BTFG - Bristol City

[Mid Sussex Royal]

Was surprised given how many goals they've scored how little Bristol offered.

They looked well off the pace...It may be we played them at a good time, they played a re-arranged game when everyone else had the midweek off so have been Sat/Tues since international break.

If we can beat Preston and get something at one of the tough away games that will keep us at least mid table going in to world cup

[LUX]

Was surprised given how many goals they've scored how little Bristol offered.

They looked well off the pace...It may be we played them at a good time, they played a re-arranged game when everyone else had the midweek off

Hang on, everyone played midweek

[3points]

Reading their forum last night they are talking about Semenyo, their number 11, was going to be sold in the summer for up to £20m! He’s got a scoring record of 1 in 7! Deluded or what? They still think he might go for £10m in January

Thought Joao was a compete passenger again yesterday. Was better in the second half against WBA than yesterday. Terrible effort when he was through just before he was taken off. Just needed to get a shot off

[KC Royal]

Poor attendance today. Our home form has improved so why are the fans staying away?

I think we've lost a lot of long-term fans, people who've had season tickets for years etc, and those people are very hard to win back.

We've been so poor at home for so long that fans probably found they didn't miss football during the covid break, and haven't bothered coming back, because they've just become disillusioned with the club. Their enthusiam for watching Reading has gone, and we've got to win over a new generation now.

I think that sums it up perfectly for me. I've not been to a game for 5 years now and whilst there have been times when i've wanted to go but haven't been able to, generally a combination of the home form and pandemic put me off. Since the Covid break i haven't really felt like coming back, apart from for the legends game in May. The idea of going to Berkshire for any other reason than to go to a game would have been unthinkable up until a few years ago, and yet its happened a couple of times now in the last few years and will probably happen again. Basically i'm out of the habit of going.

That said, I did the stadium tour in the summer (not sure why i'd not done it before) and enjoyed it, and this is the first season since the Covid break that i've seriously thought of going to a game.

[leon]

Poor attendance today. Our home form has improved so why are the fans staying away?

I think we've lost a lot of long-term fans, people who've had season tickets for years etc, and those people are very hard to win back.

We've been so poor at home for so long that fans probably found they didn't miss football during the covid break, and haven't bothered coming back, because they've just become disillusioned with the club. Their enthusiam for watching Reading has gone, and we've got to win over a new generation now.

I think that sums it up perfectly for me. I've not been to a game for 5 years now and whilst there have been times when i've wanted to go but haven't been able to, generally a combination of the home form and pandemic put me off. Since the Covid break i haven't really felt like coming back, apart from for the legends game in May. The idea of going to Berkshire for any other reason than to go to a game would have been unthinkable up until a few years ago, and yet its happened a couple of times now in the last few years and will probably happen again. Basically i'm out of the habit of going.

That said, I did the stadium tour in the summer (not sure why i'd not done it before) and enjoyed it, and this is the first season since the Covid break that i've seriously thought of going to a game.

Just go to a game!?

[Zip]

I think we've lost a lot of long-term fans, people who've had season tickets for years etc, and those people are very hard to win back.

We've been so poor at home for so long that fans probably found they didn't miss football during the covid break, and haven't bothered coming back, because they've just become disillusioned with the club. Their enthusiam for watching Reading has gone, and we've got to win over a new generation now.

I think that sums it up perfectly for me. I've not been to a game for 5 years now and whilst there have been times when i've wanted to go but haven't been able to, generally a combination of the home form and pandemic put me off. Since the Covid break i haven't really felt like coming back, apart from for the legends game in May. The idea of going to Berkshire for any other reason than to go to a game would have been unthinkable up until a few years ago, and yet its happened a couple of times now in the last few years and will probably happen again. Basically i'm out of the habit of going.

That said, I did the stadium tour in the summer (not sure why i'd not done it before) and enjoyed it, and this is the first season since the Covid break that i've seriously thought of going to a game.

Just go to a game!?

Just about to say the same thing. The gates are small but the atmosphere is excellent and a lot of that is down to Club 1871.

[YorkshireRoyal99]

Really important win, particularly on home soil and I think the clean sheet is big as well considering it's been sometime since we've had one, especially against a potent Bristol City side who are capable of scoring goals and we limited them to extremely little.

