Royals v Sunderland match thread

[AthleticoSpizz]

coppell seems to have lost the plot,

...is this the first appearence of the stock phrase of the 606 caller?

Reading struggle, so Coppell is suddenly a rubbish boss?


The problem for me, is two-fold.

1) we've lost the hunger of last season. It isn't so much a case up effort as the players just not being up for the fight.

2) we're creating almost nothing. The players don't look they believe they are going to score. It means players' heads drop the moment they go a goal down.

Combine points 1 & 2 and you have a recipe for relegation. The defeat to West Ham was a relegation performance, and the losses at Bolton and today (assuming nothing remarkable happens in the next 20 minutes) don't sound any better.

The trouble is points 1&2 tend to point straight back to the manager. He put his faith in his existing players but a few days later is saying he may have made a mistake in doing so! Those existing players are now failing to deliver and he has no others with which to produce a Plan B. Now we have to take an optimistic view regarding the return of our injured players and hope that January doesn't arrive too late for us.

Coppell's utterances so far this season, culminating in the 'conspiracy theory' about long trips after international breaks, are really worrying and completely out of character for him. Has someone nobbled him?!

Sir Steve is calling it as he sees it.

Last season several of his key players weren't considered to be contenders for their national teams.


Last seasons success has raised their profiles.......to speak the obvious's


Like Man U etc etc........players will pick up aches and strains......and ultimately the gloss of playing for lil' old Reading will wear thin when they have tasted the thrill of playing at theatres of dreams.


Personally, I just enjoy watching good football....especially when Reading are winning

[RoyalBlue]

So if Sir Steve is calling it as he sees it, why didn't he do anything to pre-empt the situation?

[AthleticoSpizz]

So if Sir Steve is calling it as he sees it, why didn't he do anything to pre-empt the situation?

Pre empt?.....he dropped Doyle

Doyle was either knackered from playing for a ten-man Ireland

.....or dropped for not delivering for Reading



care to add to that?

[RoyalBlue]

So if Sir Steve is calling it as he sees it, why didn't he do anything to pre-empt the situation?

Pre empt?.....he dropped Doyle

Doyle was either knackered from playing for a ten-man Ireland

.....or dropped for not delivering for Reading



care to add to that?

Pre-empt means to act before the stinking stuff hits the rotary blades.

What you were referring to earlier was rearing its head long before today's game.

[Arch]

I think Platypuss hit the nail on the head two weeks ago. Our strength is wing play and we've played this season without wings. You'd think SC of all people would recognize that, but there's a hint of going into a shell here. I hope his mythical psychological frailty doesn't rear its head.

[PEARCEY]

I do think its time Convey started IMO. He delivers a quality cross and our strikers desperately need some service.
However we have to get the ball to Convey in the first instance and surely Fae has to now start in central midfield. The question is does he play alongside Harper who seems to be struggling since hissing Sid left. We certainly need more bite in midfield.

[Rev Algenon Stickleback H]

I think Platypuss hit the nail on the head two weeks ago. Our strength is wing play and we've played this season without wings. You'd think SC of all people would recognize that, but there's a hint of going into a shell here. I hope his mythical psychological frailty doesn't rear its head.

we only have one fully fit winger. Kind of makes it harder to play with two wingers.

[Compo's Hat]

I do think its time Convey started IMO. He delivers a quality cross and our strikers desperately need some service.
However we have to get the ball to Convey in the first instance and surely Fae has to now start in central midfield. The question is does he play alongside Harper who seems to be struggling since hissing Sid left. We certainly need more bite in midfield.

It wouldn't surprise me if Coppell didn't start Convey next week. It took 3 or 4 games to finally pick Little in the starting XI last season.

[AthleticoSpizz]

Sir Steve will start Bobby C next week

[Compo's Hat]

Lets hope so.

[willz_royal]

motd made it clear

our defence looked dreadfuly average

BUT

we shoudlve had atleast 2 penalties, and thier keeper shoudlve recieved ATLEAST a yellow card


poor show referee

[AthleticoSpizz]

motd made it clear

our defence looked dreadfuly average

BUT

we shoudlve had atleast 2 penalties, and thier keeper shoudlve recieved ATLEAST a yellow card


poor show referee

apparently (according to the radio Ivar had a below par game) ....two good penalty shouts waved away.....but what the hell....we will win some dodgey ones

[Royalee]

Right, just got in and saw MOTD as well.

