Really back from the game/pub

[FiNeRaIn]

It was just an all round fail post from 1871royals. Full of wrongs.

[Compo's Hat]

LOL at the idiots who were defending Rodgers for the substitutions he made, i've paid for my right to tell that clown what i think and i bloody well will, don't like it, tough! Church creating chances even if he wasn't hitting the back of the net and gets taken off for 'Reading's No.9' who i've never seen create that many chances in any game he's started in. Taking The Sig off when there were two worse midfielders in Howard and McAnuff was a joke too and Kebe has actually looked far more dangerous in our previous couple of terrible performances.

The manager has spent nearly £3 million on players, none of whom have set the place on fire so no excuse now as far as i'm concerned. Marek hasn't seen a game for six odd weeks and while he did misplace some passes (just like everyone else did), he also opened up the Leicester defence. Mills doesn't win enough headers for my liking and should be more composed for someone who cost £2 million. Nice to finally see Rodgers going two up front at home although he needs to bring in someone on loan, Leicester have with there scorer from Sunderland tonight and yet we can't beat a side who weren't very good still. I could go on but i must get some sleep in.

Relegation is on the horizon for those of you who think patience will bear fruits and he's got two games to find a win if you want him to stay and annoy me some more until i go i told you so. Ipswich may well be D-Day!

[Rex]

I totally agree with that Compo. The only plus side to that game was the composure of the team lasted longer that the standard 20 mins we have been experiencing. The composure in front of the opositions goal needs badly addressing though. The cute shot looks great if it comes off but sometimes a good old fashioned welly AT the goal AND ON TARGET (please take note S Long) could work wonders for the support. Holding our breath and willing a ball over the line doesn't work.

The mental fragility is so painfully obvious it hurts.

[The whole year inn]

It was just an all round fail post from 1871royals. Full of wrongs.

It;s obviously daft to the majority of people but maybe that is how our manager thinks?

Why else would Marek not be getting games whilst perfectly fit and healthy?

The same reason he leaves Rasiak on the pitch in favour of Church and never drops Brian Howard

It's obvious he is seeing something the rest of us aint - I just dont buy that he is stupid as this. He cant be

[holsgrove breaks a leg]

It was just an all round fail post from 1871royals. Full of wrongs.

It;s obviously daft to the majority of people but maybe that is how our manager thinks?

Why else would Marek not be getting games whilst perfectly fit and healthy?

The same reason he leaves Rasiak on the pitch in favour of Church and never drops Brian Howard

It's obvious he is seeing something the rest of us aint - I just dont buy that he is stupid as this. He cant be

There are so many random based decisions that rodgers makes regarding his first eleven that it can only cloud a fans perspective of his abilities. Its fair enough rotating the squad if we have strength in depth and have identified key players in the starting eleven but given our new squad this is an accident waiting to happen. Pearce having had a 'rest' is back in the fold again,and Rodgers is still never quite sure whether to stick with both Marek or Siggurdson either. No one and i mean fans and players alike can confidently say what the lineup will be on saturday and the results will simply continue now that players have lost that mental toughness when things go against you. To be honest you cant blame the players if they are not certain what their role is in the team.

[The whole year inn]

I just dont buy that he is stupid

[marcusopp]

I hate Rodgers. He's a total cock, claiming that we were robbed. I saw Feds make at least 2 saves one on one. We are great at dicking around with it in midfield, but our impotent strike force is too easy to defend against, and our fragile defence is all too easy to open up.
At least we won't be playing wycombe next year as they're gash too!

[Barry the bird boggler]

Wouldn't have scored if we played all night. While a much better performance it was still the standard good first half followed by a poor second against average opposition who we would have chewed up and spat out this time last year.

Our strikers plainly are just not good enough and there is nothing in reserve to make a difference; Kebe and Long as game changers...!!

Matejovsky looked class for about 30 minues then became the usual out of his depth foul machine, I still do not understand why Duck gets near the first team and why does Sigurdsson keep getting wing roles?

All that said I am not blaming the manager, he did all that could be expected given what was available, if you want the culprit then look no further than the top of the tree.

The sooner some mug buys this club the better.

Not looking forward to trips to Notts County, Bournemouth, Rochdale and Dagenham next season.

[Ryn]

Had time to think about things last night and this is what I saw.

