Fans: Half of the 9 out of 10, the other half can f*ck off and never ever come back, leaving before the end, in such great numbers is DISGRACEFULNESS, you should all be ashamed of yourselves.

Interesting all the slating Cummings is getting. He's looked fairly promising in a couple of the games I've seen him. Not brilliant defensively admittedly, but then he's been massively isolated each time too. Be interested to get another look at him on tuesday. Maybe it's just because of how much I hated Rosenior.

Surprised to see Cisse getting a really good write up. Only heard his name mentioned twice one the radio.

[Kitson12]

Ian Royal, I really (and I think quite a few other Reading fans will think the same) hope he doesn't play on Tuesday.

[Ian Royal]

Ian Royal, I really (and I think quite a few other Reading fans will think the same) hope he doesn't play on Tuesday.

Seeing as we don't really have any other real options and Bertrand & Mills got subbed off with injuries, I don't see any alternative.

[Kitson12]

Whatever happened to Julian Kelly? I'm sure Pearce and O'Dea could also do a job there. IMHO anyone is better than Cummings!

[winchester_royal]

Rodgers: I'm still happy to give him time, you've got to.
Fans: Half of the 9 out of 10, the other half can f*ck off and never ever come back, leaving before the end, in such great numbers is DISGRACEFULNESS, you should all be ashamed of yourselves.

Is that a joke???

If we have no hope of getting back into the match, and by leaving 5 minutes early I'll be able to get back about an hour earlier then I will sodding well do it.

I supported my team as much as I could today, but they were oxf*rd useless since the first WBA win, and I wasn't staying around to applaud them.

I'm sorry, we've performed at lot worse than that away from home in recent seasons, and I've never seen so many fans leave, even so late in the game. Its just disappointing.

I know what you're getting at, and I'm normally one who stays until the end, but when I pay £60+ to go and support my team, I'm not going to be ashamed of myself. Sorry.

[Ian Royal]

Whatever happened to Julian Kelly? I'm sure Pearce and O'Dea could also do a job there. IMHO anyone is better than Cummings!

Ok:
Pearce is slower than me.
Right now we don't know for sure Bertrand or Mills will be fit for Tuesday, so Pearce and O'Dea may well be needed elsewhere.
Kelly was pretty out of his depth last season. I really don't think he'll be better than Cummings. I don't care how poorly he's played today.

[Maguire]

Didn't go to the game, but did catch the goals. Holy mother of jesus what was Federici doing for that first one? Not sure how Rodgers can manage that.

[Kitson12]

Didn't go to the game, but did catch the goals. Holy mother of jesus what was Federici doing for that first one? Not sure how Rodgers can manage that.

Trying to do something about the god-awful backpass from McAnuff.

[FiNeRaIn]

Actually, the backpass from mcanuff was absolutely, ridiculously shite - what an earth are you doing even thinking about passing it back from there you retard? As for federici - piss poor running out that far and missing the backpass, atrocious. Between the two w**kers they should refund the cost of tickets to those reading fans. Federici was crap for the third as well so dellor was right, I was actually in support of him until I saw those goals. New keeper needed please.

[winchester_royal]

Actually, the backpass from mcanuff was absolutely, ridiculously shite - what an earth are you doing even thinking about passing it back from there you retard? As for federici - piss poor running out that far and missing the backpass, atrocious. Between the two w**kers they should refund the cost of tickets to those reading fans. Federici was crap for the third as well so dellor was right, I was actually in support of him until I saw those goals. New keeper needed please.

If you'd been at the game you'd have seen Fed make 4 world class saves to keep us in the game. GK is not our problem.

[FiNeRaIn]

Its not our biggest weakness no - but if you are going to let shots like federici let in against sheff utd, come charging of your line and missing a back pass like today - on top of flapping at crosses and having them volleyed into the back of the net, you need to be replaced. Infact, they were shooting from 40 yards in the end they thought he was such a weakness.

[BenReadingFC]

Panaramic pic of The Hawthorns

[Ian Royal]

Its not our biggest weakness no - but if you are going to let shots like federici let in against sheff utd, come charging of your line and missing a back pass like today - on top of flapping at crosses and having them volleyed into the back of the net, you need to be replaced. Infact, they were shooting from 40 yards in the end they thought he was such a weakness.

Get rid of the stupid pass and there is no first goal.
Compete in the second half and not just capitulate and there is no need for Federici to flap at a cross that shouldn't have been allowed to be put in or a defence that deals with it themselves.

[FiNeRaIn]

Thats not the point, it was put in and it was dealt with poorly. With your logic there is no point having a goalkeeper then because the defence and midfield should be able to retain posession

Federici is not our weakest position - but needs to buck his ideas up. There is no point making 4/5 class saved then dropping one into your own net and throwing it all away.

[North Somerset Royal]

Highlight of the day was the chant of 'How shit must you be it's only 2-1'

I thought that was topped by "How shit must you be we just had a shot" in response to Kebes very weak effort straight into the keepers arms in added time. Another awful performance with inexplicable team selection and tactics and a lack of fitness and commitment on the part of some players. In fact the score flattered us as the Baggies missed at least 3 very good chances whilst as usual we created very little in open play. An excellent pint or three in the Royal Oak was the only consolation.

[Ferris]

I'm not gonna read back through all that, so apologies if this has been said, but for all you Rosenior haters, it speaks volumes that WBA picked Cummings as the weak link and proceeded to rape him, *Cindi Lauper softly begins to play* time after time.

It wasn't his fault, he was/is massively out of his depth, but the fact that Tim Dellor managed to loosen his sweater from around his neck to argue the point for 20 minutes, suggests that the "chosen one" should have seen it coming.

We're in trouble and for the first time, in a long time, there may actually be a goal in a QPR v Reading fixture, and that's what really scares me.

For some inexplicable reason I still wanna go to Loftus on Tuesday, but only if the team look summit like this:


A Fed

Tabb O'Dea Mills Plastic



McAnuff Karacan(or Bryn/Cisse) Siggy Kebe




Rasiak Hunt