Back From The Game - Nottm Forest

[Ian Royal]

We do need firepower. But we could have had Drogba upfront and we probably wouldn't have scored. We need bodies getting forward and some desire to try and score.

I didn't see a great deal of that today. We seemed to be taking the game as a training excercise. Well most of it anyway.

[winchester_royal]

We do need firepower. But we could have had Drogba upfront and we probably wouldn't have scored. We need bodies getting forward and some desire to try and score.

I didn't see a great deal of that today. We seemed to be taking the game as a training excercise. Well most of it anyway.

So you're ignoring the sitters that both Davies and Kebe missed, numerous good balls put into the box, and the long range drives from Karacan and Davies then?

[Ian Royal]

We do need firepower. But we could have had Drogba upfront and we probably wouldn't have scored. We need bodies getting forward and some desire to try and score.

I didn't see a great deal of that today. We seemed to be taking the game as a training excercise. Well most of it anyway.

So you're ignoring the sitters that both Davies and Kebe missed, numerous good balls put into the box, and the long range drives from Karacan and Davies then?

long range drives are very nice, but very few go in and that's not what I call an attack. We had half a dozen semi-decent attacks. The majority of our crosses failed because we had one or two players in the box max and their was a distinct lack of support getting there in time.

I'm all for a short passing game and retaining possession. But I don't want to sit and watch our defence passing it between them for 5 minutes at a time, thank you. And is it really necessary to take EVERY goal kick short?

There is a lot of promise there. But today was as dull a game as I've seen in years. Even the last 10 - 15 didn't exactly have much urgency to it.

[The whole year inn]

I think Scott Davies is going to turn into a top, top player..

He excites me the most out of all of our current crop of youngsters

[sandman]

Not sure why Rosenior has got so much stick, made one last ditch tackle that saved a goal and I presume that the “hoofs” he’s being criticised for were the two well executed arced passes down the line that set up two of our most dangerous attacks. Pearce was my MOTM, the passing game obviously suits him more than the direct one and Scott Davies also did well.

Overall I thought we were solid but we need to create more chances to add to the nice passing that was produced, which will hopefully come when Matejovsky is back and I think Henry or Church may offer more of a goal threat on the right than HRK.

P.S. I thought it was funny hearing the florist lot singing Chelsea rent boys at our fans when their own number 11 is a Royal.

[Y25]

Lots of positives - Jem, Davies, Pearce and Bertrand superb.

Negatives - Kebe. We need a left winger that can not only beat a man but put decent crosses in and score. If that game was still playing Kebe still wouldn't have done nowt.

[FiNeRaIn]

I think Scott Davies is going to turn into a top, top player..

He excites me the most out of all of our current crop of youngsters

Pearce for me by far, like a john terry yesterday to be fair. Karacan was also class.

Davies has a great eye for goal but didn't see him on the ball as much as the others and I think he has a bit more to learn with his choice of tempo and passing.

[Southbank Old Boy]

Wouldn't the best player for the centre-forward position be Nicky Forster?


................ from about 7 years ago

No. Take a look at his games to goals ratio here. Not great reading. Great on his day, but a greedy little git that wasn't potent enough in front of goal.

He was potent enough for the team he was playing in

We didnt concede many because we could play Fozzie upfront and still score enough to win games

[frimmers]

feed the goat..he will score....

[LoyalRoyal22]

Scott Davies is the new Sidwell, however[/quote]

When Mateosky is fit Davies will be dropped from the side to add more creativity to the side.[/quote]

No need to shout.


I'd rather see Marek come in for Tabb. I think Davies has enough grit and determination for most of the team...on today's showing, if nothing else.[/quote]

My choice would be Davies in the Karacan role, and Matejovsky in the Davies role.[/quote]


What when Karacan was the best player on the pitch?

[Sir Dodger Royal]

Glad to see that most people agree with SDR apart from the RTGs who need to replace their lenses. Where is Hampshire Royal?

Has he yet been blessed by Brenda (do as I'm told) Dodger?

[Handsome Man]

Fed 7 - good distribution and makes good saves for the camera

Rosenior 7 - a throwback from last year in his nervous passing, but made a great interception late on
Bertrand 7 - strong and attacking
Pearce 8 - captain's game
Cisse 8.5 - a central midfield spot awaits

Tabb 7 - ok today, but it's not a long-term thing surely
Karacan 6 - slightly better passing needed

Kebe 7 - a shame that our best chance fell to him but defenders can't like him running at them
Davies 10
HRK 7 - looked to get into about four great positions first half (not enough players to aim for with the crosses?)

Church 6 - only got going when moved wide
Long 8 - stronger in the middle than Charlotte (a better bet all round)

Rodgers 8 - very brave to play seven youngsters. Must stay brave when shit older players return to fitness and must be prepared to play more strikers.
Ref 4 - you are stuffed when you get your first few yellow card decisions wrong
Their fans 8 - loved the Chelsea chants (are they original?)

