Reading vs Swansea Play off final predictions - 30/05/11

[swansea jack]

Reading (London) Irish 86 - 34 Swansea Neath Ospreys

[swansea jack]

We are the underdogs with the media, and, like last night, we will win.

I love the fact that all the media and the neutrals are already writing us off, whilst the opinion of Swansea fans appears to be "Shame there is no all Welsh Final, as it would have been great to beat Cardiff on our way to the Prem" without so much as a nod in the direction that we may pose a threat.

Interesting how when asked if their 2 victories over us in the regular season gave Swansea an edge, Rodgers hesitated before saying "it gives us confidence"; I got the vibe that he wanted to say "Hell yeah - Reading are THE team we wanted to meet in the Final!!!" but managed to check himself. If the Swans go into the game with any complacency, they will get a major surprise.

Also, all of this guff about "Wembley will suit Swansea"?? If Kebe is fit, he could rip the Swansea defence to shreds with all that space!

Bring it on.

Not mine nor that of most I know. Us vs C*rdiff would've been a dreadful game littered with free-kicks, yellows and reds.

Got the makings of a great game.

Predict us to win 2-1 in 90. Long to open the scoring then Borini and Sinclair for us.

[floyd__streete]

We are the underdogs with the media, and, like last night, we will win.

I preferred your 'draw or narrow Swansea win' policy during the gr8 ate match winning run. I think that most neutrals will be behind Swansea, wanting to see a new club in the Premier League. Perhaps most neutrals will want to see Rodgers defeat his old club, our sacking of Jose's mate is probably seen as harsh by those not ITK.

[glenroyal]

Interesting how when asked if their 2 victories over us in the regular season gave Swansea an edge, Rodgers hesitated ...

Bring it on.

Hi Angry; Yeah, noticed that he was going to say something specific about Reading and thought better of it. It's definitely in his mind so hopefully on the day he'll be playing the occasion instead of the game, as McDermott would put it. Bring it on indeed.

[Snowball]

Positivity lads, positivity - who would have, seriously, predicted 3-0 last night?

It will be a much tighter game I think - but we can nick this. It will be Karma. Rodgers needs taking down a peg or two - I still haven't forgiven him for saying that if you criticise a performance "you're not a fan of this club" - he's way too up himself - so he needs to learn a valuable lesson - and we're just the team to teach him it!

1-0 Reading (Long)

I like Rodgers; I agreed with his sacking but he always did his best for the club. Nevertheless, I noticed some exaggeration in things he said on the television last night. He said that before he came to the club, Long wasn't in the team; but that isn't right--Long was a part of the team in the last months of Coppell and was one of the only players who could score. In fact Rodgers messed Long about, though to be fair he was probably recovering from an injury at the time. Rodgers also said McAnuff wasn't in the team before he went to Watford: not sure how true that is either, but I'm glad he brought him here.

Rodgers didn't like Long.

Here is Shane's appearances under his management


26
00
90
00
90
00
06
00
00
00
00
00
00
37
90
25
34
29
00
45
00
00
00

471 minutes, a fraction over 5 x 90 minute games.

[Row Z Royal]

I really thought that would be a little prediction from Snowbers.


How foolish I am!

[Royal Lady]

I just don't want Rodgers to beat us. He still has a bit of an ego thing going on - witness the "easy easy" chants by him after his game - when it wasn't *that* easy. I still remember his comments to Dellor that "he wasn't a proper fan of this club" because he criticised the performance, something that I thought he was also aiming towards to each of us, if we dared to disagree with his big book of tactics. He needs taking down a peg (I've already said this haven't I?? - soz )

[The Prisoner]

We are the underdogs with the media, and, like last night, we will win.

I preferred your 'draw or narrow Swansea win' policy during the gr8 ate match winning run. I think that most neutrals will be behind Swansea, wanting to see a new club in the Premier League. Perhaps most neutrals will want to see Rodgers defeat his old club, our sacking of Jose's mate is probably seen as harsh by those not ITK.

Do you reckon? I reckon we have become a lot of people's favourite second team over the last five years. The 106 team, playing so well in the prem (1st season plus Liverpool win etc in the 2nd), cup wins @ Liverpool & Everton, refreshingly honest manager, etc. I live in the NW and there is a lot of love for us up here - had text messages from Liverpool, Preston, City and United fans last night wishing us luck. The Liverpool fan was honest and said he just didn't want Swansea fans in the prem trashing everything!!!

Just take a random sweep of forums from other clubs and there is a lot of praise and support for us!

http://www.forestforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=25527 Forest
http://www.pne-online.net/forum/showthread.php?63532-Play-offs.-Whi-is-going-up/page3 PNE
http://boards.footymad.net/forum.php?tno=104&fid=297&sty=2&act=1&mid=2117488401 Burnley
http://www.redcafe.net/f7/championship-play-off-329177/index5.html Man U

I didn't have to look too hard for those, and whilst they are not filled with 100% love, 75% or so seem to want us there and not Swansea......

[Red]

Tough choice for the neutral - both are a long way from being a glamorous club, I'd imagine we must have fewer enemies than the swans though.

