Manchester City vs Reading *Match Thread* Sponsored by 4-5-1

[RockheadRumple]

Reading: Federici, Gunter, Harte, Mariappa, Pearce, Leigertwood, Karacan, Tabb, McAnuff, Kebe, Pogrebnyak

Subs: Taylor, Shorey, Gorkss, Guthrie, Robson-Kanu, Le Fondre, Hunt


Man City: Hart, Zabaleta, K Toure, Barry, Nastasic, Rekik, Silva, Y Toure (C), Garcia, Aguero, Tevez

City subs: Wright, Lescott, Kompany, Razak, Milner, Sinclair, Dzeko


I would assume that Shorey has been rested for a game that we probably won't win regardless - good move by McD, contrary to what everybody else may say.
Guthrie on the bench is progress, I suppose.
Tabb in the CAM role is a pretty good choice, IMO.
And, of course, it's great to see Jem back. Maybe he can start getting the best out of Leigertwood like he usually does. Brilliant partnership, they are.

[loyalroyal4life]

If shorey is rested then fair enough, if he has been dropped then brian is clueless and needs to go

[NR_Royal]

Thank oxf*rd we have Karacan back. We could do with some energy in midfield. BUT IAN HARTE LOLOLOLOLOL.

[The Prisoner]

First reaction to Shorey being dropped was horror, but on reflection this is a dead rubber to us and best to save him for two winnable games coming up.

[ZacNaloen]

First reaction to Shorey being dropped was horror, but on reflection this is a dead rubber to us and best to save him for two winnable games coming up.

Spot on. You can't just keep playing the same players without giving a break. Particularly at Christmas.

[royalflush]

Interesting comments from Pov according to BBC Berks

[paulholsgrove83]

Radio Berkshire are reporting that The Pog was interviewed by Sky today and said maybe a new manager would be a good idea, hopefully we dont lose by more than 10 and we have been playing badly for some time, now ive been watching sky and i havent seen any interview with the Pog

[ZacNaloen]

It's on the sky website

[genome]

Harte vs. Silva.

This should be interesting.

Only chance we've got here is against their left-back, the 18 year old.

[winchester_royal]

I like Shorey but lets get real, we've been leaking goals down our left the whole team he's been in.

Harte's no better of course, but he's a better dead-baller and that's the only way we'll score this afternoon.

[The Prisoner]

Oh my good god:

From sky sports website

Reading manager Brian McDermott insists he will continue his 'fearless' approach and target only victory at Manchester City on Saturday.
McDermott vowed not to part from his attacking mentality against the reigning Premier League champions, despite his team languishing at the foot of the table on the back of six successive defeats.
"Three years ago I made a decision that I would be fearless in the way I conduct myself in this management lark and I have stuck to that," he said.
"I was out with a friend of mine when I got the job and we had a conversation. I said 'I'm going to enjoy every single minute of this, I'm going to have no fear in each and every game'.
"I'm going to try and win games when it's a draw and I've stuck to that. I haven't gone into games with fear at any single moment.
"If you look at our record over the last three years, apart from the last 17 games it has been the right way for me and the right way for Reading.
"It suggests that it's been the right philosophy for me and the club because we've been successful."

[royalflush]

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11673/8350067/Pavel-Pogrebnyak-hopes-Reading-do-not-concede-10-goals-against-Manchester-City

[Mintymurray]

Every game is there to be won. I would rather have an attack approach than to park the bus and give up before kick off.

[Lovely hot donuts!]

Oh my good god:

From sky sports website

Reading manager Brian McDermott insists he will continue his 'fearless' approach and target only victory at Manchester City on Saturday.
McDermott vowed not to part from his attacking mentality against the reigning Premier League champions, despite his team languishing at the foot of the table on the back of six successive defeats.
"Three years ago I made a decision that I would be fearless in the way I conduct myself in this management lark and I have stuck to that," he said.
"I was out with a friend of mine when I got the job and we had a conversation. I said 'I'm going to enjoy every single minute of this, I'm going to have no fear in each and every game'.
"I'm going to try and win games when it's a draw and I've stuck to that. I haven't gone into games with fear at any single moment.
"If you look at our record over the last three years, apart from the last 17 games it has been the right way for me and the right way for Reading.
"It suggests that it's been the right philosophy for me and the club because we've been successful."

Shitting oxf*rd and oxf*rd shit

[jellytot]

See that City have their big guns out whilst Reading don't have any.

Maybe we have small guns

Hopes are ground zero

[Albert Spangler]

I may well be Brian's biggest fan but he's making it tricky for me at the moment. Saying that, there's no good team to play away at Man City at the moment.

[Turns8]

Every game is there to be won. I would rather have an attack approach than to park the bus and give up before kick off.

The position we are in I'd rather park the bus and try for a point...going all out attack will only mean we concede within the first 15mins and once that happens the floodgates will open...we need to start picking up points...look at QPR 6pts in 4 games...from tightening things up...compared to our clueless all out attack bringing us the grand total of 0pts in 6 games....

Norwich were leaking goals not so long ago...tighten things up and look where they are...

[sputnik]

Good to see Pearce starting again.

[Albert Spangler]

Every game is there to be won. I would rather have an attack approach than to park the bus and give up before kick off.

The position we are in I'd rather park the bus and try for a point...going all out attack will only mean we concede within the first 15mins and once that happens the floodgates will open...we need to start picking up points...look at QPR 6pts in 4 games...from tightening things up...compared to our clueless all out attack bringing us the grand total of 0pts in 6 games....

Norwich were leaking goals not so long ago...tighten things up and look where they are...

Agreed.

Miss you x

[Albert Spangler]

Good to see Pearce starting again.

Is it?