Relegation the Reading Way

[RFCSPACE]

We lost to pace against the quickest team in the league, well isn't that surprising. Chill the f+ck out. If we lose like that against West Brom, then I'll take threads like this seriously.

[andrew1957]

We haven't been beaten badly for a long time, even back in the Prem Arsenal were the only team to have given us a footballing lesson. Spurs were not in that class, but I fear we have many more lessons to come.

True but IMO the quality of the PL is much higher now than it was in 2007/8 so we are quite likely to have the odd trashing now. Wigan have had a good number of complete thrashings over their PL years but have survived each season.

[BR2]

A few observations.
Reading started with the same back 4 apart from a new right-back against Chelsea and Spurs and we conceded 3 and 4 goals.
Saints started with the same back 4 apart from the right-back and conceded 3 and 6 goals against Man Utd and Arsenal.
Promoted clubs never buy enough defenders.
We have bought Mariappa and Shorey but they haven't played.

People are putting a very positive spin on us having played Chelsea and Spurs and assume that everything will come right when we play the lesser side.
Saints fans thought that the other week before they played Wigan and they lost 2-0.

My view is that we might survive but as Norfolk Royal said under another topic we (like Norwich last season)have to be "at it" from the off in every game and for the full 90+ minutes.
Yesterday we tried to match Spurs at football but we just haven't got the players to do that and having said that we need to be "at it" all the time ,if we do, then it is possible to pick up the occasional point against the top 6 and that can mean the difference between survival and relegation.

BTW that trip to Bray did a lot of good didn't it?

[Maguire]

What is concerning is that we took this beating at home and the score very conceivably, and realistically, could have been 5 or 6-1 against us for a game at the Madejski

How "could" it have been 6-1? If Spurs were better at football? Scoreline was about right, they certainly fully deserved the win.

Just a slow start from Reading - no need to panic.

[bracksroyal10]

I would say the score at half time certainly flattered us after some of the circus show acts that went on in our half from the back 4. However we should of had a penalty so suppose it evens itself out a little or almost.

[West Stand Man]

What is concerning is that we took this beating at home and the score very conceivably, and realistically, could have been 5 or 6-1 against us for a game at the Madejski

How "could" it have been 6-1? If Spurs were better at football? Scoreline was about right, they certainly fully deserved the win.

Just a slow start from Reading - no need to panic.

Agreed. Aplying that same logic (ie that it could have been 6-1) it could also have been 1-0 to us if Spurs had been as profligate with the 3 chances they converted as they were with the ones they missed. It is just silly talking of 'what could have been'.

[Maguire]

What is concerning is that we took this beating at home and the score very conceivably, and realistically, could have been 5 or 6-1 against us for a game at the Madejski

How "could" it have been 6-1? If Spurs were better at football? Scoreline was about right, they certainly fully deserved the win.

Just a slow start from Reading - no need to panic.

Agreed. Aplying that same logic (ie that it could have been 6-1) it could also have been 1-0 to us if Spurs had been as profligate with the 3 chances they converted as they were with the ones they missed. It is just silly talking of 'what could have been'.

Fully agree

[Barry the bird boggler]

We should have signed more quality players in the summer and we didnt, we wanted to keep faithful to the ones that brought us up but thats going to cost us, u could see the difference today in class reading looked like they were chasing shadows

3 games played. 2 of those against teams you would expect to lose to given our current stage of development. Therefore don't see that as being a reason to start moaning. Let's get to 10 games played and then panic (or not) shall we?

[Libertine]

What is concerning is that we took this beating at home and the score very conceivably, and realistically, could have been 5 or 6-1 against us for a game at the Madejski

How "could" it have been 6-1? If Spurs were better at football? Scoreline was about right, they certainly fully deserved the win.

Just a slow start from Reading - no need to panic.

I stick by what I said. If the Spurs converted all of their chances it could have been 5 or 6-1. And if you read all of my comments, and not just the one you cherry picked here, I think it is fairly obvious I am not "panicking". My observations were about the past game only and how I expect other teams to try to attack us based on it.

[Ascotexgunner]

What is concerning is that we took this beating at home and the score very conceivably, and realistically, could have been 5 or 6-1 against us for a game at the Madejski

How "could" it have been 6-1? If Spurs were better at football? Scoreline was about right, they certainly fully deserved the win.

Just a slow start from Reading - no need to panic.

I stick by what I said. If the Spurs converted all of their chances it could have been 5 or 6-1. And if you read all of my comments, and not just the one you cherry picked here, I think it is fairly obvious I am not "panicking". My observations were about the past game only and how I expect other teams to try to attack us based on it.

If, if, if. If a clear handball had been given, if there hadn't been 4 weeks between games etc etc.......
Spurs didn't convert their chances and Defoe had umpteen shots but only converted 2. Which is above normal.
I judged yesterdays game by the fact we looked short of match practice and I think that showed. I think there are people showing too much respect to Spurs on here. They have got some quality players but a bit of sharpness may of made it a dam site closer. From me there is no panic, we will get there once BMac has worked out the best starting 11 and the players get that yard back.

[Ascotexgunner]

What is concerning is that we took this beating at home and the score very conceivably, and realistically, could have been 5 or 6-1 against us for a game at the Madejski

How "could" it have been 6-1? If Spurs were better at football? Scoreline was about right, they certainly fully deserved the win.

Just a slow start from Reading - no need to panic.

