Back from the game WBA

[SteveRoyal]

I noticed Karacan was fantastic in winning back the ball and hassling the opposition - but his distribution is obviosuly of the standard of a worried and panicked midfielder. He wins the ball, and hoofs it.
I'd rather he took his time and distributed it to the wings!

[The Real Sandhurst Royal]

A great cup tie that had went end to end with goals and plenty of incidents.

Griffin man of the match for me by a mile.

[yappy]

I noticed Karacan was fantastic in winning back the ball and hassling the opposition - but his distribution is obviosuly of the standard of a worried and panicked midfielder. He wins the ball, and hoofs it.
I'd rather he took his time and distributed it to the wings!

Agreed, he lacks composure, but maybe that will come with age and more games?

[LoyalRoyalFan]

I must laugh though at the West Brom fans who thought that they were the loudest team ever to come to the Madejski. 4,000 of them and they barely made much noise.

[SHORT AND CURLY]

To be fair it was an exciting game and one of the best this season.
Its a shame that only 14,000 Reading fans bothered to turn up and watch it.

Bet if we manage to get through and get a "Glamour game" the glory hunters will come flooding back!

[FiNeRaIn]

I must laugh though at the West Brom fans who thought that they were the loudest team ever to come to the Madejski. 4,000 of them and they barely made much noise.

Agreed, massive numbers - loud outside the ground but complete fair weather fans inside and when things weren't going well for them.

I thought karacan and howard were really poor today. Over-run most of the game and karacans lack of footballing ability really worries me.

[Southbank Old Boy]

Another good performance and should have won.

I hate to single any one person out, but Ivar had been consistently poor and was again at fault today for the first goal. Numerous times this year goals have been down to Ivar, the Ipswich one he put on a plate for stead springs to
mind.

He is miss timing headers, standing off of forwards and missing sitters at the other end. If he had taken his chance today it would have been game over. Three chances were also missed last week.

Kishy and Mills are our best centre backs, I just hope Brian had the balls to drop our club captain. If he don't it could cost us.

Altough he had on the whole a stonking game, Grifffin was at fault for the first goal and the second was scored from our right back position . Didn't think Ivar was either good or bad today

Dont think you can really blame Griff for that, neither Bryn or Jem bothered to pick up the midfielder who ran past them both and into the box. Griff was left with the choice of marking the man closest to the ball or the one coming in behind him. He went to the closest danger but the cross missed him out

Bertrand was left stranded by Kebe and then gave the lad too much time to cross, Federici just jumped around doing nothing, and the midfielders just watched a man run off them. Griff going for the more immediate danger wasnt the first of biggest mistake for the goal

[PEARCEY]

I watched the second-half on the t'internet and was counting down the minutes and really expected us to hold on and was well hacked off that we didn't. West Brom are the favourites now but we are not out of it yet and I expect a very close replay.

[windjammer]

While Federici made some good saves I thought he could have come and claimed the ball that led to the first goal. Rasiak still looks too slow, his pass for Church was his best contribution. Try Chuch and Thor at the Palace.

[AthleticoSpizz]

still in!!

What a great 2010


as aforementioned, Griff motm by a country mile.............what an acquisition by MaccyD

[Armadillo Roadkill]

Both Reds correct - Ref didn't get much wrong. Both assistant pretty much spot on too.

Griffin rapidly becoming one of the best Reading players I've seen in my ten years of watching Reading.

Karacan much improved, Howard distinctly effective, Mills superb. Good work from Federici. Kebe had plenty to do for the goal was needs a bit more conviction when taking men on, Rasiack looked good to me.

WBA are a quality side who I'm sure will go up (and then probably come back down again...).

Although we don't need a replay, the momentum is the important thing, and who knows: I would have bet my house against us winning at Anfield and look what happened (good job I don't gamble).

Again, tactically McDermot was spot on, particularly his reaction to going a man down (which I the time I didn't think was the right thing to do).

Overall, a great cup tie, a good performance. Surley too good to go down, although we've left it a bit late to be comfortable.

[Ian Royal]

Both Reds correct - Ref didn't get much wrong. Both assistant pretty much spot on too.

Griffin rapidly becoming one of the best Reading players I've seen in my ten years of watching Reading.

Karacan much improved, Howard distinctly effective, Mills superb. Good work from Federici. Kebe had plenty to do for the goal was needs a bit more conviction when taking men on, Rasiack looked good to me.

