Back from the Game Thread - Blackpool (H)

[Row Z Royal]

Viva La Brendan

+1

Oh dear.


Let's wait to see what tactical surprise he throws up next weekend before we go over board. 'One swallow' and all that.

[PEARCEY]

Viva La Brendan

+1

Oh dear.


Let's wait to see what tactical surprise he throws up next weekend before we go over board. 'One swallow' and all that.

I told you not to swallow RZR

[Row Z Royal]

Some people just don't listen or learn.




^Summing up the Team Board ftw.

[winchester_royal]

Viva La Brendan

+1

Oh dear.


Let's wait to see what tactical surprise he throws up next weekend before we go over board. 'One swallow' and all that.

'Tactical suprise'?

You mean matching up in terms of formation with the 5th placed team in table?

[loyalroyal4life]

Why does Todger have to open his mouth after a decent win with - ' it was like winning the world cup'

Is he trying to put comments out there to get JM to say hold on we cant think about booting him now we have won a game on par with winning the World Cup!!

Secondly what does Brenda know about winning the WC?

[Chillitsphil]

Federici: 7 Decent enough - value is largely in his superb distribution and yesterday was no exception

Tabb: 8 Solid, lacks pace and quality going forward, but worked hard and surprisingly good in the air
Pearce: 7 Solid enough - still looked questionable with the ball at his feet
Ingi: 7 Solid enough
Bertrand: 7 Didn't contribute as much going forward as he has done before, but works well with Mcanuff and solid enough defensively

Kebe: 7 Couple of impressive moments, pleased to see him go to the byline and just hit a decent cross in a few times - missed him when he came off
Marek: 9 Lynchpin today, some of his balls out wide to Macanuff - quality, was so central to the game that they changed things about after 20 mins to contain him, and started to close him down a lot quicker. Did well to continue spraying decent balls all over the park
Howard: 6 Did well supporting matejovsky in the middle, seems a bit slow on the ball, but it must be difficult to play in a new team which is constantly changing all around him. Needs consistency.
Mcanuff: 8 creative going forward, sometimes takes too long, his final ball was questionable at times and his decision making to shoot rather than pass, but all round a good performance and you can't blame him the odd poor ball/decision as he gets himself round defenders and makes things happen
Sigurdsson: 7 Faded after 20 minutes. Worked well behind Church initially but then struggled as Blackpool pushed him further and further back
Church: 7 Should have scored, didn't stay onside enough, but looked strong in the air and on the ball - much better all round than previous performances as was isolated up front for large parts of the game. Didn't get on the end of enough crosses.
Rasiak: 7 Should have started. Good in the air, decent hold up play, makes things happen. Needs another striker alongside him. I don't understand why this guy wouldn't start every week.
HRK: 6 Poor touch, didn't really do a lot or get into the game.
Karacan: n/a

Rodgers: 3 - changed his line up AGAIN. confusingly dropped rasiak. worked for 20 mins, and then blackpool looked the better side, until we scored on the break. they realised everything went through marek from deep and closed him down. looked a fairly even game after they scored, but I think the weather contributed to that. forced to bring on rasiak which was a good change - we got the goal and held on, bringing on karacan was a good move, so credit where it is due. He'd be on a 7 if it wasn't for... celebrating the win and milking the applause as if we'd won the FA Cup. I look forward to this continuing in future:



Reading fans after winning a throw in

[Royalee]

Federici: 7 - Made a couple of good saves/interventions like the punch right at the end which was difficult and needed to be made. Still flapped at a cross though.

Bertrand: 7 - Pretty classy as usual

Pearce: 7 - Looked reasonably solid and the better out of the two centre halves, did a better job on Burgess and retained the ball better than Ivar.

Ingimarsson: 6 - Worries me to be honest. He dived in for the Burgess chance first half and lost him quite a few times in the second. People moan at Pearce for his passing, but Ivar's was awful yesterday.

Tabb: 8 - Solid, unsung hero and can probably play pretty much anywhere. Contender for MOTM.

Kebe: 7 - I actually thought he had one of his more effective games yesterday before he had to come off. Two very good crosses from the right and a decent shot.

Matejovsky: 7 - Didn't have the best of games and would be giving him a 6...but he produced 2 superb balls - one to McAnuff for the first goal and the cross to Rasiak for the winner.

