Back from the Bristol City Game

[rg6royal]

So we're all pi$$ed off coz we lost, but it's the Reading way, a roller coaster ride, we're still in a great position and a few changes and we can be on our way again!
But go up or stay down, not bothered! I'm Reading til I die! I'm not gonna slag off my team
If you're only in it for the glory, go and support Manure.

It just takes the p1ss when we can't beat medi-ocre sides like Brizzle City.

[Barry the bird boggler]

Beaten by the better team on the day and a dreadful set of officials

Yet again the same old cr*p is served up after a 2 week break so obviously players and management haven't learnt anything in 2 years of this continuing failure

Kebe is all tricks and pace and no end product he's the one that should have gone to Millwall on loan. Harper was awful yesterday, Rosenior is not the player he was three months ago, Stephen Hunt was a headless chicken and despite his sterling efforts Lita just can't play alongside Doyle.

Absolutely dire and that, yesterday, has to be our final wake up call this season any more rubbish like that we might as well not bother turning up.

I hope we can get Glen back on loan this week and Murty should be recalled from Charlton to give some leadership on the pitch. Bikey should play alongside Pearce and please give Matejovsky a run in the side as how else will the team ever sync up with his abilities on the ball.

[Sarah Star]

I felt a bit embarassed watching the team yesterday. Bristol City ran rings round us to the extent that they were able to snuff out anything we did. They seemed able to easily draw our midfield players away from their players to allow them to pass with ease. I wondered if Doyle was ill. He just didn't seem the same determined player he usually is.

We never play well after a break, but I am a bit worried that we went through the same goalless spell at the beginning of last season. So, if Coppell has learnt anything from then, I hope he puts it into practice now. I assume there will be changes for the next game.

[SteveRoyal]

It just takes the p1ss when we can't beat medi-ocre sides like Brizzle City.

Let me get this straight - a team now 4th in the Championship table is considered 'mediocre'?
We've had 2 seasons in the Premiership, and suddenly other teams close to us are considered 'mediocre'?

[Royal Lady]

It just takes the p1ss when we can't beat medi-ocre sides like Brizzle City.

Let me get this straight - a team now 4th in the Championship table is considered 'mediocre'?
We've had 2 seasons in the Premiership, and suddenly other teams close to us are considered 'mediocre'?

You have to admit, they're not that brilliant. It's because all the teams in this division are pretty mediocre that it's anyone's guess who the top 6 will be at the end of the season.

[winchester_royal]

It just takes the p1ss when we can't beat medi-ocre sides like Brizzle City.

Let me get this straight - a team now 4th in the Championship table is considered 'mediocre'?
We've had 2 seasons in the Premiership, and suddenly other teams close to us are considered 'mediocre'?

Bristol are most certainly mediocre.

As shown by the fact that Fed didn't actually have to make a save of any note all game.

[cmonurz]

As shown by the fact that Fed didn't actually have to make a save of any note all game.

I would argue he had two to make.

[1960]

City's recent run of wins all came against bottom-half teams. When they finally came up against a (bottom half) team in form they lost (to Doncaster). Coming off that defeat they should have been ripe for the taking.

When our game last week was postponed Copell said he was glad, because we never play well after international breaks. Now he is saying we have broken our rhythm by missing out a week. You can't have it both ways.

[79Royal]

Marek looked way better than any of our other midfielders, he even got SHunt playing in the last 20

Armstrong was excellent

Lita stays on 1 goal per season. I thought he'd have a good one today.

Watching him, he seems to be a one-man-band, just looking for HIS shot

Doyle-Hunt was a very productive pairing and I think Noel is better all round anyway
but it's clear that the main issue is midfield.

Am I right in thinking Tabb can play just behind the striker in a 4-5-1?

Do you really want to see Reading playing 4-5-1 at home though?

[brendywendy]

No,but should have changed it at half time when it was clear they were snuffing us out. Imo.

[Northern Git]

Marek looked way better than any of our other midfielders, he even got SHunt playing in the last 20

Armstrong was excellent

Lita stays on 1 goal per season. I thought he'd have a good one today.

Watching him, he seems to be a one-man-band, just looking for HIS shot

Doyle-Hunt was a very productive pairing and I think Noel is better all round anyway
but it's clear that the main issue is midfield.

Am I right in thinking Tabb can play just behind the striker in a 4-5-1?

Do you really want to see Reading playing 4-5-1 at home though?

No not really, however doing nothing when faced with the oppositions 5 man midfield is not getting us far is it?

Us getting swamped, and, recently, out muscled in midfield has completley nullified any attacking options for us through the centre. If those five midfielders then drop back into defence when we go forward down the wings we don't seem to have the ability or the guile to create any space for scoring opportunities.

So i would give a 5 man midfield a go. Just makes sure that they move up as a unit when we attack - and that could be problem with Harper. It would also deny the opposition the space to pass the ball round in midfield so easily - as Brizzle did with emabarrasing ease at times yesterday.

[Victor Meldrew]

As ever we reach the 60 minute mark and he same two subs are made as at Southampton except in reverse when it was the two wingers and the system that needed changing.
I have to agree with Woodcote from another topic a few weeks ago that our management and coaching staff do lack imagination.
Looking at the league table this division really is dire with the top teams already having lost between 7 and 10 games with a quarter of the season still to go-my we are a shadow of the 106 side.

