Did Sir Steve Get It Wrong Tonight?

[Alan Partridge]

Gunnarsson was brilliant - absolutely 100% agreed. I think he's a quality player.

Sdiwell's contribution shouldn't be overlooked he was immense AGAIN. He's been one of our best players this season whether you like him or not. The constant Sidwell bashing because he won't sign a 10 year deal here is as tiresome as Spacey's French hatred.

God knows where we would be in this league without Sidwell this season.

[Quagmire]

For me it wasn't just the 5-3-2 formation which caused us problems at the start, the main issue appeared to be that we lined up to mark man for man our defenders against their attackers. Therefore when Park switched to their left side, Shorey went with him and ended up in the right back/right wing position with the spare CB having to fill in at left back. The same with DLC and Richardson with DLC appearing in centre midfield. This happened again and again when their forwards moved out to the flanks, a CB would follow them and leave space in the centre for the runner from midfield.

We seem to normally mark zones, Shorey or DLC will sit in the fall back position and pick up the closet player. Our defenders obviously lost track of who was where and Utd soon cottoned on by continually switching their forward players creating space in the defence. As Coppell said after, he over played the tactics at the start tonight.

As soon as we switched to the normal marking (along with a 4-4-2) it was a different game. Still all in all, a great game, Bikey man of the match for me with Kitson showing the different option he provides up front.

[comeonthebiscuitmen]

I've taped the match and I'll watch it again tomorrow but I have to say they all played their hearts out tonight.
Feel sorry for Federici but agree with Murts - we wouldn't have been in a replay if it wasn't for his Old Trafford performance.
Even Seol who is far off his early season form to say the least was having a go.

Certain people like to slag off Oster. The lad played really well. Turned a multi million pound defence inside out.
I'm sure Don Finch thinks his finishing on saturday was shite as well.

[When Hicks went up...]

For me it wasn't just the 5-3-2 formation which caused us problems at the start

It wasn't for me either. It was the 5-4-1. I've decided that I was in a stadium with 19800 blind Reading fans.

[M U R T Y]

seol and hopfully oster.

Amen, can't believe people on here waxing lyrical about Oster - you must be having a laugh, he gave the ball away evrytime he got it. I sometimes wonder if I've been watching the same game as others when I read some reports on here. He was shoite at OT, even worse tonight.

Great comeback, all credit to the players on the park, you always get the feeling we are capapble of doing such a come back. If Boris' shot woul have gone in there woul have been no wrok for me tomorrow as my head would have fallen off. Fair play reading, we made a game of it.

You must have been watching a different game then. Oster is a very intelligent footballer, and played very well tonight

[When Hicks went up...]

seol and hopfully oster.

Amen, can't believe people on here waxing lyrical about Oster - you must be having a laugh, he gave the ball away evrytime he got it. I sometimes wonder if I've been watching the same game as others when I read some reports on here. He was shoite at OT, even worse tonight.

Great comeback, all credit to the players on the park, you always get the feeling we are capapble of doing such a come back. If Boris' shot woul have gone in there woul have been no wrok for me tomorrow as my head would have fallen off. Fair play reading, we made a game of it.

Who passed the ball to Boris?

[bigmike]

Gunnarsson = Man of the match

Seol has to be one of the worst players to put on a Reading shirt in my opinion.. The turning point of the game was when he went off and Little came on.

I have to say that without the first 5- 10 minutes we were the better team.. We can be proud of the way we finished.

I would have like to see Hunt and Little start.

My dad watched the game on bbc scotland and it was his opinion that Reading are one of the best teams he has ever watched. This coming from someone who has watched teams like Man Utd prior to the Munich disaster, Celtic in 1967 and various other great teams is a very big compliment.

[Don Finch]

I'm sure Don Finch thinks his finishing on saturday was shite as well.

Don't be ridiculous. By that logic, every player is brilliant because they did something good at some point in their career. I'm sure 'Joe Bloggs' thinks Seol's finishing at West Ham was shite too - what a load of crap. Oster's decent enough but not god enough to mix it with the big boys. Bryn and Sidwell were brilliant once more and if you think Oster was better than them I'm guessing you've never played the game before.

[Alan Partridge]

Gunnarsson = Man of the match

Seol has to be one of the worst players to put on a Reading shirt in my opinion.. The turning point of the game was when he went off and Little came on.

I have to say that without the first 5- 10 minutes we were the better team.. We can be proud of the way we finished.

I would have like to see Hunt and Little start.

My dad watched the game on bbc scotland and it was his opinion that Reading are one of the best teams he has ever watched. This coming from someone who has watched teams like Man Utd prior to the Munich disaster, Celtic in 1967 and various other great teams is a very big compliment.

Obviously been going since 2005 then.

