Please can we have some realism

[andrew1957]

As I am sure all RFC fans I am gutted that we lost today but to look at some of the comments on hobnob and you would think we had already been relegated. Yes losing 6 goals is disappointing but the spirit of the lads is fantastic. Lets look at the facts.

1/ We have a team of good honest professionals - few of whom would ever have had a chance to play in the PL unless via promotion.

2/ Since promotion the team have done fantastically well to finish 8th last year and 13th currently.

3/ Almost every week we are playing against many world class players like Berbatov that cost millions. Reading will never be able to afford the likes of Berbatov without a Russian Billionaire Chairman.

4/ The reason we have seen 7-4 and 6-4 away games is largely because of the great spirit of the team. On Boxing Day Spurs destroyed Fulham 5-1 and yet Fulham drew at Birmingham today. When you go to places like Spurs you are supposed to lose a goal - give up - defend to make the score respectable and lose 2-0 if you are lucky or 5-1 if you are Fulham. Reading on the other hand never know when they are beaten and keep going forward to try to equalise and then win the game.

Well I for one love that spirit - we should be proud to support a team with that much "never give up" guts. Frankly I would rather we give it a go and lose 6-4 than defend for our lives and lose 2-0 without a shot on target.

5/ We are still 13th - we are scoring goals for fun and yes we all know we are conceding too many. BUT we have only let in one goal in each of the last 5 games so overall the defence has improved massively since earlier in the season.

Come on guys - have a little faith. I for one believe we can turn this round and get a rare win over Pompey on New Years Day.

[AthleticoSpizz]

says it as I thinks it

[Royal Yank]

Well I for one love that spirit - we should be proud to support a team with that much "never give up" guts. Frankly I would rather we give it a go and lose 6-4 than defend for our lives and lose 2-0 without a shot on target.

Absolutely.

There were 5 times when I was going mental today - the four goals and the penalty save (admittedly the last one only lasted a second or two).

I'll take that over a 'brave' 2-0 defeat any day of the week

[Arch]

Good post. At 4-3, with only 15 minutes to go, it was a fantastic performance. Eighth minutes later it was all over. I totally respect the views of those who say our defence is a liability. It's obviously something that needs to be fixed, but to make that the sole focus of one's post-match reaction seems to be utterly blinkered. We're supposedly crap away from home, but look at the last four games: seconds away from a great result at Man City, valuable draws at Birmingham and West Ham (which is more than Man U can say), and then today's goal-fest. In all that, the only period to really complain about is the last few minutes today.

[Basingstoke Royal]

All good points. Just very disappointed that yet again we score 4 away from home, lead three times and throw it away. After having so many chances to wrap up the game we need to learn to be ruthless in front of goal and close the game out.

I cant knock any of the players for effort, but we need a bit more quality of we are going to move to the 'next level' that the management keeps talking about.

[Dover-royal]

As I am sure all RFC fans I am gutted that we lost today but to look at some of the comments on hobnob and you would think we had already been relegated. Yes losing 6 goals is disappointing but the spirit of the lads is fantastic. Lets look at the facts.

1/ We have a team of good honest professionals - few of whom would ever have had a chance to play in the PL unless via promotion.

2/ Since promotion the team have done fantastically well to finish 8th last year and 13th currently.

3/ Almost every week we are playing against many world class players like Berbatov that cost millions. Reading will never be able to afford the likes of Berbatov without a Russian Billionaire Chairman.

4/ The reason we have seen 7-4 and 6-4 away games is largely because of the great spirit of the team. On Boxing Day Spurs destroyed Fulham 5-1 and yet Fulham drew at Birmingham today. When you go to places like Spurs you are supposed to lose a goal - give up - defend to make the score respectable and lose 2-0 if you are lucky or 5-1 if you are Fulham. Reading on the other hand never know when they are beaten and keep going forward to try to equalise and then win the game.

Well I for one love that spirit - we should be proud to support a team with that much "never give up" guts. Frankly I would rather we give it a go and lose 6-4 than defend for our lives and lose 2-0 without a shot on target.

5/ We are still 13th - we are scoring goals for fun and yes we all know we are conceding too many. BUT we have only let in one goal in each of the last 5 games so overall the defence has improved massively since earlier in the season.

Come on guys - have a little faith. I for one believe we can turn this round and get a rare win over Pompey on New Years Day.

