Reading FC Watch

[Mick]

Shows how bad things are when you're chuffed with how sh*t Reading are against a team we'd have been expected to be competing with for a top 7 spot this season.

 

I remember not so long ago that people weren't too concerned that we'd lost away to Reading.

[Shearer9]

The thing I don't understand about Reading is that they don't play like a team that's about to be relegated.  There's not any sort of defensive nervousness, they come forward in droves to attack, they're not content to play for draws.  I didn't think they were that bad, but then 20 games into the season I look up and they're in a relegation battle.

[Guest Stephen927]

The thing I don't understand about Reading is that they don't play like a team that's about to be relegated.  There's not any sort of defensive nervousness, they come forward in droves to attack, they're not content to play for draws.  I didn't think they were that bad, but then 20 games into the season I look up and they're in a relegation battle.

 

Thats why in any other circumstances I would want them to stay up. Last year they were a breath of fresh air, they came into the league with the confidence to make a mark and play some football instead of the usual 11 men behind the ball that you get from the promotion teams.

[Shearer9]

They do have some really shit defenders though.  Backline today was Murty, Cisse, Sonko, and Shorey.  3 of those are absolute shite, Shorey is OK, but it showed today.

[Guest Hoop Blah]

I wouldn't worry too much about us at the moment.  We can't see where the next goal is coming from let alone the next win (Shorey scored with a bit of a soft effort yesterday so maybe that will open the floodgates but I doubt it).

 

Nice to see some positive comments about our style of play, mainly coming from last year, but this season we're paying the price for not replacing Sidwell and Little and as often happens our players have probably lost that little edge they had last year because they were out to prove themselves.  We're not playing with quite the same verve and confidence as we have done over the last few seasons and although one poster said how we're lucky that most of the side's been here for ages, thats part of our problem.  Our strongest XI is made up of players from our Championship side and we've not added enough new blood or extra quality and the team has gone a bit stale.

 

Having said that, all it will take is a fortunate 3 points somewhere and it all might change.  I can't see us closing the gap on you lot though.

[Nobody]

I wouldn't worry too much about us at the moment.  We can't see where the next goal is coming from let alone the next win (Shorey scored with a bit of a soft effort yesterday so maybe that will open the floodgates but I doubt it).

 

Nice to see some positive comments about our style of play, mainly coming from last year, but this season we're paying the price for not replacing Sidwell and Little and as often happens our players have probably lost that little edge they had last year because they were out to prove themselves.  We're not playing with quite the same verve and confidence as we have done over the last few seasons and although one poster said how we're lucky that most of the side's been here for ages, thats part of our problem.  Our strongest XI is made up of players from our Championship side and we've not added enough new blood or extra quality and the team has gone a bit stale.

 

Having said that, all it will take is a fortunate 3 points somewhere and it all might change.  I can't see us closing the gap on you lot though.

Know how you feel, mate

[brummie]

I thought you raised your game a lot in the second half, Hoop Blah, and we were lucky not to concede on two or three other occasions.

 

You certainly showed enough spirit.

[Guest Hoop Blah]

I thought you raised your game a lot in the second half, Hoop Blah, and we were lucky not to concede on two or three other occasions.

 

You certainly showed enough spirit.

 

Second half was a lot better, and the spirit is fine really, we're just lacking a bit of quality, creativity, and confidence.  We had a couple of goal mouth scrambles yesterday, and should've scored from one of the free kicks, but it always felt like we were second best against a good Villa side.

 

Time is running out, and although Coppell has shown commendable loyalty to the players who've got us where we are, we need to freshen the side up a bit.  Unfortunatley we've left ourselves without enough options in the squad to change it really and so we're right up against it.

[Dave]

Are the Reading fans calling for Coppell's head?

[Guest Hoop Blah]

Are the Reading fans calling for Coppell's head?

 

Nope. 

 

There is a little disquiet about some of his selections and his steadfast loyalty to our established players, and a lot of concerns about the lack of impact from anyone we've signed since we got promoted, but his job isn't being questioned.  Pretty much 100% of Reading see that Coppell is the best man for the job, even if there is some dissent over how he's doing it.

 

I happen to think he'll possibly step down at the end of this season, although his contract is until the end of next season.

[Dokko]

I hear your owner wants to sell up as well, that's not going to help things right now.

 

 

[Guest Hoop Blah]

I hear your owner wants to sell up as well, that's not going to help things right now.

 

 

 

Madejski has said he's willing to sell ever since he bought the club almost 20 years ago.

 

He's always said he'll run it as close to a viable business as possible and but if somebody else wants to come along and buy it out and pump loads of money into it then he'd be happen to sell it.  I think he'd only sell to someone he trusts would carry on his good work though.

 

He's never really been a football fan but loves the profile it's given him but obviously since we've been a Premiership club his comments about selling up get picked up on and magnified a lot more than they ever have before.  There's little doubt that he feels he's done his part and is probably more keen to sell now, whilst the club is worth a lot more, than when we were a middling Championship club though.

 

A hot topic amongst Reading fans is how can we survive at this level without more substantial investment from Madejski, a new owner, or spending more of the money the Premiership has pulled into the club.  We probably struggle to attract the players a lot of us would like to see come into the club because our top earners are on about £25k a week.  The calibre of player we need to improve would probably require a bit more in wages to come to little old Reading.