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

[Divvy]

Match of the Day ‏@BBCMOTD
MotD Running Order - BBC1 10.25: Man C/Reading, W Ham/Ever, WBA/Norwich, LPool/Fulham, Wigan/Asnl, Soton/Sund, Newc/QPR, Spurs/Stoke

What a treat for the rest of the cuntry.

[Esteban]

He's right. We were massively outclassed and nearly got a point.

How shit is that??

Playing like that we will pick up more points this season. It may be too late though.

OK, but what is your viewpoint on that as a tactic? Their side cost £207m, so they were bound to outclass us. However, it was our defending that kept them at bay for 92 minutes and we definitely hit them on the break a few times. I wouldn't say we parked the bus and didn't try to win the game. Their class told in terms of possession, but what they did with it for most of the game didn't hurt us too much.

Better than getting smashed 5-0, I'd say.

[Esteban]

Barry's movement impedes Shorey. It's a foul. It would take a far braver ref than Dean to award it though.

I'd say we can be forgiven for feeling hard done by.

What do you mean brave???? FFS its a foul and even Barry thinkis it might have been.

Brave??? It his feckin' job.

I totally agree. I wasn't trying to make excuses for Mike Dean. In my view, he either got the decision wrong or saw the foul and bottled it. Either way, it cost us.

[de niro]

apart from being amazed that you are bottom of the league i was shocked at your teams togetherness. any of the other teams watching the fight you put up will be 5hitting it.

i know i'm an outsider but i really like the reading manager, as honest as the day is long. i also would have totally understood had the goal been chalked off. we are a hell of a side and you ran us awfully close, take that on board and go climb the table, i'm convinced you'll do a wigan and go on a run to safty.

good luck and merry xmas.

[jellytot]

Yes today was good and as expected we lost. The goal could have been prevented if Shorey had challenged for it properly instead he looked for a foul. A silly thing to do in the 93rd minute. Maybe it was a foul but with a minute to go you head it away!!

I am not getting excited about the performance because we lost! We should have played with that
conviction against bloody villa; wigan, soton and sunderland! Instead we were awful!

The next two are must wins and we must play like we did for each of our remaining games.

Will we lapse back into the shit we have seen before? Some of the players are not up to it.

[Scarface]

I am not getting excited about the performance because we lost! We should have played with that
conviction against bloody villa; wigan, soton and sunderland! Instead we were awful!

The next two are must wins and we must play like we did for each of our remaining games.

Will we lapse back into the shit we have seen before?

Well said, this performance (remember we lost still) does not make up for those shocking away games. Easy to up your game away to the Champions when there was nothing expected. The next to games for me should decide if McDermott is sacked or not.

[John Peel]

Everyone is w@nking over how well we did - we had 10 men behind the ball for the entire game. How many saves did Joe Hart make?

Hint: It's none.

Legs of wood and McAnuff out - Midfield of Guthrie, Karacan and Tabb - with HRK just behind Pog.

+1

We're just not being honest with ourselves. And I think this is absolutely crucial to any slender chance we have of staying up.

Fcking sick and tired of 'let's take the positives'. It's ok for some games but it's all we seem to have. And how many points does playing well against Man City and Man U get us? None. Fcking zero. Bottom line is we aren't picking up points. The teams who stay up are the ones who win ugly and that's what we have got to back to doing, just like last season.

And the other thing that gets me is people saying we had no budget. We outbid Fulham for the Pog FFS. Yes we spent £5m on players but we got two players for free which would otherwise have cost us about £8m (Pog and Guthrie). If you look at it like that we outbid comfortably teams like Norwich. Again, let's be honest with ourselves. We did a poor job in the market and the manager isn't getting the most out of the players.

We are like a dying pheasant at the side of the road with one leg missing. The sooner we are put out of our fcking misery, the better. I fcking hate this season. Bring back the Championship.

Merry fcking Christmas.

[seahawk10]

[RockheadRumple]

It was a shame to lose, but Reading played very well. That performance gives me a lot of encouragement and if we play like that away more often we'll start picking up points consistently. Bear in mind, we did actually create chances as well as defend. Solid away game formula. I'm feeling good ahead of the Swansea game.

My first match thread too, and an eventful one at that.

I'm glad that unlike you sorry lot Brian looks at the bright side of life...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WoaktW-Lu38

[The Beardy Man]

Can only assume people slating McAnuff didn't see the game today. Both he and Kebe put in a terrific shift defensively.

Even Legs looked better than he has been in recent weeks, perhaps still our weak link...but none of our players deserve slating after that performance. If we can remain that tight and disciplined for the remainder of the season we have a chance to hold our head high by seasons end regardless of eventual finishing position.

I wanted to see signs of tactical progress and work on the defence from Brian and got that today.

No complaints, now lets carry it into games in which we are less outmatched.

[Royal91]

Why did it take so long for McDermott to install 4-5-1. I've been saying it for weeks.

Anyway maybe he has finally twigged it. Big respect to him for his post match interview. Finally ripping into the shit refs and showing his passion for the club. Not that I ever doubted his passion. The players especially Pearce were getting fired up and attacking the ref more.

Drop l,wood and get Guthrie in there with karacan and tabb. Or alternatively get HRK as the cam. Kee

[windermere_royal]

Everyone is w@nking over how well we did - we had 10 men behind the ball for the entire game. How many saves did Joe Hart make?

Hint: It's none.

Legs of wood and McAnuff out - Midfield of Guthrie, Karacan and Tabb - with HRK just behind Pog.

+1

We're just not being honest with ourselves. And I think this is absolutely crucial to any slender chance we have of staying up.

