Back From The Game - Barnsley

[aardvark]

I didn't think we played hoofball today - some of the passing was not bad.

My view on Kebe is that once or twice a game he makes a good run (even if the end result is uncertain) but the rest of his game (eg heading, tackling, work rate) is so poor it's almost like playing with 10 players for much of the time. Sorry.

We will either fail to make the play offs or fail in the play offs. Whichever. Here's to next season.

[The Real Sandhurst Royal]

Does it matter who we play because RFC are a total embarrassment with their déjà vu style of football in 2009. There is no doubt the lack of entertainment and goalmouth action in 2009 is a major problem.
Does it matter who we play because RFC are a total embarrassment with their déjà vu style of football in 2009. There is no doubt the lack of entertainment and goalmouth action in 2009 is a major problem.

Mr Coppell you need to get it sorted now and you’re post match comments are inexcusable, you are the manager of the club paid to sort out the mess that has been created by the negative defensive tactics Wally Downes has drilled into the players.

Once again against Barnsley there was no creative play from midfield the players all play on one side of the pitch and are frightened to move out of their positions.

Please, please change the tactics before it is too late.

Get the wingers wide, get the full backs forward then there will more room in the middle of the pitch to play some football instead of the hoof it up front tactics that we continue to play.

As for Hanhemann his distribution was very poor today in the first 17 minutes of the game he kicked the ball out of play four timse, once is excusable but to do it four time let’s get real.

The only plus for me is Armstrong who is 100% committed and not utilized enough as all the play sets up the right half of the pitch.

[oxmiller]

After a dire first half, I actually though the last 30 minutes was quite promising for the play offs.

When SHunt was taken off and Kebe moved to the left, Reading actually started to play well down both flanks with the full-backs joining each of the wide men. For all his faults, Kebe did more down the left in 30 minutes than SHunt has done this year and created numerous chances. Even Long showed some good link up play and a bit of urgency and if Kitson spent a bit more time in the box he may actually score.

Karacan had a great game for me, was all over the pitch and actually has the desire so lacking in some of his older teammates

If we can build on this type of play, there is hope yet that we can achieve the lowest ever Premiershyte points total next season

[Victor Meldrew]

After a dire first half, I actually though the last 30 minutes was quite promising for the play offs.

When SHunt was taken off and Kebe moved to the left, Reading actually started to play well down both flanks with the full-backs joining each of the wide men. For all his faults, Kebe did more down the left in 30 minutes than SHunt has done this year and created numerous chances. Even Long showed some good link up play and a bit of urgency and if Kitson spent a bit more time in the box he may actually score.

Karacan had a great game for me, was all over the pitch and actually has the desire so lacking in some of his older teammates

If we can build on this type of play, there is hope yet that we can achieve the lowest ever Premiershyte points total next season

Perspective-we were at home to 4th from bottom Barnsley-our play should be better than promising or encouraging.
As for Kitson tracking back I didn't see or hear anybody from the dugout urging him forward.
With Cisse coming on late on for Jem I seriously think we were playing for a point which is unforgivable at this stage of the season.

[dobcheck]

I thought the 2nd half was encouraging today, i have to be honest and say i think Kebe is an awful player but at least in the 2nd half he got involved and was positive unlike Hunt (S) who again made no impact on the game, also i thought Tabb and Karacan played well and worked hard in midfield. I would say the 1st half was the poorest half of football i have seen this season but the 2nd half was a massive improvement and promotion is still in our sights!

[Deathy]

KEBE!

Im sure Coppell only plays him so we have something to laugh at, because fook me he is horrid!

Anyone who defends him is blind.

I think even the blind could defend him.

[earleyroyal]

It was actually a lot less dispiriting at the start of last year watching us getting turned over week after week, we were playing decent opposition and making the most of a limited squad then. Our squad isn't exactly great now - anyone who said 'better than 2005/06' because we won a few early-season games by scoring lots of goals from corners and set-pieces take a bow - but neither is the rest of the shit in this league. The most depressing thing is the constant hoofball - why are we not able to get the ball down and pass it under no pressure at all?

At least for ten minutes there was a little bit of defiance and passion from players and supporters, strangely the ten minutes when we passed it more than in the other 80 put together. Kebe sums us up, good to start with this year but once teams have worked him out he is utterly hopeless. This club is completely stuck in a rut - how many times have a team packed the midfield and frustrated us at home this year?

If we do scrape into the play-offs we'll get stuffed, if by some miracle we go up then the thought of this team in the Premiership scares me. We would be looking at 5 or 6-0 every week unless we spent some money ( )

[starbug]

What baffles me is that everyone around me is so quiet during games, not the singing but I just dont hear people complain about the "football". I'm there moaning largely to myself about lack of passing and hoofball but no-one else says anything. Yet when half-time goes I sit there quiet & disappointed whilst everyone around me suddenly wakes up and start booing and shouting at the players - wtf. Its like they dont see the football and simply think, "oh its half time and we're not winning er... Boooooo" ???

[The Cap]

Having predicted the right result today and to be honest I take no comfort from that achievement, mebruv reckons that if we were to make the play offs and reach Wembley then there's every likelihood that our international players would actually rise to the occasion. Based on a bigger stage, experience and improved atmosphere.

Personally I think he may have a point. What say the rest of the crew??

[DavidM62]

At least we had our old music at the beginning of the game - the one that Sky Sports News nicked from us.

