Back from the game - Pompey

[old woman]

B.Wright-Phillips just put 2 more away...

Remind me again why we didn't sign this guy?

Failed the medical as I recall.

[paultheroyal]

Personally I thought that was bloody awful. Apart from Federici everyone else was no more than a 5.5.

Going forward we were all too predictable lacking flair and creativity. Realistically the scoreline at half time should of been 4:1.

For me tonight it was the Reading of old pre Coppell ere. Lump forward and pick up the scraps. Manset touch was so heavy and unlike Long hardly won much in the air.

It showed tonight that Long must be replaced and now. His runs into the channels are badly missed. There was none of that tonight. We huffed and puffed but quite frankly Portsmouth did a job on us and will be a top ten side come April 2012.

Great turn out from fans. Stood whole game and home quicker than coming back from Madjeski.

[RoyalBlue]

Even though Reading have only beaten Pompey twice in 22 games. Today's game showed we lack cover for both Strikers and Wingers. We had one winger on the bench today... We had over 10 shots but only two shots troubled Jamie Ashdown. I have said the same thing since Shane Long left for West Brom. We need a new striker. Everyone has replyed saying Church will come strong. The lad hasn't even scored 10 goals for Reading in 2 years. Brett Williams even though we are working on him he is 26 years old there is no way you can create a decent 20+ goalscorer in the Championship. Reinvestment is required to take Reading back up to the big time.
Reading are on a slide and will do what Southampton have done. Gone down to League One reinvest, rebuild the club and look they scored 5 away from home. And my favourites to go up.
Reinvestment is the key to success.

As you can only have 5 subs on the bench and assuming you have a goalkeeper, why would you have more than 1 winger on the bench or have I misunderstood what you are saying?

But what club, other than one that has had its squad messed up by its chairman's financial policies, fill its bench with a keeper and four midfielders? No specialist defender or striker!

[RoyalBlue]

B.Wright-Phillips just put 2 more away...

Remind me again why we didn't sign this guy?

Failed the medical as I recall.

But was regarded as sufficiently fit and healthy by another club and has shown that judgement to be correct!

[SpaceCruiser]

Reading are on a slide

Eh? Reading scoring 4 goals and earning 4 points from 3 games = on a slide?

How do you work that one out?

[MmmMonsterMunch]

Reading are on a slide

Eh? Reading scoring 4 goals and earning 4 points from 3 games = on a slide?

How do you work that one out?

reading are on a slide

Seriously can't the moderators suspend this account?

[urz13]

Have you ever been to, or even seen a school before?

go away i am 44 ok you idiot

Exactly the same age as 1teaminberks! Hello old friend!

[The Prisoner]

1 berk is back! 1 berk is back! whoa! whoa!

[Archie's penalty]

No it's g/alivey

[urz13]

go away i am 44 ok you idiot

Exactly the same age as 1teaminberks! Hello old friend!

yeah urz13 how are you my old friend 1teaminberks rfc been banned for life it not me fella

Putting the rfc at the end of his name sort of gives you away, considering you are the only one who does that...

[ellpryjon]

Are reading on a swing?

Is it groundhog day or something.......

[Allyh84]

Shittest Reading performance I've seen in a while, we clearly couldn't cope with their robust style. Portsmouth came to timewaste/barge/close down/hoof and credit to them, they got the job done and we barely had a kick at points. Ref was oxf*rd shocking and didn't help.

I still miss having a quick/skillfull full back like Bertrand ie someone who isn't 50.

[Big Foot]

It was a good game. End to end. But we just weren't good enough. We lacked any creativity And really could of done with more attacking options on the bench. In the car on te way back not happy with that tbh. Jobi is so predictable, get the ball on the wing run 5 yards cut back on to his right foot.
FEDS - MOTM
No one else really stood out but I thought Harte had a good game. And coming from me (Hartes biggest hater) is something. Though saying this to many corners went straight to Ashdown. Ref was good in the first half. Seriously degraded in the second. Thought we were in good voice.

Theres a reason why a lot of corners made it to Ashdown - he came to claim them. (take note Federici)

Good first half display, poor second half. Ledge & Feds had good first 45mins but Feds was poor in 2nd half.

Griffin looked off the pace, Karacan never really got into the game - likewise McAnuff, why oh why make him captain and therefore undroppable?

