B F T G_brum

[dogzbollox]

I don't think the club thought much about the flat atmosphere.. this kept popping up today.

Very clever....

[SLAMMED]

I saw that a few times ^

[Millsy]

Someone made a point on the radio about how much better we looked without Karacan. A bit harsh as we got Baird in and Karacan is injured but I've never rated him much tbh.

[Wizard]

I'm claiming the first one. Without me calling it to brendyhead, it wouldn't have gone in.

[Y21]

Someone made a point on the radio about how much better we looked without Karacan. A bit harsh as we got Baird in and Karacan is injured but I've never rated him much tbh.

I think not having Drenthe in the side made a bigger difference. We seemed more balanced.

[One8Seven1]

Someone made a point on the radio about how much better we looked without Karacan. A bit harsh as we got Baird in and Karacan is injured but I've never rated him much tbh.

Not wanting to kick a man when he's down, but I agree we looked a lot better in midfield with Baird and Guthrie. I like Karacan, I like his energy, but his passing is very limited. He can put himself about but he can't pick out a pass like Guthrie or Baird. When Karacan is in possession, he looks short of ideas. When Baird has possession, he looks up and picks out a pass, and he can put his foot in. Bringing him in could be an outstanding piece of business when we look back at this season; unfortunately at Jem's expense, but it could define out season for the better.

[Nameless]

Think ALF deserves more credit than some are giving him. He made endless runs that simply weren't spotted. When they were he was marginally offside. A player like him will always push as tight on to the defender as possible and some days he'll get the benefit of the doubt from the officials and other days they'll flag him. Obvioulsy he needs to adjust his slights slightly but it's a fine margin.

Amazed to see someone claiming Guthrie was poor. He did tire late on but he was constantly on the ball, even dropped behind the back 4 a couple of times to get space. He's becoming a crucial player for us .

[grey_squirrel]

Someone made a point on the radio about how much better we looked without Karacan. A bit harsh as we got Baird in and Karacan is injured but I've never rated him much tbh.

^^^ This

Been saying the same since his debut.

[Ouroboros]

I think that's something like 1 goal conceded in 5, that's impressive.

Cool, where do you get your stats from btw?

[marlowuk]

Not a brilliant performance but - as someone else said - we are getting better and looking more assured on the ball. Pog played well and the crowd are encouraging him too.

Apart from his goals, I never really rated ALF but I thought today was one of his better games. He put himself about a bit and harried their defence. He was caught out by some very marginal offside decisions I thought.

Guthrie is definitely POTS so far but, in my opinion, MOTM today was McCleary. He was very lively, not afraid to take men on and delivered some good through balls.

The defence looks solid but I worry about their lack of pace. I don't think anyone played badly today.

[Y21]

What worries me most about the back 4 is an injury to either of the centre halves. We really don't have enough cover there and need at least one in. I know we have our Latvian submarine commander, but I wouldn't want to rely on him for more than a couple of games.

[Twix]

Someone made a point on the radio about how much better we looked without Karacan. A bit harsh as we got Baird in and Karacan is injured but I've never rated him much tbh.

Not wanting to kick a man when he's down, but I agree we looked a lot better in midfield with Baird and Guthrie. I like Karacan, I like his energy, but his passing is very limited. He can put himself about but he can't pick out a pass like Guthrie or Baird. When Karacan is in possession, he looks short of ideas. When Baird has possession, he looks up and picks out a pass, and he can put his foot in. Bringing him in could be an outstanding piece of business when we look back at this season; unfortunately at Jem's expense, but it could define out season for the better.

Although I agree with what you say I don't think Baird was the only improvement today, Guthrie cut down on his Hollywood passes (and only messed about with it in a dangerous position once) so that allowed us to keep possession a little longer.
McCleary has also been great in the past two games.

It's also harsh on Jem as some other recent improvements away from the midfield made us look better, for instance the full backs are looking more assured, Pearce and Morrison are more confident on the ball and Pog was holding it up well.

[Will95]

Another good performance. Solid from Pog again, a few more of them and he might have won me over. Baird and Guthrie were both great, they really support Pearce and Morrison as well. Really good to see Guthrie get the goals after such a good start to the season. Alfie strayed offside way too often today.

