Reading Post Match Thread

[Poakey]

Just wasn't expecting that

[Guest Col city fan]

I thought the bulk of this forum don't rate dyer? Or don't rate him enough to play him consistently? Bad cross etc? Or I am misreading people. What I am saying is that this forum is all about 'who are we gonna sign next'....

With the players signed and the money spent we should have been able to put outa better performance than that today... Simple as...

End of

[Stocker]

Mills was pants today as were most of the team Bamba , Fernandes and Casper were the only decent players but what worries me is that the effort seamed to be there but the performance was awful we did not seam able to pass the ball

i hope it was just a blip and we use this as a wake up call

:( :(

and i spilled pie on my new away shirt

[Webbo]

This team is still evolving. It'll take a few weeks before Sven knows his best side. He'll have learnt something about his players today, he'll adjust his tactics and/or change some of the team. We'll get it right eventually.

[Freeman's Wharfer]

Massive reality check.

Reading came to get men behind the ball and score on the break. Think Sven wanted to keep it tight hence Abe, Fernandes, Wellens and Danns in midfield. But Danns doesn't look like a wide player and there was no-one breaking from midfield either with or without the ball to join Nugent (who worked hard today, unlucky with the shot that hit the post).

We were lacking someone to pick the ball up and take it from our back four and run at the two banks of players that Reading had behind the ball. When we knocked it long there was no aerial presence until Bamba went up (and how desperate that was) and it kept coming back.

Bringing King on was the right decision (especially as Abe was so poor) but he didn't do a lot apart from the shot he had, I really rate him but he's had three years in the team and sooner or later he needs to start grabbing hold of games and being the one who makes the difference in his all round play, not just through a goal. A guy of his ability should be able to dictate games more.

I don't think it helped that players were changing positions and the formation was altered, at breaks in play there seemed to be a lot of discussion amongst the players about where they were meant to be playing.

Bamba was, and is, total class. So glad the Blackburn stuff seems to be unsubstantiated

I really like Kasper too, just what we needed and completely different to Weale in a good way.

Is it just me that thinks it's a real shame that the 5 sub rule is back? Think it's come back in at a really bad time for us with such a big squad and it's a shame that player like Dyer can't even get a spot on the bench because he would of been someone I'd have chucked on today to run at their defence and pull that well drilled unit out of shape a little!!

[sphericalfox]

I thought the bulk of this forum don't rate dyer? Or don't rate him enough to play him consistently? Bad cross etc? Or I am misreading people. What I am saying is that this forum is all about 'who are we gonna sign next'....

With the players signed and the money spent we should have been able to put outa better performance than that today... Simple as...

End of

You are falling into type again Col.

Dyer runs at people that is his strength. That is it. Simple as.

What we need is a Routledge-esque player that can provide a decent run with an end ball that reaches people and of course gives us width. We do need to sign a couple of new players. I don't get it. Yes the players have played badly today. They didn't for the last two games prior to this. When we have the needed striker and possibly a winger then we have more options and have the flexibility to change a game or go for from the out.

[tickler28]

people deal with frustration in different ways.. dont make them any less true supporters at all..

didnt boo myself but was pissed off, dont mean i wont be there next game giving them my full support again but at teh time people are frustrated...

Hmm disagree. Fair enough to boo in a months time if it doesn't get better but after 1 game?!?! We got ridiculed for this last season on TV can't remember who by but doesn't matter (we all know how that ended) At the end of the day we didn't spend £10 million the owners did. Reading were brilliant at the back end of last season (by far the best team in the final third of 2010/11) so what right we have to think we can dick them I don't know.

Remember the old saying... Keep the faith!

[lcfc81]

This team is still evolving. It'll take a few weeks before Sven knows his best side. He'll have learnt something about his players today, he'll adjust his tactics and/or change some of the team. We'll get it right eventually.

I agree, I think 5-10 games maybe quite patchy while they get to know each other, then they will fly.

[Corky]

If we're in the same division as Reading next season we should just give them the points before the scheduled match at our place.

Would save a lot of money

[accessory]

I would also just like to say.

We missed Vassell.

Big time.

Yeah we could've done with a studs-up challenge and gone down to 10 men in the first 15 minutes.

That would have improved our performance no end.

If Sven brings him back for the Forest game, I'll puke...

The reason we lost today is because we were up against a team and manager who know this league better than ours do.

Reading were not particularly outstanding but they were fired up by the presence of their ex-captain, they were spirited in defence, fast on the break and took their chances well. If they could keep that starting eleven together every week (although they won't) they would be promotion contenders.

Once again Sven's weaknesses were brutally exposed and we wonder how many shreds Steve Claridge will rip him into on tonight's Football League show. One thing's for sure, Sven will deserve every piece of stick he gets. He let us down big-time today with a series of misjudgments not seen since the dark days of Kelly or Holloway.

With two away wins to start the season, expectations were naturally high and we expected a side with creativity, ambition and attacking flair to take the game to Reading.

Instead we were treated to the most timid of formations: a 4-5-1 with the lone striker far too isolated to produce any threat. Although Schlupp occasionally troubled the visitors with his pace, he was generally employed far too deep to make any meaningful impact with this.