WBA are a quality side who I'm sure will go up (and then probably come back down again...).

Although we don't need a replay, the momentum is the important thing, and who knows: I would have bet my house against us winning at Anfield and look what happened (good job I don't gamble).

Again, tactically McDermot was spot on, particularly his reaction to going a man down (which I the time I didn't think was the right thing to do).

Overall, a great cup tie, a good performance. Surley too good to go down, although we've left it a bit late to be comfortable.

I think what we want for the replay is Forest and Newcastle to pile on pressure in the meantime.

[Rex]

Yep. Get WBA worrying about auto promotion and hopefully field a weakened team for us.

[Southbank Old Boy]

Both Reds correct - Ref didn't get much wrong. Both assistant pretty much spot on too.

Griffin rapidly becoming one of the best Reading players I've seen in my ten years of watching Reading.

Karacan much improved, Howard distinctly effective, Mills superb. Good work from Federici. Kebe had plenty to do for the goal was needs a bit more conviction when taking men on, Rasiack looked good to me.

WBA are a quality side who I'm sure will go up (and then probably come back down again...).

Although we don't need a replay, the momentum is the important thing, and who knows: I would have bet my house against us winning at Anfield and look what happened (good job I don't gamble).

Again, tactically McDermot was spot on, particularly his reaction to going a man down (which I the time I didn't think was the right thing to do).

Overall, a great cup tie, a good performance. Surley too good to go down, although we've left it a bit late to be comfortable.

I think McD made a bit of a slip up after we 2 up though. Although I didnt really want to see Rasiak left upfront on his own I think he should have moved Church back into a wide midfield position to stop the 3 getting a bit overrun. Bryns legs had gone again by then and we needed some help

I did like the 2 up there in the first place though, very aggressive and positive, just what you want at home, even if you dont start that way!

[Wycombe Royal]

I can't be bothered to comment on every player but I will pick on a few.

Bertrand - yet again he was positionally poor and contributed to us conceding the first goal. He wasn't close enough to Brunt when the ball was played accross and then let him come inside to play the cross in. It isn't the first time he has shown mistakes like that.

Karacan - a lot of effort, broke down play, won back possession, but his passing is woeful. There is no point winning the ball if you are just going to give it straight back to them.

Federici - why didn't he claim that cross for the first goal? Cracking save though from Bednar's long range effort.

Church - excellent 45 minutes, although he tried his best to miss the chance. Strong, pacey, takes up good positions and finally timed a run.

Griffin and Mills were both excellent, Ingimarsson looked like he wanted to be somewhere else.

[Ian Royal]

I can't be bothered to comment on every player but I will pick on a few.

Bertrand - yet again he was positionally poor and contributed to us conceding the first goal. He wasn't close enough to Brunt when the ball was played accross and then let him come inside to play the cross in. It isn't the first time he has shown mistakes like that.

Karacan - a lot of effort, broke down play, won back possession, but his passing is woeful. There is no point winning the ball if you are just going to give it straight back to them.

Federici - why didn't he claim that cross for the first goal? Cracking save though from Bednar's long range effort.

Church - excellent 45 minutes, although he tried his best to miss the chance. Strong, pacey, takes up good positions and finally timed a run.


Griffin and Mills were both excellent, Ingimarsson looked like he wanted to be somewhere else.

On Feds, from my point of view he didn't claim it, because he's have had to come out and to about the near post corner of his 6 yard box to take it. Which would leave him woefully stranded if there was a problem and involved going through a couple of players.

Personally I'd be much more critical of the player on the back post being left totally unmarked when there were 5 reading players marking two West Brom me in the box.

On Church, I think it was an excellent save from Carson, Church did exactly what I want to see a striker do in that circumstance - dink it over the keeper, but Carson stayed up well. The nature of the shot made it almost impossible for Carson to put it anywhere safe and it was only about an inch or two low of being straight in anyway.

[Wycombe Royal]

I was being sarcastic about Church, It was nice to see him try something a bit different. It showed composure for once......

[loyalroyaldaz]

The Griff, what a player, no nonsense defending and a great attitude. No whinging, no rolling about, just a good honest pro. Would love to keep him, simon cowell shorts n all !

[Rex]

Griffin is a confidence player who is calm and assured. He likes getting well up front and somehow reminds me of Ian Royals AV.

[Maguire]

Griffin was great. Superb loan signing.

Draw a fair result - they played much the better football in the first half.