[Woodcote Royal]

Gunnarsson was brilliant - absolutely 100% agreed. I think he's a quality player.

Sdiwell's contribution shouldn't be overlooked he was immense AGAIN. He's been one of our best players this season whether you like him or not. The constant Sidwell bashing because he won't sign a 10 year deal here is as tiresome as Spacey's French hatred.

God knows where we would be in this league without Sidwell this season.

I don't hate Sidwell, I'm just not 3 metres up his @rse like so many on here

Gunnarsson is well past 30, never gets mentioned in the same breath as greedy bollox and yet has out-performed him in his last 2 games, which happen to have been against one of the best sides in the world.

The constant brown-nosing of Steve Sidwell by the usual suspects, in the faint hope that he won't sign for the highest bidder this summer (even if this means playing first team football once in a blue moon) grows more tiresome by the day.

Exercise One

Look at Gunnarsson's performance tonight, compare it with Sidwell's and decide which one is worth 25k a week.

[Alan Partridge]

Gunnarsson was brilliant - absolutely 100% agreed. I think he's a quality player.

Sdiwell's contribution shouldn't be overlooked he was immense AGAIN. He's been one of our best players this season whether you like him or not. The constant Sidwell bashing because he won't sign a 10 year deal here is as tiresome as Spacey's French hatred.

God knows where we would be in this league without Sidwell this season.

I don't hate Sidwell, I'm just not 3 metres up his @rse like so many on here

Gunnarsson is well past 30, never gets mentioned in the same breath as greedy bollox and yet has out-performed him in his last 2 games, which happen to have been against one of the best sides in the world.

The constant brown-nosing of Steve Sidwell by the usual suspects, in the faint hope that he won't sign for the highest bidder this summer (even if this means playing first team football once in a blue moon) grows more tiresome by the day.

Exercise One

Look at Gunnarsson's performance tonight, compare it with Sidwell's and decide which one is worth 25k a week.

They were both equally superb tonight. Sidwell's shooting let him down other than that he was absolutely everywhere. Why not play the pair of them and leave the Crab out?

I don't see anyone 'up Sidwell's arse' or are we only allowed to praise certain players? Or recognise that Sidwell has been one of our top players this season...or can we not do that because really he's over rated?

The lad has been absolutely brilliant for us this season, it's the first time he's really warranted the praise he's had down the years.

[Woodcote Royal]

I'm not saying he's played badly but he isn't worth any more than the rest of our top performers and Gunnarsson's 2 games against Man U illustrate perfectly just how over-rated Sidwell is.

[bigmike]

Gunnarsson = Man of the match

Seol has to be one of the worst players to put on a Reading shirt in my opinion.. The turning point of the game was when he went off and Little came on.

I have to say that without the first 5- 10 minutes we were the better team.. We can be proud of the way we finished.

I would have like to see Hunt and Little start.

My dad watched the game on bbc scotland and it was his opinion that Reading are one of the best teams he has ever watched. This coming from someone who has watched teams like Man Utd prior to the Munich disaster, Celtic in 1967 and various other great teams is a very big compliment.

Obviously been going since 2005 then.

Nope but nice try... You might have noticed I said ONE of the worst players not the worst ...

[Alan Partridge]

Gunnarsson = Man of the match

Seol has to be one of the worst players to put on a Reading shirt in my opinion.. The turning point of the game was when he went off and Little came on.

I have to say that without the first 5- 10 minutes we were the better team.. We can be proud of the way we finished.

I would have like to see Hunt and Little start.

My dad watched the game on bbc scotland and it was his opinion that Reading are one of the best teams he has ever watched. This coming from someone who has watched teams like Man Utd prior to the Munich disaster, Celtic in 1967 and various other great teams is a very big compliment.

Obviously been going since 2005 then.

Nope but nice try... You might have noticed I said ONE of the worst players not the worst ...

Still not even close. 136 years of kicking around the lower leagues and Seol is 'one of the worst.

L
O
L

[bigmike]

Gunnarsson = Man of the match

Seol has to be one of the worst players to put on a Reading shirt in my opinion.. The turning point of the game was when he went off and Little came on.

I have to say that without the first 5- 10 minutes we were the better team.. We can be proud of the way we finished.

I would have like to see Hunt and Little start.

My dad watched the game on bbc scotland and it was his opinion that Reading are one of the best teams he has ever watched. This coming from someone who has watched teams like Man Utd prior to the Munich disaster, Celtic in 1967 and various other great teams is a very big compliment.

Obviously been going since 2005 then.

Nope but nice try... You might have noticed I said ONE of the worst players not the worst ...

Still not even close. 136 years of kicking around the lower leagues and Seol is 'one of the worst.