Thought Mbengue and Meite were our best players on the day, the former not really looking out his depth in the middle which is definitely where he is best, wasted at full back. Meite was just a completely awkward customer to deal with and they couldn't get to grips with him, but they were pretty poor which is to be expected sometimes from an inconsistent team.

Nice to see Nelson Abbey given some minutes and he looked solid as well. With Holmes, McIntyre, Dorsett and Abbey, it's fair to say we seem pretty well stocked with academy centre backs for the next few years (assuming none of them move on or don't develop as planned). Also, nice for Senga to get mentioned as well, seems to be flourishing with the 23's.

[Sutekh]

Really important win, particularly on home soil and I think the clean sheet is big as well considering it's been sometime since we've had one, especially against a potent Bristol City side who are capable of scoring goals and we limited them to extremely little.

Thought Mbengue and Meite were our best players on the day, the former not really looking out his depth in the middle which is definitely where he is best, wasted at full back. Meite was just a completely awkward customer to deal with and they couldn't get to grips with him, but they were pretty poor which is to be expected sometimes from an inconsistent team.

Nice to see Nelson Abbey given some minutes and he looked solid as well. With Holmes, McIntyre, Dorsett and Abbey, it's fair to say we seem pretty well stocked with academy centre backs for the next few years (assuming none of them move on or don't develop as planned). Also, nice for Senga to get mentioned as well, seems to be flourishing with the 23's.

And Stickland too

[Snowflake Royal]

Really important win, particularly on home soil and I think the clean sheet is big as well considering it's been sometime since we've had one, especially against a potent Bristol City side who are capable of scoring goals and we limited them to extremely little.

Thought Mbengue and Meite were our best players on the day, the former not really looking out his depth in the middle which is definitely where he is best, wasted at full back. Meite was just a completely awkward customer to deal with and they couldn't get to grips with him, but they were pretty poor which is to be expected sometimes from an inconsistent team.

Nice to see Nelson Abbey given some minutes and he looked solid as well. With Holmes, McIntyre, Dorsett and Abbey, it's fair to say we seem pretty well stocked with academy centre backs for the next few years (assuming none of them move on or don't develop as planned). Also, nice for Senga to get mentioned as well, seems to be flourishing with the 23's.

And Stickland too

Plus Clarke

[Millsy]

...snip
Rahman – 5 several dodgy moments, like last game. NGW has to start if fit
Hendrick – 8 never really understood the point of Hendrick, seems to do nothing usually, sideways passes, not much else. But today he was just amazing, fantastic tackles, runs forward. A different player. Best game in a Reading shirt.
...snip

Think that’s slightly harsh on Rahman, didn’t see much wrong with his performance. Strangely enough, thought he was one of our better players in the first half in an overall quiet half and one of the quieter players in the second half in an overall busier half. Don’t particularly like how NGW has been bombed out mind after one error last week

Would probably stick your back three up by one each, Rahman up by two and go with the rest, good team performance

You may be right and perhaps the couple of dodgy moments are playing on my mind too much.

However I need to replace Hendrick as the weak link. HNA isn't HNA without having a baddy in the side is it.

[YorkshireRoyal99]

...snip
Rahman – 5 several dodgy moments, like last game. NGW has to start if fit
Hendrick – 8 never really understood the point of Hendrick, seems to do nothing usually, sideways passes, not much else. But today he was just amazing, fantastic tackles, runs forward. A different player. Best game in a Reading shirt.
...snip

Think that’s slightly harsh on Rahman, didn’t see much wrong with his performance. Strangely enough, thought he was one of our better players in the first half in an overall quiet half and one of the quieter players in the second half in an overall busier half. Don’t particularly like how NGW has been bombed out mind after one error last week

Would probably stick your back three up by one each, Rahman up by two and go with the rest, good team performance

You may be right and perhaps the couple of dodgy moments are playing on my mind too much.

However I need to replace Hendrick as the weak link. HNA isn't HNA without having a baddy in the side is it.

