BFTG - Cardiff

[Hound]

Trying not to be too influenced by conceding two late goals, it was a pretty good display

Cardiff have won their last 4, are second in the table and we were comfortably beating them until 70 mins. Then a couple of balls fell for them in the box, they hit the woodwork and it bounces in, we then hit the woodwork and it bounces out. Fine margins and all that

We look a good solid side. We’re miles better then we were 2 months ago. We should be looking to beat anyone in the division based on that

Couple of minor whinges though - McShane is surely nearing the end - error ridden display. Bacuna struggled against their wingers (but I guess a lot of FBs will), Mannone was a little dodgy. Kelly still isn’t doing enough for me

I’d like to see Swift back in for Kelly soon as he is fit. Bod deserves more minutes, but not quite sure best way to do that. Otherwise all pretty good

[NewCorkSeth]

I thought Sol Bamba was excellent for them. Quality display. Joe Bennetts goal was also superb.

For us I thought Barrow was excellent. Hes fast (get it?) becoming our most important player. Moore and McShane were for the most part very good. McShane perhaps guilty of a few too many rushed clearances in the second half.
Muted but reliable performance from Edwards and Van Den Berg, the latter in particular was quietly essential in the first half. I have come around on Edwards, I see why hes is in the team. To win headers and put in tiny fouls.
Kelly was a little less effective than we would have hoped but is probably back on track. A few too many hollywood passes but Cardiff closed down so well in the first half I cant blame him for trying.
Bacuna, while making no lasting impact, is a dangerous player, he keeps his head under pressure and can pick a pass very well. He was responsible for some great movement down the right.



Can I just add our passing game under intense pressure in the first half was fantastic. It was really top quality.

[RoyalBlue]

But then again, on any other given week... 'I wouldn't want Colin here, no way, over my dead body!'.

Though most hate him rather than love him , what is undeniable about Colin is that he’s arguably .....note the word.....one of the very the best managers of the lower if not all football leagues divisions ever. His record is undeniable . I don’t hate him I respect him and admire what an amazing job he does at clubs in dire positions and with tiny resources.

I can't respect someone who repeatedly and IMO (and that of many others, including those in the game) very deliberately gets his players to target skillful opposing players and injure them in order to put them out of the game. He also adopts unacceptably intimidating tactics to try to influence match officials in his favour.

A thoroughly nasty piece of work who pushes the boundaries beyond any degree of acceptability/decency. How many times has he been sent off at Reading now?

[Gunny Fishcake]

You can say that again

Lol...sorry about that ....love Hobbers humour

[Hound]

I thought Sol Bamba was excellent for them. Quality display. Joe Bennetts goal was also superb.

For us I thought Barrow was excellent. Hes fast (get it?) becoming our most important player. Moore and McShane were for the most part very good. McShane perhaps guilty of a few too many rushed clearances in the second half.
Muted but reliable performance from Edwards and Van Den Berg, the latter in particular was quietly essential in the first half. I have come around on Edwards, I see why hes is in the team. To win headers and put in tiny fouls.
Kelly was a little less effective than we would have hoped but is probably back on track. A few too many hollywood passes but Cardiff closed down so well in the first half I cant blame him for trying.
Bacuna, while making no lasting impact, is a dangerous player, he keeps his head under pressure and can pick a pass very well. He was responsible for some great movement down the right.



Can I just add our passing game under intense pressure in the first half was fantastic. It was really top quality.

Agree with the majority of this. Mendez Laing was also very good for them. Am I right in thinking they picked him up on a free from Rochdale or something?

Edwards is becoming an impt player for us. I think he is a big reason we are suddenly looking dangerous from set pieces. Just a shame he didn't finish off the chance on 90 mins

For me, we are nearly there. I think there is still a bit of a John Swift shaped gap between our frontmen and defensive mid. Still also a bit of lack of quality of passing in this area as well. If he can get back fit and firing, I don't see many teams beating us this season. A fit and on form McCleary is arguably a better bet than Aluko as well

[Stranded]

Disappointing end to the game but overall a decent performance. The first 10 mins of that 2nd half could have, and possibly should have seen us 5-2 up on chances created.

We more than matched the 2nd best team in the division on current form and based on that, and recent form, we should be looking to consolidate in the top 10 and/or make a charge for the play-offs. Looking at the next handful of games (up to the FA Cup), there is no reason why we can't pick up 10+ points from those playing as we are.

Problem yesterday is we sat back in the last 20, somewhat understandably with a 2-0 lead and let Cardiff come on to us. At one point it seemed as if they were playing with 7 up front - sitting back is fine but you need to make sure you clear your lines effectively, we simply didn't do that enough and lead directly to the goal that got them back in the game.

We still had chances to put it to bed, if Edwards hits the target after the late corner, we go 3-1 and it's game over and McShance really probably should have scored with the last touch of the game. Even before that, if we are shown some more composure with the final ball we could hav been out of site. The lovely bit of play that put Gunter through but he played the wrong ball across to Yann being an example that comes to mind - he rolls that along the 6 yard box and there is a tap in.

