Resilient Royals Hold Out To Stay In FA Cup

25 January 2020
By Hob Nob Anyone?

Reading will be in the draw for the Fifth Round of the F.A. Cup on Monday having survived a late second half onslaught from a very physical Cardiff City team. The Royals fought a gritty rearguard action with a very youthful side depleted by the loss of both centre backs Matt Miazga, due to injury, and McIntyre's dismissal due a second yellow card after eighty minutes. In the final ten minutes Reading's back four consisted of four very youthful and relatively inexperienced squad members ably supported by the experienced McCleary and Charlie Adam. Reading deserved to earn a replay for their team spirit, resilience, and resolve against a bombardment of long throw-ins, corners and free kicks. Cardiff's best chance to press home their numerical and territorial advantage was squandered by Bamba ten minutes from time when the Cardiff centre back remarkably put his header wide from two yards at the far post with Walker stranded by the other post. Possibly a contender for the miss of the season.
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Reading will be in the draw for the Fifth Round of the F.A. Cup on Monday having survived a late second half onslaught from a very physical Cardiff City team. The Royals fought a gritty rearguard action with a very youthful side depleted by the loss of both centre backs Matt Miazga, due to injury, and McIntyre's dismissal due a second yellow card after eighty minutes. In the final ten minutes Reading's back four consisted of four very youthful and relatively inexperienced squad members ably supported by the experienced McCleary and Charlie Adam. Reading deserved to earn a replay for their team spirit, resilience, and resolve against a bombardment of long throw-ins, corners and free kicks. Cardiff's best chance to press home their numerical and territorial advantage was squandered by Bamba ten minutes from time when the Cardiff centre back remarkably put his header wide from two yards at the far post with Walker stranded by the other post. Possibly a contender for the miss of the season.
<br/><strong><a href="https://www.royals.org/matchreport/250120/Reading_1_Cardiff_1">Read More...</a></strong>

<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.royals.org/matchreport/250120/Reading_1_Cardiff_1"><strong>FA Cup Round 4:</strong> Reading 1 Cardiff City 1</a></li>
</ul>

Discussion On This Story:

  PieEater

» 25 Jan 2020 18:17

Overall a pretty decent result against a pretty strong Cardiff side. It's a pity we didn't have a stronger bench or we could have won this.
Their goal was pretty much their only attack in the first half, and we were playing really well. The equaliser was deserved but looked a mile offside, I guess the goal we did score that didn't look offiside evened that up.
Cardiff's plan seemed to be to get fouled or get a throw on the wing and then lump a ball into the box, that tactic didn't work all game but they stuck at it. Given they had Bamba and Flint and managed to crock our centre halves I was surprised we managed to stop them scoring.
We were lucky they managed to fluff a couple of good chances in the second half but generally I wasn't as worried as other games that we'd leak a late goal.
Of the kids I thought Howe had a good game, had Murphy in his pocket to the extent they subbed him off. McIntyre looked composed especially when him and Osho were trying to keep Cardiff out. Sympathy for the sub House who was subbed after the red card, the ref really didn't do us any favours.
I really fancy our chances with a stronger team on Friday.

  URZZZZ

» 25 Jan 2020 18:21

I thought most out there were average to be honest. No real stand out players, no one really poor
Apart from Loader. Sadly he was so far out of his depth again today and the more I’m seeing him, the more I question what does he actually have
The Aluko hate is predictable but also wrong considering him and Adam were our best two players in the first 60 minutes. But I’m not surprised to be honest
I think Bowen switching Aluko and Meite around was a shocking decision today, we know Aluko can’t play out wide and we know Meite can’t play up front. Desperately poor decision and didn’t do a single thing after that change

  bloody Volvo driver

» 25 Jan 2020 18:37



100% concur with all the above
Bloke behind me was going batsh*t about getting Aluko off, talk about reputations going before you.

  Snowflake Royal

» 25 Jan 2020 18:41


Best two players? oxf*rd hell. Aluko sprayed one good ball to McCleary but still so it bounced awkwardly to him, played Meite in once and had one mediocre shot and very little else.
The rest of the time he made some entirely regulation passes and otherwise stood watching, dribbled into trouble, gave the ball away and failed to play in people when he had the chance.
Even one of the times he did something good was only because when he dribbled entirely predictably into Bamba the defender got it caught in his feet and lost it straight back.
I'll grant you it was not a particularly bad game by his standards. But that's because his standards are atrocious.

