BFTG - Derby

[Zip]

We've played exactly half the season. Does anyone know how many points we had at this stage last season?

Not sure but after we got hammered by Swansea on New Years Day we had played 26 games and picked up just 20 points.

Ah, happy days

It was the day my car keys slipped out of my pocket and were under my seat in the ED Stand. Got back to my car at Mereoak and thought WTF followed by a humbling and tense call to a hungover Mrs Zip asking her to drive 70 miles to Reading with my spare seat of keys.

[URZZZZ]

Not sure but after we got hammered by Swansea on New Years Day we had played 26 games and picked up just 20 points.

Ah, happy days

It was the day my car keys slipped out of my pocket and were under my seat in the ED Stand. Got back to my car at Mereoak and thought WTF followed by a humbling and tense call to a hungover Mrs Zip asking her to drive 70 miles to Reading with my spare seat of keys.

I hope you paid the petrol money for the round trip

[Zip]

Ah, happy days

It was the day my car keys slipped out of my pocket and were under my seat in the ED Stand. Got back to my car at Mereoak and thought WTF followed by a humbling and tense call to a hungover Mrs Zip asking her to drive 70 miles to Reading with my spare seat of keys.

I hope you paid the petrol money for the round trip

Of course

[Hound]

Still at least you had the warm glow of the footy match before to see you through

In retrospect that was one hell of an effort to stay up and not to sink without a trace from that point

[Zip]

Still at least you had the warm glow of the footy match before to see you through

In retrospect that was one hell of an effort to stay up and not to sink without a trace from that point

It was. We were five points away from safety after that game. Gomes should be positively remembered for that.

[Hound]

Still at least you had the warm glow of the footy match before to see you through

In retrospect that was one hell of an effort to stay up and not to sink without a trace from that point

It was. We were five points away from safety after that game. Gomes should be positively remembered for that.

Yes indeed. We had won 4 of our first 26 games - utterly miserable

[RoyalBlue]

I agree with first poster on here.

We were lucky to be honest and 3 nil flattered us. I'll go through each half and then do player ratings.

1st Half
When I saw the line up for us I was shocked at how little defensive cover and mobility we had in the middle. We started brightly and João setup Meite for the pen. Meite fluffed his touch, keeper closed him down and the Derby defender stupidily dived in. The Derby defender would have been better off trusting his keeper. The red card was very harsh. I'm sure you all know that it is not compulsory to send off a player if he is the last man and he commits a foul.

I believe it is compulsory when the foul is a push or shirt pull or, if an attempted tackle, when the defender has no realistic prospect of winning the ball.

[SCIAG]

I agree with first poster on here.

We were lucky to be honest and 3 nil flattered us. I'll go through each half and then do player ratings.

1st Half
When I saw the line up for us I was shocked at how little defensive cover and mobility we had in the middle. We started brightly and João setup Meite for the pen. Meite fluffed his touch, keeper closed him down and the Derby defender stupidily dived in. The Derby defender would have been better off trusting his keeper. The red card was very harsh. I'm sure you all know that it is not compulsory to send off a player if he is the last man and he commits a foul.

I believe it is compulsory when the foul is a push or shirt pull or, if an attempted tackle, when the defender has no realistic prospect of winning the ball.

Inside the penalty area:
- No attempt to play the ball
- Denying a clear goalscoring opportunity

Outside the penalty area:
- Denying a clear goalscoring opportunity.

As always, being the "last man" is only part of what makes something a clear goalscoring opportunity and is neither necessary nor sufficient.

[WestYorksRoyal]

Clearly with the 1st pen he had no chance of winning the ball, so red card was right. Should have just left Meite to it; he was clearly not going to score.

[bcubed]

Fair enough although the ref should have booked him. I was right behind that goal and my immediate reaction was that it was a pen probably as I am glass half empty

The ref should have booked who? The diver? He did. It was a very well simulated dive. Amazing the ref didnt buy it.

Fair enough if he booked in. I can’t recall that he did.

Yeh he definitely did. At the time I thought the same as you and couldn't understand why. Think I may have missed it when chatting to the guy next to me about how come there's no card?!

But I defo saw the card come out when watching the highlights.

[Hound]

Clearly with the 1st pen he had no chance of winning the ball, so red card was right. Should have just left Meite to it; he was clearly not going to score.

Yep was brainless from malone. Only himself to blame

[Royals and Racers]

For years Reading have attacked the South end 1st half( must be as high as 95% of the matches). Does anyone know if we won the toss on Saturday and changed that policy and played towards 1871 stand 2nd half ?

[Maneki Neko]

I agree with first poster on here.

We were lucky to be honest and 3 nil flattered us. I'll go through each half and then do player ratings.

1st Half
When I saw the line up for us I was shocked at how little defensive cover and mobility we had in the middle. We started brightly and João setup Meite for the pen. Meite fluffed his touch, keeper closed him down and the Derby defender stupidily dived in. The Derby defender would have been better off trusting his keeper. The red card was very harsh. I'm sure you all know that it is not compulsory to send off a player if he is the last man and he commits a foul.

I believe it is compulsory when the foul is a push or shirt pull or, if an attempted tackle, when the defender has no realistic prospect of winning the ball.

for me, the sending off was more for the sheer stupidity and blatantness of the push

[NewCorkSeth]

For years Reading have attacked the South end 1st half( must be as high as 95% of the matches). Does anyone know if we won the toss on Saturday and changed that policy and played towards 1871 stand 2nd half ?

Derby won the toss.

[paultheroyal]

Was impressed with their fans..well apart from the bunch who got booted out early second half from Y23..

Was that first half in fact longer than the runway in Fast and Furious 6?

Really? Thought they were distinctly average.

[paultheroyal]

Entertaining game.

Poor first half, excellent second half.

Raphael had an excellent game as did the back four with some key blocks. We really need to get those shots on goal away quicker. Boye towards the end was a prime example of this.

I left the ground happy.

Happy Christmas.

[paultheroyal]

Hark at Father Christmas there

3 fukkin nil, not the prettiest, but 3 fukkin nil

two or three key players out injured

Yes they “ploughed through our midfield” but still got nil

Generally dispair at our fan base at times

[paultheroyal]

Can confirm to you all now that the Derby penalty shout was dealt with superbly by the ref. It is unmistakably a dive. Adam nowhere near touching him.

Its the one that Blackett did which has got them most animated.

[paultheroyal]

and one final one from me...

Bowen - 18 points from 33 - 11 games - thats decent right? Would you of taken that at the start of his reign? That sort of scoring point ratio achieved under Gomes?

[NewCorkSeth]

Can confirm to you all now that the Derby penalty shout was dealt with superbly by the ref. It is unmistakably a dive. Adam nowhere near touching him.

Its the one that Blackett did which has got them most animated.

Oh.. really? Dunno about that one myself. Cant figure it out.