1-1 Reading Post Match

[Tielemans63]

He's never actually made 20 for the season, and I'm doubting he will this year either.

We all know goals in the cup don't count. Thats just the basics.

Disagree about cup goals but even then that puts him on 18 goals. Not a million miles away from 20.

I'm not saying he couldnt do better at times but the stick he gets from some on here is embarrassing. He totally deserves a crack at the prem. Its madness to write him off before he's had the chance.

[theessexfox]

Talk about delusions of grandeur. No team plays well 46 games a season. No team wins 46 games a season. We'll have our off days, and it's a good job they're coming now we've SEALED PROMOTION. Job done. Mission accomplished. Let's enjoy the rest of the season. Tonight was an improvement on Brighton too; a few good performances and a few poor ones. A decent result - some fans need to keep their expectations in check.

[kingfox]

Would of took a point before the game.

 

Mahrez & Drinkwater were brilliant, the rest were average. 

 

Even game really, just move onto the next.

[Kitchandro]

We've definitely let our standards slip. I just didn't feel we gave 100% tonight, same as Tuesday.

 

We were better than Tuesday, but still no where near as  good as we can be.

 

James was injured, fair enough. But why Hammond and not King? I'm not King's biggest fan, but he's twice the player Hammond is. I've no idea what Pearson sees in Hammond. He's so out of his depth comparatively.

 

Boring game, and we don't seem that bothered. Last 4 games now, we can still reach 100 points, and we should win the title.

 

Get shut of Hammond, work on set pieces, make sure Vardy is fit seen as he's our only mobile striker, and let's assert our supremacy on the rest of the division.

[Matt]

Played ok, nothing more, nothing less, however it does seem a hell of alot different to say 3 or 4 games ago, we seem to be getting performances that recollect a couple of years ago rather than the performances we've been used to seeing, whether that is due to exhustion or taking the foot of the gas we don't know, i'd hazard at the latter though. It's frustrating but we're still playing some good stuff.

 

Drinkwater's goal, wow, I don't think i've seen anything like it before, amazing.

 

I just hope Blackpool do us a favour because i'm deseperate to be there and actually celebrate something live this season, after 10 years of waiting I fear i'm not actually going to celebrate anything 'live' and that is a huge frustration.

[Stadt]

RDL is very likeable

[theessexfox]

Strange accent. 

[Stadt]

Found this:

CIIIIIIIIIIITEHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

http://youtu.be/31LWh8TJBuA

[Callabinho]

The only thing that frustrated me was that if we had kicked it up a gear we would have won the game easily, still we showed flashes of our brilliance and mixed with a gutsy Reading performance I think a draw is a fair result. It's another point further away from Burnley and kick starts our next unbeaten run!

In terms of moaning about players for next season, there is no need. Nige knows exactly what we need. No need to stress, enjoy the final few games!

[Steve_Guppy_Left_Foot]

Belgian Manc.

[Bob Weasel Fox]

Great result really

And another away game without defeat

[Tom's Pasta]

7 out of 10 performance I'd say. A lot more energy and desire than the Brighton game but didn't move the ball as freely and as quickly as we can. Having said that, what did Reading have apart from set pieces? Not a lot at all. If they didn't get that goal out of nothing, I don't think they'd have broken us down all evening 

[Guest MattP]

Though we played some really nice stuff at times, shows how ridiculously high Mr Pearson has improved the standard of our football that a performance like that can be described as poor by some.

Defensively we have some cause for concern, Wasyl and Morgan haven't looked great lately and Jeffrey just isn't going to be good enough defensively to be the regular left back in the too flight.

Plus points are Mahrez, what a buy at that price. Drinkwater looking better and better, him and Vardy both developing at an incredible rate and both look well capable of holding their own anyway.

We miss Matt James though, him and Drinkwater just run matches for fun.

[theessexfox]

Agree that Reading were only a threat from set pieces, they're very poor on the ball - would've been a travesty if we'd have lost to such an average side. 

[lgfualol]

We're going to finish on 99 points and it's going to bother lots of people.

[Stadt]

We're going to finish on 99 points and it's going to bother lots of people.

People with OCD are gonna flip

[deep blue]

Once in 13 seasons and he's needed 8 penalties to do it.

 

He's not a goalscorer, we need someone who is going to score with one chance in the PL, we're not going to create as many chances as we have this season. I reckon we'd be able to put someone like Ings on about 30-35 goals this season based on the chances that Vards and Nuge have missed.

 

Did you watch the Chelsea match last weekend, and count the number of gilt-edged chances that their highly-priced players missed?  And where are they in the league?  Struggling against relegation?

 

It is often said that strikers are more clinical in the Prem but I don't think it is true in general, only in a few exceptional cases.

[Monsell1976]

Liam Moore, come on down!!

Like Moore a lot, but it would be a risk and a lot of pressure on the young lad, he is still learning his trade, so I would opt for a bit more experience, but not dismissing more, but gives the kid time.

[Hirsty The Blue 94]

Christ above I don't know where to start with this post match, but here goes.