  Lower West

» 25 Jan 2020 18:43

Felt sorry for House. No chance to settle into the game.
Defended well in the final minutes.
I'm sure the players involved will have no complaints in playing another competitive fixture.

  Snowflake Royal

» 25 Jan 2020 18:44


Yeah, and left wing isn't exactly his normal position when he was on.

  sandman

» 25 Jan 2020 18:45



100% concur with all the above
Bloke behind me was going batsh*t about getting Aluko off, talk about reputations going before you.

Sounds like you were sat in front of Ian.

  SCIAG

» 25 Jan 2020 18:53


:lol:
Can’t complain about the Reading performance. oxf*rd Cardiff, oxf*rd their fans, oxf*rd that useless lump of a striker and especially oxf*rd the midfielder who kept kicking us. Number 6. How they finished with eleven men and we didn’t is beyond me.
Thought Howe was really good. Aluko started well but faded badly. Adam’s experience showed but he did badly mishit a couple of clearances. Shame we didn’t get more of House but needs must. A draw was a fair result but really shouldn’t have been - Cardiff had a much more experienced squad, a huge strength advantage and an extra man but they completely shat the bed.

  royalp-we

» 25 Jan 2020 18:56


Best two players? oxf*rd hell. Aluko sprayed one good ball to McCleary but still so it bounced awkwardly to him, played Meite in once and had one mediocre shot and very little else.
The rest of the time he made some entirely regulation passes and otherwise stood watching, dribbled into trouble, gave the ball away and failed to play in people when he had the chance.
Even one of the times he did something good was only because when he dribbled entirely predictably into Bamba the defender got it caught in his feet and lost it straight back.
I'll grant you it was not a particularly bad game by his standards. But that's because his standards are atrocious.

This is why I love the dividing opinions with this game :lol:
Aluko did very well for the first 60 mins, until he was shifted out wide he was like a number 10 and always had 2 Cardiff players shutting him down.
Tbh McLeary was poor and barely troubled their FB. The goal aside Meite wasn’t great either - I felt Aluko certainly had more about him today.
Totally agree about the Loader comments above - other strikers at the club would have been slated for todays effort.
Overall a good result all things considered, I think the likes of Howe, Richards and McIntyre will have learnt a lot from it and did a great job against what was a very strong Cardiff line up.

  Pepe the Horseman

» 25 Jan 2020 19:00



100% concur with all the above
Bloke behind me was going batsh*t about getting Aluko off, talk about reputations going before you.

Sounds like you were sat in front of Ian.
:lol:

  Hound

» 25 Jan 2020 19:01


:lol:
Can’t complain about the Reading performance. oxf*rd Cardiff, oxf*rd their fans, oxf*rd that useless lump of a striker and especially oxf*rd the midfielder who kept kicking us. Number 6. How they finished with eleven men and we didn’t is beyond me.
Thought Howe was really good. Aluko started well but faded badly. Adam’s experience showed but he did badly mishit a couple of clearances. Shame we didn’t get more of House but needs must. A draw was a fair result but really shouldn’t have been - Cardiff had a much more experienced squad, a huge strength advantage and an extra man but they completely shat the bed.

Yeah this ^^^

  muirinho

» 25 Jan 2020 19:05


Best two players? oxf*rd hell. Aluko sprayed one good ball to McCleary but still so it bounced awkwardly to him, played Meite in once and had one mediocre shot and very little else.
The rest of the time he made some entirely regulation passes and otherwise stood watching, dribbled into trouble, gave the ball away and failed to play in people when he had the chance.
Even one of the times he did something good was only because when he dribbled entirely predictably into Bamba the defender got it caught in his feet and lost it straight back.
I'll grant you it was not a particularly bad game by his standards. But that's because his standards are atrocious.

