FT: READING 1 - 1 CARDIFF CITY. Match thread

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Originally Posted by Ivortheengine

A poor advert for this division. The two teams who are supposed to be trying to get up to the Promised Land should have been going flat out to get the win. I saw no evidence of that at all from either team. The result was no good for either of them, and if that’s the best the upper regions of this division can produce, it doesn’t say much for the rest of them.The championship must be the poorest standard for a long time. I hope none of the Cardiff players have a dog at home, as they’ve obviously had trouble hanging on to a lead.

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Reading’s players agents already have their transfers to Prem clubs secured

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Originally Posted by Ivortheengine

A poor advert for this division. The two teams who are supposed to be trying to get up to the Promised Land should have been going flat out to get the win. I saw no evidence of that at all from either team. The result was no good for either of them, and if that’s the best the upper regions of this division can produce, it doesn’t say much for the rest of them.The championship must be the poorest standard for a long time. I hope none of the Cardiff players have a dog at home, as they’ve obviously had trouble hanging on to a lead.

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Our season was over to be fair. Reading had to win.

It is a real poor league for us both to have been in contention.

Of course I would have taken the play offs and promotion but this years play off winners have almost no chance of survival without massive spending and probably the top 2 as well.

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Originally Posted by BLUETIT

Reading’s players agents already have their transfers to Prem clubs secured

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Like who?

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Originally Posted by Hilts

Like who?

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Goalie
Olise
Rinomhota
Meite
Joao

Perhaps Puscas

Didn’t even see our goal as I turned off the tv in disgust. We did nowhere near enough to win the game. Smithies wasn’t tested once.
After such a great start to the season we have fallen away. Our season is done.

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Originally Posted by Hilts

Like who?

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He’s on a wind up. Olise will go. I doubt very much a Prem team would be interested in Joao.

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Originally Posted by Cyncoed Slumdog

I thought he was poor tonight - but he's not a left back.

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Agreed it's not his best position but he has to do more to stop the cross. I think even Josh would've done better there ☺️

In four games (Watford*, Stoke, Blackburn and now Reading) we have dropped points because MM refuses to make the changes needed to improve things and in a fifth (Swansea) his refusal to use the bench left us with a striker who couldn't move towards the ball he was so knackered.

Is MM so wedded to 343 system that can't bring on fresh legs even though the fresh legs against Forest and now Reading made such a difference in short period of time they were given? And why does he have so little interest in Harris and Watters?

I mentioned earlier that Ralls and Brown's performances were of most interest tonight. I thought Brown had his best game (even played some nice passes going forward) and Ralls really needs time as CM to see what's what because he's been below required standard in every alternative role he's been asked to perform in. Pack having another poor game gives us a good excuse to make the change.

*tired players gave away two freekicks in 30 seconds before Phillips missed the ball.

One quick comment on Reading, several teams have shirt sponsor centered on their chest which pushes club badge up towards the collarbone but Reading's hoops and colour of sponsor logo meant that can't happen as much. One the best looking kits in the league as a result.

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Originally Posted by Pearcey3

He’s on a wind up. Olise will go. I doubt very much a Prem team would be interested in Joao.

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He’s a good diver, he’ll suit Palarse

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Originally Posted by surge

In four games (Watford*, Stoke, Blackburn and now Reading) we have dropped points because MM refuses to make the changes needed to improve things and in a fifth (Swansea) his refusal to use the bench left us with a striker who couldn't move towards the ball he was so knackered.

Is MM so wedded to 343 system that can't bring on fresh legs even though the fresh legs against Forest and now Reading made such a difference in short period of time they were given? And why does he have so little interest in Harris and Watters?

I mentioned earlier that Ralls and Brown's performances were of most interest tonight. I thought Brown had his best game (even played some nice passes going forward) and Ralls really needs time as CM to see what's what because he's been below required standard in every alternative role he's been asked to perform in. Pack having another poor game gives us a good excuse to make the change.

*tired players gave away two freekicks in 30 seconds before Phillips missed the ball.

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Agree with that. Brown was good tonight particularly as Reading were finding some room down NG's side but, more significantly, we've conceded late against a team which has made multiple substitutions and we look knackered.
Still like Mick's post match though!

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Originally Posted by Pearcey3

Didn’t even see our goal as I turned off the tv in disgust. We did nowhere near enough to win the game. Smithies wasn’t tested once.
After such a great start to the season we have fallen away. Our season is done.

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What position were you expecting pre season, Pearcey?
Must be a bit gutting for you after being top six for so long.

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Originally Posted by Cyncoed Slumdog

Agree with that. Brown was good tonight particularly as Reading were finding some room down NG's side but, more significantly, we've conceded late against a team which has made multiple substitutions and we look knackered.
Still like Mick's post match though!

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Pauno is just like Mick though. He leaves it far too late to make subs. Bringing three subs on minutes from time when we are losing 1-0 is too little too late.

