2-0 and we fecked it up

[Sun Tzu]

Villa should have been at least 2 goals better than us, so first half they royally fecked it up and we did superbly.

They then had an outstanding spell, which coincided with us losing the plot.

Even then we fought our way back in to it and created more chances than them.

Over the 90 minutes we were the better side, but they are a very good team and got the important things right - scoring goals.

We shouldn;t be beating ourselves up, we did ourselves proud and the number of Villa fans with embarrassing brown stains on the backs of their trousers after the game told the story....

[Basingstoke Royal]

The chant was correct which made it even worse.

Some on here are saying villa tore us up second half - I don't see that at all. There were ten mins when we gave them the goals. Bertrand even delivered a great cross for there first! The team switched off for the second because long was down holding his face. Then that knob ref stopped play moments later when a villa player went down! After that start to the second half we were always going to struggle. For 75mins though we were the better team which makes it harder to take. If we lost to a better side I wouldn't mind so much.

They did us proud today though and we will continue to push up the league if we play anywhere near that standard.

[Sun Tzu]

Long didn't gp down though, he was crouched then walking around holding his face. He c/should have laid down and then the ref s/would have had to stop the game (as did did several times for Villa players who were not injured but knew how to ensure the ref had to stop the game).
Another lesson for Shane to learn.

[T.R.O.L.I.]

Bristol City away the day after the Queen Mum died: 3 nil up rapidly became 3-3.

Were you actually there? The scoring sequence actually went: 0-1, 1-1, 1-2, 2-2, 2-3, 3-3.

Other than that you're spot on!

[ankeny]

Three months or so ago we were in the bottom three and all thought we were doomed now were moaning about losing to a multi million club in the quarter finals of the FA Cup.Get a grip,that team done us proud albeit a few mad moments at the start of the second we could have won it.They will go out to Chelsea at Wembley a team I couldnt bear to see mocking us.We win the next couple of games and you will all feel different,feel proud of our team.

[PEARCEY]

Three months or so ago we were in the bottom three and all thought we were doomed now were moaning about losing to a multi million club in the quarter finals of the FA Cup.Get a grip,that team done us proud albeit a few mad moments at the start of the second we could have won it.They will go out to Chelsea at Wembley a team I couldnt bear to see mocking us.We win the next couple of games and you will all feel different,feel proud of our team.

We all feel proud but its tinged with frustration. A little more cynicsm and less naivety and we could be going to Wembley. As I've said though the future looks really positive.

[rhroyal]

Bristol City away the day after the Queen Mum died: 3 nil up rapidly became 3-3.

Were you actually there? The scoring sequence actually went: 0-1, 1-1, 1-2, 2-2, 2-3, 3-3.

Other than that you're spot on!

Actually:

0-1 (Hughes), 0-2 (Forster), 1-2 (?), 2-2 (? - ridiculous penalty call), 2-3 (Watson), 3-3.

[Medusa?]

OK 2-0 up - close.

Yes I was there.

[Oxon_Royal]

Yet again I find myself reading what a bunch of pricks there are on this site.

Reading were outstanding today, no doubt about it.
We pretty much matched a top Premership side for most of the game, so no complaints there.
The fact is that they came out fired up and we didn't deal with it, but no-one can take anything away from our top-drawer performance today.
I think the moaners (yawn) need to get a reality check and realise our respective positions in the league...hopefully it might then sink in how well we did today.

Well done lads, you did us truly proud!

[alton-royal]

And when we played wolves in the play-offs! fozzy went off and that was it!

[Winchester Royal]

Yet again I find myself reading what a bunch of pricks there are on this site.

Reading were outstanding today, no doubt about it.
We pretty much matched a top Premership side for most of the game, so no complaints there.
The fact is that they came out fired up and we didn't deal with it, but no-one can take anything away from our top-drawer performance today.
I think the moaners (yawn) need to get a reality check and realise our respective positions in the league...hopefully it might then sink in how well we did today.

Well done lads, you did us truly proud!

