Back from the game - Bristol

[floyd__streete]

Well, I wasn't in a particularly good mood at kick off as I had contrived to leave my season ticket in the car so had to jog back down the A33 and only just made my way to my seat as the teams came out. The first twenty minutes hardly helped my mood either; hopeless long balls, misplaced passes and Bristol running rings around us. We should have had a freekick for a foul on Jobi in the build up to their opener, but our defending was quite hopeless - caught out by a ball over the top, Armstrong in no-mans land, Federici indecisive and the rebound headed in for Jon Stead's 1000th career goal against us .

We equalised against the run of play with Jobi's header from Kebe's cross turned onto the post by a brilliant James save but the rebound fell kindly for Jobi. The game-breaker was the joke of a second goal, but from our point of view Long showed good awareness to pick out Hunt (who had a poor game) and despite his best attempts at missing we led 2-1 at half time, undeservedly so.

Bristol fell apart second half and didn't want to know. Leigertwood was breaking up attacks and bossing the midfield, the excellent Long was leading their defence a merry dance and it was no surprise when we went further ahead thanks to a sublime pass from Pearce and a finish of rare composure from Long. The gloss was put on a comfortable second half by that man Long again, holding off a strong challenge and rolling the ball into the corner to complete a superb performancre from him. A marginally flattering result but hugely satisfying all the same. Credit to Federici for taking his Ashes-bashing with good humour. Small-time thinking maybe, but as a Reading fan you really have to enjoy an absolute tonking of Bristol City. 6 more wins needed for survival, if we're looking at doing much more than that then we need a result or two on the road in the two very daunting looking away games that follow. If we keep the ball on the deck and try and play fast, attacking football as we did for the last hour of today's game we at least have half a chance of getting a result at Hull.

[EPR]

First ever lady official in a league game at the MadStad?

Or [probably] not?

[Carlos]

Most one sided first 20 minutes I've ever seen, we looked an absolute shambles. We scored with our only 2 attacks in the first half. Great cross from Jimmy for the first and he drew the foul that led to the 2nd goal. 2nd half what a turnaround, we looked back to our best. Whatever Brian said it obviously worked because we were first to everything with Leigertwood and Karacan bossing the midfield.

Ratings:
A-Fed: 7, one good save but should have been more confident for their goal and his indecision left an easy shot.
Griffin: 8, excellent link up with Jimmy and kept Danny Rose quiet. (saw Stuart Pearce on the way in to the Mad Stad and presume he was watching Rose, he wouldn't have seen much today)
Pearce: 9 What a pass for Long;'s first and very commanding.
Mills: 7. OK game
Armstrong: 6, got skinned in the first half a number of times but improved 2nd half.
Jimmy:7, still not back to his best but clearly on his way back.
Jem & Leigertwood: 7, as with the rest of the team, abject first half but excellent 2nd half with numerous driving runs from midfield.
Jobi: 8, much more threatening than at other times this season and good work for the goal.
Noel: 8, easy tap in but all round play was good. Linked up with Shane well.
Shane: 10. Simply unplayable and if he carries on this way no defence will be able to stop him. Looks on top of his game and is paying back McDermott for his faith in him this season.

[bobbybottler]

i'm not sure that 4-1 was at all flattering Floyd, City were abject in the second half, and they got what they deserved. MOTMs Schlong and Ligs.
Got home to find that we have no electric, it'd better come back on before the cricket resumes.

[floyd__streete]

Got home to find that we have no electric, it'd better come back on before the cricket resumes.

Come round mine, m8 - I am feeling in a generous, sharing mood today.

[Billy The Fish]

First ever lady official in a league game at the MadStad?

Or [probably] not?

Not. First ever lady East Stand lino though?

[bobbybottler]

Got home to find that we have no electric, it'd better come back on before the cricket resumes.

Come round mine, m8 - I am feeling in a generous, sharing mood today.

Lower Earley? That's very kind.

[tomrfcurz]

First ever lady official in a league game at the MadStad?

Or [probably] not?

Not. First ever lady East Stand lino though?

Yep

[Maguire]

Good summary from floyders.

