BFTG - Birmingham (A)

[3points]

Benefits of living in Birmingham, am already home.

Enjoyed that win. Tight affair. Not much between the teams but a quality goal was the difference. Very hard working performance all round. Wouldn't say anyone had a bad game. Gunter may have had the armband, but Moore was the true leader on the pitch. Had a right old scrap with Jutkiewiscz. Blackett started a bit shakily, but I felt he grew into the game and looked fairly decent as one of three centre backs.

Williams did a decent stint as right wing back. Thought Obita looked lively all game and gave us some good width. I really like Evans too. I thought he worked really hard and oozed class, with excellent movement all game. A midfield of Evans! Kelley and Swift looked properly decent tonight in a game where there was a lot of scrapping.

MOTM - Liam Moore

[Royalwaster]

Hey another goal after a back-heel ... you think they practice that one in training?

Looking at the highlights almost all our chances came via GMac .... he sure is in form!

[3points]

Hey another goal after a back-heel ... you think they practice that one in training?

Looking at the highlights almost all our chances came via GMac .... he sure is in form!

surprisingly substituted. Personally thought he was having a better game than Beerens (who looks better with having less defensive duties to worry about)

[muirinho]

Hey another goal after a back-heel ... you think they practice that one in training?

Looking at the highlights almost all our chances came via GMac .... he sure is in form!

surprisingly substituted. Personally thought he was having a better game than Beerens (who looks better with having less defensive duties to worry about)

On a yellow card, and 3rd game in 7 days - maybe just giving him a tiny bit of a rest.

[windermereROYAL]

Just got home, its hard to argue with the OP. battling performance with a touch of class chucked in. AAH nearly dropped us in it twice in the first half with his short passing out of the box.
Liam Moore is a monster at the back and held us together.
Mac had their left back on toast before be subbed, Kelly is a star of the future surely.
Hard to fault anybody. very good night .
Oh and the Brum fans were shocking.

[Stranded]

Just got home, its hard to argue with the OP. battling performance with a touch of class chucked in. AAH nearly dropped us in it twice in the first half with his short passing out of the box.
Liam Moore is a monster at the back and held us together.
Mac had their left back on toast before be subbed, Kelly is a star of the future surely.
Hard to fault anybody. very good night .
Oh and the Brum fans were shocking.

So would we be if the board got rid of a good manager after a win leaving you on the edge of the play-offs to replace him with a "name manager" who has gone on to D3 L6 of his first 9 games and oversee a drop to mid-table.

[stealthpapes]

I rather liked that the loudest they were was applauding us singing "there's only one Gary Rowett"

Anyway, first half was a struggle that we edged, they had a decent go at us for the first part of the second, we turned on the gas, scored, saw the game out. Nice away win, no serious issues. Would recommend.

[LoyalRoyal22]

It was a little dis-jointed as you would expect with the players we had out. We struggled to get out from the back, main reason being Blackett creating uncertainty with his team mates due to his lack of confidence on the ball. Although I thought Gunter had a really strong game in the back three, it seemed to really suit him.

Meite made a big impact when he came on & was nice that his song was in full voice

BUT, when we did pass it out successfully, some of the attacking play again was superb. We looked like scoring every time we went forward (especially first half)

Al-Habsi- 7

Gunter- 7
Moore- 7
Blackett- 5

Williams- 6
Obita- 7

Evans- 7
Kelly- 7
Swift- 6

Beerens- 6
McCleary- 7

[LoyalRoyal22]

Any updates on McShane & Yann ?

[TFF]

I rather liked that the loudest they were was applauding us singing "there's only one Gary Rowett"

Gianfranco Zola on lack of class from Reading fans

[CountryRoyal]

I rather liked that the loudest they were was applauding us singing "there's only one Gary Rowett"

Gianfranco Zola on lack of class from Reading fans

They haven't been very nice to be honest.

Awwwww diddums. Jesus Christ it's football, what did he expect?

I suspect he was particularly upset because he thought his trainers were pretty cool.

[CountryRoyal]

A performance that we've come to expect of late. A little disjointed and sloppy at times, especially at the back, not particularly clinical but some slick passing, good interplay and eventually deserved winners. I thought Birmingham actually played quite well for periods considering their form and at times the game looked like it good go either way, but we had that bit of extra quality that was the difference.

Quick mention on Swift. Such a mixed bag at the moment. A few really good passes but gave the ball away so many times and wasted a couple of opportunities... then pops up with the winner! Also loved Kelly's effort and so unlucky, whilst ever so slightly not quite as good as in recent weeks (by the very high standard he has set himself) I thought he was still, once again, excellent. At least with him if not everything is coming off you know he will run his arse off to defend, make runs off the ball, and get into space to provide an outlet. Backheel for Obita's cross was class, as we have come to expect.

Meite was excellent when he come, surprised to see Mendes who did what he had to but even in his brief cameo showed why he doesn't play.