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Originally Posted by valleys caveman

What position were you expecting pre season, Pearcey?
Must be a bit gutting for you after being top six for so long.

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Bottom half. So it’s been a lot better than I expected but so flat now after such a great start to the season.

Another manager with such a stubborn stance on formations.

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Originally Posted by BLUETIT

Goalie
Olise
Rinomhota
Meite
Joao

Perhaps Puscas

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Be surprised if this fella's still with Reading next season, he's different class.

It's very rudimentary fare from City. Little creativity and a grim failure to retain possession.

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Originally Posted by MacAdder

Be surprised if this fella's still with Reading next season, he's different class.

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Yah, he blend in well with the other divers in the Prem

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Originally Posted by Taunton Blue Genie

It's very rudimentary fare from City. Little creativity and a grim failure to retain possession.

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It's anti-football. A percentage game based around long balls, set-pieces and stopping the opposition playing rather than doing anything constructive with the ball. Utter garbage.

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Originally Posted by Taunton Blue Genie

It's very rudimentary fare from City. Little creativity and a grim failure to retain possession.

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this

It was a better performance than in recent games from the City.

I thought we defended well, with our centre backs all good. When Murphy came on he added pace and a threat. In the end we were a bit unlucky to concede.
Clearly we need to sort midfield out as we cannot continue to gift possession. If only Murphy could be more consistent he would be a regular match winner, not just an occasional one.

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Originally Posted by The Lone Gunman

It's anti-football. A percentage game based around long balls, set-pieces and stopping the opposition playing rather than doing anything constructive with the ball. Utter garbage.

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But still an upgrade on the tripe that Harris’ team served up.

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Originally Posted by Stanmore Bluebird

It was a better performance than in recent games from the City.

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Agreed although conceding so late on in consecutive games is just pitiful. Just like we used to be pre Malky/Warnock who seemed to turn us into a team that actually finished games strongly.

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Originally Posted by Bobby Dandruff

Agreed although conceding so late on in consecutive games is just pitiful. Just like we used to be pre Malky/Warnock who seemed to turn us into a team that actually finished games strongly.

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You could see the equaliser (and possibly worse) coming against Blackburn but last night it was just sloppy as Reading, despite having loads of possession, had looked incapable of even forcing a meaningful save from Smithies.

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Originally Posted by Madassa

You could see the equaliser (and possibly worse) coming against Blackburn but last night it was just sloppy as Reading, despite having loads of possession, had looked incapable of even forcing a meaningful save from Smithies.

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That dreaded announcement of added time.

It happened the once and ever since our controlled defensive unit seems to go into panic mode.

One would have thought that MM would have been through the same scenario many times as a player. I bet he wiped the floor with them post match.

I hope it’s not going back to the days of when the added time board went up I’d nervously count the seconds down in my head, ‘one and two and three and four etc’. At one stage it seemed as though I was doing it every game, we always seemed to be a goal in front and on the board going up our defence went into Keystone Cops mode.

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Originally Posted by Bobby Dandruff

But still an upgrade on the tripe that Harris’ team served up.

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Rubbish. You’d desperately like it to be because of your anti-Harris position, but it isn’t. It’s the same old shite.

It’d be interesting to see a direct comparison of elements such as possession, passes completed, long balls, etc, under the two managers this season. I suspect they’d be almost identical.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_7b...=CardiffCityFC

Good write up from a Reading fan.

Easy to put yourself in his position, this has been us so many times.

https://thetilehurstend.sbnation.com...yals-bluebirds

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Originally Posted by Michael Morris

Good write up from a Reading fan.

Easy to put yourself in his position, this has been us so many times.

https://thetilehurstend.sbnation.com...yals-bluebirds

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Yep that site is a good read and he sums up exactly how I feel. I didn’t know we had equalised when I came on here to say well done on the win. I then noticed a poster said 1-1 and realised we had scored and it felt meaningless.

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Originally Posted by Pearcey3

Yep that site is a good read and he sums up exactly how I feel. I didn’t know we had equalised when I came on here to say well done on the win. I then noticed a poster said 1-1 and realised we had scored and it felt meaningless.

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It would suit Reading for Norwich to need a win for promotion tonight. Because if they have their promotion confirmed before kick off Bournemouth might be able to take advantage.

Could be a good game either way that one tonight.

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Originally Posted by Michael Morris

It would suit Reading for Norwich to need a win for promotion tonight. Because if they have their promotion confirmed before kick off Bournemouth might be able to take advantage.

Could be a good game either way that one tonight.

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Yeah I know Mike but even if they beat Bournemouth we still need Muff to lose twice more and for us to win all of our remaining games.
We are done.

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Originally Posted by The Lone Gunman

Rubbish. You’d desperately like it to be because of your anti-Harris position, but it isn’t. It’s the same old shite.

It’d be interesting to see a direct comparison of elements such as possession, passes completed, long balls, etc, under the two managers this season. I suspect they’d be almost identical.

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Wrong again, I’m afraid.