BFTG Swansea

[winchester_royal]

Akpan will probably get 45 minutes too

[Royal Rother]

If we don't sign at least one quality striker, we are looking at bottom six not top six IMHO.
The Reading Way seems to be back after all.

Bottom 6?

And please enlighten us as to what The Reading Way is, coz it's been a while since we finished that low and to me things seem to have changed a fair bit since then.

[joeroyal]

Bit concerned about their second goal, the throw in was a joke, I'm sure in competitive play that would be time wasting?!

The problem was that none of our players were interested in receiving the ball from the throw. There was no-one to throw to!! No-one was supporting the thrower. The eventual throw was easily cut out - hence the goal! Very bad!

Equally a bit concerned about our distribution from the back, to me it looked like McCarthy was told to always look for the short pass but Swansea always had any opportunity covered and there was no plan B (to be fair, this will unlikely be the case in the champ). Didn't he throw it straight to a Swansea player in the first half too?!

Yes - he did! Although he made a few good saves I didn't feel confident in McCarthy on this showing. He seemed anxious when the ball was passed back to him (unlike Vorm in the Swansea goal) and the subsequent long kicks invariably found a Swansea player.

On the whole this game didn't mean much, we're very unlikely to face such a clinical/skillful/fluid side as this in the Championship so probably a good reality check for next week.

I agree. Swansea were very good and looked a threat whenever they came forward. Fast, fluent, one-touch football - they looked good. But to get thrashed 3-0 does our confidence no good before next Saturday. Let's hope we see a different story next Saturday!

Why throw it then ? if a Pass is not on do you pass it to the other team Wally of the week that one

[joeroyal]

My first post, been a lurker for a while..

Bit concerned about their second goal, the throw in was a joke, I'm sure in competitive play that would be time wasting?! Equally a bit concerned about our distribution from the back, to me it looked like McCarthy was told to always look for the short pass but Swansea always had any opportunity covered and there was no plan B (to be fair, this will unlikely be the case in the champ). Didn't he throw it straight to a Swansea player in the first half too?!

From my POV in the North Stand, Akpan looked a lot more in the mix than HRK (who granted, was playing in his first 45 minutes this pre-season). Though that header from Akpan should've been a goal.

On the whole this game didn't mean much, we're very unlikely to face such a clinical/skillful/fluid side as this in the Championship so probably a good reality check for next week.

Best thing about today was being able to park 15ft from turnstile 5, leaving 10 minutes early and be in the Bracknell Waitrose wine aisle by about 5.10

Well done lad high light of your season

[Royal Prince]

Why did Swansea start chanting at Shelvey "you fat bastard" when he scored?!

Close, but they were actually singing "You Jack Bastard" at him.

Seems a bit daft, but Cardiff fans used to sing it at them in a derogatory sense, however the Swansea fans decided to turn it round and started to sing it themselves but instead changed the meaning to a term of endearment.

They'll now sing it at any player whom they wish to take to heart. Gylfi was on the receiving end of it when they were trying to tempt him to stay.

[Royal Prince]

Why did Swansea start chanting at Shelvey "you fat bastard" when he scored?!

I think that you'll find that the Swans fans were actually shouting....." You Jack Bastard".....

Which is what they shout as a term of endearment to individual players from time to time.

This has caused the occasional problem from time to time when :-

a) They shout it at a former Swansea player playing for the opposition who is black

b) They shout it at one of the Swans own players but the opposition team think it is aimed at one of their black players.

This has caused one or two bursts of hysterical reaction from opposition fans and their clubs from time to time who mishear the chant and interpret it as ..." You Black Bastard"....... instead of the actual..." You Jack Bastard".


It has had to be explained to other clubs fans and executives time and time again just before they storm off to the race relations board.

I suppose an explanation will have to be provided in the local Reading Press now before all your fat fans storm off to the Fatties discrimination board to complain.

Lol, either you didn't see my post directly above, or it took you over ten minutes to compose that post during which time I'd beaten you to it?

Either way I much preferred your explanation

[Royal Ginger]

We still haven't scored at home under Adkins. I wonder if he even realizes that we have goal music??!

I hadn't realised that but of course that Villa goal was an own goal.

That has made me a bit miserable.

[Platypuss]

Far too much standing around and waiting for the man on the ball to do something for my liking - our movement off the ball was terrible all game.

We seemed to always be short in central midfield -man too deep in front of the back 4, man up behind ALF, big void in the middle. Guthrie flattered to deceive - a playmaker who didn't make any play.

[windermere_royal]

We still haven't scored at home under Adkins. I wonder if he even realizes that we have goal music??!

I hadn't realised that but of course that Villa goal was an own goal.

That has made me a bit miserable.

Brian was in charge for the villa game, as someone pointed out earlier, the last home goal scored by a Reading player was Kebe vs Sunderland on Feb 2nd

[CayeneMatt]

2nd February ,last goal scored at home by a reading player, worrying.

Yes but some say that some players were and are class Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Who let 1teaminberks back in?

(Fukk off back to school for a year, pay attention in English, then come back and attempt to communicate further.)

[Delboy]

Will our current squad keep the 21 clean sheets Adkins wants and will score the 80-100 goals needed for promotion, no chance unless we buy two good strikers ( I am ignoring the display against Swansea when making this comment)

[PerthPom2013]

As much as I was pretty disappointed we lost so convincingly I'm not going to get worried about it. People seem to forget that this is the first time we have pretty much played our best eleven or a team that Adkins thinks will possible start come 3pm next Saturday. It was also against a Premier League team who played their strongest team, who are renowned for playing quality passing football and who have one striker that was one of the players of the Premier League last season and another that cost £12million. We are going to be 'work in progress' for a quite a few more games and until we sort our striker situation out and also have a run games for the new players to bed in then things may not go all our way.

[Royal Prince]

Far too much standing around and waiting for the man on the ball to do something for my liking - our movement off the ball was terrible all game.

We seemed to always be short in central midfield -man too deep in front of the back 4, man up behind ALF, big void in the middle. Guthrie flattered to deceive - a playmaker who didn't make any play.

+1 to this

It was almost as if some of the players were so concerned with how we should be playing with the ball (especially cb & cm) that they forgot their sense of positioning off it.

Time after time we failed to track the runner, which when your centre backs are miles apart and both full backs are already on the half way line left us exposed.

Oh we'll, that's what friendlies are for, lessons learnt I'm sure. Bring on Ipswich!

[edinburghroyal]

Still don't understand why people boo'ed Pogrebnyak before the game! Despite my love to Le Fondre, I have to admit he was anonymous whole game.

Royston was class, hope he doesn't go full Bikey later on this season.

Akpan was excellent as well.

[No Fixed Abode]

It's amazing how much progress Swansea have made since that play off final win against Reading. And it's amazing how much Reading have 'stood still' in that time.

[Royal Rother]

And it's amazing how much Chelsea have spent to go backwards in that time.

[CavershamRoyal]

Pearce...meh. Struggled with his tank-like turning circle against quick passing forwards.

A tank has a turning circle of zero...

[Irvinchangeyaname]

Pearce...meh. Struggled with his tank-like turning circle against quick passing forwards.

A tank has a turning circle of zero...

[Agent Balti]

Pearce...meh. Struggled with his tank-like turning circle against quick passing forwards.

A tank has a turning circle of zero...

Exactly. More of a 'time to turn' than distance, was my point.