Back from the Game - Villa

[handbags_harris]

Gutted, heartbroken, massively disappointed, angry at people tempting fate with concourse singing at half time, angry with Ryan Bertrand for panicking 90 seconds into the 2nd half, agonising over the trickling ball rolling across the line for Villa's third. It is a long time since I have felt like this after a Reading game.

[SLAMMED]

Gutted.

[Row Z Royal]

Excellent cup tie, many positives to draw and not too much to be angry about. They got a roasting from O'Neill at half time and they got the wind in their sails. I'm not too upset.

[PieEater]

First half we were fantastic, and Villa never got going. Mills, Tabb, Kebe and Long playing out of their skin. It's a pity the ref disallowed the first goal for a push, and ok it was pretty blatent but I don't think Warnock would have got the ball.

Second half, Brian must of said the wrong thing because we started playing like a pub side, with Bertrand in particular having a 'mare. Then it was really game over, with exception of Ivars header. We just seem to give up at half time.

Still despite being deflated, that first half performance against a top 6 prem side will stick in the memory. Roll on Derby.

Oh and I seem to have developed an irrational hatred for Ashley Young.

[RobRoyal]

Second half, Brian must of said the wrong thing because we started playing like a pub side, with Bertrand in particular having a 'mare. Then it was really game over, with exception of Ivars header. We just seem to give up at half time.

I disagree, I thought we really got Villa worried again for the last 20 mins or so. Beyond Ivar's header there was another one just saved by Friedel, a great (albeit speculative) effort by Rasiak, Kebe's effort blocked around the 6-yard-box and another that Kebe handballed when he probably should have stuck it away. All the while Villa had very little possession.

[Winchester Royal]

12 minutes of panicky defending cost us a place at Wembley. After that goal went in for 2-1 I could sense the inevitable - the next two goals seemed like something everybody was waiting for.

Keeping tight for that first 15 minutes of the second half would have given us such a different tie.

Re: hatred for Ashley Young, I feel it...

[Smoking Kills Dancing Doe]

We needed to keep it tight for 10 mins, sadly we panicked and once they got the 1st we knew what was coming.

One other thing and I don't think I've even moaned about the crowd before (just accepted it), but you could feel the tension coming from the stands as soon as they scored, players needed the fans then, all you could hear was Villa.

Like I say, never been a fan blamer, but it was shite today.

[floyd__streete]

Well, that was very much wasn't it.

You can now add Bertrand's slice to Lovell's penalty and Rougier's own goal to our list of big game catastrophes. I read on another thread plenty of people bigging up Bertrand as our player of the season which I find rather ludicrous; for a full back I cannot recall him setting up a single goal this season and more importantly - as I observed again today - he quite simply fails time and time again to stop crosses coming in from his side. Today, when we needed no frills defending to cope with the inevitable 2nd half onslaught he first sliced a clearance hopelessly to allow Villa the chance to score their first and then yet again failed to cut out the cross for the second and at 2-2 we all knew it would be game over. I can only assume he was thinking abou how he would get his hair cut for Wembley.

Excellent performance for 80 minutes, bloody hopeless for 10. Yes, Villa are a good side but the goals were soft ones. Still, if we play like that we shouldn't have much difficulty in staying up. In all honesty, if this team manages to get relegated they should all be bloody sacked.

[Royal Lady]

It's just like after the Bolton play off final.

Started off excited, elated, confident, head went down early in 2nd half, tried to boost confidence, failed. And that was just me!

We were punching above our weight - the first half was sublime football however, but it was inevitable that O'Neil would gee them up or change it around for second half.

Well done lads - hope they have confidence that on their day they can beat anyone and hope this confidence leads us out of trouble in the league. URZZZZZZZ.

[Row Z Royal]

It's just like after the Bolton play off final.

Started off excited, elated, confident, head went down early in 2nd half, tried to boost confidence, failed. And that was just me!

We were punching above our weight - the first half was sublime football however, but it was inevitable that O'Neil would gee them up or change it around for second half.

Well done lads - hope they have confidence that on their day they can beat anyone

'cept Villa.

[Harpers So Solid Crew]

Fully gutted here, it was like Wembley all over again. The last thing we needed was half time, Villa came out second half and power played us, how often have you seen a team push so mnay players forward with such height and speed.

Just watching the game, pre match now, and BM is becoming even more of a hero for me.

[FiNeRaIn]

Threw it away, really poor from our players and unprofessional to bottle that. I said don't concede in the first five minutes and take it from there and what did we do? About 20 seconds after I said it, so annoying and thats what cost us the game.

[brendywendy]

what a great game it was, thought wed nailed it at half time, had a 12 minute wobble, but other than that i thought we were the better side, bit gutted, especially watching them celebrate like theyd beaten barcelona at the end.

tabb, kebe, long, mills and griffin were awesome today, and deserved the trip to wembLOLey

[SLAMMED]

I said don't concede in the first five minutes and take it from there and what did we do?

Maybe they didn't hear you.

[rg6royal]

Why do we bother with these 'Back from the game' threads? Surely just continue from the Match Threads, seems alot more sensible.

[RobRoyal]

I said don't concede in the first five minutes and take it from there and what did we do? About 20 seconds after I said it, so annoying and thats what cost us the game.

Yeah, if only they'd listened to you. I can't believe BM forgot to tell them that at half time.

Maybe O'Neil told them to score in the first 5 minutes - that could have been where they got the idea from.

[old woman]

Not back from the game as such-train tickets just too expensive.
I note the hatred of Young and would like to add mine for John Carew. This dates back to the game at Villa Park when he was offside for the first goal and they kept showing it on the big screen. Everytime he was still offside and the officials still didn't notice!!!!!

[james15]

The first half performance was the best I have ever seen Reading play, in the second half Aston Villa outclassed us greatly, you have to hold your hands up and admit it.

[M-U-R-T-Y]

Kebe, when he's on form, is pretty unplayable. It's a shame he didn't turn up in the second half.

[rotherwick_royal]

Great game, proud of the team even though we lost. Don't blame McD, MON is a superb manager and got them fired up at half time and a lot more direct, they just went straight through us.

Great to see that Long has come back from suspension but still in goal-scoring mood, thought Rasiak did well when he came on for a subdued Church. Have to say I don't think Ivar looked comfortable all afternoon and we completely lost it for 15 minutes in midfield, Gunnar didn't really improve things either. But fair play, Villa are a top side and there's no disgrace in losing like we did, we gave them a fright. All we need to do now is to carry the momentum on in the league. Wednesday night is our next big game.