Forest (A) On the train BFTG

[Irvinchangeyaname]

I was gutted when I heard Clarke was leaving but not as gutted as when I heard he was staying.

I've never been convinced his team talks are at all inspiring. Any fight or passion seems to dissipate after a goal in the first few minutes of the second half. What on earth does he say now? Show some commitment?

I'm afraid Clarke's position is untenable. The quicker we get rid of him the better.

MOTM Every Reading player who still went in for tackles despite wondering, i'm sure, what's the point.

[Royal_jimmy]

I think we should chant Clarke out if we lose to QPR

[Melton Royal]

BFTG & the only word I can use to describe that performance is inept.

That is all

[janesdaddy]

Perhaps we need these guys?



They can't be much worse than the current lot we've got playing for us

I drive by here most days, and keep wondering what happened to the solid units we had in defence and attack back in September and October.

[loyalroyal4life]

Pearson is still available too!

[Ascotexgunner]

Today I have turned against Clarke. This is just utter b+ll#cks. We've got a great squad and resources. 6 points in 21 just isn't good enough. What has happened? It seems like we are back to square 1 and last season. What has happened to the dizzy days of us when we were playing fantastic football. And don't tell me its injuries. What has happened to produce such turgid sh+te on the pitch?

[CountryRoyal]

Well that was thoroughly miserable. Anyone that has seen us over the last month or so, the past few games especially, could tell that was coming a mile off. After a nervy, close finish against the worst team in the division (at home) last time out, we could have perhaps been forgiven for a glimmer of relief and optimism when Vydra poked home Norwood's miss-hit shot. However it wasn't long lived as Al-Habsi reverted back to type to fumble a weak shot over the line, even though the officials took long enough to give it. Forest's first wasn't particularly against the run of play either. They controlled the early stages and were the only team that looked mildly threatening. We mustered up our best opportunity for a corner to which Norwood pathetically couldn't beat the first man to go out for another corner. His second corner was similar in its trajectory, but managed to evade everyone and Forest collected, broke, and made it 2-1 (nice finish tbf). Conceding from our own corner... At that point I went and got a beer because oxf*rd why not. At no stage after that did you really feel we'd get something out of the game and their third (first time they've scored that many in a game all season) was fairy inconsequential and only served to reinforce how shit we are. Hobbs sent off at 66 minutes which drew little in the way of cheer or optimism as, again, everyone knew we wouldn't capitalise on it. Any other team against 10 men for 35 minutes and you'd think they might have a chance, not us! 7 minutes of stoppage time was torture, only a few players came over and very tellingly, though not surprisingly, not Steve Clarke - the oxf*rd dour Scottish snakey oxf*rd.

Al-Habsi 4 - back to type with a shocking error, killed what little confidence we might have gained from going ahead, flapped at some easy catches, generally shit.

Gunter 4 - no surprise 2 of the goals came down his side, weak in the challenge

McShane 5 - better than Hector but poor

Hector 4 - shit, a few interceptions but gave the ball away far too easily as per, nice one Chelsea

Taylor 5 - meh

Williams 5 - tried, but nothing came off

Norwood 5 - ditto

Blackman 5 - ditto, poor end product, poor execution

Vydra 4 - scored the goal but dont let that detract from him being utter shit

Sa 3 - woeful

Piazon 3 - atrocious

Cba to do ratings for subs, John was involved but ineffectual, didn't realise Hurtado was on, why bring on Liburd??!?!?! His two taste of senior football for us have seen him thrown into a losing game where we aren't going to get anything out of? Nice one Clarke.

To sum up, utter utter crap. That reminded me so much of last season, get a goal, concede, capitulate. In attack we have no creativity, we're slow, lumbered, easy to defend against... Etc etc.

Only positive today was that hopefully this loss will be another nail in Clarke's coffin.

Clarke out.

[LoyalRoyal22]

My thoughts

The shape of the team just isn't right as neither Norwood or Williams are real holding midfielders, we miss Quinn & Tish badly. Couldn't believe he played Piazon,Vydra, Blackman & Sa all together, basically four strikers away from home, crazy, although options are limited as stated above. Looks to me like Sa is not really up to it, very basic & limited, but that's what you get for under £1m.

Would like to see the Hector loan cancelled, he costs us goals every week, so mentally fragile with chip on his shoulder. Would be nice to see some more of Cooper, which brings me onto Fosu.. Although John & Hurtado look ok, surely he could do that job as a more than sufficient impact sub..?

Goalkeeping situation.. Al-Habsi just cant be trusted. In January would like to see us spend on a reliable keeper along with another centre forward(Zardes?), with the injured players back that would put us in good shape.

