Swindon Town (A) Friendly

[genome]

Reading Ultras.

[Nameless]

any one who went got any thoughts on events on the pitch rather than giving the school kids the publicity they are looking for ?
Did Campi do anything to make him worth a contract ?
How did Kelly get on ?
Is Dickie a FRC ?
Is the Finn going to be No 1 No 1 ?

[George_]

Is the Finn going to be No 1 No 1 ?

Thought he looked decent. Didn't have a great deal to do in the 1st half but made a smart save (was i the concourse on 45 minutes so didn't see the goal so can't comment on that). 2nd half he made a good 1 on 1 save from the Swindon striker along with a couple of other good saves. Kicking was good apart from 1 which went straight to a Swindon player. Overall pretty impressed. Not sure if he or AAH will be no1, but he showed last night that he would be an improvement on Bond as 2nd choice if so.

[John Smith]

We were in the north stand under the roof. Good atmosphere for a friendly. The posturing twats took a few rows right down the front and apart from barging into the stewards for the goals didn't get up to much.

The flare was a smoke bomb amongst a few RFC fans in the east stand - looked as lively as the Upper West - it was so pathetic it was brilliant.

Looked good going forward, really ropey at the back.

Apparently they paid a fee for that keeper

This is a very good summary of the evening as a whole.

A few lads up the back were going mental when we got the winner. Don't get me wrong, it was a good turnaround, but it was hardly a meaningful game/heated derby that meany were hyping it up to be. A shame to see their side stand empty.

Their keeper was doggers: sent about 3 successive clearances into touch in the 2nd half. Their strikers finishing was equally dreadful and should really have been 3-0 up at one point.

[John Smith]

Is the Finn going to be No 1 No 1 ?

Thought he looked decent. Didn't have a great deal to do in the 1st half but made a smart save (was i the concourse on 45 minutes so didn't see the goal so can't comment on that). 2nd half he made a good 1 on 1 save from the Swindon striker along with a couple of other good saves. Kicking was good apart from 1 which went straight to a Swindon player. Overall pretty impressed. Not sure if he or AAH will be no1, but he showed last night that he would be an improvement on Bond as 2nd choice if so.

The goal was a deflected effort from range - couldn't blame him IMO. He looked pretty safe although I noticed a couple of throws going straight to Swindon players straight after saves. Hurried distribution given the tempo we were playing in the heat but maybe that's early nerves.

[LWJ]

Did Campi do anything to make him worth a contract ?
No, looked weak heading, jumped into challenges and conceded a few unnecessary fouls in the middle of the pitch. Expected more of him tbh.
How did Kelly get on ?
Lightweight, anonymous, didn't do anything of note but pass sideways a lot. Expected more again..
Is Dickie a FRC ?
FRC? Future Reading Captain? I think he looked the most composed of the back 4, but still gave away the ball needlessly a couple of times. As it was a friendly it was hard to tell how effective his role of captain really was.

[LWJ]

The stand out player for me was Swift who looked a class above everyone else on the pitch in the first half. Shame he went off at half time as we didn't look as good after that.

[Unbelievable Jeff]

any one who went got any thoughts on events on the pitch rather than giving the school kids the publicity they are looking for ?
Did Campi do anything to make him worth a contract ?
How did Kelly get on ?
Is Dickie a FRC ?
Is the Finn going to be No 1 No 1 ?

Was ok, hoped for a few more senior players in the squad but then again, it was good to see some of the youngsters who I haven't seen before.

Thought our full backs namely Jules and Long looked very shaky, rushed decisions and poor technical play from them.

Barret and Tanner were excellent, really pacey and dynamic which is what we've missed for a few seasons now, whether they can step up to chump level I'm not so sure. Stacey and Fosu came on to good effect, Keeper looked solid, nothing more.

Trouble was with the CBs Dickie and Campi were all over the place at times leaving Swindon to walk through our defence on occasions. Obviously just judging on the 90 I've seen Campi in. He'd get torn apart in the championship with anyone with a bit of pace and intelligence.

Mendes looked strong and hard working but didn't see any glimses of real quality.


As others have said, good atmosphere for a pre season, good to get the (meaningless) win as well but some of our supporters , just

Oh, and the amount of fouls we gave away was just ridiculous. If anyone has that stat I'd like to hear it!

[Pepe the Horseman]

Shame about Campi, sounded pretty promising before he kicked a ball. Still desperately need a CB, hopefully we are actually in for Tommy Smith.

[maffff]

It was the same fckers who were acting up at Blackburn last season. The ones who sit near the top of Y25.

Ugh, I remember these oxf*rd from the Blackburn game.

[Forty]

I thought Campi looked fantastic compared to Mendes (sp?) who looked ..... dire.

Stacey made loads of difference when he came on, and was involved in both goals.

[Broxroyal]

A Reading under 21 X1 won 4-0 at Enfield last night. Not sure why the official site doesn't bother reporting it. A goal for Cardwell and an o.g. - don't know who scored the other two.
There is a bit of a report on the Enfield Town site. I'm afraid I'm not sure how to post the link, as I'm rather an old timer and not great on the computer.