No movement from the side. At all. Leicester did a good job of shutting us down, with no running from the players Marek was caught in possession time and again with no-one to lay it off to. The times when there was someone to pass it to, it was a centre back or Jay Tabb. That is why Marek gives the ball away so much, he has no support from Frankie Howerd, Jobi HadEnuff et al.

Same old pattern all the way through the game, we make the tackle and win possession, then piss it about in the midfield with no outlet, pass it back to the defence again, then hoof it forward to lose possession. I'm sick of it.

Leicester were piss poor last night, opitimised by the amount of chances this bottom three side managed to create against them. Nearly everything good came off the boot of Matejovsky last night, yet our painfully slow defence was letting themselves be closed down and then lumping the ball forward over the midfield.

In the second half Marek was winning half of our balls in his own half because the rest of our team couldn't do it, meaning he couldn't get forward to support the front line. I feel sorry for him I really do, he's miles better than anything else we have but he's not even guaranteed a start week on week. He was the only player not blowing out of his arse after 70 minutes.

AFed - 7 - At least two good saves, can't blame him for the goal, met expectations last night.
Tabb - 7 - Out of position but worked hard, torn in half for the goal, there's no way a man that small should be marking the back post.
Mills - 5 - Slow and shit. Likes a hoof. Struggled to cope with Fryatt.
Pearce - 5 - See Mills. No mobility, well out of his depth when a rather impotent DJ Cambell came on.
Bertrand - 6 - Alright defensively, put in a few good tackles and recycled the ball well in the first half, quiet 2nd half. Poor going forward.
McAnuff - 6 - Had some flashes of good stuff in the first half, got a few balls in the box, went quiet 2nd half
Howard - 5 - Usual anonymous performance. Forgot he was on the pitch.
Matejovsky -9 - A diamond in the dirt. Some lovely through balls for Church and Rasiak. Worked hard and put the tackles in. A joy.
Sig - 7- Worked hard but out of position and wasted on the wing. Should be in the middle with Matejovsky. Good set pieces.
Church - 5- Mince. Good running but he couldn't finish his dinner that kid. Spurned chance after chance, couldn't even hit the target.
Rasiak - 6- Less woeful than previous appearances. Still can't get off the floor but did well when the ball was played to his feet. Should have scored.

Long - 5- Dump.
Kebe - 6- Got some crosses in, that banana shot was appalling.

This team needs fitness training, shooting practice and set piece work. We've won a huge amount of corners this season so far but have failed to capitalise on all but a few. Likewise free kicks.

Rodgers needs to encourage more movement and support on the pitch for the player in possession. We tore Leicester a new arsehole the first half by playing the ball through them, someone who can tuck the ball away is badly needed to capitalise on these chances.

Overall I was encouraged and discouraged at the same time. Encouraged that we showed signs of promised, discouraged that we spurned so many chances.

[Einstein agogo]

MM gave the best midfield display by a Reading player tonight since Sidwell left.

Church's movement is excellent and he played very well in all but the most vital aspect of the game.

Anyone still wanting Rodgers out after that performance is either blind or stupid. And what a great interview he gave Sky. Top man.

totally agree
Church is better than long by miles , his movement is great , ability to lose marker , never OFFside. he will score if he keeps playing , he needs to improve his strength and , obviously , learn to hit the target.

we were better than leicester , they are 5th. i think we have enough ability to get to 7/8th position. just hope BWM has a more consistant selection policy..

[Barry the bird boggler]

Federici - 7, good
Tabb - 7, out of position but looked comfortable
Pearce - 6, slow and cumbersome and likely to be replaced by Ingimarsson on Saturday
Mills - 8, probably the best of the player son the night, could've scored and should of if he was a striker - oh I forgot he's our leading scorer
Bertrand - 7, competent
Muffin - 7, good first half but faded
Matejovsky - 7, best game I've seen for a while from him but in the second started to look out of his depth again
the Duck - 6, Why?
Sigurdsson - 7, out of position but still looked bright
Church - 7, got into good positions but if that's the standard of his finishing we're in trouble
Rasiak - 7, good target man but looks too awkward, Spurs spent 3m on him!

Kebe - 6, a couple of crosses but generally the usual flattering to deceive
Long - 5, oh dear

[rhroyal]

If he's found a team that plays well together and only needs to find the finishing touches, he HAS to name an unchanged team for Coventry. Unless he gets Cox or a right back in on loan, maybe a change would be allowed there. Certainly not 4 or 5 changes though.

[papereyes]

Fitness was not remotely an issue tonight - we just couldn't hit a barn door.