Brum were decent, reminded me of us for Blackpool/Yeovil/Brighton, creative in the middle, but with a lack of attacking threat up front, although I think the back four and centre mids caused them this problem as the six of them worked very well Could do well against less well built defences.

Atmosphere was flat as a pancake, but you could tell it would be before the game even begun. No one seemed in any way bothered. The atmosphere has definitely faded since Ipswich/Watford.

1 - can we stop with the crigeworthy chants (I'm looking at the group of kids I know who go to away games and sing utter shit)
2 - original chant for Obita please, I won't join in with his one, it's McCarthy's song
3 - sing 'Super Dan' for Guthrie please, that's Royston's chant

We lack so much originality it hurts. More Gorkks/Karacan esque songs please.

[P!ssed Off]

Reading were good.
Birmingham were shit.
Correct result.

First game in probably over 12 months where I've not felt the need to angrily shout at someone. Except the ref ofc, when he stopped our attack for a 'head' injury.
It was as comfortable a win I've seen in a long time. All our players were 7+.

Not much fussed about crowd atmosphere, or how original our songs are.

[P!ssed Off]

Another good performance. Solid from Pog again, a few more of them and he might have won me over. Baird and Guthrie were both great, they really support Pearce and Morrison as well. Really good to see Guthrie get the goals after such a good start to the season. Alfie strayed offside way too often today.

Brum were decent, reminded me of us for Blackpool/Yeovil/Brighton, creative in the middle, but with a lack of attacking threat up front, although I think the back four and centre mids caused them this problem as the six of them worked very well Could do well against less well built defences.

Atmosphere was flat as a pancake, but you could tell it would be before the game even begun. No one seemed in any way bothered. The atmosphere has definitely faded since Ipswich/Watford.

1 - can we stop with the crigeworthy chants (I'm looking at the group of kids I know who go to away games and sing utter shit)
2 - original chant for Obita please, I won't join in with his one, it's McCarthy's song
3 - sing 'Super Dan' for Guthrie please, that's Royston's chant

We lack so much originality it hurts. More Gorkks/Karacan esque songs please.

Are you going to obsess about turning Madejski Stadium into a European style terrace for the rest of your life?
It's not going to happen, let it go.

[SydenhamRoyal]

Don't see the fuss over Pog tbh. Didn't seem very mobile and didn't win many headers. And missed that chance in the last minute (I can't remember any other chances he had.)

you miss the point, for his size his strength isn`t in the air, his skill is on the deck his hold up play on the ball was superb today, granted he did miss that late chance, but the game was already over.

he missed one in the first half too that he should have got, but i still think he had a good game - his hold up play was excellent, as said above, and he hassled the defenders into making mistakes;

elsewhere, Gunter surprised me, demanding the ball, whipped in a fantastic cross in the first half instead of his normal floaters, pearce unfortunately was awesome again; despite his 2 goals, i didnt think guthrie had as good a game as normal, and mccleary was pretty good; HRK tho was pants, far too slow when picking the ball up, especially when defending

[Divvy]

Clarke thinks they had the better of the second half. What game was he watching?

[P!ssed Off]

Clarke thinks they had the better of the second half. What game was he watching?

Doesn't want to get the sack, does he?

[Divvy]

Clarke thinks they had the better of the second half. What game was he watching?

Doesn't want to get the sack, does he?

Shouldn't tell porkies them, should he?

[P!ssed Off]

Don't see the fuss over Pog tbh. Didn't seem very mobile and didn't win many headers. And missed that chance in the last minute (I can't remember any other chances he had.)

you miss the point, for his size his strength isn`t in the air, his skill is on the deck his hold up play on the ball was superb today, granted he did miss that late chance, but the game was already over.

he missed one in the first half too that he should have got, but i still think he had a good game - his hold up play was excellent, as said above, and he hassled the defenders into making mistakes;

elsewhere, Gunter surprised me, demanding the ball, whipped in a fantastic cross in the first half instead of his normal floaters, pearce unfortunately was awesome again; despite his 2 goals, i didnt think guthrie had as good a game as normal, and mccleary was pretty good; HRK tho was pants, far too slow when picking the ball up, especially when defending

The Guthrie long ball diagonal to Gunter, followed by a decent cross is such a standard part of our game, I'm surprised that you were surprised.