[bobby1413]

A Reading under 21 X1 won 4-0 at Enfield last night. Not sure why the official site doesn't bother reporting it. A goal for Cardwell and an o.g. - don't know who scored the other two.
There is a bit of a report on the Enfield Town site. I'm afraid I'm not sure how to post the link, as I'm rather an old timer and not great on the computer.

http://www.enfieldtownfootballclub.co.u ... /0-3344154

Town made a number of changes from the game against Barnet at the weekend. Former VCD Athletic man Nigel Neita made his first Town start, and there were a number of trialists on view.

After five minutes, Reading’s Conor Davis made a good run down the left and crossed for Sam Smith to put narrowly wide. In the 13th minute a Nathan Livings free-kick was hit well off target. Five minutes later, Royals’ keeper Joe Tupper had to be alert to come off his line and head clear from Corey Whitely.

Just after the half-hour mark, Reading had a fair shout for a penalty after Nathan Livings had made contact in the home box with Omar Richards, but referee Michael Mackey wave play on. Shortly before the end of the first period, an almighty scramble in the visitors’ box following a corner on the right by Billy Crook ended with the referee awarding a free-kick to the Royals. Just as the half-time whistle was about to blow, Curtis Ujah hit a firm left-foot shot inches over the Reading crossbar.

Half time: Enfield Town 0 Reading 0

The second half belonged to Reading, who netted four times without reply. Firstly, in the 65th minute, Curtis Ujah got the final unfortunate touch on a loose ball travelling towards the Town goal after the ball had been lost in midfield. Then, five minutes later, the ball was knocked down well from a cross and Harry Cardwell slid the ball home unmarked. The icing on the Royals’ cake was applied by two goals in the 90th minute.

Town had a Corey Whitely effort well over and Nigel Neita was unlucky not to connect with a Mickey Parcell cross. Parcell, arguably Town’s best performer in the second half, was then denied by a fine stop from Tupper and, shortly afterwards, he also had a good header just wide of the mark but, in truth, Town were well beaten on the night.

Town starting line-up: Nathan McDonald, Mickey Parcell, Tyler Campbell, Claudiu Vilcu, Curtis Ujah, Trialist, Nathan Livings, Billy Crook, Corey Whitely, Trialist, Nigel Neita. Substitutes: Lee Brennan, Jordan Lockie, Imedd Kartita and three other trialists.

[maffff]

Wasn't Curtis Ujah a Reading academy lad once upon a time?

[stewietait]

They almost werent good enough. Their keeper made one save in the first half, they gifted us the equaliser. Swindo should have been 3 or 4 -0 up before we scored. Only looked lively in the last 10 mins.

But young side I guess. Interesting to see how we fair against Bournemouth. That's more championship level, and what we will be up against. However, if that's our back up for injuries, I'm slightly worried

[SydenhamRoyal]

who was the number 5 last night, playing at right back in the second half?

in my considered opinion he was shit, and there was universal consensus on that point from everyone around

liked our keeper, enjoyed some of our wing play early on, but other than it was pretty poor fare

[TFF]

who was the number 5 last night, playing at right back in the second half?

in my considered opinion he was shit, and there was universal consensus on that point from everyone around

Not sure who he was but 'greed. Needed far too much time on the ball and was far too easily closed down/forced into an error.

RB in the first half (Keown?) was better but their left winger left him for dead on more than one occasion.

As said previously, both CBs had a shocker - letting Swindon through time after time. A decent team would have been 4 up half an hour into the second half.

We didn't deserve anything from the game tbh

[LWJ]

who was the number 5 last night, playing at right back in the second half?

in my considered opinion he was shit, and there was universal consensus on that point from everyone around

liked our keeper, enjoyed some of our wing play early on, but other than it was pretty poor fare

Long - looked very nervous and went backwards a lot.

[muirinho]

who was the number 5 last night, playing at right back in the second half?

in my considered opinion he was shit, and there was universal consensus on that point from everyone around

Not sure who he was but 'greed. Needed far too much time on the ball and was far too easily closed down/forced into an error.

RB in the first half (Keown?) was better but their left winger left him for dead on more than one occasion.

Wasn't there, but looking at first half team and second half team, it looks like Sean Long was there in the first half, and Keown replaced him at half time.
Tennai Watson went to the Netherlands, and I'm pretty sure played RB, neither of the above two went - even though they had squad numbers last season, and Watson didn't. Has he leap-frogged them?
Sounds like we'll definitely need a RB if/when Chris Gunter goes - Watson is only 19 and as far as I know has never been out on loan even. And the two that are more senior to him don't sound like they are much cop.
In fact we may well need an RB even if Gunts stays - he has had zero competition for the last two years tbh.

[LWJ]

who was the number 5 last night, playing at right back in the second half?

in my considered opinion he was shit, and there was universal consensus on that point from everyone around

Not sure who he was but 'greed. Needed far too much time on the ball and was far too easily closed down/forced into an error.

RB in the first half (Keown?) was better but their left winger left him for dead on more than one occasion.

Wasn't there, but looking at first half team and second half team, it looks like Sean Long was there in the first half, and Keown replaced him at half time.
Tennai Watson went to the Netherlands, and I'm pretty sure played RB, neither of the above two went - even though they had squad numbers last season, and Watson didn't. Has he leap-frogged them?
Sounds like we'll definitely need a RB if/when Chris Gunter goes - Watson is only 19 and as far as I know has never been out on loan even. And the two that are more senior to him don't sound like they are much cop.
In fact we may well need an RB even if Gunts stays - he has had zero competition for the last two years tbh.

Keown was first half.