As Southbank posted earlier-what a difference this rest made for bowing out of the FA Cup with a whimper.
What the f*** have the squad been doing for the past two weeks-it's the same old Wimbledon hoofball playing into the hands of tall,lumbering centre-backs.
What has N Hunt done apart from getting injured to warrant not getting back in to continue the most prolific partnership in The Championship?
As for his brother.......two and a bit more years of ....tell me what does he do to get the guaranteed place EVERY week and what was the point of signing Tabb if he isn't going to play?

Fortunately everybody else keeps losing but as I see it we look burnt out however a few obvious changes might just give us the spark that can see us over the line as the opposition every week really is not that special but over the past couple of months neither are we when the same team gets picked week in,week out regardless of performance.

[CoveRoyal]

I feel that we are in similar position to last year when after Christmas we went on that awful run of loses. Only this time instead of a relegation battle we are trying to secure automatic promotion. The management,fans, press and media were all saying at the time, after each defeat that Reading would be ok. Coppell stayed loyal to those players who were not performing. Changes were made for the Boro game away which we won but by then it was too late. We need to freshen things up, NOW. How can it get any worse?? Shunt, Harper, Kebe in particular are performing badly. Make changes now to freshen things up and make the players realise they need to fight for their places, before it is too late again and we end up in the play-offs.

[brendywendy]

he said after the game:

i could justifiably change the whole team
i will be making changes
etc
etc

[papereyes]

As shown by the fact that Fed didn't actually have to make a save of any note all game.

I would argue he had two to make.

lol - quite true

[Ian Royal]

THought Doobs and Armstrong were the only players to come out of the game with much credit.

Federici - at fault for the first goal for me. Not that the Defence was blameless. Didn't get a good view of the second.
Rosenior - meh, not the worst by any stretch of the imagination, but not great.
Armstrong - good all game nearly scored, got frustrated towards the end and maybe tried too many long shots. Not that anyone else was likely to put it away.
Pearce - worried me. Sliced clearances, slightly dodgy headers and the one time I saw him up against Adebola he got done.
Doobs - had Adebola in his pocket virtually all game. Except when he scored.
Kebe - Shit, just total turd
Harper - Did nothing
Cisse - Worse than Harper. He's in there to tackle and I didn't see a single successful one I can remember.
SHunt - appears to have forgotten how to beat a man. Keeps walking stright into his defender or kicking the ball against him. Been learning from Kebe?
Lita - Virtually all the chances fell to him. Did he even force a save with his many many poor shots?
Doyle - worked hard, linked a little, but isn't getting any chances. Back to last season's form.

Matejovsky - came on too late and without the needed formation change. Same fans calling for him to play then started shouting to go forward every time he made a pass. If you want him, then realise we aren't going to drive forward fast. Best game in the hoops IMO, but not massively effective.
Gunnarsson - pretty anonymous, filled in ok at the back when Pearce went off.
NHunt - too little way way too late.

Well that was a stinker for my Birthday. City have some pretty good support going. Bastards.

[Dr Hfuhruhurr]

Do you really want to see Reading playing 4-5-1 at home though?

Yeah, why not?
4-4-2 Doesnt appear to be guaranteed entertainment.

My two-penneth worth.

1) City brought a soft goalkeeper. I would like to have seen us rough him up
2) Our set pieces have gone through the floor. (Noticeably Hunt and Bikey were missing)
3) Talking of Hunt and Bikey - some strange selections and I dont think we should be playing weakened teams, unless the International break is governing our selections.
4) Tabb will start next week.
5) Anyone want to have a pound on Doyle starting on the wing next week? Thats what we seem to do when 4-4-2 becomes too obvious.
6) Henry is in no way the answer.

and most importantly

7) Bristol City were rather good.

[Tony Le Mesmer]

Lita just can't play alongside Doyle.

Ive seen that mentioned a lot, but is it true? worked well enough for 2 years, not to mention Reading 6 West Ham 0.

I think its just Lita has gone backwards in a big way and the bloke is complete prck.

[papereyes]

Lita just can't play alongside Doyle.

Ive seen that mentioned a lot, but is it true? worked well enough for 2 years, not to mention Reading 6 West Ham 0.

I think its just Lita has gone backwards in a big way and the bloke is complete prck.

In that first season in the Prem, it got to the point where Seol was played up front ahead of Lita.

It is also worth pointing out that the majority of Lita's goals came after Doyle was injured against Everton.

[Negative_Jeff]

[quote="Victor Meldrew"]

As Southbank posted earlier-what a difference this rest made for bowing out of the FA Cup with a whimper.
What the f*** have the squad been doing for the past two weeks-it's the same old Wimbledon hoofball playing into the hands of tall,lumbering centre-backs.


I don`t enjoy watching watching our football either but I think comparisons with Wimbledon are a bit misplaced. Anyone who watched Wimbledon play in the eighties would know that the longer the ball was up in the air the more opportunity there was for Fashanu, Fairweather, Jones and the rest to stick the elbow in.
A better comparison would be with Graham Taylor`s Watford, pressing the opposition, long balls down channels and relying heavily on wide players (Barnes and Callaghan).