Back from the Arsenal game/TV

[double d]

Jesus christ. Went through every emotion there. Was a MM close to posting at FT but wasn't to be (Cheers for the extra extra 2 mins ref!!!) Roberts and Hunt played excellent. Just drained after watching that now. Was a great game though.

[E. Andrew]

[cmonurz]

Impossible to summarise what we've just seen.

Final whistle blows and I fear this defeat may have repercussions for certain members of the team, and maybe even the manager. How utterly bizarre to be writing that after we lead 4-0 in first half injury time.

Can't help but feel that 4-0 lead is utterly devalued by what followed. An inability to keep the ball, even vaguely resemble a cohesive football team, for the rest of the game. We simply fell apart, and those four goals stand out for what they were - for all the quality of two of them, they were little more than a freak set of circumstances that put us momentarily in 'dream land'.

To put my thoughts into context I want to refer back to the arguments on here about Guthrie, or the suggestion earlier on this thread that there may be 'other' reasons why Pearce isn't playing. There is much to be said for running a club with an 'ethos', but as we enter November we have rarely looked less like a team than we do now.

Gorkss was appalling almost all night - and apparently Pearce is not in the picture because he won't sign a contract?

We couldn't put our foot on the ball for the whole of the second half. And I'm supposed to accept that a ball playing midfielder signed from Newcastle shouldn't add to the team because he disagrees on things with the boss?

How we pick ourselves up now for QPR I don't know. I don't know if we'll see Federici in a Reading shirt again; part of me wonders if that might also prove true of Gorkss in the long-run. And after a nightmare second half I don't know how much Gunter will feature in the coming weeks. It's ironic that arguably our best player on the night bar Roberts was a defender, Nicky Shorey, he looked utterly composed on the ball.

^Very jumbled thoughts, but that was embarassing. I don't think a night's sleep will improve Anton's mood and I wouldn't fancy being Brian in the morning.

[cmonurz]

So jumbled I didn't mention dear Mr Friend.

I'm all for referees that are lenient and that keep the game flowing. But as I posted in the match thread, Koscielny stayed on the pitch because there were seconds left. Friend was being the good guy and letting him off as Reading made their way into the quarter-finals. And then he gave them 80 seconds or so to score. As shambolic as the second half and extra time were, the game should never have gone beyond 90 minutes.

[Bristol Paul]

Impossible to summarise what we've just seen.

Final whistle blows and I fear this defeat may have repercussions for certain members of the team, and maybe even the manager. How utterly bizarre to be writing that after we lead 4-0 in first half injury time.

Can't help but feel that 4-0 lead is utterly devalued by what followed. An inability to keep the ball, even vaguely resemble a cohesive football team, for the rest of the game. We simply fell apart, and those four goals stand out for what they were - for all the quality of two of them, they were little more than a freak set of circumstances that put us momentarily in 'dream land'.

To put my thoughts into context I want to refer back to the arguments on here about Guthrie, or the suggestion earlier on this thread that there may be 'other' reasons why Pearce isn't playing. There is much to be said for running a club with an 'ethos', but as we enter November we have rarely looked less like a team than we do now.

Gorkss was appalling almost all night - and apparently Pearce is not in the picture because he won't sign a contract?

We couldn't put our foot on the ball for the whole of the second half. And I'm supposed to accept that a ball playing midfielder signed from Newcastle shouldn't add to the team because he disagrees on things with the boss?

How we pick ourselves up now for QPR I don't know. I don't know if we'll see Federici in a Reading shirt again; part of me wonders if that might also prove true of Gorkss in the long-run. And after a nightmare second half I don't know how much Gunter will feature in the coming weeks. It's ironic that arguably our best player on the night bar Roberts was a defender, Nicky Shorey, he looked utterly composed on the ball.

^Very jumbled thoughts, but that was embarassing. I don't think a night's sleep will improve Anton's mood and I wouldn't fancy being Brian in the morning.

Completely agree with all of this, Gorkss terrible and the style of play, if you can call it that is just so poor. Just give the ball away constantly, and how many time did Gunter just hoof it down the wing, far too much hit and hope. Players to come out with credit for me were Roberts, Legs, Shorey and 1st half Robson-Kanu

[Royal Ginger]

So jumbled I didn't mention dear Mr Friend.

I'm all for referees that are lenient and that keep the game flowing. But as I posted in the match thread, Koscielny stayed on the pitch because there were seconds left. Friend was being the good guy and letting him off as Reading made their way into the quarter-finals. And then he gave them 80 seconds or so to score. As shambolic as the second half and extra time were, the game should never have gone beyond 90 minutes.

Aye, but if he'd been standing in the right place, or taken any notice of the croud/Arsenal players/sheepish right-back he should've sent Gunter off for that hand-ball too.