[The Prisoner]

I just don't want Rodgers to beat us. He still has a bit of an ego thing going on - witness the "easy easy" chants by him after his game - when it wasn't *that* easy. I still remember his comments to Dellor that "he wasn't a proper fan of this club" because he criticised the performance, something that I thought he was also aiming towards to each of us, if we dared to disagree with his big book of tactics. He needs taking down a peg (I've already said this haven't I?? - soz )

I'd agree with that. Lots of his comments are already assuming they are going to win, and I thought their celebrations were a bit OTT and disrespectful to Forest who were their equal for pretty much both games. I'm not saying you shouldn't enjoy it (and maybe give it large!) but it certainly wasn't easy for them - especially if that shot in injury time had gone in and not hit the post for Forest......

Oh and 3-1 to us!

[Snowball]

I really thought that would be a little prediction from Snowbers.


How foolish I am!

I made a prediction about the Cardiff away game, "If Bellamy doesn't play, a comfortable win to nil."

Why predict NOW for Wembley which is almost two weeks away?

Will Kebe play, will HRK be back? Will the team get a mystery virus?


Nearer the time, mate.


I REALLY fancy us, but why not wait until we hear that Borini and Sinclair have injured themselves while playing Golf...

[MmmMonsterMunch]

Snowball - we've got the away dressing room apparently. Any stats as to which dressing room has proved lucky for previous play-off finals?!

[MmmMonsterMunch]

I just don't want Rodgers to beat us. He still has a bit of an ego thing going on - witness the "easy easy" chants by him after his game - when it wasn't *that* easy. I still remember his comments to Dellor that "he wasn't a proper fan of this club" because he criticised the performance, something that I thought he was also aiming towards to each of us, if we dared to disagree with his big book of tactics. He needs taking down a peg (I've already said this haven't I?? - soz )

I'd agree with that. Lots of his comments are already assuming they are going to win, and I thought their celebrations were a bit OTT and disrespectful to Forest who were their equal for pretty much both games. I'm not saying you shouldn't enjoy it (and maybe give it large!) but it certainly wasn't easy for them - especially if that shot in injury time had gone in and not hit the post for Forest......

Oh and 3-1 to us!

He definitely had a sly dig at the brand of football we play on Sky last night....still has one big ego & one big watch to go with it IMO!

Although did anyone think he looked slightly uncomfortable & nervous last night once the match was over & he knew he was playing us?

Make no mistake if the effort we put into these last 2 games is replicated at Wembley we have a great chance.

Lets face it Reading will want revenge for those 2 league defeats & will be right up for it - this is not as cut & dry as some might think.

[Man Friday]

Where's Wallee, I mean Royalee? As a Swansea supporter it would be interesting to hear how good Rodgered is and what a dickhead Bri is.

Que Sera, Sera
Whatever will be, will be
My name is Royalee,
I follow Swansea ee ee
Que Sera, Sera

[Man Friday]

I just don't want Rodgers to beat us. He still has a bit of an ego thing going on - witness the "easy easy" chants by him after his game - when it wasn't *that* easy. I still remember his comments to Dellor that "he wasn't a proper fan of this club" because he criticised the performance, something that I thought he was also aiming towards to each of us, if we dared to disagree with his big book of tactics. He needs taking down a peg (I've already said this haven't I?? - soz )

I'd agree with that. Lots of his comments are already assuming they are going to win, and I thought their celebrations were a bit OTT and disrespectful to Forest who were their equal for pretty much both games. I'm not saying you shouldn't enjoy it (and maybe give it large!) but it certainly wasn't easy for them - especially if that shot in injury time had gone in and not hit the post for Forest......

Oh and 3-1 to us!

He definitely had a sly dig at the brand of football we play on Sky last night....still has one big ego & one big watch to go with it IMO!

Although did anyone think he looked slightly uncomfortable & nervous last night once the match was over & he knew he was playing us?

Make no mistake if the effort we put into these last 2 games is replicated at Wembley we have a great chance.

Lets face it Reading will want revenge for those 2 league defeats & will be right up for it - this is not as cut & dry as some might think.

Far from it - I would imagine we're favourites. Yes, I also noticed Rodgers' nervousness when he realised he'd be facing us.

[MmmMonsterMunch]

I want us to be able to shove the bumper book of tactics up his ass come final whistle that's for sure.

[Ian Royal]

It's a difficult one to predict and clearly could easily be any sort of scoreline. I still think Swansea have been the better team, play the better football and are likely to negate our strengths and play to our weaknesses better than we can do to them.

But if we can disrupt their game and get our noses in front then it could just as easily become a rout for us.

But I can't feel positive about the game, the expectation and hope would hurt so much if we failed again. So I'm going to go expecting a decent battling performance but ultimate defeat. I've called Swansea as play off winners from the point we knew who was in them and I haven't seen anything to convince me otherwise yet.

I'd bloody love it if we won though.

[tomrfcurz]

Swansea win. Can just see the press loving Brendan Rodgers having one over on us

[Libertine]

Reading 2 - 1 Swansea in aet...with much bedlam ensuing.

in my perfect world in least

[Mintymurray]

3 0 Reading, we always do things differently!