I am torn on Clarke, no strong feelings either way,


Ratings today

Al Habsi- 5
Gunter- 5
Hector- 3
McShane- 6
Taylor- 5

Norwood- 6
Williams- 6

Blackman- 6
Vydra- 7
Piazon- 6

Sa-4

[Jack Celliers]

Home and in the warm at last - didn't people catch chills and die in Victorian novels are being outside during weather like that?

We weren't good. It's just a team without any real fire in their bellies at the moment. We got a goal, and everything was set up for a famous away victory, but then Forest players made a few tackles sprinted a few times and we just laid down to die in front of them. We were too soft for 40 minutes. When we finally woke up we were three down, and had no chance.

Js it too many loan players and players who won't be here next year? I know John was arguably motm today, but the Chelsea pair were shocking in the first half. Probably only Drenthe or Yakubu have looked worse in a Reading shirt in recent memory. Whereas, Williams, Norwood, McShane at least put in a full 90 minutes of effort.

[Pandoras Box]

£20 on petrol, £200 on a couple of hotel rooms. How much did it cost that gutless, passionless crap to turn up here today supposedly representing RFC? Fvck all. And then I'm supposed to stay and clap them at the end? Don't think so somehow.

[el_presidente]

One definition of insanity is doing the same thing over again but expecting different results. Steve Clarke should be expecting the men in white coats as playing with that formation and personnel has been shown time and again to not work especially away from home.

I thought that playing an attacking 4-4-2 (probably 4-2-4) especially away, was utterly discredited these days but clearly Clarke thinks better than me and every other Reading fan. If you can motivate the team to press like demons, track back relentlessly and give the utmost effort for the entire game then just maybe you could get away with it, but the current personnel are a million miles away from that.

We desperately miss the injured trio of Quinn, Tshibola and even HRK but Clarke's refusal to use any of the other options is baffling. I can only assume he has signed a Faustian pact with Chelsea to play Piazon (& Hector?) every game. One can only speculate what Fernandez must be thinking as he goes through the motions in another freezing training session only to be ignored yet again on matchday. Obita was tried as a holding midfielder against Bolton only to ignored again this week.

[Reading4eva]

I'd rather Orange Nigel over this idiot. That's all...

In fact I believe Orange Nigel has a better record than Clarjudas at the moment

[gazzer, loyal royal]

I didn't go yesterday, but there seems to be a pattern of how we play which is just a 4-4-2 which is easy to play against if you know how. Its the say pattern under McDermott where we get caught between the lines and are so open.

The persistance in playing Piazon wide left is infuririating, when we can play fernandez in a three and push Williams further forward to hassle.

edit - this is how is all started with West Brom too, excellent start and then won one game from the end of November

[Sutekh]

Inexcusable. Awful. Dreadful.

Only Williams looked decent. Piano (stuff it I'll keep the spell checker version) and Sa are a waste of space with that line up. Hector really is awful (would still be good enough to improve Chelsea though ) and why we continue to play so slowly and with no width is beyond me.

Beaten by yet another awful team (and they were pretty bad) because they were able to pass reasonably quickly and directly while we slowed everything up looking for the perfect sideways pass and consequently never got any space to do any damage.

Hydra and McShane did OK, Norwood was useful and Williams was MoTM but the rest may well not have been on the pitch (and perhaps they weren't).

Lastly wtf do the coaching staff do on the training ground as yet again, for the umpteenth time this season, our corners were absolutely b****y appalling (although there was actually a goal from one of them at last ). Is it really Bradford in the cup replay last season the last time we scored from a corner set piece?

[JIM]

Sadly I dont think we can afford to sack him. and it is nearly Christmas

[Extended-Phenotype]

Just as we predicted the managers lack of commitment and desire has rubbed off on the players.

Didn't look like any of them wanted to play for Reading, can't say I blame them really - sticking with a manager who doesn't give a shit about the club is pretty desperate stuff.

Watch the players leave the sinking ship this transfer window. No chance we will keep hold of Blackman now.

Shite.

[Mr.Swainey]

I heard the '3-1 down, back in town' crew had a good time in Hooters and on the rattler back to London.

[RG7Fan]

My thoughts

Would like to see the Hector loan cancelled, he costs us goals every week, so mentally fragile with chip on his shoulder. Would be nice to see some more of Cooper, which brings me onto Fosu.. Although John & Hurtado look ok, surely he could do that job as a more than sufficient impact sub..?


Hector- 3

Bring back Gorkss ...

[Big Foot]

I heard the '3-1 down, back in town' crew had a good time in Hooters and on the rattler back to London.

Something like that

My highlight of the day was the steward who looked like Annie Lennox having Eurythmics - Sweet Dreams are made of these, sang repeatedly

[bobby1413]

I heard the '3-1 down, back in town' crew had a good time in Hooters and on the rattler back to London.

Something like that

My highlight of the day was the steward who looked like Annie Lennox having Eurythmics - Sweet Dreams are made of these, sang repeatedly

That makes sense, I heard you all singing that and was a bit confused!