Why Yuki Abe, who was clearly nowhere near fit, was deemed worthy of a starting place is a question only Sven can answer (if Stringer or Tanner would ever be brave enough to ask it). The midfielder was always likely to be jetlagged after his jaunt to Japan and so it proved.

Elsewhere in midfield Fernandes was his usual industrious self, although Leigertwood and Karacan troubled him far more than Cov's central midfield last week. Danns looked a square peg in a round hole, while Wellens (and later, King too) was guilty of attempting way too many 50-yard Hollywood passes, even when easier 10-yard ones were available. The result was a complete lack of rhythm and cohesion in the centre of the field, which a side of Reading's experience were always likely to exploit.

But the malaise was not confined to one area of the pitch. The defence looked disjointed and ill-at-ease. Even when international fullbacks Pantsil and Konchesky ventured forward, their overhit crosses invariably brought attacks to an end. Meanwhile attacking subs Waghorn and Gallagher had days which will not linger long in their memories or ours. Waghorn never threatened to add to his assists from Tuesday night, finding his prowess as a setpiece specialist diminished against somewhat stronger opposition,

The only player who emerged from this debacle in anything resembling a positive light was Kasper Schmeichel, who must already be wondering what he's let himself in for. His 50-yard rush from goal to berate a particularly wasteful Wellens displayed hunger, desire and passion - qualities all too often non-existent among those wearing blue shirts.. His tirade provoked cheers and a standing ovation among sections of the Kop. But if it was intended to motivate or inspire team-mates, it did not succeed on either count.

Fortunately in this extended season there will be many opportunities to quickly banish a bad performance from collective memories. Wednesday's clash against a struggling Bristol City side offers an immediate chance for the Foxes to restore confidence on and off the field. A win in that game is now imperative.

[Guest Col city fan]

You are falling into type again Col.

Dyer runs at people that is his strength. That is it. Simple as.

What we need is a Routledge-esque player that can provide a decent run with an end ball that reaches people

and of course gives us width. We do need to sign a couple of new players. I don't get it. Yes the players have played badly today. They didn't for the last two games prior to this. When we have the needed striker and possibly a winger then we have more options and have the flexibility to change a game or go for from the out.

You are too cute for your own good spheriical . I'm a little drunk so not sure what I'm typing.....

Anyway I'm upset by the game today... I'll message tomorrow pal

[southdevonfox]

First time in a long time I've felt sick after a leicester defeat.

it hurts . but we will get better , i keep telling myself this , i dont know about u guys but i think my expectations are to high , but it can only get better ........

[m00nie]

Hmm disagree. Fair enough to boo in a months time if it doesn't get better but after 1 game?!?! We got ridiculed for this last season on TV can't remember who by but doesn't matter (we all know how that ended) At the end of the day we didn't spend £10 million the owners did. Reading were brilliant at the back end of last season (by far the best team in the final third of 2010/11) so what right we have to think we can dick them I don't know.

Remember the old saying... Keep the faith!

people still spent there own money on tickets, as i said people deal with frustration in different ways..

how can you say its ok to boo in a month but not now ?? surely your for it or against it...

[Kent]

Yeah we could've done with a studs-up challenge and gone down to 10 men in the first 15 minutes.

That would have improved our performance no end.

If Sven brings him back for the Forest game, I'll puke...

The reason we lost today is because we were up against a team and manager who know this league better than ours do.

Reading were not particularly outstanding but they were fired up by the presence of their ex-captain, they were spirited in defence, fast on the break and took their chances well. If they could keep that starting eleven together every week (although they won't) they would be promotion contenders.

Once again Sven's weaknesses were brutally exposed and we wonder how many shreds Steve Claridge will rip him into on tonight's Football League show. One thing's for sure, Sven will deserve every piece of stick he gets. He let us down big-time today with a series of misjudgments not seen since the dark days of Kelly or Holloway.

With two away wins to start the season, expectations were naturally high and we expected a side with creativity, ambition and attacking flair to take the game to Reading.

Instead we were treated to the most timid of formations: a 4-5-1 with the lone striker far too isolated to produce any threat. Although Schlupp occasionally troubled the visitors with his pace, he was generally employed far too deep to make any meaningful impact with this.

Why Yuki Abe, who was clearly nowhere near fit, was deemed worthy of a starting place is a question only Sven can answer (if Stringer or Tanner would ever be brave enough to ask it). The midfielder was always likely to be jetlagged after his jaunt to Japan and so it proved.

Elsewhere in midfield Fernandes was his usual industrious self, although Leigertwood and Karacan troubled him far more than Cov's central midfield last week. Danns looked a square peg in a round hole, while Wellens (and later, King too) was guilty of attempting way too many 50-yard Hollywood passes, even when easier 10-yard ones were available. The result was a complete lack of rhythm and cohesion in the centre of the field, which a side of Reading's experience were always likely to exploit.