Fair point but:

1/ Never in question the honesty and commitment of the players.

2/ Again no-one has knocked the teams performance over the past 18 months but ist is clear there are cracks.

3/ So should we be happy with what we have then, or push on tho the next "league" in the PL? Get the right results, raise the profile and Mr Mad can sell the club to a Boris!

4/ Fulham are a poor poor team IMO, they deserved what they got, and by drawing against B.ham, surely shows their problems. I would rather lose 2-0 than 6-4, and who said if you lose 2-0 its because the team are not inventive or anything like that?

5/ I personally, am over the moon with the current position, but again, why be happy with this, why are we not making strides to break the top ten. I kno about last season, but it is going to be difficult to replicate that. We are getting left behind. No doubt in my mind we will stay up, but im not happy if all we do is finish 15-11 every season.

I think 2-2 on NYD.

[PEARCEY]

Nowt wrong with your post Andrew. We played some great stuff today.
I am just very disappointed that some silly defensive lapses ruined what could have been a great result.
I am more disappointed today than I have been for a long time..partly because the team were doing so well for so long.

[Ian Royal]

Well I for one love that spirit - we should be proud to support a team with that much "never give up" guts. Frankly I would rather we give it a go and lose 6-4 than defend for our lives and lose 2-0 without a shot on target.

Absolutely.

There were 5 times when I was going mental today - the four goals and the penalty save (admittedly the last one only lasted a second or two).

I'll take that over a 'brave' 2-0 defeat any day of the week

Bring back "RY sez 12-0 to the Royals", without it our power is gone!

I too don't see what there is to get so gloomy about all of a sudden. A day ago things were positive and defeat at spurs was fairly expected.

[holsgrove breaks a leg]

The only realism i can see is that we punched way above our weight last season and ended up in a false position in many ways and fans expected the un achievable as a result. I think (and hope!) we will end up ok and out of trouble this season due to our home form but its by no means certain if we cannot keep clean sheets in games. I think in hindsight we got away with our defensive displays at times as a unit last season and teams did not hurt us in the process.

This season our defensive play from top to bottom has been exposed far more clinically and we are shipping in the goals as a result- its almost as if our niaviety has become apparent a season later. You have to kid yourself if you like to see a 6-4 or 7-4, defending is a crucial part of the game from attack to defence and if you do it niavly and not as a unit in the prem you will get hurt time and again.

Ive no doubt we can score goals, we have done it for the past 3 seasons andwe will continue to do so, my concern is that we seem to have been exposed as a niave side prone to error with certain players looking like they cannot go further or players who have a long way to go yet.

For me its been one of the most random seasons so far since i supported in 1992-both in the results and our approach to games (especially away)-in fact the prem as a whole this season so far has seen some weird games and results. I'll move on and forget this game after my grumble but i really think we have to sort out the niavety because its clear it remains and while its still there the probability of us shipping goals remains. I agree you have to hold your hands up with the likes of Berbatov,Ronaldo etc but there have been occasions where lesser plays have got their way over us. If we can attract a couple of key playersin jan with a degree of prem experience, which is going to be hard i know, then this can only help the niave mentality to dissapear.

[royalsteve]

As I am sure all RFC fans I am gutted that we lost today but to look at some of the comments on hobnob and you would think we had already been relegated. Yes losing 6 goals is disappointing but the spirit of the lads is fantastic. Lets look at the facts.

1/ We have a team of good honest professionals - few of whom would ever have had a chance to play in the PL unless via promotion.

2/ Since promotion the team have done fantastically well to finish 8th last year and 13th currently.

3/ Almost every week we are playing against many world class players like Berbatov that cost millions. Reading will never be able to afford the likes of Berbatov without a Russian Billionaire Chairman.

4/ The reason we have seen 7-4 and 6-4 away games is largely because of the great spirit of the team. On Boxing Day Spurs destroyed Fulham 5-1 and yet Fulham drew at Birmingham today. When you go to places like Spurs you are supposed to lose a goal - give up - defend to make the score respectable and lose 2-0 if you are lucky or 5-1 if you are Fulham. Reading on the other hand never know when they are beaten and keep going forward to try to equalise and then win the game.

Well I for one love that spirit - we should be proud to support a team with that much "never give up" guts. Frankly I would rather we give it a go and lose 6-4 than defend for our lives and lose 2-0 without a shot on target.

