Back From The Game: Liverpool

[Big Ern]

Well, not really back from the game, watched it on TV. It was a rare treat to see the Royals play on TV as they are not exactly the most well known club in Latin America.

Anyway this was the first time I have seen Reading play since Christmas 08 and the 1-1 home draw witt Cardif. On the whole I was impressed with the effort and committment put in by the team and if we can play like this against teams in the Chapmionship, then we might survive. This was also the first time I have seen many of our youngsters and new signings play. Some positives and some negatives

Karacan - Looked great, 100% committed, won the ball and didn't loose it. He could be the repalcement to Sidwell the cteam have been crying out for for some time.

Fed - Looked dodgy on his decision making. No doubt he is a great shot stopper, but his decisions whether or not to come of his line are terrible and potentially a liability

Mills - He looked like a Sunday League player. A total liability. If he is a £1.5million defender, than so am I.

Church - Scored a goal, but looked out of his depth against what is a far superior side than he is acustomed to playing against. Looked a little lazy in the first half.

McNuff - Showed some good touches and the willigness to attack the full backs. No doubt against Championship opposition he could do serious damage.

Bertrand - Great going forward, looked suspect defending.

Sig - Not too impressed to be honest, Worked hard but didnt do anything of note except the long distance effort that was easy for Riena to save.

What I did notice is how dissorganised we look at the back. No decent Right Back and an overall nervous looking defence. It is easy to see why we struggle to keep clean sheets.

No doubt Madejski will be delighted with the result, a lucrative replay at Anfield and a chance for him to get on the telly again. I just hope he doesn't use it as an excuse to give McDermott the job, an excuse, it appears, he is desperate to find.

[West Stand Flash]

Everything spot on. +1

[IcelandicStokie]

Saw the game also on TV here in Iceland and I thought Karacan, McAnuff and Sigurdsson were the best Reading players. I dont agree with what you said regarding Sigurdsson, I may be biased but he delivered dangerous setpieces, and his delivery from open play was dangerous as well. He kept the ball well and looked assured, beat players and always passed the ball foward. Never afraid to shoot from distance and could have earned a penalty in the first half. Solid display in my book. Tired towards the end though. McAnuff looked a very good player against an awful Insua. McAnuff looked like he could run rings around players in a phonebooth judging on todays performance. Karacan was outstanding and looked like an established premiership player.

My other two countrymen, Gunnarsson and Ingimarsson, looked absolutey horrendous. Hope the national manager watched the game and never selects Gunnarsson again.

[UpNorth]

Good summary.

Karacan was excellent, Mills looked really out of touch.

[Norfolk Royal]

Difficult to see how we're not doing a bit better in the championship when we play with that sort of spirit and no little skill.

Desperately need a decent right back though, and a proper striker.

[Plymouth_Royal]

Saw the game also on TV here in Iceland and I thought Karacan, McAnuff and Sigurdsson were the best Reading players. I dont agree with what you said regarding Sigurdsson, I may be biased but he delivered dangerous setpieces, and his delivery from open play was dangerous as well. He kept the ball well and looked assured, beat players and always passed the ball foward. Solid display in my book. Tired towards the end though. McAnuff looked a very good player against an awful Insua. McAnuff looked like he could run rings around players in a phonebooth juding on todays performance. Karacan was outstanding and looked like an established premiership player.

My other two countrymen, Gunnarsson and Ingimarsson, looked absolutey horrendous. Hope the national manager watched the game and never selects Gunnarsson again.

Completely agree with this. I cant understand why karacan cant get in the team though.

[Pele_Kitson]

Thought Mills had a decent game, not great but not as bad as some are making out. Karacan definitely man of the match.

[Big Ern]

I dont agree with what you said regarding Sigurdsson, I may be biased but he delivered dangerous setpieces, and his delivery from open play was dangerous as well. He kept the ball well and looked assured, beat players and always passed the ball foward. Solid display in my book.

After all the good reviews and hype about him here, maybe I was expecting a lot more from. He wasn't terrible, but was nothing special against what was admittedly far supperior oppostion than he he used to playing against.

My other two countrymen, Gunnarsson and Ingimarsson, looked absolutey horrendous. Hope the national manager watched the game and never selects Gunnarsson again.

It was sad to see too such great servants of the club mere shadows of their previous selves. They can both still do a job for the club until the end of the season, but after that, probably best for all parties that they move on,

[SLAMMED]

First time I've left the madstad with a smile on my face. Great game today lads.

