Back from the Preston game

[Basingstoke Royal]

It was disappointing, but not as bad as some people are making out.
We dont look like conceding, and will start scoring again.

We are better than Wolves and Brum - the best of a bad bunch!

[Royal With Cheese]

I've changed my original post as I thought it was a knee jerk reaction. Therefore your answer does not make sense.

Well done. Any chance of restricting your ill informed, second hand bilge to the one thread?

You read my mind. I was just about to post that.

[Schards#2]

Marek coming on actually showed a bit of class amongst the dross.

I beg to differ. He showed that he can deliver a quality pass if given time and space by the opposition and that he hasn't got the strength on the ball to make that space and time very often. Sad, but true. I'd love to see him succeed as he clearly has something but we haven't seen it very often.

That alone makes him stand out above every other Reading player on show recently as there's little evidence of the others being able to.

[Basingstoke Royal]

Marek coming on actually showed a bit of class amongst the dross.

I beg to differ. He showed that he can deliver a quality pass if given time and space by the opposition and that he hasn't got the strength on the ball to make that space and time very often. Sad, but true. I'd love to see him succeed as he clearly has something but we haven't seen it very often.

He did much more in the short time he was on than Harper did today. He should be given a chance and Harper needs to be dropped - it might make him pull his finger out.

[winchester_royal]

Preston are the dirtiest team that has been to the Mad all season. Horribel scummy northerners.

Lita was good, as were Pearce and Armo. Harper needs to learn how to go forward with the ball.

Oh, and Shunt was hopeless, but thats a given these days.

[Gunny Fishcake]

What a load of absolute crap , six hours , four games and we've not scored a goal ( not counting Wolves og )

We couldn't pass to save our lives , Rosenior and Doobs scaled unknown heights with their hoofing the ball out of play .

Just proves what rubbish league this is .

[glass half full]

What a load of absolute crap , six hours , four games and we've not scored a goal ( not counting Wolves og )

We couldn't pass to save our lives , Rosenior and Doobs scaled unknown heights with their hoofing the ball out of play .

Just proves what rubbish league this is .

Premiership not inspiring, by all accounts.

[SCIAG]

Preston are the dirtiest team that has been to the Mad all season. Horribel scummy northerners.

Except for Burnley, Cardiff and Doncaster.

Ratings:

Federici: 7 (did all he could, great distribution as per normal)
Rosenior: 6.5 (good)
Duberry: 7 (good)
Pearce: 8 (MOTM, great in the air, future captain)
Armstrong: 8 (great performance)
Kebe: 6 (didn't do much, skinned a few players but little end product)
Harper: 7 (thought he had a good match)
Cisse: 5 (I didn't notice him other than a few headers at corners)
SHunt: 5.5 (poor, a few good ideas. Crossing is terrible. We need a free kick taker)
Lita: 5 (poor. Gave the ball away far too much, some poor crosses, shooting was inconsistant. One good shot. Showed no reason to be started ahead of Long and certainly not NHunt, should be dropped.)
Doyle: 6 (showed a few moments of brilliance)

Subs:
Marek: 6 (gave the ball away a few times, but equally had some good touches. Needs to muscle up)
NHunt: 5.5 (didn't do much. More of an aerial outlet than Lita or Doyle)
Long: 5 (see: Lita, except for giving the ball away)

[Victor Meldrew]

Franchise, those that don't go to the game are entitled to an opinion but IMHO it's not worth a lot.

Unless, according to your goodself, the full 90 minutes are on sky, in which case our opinions are actually worth MORE than those that went to the game.

But as it wasn't I'm not offering any opinions on the game, more an observation at the sheer delight in which some supporters view a 0-0 draw against a decent team who beat the Championship leaders 3-1 at Molineux a few weeks back. I can almost feel the happiness exuding from their keyboards as they type. As I said, it's just an observation.

Your point about Preston's win at Molineux is a fair one but Wolves have drawn a few lately and lost today at Coventry so their form is not great.
0-0s are frustrating especially in consecutive games but I think what you are seeing is the fear of fans that it could all be slipping away and last year is still fresh in the memory when that happened so the reaction is understandable.
Like you,I couldn't go today so we can be more rational about the result whereas you can surely remember those feelings of frustration after a couple of 0-0s?

BTW Harper is getting slated again but how did our highly paid winger play now that we have signed him up for another three and a half years?
It sounded as though we had a lot of free-kicks but nothing seems to have come of them.
Did Tabb get on in his place?

[SLAMMED]

Tabb didn't even get on the bench.