5/ We are still 13th - we are scoring goals for fun and yes we all know we are conceding too many. BUT we have only let in one goal in each of the last 5 games so overall the defence has improved massively since earlier in the season.

Come on guys - have a little faith. I for one believe we can turn this round and get a rare win over Pompey on New Years Day.

im not worried...spurs are in a false position anyway and they will finish in the top 6 if they sort their defence and keep berbatov..i thought we'd lose today, maybe sneak a draw....results didnt quite go our way so we need to win on tues against pompey and that wont be an easy game

at just over the half way stage we are just keeping out head above water.....our home form has been largely brilliant but we need to pick up a few more points, draws are fine, away from home - this season was all about consolidation

we do need 2 or 3 players tho...maybe this result however painful is a reminder that we do need more players and the last 4 games has just papered over the cracks

[seahawk10]

Come on guys - have a little faith. I for one believe we can turn this round and get a rare win over Pompey on New Years Day.

Great post Andrew! I am with you!!! For people who say our season is over if we don't go out and splash some cash in January I have to respond thusly:

What? Over? Did you say 'over'? Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no! And it ain't over now! 'Cause when the going gets tough…the tough get going! Who's with me? Let's go!

What the fcuk happened to the Hob Nob I used to know? Where's the spirit? Where's the guts? Huh? This could be the greatest season of our lives, but you're going to let it be the worst. 'Oh, we're afraid to play in the prem. We concede 6 or 7 once a fortnight. We might get relegated.' Well, just kiss my arse from now on! Not me! I'm not gonna take this! Berbatov? He's a dead man. Ronaldo? Dead! Benjani? Dead!

Let's Do It!!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2YWHBFx3Zg

[hiro]

What? Over? Did you say 'over'? Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no! And it ain't over now! 'Cause when the going gets tough…the tough get going! Who's with me? Let's go!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2YWHBFx3Zg

I am with you Bluto!

[percy freeman fanclub]

Nice one Andy,let's be positive however things need to be done to the defence.
Seahawk ,when exactly did the Germans bomb Pearl Harbour? Think you've lost me there!!!!!!!!!!!!

[seahawk10]

Nice one Andy,let's be positive however things need to be done to the defence.
Seahawk ,when exactly did the Germans bomb Pearl Harbour? Think you've lost me there!!!!!!!!!!!!

I knew I would lose a few, click the link that will explain it.

[Gordons Cumming]

I only thought 4-6 defeats against Spurs could only happen on Championship Manager.

Clearly not, so on that basis anything is possible, so the sky is the limit for this team and, as they say, you can acheive anything if you believe.

Cmon UUUURRRRZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.

[West Stand Flash]

Conceeding 13 goals in two away games in not acceptable. Simple as that.

[rg6royal]

Conceeding 13 goals in two away games in not acceptable. Simple as that.

Agreed

something needs to be done to the defence in january.

[Daniella]

Good post. At 4-3, with only 15 minutes to go, it was a fantastic performance.

By our attack, who once again produced the goods.
I hope the defence were kept behind or made to walk home after that performance. Let the shirts down again. Pompey was forgiveable, to defend that bad twice isn't im afraid. They are a laughing stock.

[rotherwick_royal]

My biggest concern is the impact on our defence of shipping another 6 goals. It doesn't matter that we were 'only' 2 goals away from a result, the defence's confidence is going to be shattered again, just when it looked like we had hauled ourselves out of the doldrums in the aftermath of the Pompey game.

I wasn't at the game and can only comment on what I saw on MOTD. Murty looked to be having a nightmare and raises questions with me about his ability to play 2 games in a week. The rest of the defence also seemed to be half a yard behind Spurs. It just seems that every time we are up against a mobile front line we get stuffed (with the exception of Liverpool, strangely, but that was probably down to Rafa's formation).

IMO it's all down to the age and (lack of) pace of our defenders. I really can't see how we can get an improvement here without new signings.

[Hampshire Royal]

Conceeding 13 goals in two away games in not acceptable. Simple as that.

Actually, dickhead, it depends on which games you choose. If we take the previous two away games we conceded two goals. As with the Pompey game, this was a freak result (OK, two freak results in one season isn't brilliant). We played well yesterday and if the defence had been a bit more solid, and if the Defoe goal had been disallowed, and if Berbatov had had an off day, things would have been so different.

Grow up and say hello to Uncle Daddy for me, would you?