News and Views

Good Friday Is A Bad Point

07 April 2023
By Hob Nob Anyone?

With the home fans roaring them on Reading took an early lead with a goal of the highest quality. Casadei found Joao with a perfectly weighted pass in the box, and Joao's awareness and deft touch set up Carroll to strike cleanly past Ruddy. It was the perfect start for the Royals following their inevitable six point deduction earlier in the week. Sadly they were unable to build on their early advantage. City levelled the scores with finish of equally high quality of their own midway through the first half. Jutkiewicz headed Khadra's cross past Lumley with power and precision giving the Reading 'keeper no chance. There was little to choose between the teams and no further goals. The draw suited City more than Reading. Dropping two points at home in one of the more winnable remaining games, combined with the points deduction, resulted in the Royals dropping into the bottom three facing a run of very difficult games to finish the campaign.
Reading 1 Birmingham City 1: Read More...

 

Discussion On This Story:

 Hound

» 07 Apr 2023 17:01

Point not the end of the world

Us or qpr from the looks of it

 Snowflake Royal

» 07 Apr 2023 17:01

The only way we stay up is if QPR get no more than another point and we somehow beat Wigan, or Ince goes. Because its absolutely diabolical under him. Totally useless.

 YorkshireRoyal99

» 07 Apr 2023 17:02

At least it's another point closer to survival, but we simply have to beat Preston on Monday now with the fixtures coming up after that.

Is it too desperate an attempt to have someone in for the remaining half a dozen games? And no, not Bowen.

 Royal_jimmy

» 07 Apr 2023 17:04

We are going down. We have a shit manager that should have been sacked weeks ago. 1-0 up at home vs an average Birmingham side with nothing to play for and we didn't show any urgency.

Not good enough. Not sure we'll get out of the drop zone now we're in it.

And we have a clueless owner who's damaged this club massively. Not sure how there's not more protests tbh.

 Snowflake Royal

» 07 Apr 2023 17:04


Literally anyone will do better at this point if all they do is tell them to stop playing hoofball.

I'd give you the job at this point.

 Hound

» 07 Apr 2023 17:07

We’ve drawn the last 3. Keep that going and we’ll prob be ok

 Royal_jimmy

» 07 Apr 2023 17:07

Our next 3 are very tough. We could lose all 3.

Our home form has tailed off recently and we're still toothless on the road.

 Vision

» 07 Apr 2023 17:08



Careless of the ref to drop it.

:lol: Would explain some of his non decisions i guess.

 Hound

» 07 Apr 2023 17:10



We could or we could win one

 Snowflake Royal

» 07 Apr 2023 17:11


The problem with that is Hull (17th), Bristol (13th) and Birmingham (16th) are rubbish, and Preston (8th), Burnley (1st), Luton (3rd) and Coventry (9th) are not.

 Royal_jimmy

» 07 Apr 2023 17:11



We could or we could win one

Doubt it

 Snowflake Royal

» 07 Apr 2023 17:13



We could or we could win one
We haven't beaten a team in the top half since mid-December and we've won just 2 games out of 15 this year. Blackpool and Rotherham. It seems pretty unlikely.

 Hound

» 07 Apr 2023 17:14


The problem with that is Hull (17th), Bristol (13th) and Birmingham (16th) are rubbish, and Preston (8th), Burnley (1st), Luton (3rd) and Coventry (9th) are not.

True but just don’t know at this point of the season. Cov won’t have anything to play for, prob not one either. All much of a muchness really except Luton and Burnley for the rest of the year

 Snowflake Royal

» 07 Apr 2023 17:16

I'll tell you one thing for certain. We won't win a game playing hoofball at Carroll's head.

 Stranded

» 07 Apr 2023 17:41

Well, the only positive is it's still in our own hands, for now.

And been a long time since a trip to Orient.

 Hound

» 07 Apr 2023 17:44



QPR are in diabolical form - that’s a positive

Tbh don’t really care that much any more, we are a poor side who prob should have been relegated 2 or 3 times in the last 5 years. It is what it is

If we go go down we should be able to cope now. Not sure that was true on any of the other occasions

 YorkshireRoyal99

» 07 Apr 2023 17:46


The problem with that is Hull (17th), Bristol (13th) and Birmingham (16th) are rubbish, and Preston (8th), Burnley (1st), Luton (3rd) and Coventry (9th) are not.

Preston have one of the worst home records in the division to be fair, but have been ok recently playing sides at the bottom of the table. Luton are strong on the road but I wasn't impressed watching them today and I don't think they are filled with quality either.

Just got to keep believing that next game is the next game we will win, the only really tough game in this bunch is Burnley as they are miles better than everyone else in the league, the rest are all beatable for sure.

 Uke

» 07 Apr 2023 17:50

“We were the better team”

FFS Incerview BS as always

 Royal_jimmy

» 07 Apr 2023 17:54

Ince can oxf*rd off if he thinks we were the better side.

I agree with Holmes' interview

 tidus_mi2

» 07 Apr 2023 17:56

Missed the game today because I feel very unwell, sounded like the same old crap listening to it.

It's gonna come down to either us or QPR, whoever is slightly less shit and we do have the advantage when it comes to goal difference.

Until Burnley beat us 5-0 of course

 Notts Royal

» 07 Apr 2023 18:12


The problem with that is Hull (17th), Bristol (13th) and Birmingham (16th) are rubbish, and Preston (8th), Burnley (1st), Luton (3rd) and Coventry (9th) are not.

