Back from the Game - Southampton

[LoyalRoyalFan]

Were not losing steam, Coppell just made some rather silly unnecessary changes today.

The personally don't think the team worked well together, no atmosphere and some of our fans were a total disgrace

So all in all a pretty depressing away game for me today!

To be honest,most of the players looked tired. On both teams that is.

[Mrs Butler]

I honestly dont care, they are paid a hell of alot of money every week. They train through the week anyway, so surely them playing an extra game doesnt make a difference.

There is no excuse for the way we played yesterday, apart from the fact that Coppell chose the wrong team.

Now going to have a rant about people standing up..

Unfortunately yesterday I was stuck behind the most obnoxious bloke ever. There was a group of about 5, they decided to stand near enough the whole of the first half, when we had a free kick they stood, which meant I couldn't see, and nor could the people behind me, by then I was on the verge of causing a very big argument, but I decided to tap the fella on the shoulder and ask him to sit down, which straight away he apologised and sat down, I honestly think he realised he was obstructing peoples views and decided to sit like the rest of us.

Anyway his very childish friend decided to make rather childish comments throughout the rest of the game about how he needed to make sure he was sitting otherwise he would be told off again. Very pathetic

I honestly have no problems with people standing when there is a good moment in a game, but not throughout the whole of the match. I paid £24 to watch a game and not the guys back infront.

[Alan Partridge]

handbags harris post sums up the game to a tee to be honest. With regards to the fans just reinforced what I thought of our lot, about a braincell between them, truly embarassing. Fighting each other, chanting at ourselves, pure lunacy. We seem to have some sort of inferiority complex that leads to turning on our own. As you would have all noticed, Southampton's support was crap as is just about every other home support in the country. Also as if it makes a sodding jot of difference anyway, 3000 people shouting come on with excitement as Stephen Hunt makes yet another woeful effort that hits the opposite stand.

The game was dump, didn't agree with the 4 changes in all honesty yet we were comfortable for the most part at 0-0, probably the more likely then we got caught on the break. Woke Reading up and we played well for the last 15, Shane Long who isn't my favourite player by any means had his best game in a Reading shirt from the start to be fair to him and more than deserved his brave goal. Federici's confidence grows with every game and i thought his decision making and handling were spot on yesterday. Ivar had a bit of a mare, I swear he wasn't this shaky on the ball in previous years!!

The two wingers were frankly embarassing, Kebe is 50% genius and 50% clueless, does some really good things and is capable of beating players and creating chances but the final ball is far too hit and miss. Yesterday it was all miss. As for Hunt, truly truly shocking.

Definitely 2 points lost, Saints are a young side anyway and were without their 2 best players yet more than matched Reading for the 90minutes. I don't understand this 'rivalry' we have with them. It's a harmless club, there is no animosity or nasty atmosphere in or around the ground, the fans are a pleasant bunch who you can chat to before and afterwards and you can walk around them in colours freely, the manager there has praised Reading again and they have a team of youngsters that play the game the right way. There are clubs worth hating far more than them, namely their dickhead rivals from a bit further along the coast.

Hopefully 2009 can bring Reading promotion but serious and expensive surgery is still needed to that squad for them to even compete in the Premiership if they were to get there.

[Thames]

Mrs Butler - DONT GO TO FOOTBALL. It's a lads day out for a start, so if you want to come don't start moaning about people standing. People like you are the reason we're often referred to as "Gimp Fans".

HOWEVER, when we sell out an entire away end, surely it would make sense to operate some form of Unreserved seating. That way, those that want to stand can do so, and those that dont can sit down the front.

[Gordons Cumming]

Here endeth the lesson. Thanks Alan.

[Gordons Cumming]

Mrs Butler - DONT GO TO FOOTBALL. It's a lads day out for a start, so if you want to come don't start moaning about people standing. People like you are the reason we're often referred to as "Gimp Fans".

HOWEVER, when we sell out an entire away end, surely it would make sense to operate some form of Unreserved seating. That way, those that want to stand can do so, and those that dont cant sit down the front.

Idiot.

