Reading Post Match

[z-layrex]

The sad thing is everyone can be upset as they like, it will do no good whatsoever. Just look at general society, Britain is dominated by skinhead, overweight, M&S suit wearing pricks who hark on about 'rules and regulations' whenever anyone complains, or Labour voting middle aged bitches that used to be teachers. The same kind of people are in charge at LC. These kinds of people rule the entire nation and it's why we are all having our wallets and our souls sucked dry everyday while living in this country.

I was charged 25 quid for 4 hours parking at Heathrow airport yesterday to say goodbye to my sister who's going to China for a year, it will be the exact same kind of fat **** that decided those parking prices as those that are in charge at LC. I fooking hate this country.

[Collier]

Only football man, calm down.

[The Doctor]

Watched the highlights on TFLS and can i just say that when the corner comes in for their winner, one of their players (17) has clearly got hold of kings arm and is pulling him away from the goalscorer.

[Fox1994]

Only football man, calm down.

Lack of passion, shite fan.

[themotivator]

Lack of passion, shite fan.

I think he may have been questioning the other guys condemnation of Britain. got nothing to do with being passionate about city. calm down

[orangecity23]

I haven't posted until now, because after today I'm not really sure what I feel. There was an odd feeling around the ground today, before the game even kicked off. I haven't felt it at a game since the bad old days of the relegation season, in particular the Megson 'era'. The team line up was perplexing to say the least. Gallagher up front was understandable, given his good performance in the League Cup. The exclusion of Andy King was utterly bizarre though. How can Sousa not see how important King is to the team? It's not just fans that see it, pundits and media heads who barely see a handful of City games in a year can tell King is vitally important. He changed the game in midweek, and he should have started ahead of Oakley without question today.

The second half was a much better performance, the team looked like it had some fight in it, and our equaliser was well deserved for Dyer, who was outstanding throughout. To lose after having a perfectly good goal disallowed by a dreadful referee was sickening. (As an aside, did anyone notice that the linesmen didn't change end at half time? This meant we were 'attacking' the same linesman for the entire game. Be interesting to see if DB11 can shed some light on this? It was especially irritating as the linesman in question didn't seem to be in any mood to award us anything.)

The aftermath of the game though, coming to the site and hearing about the treatment of the Fosse Boys, the rumours of players wanting to leave, have deflated my mood even further. I haven't felt this bad about the club since the day Nigel Pearson left. If Fryatt, King, Hobbs, Wellens or any of the players who have served us so well over the last 2 seasons, who gave us a team we could be proud of again after so many years of mediocrity, are driven out of the club, then it will be a terrible point in the history of the club.

I want to be optimistic about the future, if we're 3-0 down in a game, I'll still be there screaming for us to keep trying. I always live in hope of brighter times ahead. But I can't help feeling that something bad is in the air around our club. There is something wrong, but it feels almost intangible, a pervasive air of gloom hanging around.

Hears hoping that it's all a misunderstanding, and that come the end of the transfer window we'll be breathing a sigh of relief. Please

[Collier]

Cheers Mr.M, spot on, although i'm sure if Fox1994 would've gone back a page and actually read a post of mine, he'd know I've hardly got a lack of passion. He really does need to calm down.

[z-layrex]

Only football man, calm down.

I dunno dude I just see everything that is happening in football and I see so much of it in every other aspect of our society. I'm so tired of having my wallet and happiness sucked dry by these types of people.

[lcfcadam]

I dunno dude I just see everything that is happening in football and I see so much of it in every other aspect of our society. I'm so tired of having my wallet and happiness sucked dry by these types of people.

Never seen a post I agree more with; being a human being on this little island is increasingly meaning having to partake in a dreary, repetetive and unrewarding daily routine in order to comply with what is 'expected' by society (aka The Authorities).

Btw here's in a copy of the text I sent to my mate at full time (apologies in advance for any offence): "I genuinely hope this ref gets a really serious cancer that causes him to suffer for ages before dying by choking on his own blood". Extreme I know but it exemplifies just how far beyond "just football" this footy fan lark really is.

As for the club; well I've lost all faith in them given events over the past few weeks, and the attitude of the players seem (weirdly) to reflect the general bad aura that's surrounding the place at the moment. We won't be in a relegation battle, but we'll certainly be looking at "mid-table-mediocrity" at its finest.

[lcfcadam]

(As an aside, did anyone notice that the linesmen didn't change end at half time? This meant we were 'attacking' the same linesman for the entire game. Be interesting to see if DB11 can shed some light on this? It was especially irritating as the linesman in question didn't seem to be in any mood to award us anything.)

They did change ends at half-time; we had the bald ****er in the first and the black twat in the second.

EDIT: Although actually I think the bulky black guy did an okay job unlike his equal number on the opposite touchline.

