Cardiff Home Game Play Off thread! COME ON!!!

[howser]

We didnt get a win but we are still in it, thought we played well at the back, Kishi and Mills solid, Griffin and Harte done good for old timers and Long worked so hard up front, looked very good on the ball with great control. Overall for me Karacan was excellant, he ran his heart out, Liegertwood strolled through the game and looked very confident, Hunt struggled, I thought, to get involved, maybe bringing Church on instead of Mansett, might have been a better option ?

MOM Karacan

[seahawk10]

We need Kebe back!

This. Any chance of him playing Tuesday?

[PEARCEY]

First half was ok. We started to build up some momentum and were pressing Cardiff. What happened in the second-half??? HRK went off and we badly lost rhythm and shape.
I thought Karacan and Long played their hearts out and I am warming to HRK. The boy is a clever player but FFS Brian drop Noel Hunt.

[PEARCEY]

Too much hoofball, McAnuff didn't do enough, Long Shackled, Mansett poor, Cardiff shocking time wasting although we'd do it in the same position, predictable result, think we would have won had Kebe been playing. Howard should have been on earlier, just had nobody to put their foot on the ball.

And why didn't Mills throw himself at that one that went across the goal with his head? Only he knows that.

Nobody was prepared to take a risk. Impressed by Burke for Cardiff, think he might be the difference in the next game.

Bless. Norrers. This quote is doing the rounds on the Cardiff messageboard....

[FiNeRaIn]

Either of these teams on show tonight will get pounded by swansea, so even if we do nick a win down there, we'll be back here next season - as will cardiff if they win on tuesday.

[Kurtz]

Reasonable (but not promotion material) performance which was devoid of any creative spark. Lots of huff & puff and long balls and not enough imagination. McAnuff did provide a few flashes of inspiration but far too few in 90 minutes. The usual suspects worked hard throughout. And if Manset is not yet the finished article then it would be good if they started the article. Soon.

Poor ref but I doubt a better ref would have led to a different scoreline. Disappointing but no signs of any fat ladies warming their vocal chords just yet.

[SouthDownsRoyal]

bas savage >>>>> manset

[Svlad Cjelli]

MOTM (for me , anyway) was Karacan. He had more motivation, energy and drive than all the others, and although there was hardly any creativity, he seemed to be involved in what little there was.

[MmmMonsterMunch]

Just watching the 2nd half on Sky + again & Bothroyd really is a cheatin pcunt. I'd be embarrassed if we had a player like that - utterly pathetic.

[PEARCEY]

MOTM (for me , anyway) was Karacan. He had more motivation, energy and drive than all the others, and although there was hardly any creativity, he seemed to be involved in what little there was.

Agree...although I thought Long was excellent for the first 60 and HRK had an impressive first-half.

[floyd__streete]

Dearie me, what a poor advert for the division and for the play offs generally. Reading missed Kebe as we had absolutely no attacking outlet after HRK went off. I admire McAnuff's leadership capabilities, but when is the last time he provided an assist for a goal, let alone bloody scored one? Long is the only one capable of doing something in a centre-forward capacity, I am afraid that Hunt is all brawn no brain and Manset manages to combine all the worst features of Rougier and Bas Savage. We have basically totally failed to properly test a goalkeeper as poor as Stephen Bywater all evening.

Cardiff have no excuse for being so poor, with players like Whittingham, Burke, Bellamy, Chopra and Bothroyd who would all walk into the Reading side in all honesty. They weren't interested at all were they? Simply content with time-wasting, I have never seen so many stoppages for 'injuries', quite disgusting. Reflective of the typical desperate cynicism of Dave Jones, a dead-man walking so I understand.

[andrew1957]

Dearie me, what a poor advert for the division and for the play offs generally. Reading missed Kebe as we had absolutely no attacking outlet after HRK went off. I admire McAnuff's leadership capabilities, but when is the last time he provided an assist for a goal, let alone bloody scored one? Long is the only one capable of doing something in a centre-forward capacity, I am afraid that Hunt is all brawn no brain and Manset manages to combine all the worst features of Rougier and Bas Savage. We have basically totally failed to properly test a goalkeeper as poor as Stephen Bywater all evening.

Cardiff have no excuse for being so poor, with players like Whittingham, Burke, Bellamy, Chopra and Bothroyd who would all walk into the Reading side in all honesty. They weren't interested at all were they? Simply content with time-wasting, I have never seen so many stoppages for 'injuries', quite disgusting. Reflective of the typical desperate cynicism of Dave Jones, a dead-man walking so I understand.

Harsh Floyd.

Yes there was little evidence of quality out there tonight but what there was were 22+ players giving it 100%. You cannot really fault the effort from either side and overall I enjoyed the match. There were no clear cut chances at either end and I cannot remember either goal keeper making a proper save, but despite that it was end to end stuff and surprisingly exciting.

I am not too downcast - I think we can go to Cardiff and win. There is nothing to fear from them and if we do go ahead I could see their fans getting on the team's back.

Overall we all know that RFC have outperformed expectations this season and we obviously lack quality - but Cardiff showed little of that either.

[andrew1957]

Spot on comments from Dave Jones - cannot disagree with any of what he said after the game.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/13397479.stm

[Royalee]

Thought we played reasonably well, lost our shape a bit when the impressive R-K had to come off...dealt with their attacking threat pretty well and had chances to score. Manset looked a bit raw when he came on and had an off day, which is to be expected really - League 2 to Championship playoffs in a few months...some people were getting on his back too much though. I'm quietly optimistic for the second leg and I actually think the away leg benefits us more - no pressure on us at all and Cardiff looked nervous as it was last night, let alone having to play in front of their own fans this Tuesday.

[loyalroyal4life]

Thought we played reasonably well, lost our shape a bit when the impressive R-K had to come off...dealt with their attacking threat pretty well and had chances to score. Manset looked a bit raw when he came on and had an off day, which is to be expected really - League 2 to Championship playoffs in a few months...some people were getting on his back too much though. I'm quietly optimistic for the second leg and I actually think the away leg benefits us more - no pressure on us at all and Cardiff looked nervous as it was last night, let alone having to play in front of their own fans this Tuesday.

This, having had half a night's kip i think we can go there and just play, the pressure will be on them!

Still i think yesterday's performance would have to be upped if we are to have a chance. Need a goal early doors although it does make me wonder from who that goal would come from.......

[Stranded]

Thought we played reasonably well, lost our shape a bit when the impressive R-K had to come off...dealt with their attacking threat pretty well and had chances to score. Manset looked a bit raw when he came on and had an off day, which is to be expected really - League 2 to Championship playoffs in a few months...some people were getting on his back too much though. I'm quietly optimistic for the second leg and I actually think the away leg benefits us more - no pressure on us at all and Cardiff looked nervous as it was last night, let alone having to play in front of their own fans this Tuesday.

Agree with this, strangely feel more confident having a one off game away (which it is now) away from home than at the Mad - I think they way we play often suits us away.

In the League, we had identical home records but lost less games away than Cardiff - this could well go all the way to pens.

[brendywendy]

Thought we played reasonably well, lost our shape a bit when the impressive R-K had to come off...dealt with their attacking threat pretty well and had chances to score. Manset looked a bit raw when he came on and had an off day, which is to be expected really - League 2 to Championship playoffs in a few months...some people were getting on his back too much though. I'm quietly optimistic for the second leg and I actually think the away leg benefits us more - no pressure on us at all and Cardiff looked nervous as it was last night, let alone having to play in front of their own fans this Tuesday.

mental


i totally agree with royalee