[Tilehurst Mike]

Deja Vu--it was like watching the QPR game all over again, bereft of any decent football, goalmouth action and both kepers walked off the pitch without needing to get their kit washed.
My god, this must be a poor division for us still to be second--whoever goes up will come staight back down. Harper and Hunt were very poor and it comes as no surprise that there were no takers in the transfer window for either of these two. It beggars belief that we signed Harding and Tabb on the basis that Convey was going and the club thought that Hunt would be as well, yet neither feature on the bench today?? I thought the whole idea of the transfer window was to try and strengthen your team. Is Doyle embarking on another 17 game goal drought??

Very very poor effort today, nil entertainment and total lack of leadership on the field.

[Victor Meldrew]

It's not that bad - We have played most of the top sides twice now and have not got a bad run in.

Still think Birmingham & Wolves are main threat - Cardill have a lot of games to play and do not have stregth in depth so will fall away.

How do you assess what is a good or bad run-in?
Games away at Donny and Derby might have looked shoe-ins a few weeks ago but both have found some form and I think will provide strong opposition.
We also know that teams scrapping for survival can be difficult opponents late in a season.
So I see it that our rivals are down as far as Swansea and QPR and not having strengthened the squad much I would fear the play-offs against teams that might have finished the season strongly.
We are still in a very good position but don't take any of those fixtures for granted (remember we have only got 1 point out of 9 v sides at the bottom,Charlton and Saints).

[SLAMMED]

Deja Vu--it was like watching the QPR game.

Thats not true, it was much colder at QPR.

[Gunny Fishcake]

Preston are the dirtiest team that has been to the Mad all season. Horribel scummy northerners.

Except for Burnley, Cardiff and Doncaster.

Ratings:

Federici: 7 (did all he could, great distribution as per normal)
Rosenior: 6.5 (good)
Duberry: 7 (good)
Pearce: 8 (MOTM, great in the air, future captain)
Armstrong: 8 (great performance)
Kebe: 6 (didn't do much, skinned a few players but little end product)
Harper: 7 (thought he had a good match)
Cisse: 5 (I didn't notice him other than a few headers at corners)
SHunt: 5.5 (poor, a few good ideas. Crossing is terrible. We need a free kick taker)
Lita: 5 (poor. Gave the ball away far too much, some poor crosses, shooting was inconsistant. One good shot. Showed no reason to be started ahead of Long and certainly not NHunt, should be dropped.)
Doyle: 6 (showed a few moments of brilliance)

Subs:
Marek: 6 (gave the ball away a few times, but equally had some good touches. Needs to muscle up)
NHunt: 5.5 (didn't do much. More of an aerial outlet than Lita or Doyle)
Long: 5 (see: Lita, except for giving the ball away)

Rosenior good !!!!!!!!! Harper had a good match !! What's your guide dog call ?

[SteveRoyal]

Tabb didn't even get on the bench.

... and given Hunt, Harper and Kebe's performances of late he'll be getting his chance soon, I hope.

[Dirk Gently]

Marek coming on actually showed a bit of class amongst the dross.

I beg to differ. He showed that he can deliver a quality pass if given time and space by the opposition and that he hasn't got the strength on the ball to make that space and time very often. Sad, but true. I'd love to see him succeed as he clearly has something but we haven't seen it very often.

Added to that, there's the fact that he completely and utterly cannot tackle to save his life. That, sadly, makes him a liability when we only have two in central midfield.

[Jack Celliers]

Federici: 8 He is good
Rosenior: 7
Duberry: 6 A bit clumsy
Pearce: 8 Great start - looked really polished
Armstrong: 7
Kebe: 7
Harper: 7 Lots of running
Cisse: 7
SHunt: 6
Lita: 8 motm maybe
Doyle: 6 uncomfortably like the Doyle of last season, but he is allowed an off day

Subs:
Marek: 5 a horrific start and one of the worst passes seen in Madejski history (I screamed for a red card) but he is a good player really and improved
NHunt:
Long:

[SCIAG]

Rosenior good !!!!!!!!! Harper had a good match !! What's your guide dog call ?

Rosenior didn't do much wrong. His tackling and crossing were good.

Harper kept the ball moving, didn't misplace any passes either. And contrary to popular belief he does pass forwards. I got to four at around the half hour mark before I got bored and stopped.

[Dirk Gently]

I'm sure this will bring howls of outrage from those who love him and think he's a reformed character, but I don't think Leroy just fits into our system up front.

Yes, he's dangerous on his own, but his presence makes the whole front line somehow less dangerous - not quite sure what it is, but with NHunt - or even Long - up front with Doyle they had a fluency and were creating chances for each other. When Leroy's up front that's just not there.

[John Madejski's Wallet]

Generally a fan of Kebe's, but in the few mins NHunt was on the pitch he showed how to play on the wing. Won balls in the air, ran down the wing and looked to cross.

Would be happy to see him on the wing next game