[themotivator]

So what, should I be worried that I feel this way about our fooking useless country and all the fooking useless people that surround me regardless of whether City have won lost or drawn then?

no, it is normal to worry about these kind of issues. its part of life. you would probably feel better if you lived in the bahamas, but shouldn't we be talking about the reading match?

[CKB]

I said it from the start and i'll say it again, i'll give him 5 games, 7 max to sort it out or then i'll raise more questions

Am i happy with the start hell no, very disappointed infact

Will i be calling for Sousa's head, no...not yet

Unlucky at times, yes i'd say so..

Punished for sloppy defending, mistakes and decisions, yes

Am i miffed with his first 11 at the moment, yes

Am i worried with rumours about this player, this player and this player wanting to leave, yes

But i am not gonna panic yet until we are in a total mess which then our saviours from Thailand will sort out........................right?

[chesterfox]

I haven't posted until now, because after today I'm not really sure what I feel. There was an odd feeling around the ground today, before the game even kicked off. I haven't felt it at a game since the bad old days of the relegation season, in particular the Megson 'era'. The team line up was perplexing to say the least. Gallagher up front was understandable, given his good performance in the League Cup. The exclusion of Andy King was utterly bizarre though. How can Sousa not see how important King is to the team? It's not just fans that see it, pundits and media heads who barely see a handful of City games in a year can tell King is vitally important. He changed the game in midweek, and he should have started ahead of Oakley without question today.

The second half was a much better performance, the team looked like it had some fight in it, and our equaliser was well deserved for Dyer, who was outstanding throughout. To lose after having a perfectly good goal disallowed by a dreadful referee was sickening. (As an aside, did anyone notice that the linesmen didn't change end at half time? This meant we were 'attacking' the same linesman for the entire game. Be interesting to see if DB11 can shed some light on this? It was especially irritating as the linesman in question didn't seem to be in any mood to award us anything.)

The aftermath of the game though, coming to the site and hearing about the treatment of the Fosse Boys, the rumours of players wanting to leave, have deflated my mood even further. I haven't felt this bad about the club since the day Nigel Pearson left. If Fryatt, King, Hobbs, Wellens or any of the players who have served us so well over the last 2 seasons, who gave us a team we could be proud of again after so many years of mediocrity, are driven out of the club, then it will be a terrible point in the history of the club.

I want to be optimistic about the future, if we're 3-0 down in a game, I'll still be there screaming for us to keep trying. I always live in hope of brighter times ahead. But I can't help feeling that something bad is in the air around our club. There is something wrong, but it feels almost intangible, a pervasive air of gloom hanging around.

You express very well what many are feeling.... it has fook all to do with Sousa or not it is the passion for our club that makes us all live in hope and having reached a certain level that we are going forward to be confronted with all this confusion is painful

Hears hoping that it's all a misunderstanding, and that come the end of the transfer window we'll be breathing a sigh of relief. Please

[buzzy]

I called you an arsehole because you seem to think that anyone who doesn't agree with you should support another team. I'll criticise the club/manager/players if I want to so gfy.

I haven't called for his sacking yet but his time is running out rapidly. It's not just the defeats, it's the manner of the defeats. We've gone backwards since Sousa's arrived.What if the doom mongers are right and by keeping Sousa on for another 6 games we end up losing all our good young prospects and we're 10 points adrift at the bottom of the league.

so who would be your next manager arsehole

[sbfox]

Last season, under our supposed Messiah, we had one (maybe two spells) where we only gained 1 point from four games.

Did anyone call for Pearson's sacking?

If not, then what is the difference between then and now?

[Ford Super Sunday]

Never seen a post I agree more with; being a human being on this little island is increasingly meaning having to partake in a dreary, repetetive and unrewarding daily routine in order to comply with what is 'expected' by society (aka The Authorities).

Btw here's in a copy of the text I sent to my mate at full time (apologies in advance for any offence): "I genuinely hope this ref gets a really serious cancer that causes him to suffer for ages before dying by choking on his own blood". Extreme I know but it exemplifies just how far beyond "just football" this footy fan lark really is.

As for the club; well I've lost all faith in them given events over the past few weeks, and the attitude of the players seem (weirdly) to reflect the general bad aura that's surrounding the place at the moment. We won't be in a relegation battle, but we'll certainly be looking at "mid-table-mediocrity" at its finest.

Probably up there as one of the most cuntish things i've ever read on an internet forum.

[marbelladave]

Morning. Lots of issues to talk about this weekend, but this post is simply my thoughts on the game itself.

The team selection was interesting, Lamey getting the start, this was always going to happen despite Neilson's improvement, Moreno alongside Hobbs was a worry and the absence of King even more so. Still, Gallagher was given a central role which I thought boded well.