[frimmers]

Glad to see that most people agree with SDR apart from the RTGs who need to replace their lenses. Where is Hampshire Royal?

Has he yet been blessed by Brenda (do as I'm told) Dodger?

feed the goat..he will score....but will plod prosecute if he does?

[LoyalRoyal22]

Fed 7 - good distribution and makes good saves for the camera

Rosenior 7 - a throwback from last year in his nervous passing, but made a great interception late on
Bertrand 7 - strong and attacking
Pearce 8 - captain's game
Cisse 8.5 - a central midfield spot awaits

Tabb 7 - ok today, but it's not a long-term thing surely
Karacan 6 - slightly better passing needed

Kebe 7 - a shame that our best chance fell to him but defenders can't like him running at them
Davies 10
HRK 7 - looked to get into about four great positions first half (not enough players to aim for with the crosses?)

Church 6 - only got going when moved wide
Long 8 - stronger in the middle than Charlotte (a better bet all round)

Rodgers 8 - very brave to play seven youngsters. Must stay brave when shit older players return to fitness and must be prepared to play more strikers.
Ref 4 - you are stuffed when you get your first few yellow card decisions wrong
Their fans 8 - loved the Chelsea chants (are they original?)

Karacan a 6? . He barely gave a ball away, had a great effort on goal, a great run into there half in the 2nd half, and one challenge after challenge, he was MOTM IMO

[Handsome Man]

Fed 7 - good distribution and makes good saves for the camera

Rosenior 7 - a throwback from last year in his nervous passing, but made a great interception late on
Bertrand 7 - strong and attacking
Pearce 8 - captain's game
Cisse 8.5 - a central midfield spot awaits

Tabb 7 - ok today, but it's not a long-term thing surely
Karacan 6 - slightly better passing needed

Kebe 7 - a shame that our best chance fell to him but defenders can't like him running at them
Davies 10
HRK 7 - looked to get into about four great positions first half (not enough players to aim for with the crosses?)

Church 6 - only got going when moved wide
Long 8 - stronger in the middle than Charlotte (a better bet all round)

Rodgers 8 - very brave to play seven youngsters. Must stay brave when shit older players return to fitness and must be prepared to play more strikers.
Ref 4 - you are stuffed when you get your first few yellow card decisions wrong
Their fans 8 - loved the Chelsea chants (are they original?)

Karacan a 6? . He barely gave a ball away, had a great effort on goal, a great run into there half in the 2nd half, and one challenge after challenge, he was MOTM IMO

He looked good and I would drop Tabb for Cisse when Mills is match-fit, but remembered a few times when he was in the centre circle and just launched the ball hopefully towards their centre halves. If he can improve that type of pass, or choose a better attacking option, he will be great. I loved Karacan's all-round play and that run and shot were great (although the whinging woman behind me thought it was an easy chance and a bad miss).

MOTM was Davies though - he is already the best player in the championship.

[Barry the bird boggler]

Great to see us play a much better style however it would be better to see more of it played in the opponents half rather than our half.

Lack of any penetration up front is a concern and Jimmy Kebe is hopeless; yes he can beat people which is wonderful but his end product is always diabolical so what's the point?

Shame Davies wasn't a couple of years older - perhaps then he may have made it through 2 years ago, as a replacement for Sidwell, and we'd still be in the Premiership!

Early days yet though, and we all know this season is going to be transitional, so let's hope we can find a quality striker that works well in such a formation and that when we get sussed - ie. teams decide to give us naff all time on the ball in our own half, that we have plan B ready and available to switch to.

[Royal Rother]

Overall a decent showing. We kept the ball well and showed a lot of intelligence in our play. We looked very solid at the back and on the whole controlled the game.

then later on...

today was as dull a game as I've seen in years.

Bizarre.

[SteveRoyal]

Reading Fans - 5. Not bad in the East stand, but a poor crowd for a sunny opening day with a new man at the helm. Wasn't happy with some around us who were getting frustrated at the passing and clearly wanted us to go back to hoof ball for the last 10 minutes!
Forest Fans - 2. Bunch of knobs. Didn't like the Chelseas taunts (perhaps they're a bit too near the truth).

Spot on. I was in the East stand and it wasn't too bad, I wondered why I couldn't hear any announcements properly.
There was a bloke a few rows below MM that kept shouting at the ref, I wanted to throw a coke bottle at his 'ead.

[Man Friday]

Still haven't seen Reading score in 2009!!!

Played well today though. Can't believe some of the chances we missed. Would have been easier to score on two occasions. Great start though. Just need to convert the chances.

[SteveRoyal]

P.S. I thought it was funny hearing the florist lot singing Chelsea rent boys at our fans when their own number 11 is a Royal.

Me and my mate thought they were chanting "Chelsea Minstrels" which didn't make much sense to us.