Some of the football we played was beautiful - particular moment in the first half is probably a prime example of what Stam wants the team to do. Few passes at the back between defenders and Vito drew in Cardiff, we managed to play around them - McShane out to Kelly, into Bacuna, pass to Aluko, back to Bacuna who played the now flying Aluko in down the flank, which ended up with us winning a corner. If we can marry that sort of build up play with a better choice of final ball then the rest of this season is going to be fun.

[Stranded]

Should add some of Kelly's passing last night was majestic. Two that come immediately to mind, one in the first half where he threaded the ball through to Aluko, who couldn't quite bring it under control and in the 2nd half the pass to a maruding Bacuna was perfection - better first touch from him and we could well have been looking at 3-0.

[Winston Biscuit]

A thoroughly nasty piece of work who pushes the boundaries beyond any degree of acceptability/decency

I can understand that phrase being used against ISIS, or Kim Jong-un, or those #lads running the slave trade in Libya, but against a OAP who manages a football team?

[Hound]

he is just a sour faced grumpy old git. I find him quite funny tbh, esp the way he goes from being a snarling, growling old bast*rd on the sidelines, then pulls out his kind old grandad style charm for the interview

[leon]

he is just a sour faced grumpy old git. I find him quite funny tbh, esp the way he goes from being a snarling, growling old bast*rd on the sidelines, then pulls out his kind old grandad style charm for the interview

It’s a trap.

[Theroyalbox]

Decent performance from Reading, shame to throw it away but there were some fantastic passages of play.

Don't know if anyone follows Alan Nixon on twitter but he was very complimentary of Reading as are a lot of replies to the tweet saying we play some of the best football in the league.

[RoyalBlue]

A thoroughly nasty piece of work who pushes the boundaries beyond any degree of acceptability/decency

I can understand that phrase being used against ISIS, or Kim Jong-un, or those #lads running the slave trade in Libya, but against a OAP who manages a football team?

The norm being applied was decency in football not society! He is a thoroughly nasty bit of work, and his charm away from matches themselves does not sufficiently compensate for the cynicism and nastiness displayed through every 90 minutes.

[Winston Biscuit]

A thoroughly nasty piece of work who pushes the boundaries beyond any degree of acceptability/decency

I can understand that phrase being used against ISIS, or Kim Jong-un, or those #lads running the slave trade in Libya, but against a OAP who manages a football team?

The norm being applied was decency in football not society! He is a thoroughly nasty bit of work, and his charm away from matches themselves does not sufficiently compensate for the cynicism and nastiness displayed through every 90 minutes.

He is just a fella going about his business managing a football team. May well be a thoroughly nice bloke for all we know.

I can't even begin to imagine how you must react when you come across someone with actual real irl mentalist views.

[genome]

I don't h8 him - he just makes me laugh in a pantomime villain type way.

[genome]

Trying not to be too influenced by conceding two late goals, it was a pretty good display

Cardiff have won their last 4, are second in the table and we were comfortably beating them until 70 mins. Then a couple of balls fell for them in the box, they hit the woodwork and it bounces in, we then hit the woodwork and it bounces out. Fine margins and all that

We look a good solid side. We’re miles better then we were 2 months ago. We should be looking to beat anyone in the division based on that

Couple of minor whinges though - McShane is surely nearing the end - error ridden display. Bacuna struggled against their wingers (but I guess a lot of FBs will), Mannone was a little dodgy. Kelly still isn’t doing enough for me

I’d like to see Swift back in for Kelly soon as he is fit. Bod deserves more minutes, but not quite sure best way to do that. Otherwise all pretty good

Agreed on pretty much all points. Kelly was much better on the whole last night, but he's still far too weak in the tackle. Bacuna got MOTM for us strangely, he was okay, but I thought he should've been much tighter to Bennett for their first goal.

We are a couple of players away from really challenging, I think. Looking forward to January

[Hound]

I'm guessing whoever gave Bacuna mom prob hasn't seen a lot of him.

He still had good moments, but it wasn't one of his better displays for us.

[Stranded]

I'm guessing whoever gave Bacuna mom prob hasn't seen a lot of him.

He still had good moments, but it wasn't one of his better displays for us.

Agreed - he has a slightly worrying tendancy to switch off momentarily in games or get frustrated momentarily during otherwise decent performances. Agreed with whoever said he should have been tighter for the 1st goal but to be fair, McShane really should have cleared better than he did.

[Forbury Lion]

We were solid if unthreatening until Warnock got sent off

Maybe he got himself sent off on purpose knowing it would have a positive effect on his side.

[Marino13]

decent performance in the first half. we would have benefited from playing
about 10 to 20 yards further up the pitch, instead we sat a little too deep and invited
cardiff on.

how bad is chris gunter btw? awful.

[genome]

Summarising the general consensus on the thread and faking your own match report as a "Reading" fan?

What a sad act. Chelsea are playing tonight, by the way.