This is why I love the dividing opinions with this game :lol:
Aluko did very well for the first 60 mins, until he was shifted out wide he was like a number 10 and always had 2 Cardiff players shutting him down.
Tbh McLeary was poor and barely troubled their FB. The goal aside Meite wasn’t great either - I felt Aluko certainly had more about him today.
Totally agree about the Loader comments above - other strikers at the club would have been slated for todays effort.
Overall a good result all things considered, I think the likes of Howe, Richards and McIntyre will have learnt a lot from it and did a great job against what was a very strong Cardiff line up.

It's a funny old game - I thought McCleary was decent enough, and was doing a bit to support his own FB! Mind you, perhaps there was another player, called McLeary, who was mediocre. Bloke beside me was going nuts about Aluko, but I thought he was alright, for at least the first hour anyway - his more frustrating moments weren't as frustrating as Danny Loader's. And at least it looked like he was arsed.

Defence was very shaky at the start but grew into it.

And can you really say "the goal aside"? Goals win or lose games
Cardiff were pretty abysmal really, especially since that was a pretty strong side they put out.

  AthleticoSpizz

» 25 Jan 2020 19:10



Sounds like you were sat in front of Ian.
:lol: :lol:
In his lounge?

  royalp-we

» 25 Jan 2020 19:11



This is why I love the dividing opinions with this game :lol:
Aluko did very well for the first 60 mins, until he was shifted out wide he was like a number 10 and always had 2 Cardiff players shutting him down.
Tbh McLeary was poor and barely troubled their FB. The goal aside Meite wasn’t great either - I felt Aluko certainly had more about him today.
Totally agree about the Loader comments above - other strikers at the club would have been slated for todays effort.
Overall a good result all things considered, I think the likes of Howe, Richards and McIntyre will have learnt a lot from it and did a great job against what was a very strong Cardiff line up.

It's a funny old game - I thought McCleary was decent enough, and was doing a bit to support his own FB! Mind you, perhaps there was another player, called McLeary, who was mediocre. Bloke beside me was going nuts about Aluko, but I thought he was alright, for at least the first hour anyway - his more frustrating moments weren't as frustrating as Danny Loader's. And at least it looked like he was arsed.

Defence was very shaky at the start but grew into it.

And can you really say "the goal aside"? Goals win or lose games
Cardiff were pretty abysmal really, especially since that was a pretty strong side they put out.

I get that McLeary didn’t really make too many cock ups, but poor old Teddy Howe had no option but to blitz it in to the stands several times because McLeary was stood about with his hands on his hips. Opinions, eh :lol:

  Singing Defective

» 25 Jan 2020 19:12


:lol:

. oxf*rd Cardiff, oxf*rd their fans, oxf*rd that useless lump of a striker and especially oxf*rd the midfielder who kept kicking us. Number 6. How they finished with eleven men and we didn’t is beyond me..

Thought that Bamba’s miss was karma in heavy duty action. And their oxf*rd fans all know their principality’s anthem, which is nice.
Our crowd was an odd mix of regulars and many, many day-trippers. What is it about cup games, is it just the few quid-cheaper thing?!

  Hound

» 25 Jan 2020 19:12

McCleary put in a good shift. He was basically and additional defender and helped his full back throughout
McIntyre was excellent except for a awful first 5 and then a brain fade getting sent off - he needs to learn from both but is clearly quality
Agree Loader wasn’t too hot. Not sure what to do with him tbh. He did a few odds and ends of good play but just doesn’t seem to have been able to step up to the senior level - just too soft and easily pushed off the ball

  If you still hate Futcher

» 25 Jan 2020 19:40



I felt even more sorry for East, who I reckon might've come on for Adam had we not been forced to use the last sub to bring on another defender after McIntyre got sent his 2nd yellow, especially as the ref didn't need to book him in the 1st half.
All in all, not too bad a showing by our kids against a team full of first team regulars, a lot of whom were playing in the Prem last season.