I stick by what I said. If the Spurs converted all of their chances it could have been 5 or 6-1. And if you read all of my comments, and not just the one you cherry picked here, I think it is fairly obvious I am not "panicking". My observations were about the past game only and how I expect other teams to try to attack us based on it.

If, if, if. If a clear handball had been given, if there hadn't been 4 weeks between games etc etc.......
Spurs didn't convert their chances and Defoe had umpteen shots but only converted 2. Which is above normal.
I judged yesterdays game by the fact we looked short of match practice and I think that showed. I think there are people showing too much respect to Spurs on here. They have got some quality players but a bit of sharpness may of made it a dam site closer. From me there is no panic, we will get there once BMac has worked out the best starting 11 and the players get that yard back.

[Maguire]

What is concerning is that we took this beating at home and the score very conceivably, and realistically, could have been 5 or 6-1 against us for a game at the Madejski

How "could" it have been 6-1? If Spurs were better at football? Scoreline was about right, they certainly fully deserved the win.

Just a slow start from Reading - no need to panic.

I stick by what I said. If the Spurs converted all of their chances it could have been 5 or 6-1. And if you read all of my comments, and not just the one you cherry picked here, I think it is fairly obvious I am not "panicking". My observations were about the past game only and how I expect other teams to try to attack us based on it.

Yes "if" they took all their "chances" but 99% of the time no team ever does that. It's not realistic to say it could have been 6-1, that's just a huge overreaction.

[Libertine]

How "could" it have been 6-1? If Spurs were better at football? Scoreline was about right, they certainly fully deserved the win.

Just a slow start from Reading - no need to panic.

I stick by what I said. If the Spurs converted all of their chances it could have been 5 or 6-1. And if you read all of my comments, and not just the one you cherry picked here, I think it is fairly obvious I am not "panicking". My observations were about the past game only and how I expect other teams to try to attack us based on it.

If, if, if. If a clear handball had been given, if there hadn't been 4 weeks between games etc etc.......
Spurs didn't convert their chances and Defoe had umpteen shots but only converted 2. Which is above normal.
I judged yesterdays game by the fact we looked short of match practice and I think that showed. I think there are people showing too much respect to Spurs on here. They have got some quality players but a bit of sharpness may of made it a dam site closer. From me there is no panic, we will get there once BMac has worked out the best starting 11 and the players get that yard back.

So we basically agree, except for the handball observation. I thought Webb got it right that the foul by Pearce happened before the ball was handled. And I am not sure that people here are "showing too much respect to the Spurs". Based on yesterday's performance any respect being given them has more than been earned. If we didn't give that respect to the Spurs based on what happened what would it mean? The Spurs aren't that good and we're shite? I don't believe we're shite so I am giving the Spurs the credit they're due.

People need to chill out a bit. Any criticism of how the team played yesterday does not represent "the barbarians at the gate".

[arthurfondrelli]

some right muppets. the only annoying thing about todays were the lack of fight that we showed against chelsea and some bad 1st touches didnt help either

remember we were playing spurs who will finish in the top 6 and have done for most seasons since being in the prem

actualy the other thing that annoyed me was the morons who left at 0-3, the same gory hunters who wont be here if we drop the championship - anyway if we get a result like a draw or even win away to wba then people will forget

I don't think you can really blame people leaving with a couple of minutes left when 3-0 down, if it means they can make an earlier bus or train

[Maguire]

the other thing that annoyed me was the morons who left at 0-3, the same gory hunters who wont be here if we drop the championship

I left at 3-0 and to be honest with you I'm really not in any rush to go hunting for gore

[RoyalBlue]

some right muppets. the only annoying thing about todays were the lack of fight that we showed against chelsea and some bad 1st touches didnt help either

remember we were playing spurs who will finish in the top 6 and have done for most seasons since being in the prem

actualy the other thing that annoyed me was the morons who left at 0-3, the same gory hunters who wont be here if we drop the championship - anyway if we get a result like a draw or even win away to wba then people will forget

I don't think you can really blame people leaving with a couple of minutes left when 3-0 down, if it means they can make an earlier bus or train

Left a couple of minutes before the end when two of our highly paid Premiership players showed themselves incapable of taking a throw in and exchanging a short pass from it! Too many other priorities in my life to justify staying for any more of that. Still ended up sat in traffic jams on M4 and M25 (bloody Sunday afternoon games!). And I've seen far more gore than glory in the decades I've been supporting RFC!

[RoyalBlue]

BTW, where is SDR? We need some reaaaaaaaaaaal facts on this thread!

[melonhead]

probably not a good game to judge u after, considering we played as badly as ive seen under mcdermott for the majority of the match

shoudl have had a win against stoke. should have held on for the draw with chelsea, bad day Vs spurs.
need to get some points soon though!

[Libertine]

Yep we need some points...which is complicated by 4 out of our next 5 being away fixtures.

[paultheroyal]

Positives from yesterday....

McDermott will learn from this and that formation / mix of players won't be seen again
Good part of the second half we were up and at them and played well
Unlucky with 2 penalties and could of been different
Federici is not a bad goalkeeper after all
Our goal was excellent and not to be overlooked
We have scored in every game this season

We have taken 1 point from a combination of European Champions, a team regularly in top 6 and finished 4th last year and a team who know how to play ugly and stick around this division.

Reading other forums last night everyone around the country believes we are utter shite. We know we are better than that and this might work in our favour.

12 wins from 35 - doable, absolutely.

On another note Adkins is 2 games away from the sack. Heard this from source inside St Marys. Don't rule out return of Rednapp or an approach for Martinez with more cash to spend!