Actually, I thought it was as we really faded in the last 20 minutes and, having built up a head of steam, let it just fizzle out. Also, both crosses across the face of goal - where was the nearest midfielder attacking the penalty area, let alone the six yard box? That's down to a mixture of fitness and awareness - one of the two has to be involved there.

My prediction was that Leicester would hit us on the break in the last 10 and they very nearly got that second.

It was also predictable that our substitutions would have absolutely no effect. How many pies has Shane Long had. Wobbly little fecker.

Anyway. I'm almost glad I can't watch many games as that was genuinely frustrating. A lot of tidy play, slowly fashioning a chance and then one of the players gives away possession cheaply and Leicester get enough time to reset.

Oh, and who was on the back stick?

'cause they should be taken out and tied to it this morning.
We'd still miss, mind.

[Barry the bird boggler]

If he's found a team that plays well together and only needs to find the finishing touches, he HAS to name an unchanged team for Coventry. Unless he gets Cox or a right back in on loan, maybe a change would be allowed there. Certainly not 4 or 5 changes though.

I would actually agree with that to some degree and would expect to see only one change with Ingimarsson in for Pearce.

Hopefully Tabb will have blinder against his old club but can't help feeling right back is not the best place for him - but then having him there is more comfortable than Cummings being on the pitch.

[Norfolk Royal]

Few thoughts if I may.

For all Rodgers reputation the holes in our team are pretty glaring.

We're playing two centre backs with no pace whatsoever. Pearce is stiffer than a trouser press.

We need a quick centre back, you can't play with two slow coaches.

If the centre backs are both slow they need protection, a player like Karacan playing in front of the back four.

We haven't got a right back. Get one.

Stop changing half the team every game. Just change one or two players and use substitutes more cleverly.

Oh, and we need someone who can score goals. That is where the failure to sign Tommy Smith is hurting us, and will continue to hurt us until we sign somebody with a real attacking threat.

[Schards#2]

A better performance in as much as it was only poor as opposed appalling. To listen to Rodgers, you get the impression that one game where we lost but possibly didn't deserve to, means we've turned a corner and everything is fine - is isn't.

Hunt is the only striker with any hope of getting 10 this season and I wouldn't bet on that either. We need to get a striker in on loan or we aren't going to score many goals, simple as that. In the meantime, the team yesterday did some things right, that's a start so for gods sake stick with the same line up and formation. Who knows, we may improve yet further and score a goal or, whisper it, get a point.

First half yesterday was the best i've seen since the first half at Peterborough. In both games Marek and Sigudsson started. Marek is so much more talented than the rest of the squad it's untrue, to think of the dross like Cisse and gunarsson who have been starting ahead of him really does make you question the managers competance.

So, same team Saturday, if we can win by Blackpool at home, sadly, Rodgers will have to go. Finally, well done the crowd, 95% kept with the team the full 90 minutes and, in the circumstances, the club, manager and players can have no complaints, right now they don't really deserve it.

[Harpers So Solid Crew]

reading this thread it appears to me that Marek is having similar problems to Harper last season, rarely anywhere to play passes other than sideways or backwards, would this be right? If so it would seem that the players need to work on making themselves available more.

[The Real Sandhurst Royal]

When will Rodgers learn we are not a Chelsea or Man Utd who can play twenty / thirty passes and then create a chance?

We are given free kicks in the opposition half we take it short we pass it backwards and sideways and then it goes to the keeper who punts its up field and we loose it great tactics.

Take the free kick and punt it in the oppositions box and practice picking up the second ball it may be ugly but it works.

[Ryn]

reading this thread it appears to me that Marek is having similar problems to Harper last season, rarely anywhere to play passes other than sideways or backwards, would this be right? If so it would seem that the players need to work on making themselves available more.

That is my opinion, though not perhaps matched by others.

[PieEater]

My thoughts.

I thought we were doomed as soon as I saw the teamsheet.
- we play three creative midfielders and have 3 defensive on the bench
- we play the totally talentless Pearce instead of O'Dea or Cisse
- we play a midfielder at left back, who admitted did OK except for the goal.

Positives were Marek and Rasiak, yes despite him being a lump that's not too good in the air at least he is an outlet and looks our most likely chance of scoring. IF he had half the chances that Church had we'd of won. He was bought to solve our goal drought so needs a run in the team.

Negatives, Pearce - I don't rate him at all. Church - how many chances does he need? Get some shooting practice mate, not one even tested the keeper.