My MOTM was Richards who I thought did really well in both halves of the pitch

  Whore Jackie

» 25 Jan 2020 19:50

Yep, I thought McCleary did well too. Won lots in the air, helped out Howe and put himself about. Picks for me were McIntyre and Howe, the former very composed on the ball. Shame about his 2 yellows, agree with Bowen that they were both soft, but he looks the best of our Academy centre backs. Howe did well too, never really got beat by their left-side and snapped into a fair few tackles.
Adam was good and fair play to Aluko too. Dreadful signing, but had a decent first hour, by far the greater threat than Loader. Really don't see anything in Loader, rarely affects the game and he just doesn't have one stand out attribute. Not particularly pacey, always seems reluctant to shoot and gets muscled off the ball by the invariably huge CBs that he faces week in, week out. Wouldn't be that devastated if it was him that went in the window, rather than Aluko TBH. Of course, if we could get rid of both and someone decent in return, then happy days.

  AthleticoSpizz

» 25 Jan 2020 19:57

Not seen enough of Loader to have an opinion but...
He scores shed-loads in the U23s...the potential is obviously there....just needs to bring it to the ‘mans game’
Great to hear Teddy Howe singing the praises of G Mac, Adam and the old boys who are helping to nurture them.....that’s why we have them here.

  Zip

» 25 Jan 2020 20:01



Got to say I have seen Loader a fair few times and been a little disappointed. Not really sure what the fuss has been about. I think he will be here after the transfer window because I can’t see Wolves or anyone else coming in for him.

  Nameless

» 25 Jan 2020 20:07



Got to say I have seen Loader a fair few times and been a little disappointed. Not really sure what the fuss has been about. I think he will be here after the transfer window because I can’t see Wolves or anyone else coming in for him.

Why would anyone come in for him now when they can get him for a nominal fee in the summer ?

I would think he knows where he is going anyway.

Hard to see him making it at any level above this. Olise is a much better prospect as is Holsgrove. Sometimes a good kid just doesn’t make it as a good adult.

We should have accepted Wolves offer, although I think it was so heavily weighted towards addons that it might not have made too much difference financially.

  Zip

» 25 Jan 2020 20:10



Got to say I have seen Loader a fair few times and been a little disappointed. Not really sure what the fuss has been about. I think he will be here after the transfer window because I can’t see Wolves or anyone else coming in for him.

Why would anyone come in for him now when they can get him for a nominal fee in the summer ?

I would think he knows where he is going anyway.

Hard to see him making it at any level above this. Olise is a much better prospect as is Holsgrove. Sometimes a good kid just doesn’t make it as a good adult.

We should have accepted Wolves offer, although I think it was so heavily weighted towards addons that it might not have made too much difference financially.

Yes we should have accepted Wolves offer. Agree on Olise. Haven’t seen enough of Holsgrove to comment. I also think McIntyre has a very good future.

  AthleticoSpizz

» 25 Jan 2020 20:13

Probably a good thing (for us) Zip
(On paper) He seems to be ‘good to go’ maybe just needs that extra year to mature

  St Pauli

» 25 Jan 2020 20:16

CBA to read the thread, what was the tannoy announcement about homophobia and ray cysts about?

  AthleticoSpizz

» 25 Jan 2020 20:20

Baa baa black ram sheep

  Mid Sussex Royal

» 25 Jan 2020 20:33

Good work out for some of our young players, particularly the defensive ones, against a side that lumped the ball into the box when ever they could and tried to get free kicks whenever they got into our half....very much like Harris's Millwall sides did.
i thought the Cardiff fans jeering Miazga when he was clearly badly injured was disgraceful

  AthleticoSpizz

» 25 Jan 2020 20:43

Cardiff fans are worse than Chleeds fans , always have been, always will be

  Nameless

» 25 Jan 2020 21:00



Wasn’t over impressed with the way some of their players behaved either.

They were more upset that the ref had stopped the game than that a fellow pro was clearly in a bad way.

Perhaps they had got so used to seeing their own players hitting the deck with ‘injuries’ that they assumed Miazaga was also just putting it on a bit ?

  Gunny Fishcake

» 25 Jan 2020 21:04

Thought we did ok mainly in the first half and Meite could and should have won it with the one on one chance , mind you the ludicrous tannoy announcement blaring out as he looked to score may have put him off. Having sat in our usual Y24 seats first half we decided to do the old fashioned " go up the other end second half " We never had one shot second half and produced nothing . Think that's probably the end of our cup dreams for another year.

  Nameless

» 25 Jan 2020 21:06



We certainly had a shot in the second half, and it was on target although I can’t recall who had it.
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