Back from the game - Cardiff (H)

roadrunner · by **roadrunner** » 14 May 2011 15:05

Decent game. We edged the first half with Hal Robson-Kanu our best player linking up well with Long.

Second half I felt we looked a little out of ideas once we lost HRK and Shane took a knock. Cardiff looked very very tired from 60 minutes and our fitness could be key at their place Tuesday.

Too many long balls though. Almost everything good that we did came from good passing on the deck. McAnuff is a real talent on his day but those long balls mean he hardly gets a touch and is wasted.

Need a fit Long, HRK and or Kebe for Tuesday otherwise I don't fancy our chances at breaking Cardiff down for a goal or two. Two being very optimistic I feel.

Maguire · by **Maguire** » 14 May 2011 15:06

Alan Partridge Typical play off first leg. Cagey, too teams frightened to lose or take too many chances.

Reading the slightly the more forceful of the teams as you'd expect being at home but neither keeper had a save of note in the match sort of sums up a fairly timid affair.

Defensively Reading did well but looked fairly clueless once they crossed the half way line, not enough decent service either in open play or from set pieces for the forward players.

Agree with all that, as usual.

Ian Royal · by **Ian Royal** » 14 May 2011 15:11

Just got home.

Thought it was a really quite close and good game, though perhaps not for a neutral watching at home. Atmosphere was great, best for a long time.

Cardiff seemed to try and play the better football, but weren't very good at it, far too many lose balls and a bit prone to panic at the back when hassled. We were back to largely long ball nonsense, but we're quite good at it and played it well. We missed a winger on the right when HRK went off, Hunt didn't track back as well and didn't have the pace to run at the full backs or break. We looked the more likely, but neither team really had much in the way of a convincing shot.

Federici - 7 solid, commanded his area well.
Griffin - 6 got caught out losing the ball trying to be clever a couple of times, but generally played well.
Harte - 7 solid performance though his freekick early on was very poor by his standards.
Mills - 7 good game, defended well and played some good (not hoofed) balls out.
Khiz - 7 usual bit too casual but cut above in quality self
Karacan - 9 MOTM immense, everywhere chasing and hassling and forcing mistakes.
Legs - 7 so strong, but not as commanding as he has been.
McAnuff - 6 not quite up to speed, a lot of good but didn't quite come off for him
HRK - 6 similar to McAnuff, his touch for the break through was awful, but he was obviously trying too hard to avoid a heavy touch. we missed him when he went off.
Long - 7 really good causing all sorts of problems first half, faded in the second.
Hunt - 6 didn't quite work for him first half and was a bit lost on the right

Manset - 6 some brililant control and quality passing, some poor control and poor passing.. not getting hold of his long shots
Howard - 5 bizarre subsitution IMO, he's not an impact sub, he's not a wide player.

Keep it tight at their place, force them onto us and hit them on the break. 4-2-3-1 please. Kebe back would be awesome.

Maguire · by **Maguire** » 14 May 2011 15:12

Other comments:

They were dangerous until Bellamy went off then that was it
Kevin McNaughton was excellent at the back for them
HRK looked our most dangerous player, I take my e-hat off to him as I didn't think he'd be so effective
Manset had his worst game
Referee made some shocking decisions, particularly in the first half
Hunt couldnt get in the game at all

Overall I still don't think we're good enough. The team is just too disjointed and doesn't know how to build pressure on an opponent. Solid enough defensively but over-reliant on Long hustling someone out of it or one of the wingers creating something out of nothing. Still, this team has proved me wrong already this season so who knows..

Gunny Fishcake · by **Gunny Fishcake** » 14 May 2011 15:49

At least we didn't lose , how have we become a long ball hoof team ?

Mountain to climb now but that's when we often produce the goods .

Lets hope our great play off record of now played eleven , won only two becomes three , or a draw and win on pens !

The Real Sandhurst Royal · by **The Real Sandhurst Royal** » 14 May 2011 16:43

A tight game and fair result for both team a victory in Cardiff on Tuesday evening will see us in the final.

Speaking with some Cardiff supporters afterwards they were pleased with the way their team defended and glad that Kebe was missing.

Man Friday · by **Man Friday** » 14 May 2011 17:11

We gave it our best shot but I can't help but feel that we're not quite good enough, especially without Kebe. Having said that, anything could happen on Tuesday but I'm expecting Cardiff to win by a couple of goals. I think if we go behind, we'll struggle to get back. But then again, I'm the eternal pessimist, especially when it comes to following Reading.

zummerset · by **zummerset** » 14 May 2011 17:23

Apart from the first 11 we look quite inadequate when making changes from the bench. Manset I had high hopes for but again the affectionate 'Beast' nickname may actually be a noun.