We were overran in midfield IMO and should've brought on an extra body in the middle with Hunt/Manset staying up tops alone when they went 1-0 up

Overall a poor performance, let's try and rectify things against Barnsley Saturday

[Allyh84]

Hunt's touch was awful tonight as well.

[SHORT AND CURLY]

Rubbish game spoilt further by the pratt DURSO!
Their number 5 decided to play basket ball in the penalty area in front of us. Play waved on. Why?
We played as poorly as I have seen for a while, but got sweet FA from the ref. Portsmouth probably deserved the win on chances, but they were no great shape.

Kebe had one of those nights. Pure brilliance at times but more often than not, sheer toilet.

Feds probably our MOM.

By the way, I hate that poxy ground. I say this every time I go there. The facilities are better at Stevenage than that shitehole. They still don't sell alcohol. Its like going back in time. Dreadful experience.
On top of all that we always seem to lose (I know an odd draw thrown in from time to time)
They really are a bogey side for us.
Good night!

[Carlos]

That was abysmal. First half we could and should have been 4-1 down, other than Kebe hitting the post we didnt really create anything all game. If Norris hadn't missed from three yards, if Kitson would have scored an easy 1-on-1 and if Federici hadn't tipped Halfords shot onto the bar it could have been embarassing. I have only been to Millwall and this so can't comment on Leicester but our defence was all over the shop. Kitson had the beating of Pearce everytime in the air, and yet down the other end we hoof it to Hunt hoping he will win it agains't the giant that Is Halford.

Kebe looked brilliant first half, but second was atrocious. If Mcanuff deserves to be captain then im Bill Oddie. Atrocious tonight and had his shoulders shrugged pretty much all second half. Thats not leadership and when we needed someone to step up he wasn't their. Ridiculous decision taking Manset off. Hunt looked like a walking red card at times and did not look particularly match fit.

Sorry to be so depressing in my comments but really felt Pompey were there for the taking. Their time wasting tactics with 20 minutes left and volleyball style handballs saw Durso look completely out of his depth, although before that I thought he had handled proceedings pretty well.

[Allyh84]

Pompey there for the taking? What with the poor deliveries, and Portsmouth packing every man into the box for our corners, I never thought we'd get back into it. Portsmouth's style of football is turgid nonsense, but it works. God, how is Kanu a footballer!?

[floyd__streete]

My first competitive RFC game of the season having missed the first two matches. The result at Leicester was but I should know better than to raise my expectations.....because on this evidence, Reading look very much . It wasn't a bad performance, but it certainly wasn't a good one by any stretch of the imagination. No-one shone, bar Kebe in the first half but sadly it seems once you stop him playing Reading have very little about them. Portsmouth were by far and away the better side and having missed some gilt-edged chances you have to say that it really should have been 2 or 3 nil to the home side.

Peculiar to take Manset off rather than Hunt - who himself was all brawn no brain as usual - one can only assume that Manset's fitness still isn't up to scratch, which is pretty scandalous seeing as how he is a professional athlete with more than a month of pre-season behind him. He won his fair share of ball in the air (because with Reading lets be honest the ball is always in the bloody air) unlike his strike partner who as I say was just a waste of space. Defensively, well Pearce and Khumalo can only get better so I shall reserve judgement, but once again the full backs were pitifully pedestrian. Can we really progress as a team with Harte and Griffin puffing out their cheeks at full back for us?

[URZZ]

Didn't go tonight, so one could say that alone doesn't warrant a comment on this thread but, I can't help but think we need a forward.

I agree with McD when he says, "you can't replace Shane Long", however I do think we need another attacking option. Manset will be our man this year IMHO, and that is no naive comment hinging on his 2 goals against Millwall. He looks strong, fitter and looks as if he has goals in him. However, I will echo once more, we need another option. I know we have HRK who is incredibly versatile and one could argue he could play up front because he has, and will continue to score this season but I won't repeat myself once more.

Sounds like we're going to buy a new centre half though, which is obviously another area of the pitch we need to purchase into IMHO.

FWIW, I think we'll only be signing one of the two.

Tonight sounded abismal; especially in the second half but, the faith levels need to remain high. We only beat Leicester 2-0 away on Saturday, and 2-0 at any ground at this level is a great result. It's our first loss, let's not dwell; learn from it and move on. Which McD will do, quickly.

[Allyh84]

On a lighter note, I never knew Where's Wally was a Reading fan, he's even got the glasses!