1. 'The step up to the prem is massive, Wes & Was wont cope.' Absolute bollocks, Palace and Hull are comfortably staying up with defences containing Damien Delaney, Danny Gabbidon, Alex Bruce and Curtis Davies. Are these all world beaters then? We are aiming to be better than 3 other teams, and I think we will finish higher than the 2 coming up with us.

 

2.'Dyer has lost his pace' Rubbish, very few times did he get a chance to drive at the full back tonight. If you moaners hadn't have fooked off at 70 minutes on Tuesday night you will have seen Dyer skin his full back at least 5 times and also lay a goal on a plate for GTF.

 

3. 'Hammond is useless.' If you actually watched what he contributes to the game you would understand. Just because he doesn't beat men or play defence splitting passes doesn't mean he doesn't contribute. Won almost every tackle and broke the play up as well as throwing his body on the line. Just little things like on goal kicks tonight standing infront of Pogrebnyak and winning the ball so they didn't have an easy out ball.

 

4. 'Nugent isn't good enough for the premier league.' Although i'm not his biggest fan and he didn't play well tonight, he was almost 20 goals this season. His work rate in tandem with Vardy is top drawer. Is no coincidence that when they play as a pair we look sharper all over the pitch. People also fail to forget he was fairly decent in the prem for Burnley and Pompey, enough so to get him an England call.


If you chaps want to moan and groan about things then it's your prerogative. But next season we are going to need constant support from the stands, because there will be times when we will be under the cosh and need a lift. Surely this group of player (the most successful in 10 years) have earned your support this season for crying out loud.

 

[Stadt]

The only thing GTF has on a plate is steak

[Tom's Pasta]

Christ above I don't know where to start with this post match, but here goes.

1. 'The step up to the prem is massive, Wes & Was wont cope.' Absolute bollocks, Palace and Hull are comfortably staying up with defences containing Damien Delaney, Danny Gabbidon, Alex Bruce and Curtis Davies. Are these all world beaters then? We are aiming to be better than 3 other teams, and I think we will finish higher than the 2 coming up with us.

 

2.'Dyer has lost his pace' Rubbish, very few times did he get a chance to drive at the full back tonight. If you moaners hadn't have fooked off at 70 minutes on Tuesday night you will have seen Dyer skin his full back at least 5 times and also lay a goal on a plate for GTF.

 

3. 'Hammond is useless.' If you actually watched what he contributes to the game you would understand. Just because he doesn't beat men or play defence splitting passes doesn't mean he doesn't contribute. Won almost every tackle and broke the play up as well as throwing his body on the line. Just little things like on goal kicks tonight standing infront of Pogrebnyak and winning the ball so they didn't have an easy out ball.

 

4. 'Nugent isn't good enough for the premier league.' Although i'm not his biggest fan and he didn't play well tonight, he was almost 20 goals this season. His work rate in tandem with Vardy is top drawer. Is no coincidence that when they play as a pair we look sharper all over the pitch. People also fail to forget he was fairly decent in the prem for Burnley and Pompey, enough so to get him an England call.

If you chaps want to moan and groan about things then it's your prerogative. But next season we are going to need constant support from the stands, because there will be times when we will be under the cosh and need a lift. Surely this group of player (the most successful in 10 years) have earned your support this season for crying out loud.

 

I like you, great post. 

[shailen]

Good point away from home. Reading are a decent side, could do very well in the play offs.

[Guy]

Unlike in 1996, when we went up via the last kick of the game in the play offs under O'Neill, this time we have some sort of insight into where we might have to make improvements if we're to compete on a level playing field in the Prem. next season - by means of playing out the rest of this season at our present level for now. The Reading game gave indicators that both teams on show tonight would not do very well at the next level up, although we've played a lot better this season previously of course. Of course at the same time we're also trying to secure the league title at the earliest opportunity against teams who will either be battling for the last of the play off places now (as this evening and QPR to come), or maybe who will be fighting for their lives (Doncaster) so that is not telling us about next season at all in essence.

 

Of course we also had that so called foresight when last securing promotion to the top flight under Micky Adams in 2003 (albeit less of it) but the irony is that the least fancied team from the two in 1996 and 2003 (the one promoted via the play offs) did great for the next five years at the top level. What I suppose I'm saying here in all of this is that history will teach us nothing in this instance and Nige plus backroom staff will have to just use logic, recruit well for next season if possible and also trust the luck! An interesting time of it really does lie ahead now, instead of simply wishing for Premier League football, which has very much been the last three seasons experience for us !

[Hirsty The Blue 94]

The only thing GTF has on a plate is steak

With extra steak.

[nlukka]

Wasn't the best game in the world tonight, but credit to Reading for their performance. Like the Blackburn away game recently, it would have been harsh of then had we gone on to win it. 

 

On the bright side, I thought the City fans were in fine voice tonight, taking 3000-odd on a Monday night to Reading is superb. Surprisingly, the Reading fans were louder than I expected them to be (well the ones immediately to the right of the away end anyway.)

 

8th and last away game of the season for me today and have been lucky enough not to see City lose on the road this season...I'll take that all day long!