They abasolutely pissed on us for approximately 20 minutes but fell away dramatically in the second half. Didn't think our football was all that good in general but Long played very well and it's a super result all things considered.

[Snowball]

Good summary from floyders. They abasolutely pissed on us for approximately 20 minutes but fell away dramatically in the second half. Didn't think our football was all that good in general but Long played very well and it's a super result all things considered.

McDermott obviously expected their right side to cause us problems, and it DID!

Crazy game, but Brizzle only really had a VG 20 or so and we slaughtered them in the second 45

[Big Foot]

Their right back Ribeiro had a great first half, brought it forward well and kept Jobi quiet. Then, second half he was a completely different player - Boxing Day LOLZ for knocking it out of James' hands when they both went for a cross just before Long's 4th.

[brendywendy]

awful for 20, ok for 15, brilliant for 45.
decent game, shit atmosphere- yet another example of gloves ruining modern fotball imo.
fed stupid for the goal. once you commit, you have to go, you cant stop. even if he gets there first you will still put him off if you come steaming out. other than that didnt have much more challenging stuff to do.
pearce again excellent, and is really driving home the folly of making mills captain. pearce looks twice the leader of men tbf. great in the air, composed and organised. and a great pass
mills did ok. thats what i want from him- a few games where he just does his job, stops posturing and just does what he supposed to.
griffin- solid
armstrong- first game back, and though he struggled for pace 1st half he never totally lost his man.gave him an extra yard 2nd half and did well. great to see him get a game where hes best.
liegertwood/karacan. its got something this partnership, but you saw precious little of it for the 1st 20 mins. after that pretty superb
jobi/kebe- it was tight on the wings today, and both players sparked us into life in the last 20 of the 1st half.
nhunt- did well in the air-didnt get much opportunity other than to stroll the ball into the net after shane long made him a goal from nothing with his constant pain in the arsedness.
Shane- another great game, two more good goals , an assist,nice gesture at the end to the fans.
pressures off now shane-just concentrate on your game now and kick on. top stuff.
two goals a game till the end of jan will do me son

bristol - awful 2nd half- had no answer, and no fight.
ref-only background levels of shitness

[AthleticoSpizz]

what was the gesture from shlong Brendy?

[Man Friday]

At times inept, sometimes superb, at times industrious, sometimes lacklustre. Perhaps a typical Boxing Day fixture. Kebe seemed to sum up our performance. In the second half, BC didn't want to know. If they'd have had any nouse they'd have made us pay for Shane's miss straight after second-half KO.

[brendywendy]

what was the gesture from shlong Brendy?

just went over to the east stand after doing his interview on the pitch and gave them his shirt.
not a big thing- but hes been great through this tough period, and could have got the hump with some of the grief. but he didnt. which is good.

[AthleticoSpizz]

Thanx....he's a top guy

[brendywendy]

LOL!

i totally agree.*swoon*

[Svlad Cjelli]

Good summary from floyders.

They abasolutely pissed on us for approximately 20 minutes but fell away dramatically in the second half. Didn't think our football was all that good in general but Long played very well and it's a super result all things considered.

A pleasant change - for the past n thousand games at the MadStad we've started well, failed to score despite being dominant, and then got worse in the second half. It's good to see us getting better as a game progresses for a change.

[SLAMMED]

Great second half made up for the dire display for the first 20. Was in Bar 1871 for the game and, surprise surprise the West stand was a library. North stand gave it a bit of a go but nothing like the East. Nice view of the pitch though and you can't complain about a padded seat

Great to see how much we all still care about Coppell and how one bad word against him sparked us into singing plenty of comeback songs. Another great effort when almost the entire stadium standing up for him. Really wanted to be over in the East stand when we were singing his name.

The "There's Only One Steve Coppout" banner was just laughable.

[Maguire]

Their right back Ribeiro had a great first half, brought it forward well and kept Jobi quiet. Then, second half he was a completely different player - Boxing Day LOLZ for knocking it out of James' hands when they both went for a cross just before Long's 4th.

Yeah he played really well in the first half but had an absolute shocker in the second. Nudged it round James, had to clear it off his own line and then got them in trouble for Long to score. James went mental at him. Also slipped over on his arse down by the corner flag which summed it all up really.