Today highlighted our fundamental weaknesses against a crap Sunderland side and if these are not put right then I'm afraid we'll be playing Championship football next season.

Firstly, Hahnemann is rapidly deteriorating. His distribution has been steadily dropping off for a while and now he's also lost the ability to cover his near post and catch the ball. Dreadful goalkeeping for the first goal after almost spilling the ball to give Jones an easy tap in just before. He then tried to assist Sunderland again in the second half when he palmed the ball straight at their striker's feet. Must be replaced by Federici pronto.

Our central defence is too weak even with Bikey in today. Ingimarsson looked to be the weak link and has been poor for a while now. IMO he's not strong enough and Jones shrugged him off as if he wasn't there. Didn't win a header all day, nor did he against West Ham and he was caught out of position for the second goal as well. Get well soon Sonks.

Central midfield is by far our biggest problem area though. Giving Gunnarsson a new contract is a joke - he was once again about as mobile as a statue today and was completely ineffective. He'd be an okay sub for 15-20 minutes until the end of this season, but he's certainly nothing more.

As for Harper, he had yet another shocker today. Can't tackle or challenge to save his life, we might as well be playing with a cardboard cut-out when teams break. He can chase and run around all he wants, but if he can't win the ball then he can be Paula bloody Radcliffe in terms of fitness. He can't defend, so he surely as a midfielder he must be good going forward? Nope, he keeps trying to play in our back four when we attack and isn't anywhere near strong or direct enough. Today him and Gunnarsson were in a flat line and nobody wanted to take the game by the scruff of the neck. The only positive was that Fae looked very useful when he came on - we actually had half a midfield when he came on - Fae and Cisse must start against Wigan, no more of this loyalty rubbish please Mr Coppell, it's already cost us enough points thank you very much.

Rosenior had a reasonable game given how dire Murty was and it was his first game - he looked good on the ball and going forward so he should keep his place and Convey again looked decent - I'd stick him in for Hunt next week.

As for the forwards, unfortunately Lita looked like he's got back into 2006 mode and is looking for fouls rather than playing the ball (although again he wasn't given enough proper service). Kitson had a decent game both defensively and offensively and I was pleased he scored and Long looked very lively when he came on, so I'd be tempted to start him next Saturday as well.

Mark my words though, if we play Gunnarsson and Harper regularly in this league (we definitely need to sort ourselves out in January with Fae going off to the ANC), we are certain to go down as ordinary teams like Sunderland are able to bypass our midfield with relative ease.

[Royalee]

motd made it clear

our defence looked dreadfuly average

BUT

we shoudlve had atleast 2 penalties, and thier keeper shoudlve recieved ATLEAST a yellow card


poor show referee

Yes, but Sunderland should have had three more goals.

[papereyes]

unfortunately Lita looked like he's got back into 2006 mode and is looking for fouls rather than playing the ball

Indeed.

God, some of those games were just embarassing.

What's worse is the guy's genuine quality in and around the box.

[Rev Algenon Stickleback H]

unfortunately Lita looked like he's got back into 2006 mode and is looking for fouls rather than playing the ball

Indeed.

God, some of those games were just embarassing.

What's worse is the guy's genuine quality in and around the box.

...and he never wins a free kick off the dives either

[Royal Rother]

unfortunately Lita looked like he's got back into 2006 mode and is looking for fouls rather than playing the ball

Indeed.

God, some of those games were just embarassing.

What's worse is the guy's genuine quality in and around the box.

Another indeed. If he doesn't change sharpish I'm starting another bloody thread in his honour.

[floyd__streete]

Royalee, your analysis is pretty much spot on.

[floyd__streete]

unfortunately Lita looked like he's got back into 2006 mode and is looking for fouls rather than playing the ball

Indeed.

God, some of those games were just embarassing.

What's worse is the guy's genuine quality in and around the box.

Another indeed. If he doesn't change sharpish I'm starting another bloody thread in his honour.

Poor Lita. Not great yesterday, no. Perhaps he is getting frustrated with the lack of goalscoring chances being laid on for him by our thoroughly mediocre midfield.

[Royal Rother]

The frustration I can understand but all strikers experience lack of service at times; most don't decide to try feeble cheating tactics to compensate.

Not that this is anything new with Lita though.