L
O
L

Ok Lets quote what i said again shall we...

Seol has to be one of the worst players to put on a Reading shirt in my opinion

Being that I am 30 and no 136 years old I cannot comment on the players that played before my knowledge... Also it was my opinion.

The clue was in the bit you decided not to highlight.

Also its 135 years sorry to be a pedant.

[royalsteve]

Oyster was MOTM2 behind Boris. Oyster was absolutely on FIRE tonight.

No, Oster played well but sometimes tried too much, dwelled on the ball and lost it, but he was very good tonight......for without doubt MOTM goes to Gunnarsson - awesome display and best in a Reading shirt to date.....certainly after we reverted to 4-4-2

Bikke and the rest of the defence - did we have any- had a non existent first 15 mins......Federici had a bad game during this period too but still made some good saves after that period.....will learn alot from this game me thinks as he is a good keeper.

Federici - 6 fault for first but perhaps a bit unsighted, no fault for 2nd/3rd though

Bikke - 6 - shocking first half, brilliant 2nd half - is he jekyl and Hyde - maybe one for the future, still lots to learn - superb tackle on Shrek in 2nd! got better as game went on

De La Cruz - 7 bar first 15 mins played well

Inge - 5 not his best game, not his usual assured self

Shorey - 6 - played well, good crosses

Sidwell - 6 - seemed to be asleep for first 15 mins, played better as game went on

Oster - 7 - Lots of running, played well

Gunnarsson - 9 - MOTM - awesome display - Soel needs to learn whaty passion is from this man fast. Inches away from last gasp equaliser

Kitson - 8 - Tireless, won almost every header that came his way. Deserved goal

Doyle - 5 - Did as best he could just coming back from injury - didnt quite look 100% match fit

Soel - 1 - Rubbish apart from shot VDS made - no passion or commitment, but i didnt boo him when he went off and ive always defended him in debates with friends but after tonight NO excuses - pathetic display - sort it out Soel - you CAN do better - are you another wasted talent - prove us WRONG!!

Little - 8 - brilliant - apart from first 2 passes!! does that ball stick to his feet or what....!!!!

Lita - 8 - played well....touch sometimes let himself down.

[RFCMod]

Lita deserved to start, Doyle did not look ready, Seol had a good shot, but Little looked better when he came on, they were there to be taken, and TBH it is rare I would say that against such a team.

Excellent from Oster again, and Gunnarsson, less so from Bikey and de La Cruz

You must be joking
Bikey was MOTM in my eyes and De la never stopped having a go right up till the end

Summed it up for me when one of the stay away glory knobs was sitting on the bus on the way back and announced "well if Reading play like that next season they're dead certs for relegation"

Look at the team sheet cock,we all forget how we laughed when we play our reserves against Man Utd and get a draw,all of a sudden we get done fair and square and our resreve side suddenly finds themselves being labelled as the demise of RFC

Likewise the guy who sat there and said to a fellow passenger "Well yes I have a season ticket but don't come that often"
Fellow passenger "Why do you work Saturdays"
The guy " No I just don't fancy most of the games just the ones which involve the big clubs"

Hats off to Coppell the only man to have any balls at RFC for years and do what he sees fit and just gets on with it unlike all the other trumpet blowing Prem prima donna managers

[Platypuss]

I agree with Stranded when it comes to Bikey, the last hour he was immense, and fair play to him, didn't think he had it in him.

You mean when Man U didn't really bother attacking as they (correctly) thought they had the game won?

[Royal Fleet]

I think the problem with Seol is not his play, which is sporadically very good (see the Shot VDS turned round the post), but we are 3-0 nil, the rest of the team are playing like theirs lives depended on it, and he seems to amble about, duck out of tackles and lack any sense of urgency.

Reading fans are on whole pretty tolerant, especially at the moment, because most of us remember the bad old days, but lack of application is unforgivable.

[79Royal]

Bikey MOTM?? He was partly at fault for two goals! He just ambled across the pitch for the first, when he should have been busting a gut to get a block on it and Saha was his man, not DLC's and he just ball watched. He's still young and will learn and I'd like to see him get a contract, but he was not MOTM last night.

Gunnarsson played well although he was at fault for the thrid goal. Sidwell was our driving force for a lot of the game. But IMHO, MOTM should go to Oster, who was equally good on both sides of the pitch and didn't give the ball away as much as some people are saying on here.

Federici should have done better for the first two goals. Saha is left footed, so there was only one place he was going to strike that ball.

Anyone who thinks Harper should be dropped in favour of Gunnarsson should spend the next home game concentrating on Harps. Then you'll see how much work he puts in every game and how he acts as a buffer for the defence. His job is to break up play and find the simple ball. Every good team has got a player like him. He's an unsung hero.