City started brightly and pressed forward but within 10 minutes Reading were already beginning to establish control as City's basic 4-4-2 formation became evident. Reading were well in the game, pushing forward and starting to dominate midfield and putting us under pressure, our passes getting longer and longer and less and less accurate.

Holes started appearing in our midfield particularly in front of our back 4, Moreno stepped out to fill the space and make the tackles but this left us short at the back. Fortunately both Lamey and Berner after a shaky start were solid though their distribution was poor. Then disaster, Moreno either slips or is fouled by Kebe, he then compounds the error in trying to pull back the Reading man and failing, the ref lets the play continue and Kebe breaks clear and slips the ball into the box for Sigurdsson to lift the ball over Logan.

City push forward looking for an equaliser but the final ball is poor, DN'G, Dyer and Gallagher fail to get the ball in from good positions in wide areas and infield shorter passes to feet or into the channels are consistently overhit, long chipped balls from our back 4 and particularly Wellens are in the air so long it gives the reading defenders all the time in the world to tidy up.

With Gallagher playing too far forward, it is impossible for him to provide the linkup play of which he is so capable, instead he was wasted trying to play off Howard, hopeless. City continued to press but never looked like breaking through, Gallagher and Howard both getting very frustrated with the service which was pretty poor.

Second half started with City pressing hard for an equaliser which duly came after 6 or 7 minutes, our build up play was still not that good and it took a fine solo effort from Dyer to get us level. At this point Sousa chose to replace Gallagher with Fryatt, back to basics with a vengeance.

City continued to attack though there was little in the way of clear chances until the introduction of King and then Moussa livened things up considerably. Decent chances fell to Dyer and in particular Howard but a combination of poor finishing and good keeping kept us out.

Reading continued to attack on the counter and from a corner Mills scored from about 8 yards, Logan may have been blocked by a Reading man on his line but he was hardly decisive. City's lack of aerial power was the real culprit.

City piled on the pressure for the equaliser but as is the norm at the moment none of the chances fell quite right and some heroic defending by Mills and Frederici was enough to keep us out.

The final twist of the knife was another excellent finish from King that was ruled out, presumably for a foul by the flailing Fryatt that was apparent to no-one but the referee!. Daylight robbery does not begin to describe the decision, disgraceful.

[Aumski]

This is all too familiar....

Like when O'neill was in charge. Poor start. And we know how badly that all ended

Get a grip, people.

i was saying we should barricade Sousa, then he might understand something

[Aumski]

so who would be your next manager arsehole

i agree with you. preston (not very big but who cares) went from play off's to 16th under the same manager, sacked him, got Fergie's boy and aren't that much better. but they where in the exact same position as us. we should be learning from there mistakes.

[Candidcamera]

I know it is easy to get carried away after a result rather than the performance especially in the second half but it is for me beginning to dawn that we have got a manager that given time may expose all the weaknesses we know we have got. Without Wayne Brown and Salano the defence looks poor. This is said knowing that those two players really are not a great loss. Hobbs definitely plays better with Morrison (or another) and although Moreno is an action player with motivation he is not a solid CB. Berner is not performing to his best yet either. In midfield Oakley lacks the ability to push the team on. Wellens has this ability and King is just getting better all the time where ever he plays. Gallagher has flair but he isn't dynamic and hasn't shown that he can play the role he was in against Reading. Most fans like Howard and the way he is performing justifies his place but it would be so good to have a young goalscoring centre forward. Dyer is really pushing on and accepting the new style which seems to be to his advantage. N'Guessan seems lost and over weight as well. fryatt must start doing what he does best and really try harder when he is given a chance. Yesterday if we had scored from our many dangerous attacks it could all have been so different. Their goals were errors by a weak defence.

[Legend_in_blue]

Until DNG and Oakley are out of the midfield, we will struggle to improve.

Neither are good enough at this level.

[THEBIGJOHNSTEADER;]

btw here's in a copy of the text I sent to my mate at full time (apologies in advance for any offence): "I genuinely hope this ref gets a really serious cancer that causes him to suffer for ages before dying by choking on his own blood". Extreme I know but it exemplifies just how far beyond "just football" this footy fan lark really is.

Pathetic

[smudgerfox]

it was always a foolhardy gig to try and completely change the style of play in a few weeks. Sousa should have realised he'd inherited a decent if slightly ordinary squad and built upon it and changed gradually. The insistence on doing it his way - with apparently the full backing of MOF and the new owners - was a high risk strategy which needed early results. Without them (in the league) players used to winning with disjointed and technically poor football, lose confidence in the manager, the strategy and decide to get the hell out. I still don't understand why such a radical change in style was felt necessary when the team made the play-offs last season. Sure NFP's teams weren't easy on the eye (although the play flowed a bit better later last season) but they hoovered up points with ruthless efficiency. is that such a bad thing?

