Last Cup final of the season

[Platypuss]

we're by no means not safe yet, and I am still plotting our way out, but I've also taken issue on here with AP, Floyd and Platypuss for their OTT negative posts, mostly occurring between the New Year and Middlesboro.

Please show where I have posted an "OTT negative post".

Good luck - you won't find any.

[Hampshire Royal]

The loss of perhaps our most influential player is the equivalent of Bolton losing their most influential player, the money is irrelevant. Mind you, if Bolton had £12m to spend they didn't exactly spend it wisely. Surely they could have bought a decent striker or two, bearing in mind they were still in Europe at the time. I know some people didn't recognise the value of Sidwell, but I didn't think you were one of them, Schards.

The point I was trying to make is that when we 'failed' to sign Cahill and Taylor and they went to Bolton, a lot of people on here were saying that this showed our lack of ambition compared to Bolton's

[LUX]

I'm stalking you so an instant reply!

I'm not going to trawl back, but my impression has been that you have been relentlessly negative since Xmas and even seen the bad things in our all-too-welcome wins. One of your replies to me was "sorry, Lux,I call it as I see it" (fair enough BTW)

If you wish, I'll point the next one out. Ha, that might curb you.

[Schards#2]

Hampshire, I rate Sidwell very highly, I think we've missed him and I would be delighted if we resigned him, however, quality strikers are at an absolute premium and nigh on impossible to replace. As a result, Bolton's loss is far greater than ours.

I feel that Bolton are the worst example you could give to support your argument. Reading fans, rightly IMHO, complained that the side was not strengthened significantly in the transfer window, however, Bolton hugely weakened themselves by selling their best player and not getting any remotely adequate replacements. I don't recall many Reading fans looking enviously at Bolton's activity in January.

[readingbedding]

That's why Coppell was never, ever going to sell Lita to Bolton.
Why allow a player that could well improve a rival side?

Never thought we'd finish 8th this year, (or last) but always believed that we would stay up.
That losing run nearly killed us, but it has made us more determined to shut all the detractors within and outside the Club up.
I'm happy that we're good enough - confidence is a valuable commodity.

[Cookie]

The next cup final is against Blackburn Rovers.

Who's going to mark this guy?



Nicky Shorey I've got every confidence in you my son.

[Archie's penalty]

The next cup final is against Blackburn Rovers.

Who's going to mark this guy?



Nicky Shorey I've got every confidence in you my son.

I wish I did Cookie.

It's gonna be a tough task to keep Bentley and Santa Cruz quiet and no mistake.

Bikey will hopefully shackle Roberts and then it's Ingi against the Paraguayan?

[earleyroyal]

I know I will be derided as one of the RTG brigade but during the last few days I been thinking that we have every reason to be confident of PL survival this year.

6/ When you look at our squad it really does look much stronger than the teams around us.

.

Let's see. Up front we have 3 strikers: one hasn't scored with his feet all season; one allegedly stormed out of the dressing room today and has been crap since his drink-driving case; one is an impact sub who is ok for 10 minutes but rubbish when he starts, and decided not to try today. Our midfield consists of a free transfer from Brentford who has just woken up after a fabulous dream and remembered his past; a powderpuff 'creative' player who gives the ball away about 1/3 of the times he gets it; and a central pairing with the physical presence of a rabbit, which penetrates defences roughly once every year, and gets overwhelmed roughly 30 matches per season. The defence looks slightly better: a promising right-back, decent central pairing and a good left-back, who seems to have lost interest and/or spark. The squad players are utility players who have generally managed to be equally mediocre in most positions this season, or knackered defenders. Compare this to Fulham's squad today, or Birmingham's, or Bolton's, and honestly tell me it is stronger. As someone said, there was a gulf in class between Fulham - 5 points adrift, 4 wins all season, etc. - and Reading today.

This isn't a criticism of the players - they've been trying their hardest (up until today) - but if we do manage to stay up, 'strength of squad' will be just below 'length of grass' and 'Uri Geller' at the bottom of the pile of reasons.

[floyd__streete]

This is another belter of a thread, well worth revisiting. The very bottom of page 2 and most of page 3 being a particular hoot. andrew1957 - come out come out wherever you are.

[earleyroyal]

I don't want to abuse people for being positive, there were some good points made, but the point about the squad stood out. If we'd put in as much effort all season as we did today, allied with the quality of our squad, we'd be on about 4 points now. Our team ethic and hard work has got us points over the more famous names, if we lose that then it's goodnight Premiership as this squad is nowhere near good enough.

Ah I love football, roll on the last 4 games

[seahawk10]

Kevin Dillon said:-

“In my mind we’re safe, but we need to get that through to the players. We need to be positive, that’s the key."

I still believe KD. Give us a positive result in either of the next two games and it would help.

