Back from the game WBA

[Terminal Boardom]

Just over 13,500 Reading fans? Hmmmmmmm

[Scarface]

A great game, if we had a decent keeper we'd of won that. Both goals his fault and his problem diving to his left was exposed again!!!

[Hoop Blah]

A great game, if we had a decent keeper we'd of won that. Both goals his fault and his problem diving to his left was exposed again!!!

He even tried diving to his right at one point just to hide it!

Anyone know if the ball took a deflection on that shot in the first half? Or did Federici just go the wrong way?

[SteveRoyal]

A great game, if we had a decent keeper we'd of won that. Both goals his fault and his problem diving to his left was exposed again!!!

Federici has made a few super saves this season, saving us a few points.
He didn't even have that bad a game on Saturday.
Poor defending for the first, and the second let him down and he was relied on too much.

[rabidbee]

Anyone know if the ball took a deflection on that shot in the first half? Or did Federici just go the wrong way?

As posted earlier in the thread, he was already anticipating the point-blank header of the guy in the middle. When he ducked under the ball, it left Fed with no chance to readjust.

[Maguire]

A great game, if we had a decent keeper we'd of won that. Both goals his fault and his problem diving to his left was exposed again!!!

He even tried diving to his right at one point just to hide it!

Anyone know if the ball took a deflection on that shot in the first half? Or did Federici just go the wrong way?

From the way Bednar hit it, it looked like it may have moved in the air. No way of telling from my TV view though.

[Terminal Boardom]

I was not at the game so can only comment on what I saw from the highlights. My initial reaction to both goals conceded was to wonder what McAnuff was doing? Both goals, Griffin was sucked inside and JM should have covered the space beyond the far post. Harsh on the first maybe but could and should have done better for the second. I think it would be harsh to condemn Fed for either TBF.

[Hoop Blah]

Anyone know if the ball took a deflection on that shot in the first half? Or did Federici just go the wrong way?

As posted earlier in the thread, he was already anticipating the point-blank header of the guy in the middle. When he ducked under the ball, it left Fed with no chance to readjust.

Not the goal, the long range effort in the first half where Federici started diving to his right then realised the ball was straight'ish/to his left and just managed to keep it out despite diving away from it.

It didn't look like it deflected, or even moved in the air from where I was, and I didn't see any replay of it from inline with the shot so was hoping someone else had. It's not the first time he's done it this season either, and it would've been another major gaff if he hadn't just got a hand to it.

[Wycombe Royal]

I was not at the game so can only comment on what I saw from the highlights. My initial reaction to both goals conceded was to wonder what McAnuff was doing? Both goals, Griffin was sucked inside and JM should have covered the space beyond the far post. Harsh on the first maybe but could and should have done better for the second. I think it would be harsh to condemn Fed for either TBF.

I'll agree with that. You can see Jobi realises that he should be back helping out when the ball is played to Mattock for the second equaliser as he suddenly starts running back but it's too late by then. Federici could do nothing about that one.

The first goal is all about Betrand for me. He wasn't marking his closeenough when the ball was played out wide and then made the error of giving him space and time to turn inside and get the ball on his stronger foot.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Bertrand is the weak link in the defence and I would much rather have Armstrong playing......

[Wycombe Royal]

Anyone know if the ball took a deflection on that shot in the first half? Or did Federici just go the wrong way?

As posted earlier in the thread, he was already anticipating the point-blank header of the guy in the middle. When he ducked under the ball, it left Fed with no chance to readjust.

Not the goal, the long range effort in the first half where Federici started diving to his right then realised the ball was straight'ish/to his left and just managed to keep it out despite diving away from it.

It didn't look like it deflected, or even moved in the air from where I was, and I didn't see any replay of it from inline with the shot so was hoping someone else had. It's not the first time he's done it this season either, and it would've been another major gaff if he hadn't just got a hand to it.

It definately looked like it moved in the air to me. It was hit with a lot of power and it made movements in the air like those that Ronaldo hits from free kicks. It doesn't take a big movement to decieve a keeper.

[Hoop Blah]

Would agree that McAnuff should have been more aware to the danger of Mattock for the second goal, and been closer to him as a result. I'd defend him a bit because it's understandable that he was caught out after playing the second half with 10 men and with just 3 in midfield which would've put more pressure on the 3 midfielders to cover a lot of ground.

Bertrand should definately have done a bit more to prevent the cross for the first, but I would agree more with whoever it was that said the bigger mistake was that of the midfielders not picking up the runner, and Mills and Ingimarsson not marking closely enough in the middle meaning that Griffin got sucked inside.

Not sure I'd blame Federici for either, but his misjudgment of the header being made in the middle is still a mistake in the same was as Bertrand not getting tight enough initially.

As for weak link in the defence, I think that still goes to Ingimarsson personally, but Bertand is a close second. It's a much improved unit recently though.

[Wycombe Royal]

Jara won't be playing in the replay. Karacan broke his foot with that tackle at the end of the first half and he is out for the rest of the season.