[floyd__streete]

With regards to the fans just reinforced what I thought of our lot, about a braincell between them, truly embarassing. Fighting each other, chanting at ourselves, pure lunacy. We seem to have some sort of inferiority complex that leads to turning on our own. As you would have all noticed, Southampton's support was crap as is just about every other home support in the country. Also as if it makes a sodding jot of difference anyway, 3000 people shouting come on with excitement as Stephen Hunt makes yet another woeful effort that hits the opposite stand.

Well said AP, totally agree with this and the rest of your post. I would add though that Reading supporters have always been good at arguing amongst themselves, this is hardly a new phenomenon. My first ever away game was Slough Town in the FA Cup in 1991; my dad took me along as a twelve year old and moved us from behind the packed goal as two groups of Reading fans were laying into each other .

By the way - you owe me £5 mate

[Alan Partridge]

With regards to the fans just reinforced what I thought of our lot, about a braincell between them, truly embarassing. Fighting each other, chanting at ourselves, pure lunacy. We seem to have some sort of inferiority complex that leads to turning on our own. As you would have all noticed, Southampton's support was crap as is just about every other home support in the country. Also as if it makes a sodding jot of difference anyway, 3000 people shouting come on with excitement as Stephen Hunt makes yet another woeful effort that hits the opposite stand.

Well said AP, totally agree with this and the rest of your post. I would add though that Reading supporters have always been good at arguing amongst themselves, this is hardly a new phenomenon. My first ever away game was Slough Town in the FA Cup in 1991; my dad took me along as a twelve year old and moved us from behind the packed goal as two groups of Reading fans were laying into each other .

By the way - you owe me £5 mate

Call it level for the fiver you owe me from Emerse Fae's Ding transfer, maybe?

[PEARCEY]

Mrs Butler - DONT GO TO FOOTBALL. It's a lads day out for a start, so if you want to come don't start moaning about people standing. People like you are the reason we're often referred to as "Gimp Fans".

HOWEVER, when we sell out an entire away end, surely it would make sense to operate some form of Unreserved seating. That way, those that want to stand can do so, and those that dont cant sit down the front.

Your last point is reasonable enough..your first point isn't.

PS You talked bollocks on another thread about Merthyr Tydfil just missing out on getting into the football league in the 80's or 90's...they were nowhere near that level and haven't been for many decades.

[Thames]

I personally hate most Reading fans. If I talk to you or know you, consider yourself lucky.

Some old boy called the stewards up yesterday and demanded a persistant stander was removed. If I was nearer to him, I'd have lumped the old bloke.

[Thames]

PS You talked bollocks on another thread about Merthyr Tydfil just missing out on getting into the football league in the 80's or 90's...they were nowhere near that level and haven't been for many decades.

Go and shove your Merthyr up your Tydfil. Do your research.

[Vision]

the needs of many outweigh the needs of a few

Special needs in your case.

No need for abuse now is there?

I think woodley royal, you need to be a bit more self aware with your support buddy!

Apologies for any offence but i reply to people in the manner in which they post. If someone is calling others idiots and tw*ts then I'm not going to be too concerned about using similiar language.

Once again apologies if that particularly offended you or anyone elsse.

[Far Canal]

Mrs Butler - DONT GO TO FOOTBALL. It's a lads day out for a start, so if you want to come don't start moaning about people standing. People like you are the reason we're often referred to as "Gimp Fans".

HOWEVER, when we sell out an entire away end, surely it would make sense to operate some form of Unreserved seating. That way, those that want to stand can do so, and those that dont cant sit down the front.

Idiot.

Total Idiot.

I personally hate most Reading fans. If I talk to you or know you, consider yourself lucky.

Some old boy called the stewards up yesterday and demanded a persistant stander was removed. If I was nearer to him, I'd have lumped the old bloke.

Total cock.

[Thames]

Thankyou very much indeed.

[Thames]

Oh, and can I just point out, we have bigger fish to fry at this club.

I don't know if anyone else heard the racist song involving Alex Pearce yesterday.