Exactly. We’ve had plenty of time over the last few months to pick up more points, and now it’s catching up with us.

Anyone know what that fan said to Carroll afterwards to rile him up? It was really difficult to know how to respond to that. It wasn’t worthy of booing, as the performance was ok. But the 2nd half performance was not good enough, partly due to the players being knackered. So I didn’t think it was worthy of a clap personally.

The booing & anger needs to be directed at the ownership, and he’s got off far too lightly for a while now

 blythspartan

» 07 Apr 2023 18:17

Another dreadful game of football to endure. I am still going to the final 6 games but on this showing we won’t be winning any of them. I felt before today that we’d get 2 more draws against Brum and Wigan but lose the rest. I think Huddersfield will be a nothing game as we’ll already be relegated by then.

I honestly feel that if we survive this season we won’t next and League One will be a better place to rebuild without Ince in charge. Not sure how long it will take us to bounce back but I can’t see how the football can possibly get much worse.

 Notts Royal

» 07 Apr 2023 18:38

Once again the set up was completely wrong. Left the game thinking:

- Why did we play 2 players on the left who can’t use their left feet, when we have a perfectly decent player in NGW who could’ve played in arguably either position? Fornah I thought played ok but was out of position. Yiadom played well but had to keep cutting inside. Square pegs in round holes.
- Why did we start all 3 of Meite, Joao & Carroll? Meite was clearly injured & could well be done for the season now. Time & time we’ve seen that Carroll & Joao do not work up front together. Granted the goal did come from that combination, but the game passed Joao by beyond that moment. Carroll & Azeez would’ve worked more effectively. Or Joao & Azeez.
- The centre backs played well together today, but had no protection.
- Ince can blame the injuries all he likes, but he’s responsive for setting up the team correctly, which he is clearly incapable of doing.
- Birmingham had a better balance to their side, and look better than us.
- We’re heading for League One. At least there’s plenty of new grounds to tick off the list

 Gunny Fishcake

» 07 Apr 2023 18:59

Lovely sunny day , wonderful Reading goal were the two good things about today .....there after we looked very slow , no creativity and most worryingly no real fight. As in recent games we sat back far too much and seemed very frightened to attack and push forward.

After getting away with it last few seasons this is going to go to the wire and probably the last game

Not good.

 Royal_jimmy

» 07 Apr 2023 19:14



We could or we could win one
We haven't beaten a team in the top half since mid-December and we've won just 2 games out of 15 this year. Blackpool and Rotherham. It seems pretty unlikely.

Looking forward to us losing at home to Fleetwood next season Ian?

 Sutekh

» 07 Apr 2023 19:25


We haven't beaten a team in the top half since mid-December and we've won just 2 games out of 15 this year. Blackpool and Rotherham. It seems pretty unlikely.

Looking forward to us losing at home to Fleetwood next season Ian?

Think Carlisle are the one team that Reading have previously played in the league that they’ve had no games against for the longest period (early 1981 was the last time they played I think). That could easily be changed next season.

 Fezza

» 07 Apr 2023 20:03

Thought we were ok today, but in the context of where we are that isn't enough.

In the first half Mbengue kept getting isolated against Khadra, with both centre backs being static for their goal.

The ref was poor throughout his 70 minute performance.

Casadei looked very effective.

Gripes: why do none of our wide players try to beat their man? Why does Hendrick always look for the safe pass? Why wan't there any energy in the six minutes added on? The lack of a press killed us.

 Snowflake Royal

» 07 Apr 2023 20:23


We haven't beaten a team in the top half since mid-December and we've won just 2 games out of 15 this year. Blackpool and Rotherham. It seems pretty unlikely.

Looking forward to us losing at home to Fleetwood next season Ian?
League One will be fun.

 Snowflake Royal

» 07 Apr 2023 20:25


Yes, very frustrated with Hendrick's minimal involvement being one touch passes back to a centre back or goalkeeper rather than take any responsibility. He's supposed to be our play maker and he spends all game hiding. Far from the only one who'd rather pass back than forwards though.

 Crowbar6753

» 07 Apr 2023 21:05


Yes, very frustrated with Hendrick's minimal involvement being one touch passes back to a centre back or goalkeeper rather than take any responsibility. He's supposed to be our play maker and he spends all game hiding. Far from the only one who'd rather pass back than forwards though.

Bowen mentioned in his "Open Letter" that Reading FC had a plan on the type of players they need to move the club forward and that included young, hungry attack minded players!! However, its being reported that Reading are very interested in signing Hendrick on a free transfer!!! what part of young, hungry attack minded style of player fits Hendricks style of play.
P.Ince is telling us these players are not good enough, ok i get!! so why the phuck are we looking at buying Hendrick!! makes no sense to me at all.
Now Casadei, thats a whole different story...i would be on the phone right now trying to arrange a long term loan as this guys going to be a good player at he fits perfectly into Bowens plans for the type of player we need.

I would be inclined to switch the formation to the much used 4-2-3-1 moving forward and use Casedei as an AM as he clearly has a good shot and can pick a pass.

Lumley

Yids Holmes Sarr NGW

Fornah Loum

Meite Casedei Azeez

Joao

Loum is back and can play DM with Fornah so we can play out from the back and scrap this long ball crap and feed the ball to Joao.


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