[BR2]

I was not at the game so can only comment on what I saw from the highlights. My initial reaction to both goals conceded was to wonder what McAnuff was doing? Both goals, Griffin was sucked inside and JM should have covered the space beyond the far post. Harsh on the first maybe but could and should have done better for the second. I think it would be harsh to condemn Fed for either TBF.

I'll agree with that. You can see Jobi realises that he should be back helping out when the ball is played to Mattock for the second equaliser as he suddenly starts running back but it's too late by then. Federici could do nothing about that one.

The first goal is all about Betrand for me. He wasn't marking his closeenough when the ball was played out wide and then made the error of giving him space and time to turn inside and get the ball on his stronger foot.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Bertrand is the weak link in the defence and I would much rather have Armstrong playing......

I go to games with an ex-full-back and ever since Branfoot days we moan (True football fans of course are serial moaners)about how our full-backs have:-
(a)Been poor at closing down the wide man and blocking crosses
(b)Tuck in too far when the attack is on their opposite flank.

We were sat right by where Bertrand failed (yet again) to realise that Brunt is left-footed and he allowed him to get in an unchallenged cross which led to the first goal.
The second goal had Griffin tucking in when play was down our left and with none of the midfielders or forwards tracking the left-back he had a clear shot at goal.

It must be something that has been club policy because Shorey was guilty,Andy Hughes when he played at full-back plus many of the others.
All goals are errors of some sort and the shame is that having played with a lot of drive and commitment on Saturday we may well miss out on a quarter-final.
BTW nobody amongst the Kebe stuff has said much about his pathetic attempt at a header from about 3 yards.

[The Surgeon of Crowthorne]

I was not at the game so can only comment on what I saw from the highlights. My initial reaction to both goals conceded was to wonder what McAnuff was doing? Both goals, Griffin was sucked inside and JM should have covered the space beyond the far post. Harsh on the first maybe but could and should have done better for the second. I think it would be harsh to condemn Fed for either TBF.

I'll agree with that. You can see Jobi realises that he should be back helping out when the ball is played to Mattock for the second equaliser as he suddenly starts running back but it's too late by then. Federici could do nothing about that one.

The first goal is all about Betrand for me. He wasn't marking his closeenough when the ball was played out wide and then made the error of giving him space and time to turn inside and get the ball on his stronger foot.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Bertrand is the weak link in the defence and I would much rather have Armstrong playing......

Chap sat behind me called that - as soon as Brunt got the ball, he said, "watch him check onto his left foot" which moments later he did, almost as if Bertrand had forgotten that Brunt is left-footed!

[Hoop Blah]

To be fair, as much as I'd love for our players to be perfect and I'm prone to the odd moan about their deficiencies, it's one thing to be aware of what the player is likely to do and then actually stop them.

Remember that Brunt is a pretty decent winger at this level and is perfectly good with his right foot too. He did Bertrand with a drop of the shoulder and made himself a yard to cross from.

It wasn't good defending by Bertrand, but at the same time it was pretty good wing play from Brunt.

[loyalroyal4life]

Jara won't be playing in the replay. Karacan broke his foot with that tackle at the end of the first half and he is out for the rest of the season.

what a shame

[Terminal Boardom]

To be fair, as much as I'd love for our players to be perfect and I'm prone to the odd moan about their deficiencies, it's one thing to be aware of what the player is likely to do and then actually stop them.

Remember that Brunt is a pretty decent winger at this level and is perfectly good with his right foot too. He did Bertrand with a drop of the shoulder and made himself a yard to cross from.

It wasn't good defending by Bertrand, but at the same time it was pretty good wing play from Brunt.

There are times when goals will be scored because of a brilliant piece of play. At times like that the only course of action is to nod and accept that something special has been seen - eg Blakey's goal at Plymouth.

[BR2]

To be fair, as much as I'd love for our players to be perfect and I'm prone to the odd moan about their deficiencies, it's one thing to be aware of what the player is likely to do and then actually stop them.

Remember that Brunt is a pretty decent winger at this level and is perfectly good with his right foot too. He did Bertrand with a drop of the shoulder and made himself a yard to cross from.

It wasn't good defending by Bertrand, but at the same time it was pretty good wing play from Brunt.

There are times when goals will be scored because of a brilliant piece of play. At times like that the only course of action is to nod and accept that something special has been seen - eg Blakey's goal at Plymouth.

I don't think it was that special-it's what another left-footer (Howard) did to another left-back (At Donny)resulting in a goal .
I do think full-backs need to close down tighter in those situations but unfortunately so many full-backs are converted wingers nowadays that defending isn't second nature.

[Snowball]

WBA had 4 or 5 other crosses in from Bertrand's side, wicked ones that looped round the defence
and almost resulted in a goal with a WBA player thundering in at the far post.

Had they gone in (and it was very close) we would have been hammered.

[fester_royal]

been a long time since i saw a genuinely entertaining reading cup game. thought we were quids in for the win, shame we cant seem to just close a game off (regardless of the quality of the opponents) only down point for me was shanes red, deserved i thought but we have some very crucial games coming up of which hes going to miss. really cant see the goals coming from the very wastefull church and rasiak.. and thor doesnt seem to be favoured much.