[earleyroyal]

Positivity would be nice in the last 4 games, the surrender on the pitch today was reflected in the silence of the fans after about an hour. It's a two-way thing - if we see effort, we shout/sing in greater numbers. Some people will encourage the team whatever the score/performance but in order to 'feed through to the players' they have to take the lead and show that they want to be staying in the Premiership this year.

I can't see us getting anything out of the next two games but I'm going up to Wigan, along with thousands of others probably, to support the team. Who knows, a positive result/performance there (or at Arsenal ) and we may see a return to the atmosphere of last year, where fans and players fed off each other to reach higher levels.

[papereyes]

4 cup finals to go.

LOLZ

[andrew1957]

I know I will be derided as one of the RTG brigade but during the last few days I been thinking that we have every reason to be confident of PL survival this year.

6/ When you look at our squad it really does look much stronger than the teams around us.

.

Let's see. Up front we have 3 strikers: one hasn't scored with his feet all season; one allegedly stormed out of the dressing room today and has been crap since his drink-driving case; one is an impact sub who is ok for 10 minutes but rubbish when he starts, and decided not to try today. Our midfield consists of a free transfer from Brentford who has just woken up after a fabulous dream and remembered his past; a powderpuff 'creative' player who gives the ball away about 1/3 of the times he gets it; and a central pairing with the physical presence of a rabbit, which penetrates defences roughly once every year, and gets overwhelmed roughly 30 matches per season. The defence looks slightly better: a promising right-back, decent central pairing and a good left-back, who seems to have lost interest and/or spark. The squad players are utility players who have generally managed to be equally mediocre in most positions this season, or knackered defenders. Compare this to Fulham's squad today, or Birmingham's, or Bolton's, and honestly tell me it is stronger. As someone said, there was a gulf in class between Fulham - 5 points adrift, 4 wins all season, etc. - and Reading today.

This isn't a criticism of the players - they've been trying their hardest (up until today) - but if we do manage to stay up, 'strength of squad' will be just below 'length of grass' and 'Uri Geller' at the bottom of the pile of reasons.

At the start of this season I would not have expected Fulham would be relegated and actually think they are one of the bottom half sides that do have a better squad than Reading. Unfortunately for them they had a lot of injuries at the wrong time and probably poor management and I still think they are doomed.

I fully expect that we will finish ahead of Fulham and Bolton after 38 games but I would also like to see us strenghten in the summer.

[andrew1957]

This is another belter of a thread, well worth revisiting. The very bottom of page 2 and most of page 3 being a particular hoot. andrew1957 - come out come out wherever you are.

I do not think I have anything to apologise for and stand by all I have said. We will still stay up and Fulham will still go down. It is how we finish after 38 games that counts.

Better to have some positive thinking than most of the tide of negativity on here.

[floyd__streete]

I have not posted for a while as I usually get loads of abuse for being far too positive but thought I would update this article as it has turned out to be quite accurate so far.

I am sure Alan P, Victor and Floyd amongst others must be really drowning their sorrows tonight as it looks ever more likely that Reading will be in the PL again next season!

Bad luck chaps - maybe your wishes will come true next year.

Hello Andrew.

[Alan Partridge]

3 runners up medals, can we complete the set? More 2nd places than Chelsea.

[RoyalBlue]

Four cup finals?!

Now we know why Coppell doesn't bother with cup competitions! He and his players would only throw it all away without a fight when we got to the final!

[andrew1957]

Well we are down to the last match of the season and I freely admit that I thought we would be safe by now. To be fair we would have been if we had beaten Fulham as I expected.

I still think we can do it. If we win on Saturday there is a 60% chance that we will stay up as I really cannot see Pompey rolling over as many on here seem to believe, so I would not give Fulham more than 40% chance of winning their game.

It is down to our boys to give it 100% one more time and lets hope Derby's defence is at the same level as it has been so far this season.

If I am wrong and we go down I will freely admit that I was complacent and that I know a lot less about football than I thought BUT lets all get behind the boys one last time and maybe by this time next week we will still be a PL team after all.

[PEARCEY]

Well we are down to the last match of the season and I freely admit that I thought we would be safe by now. To be fair we would have been if we had beaten Fulham as I expected.

I still think we can do it. If we win on Saturday there is a 60% chance that we will stay up as I really cannot see Pompey rolling over as many on here seem to believe, so I would not give Fulham more than 40% chance of winning their game.

It is down to our boys to give it 100% one more time and lets hope Derby's defence is at the same level as it has been so far this season.

If I am wrong and we go down I will freely admit that I was complacent and that I know a lot less about football than I thought BUT lets all get behind the boys one last time and maybe by this time next week we will still be a PL team after all.

.......and so it came to pass the last rites of another RTG.Amen.