Back from the game - Chelsea

[LoyalRoyalFan]

Can't really fault the players, although I will take a slight exception with Federici, as they all put in a decent shift.

McCleary and Guthrie look a class apart at the moment. Two cracking signings, both free transfers of course, who caused Chelsea problems all night.

Fantastic support from the travelling faithful.

[mr_number]

3 year banning order coming your way sunshine

Good to see the sporting behaviour carrying over from the Olympics.

I also have to give credit to the two 'more mature' fans in row behind Mr A.... they never complained about standing, sat down for short spells when they needed to, but appeared to have a bloody good time without moaning about not being able to see. Ditto little girl behind me with her mum - just stood on her chair, and started trying to make up songs all through the game. Top work.

[Cypry]

As others have said I've brought more positives home with me than negatives....

The new boys all did well, Pog, McLeary and Guthrie in particular.
Starting to look like our "bargain basement" approach to the transfer window might be a stroke of genius...

Most impressed with the work ethic of the whole team - everyone put in 100% without exception...

Great to see Jem back and playing so well - amazing recovery...

Score was very flattering to Chelsea in the end, could so easily have been 3-2 to us, just lacked a bit of luck here and there and suffered from a poor decision by the linesman (incidentally he missed a similar incident where Torres was offside in almost the same circumstances earlier in the second half)...got to say, we got very few 50/50 decisions - guess that's what we've got to expect when away against the "big" teams...

Feds is a bit of a worry - let's just hope he's mentally strong enough to get over his poor start and start to find the form he had for almost all of last year. Still not convinced that McCarthy has sufficient experience to become #1 this season...could be that he makes as many, if not more, critical mistakes than Feds and as we've seen you get punished at this level...

The only other concern for me was the comparatively poor quality of Hartes set pieces - great free kick to create that chance for Pearce, but his corners disappointed, with a significant proportion failing to clear the first man...I wonder if we might see Shorey feature in the not too distant future....

Reading fans were immense - couldn't believe how quiet Chelsea were, even at 2-2 they were subdued. Only started making a noise when they went 3-2 up - the very epitome of "sing when you're winning"...

[LoyalRoyalFan]

When the stadium announcer requested the visiting support sit down, they all immediately broke into “stand up if you love Reading”. Those not already standing promptly rose. All of Reading stood up to be counted on Wednesday night.

There is a belief in this well-organised, well-motivated side of McDermott’s, a refusal to be daunted by their august hosts. Their fans set the tone, oozing decibels and defiance.

McDermott’s supporters kept singing, chanting his name and extolling the name of their club,

[No Fixed Abode]

Reading fans were very quiet from where I was sitting in the Matthew Harding stand. The only time I really heard you was the clapping at a corner.

[LoyalRoyalFan]

Reading fans were very quiet from where I was sitting in the Matthew Harding stand. The only time I really heard you was the clapping at a corner.

Coming from a Chelsea fan? Get a grip.

[TheMaraudingDog]

How many more United chants will they copy this season?

[LoyalRoyalFan]

How many more United chants will they copy this season?

'Aguero's too good for us'

'City are back, City are back'

'We've not won as many Champions League titles as Liverpool'

'Where's the prawn sandwiches and buses back to Devon?'

[MouldyRoyal]

I think we've planned to copy about 5 more, with scope in the budget for a 6th if the cost of the intellectual property rights isn't too high.

[The Rouge]

will we sing them in a faux-mancunian accent though?

#lame

[mr_number]

I think we've planned to copy about 5 more, with scope in the budget for a 6th if the cost of the intellectual property rights isn't too high.

NB: Remember average mental capacity of a Reading fan may limit this further. Just want to manage expectations.

[Rob-Royal]

Reading fans were very quiet from where I was sitting in the Matthew Harding stand. The only time I really heard you was the clapping at a corner.

There you go, some attention....feel better now?

[No Fixed Abode]

Reading fans were very quiet from where I was sitting in the Matthew Harding stand. The only time I really heard you was the clapping at a corner.

Coming from a Chelsea fan? Get a grip.

True - heard much louder away fans at the Bridge last season.

[DandyRoyal]

True - heard much louder away fans at the Bridge last season.

It's always easy to be the loudest person at a funeral

[MouldyRoyal]

in before "rattloled"

[Rex]

Agreed Kes. It's always a bugger getting through the turnstiles.

[arthurfondrelli]

Went to the game with my mum, who's probably only been to about 8 games in her life (one of which being Man Utd away), and the first thing she noticed was how poor the Chelsea support was. Chelsea score, people stand and clap, people sit down and shut up

[melonhead]

awesome performance at the home of the european champs.

positives- #
fought our way back well
pog worked his socks off, and looked miles better than on saturday-good signs
guthrie again looked great
mcleary again looked great
great to see karacan back
defence coped well tbf against some of the best players in the world-unlucky to concede teh goals we did- a pen, an offside, a keeper error and a goal when fed was up the other end pushing for the goal

negatives
fed-another error(5 points lost by him in 4 days)
gunter again looking nervy
lino missing the obvious offside

all in all a brilliant performance we can be proud of.
BUT......3 mistakes in two games have cost us, and we need to sort that out.

lastly- if we get relegated this season playing that way, ill have no complaints, knowing that we left nothing on the pitch, and got entertainment well worth the entrance fees

well done lads

[melonhead]

Best league in the world! Has second rate officials. Torres well offside. First half was superb great goal from Pog. Just as they were starting to get frustrated and the crowd getting on there back Feds makes a howler, real shame as I reckon we could have hung on for a famous win. Saw Mr Mad after the game with some dolly bird half his age dirty old bugger.

his daughter

[jumpers for goalposts]

Reading fans were very quiet from where I was sitting in the Matthew Harding stand. The only time I really heard you was the clapping at a corner.

I was sat in the West stand upper and can confirm that once again you are talking bollocks Kes. To borrow a football cliche, our fans 'did us proud' etc. Home fans in the meantime did nothing but get on the backs of their own players