Villa match thread, sponsored by Ron Atkinson

[DOYLERSAROYALER]

Time to give captaincy to Roberts....he'll get the respect of the players and lead by example

Will allow McAnuff to concentrate on developing an A game to bring onto the pitch..it's been a long time coming

[Ozymandias]

The hobnob racists back out of the woodwork, shames there no black guy to blame it on

wot???

[winchester_royal]

What a load of crap. Russian donkey? Played for Stutgart, Zenit St Petersburg, Russian national team, had a great load of games last season in the PL. Yes mate, it's donkey all over it hasn't it!!

Woo

Just a lazy billy big bollocks who can f*ck off out of my team

He may be that, I don't know. But he's not a donkey. That prize goes to the other sh*te that Brian bought in the summer. We had f*cking Gunnarson on the bench tonight FFS! How is THAT ready for the Premiership?! We had Church on the bench earlier the season. Seriously, the guy is f*cking deluded.

It pains me to say this but Brian has failed as a PL manager. If we want to be here next season then we have to sack him now. If we don't mind accepting our fate and going back to the Championship and re-building the team, then of course we should keep him. He'd be the ideal man for the job. Are we thinking long term or this season? That's what it comes down to.

Would he though?

No point coming back up with the same core squad and ideas. We'd be straight back down again.

[TBM]

All those calling for his head, who would you have in to run the team?

I'm still undecided, and am of the opinion that McD deserves the jan transfer window to try and shore up the squad. If after this we still go down, then fair enough, he has taken us as far as he can and should move aside for someone new.

There is no reason why we wouldn't bounce back.

Mark Hughes, no question about it

[MmmMonsterMunch]

Really not looking forward to Sat now. Our GD could get a total hammering.

We got lucky last season, we weren't good enough to win the play-offs let alone the title. It's showing big time. I don't see what else you can say really.

[Y21]

All those calling for his head, who would you have in to run the team?

I'm still undecided, and am of the opinion that McD deserves the jan transfer window to try and shore up the squad. If after this we still go down, then fair enough, he has taken us as far as he can and should move aside for someone new.

There is no reason why we wouldn't bounce back.

Mark Hughes, no question about it

But is his PL cv that much better?

[Haag Royal]

All those calling for his head, who would you have in to run the team?

I'm still undecided, and am of the opinion that McD deserves the jan transfer window to try and shore up the squad. If after this we still go down, then fair enough, he has taken us as far as he can and should move aside for someone new.

There is no reason why we wouldn't bounce back.

Did you actually see the game tonight or did you only hear it on BBC Radio Dellor???!

[MmmMonsterMunch]

All those calling for his head, who would you have in to run the team?

I'm still undecided, and am of the opinion that McD deserves the jan transfer window to try and shore up the squad. If after this we still go down, then fair enough, he has taken us as far as he can and should move aside for someone new.

There is no reason why we wouldn't bounce back.

Mark Hughes, no question about it

Is this a joke? If so, it's not a good one.

[peterroyal76]

All those calling for his head, who would you have in to run the team?

I'm still undecided, and am of the opinion that McD deserves the jan transfer window to try and shore up the squad. If after this we still go down, then fair enough, he has taken us as far as he can and should move aside for someone new.

There is no reason why we wouldn't bounce back.

Mark Hughes, no question about it

[Y21]

All those calling for his head, who would you have in to run the team?

I'm still undecided, and am of the opinion that McD deserves the jan transfer window to try and shore up the squad. If after this we still go down, then fair enough, he has taken us as far as he can and should move aside for someone new.

There is no reason why we wouldn't bounce back.

Did you actually see the game tonight or did you only hear it on BBC Radio Dellor???!

Yup, watched it without the benefit of Dellors inane waffle. What's your point?

[El Diablo]

Our Midfield tonight was probably the worst RFC midfield display I've seen in the past 5 years. Awful awful awful - poor passing, no interplay, not winning the second ball, no invention -& didn't attack their youthful full backs - January cannot come quick enough.