[andrew1957]

Ridiculous over reaction from many on here as usual.

Perspective folks. We have just seen one of the most dramatic football games of all time in HISTORY and RFC played a big part in that. If we had put 11 in defence and Arsenal had won 1-0 most on here would be happy BUT we had a go at one of the great clubs and so nearly won. If the referee had not played 96 minutes instead of 94 we would have won!!

At least we showed spirit and fight - I am proud to support RFC tonight even if no one else is.

[cmonurz]

So jumbled I didn't mention dear Mr Friend.

I'm all for referees that are lenient and that keep the game flowing. But as I posted in the match thread, Koscielny stayed on the pitch because there were seconds left. Friend was being the good guy and letting him off as Reading made their way into the quarter-finals. And then he gave them 80 seconds or so to score. As shambolic as the second half and extra time were, the game should never have gone beyond 90 minutes.

Aye, but if he'd been standing in the right place, or taken any notice of the croud/Arsenal players/sheepish right-back he should've sent Gunter off for that hand-ball too.

Didn't see the handball but noticed a few on here spotted it. Where this is different to the Koscielny incident is that he did see that one and, imho, made a deliberately lenient decision based on the state and time of the game.

[Avon Royal]

Perspective folks. We have just seen one of the most dramatic football games of all time in HISTORY and RFC played a big part in that.

Yes, by being incredibly shit.

From now on any team blowing a massive lead will be said to have "done a Reading".

[parky]

I have no words.

[floyd__streete]

[/quote]

^ cheers for the gr8 investment in players, m8.


At 4-2 up with 2 minutes left it was uncomfortable viewing, that is how little confidence I have in this Reading team. Defensively just hilarious, 2 decent saves by Federici keeps it down to 9. Gunter - you make Shaun Cummings look good. Morrison - its all very well looking 'woooooldy' in League 1 m8, but you're not good enough. Gorkss - QPR bombed him out for a reason, McDermott. Shorey is the best defender in that team and he is about 5 years past his peak. Why isn't Pearce playing?

No Pearce. Fallen out with Guthrie, fallen out with Federici. No wins in the league. I suspect that the manager won't last the season and at the moment you can't argue that he - and his team - are woefully out of their depth.

[Arnie_Pie]

From now on any team blowing a massive lead will be said to have "done a Reading".

People used to say that when little teams did well in the Prem after 2006.

[floyd__streete]

And if I hear McDermott bleat on about 6 minutes injury time I might smash his spectacles - it is YOUR fault we had time added on to time added on because you made the needless Church substitution.

[The Royal]

The second theo scored their first I knew it was all over, needs to be some serious questions asked about the team, we can't kelp hold of a lead walking a dog

[floyd__streete]

Perspective folks. We have just seen one of the most dramatic football games of all time in HISTORY and RFC played a big part in that.

Yes, by being incredibly shit.

[2.8 lita injection]

We were lucky to be 4-0 up and didnt know how to handle it, thats it sadly.

[andrew1957]

From now on any team blowing a massive lead will be said to have "done a Reading".

People used to say that when little teams did well in the Prem after 2006.

Can you edit that correclty please - I did not say that.

[leon]

Ridiculous over reaction from many on here as usual.

Perspective folks. We have just seen one of the most dramatic football games of all time in HISTORY and RFC played a big part in that. If we had put 11 in defence and Arsenal had won 1-0 most on here would be happy BUT we had a go at one of the great clubs and so nearly won. If the referee had not played 96 minutes instead of 94 we would have won!!

At least we showed spirit and fight - I am proud to support RFC tonight even if no one else is.

oh that's nice we're in the history books as the shittest team again. Not good enough. You know it and so do I.

[CavershamRoyal]

Ridiculous over reaction from many on here as usual.

Perspective folks. We have just seen one of the most dramatic football games of all time in HISTORY and RFC played a big part in that. If we had put 11 in defence and Arsenal had won 1-0 most on here would be happy BUT we had a go at one of the great clubs and so nearly won. If the referee had not played 96 minutes instead of 94 we would have won!!

At least we showed spirit and fight - I am proud to support RFC tonight even if no one else is.

Proud to support a team who squandered a four goal lead and conceded SEVEN at home?

Couldn't be less proud tonight.

[muzza]

We MASSIVELY need to beat QPR on Sunday or we are in BIG trouble!

Amazing game yes, but i dont care who you are playing if you are 4-0 (at home) you should not loose the game.

We can turn to the referee and moan about the time added on at the end of the day it is a MINIMUM amount of time to be added on, we simply shouldn't have let Arsenal have a chance for us to moan!

Such a mixture of emotions after that game, however this is going to have knocked our players confidence for six!