I actually love this team. Good effort from the fans even if at times chants were a tad disjointed and well done all who traveled, felt like we had more than the 600 odd there.

[Sutekh]

[code][/code]Good solid performance capped by a goal we thought would never come along.

There were a few moments of sloppy passing and unnecessary, but sadly standard, plonking about with the ball by passing it backwards to Habsi as the opponents kept pushing up and up but all in all Reading were the better side..

Birmingham had the best of the early exchanges by keeping Reading pegged back in defence but while looking like they could threaten the end product never really arrived and Habsi just had to hold firm and get the basics of good goalkeeping right which he did with aplomb.

Best chances of the game were all with Reading with Kelly hitting the bard with a great shot and having another saved by their keeper's legs.

The goal, when it finally arrived, was down to really well worked team play primarily between Obita and Kelly with Kelly's backheel giving Obita the time and space to play the ball into Swift who turned the ball across the Birmingham keeper into the net with one touch.

Honestly think the win was down to the freshening up of the front line through the introduction of Yakou Meite a few minutes beforehand and shows really how important it is going to be to have that extra depth in the squad to be able to change or liven things up when play starts flagging on the pitch.

Really good 3 points earned at the end of the day and on most other occasions that game would have petered out to a 0-0 and especially so with the likes of McShane and Kermorgant missing.

Actually though Evans had a really good game by just basically being there. Kelly was his usual everywhere self and Meite's cameo role was excellent with plenty of movement and some great ball control. With a bit more experience he's going to be rather good I think.

Heads down then for the next instalment of this exciting story at Portman Road on Saturday. Going to be good stuff to watch as Reading maybe third in the table but they still carry that slight air of uncertainty about their performances.

But then just perhaps it's a false air to go with their false position.

[paultheroyal]

[code][/code]Good solid performance capped by a goal we thought would never come along.

There were a few moments of sloppy passing and unnecessary, but sadly standard, plonking about with the ball by passing it backwards to Habsi as the opponents kept pushing up and up but all in all Reading were the better side..

Birmingham had the best of the early exchanges by keeping Reading pegged back in defence but while looking like they could threaten the end product never really arrived and Habsi just had to hold firm and get the basics of good goalkeeping right which he did with aplomb.

Best chances of the game were all with Reading with Kelly hitting the bard with a great shot and having another saved by their keeper's legs.

The goal, when it finally arrived, was down to really well worked team play primarily between Obita and Kelly with Kelly's backheel giving Obita the time and space to play the ball into Swift who turned the ball across the Birmingham keeper into the net with one touch.

Honestly think the win was down to the freshening up of the front line through the introduction of Yakou Meite a few minutes beforehand and shows really how important it is going to be to have that extra depth in the squad to be able to change or liven things up when play starts flagging on the pitch.

Really good 3 points earned at the end of the day and on most other occasions that game would have petered out to a 0-0 and especially so with the likes of McShane and Kermorgant missing.

Actually though Evans had a really good game by just basically being there. Kelly was his usual everywhere self and Meite's cameo role was excellent with plenty of movement and some great ball control. With a bit more experience he's going to be rather good I think.

Heads down then for the next instalment of this exciting story at Portman Road on Saturday. Going to be good stuff to watch as Reading maybe third in the table but they still carry that slight air of uncertainty about their performances.

But then just perhaps it's a false air to go with their false position.

Just imagine how good it will be when we actually turn up and perform then with no uncertainty!!

[LWJ]

I thought Birmingham looked quite good occasionally but lacked the finishing touch - obviously missing Donaldson? Their left winger was also a handful, then again he was up against Williams playing at RWB which wouldn't help.

We deserved the win IMO. Hit the bar, could have had 2 or 3 in the first half as well. The amount of times GMac fizzed it across the face of the goal without anyone getting on the end was frustrating.

Swift continues to frustrate me slightly, he seems to lose concentration and have a terrible touch 1/4 in touches. Then he has moments of brilliance. Him and Kelly are forming a lovely partnership with some of their interplay.

Once again - What a time to be a Reading fan. Regardless of if we play well, or not so well I still leave games enjoying being part of this ride.

Our team average age must be pretty low!! Exciting times ahead.

[CountryRoyal]

I thought Birmingham looked quite good occasionally but lacked the finishing touch - obviously missing Donaldson? Their left winger was also a handful, then again he was up against Williams playing at RWB which wouldn't help.

We deserved the win IMO. Hit the bar, could have had 2 or 3 in the first half as well. The amount of times GMac fizzed it across the face of the goal without anyone getting on the end was frustrating.

Swift continues to frustrate me slightly, he seems to lose concentration and have a terrible touch 1/4 in touches. Then he has moments of brilliance. Him and Kelly are forming a lovely partnership with some of their interplay.

Once again - What a time to be a Reading fan. Regardless of if we play well, or not so well I still leave games enjoying being part of this ride.

Our team average age must be pretty low!! Exciting times ahead.

Agree with everything here.