But where has this team been for the last 4 months?!?!

[Chaney]

First time I've left the madstad with a smile on my face. Great game today lads.

But where has this team been for the last 4 months?!?!

at last an opinion from someone that was actually AT the game!!!
couldn`t help but smile when our "fans" started singing we we support our local team..where the hell have they been for the last 4 months???

[Big Ern]

Difficult to see how we're not doing a bit better in the championship when we play with that sort of spirit and no little skill.

The FA Cup is meaningless for a club like ours, so the players had no fear and went for it. In the Championship, we have all the pressure of survival and our terrible home form playing on the minds of the players. Just shows what a bit of confidence can do for a team.

Sadly, I expect us to be back to our old selves when Newcastle arrive...I hope I am proved wrong.

[SLAMMED]

First time I've left the madstad with a smile on my face. Great game today lads.

But where has this team been for the last 4 months?!?!

at last an opinion from someone that was actually AT the game!!!
couldn`t help but smile when our "fans" started singing we we support our local team..where the hell have they been for the last 4 months???

Exactly. I had a right to sing that today, I bet half the pcunts that were singing it were only there to see Liverpool.

Bring on Newcastle.

[shaka's shorts]

great performance - Karacan MOM, Cisse did well. Sig and McAnuff very dangerous. Defence did better against Torres and co. Church dangerous. Good atmosphere. Thought Mills was better than people are saying and Ingi is still the weak link back there. Hamer very nervous but survived.

[2.8 lita injection]

Good performance with Karacan motm, Mills did very well considering.

Just sad that we can raise our game in a big match and then play poorly in the championship.

[rg6royal]

great performance - Karacan MOM, Cisse did well. Sig and McAnuff very dangerous. Defence did better against Torres and co. Church dangerous. Good atmosphere. Thought Mills was better than people are saying and Ingi is still the weak link back there. Hamer very nervous but survived.

Perfect summary.

[Mad Dog's Ghost]

Big Ern. Telly on the blink in mexico then?

Mills, although not Baresi, is better than Pearce. He's not played in the first team for bloody months and gets recalled to play against a font line that includes one of the best forwards in the world. I honestly thought he did quite well today. Karacan excellent. And Sig good as ever. Your assesment is not really spot on. In my honest opinion. Although what do I know. I was only there I guess.

[RoyalBird]

Thought we looked fairly good, but I wouldn't say that should give McDermott the job. I was impressed with McAnuff today and some of the team's attacking moves was nice but with the final pass either going astray or intercepted. Glad to see our set-pieces being dangerous again as well. However, that defence wasn't very good today and it's easy to see why we haven't had many clean sheets. Cisse and Karacan weren't picking some of the runs from midfield, Ingimarsson was very slow, Mills' marking was dreadful, Bertrand kept blowing the defensive line, and Gunnarsson is too slow for a full back. Their didn't seem to be much organisation in the back, which is very worrying and must be sorted out.

[Mad Dog's Ghost]

Agree with your point about manager royal bird. But were we at the same game? Mills was alright. Ingi looked a bit more assured than normal with a fair few good challenges and Bertrand had his best game for a long while.

I'm not saying we're brilliant - been the first to slag this lot off for the dreadful efforts this season - but honestly thought we were a whole lot better today. Of course, the acid test is next saturday ... and we have to start with the same 10 outfield players.

(PS - can we get another forward - not one that's been injured for 3 years - with the additional revenue we're going to get out of this tie).

[MeMeMe]

Thought Hamer made some brilliant decisions today... especially the one when Torres was though, took a second touch as Hamer was positioning himself, Hamer quickly saw that and made a quick and excellent decision to run out and smother. Great piece of keeping and I am sure he will become an excellent keeper

[2.8 lita injection]

Thought we looked fairly good, but I wouldn't say that should give McDermott the job. I was impressed with McAnuff today and some of the team's attacking moves was nice but with the final pass either going astray or intercepted. Glad to see our set-pieces being dangerous again as well. However, that defence wasn't very good today and it's easy to see why we haven't had many clean sheets. Cisse and Karacan weren't picking some of the runs from midfield, Ingimarsson was very slow, Mills' marking was dreadful, Bertrand kept blowing the defensive line, and Gunnarsson is too slow for a full back. Their didn't seem to be much organisation in the back, which is very worrying and must be sorted out.

You do realise we were playing liverpool today ??

Bertrand & Gunnarsson still played their natural (to get forward) which was pleasing, if they didnt we would had been sitting ducks.