Might put Rahman down to a lack of sharpness really as he's spent the best part of a month out injured. Thought he was a 6, a couple of iffy moments, but overall decent enough. There is plenty of competition between NGW and Raman now though which I'm pleased about at LB/LWB, something we haven't had since we had Blackett, Obita and Richards (and I think Rahman and NGW are better than those previous 3 options as well at the time).

[Dave the rave]

Well I swelled the attendance figure by 8 this weekend by going for the 1st time in ages. Took my lad and his mates plus the wife.
First half was hard watching but second half we upped the tempo and pressed better and got the rewards. Great delivery for the corner. We were right above it and I knew it was in before it crossed the line it was that clinical. City seemed devoid of any ideas the whole game though which helped.

Not going to do scores but thought Hendrick put himself about today well. Was shouting at Long to shoot at the end and thought the ball to Carrol wasn't the right idea but that shows what I know. Nice celebration after too.

Really good day out and special mention to the drummers up in east/north corner. Nice bunch of lads who let my boy and his mates have a go for the 5 minutes just before we scored so if you're wondering why the beat sounded out of sync....now you know!
It meant they missed the 1st goal though

[ReadingGlasses]

This was the first game I've been to in a few years, with the last one being pre-Covid. Because of that, there were lot of players I haven't actually seen live before. It was really interesting to see them for myself instead of only getting a second hand view via the radio.

Lumley - Seemed OK. A few comedy time wasting moments, and one flap at a corner, but otherwise he seemed like a decent confident keeper.

Mbengue - some iffy positioning, but lots of hard work and he looked confident on the ball.

Holmes - covered loads of ground, I thought he did really well.

McIntyre - gave away a foul because of a mistimed challenge, but otherwise I can't remember any mistakes. A solid performance.

Hoilett & Rahman - I came away feeling the same about both players, in that they had far less of an attacking presence than I expected. When playing with wingbacks you really need them to be a constant threat, but neither had a great game going forwards.

Ince - loads of effort, some great ball control, good stuff.

Loum - An odd one, because he kept on looking pretty slow and a bit clumsy, but it never got him in trouble. Perhaps it's just his running style making him look slower than he actually is. Great jump for the goal.

Hendrick - quiet and ineffective in the first half, but a second half full of effort and good runs. He looked really comfortable driving forwards.

Meite - Loved that performance. Not the best in an attacking sense, but he won so many headers and challenges that it really helped out everyone around him. The work rate was great. There was one time in particular where he made a silly mistake, lost the ball, but then charged back in and won the ball back. If Joao had made the same mistake then he'd have just waved his arms around and given up.

Joao - He's clearly got a lot of skill with the ball at his feet, but the lack of work and the ease at which he gives up is really frustrating. If he put in the work that Meite did then he'd be a premier league level player. Instead I was pleased when he got substituted.

Long - How good is it to see him back? That run for the goal was so good to watch, and it wasn't the only good run he made. Loved his contribution, and if he can stay fit then he can play a big role this season.

Carroll - Cracking finish for the goal, and he exudes a sense of experience in everything he does.

Abbey - Didn't notice him that much in the small time he had, which I suppose is a good thing for an inexperienced defender.

Overall a nervy, slow and tentative feeling first half, but a much better and more entertaining second half. The first goal really bought the game to life. Top marks for 1871 who made a lot of noise all the way through.

[blythspartan]

Sat in the car after the game listening to BBCRB and some old fella made me laugh as he had a very high opinion of P Ince but it was good to hear that he was still enjoying listening to the games.

Ady was saying that as fans we shouldn’t be worrying about relegation this season and we should be looking to finish top 6. Not sure, I entirely agree as I am still expecting us to be involved in a relegation battle at some point this season. However, I don’t know if I am only being cautious because of the utter garbage served up in recent seasons. Does anyone else share in Ady’s optimism?

[muirinho]

Sat in the car after the game listening to BBCRB and some old fella made me laugh as he had a very high opinion of P Ince but it was good to hear that he was still enjoying listening to the games.

Ady was saying that as fans we shouldn’t be worrying about relegation this season and we should be looking to finish top 6. Not sure, I entirely agree as I am still expecting us to be involved in a relegation battle at some point this season. However, I don’t know if I am only being cautious because of the utter garbage served up in recent seasons. Does anyone else share in Ady’s optimism?