[CMRoyal]

Terrible first half, we seemed to be really lacking in energy and over-nervous. Barnsley were able to stroke the ball about without being pressured, despite no real threat up front. Second half, much better, we had a lot more purpose and created enough decent opportunities to have won the match, had we been more confident in the final third. The foul on Long looked a nailed on pen to me, and as usual when a team is playing poorly, these things just don't seem to be falling for us at the moment. The fans around me seemed to reflect the performance - abysmal first half, much more like the old days second.

USA - 6: looked safe enough but distribution poor.
Rosey - 6: OK defensively, untidy going forward
Doobs - 6: same old shaky Doobs
Bikey - 6: great at times, awful just as much. Gave away too many fouls
Armstrong - 8: a solid defensively, dangerously offensively performance that leaves him nailed on POTS
Kebe - 6: shocking first half, much better second at left midfield. Too often not given any options because nobody had the drive to stay with his runs
Tabb - 7: good, neat performance. Deserves to keep the shirt
21 Kara Gold - 7: excellent in passages, but tends to drift in and out of games and has a tendency to play silly passes. Real box to box energy and also deserves a run in the team
S Hunt - 6: worked really hard, but once again bereft of any creative ideas whatsoever
N Hunt - 6: worked hard but his first touch was letting him down. Silly decision to go for the ball when he got injured. He had no chance of reaching it
Kitson - 6: worked hard, showed some guile, might have scored given some luck. We need more energy from him, though

Long - 6: worked hard, but poor touch although was at least posing a threat
Little - 6: best he's done since his return, but still lacking stamina

[RoyalBlue]

I didn't think we played hoofball today - some of the passing was not bad.

.

You clearly didn't arrive in the stadium until the second half then!

We spent the whole of the first half playing some of the worst hoofball I have seen in a very long time, even from us!!

[Blue Biscuit]

First half performance was rubbish, but better in the second half. First half, Kitson spent far too much time too deep. Bikey makes the difficult things look easy and then a messes up the simple stuff...short passes he just doesn't do.! He gives away silly free kicks which against a better side would have cost us. Marcus didn't have much to do, one good save with his legs and his distribution was a little better. Tabb, Karacem and Armstrong were the best performers. I am not sure what Kebe brings to the team. He spends too much time on his backside and gives the ball away far too often, although the rest of the team were guilty of that also. He put in a couple of decent crosses in the second half, but Kitson and Long were too deep to benefit. Noel looked good, just hope he is fit for Derby on Tuesday.

[SLAMMED]

Really wasn't as bad as some people are making out. 2nd half in particular was encouraging. Karacan was MOTM for me.

'greed. I didnt find the game that dull... Schards is just old and senile.

[Rex]

Again a game of if, buts and might haves. I'm sure Coppell said that the only way to motivate the team was the result on the pitch.

[Whore Jackie]

greed. I didnt find the game that dull

Seriously?

[SLAMMED]

greed. I didnt find the game that dull

Seriously?

Yes, really. Iv seen plenty worse to know we wern't that bad today.

Vote Slammed

[Dr Hfuhruhurr]

Does anyone have anything positive to say about the performance? Please be honest now

Yes, the second half performance was as one-sided a 0-0 as you'll get, and I thought there were a few good performances mixed in with the now predictable below par performance of our wingers. I thought Shane was excellant, Ive always liked Jem, and Noel Hunt was better than anything on show from the opposition. Since we can now only make chances through the middle nowadays, we dont half make it difficult for ourselves to score, however. Im not saying we deserved to win - you have to score a goal to claim that - but the attitude after the break was surprising. Lets not overestimate the opposition, though. They wanted 0-0, and didnt look especially knowledgeable at how to achieve that, The fact we didnt take advantage is the most worrying aspect.

A breakdown
Hannehmann - The 200th 6/10 in a row
Stretch - Just not interesting anymore - 6
Rosenior - Didnt do anything wrong this time. He really does have a difficult player to play with down the right, though - 6
Bikey - 50 pence foot - 6
Duberry - Bikey's foot is positively golden compared to this one - 5
Steven Hunt - Oh Dear - 4
Kebe - I am now officially bored of Kebe - 4
Karacan - Really hasnt had a bad game this year, got to play from here on in - 7
Tabb - Very Likeable - 7
Noel Hunt - Really could and should have 20+ to his name this season. He just a very good player - 7
Kitson - I actually liked his performance. Why the e-beef? - 7

Long - Big Impact. Really good performance - 8
Little - Oh Glenn, if only it was 5 years ago. You are without doubt one of the best players ever to wear the hoops. Did more in 15 minutes than Hunt and Kebe together. If only we could play you for 90 minutes. Played the kind of game with Shane that could have seen us easily win games like this, if we could only eke more minutes out of you - 8
Cisse - Whatever

[Whore Jackie]

greed. I didnt find the game that dull

Seriously?

Yes, really. Iv seen plenty worse to know we wern't that bad today.

Vote Slammed

Well, I'm sure most of us have seen worse than that. A lot, lot worse. But given the quality of opposition, state of the season and calibre of our team, albeit based on the last few years in general, and the first half of the season in particular, that was a pretty pathetic excuse for a football match. Dull is more than generous.

[SLAMMED]

Well, iv already brang myself to knowing not to expect an outstanding performance. Once you get the ideaof how good we used to be out of your mind, you'll enjoy the game more.