But the malaise was not confined to one area of the pitch. The defence looked disjointed and ill-at-ease. Even when international fullbacks Pantsil and Konchesky ventured forward, their overhit crosses invariably brought attacks to an end. Meanwhile attacking subs Waghorn and Gallagher had days which will not linger long in their memories or ours. Waghorn never threatened to add to his assists from Tuesday night, finding his prowess as a setpiece specialist diminished against somewhat stronger opposition,

The only player who emerged from this debacle in anything resembling a positive light was Kasper Schmeichel, who must already be wondering what he's let himself in for. His 50-yard rush from goal to berate a particularly wasteful Wellens displayed hunger, desire and passion - qualities all too often non-existent among those wearing blue shirts.. His tirade provoked cheers and a standing ovation among sections of the Kop. But if it was intended to motivate or inspire team-mates, it did not succeed on either count.

Fortunately in this extended season there will be many opportunities to quickly banish a bad performance from collective memories. Wednesday's clash against a struggling Bristol City side offers an immediate chance for the Foxes to restore confidence on and off the field. A win in that game is now imperative.

Which pretty much renders the rest of your post invalid, right?

[accessory]

Hmm disagree. Fair enough to boo in a months time if it doesn't get better but after 1 game?!?! We got ridiculed for this last season on TV can't remember who by but doesn't matter (we all know how that ended) At the end of the day we didn't spend £10 million the owners did. Reading were brilliant at the back end of last season (by far the best team in the final third of 2010/11) so what right we have to think we can dick them I don't know.

Possibly because they've been going backwards in the close season - losing key players while we (supposedly) have been signing them?

Instead, they have become the new Preston or Burnley. We managed to dispel those particular jinxes although it may take a while longer to rid ourselves of this one.

Remember the old saying... Keep the faith!

And redouble our efforts on the training ground, eh?

Cliches are for failed managers. We hope the current incumbent will prove to be in another category..

[accessory]

Which pretty much renders the rest of your post invalid, right?

And if Sven can't learn the lessons, we may as well write off the season now.

[iBleedLeicesterColours]

All will come good in time.

If we convert a chance, Its a different game.

[gazzer]

Evening all,

From a Reading fans view.

A really scrappy first half and nothing really for you guys to get excited about in the 2nd half barring hitting the post.

I was amazed by how disjointed you looked today, a team of good individuals but not good individuals making a team.

Mills, what can we say that we haven't said before. Tell him the game is on telly every week and he'll play a blinder, he likes to get noticed.

You pretty much saw the Matt Mills that you will get for most of the season, yes he will have a couple of MOM performances but that's it.

I thought Bamba was your best player today, one of the only ones that looked committed to the cause.

Maybe a good thing for you to have played us this early, if you can adopt the team spirit that we have at Reading with the quality players that you have, it can only bode well.

Totally deserved your win but your Premier League level time-wasting was priceless

[Len Finsbury]

I don't get to as many games as I'd like anymore but managed to get a pass for this one.

Disappointed is an understatement. Not just at the result but mainly with the performance.

When I saw the team sheet and the number of central midfielders we were playing, I assumed we'd line up 41212 from the start, however we started 433 with Danns and Schlupp put wide. It didn't take long before it changed to 41212 with Abe at the base of the diamond, Wellens and Fernades in the centre and Danns at the top. This formation seemed to suit the players that Sven had picked but they didn't seem to execute it very well. We were playing so narrow that we got in each others' way when trying to pass the ball around, the full backs were providing our only width but when Reading attacked from wide, it left our full backs isolated and with two men to mark!

There was a period during the first half where we were slowing passing the ball along our backline, being patient and then as soon as we passed the half way line, the ball went high and long. This happened a few times straight after each other and became frustrating to watch.

We seemed to miss someone with some creativity in midfield really. For all his huffing and puffing, I'm not sure Danns is our answer either.

I did have a proper dickhead behind me though who even before the first ten minutes were over, he was shouting for Howard and Berner and calling them all premadonnas.

[Rich Fox]

I was so pleased when the team was announced thinking we would play 4-4-2 with schlupp down the middle. Couls not believe what I was seeing when we lined up with him on the left wing.

I have been reading this forum and wondering if I am the only one who thinks the game turned after schlup was taken off. Although the lad had a quiet game I am sure he will be a very good player and was starting to cause a few problems for Reading. I think the outcome would have been different if we had kept the lad on and I cant see what good it will do to him confidence dragging him off when its goal less.

[Wymsey]

Felt Sven should have replaced Yuki with King for the starting eleven as it was only yesterday, I've been told, that he got back from his homeland.

[Rich Fox]

Felt Sven should have replaced Yuki with King for the starting eleven as it was only yesterday I've been told that he got back from his homeland.

Yeah mate your right that is a no brainer.

[ousefox]

Only decent thing about today was seeing the girls giving out the leaflets as we were approaching the stadium, phwoaar.

[Happy Fox]

Schmeichel, who spent much of the second half screaming at his defenders, said: "We've got a wake-up call. People have got to stop talking about promotion and concentrate on a game at a time."

Well said Kasper

[Guest shearfox]

Schmeichel, who spent much of the second half screaming at his defenders, said: "We've got a wake-up call. People have got to stop talking about promotion and concentrate on a game at a time."

Well said Kasper

It seemed today that the players felt all they had to do was turn up to win the game.