Legs 0
Tab 3
Jobie 3
HRK 2

[Barney]

anti football by Reading

I'll tell you ONCE ONLY. Back off tonight. This is a Reading fans football forum discussing OUR club, not your shower of Chelski sh1te.

[paultheroyal]

Regardless of the performance, it has got to the point where we need points HOW EVER we can get them.
Not good enough performance anyways!

Wholesale changes needed.

For example?

New captain.
Integrate Guthrie.
Play McCleary.
Move Mcanuff in middle if need be.

1/3 through season and things have to change!
Be bold if need be.

[leicsRoyal]

All those calling for his head, who would you have in to run the team?

I'm still undecided, and am of the opinion that McD deserves the jan transfer window to try and shore up the squad. If after this we still go down, then fair enough, he has taken us as far as he can and should move aside for someone new.

There is no reason why we wouldn't bounce back.

Like pretty much every other Reading fan, I have the upmost respect for McD but in my opinion we need the change. Brian is getting the most he can out of this group of players using his tactics, I don't think it will ever be good enough.
If we want to stay in the Premier League we need to bring someone in with fresh ideas very quickly, if we wait until January I fear that will be too late and may as well give Brian another shot at getting us out of the championship.

[paultheroyal]

Our Midfield tonight was probably the worst RFC midfield display I've seen in the past 5 years. Awful awful awful - poor passing, no interplay, not winning the second ball, no invention -& didn't attack their youthful full backs - January cannot come quick enough.

Legs 0
Tab 3
Jobie 3
HRK 2

Agreed

[ScottishRoyal]

It's got nothing to do with our defence.

Our midfield can't keep hold of the ball.

In terms of defence there have been no calamities today which is a step up in quality from Gorkss and Gunter.

Now he needs to realise Leigertwood isn't up to it.

That's the crux of it.

Our CM area is just a gaping hole with nothing of any note going through Tabb and Leigertwood.

They must be there to link up play and maintain possession. If we meet a dead end down the left a CM should collect it and pass into more space right, if we're blocked on the right collect it and spray it left. If there's an opening through the midle or Alfie makes a good run pick that pass..... Unfortunately their lack of a first touch or any sort of awareness means this doesn't happen. With these guys bypassed our wider players don't get the ball in sufficient space because they're either collecting 10yd passes or speculative long balls that are telegraphed and easy to defend.

Defensively they're also suspect, they play so flat that one simple ball cuts out both players and lets runners get at our back four. One attack the ball, the other sit deeper, it's pretty basic stuff.

What worries me the most though is that they are not simply out of form and will come good, they simply do not have the quality required. That's not Tabb or Leigertwood's fault but it means we're screwed until January.

[Ascotexgunner]

All those calling for his head, who would you have in to run the team?

I'm still undecided, and am of the opinion that McD deserves the jan transfer window to try and shore up the squad. If after this we still go down, then fair enough, he has taken us as far as he can and should move aside for someone new.

There is no reason why we wouldn't bounce back.

My thoughts exactly. The anonymous midfield is the problem IMO. If he can make a find like that of Roberts it maybe the saving grace.
As a side issue I was excited when we signed Pog but then gutted that Fulham who we beat then got Berbatov
Wonder if we could have stretched the budget a bit.

[windermere_royal]

If Tabb and Ledge are the answer I dread to think what the question was.

[TBM]

All those calling for his head, who would you have in to run the team?

I'm still undecided, and am of the opinion that McD deserves the jan transfer window to try and shore up the squad. If after this we still go down, then fair enough, he has taken us as far as he can and should move aside for someone new.

There is no reason why we wouldn't bounce back.

Mark Hughes, no question about it

But is his PL cv that much better?

Everyone rates him - he did well at Blackburn and saved them, Man City were always gonna sack him when the money came in and QPR were just full of over paid pre-madonnas

[windermere_royal]

At least we can`t blame the Pog tonight.