It would be nice to spend most of the season looking up rather than looking down - so I'd hope to be in contention to finish top-6.
That's hope rather than expectation though - I'd be satisfied with not getting relegated, and mid-table would be a good achievement under the circumstances

[YorkshireRoyal99]

Sat in the car after the game listening to BBCRB and some old fella made me laugh as he had a very high opinion of P Ince but it was good to hear that he was still enjoying listening to the games.

Ady was saying that as fans we shouldn’t be worrying about relegation this season and we should be looking to finish top 6. Not sure, I entirely agree as I am still expecting us to be involved in a relegation battle at some point this season. However, I don’t know if I am only being cautious because of the utter garbage served up in recent seasons. Does anyone else share in Ady’s optimism?

With the league the way it is, I might be being a bit pessimistic, I'd still be satisfied with 21st given where we've come from and what the expectation levels were, that's more based on what I think we'd all call a "successful" season. Hopefully though, I'd be looking at mid table now, anywhere from sort of 18th to 13th and I'd be happy with that, anything more and we've had a fantastic season. On the flip side, of "the league being the way it is", we could quite comfortably end up in the top half/on the fringes of the play offs, but I think even the most optimistic fan would probably say we'd fall short of the play offs.

[Snowflake Royal]

Sat in the car after the game listening to BBCRB and some old fella made me laugh as he had a very high opinion of P Ince but it was good to hear that he was still enjoying listening to the games.

Ady was saying that as fans we shouldn’t be worrying about relegation this season and we should be looking to finish top 6. Not sure, I entirely agree as I am still expecting us to be involved in a relegation battle at some point this season. However, I don’t know if I am only being cautious because of the utter garbage served up in recent seasons. Does anyone else share in Ady’s optimism?

We'll stop worrying about relegation when we get to 50 points providing that's more than 5 games before the end of the season.

Do it in Jan / Feb and we can spend the rest of the season thinking about top 6.

I'd much rather be pleased we avoided relegation and satisfied with upper mid-table than disappointed yet again, this time because we didn’t make the play offs.

[Franchise FC]

Sat in the car after the game listening to BBCRB and some old fella made me laugh as he had a very high opinion of P Ince but it was good to hear that he was still enjoying listening to the games.

Ady was saying that as fans we shouldn’t be worrying about relegation this season and we should be looking to finish top 6. Not sure, I entirely agree as I am still expecting us to be involved in a relegation battle at some point this season. However, I don’t know if I am only being cautious because of the utter garbage served up in recent seasons. Does anyone else share in Ady’s optimism?

We'll stop worrying about relegation when we get to 50 points providing that's more than 5 games before the end of the season.

Do it in Jan / Feb and we can spend the rest of the season thinking about top 6.

I'd much rather be pleased we avoided relegation and satisfied with upper mid-table than disappointed yet again, this time because we didn’t make the play offs.

Pretty much PInce’s interview after Saturday

[Chairman Mao]

Tbh, I wasn't there. On Tv, it looks like an obvious foul. Looks like he played the man and then took possession of the ball.

Which isn’t a foul.
It’s a contact sport, you are allowed, within the laws, to play the man.

he just got there slightly in front of him, or at the same time, and shouldered him off the ball didnt he?
never a foul

[Chairman Mao]

Poor attendance today. Our home form has improved so why are the fans staying away?

Because it will take more than an improvement over the short term & no ein in 4 would have a decent number of floaters assuming that the plummet is on.

Plus a lot of people are watching their spending and if you haven't been going, it will be hard to rationalise the spend when day to day life is getting more expensive with each passing week.

I don't fully buy that. We're one of the cheapest sides in the league to follow and other clubs haven't seen low attendances like that. It's just our plastic fans not bothering.

So what we lost to West Brom? Ince has significantly improved our home form. We should be getting at least 4-5k more fans at home than we are. Today was a good chance to get one of if not our biggest attendances. Our attendance Vs Norwich was pathetic as well.

Keep doing as we are and the plastics and day trippers will return.

years of shit football to watch combined with terrible results will do that to a teams support
much better now, but it will take a bit of consistency to put all of the shite out of peoples minds