I don't think its about picking holes, moaning or coming up with "what if?"s, I see it more as assessing what went right and what didn't. And it's pretty clear that despite the fact the team put in a very decent attempt at getting past Villa, there were deficiencies in how we did things that cost us a visit to Wembley.

[Pseud O'Nym]

I thought we missed McAnuff today. Since he moved over to the left I've been a bit disappointed with him going forward, but today you could see the lack of him shielding the left back.

That said, if we play Derby like that I don't see them emulating Villa's comeback.

[Ian Royal]

Said when we scored our first that I wouldn't be feeling secure until we were 3 up. Second went in and everyone got carried away, myself included. Brilliant half time speech by O'Neil, but clearly the players were feeling teh same as the fans.

That's the problem with a team like Villa. Come out the blocks slowly and lose concentration and they are good enough to destroy a team of our quality. And they did.

After, we never convinced, despite having two cleared off the line.

[PEARCEY]

Said when we scored our first that I wouldn't be feeling secure until we were 3 up. Second went in and everyone got carried away. Brilliant half time speech by O'Neil, but clearly the players were feeling teh same as the fans.

That's the problem with a team like Villaty. Come out the blocks slowly and lose concentration and they are good enough to destroy a team of our quality. And they did.

After, we never convinced, despite having two cleared off the line.

Thats how I felt Ian. At half-time I felt nervous. You just knew if Villa scored one more would follow. You have to compliment them though for playing with such width. Ashley Young did terrorise our defence tbf. Jimmy did the same for us in the first-half but didn't in the second.
There are still frailties there and we need to be physically tougher when the chips are down but there is more than enough talent in this squad to move way clear from the drop.

[Sun Tzu]

After, we never convinced, despite having two cleared off the line.

I think that's very unfair.

Many teams would have folded completely having let in 3 like that but we rallied and for 15 or 20 minutes more than matched Villa again. We were creating chances (3 or 4 in addition to the one off the line and the one cleared from 3 or 4 yards out after Friedel spilled it)

Their 4th goal gave the scoreline a flattering look, it could have been 5-4 to us with just a little more luck, a little more composure or the smallest lack of concentration from Villa.

[Ian Royal]

After, we never convinced, despite having two cleared off the line.

I think that's very unfair.

Many teams would have folded completely having let in 3 like that but we rallied and for 15 or 20 minutes more than matched Villa again. We were creating chances (3 or 4 in addition to the one off the line and the one cleared from 3 or 4 yards out after Friedel spilled it)

Their 4th goal gave the scoreline a flattering look, it could have been 5-4 to us with just a little more luck, a little more composure or the smallest lack of concentration from Villa.

DOn't disagree we created chances, but mostly they came from set pieces. We lost our fluency. We'd dominated midfield in the first half, but just couldn't get it down and play it second. Gunnar in particular guilty of giving the ball away again and again.

We were dangerous still. But I stand by us never really looking that convincing.

[PEARCEY]

The scoreline certainly flattered Villa. Thought we were good value for a replay.

[Sun Tzu]

I guess I'm struggling with what 'convincing' means !!
We created chances, we had plenty of possession, we spent plenty of time at their end.

We weren't as good as we had been in the first half, and they weren't as bad.

On chances we weren't far behind them even in the second half. And a chance isn't invalidated because it comes from a set piece. Lots of goals are scored from set pieces and you need to be doing something right to have won the set piece in the first place.

[Ian Royal]

I guess I'm struggling with what 'convincing' means !!
We created chances, we had plenty of possession, we spent plenty of time at their end.

We weren't as good as we had been in the first half, and they weren't as bad.

On chances we weren't far behind them even in the second half. And a chance isn't invalidated because it comes from a set piece. Lots of goals are scored from set pieces and you need to be doing something right to have won the set piece in the first place.

It was desperate, scrappy and largely from long balls... There was a lot of loose balls, we didn't put our foot on it and play. We are very dangerous at set plays, I just don't think we looked like havign enough to get back into it. We came close despite that though.

If Villa had needed to I think they just would have waltzed down our end and got another.

It's not exactly a criticism. I'm certainly not upset with how we did.

[Uke]

Has no-one mentioned that we chucked away a 2-0 lead at Peterborough this season