Howard: 6 - Wasn't impressed to be honest. He's clearly a good footballer and technically sound, but he's too slow to carry out what he's attempting to do and often gets caught. Needs to improve his corners and get some whip on them rather than floating them in.

Sigurdsson: 7 - He's going to be a top player if he continues to progress, not one of his tip top games, but took his goal superbly and did a reasonable job.

McAnuff: 9 - Thorn in the side of Blackpool all afternoon. I lost count of the number of times he beat their full back and aside from his assist for the first goal, the ball which seemed to be rolling out second half for an easy goal kick was brilliantly chased down and turned into a corner...I thought that summed him up yesterday.

Church: 7 - Thought he looked lively and very intelligent in terms of his movement. Got caught offside a few times, but I think this was just as much Marek's fault for delaying the pass too much (unusual for him) as it was Church's movement. Pretty much had everything apart from a goal and was sad to see him go off.

Subs:

Robson-Kanu: 7 - Looked reasonable when he came on, won a few corners and throws, strong on the ball if a little bit too left-footed. Good cut in and shot which forced a good save from their keeper.

Rasiak: 7 - Has to start for me with Church. Held the ball up very well when he came on and took his goal excellently.

Karacan: 7 - Solid as usual, I'd have probably brought him on earlier, but in place of Howard. I'd start him instead of him next week.

[bcubed]

Best I have seen this season. However... we have the defensive strength of a creme brulee.

MoM Macanuff just ahead of The Sig. Apart from the goals, MacAnuff's duel with their full back was the highlight of the game for me.

Don't agree with the substitution of The Sig. Why did Howard stay on. Great to see Marek lay on the assist FOR THE WINNER! More please Marek.

Entertainment 10/10
Nerves shot to pieces!

This is spot on IMO.
A great game but not good for those of a nervous disposition

Howard was excellent in the first 20 minutes and prominent in the quick passing moves - as slick football as I have seen from the Royals in a very long time. But I would have taken him off in the second half when he didn't seem to be able to pick up the pace. It seems to become common practice to sub the Sig - leave him on. He is our star player and even better in his central position on Saturday.

Leaving the ground people were singing (URs! and stuff) and I can't remember such (almost) euphoria since we were on our way up to the Premier League. It doesn’t mean we are on our way again but it does mean the game was enjoyable and people are beginning to believe this is a product worth turning up to see

More of the same please

[winchester_royal]

You just know we're going to get thumped up at Derby after all this.

[ZacNaloen]

I just have one thing to ask those who were nearer, should we have had a penalty when church was pushed over in the box or did he make more of it than there was?

[Royalee]

First half? I thought he was pulled down and was out of my seat, so yes.

[1871 Royal]

You just know we're going to get thumped up at Derby after all this.

I hope not, it being my first game this season

[Ian Royal]

Why does Todger have to open his mouth after a decent win with - ' it was like winning the world cup'

Is he trying to put comments out there to get JM to say hold on we cant think about booting him now we have won a game on par with winning the World Cup!!

Secondly what does Brenda know about winning the WC?

I think the point may be just quite how much that meant to him, the players and the fans. Because it sounded like it meant more than anything since we got promoted.

[ZacNaloen]

First half? I thought he was pulled down and was out of my seat, so yes.

Yeh first half, I was wrong end of the pitch to see it properly. Didn't stop me having a go at the ref for about 5 minutes afterwards though.

[Royalee]

Yeah, blatant penalty mate.

[Ian Royal]

Yeah, blatant penalty mate.

Commo team called it a definite penalty after rewatching it, if that helps.

[ZacNaloen]

The Penatly gods don't like us, that's two games in a row

[Ian Royal]

The Penatly gods don't like us, that's two games in a row

Yeah, but we won anyway!

[ZacNaloen]

Hell, you're right.

I'll wait till the next time we lose (next year in the prem after an unbeaten streak to the end of the season?) before I complain again.

[Ian Royal]

Hell, you're right.

I'll wait till the next time we lose (next year in the prem after an unbeaten streak to the end of the season?) before I complain again.

Yeah, but we still won! So when the penalty Gods hate transfers to someone else it's all gravy.