[Ian Royal]

I don't get this suggestion of playing Marek just off a striker. That role is surely almost exclusively for a player with an eye for goal and pace. Something Marek hasn't shown a great deal of. It seems as silly to me as playing him as a winger.

I think he'd be much better employed as a fairly advanced fulcrum of a 3 man central midfield. Have one of the other two bursting past him to get on to his through balls and join the striker(s). That also seems to fit much closer with the style he plays in for the Czech Republic too. Advance the wingers into more of a wide forward position and it could work.

I'd see it as attacking but very flexible. In a way (hoping we get promoted) I'd almost like to see Coppell leave at teh end of the season so a new manager who might actually try it could develop the team. Because what we have at the moment, even with a few players to strengthern in both windows, doesn't look likely to stay up in the Prem. IMO

Surely what you're suggesting there is pretty much exactly what everyone else has said, play Mateovsky infront of two central midfielders and behind the forward(s).

A player in that position doesn't need to have pace. Infact it's probably one of the easier positions to can get away with a lack of pace because you're drifting around the gaps between the oppositions midfield and defence and so don't need that pace to pull away from a marker. Pace will always give you an advantage if your trying to beat a player (think Gerrard or Gazza playing in that hole) but think of the better players of that kind of position over the last ten years (players like Scholes, Le Tissier, Sheringham, Cantona, Zola, Berkamp) and they don't have physical pace, but they do, like Mateovsky, have that speed of thought and quality of touch to make time and space for themselves.

Fair points, well made.

[Seal]

I think the reason people are frustrated re: the singing / standing debate is because for many of us, the reason we fell in love with live football, and Reading FC in particular was because of the atmosphere of attending a live match and singing.

I grew up follow RFC in the late 80's / early 90's on the Southbank. If it wasn't for the atmosphere, chanting and banter, I very much doubt I would have continued supporting RFC. If I wanted to sit of my arse and watch good football, I could have stayed at home and watched a decent side on TV. But I didn't, I enjoyed the match day experience of standing and singing my heart out for 90 minutes with my mates and family (even if the football itself was awful). I've followed Reading passionately ever since.

I'm not going to spoil to enjoyment of another fan at a home or away game by blocking their view or abusing them, but my god do I find it boring to sit there in the Madjeski, or at a game like Southampton away, for ninety minutes aimlessly clapping. Therefore I don't see a problem with people articulating that frustration on here. Fine, some of you are happy to sit there and occassionally clap, but please just understand that for a significant number of us, it is a very frustrating experience, and not why we love the game and our club.

As a result I now pick and chose both home and away games, as I just can't be bothered to trapse up from London for another dull match day experience. I still love the club, but I can feel my passion for attending live football significantly waning. I'm not trying to suggest that one way of supporting the team is better than another, but both sides of this argument need to show a little more understanding and empathy for the alternate viewpoint.

[Thames]

Totally agree with Seal. Pick and Choose is my way forward now.

If we had away days like Bristol City away, I'd go to every single one.

[Jerry St Clair]

Now going to have a rant about people standing up..

Unfortunately yesterday I was stuck behind the most obnoxious bloke ever. There was a group of about 5, they decided to stand near enough the whole of the first half, when we had a free kick they stood, which meant I couldn't see, and nor could the people behind me, by then I was on the verge of causing a very big argument, but I decided to tap the fella on the shoulder and ask him to sit down, which straight away he apologised and sat down, I honestly think he realised he was obstructing peoples views and decided to sit like the rest of us.

Ah, the famous tap on the shoulder. I've been on the receiving end of this many times. The only answer is designated seating and standing areas.

I prefer to stand and do so whenever possible. Mrs B, where were you sitting? When getting tickets I always ask for seats near the back in the hope that I am going to be near like-minded people who want to stand, and not upset those who want to sit. if you want to sit, can i suggest you ask for seats nearer the front of the stand so we don't get conflict like this?

[winchester_royal]

Those singing 'our support is oxf*rd shit' were a very small minority tbf. For the most part our fans were pretty good, particularly after we scored.

Oh and the 90 year old lino is perhaps the worst I have ever seen at a footie match.