Fcking sick and tired of 'let's take the positives'. It's ok for some games but it's all we seem to have. And how many points does playing well against Man City and Man U get us? None. Fcking zero. Bottom line is we aren't picking up points. The teams who stay up are the ones who win ugly and that's what we have got to back to doing, just like last season.

And the other thing that gets me is people saying we had no budget. We outbid Fulham for the Pog FFS. Yes we spent £5m on players but we got two players for free which would otherwise have cost us about £8m (Pog and Guthrie). If you look at it like that we outbid comfortably teams like Norwich. Again, let's be honest with ourselves. We did a poor job in the market and the manager isn't getting the most out of the players.

We are like a dying pheasant at the side of the road with one leg missing. The sooner we are put out of our fcking misery, the better. I fcking hate this season. Bring back the Championship.

Merry fcking Christmas.

just fecking piss off you boring c*nt

[LoyalRoyalFan]

Everyone is w@nking over how well we did - we had 10 men behind the ball for the entire game. How many saves did Joe Hart make?

Hint: It's none.

Legs of wood and McAnuff out - Midfield of Guthrie, Karacan and Tabb - with HRK just behind Pog.

+1

We're just not being honest with ourselves. And I think this is absolutely crucial to any slender chance we have of staying up.

Fcking sick and tired of 'let's take the positives'. It's ok for some games but it's all we seem to have. And how many points does playing well against Man City and Man U get us? None. Fcking zero. Bottom line is we aren't picking up points. The teams who stay up are the ones who win ugly and that's what we have got to back to doing, just like last season.

And the other thing that gets me is people saying we had no budget. We outbid Fulham for the Pog FFS. Yes we spent £5m on players but we got two players for free which would otherwise have cost us about £8m (Pog and Guthrie). If you look at it like that we outbid comfortably teams like Norwich. Again, let's be honest with ourselves. We did a poor job in the market and the manager isn't getting the most out of the players.

We are like a dying pheasant at the side of the road with one leg missing. The sooner we are put out of our fcking misery, the better. I fcking hate this season. Bring back the Championship.

Merry fcking Christmas.

Oh bore off.

Did you honestly think we could actually beat the best team in England?

How many teams can go to Eastlands and only lose by one goal? How many teams go to Man City and win, apart from the likes of Man Utd?

Did you honestly think we would win 3-0 up there or something? The players put in 110% and nearly came home with a hard-earned point.

[John Peel]

Everyone is w@nking over how well we did - we had 10 men behind the ball for the entire game. How many saves did Joe Hart make?

Hint: It's none.

Legs of wood and McAnuff out - Midfield of Guthrie, Karacan and Tabb - with HRK just behind Pog.

+1

We're just not being honest with ourselves. And I think this is absolutely crucial to any slender chance we have of staying up.

Fcking sick and tired of 'let's take the positives'. It's ok for some games but it's all we seem to have. And how many points does playing well against Man City and Man U get us? None. Fcking zero. Bottom line is we aren't picking up points. The teams who stay up are the ones who win ugly and that's what we have got to back to doing, just like last season.

And the other thing that gets me is people saying we had no budget. We outbid Fulham for the Pog FFS. Yes we spent £5m on players but we got two players for free which would otherwise have cost us about £8m (Pog and Guthrie). If you look at it like that we outbid comfortably teams like Norwich. Again, let's be honest with ourselves. We did a poor job in the market and the manager isn't getting the most out of the players.

We are like a dying pheasant at the side of the road with one leg missing. The sooner we are put out of our fcking misery, the better. I fcking hate this season. Bring back the Championship.

Merry fcking Christmas.

Did you honestly think we could actually beat the best team in England?

How many teams can go to Eastlands and only lose by one goal? How many teams go to Man City and win, apart from the likes of Man Utd?

Did you honestly think we would win 3-0 up there or something? The players put in 110% and nearly came home with a hard-earned point.

Short answer - no I didn't. I am just fed up mate. I love this club and I'm just finding it unbearable at the moment that's all.

[LoyalRoyalFan]

Unbearable?

The fact that we are playing Manchester City - playing against some of the best players in the world?

Would you prefer a trip to Chesterfield on a Tuesday night?

Look at where we are, we are playing in the best league in the world. Remember where this club has come from.

[John Peel]

This is one of the many things that divides Reading fans. Do you want to be playing the best in the world but knowing you could be spanked around the park and not have a shot on target all game? Or do you want to see football week in, week out where you get to see entertaining games and where you know you will always have a chance of winning. For me the standard of Championship is very good and right now my vote is with the latter. I'm just not enjoying this season.

[windermere_royal]

This is one of the many things that divides Reading fans. Do you want to be playing the best in the world but knowing you could be spanked around the park and not have a shot on target all game? Or do you want to see football week in, week out where you get to see entertaining games and where you know you will always have a chance of winning. For me the standard of Championship is very good and right now my vote is with the latter. I'm just not enjoying this season.

And by being competetive and winning games in the championship what would be the ultimate aim? promotion to the PL you hate so much maybe?
or is it just missing out on promotion every year that actually rocks your boat?

[John Peel]

Promotion when we're ready? Absolutely. I think we punched above our weight to get promoted last year though, great though it was. Fair point though.

[jumpers for goalposts]

Games like this are an irrelevence in the grand scheme of things.
Shame we couldn't show similar fight against Wigan, Sunderland, Villa etc. Those are the games that matter

[Irvinchangeyaname]

Not sure if it's already been mentioned but that goal game straight from Legs giving it away cheaply from a position we should've been looking to run the clock down. Christ, he's awful.