Back from the game....... 'Boro

[Ian Royal]

Good reading your reviews as always, thanks everyone. Slightly surprised by the negativity after a draw against a team that are flying at the moment, given our problems so far. Especially given what sounded like a strong first half performance.

[FiNeRaIn]

Good reading your reviews as always, thanks everyone. Slightly surprised by the negativity after a draw against a team that are flying at the moment, given our problems so far. Especially given what sounded like a strong first half performance.

First half we edged it, but the fact their keeper didn't make a save should speak volumes really. Says a lot people are over the moon with a draw at home to a team that finished miles below us last season. Boro are a decent side but they'll be in the championship next season IMO, there is a lot better than them.

[rhroyal]

Same end result come May, but I know which I prefer.

I don't care how we get there as we've proved whether we come in there as the form team or hang on in them as the team off form, we end up losing the play-offs either way. What is that now, like 0/5 in the play-offs?

Top two or seventh for me please.

You don't care? Surely last season dicked on 08/09 for enjoyment, even if they had the same result of a play-off defeat. 09/10 felt far better than 04/05 despite the same end result of missing the play-offs.

[Basingstoke Royal]

Dominated the first half and should have been 2 or 3 up. In the end lucky to come away with a point, but game should have been over by half time.

Church was frustrating again - missing a few good chances, not rolling it to alf for a simple finish and bottled it twice when running in on the keeper.

Le Fondre looks like a great signing - well done Brian.

Getting better as we get into the season as the new players bed in.
If boro are one of the best the league has to offer then we could have a good season.

[chilipepper91]

Good reading your reviews as always, thanks everyone. Slightly surprised by the negativity after a draw against a team that are flying at the moment, given our problems so far. Especially given what sounded like a strong first half performance.

First half we edged it, but the fact their keeper didn't make a save should speak volumes really.

This pretty much. We had 4/5 half-chances, all in the first half, and most of which fell to Church who managed to miss all of them. Boro actually had clear-cut chances - two hit the post, two forced excellent saves from Federici. Second half we offered nothing. Every substitution Mowbray made changed their shape and gave them impetus, whereas Brian didn't change it until far too late IMO. Church was laughably poor for the 5 minutes he played left wing.

[FiNeRaIn]

Church actually does have a footballing brain. He makes good intelligent runs, but unfortunately it never looks like he is going to make them count and score.

[Ian Royal]

Church actually does have a footballing brain. He makes good intelligent runs, but unfortunately it never looks like he is going to make them count and score.

Definitely needs to work on his finishing, only way it'll come is with decent service and a run of games.

IMO the right central midfield parternship is what'll make or break our season. Everything else is about good enough. If Legs can get back to form we'll be ok, if we can find a combination that gives us resilience and an attacking threat then we'll start powering up the table. It'll make our defence more solid and our attack more potent.

I don't think we have the right mix in the squad though. What I'd give for a Sidwell & Harper partnership right now!

[pea]

Not sure about this negativity, whatever way I look at it a point and a clean sheet against the only unbeaten side in the league is progress

[Duke the Dog]

Aaargh, why do Reading fans moan about losing our best players like it's some insult to us and a sign of a badly run club. It's always been this way, we're no different to about 86 of the other league/premiership clubs. Accept it, it's how it works (but low, sell high - if you can!).

Anyway, thought it was a good point yesterday against a half-decent Boro side. But the fact that they're second reminds me that there isn't much between the teams in this division.

I sort of understand the negativity about the performance, but it was BETTER (not great admittedly). Midfield needs something else (Legs was better today) and the wingers need some competition for places and the strikers need more service and confidence (Church shows some good moments but he needs compsure when shooting). But we played more like a team and the defence seemed a bit more together.

[MmmMonsterMunch]

I personally don't understand the negativity. We've been beaten by some utter showers already this season & the performance at home v Watford was the worst I've seen in years. Yesterday was a distinct improvement on that - kept a clean sheet to an in-form team who've won 8 of the last 9 away IIRC? Hardly a bad result.

You can see they are trying to get ball to feet instead of lumping it all the time which is nice to see.

I agree the creativity in midfield worries me a bit - so many times Legs had an obvious ball through the middle yesterday & he kept making the wrong decisions & passing us into trouble. Sorry to be harsh but genuinely do not know why Tabb is in the team...he just runs around like a crab & doesn't really offer much. Surely Karacan must come back in?

Overall we looked a lot more solid & settled & I'm encouraged - they will get better & they are getting better. Kebe coming back will give us a bit more bite as well. 8 points from last 4 games & people are whining - we are RFC not fcuking Barcelona.

Yet again Brian deserves massive credit for turning things around pretty quickly as we looked utter rubbish against Watford. Incidentally I doubt Boro will be top 6 come May - just my opinion though.

[Maguire]

Megaposts are unreadable so i'm going with bullets there:

- not the worst 0-0 you'll ever see
- Reading had marginally the better of the first half without creating any real chances. Boro had the best chance when Federici blocked from Emnes
- second half was flat and Boro grew in strength as the game went on.
- Emnes hit the outside of the post with a good header and Robson hit the same post from distance. On chances alone they deserved something
- Leigertwood, Tabb and McAnuff are really uninspiring. Central mid just doesn't control the game i'm afraid. I'd drop Tabb.
- Overall standard of football was poor but that's The Championship for you.

[muddyfeet]

Have come to the conclusion I didn't think my season ticket thro, frazzled this week, rained on last week, and there's a kid in my row who gets up on average 3 times per half

Football was better tho than the last game

Still think karacan should be playing, but no one seems to agree with that!!

[Forbury Lion]

What does Jay Tabb actually offer apart from work rate?

The same as Leigerwood but workrate and less misdirected passes.

Le Fondre's willingness to run impressed,

[RoyalJames101]

Jobi in the middle with Robson-Kanu and Kebe on the wings? Could give us more creativity and he would have more of an influence as captain from the middle.

Just a thought.

[howser]

Just a bit off key to this thread, but what has happened to Griff & Harte ? left out, injured, captured by samolian pirates or something ??

[St Pauli]

Good atmosphere from number 13 first half, which died down second half with no goals and Reading being under the cosh. Well done on those in Y25 who started the Le Fondre chant, which needs more support next time.

[Ian Royal]

Tabb has been positively involved in the build up of several of our goals at least. From what I've seen his passing has been better than Leigertwood's.

[Rev Algenon Stickleback H]

I personally don't understand the negativity.

Some people are just never happy unless they have something to moan about.

Few are dancing with joy about the draw, but it was a decent performance against a team who'll be up there at the end of the season. For the first time in ages we really looked up for the game, and even if the final ball was still a bit lacking, we still looked dangerous. That is what pleased people, I reckon.

[Maguire]

Still think karacan should be playing, but no one seems to agree with that!!

I agree. Tabb offers very little. Doesn't win anything in the air, doesn't carry the ball all that well, doesn't pass the ball, just scurries around all day

[Barry the bird boggler]

Actually I'd try Karacan and Tabb together, it might wake Leigertwood up a little.

Much better performance overall, but the second half was a bit of a let down after the first half.