It's also naive to tell the world about transfer requests a few days before the window shuts - it simply adds to the problems. NFP would have lied or stonewalled and handled it better. The DJ situation has been handled in the worst possible way - we've played him, relied on him, courted him, only to sell him at the last possible moment, probably too late to get anything other than a panic replacement. We should have sold him close season and got someone in then. The process of bigging up DJ will have unsettled many of the NFP squad as he had clearly been a divisive character and his presence threatened the starting places of players like Fryatt and Gallagher. That upheaval now seems to have been for nothing.

It would be easier to have confidence in the new set-up if any of the new signings were looking outstanding additions. it's not Moreno's fault he's being played out of position. His tackling, positional sense and distribution do indicate he'd be good at CM but the obvious lack of cover at centre half has really cast a shadow over the early season. Vitor's injuries make him an unwelcome replacement for similarly physically challenged Tunch. Which leaves Morrison - who hasn't played at CB much and needs an extended run - and Hobbs. When we have a big transfer kitty (allegedly) it's surprising that we haven't shored up CB cover. Lamey looks comfortable in possession and tackles well but he seems overly relaxed about letting his winger get a cross in. and goes AWOL on occasion. Moussa looks promising but is not yet a Championship match-winner - not surprisingly he's been playing for Southend. Crnic hasn't got a look in and our Japanese signing hasn't yet got a work permit (under the rules he doesn't qualify so we have to make a special case) and seems to duplicate Moreno's ideal position. None of the new arrivals look ready-made for the hurly-burly of tight Championship games.

I don't think we could ask Howard to do much more.Yesterday he set up the play with expertise time and time again, receiving, controlling and playing in the likes of Dyer, N'Guess and Gallagher but all of them wasted these openings -lacking the ruthlessness to turn space into goals. Dyer was easily the best player but his passing and crossing are still from the school of "hope for the best" lacking the final touch precision to turn quality possession into goals. N'guess suffers that more severely - yesterday he flashed one second half low cross into the box without even looking up - seemingly glad to be shot of the ball. He seems chronically unwilling to use his pace and strength to get past his man and get involved in the business of winning a game -preferring the safe and bland pass inside. Gallagher is a show pony - full of fancy tricks and flashy moves but yesterday a striker without a single shot on goal. Too little of his work is at the business end of the pitch. Fryatt was much more purposeful when he came on. It's worrying that PS has singled out Gallagher for special individual praise (along with DJ!) One of the big problems is that though all the play flows through Howard his finishing is woeful. He's probably only good for ten goals a season. It's hard to imagine we couldn't find a player who could perform the same function and get nearer 20.Set pieces need massive improvement to raise the goals tally.

But it's the defence that is the main worry. Strong under NFP it is now an obvious weakness. There were several occasions when Reading were gifted free headers and both goals were scored practically unchallenged. Neither full back is doing enough to close down the crosses and we have no settled centre back pairing. The attacking approach of midfield leaves the defence horribly exposed at times and there seems to be little inter communication.

[Unabomber]

I didn't think we were too bad, we created a lot of chances, and had about 3 shots cleared off the line, and then there was the wrongly disallowed King goal.

Their goals were easily avoidable and in time we won't be conceding goals such as the first (hopefully) but I think we need to replace Moreno for this to happen.

Dyer ran his bollocks off and didn't stop until he physically could give no more. Listening to the phone in after was ridiculous with calls for Pearson back etc, so fvcking annoying.

[ibbosuk]

Never seen a post I agree more with; being a human being on this little island is increasingly meaning having to partake in a dreary, repetetive and unrewarding daily routine in order to comply with what is 'expected' by society (aka The Authorities).

Btw here's in a copy of the text I sent to my mate at full time (apologies in advance for any offence): "I genuinely hope this ref gets a really serious cancer that causes him to suffer for ages before dying by choking on his own blood". Extreme I know but it exemplifies just how far beyond "just football" this footy fan lark really is.

As for the club; well I've lost all faith in them given events over the past few weeks, and the attitude of the players seem (weirdly) to reflect the general bad aura that's surrounding the place at the moment. We won't be in a relegation battle, but we'll certainly be looking at "mid-table-mediocrity" at its finest.

YOU ARE THE BIGGEST **** TO HAVE EVER BEEN ON THIS FORUM,

YOU OBVIOUSLY HAVEN"T YET HAD A CLOSE MEMBER OF YOUR FIMILY SUFFER WITH CANCER,

I HOPE YOU NEVER HAVE TO WATCH & SUFFER SEEING YOUR MOTHER, FATHER , SISTER OR BROTHER GO THROUGH THOUGH SUCH A THING.

YOU BETTER HOPE I NEVER FIND OUT WHO YOU ARE !