Noel Hunt was distinctly average - I think we have seen the best of him. Lord knows what this team would be like in the Prem. Still enjoyed it loads and excited about Tuesday nite.

One last point - there was a Cardiff fan on here worrying about Bywater having an howler in him. Feds spectacular missed punch was far better and should make a great ad for Should have gone to Specsavers. Lets hope that is out of the system now.

earleyroyal · by **earleyroyal** » 14 May 2011 20:50

Pretty poor game, hope that Howard comes in for Hunt for the second leg so we at least try to play a bit of football rather than lump it for 90 minutes, that said Cardiff were hardly spectacular for a fairly expensively assembled team. Think that it's still roughly even, you'd favour the home team but I feel confident we can score and the defence didn't look troubled by Bothroyd (pcunt) all night.

'Dave Jones is a paedophile' - absolute disgrace and I hope it wasn't audible to anyone apart from the idiots singing it and those unfortunate to be in Y 24/5/6 near them. Of all the things to hold against Cardiff, why bring up a false and horrible allegation like that?

Elm Park Old Boy · by **Elm Park Old Boy** » 14 May 2011 21:05

earleyroyal
'Dave Jones is a paedophile' - absolute disgrace and I hope it wasn't audible to anyone apart from the idiots singing it and those unfortunate to be in Y 24/5/6 near them. Of all the things to hold against Cardiff, why bring up a false and horrible allegation like that?

I didn't notice it (I was in Lower West, slightly north of halfway).

Glad I didn't.

biscuitman · by **biscuitman** » 15 May 2011 15:21

Glad I didn't.

And you would of stopped it...What's the difference? It got sang by quite a few people..

LWJ · by **LWJ** » 15 May 2011 15:57

Elm Park Old Boy
earleyroyal
'Dave Jones is a paedophile' - absolute disgrace and I hope it wasn't audible to anyone apart from the idiots singing it and those unfortunate to be in Y 24/5/6 near them. Of all the things to hold against Cardiff, why bring up a false and horrible allegation like that?

I didn't notice it (I was in Lower West, slightly north of halfway).

Glad I didn't.

What would you hold against Cardiff? Out of interest.. I wasn't singing it btw.

earleyroyal · by **earleyroyal** » 15 May 2011 16:14

Nasty, chip on shoulder fans, Bothroyd, Chopra etc. Not an allegation that the manager was totally cleared of, which must've ruined his and his family's happiness for a long time.

LWJ · by **LWJ** » 15 May 2011 16:22

earleyroyal Nasty, chip on shoulder fans, Bothroyd, Chopra etc. Not an allegation that the manager was totally cleared of, which must've ruined his and his family's happiness for a long time.

You think to get charged with 21 counts of abuse or whatever it was, means he wasn't not involved? I can understand he got cleared but there is a massive coincidence there. Micheal Jackson didn't get convicted but he was obviously guilty.. Oj Simpson another one.

Stranded · by **Stranded** » 15 May 2011 16:24

So you have decided that you know more about the man's guilt that the justice system then?

LWJ · by **LWJ** » 15 May 2011 16:25

Stranded So you have decided that you know more about the man's guilt that the justice system then?

I've decided that the justice system isn't always right.

Stranded · by **Stranded** » 15 May 2011 16:27

And it wasn't in this case?

LWJ · by **LWJ** » 15 May 2011 16:28

Stranded And it wasn't in this case?

21 different charges and he is completely innocent? To be charged there has to be evidence.

Stranded · by **Stranded** » 15 May 2011 16:33

So you are saying he's guilty then? Thanks.

Rex · by **Rex** » 15 May 2011 16:33

Allegations - and not charged. The allegations were proven to be malicious. Thank fook for justice and due process.

Back from the game - Cardiff (H)

Re: Back from the game - Cardiff (H)

Re: Back from the game - Cardiff (H)

Re: Back from the game - Cardiff (H)

Re: Back from the game - Cardiff (H)

Re: Back from the game - Cardiff (H)

Re: Back from the game - Cardiff (H)

Re: Back from the game - Cardiff (H)

Re: Back from the game - Cardiff (H)

Re: Back from the game - Cardiff (H)

Re: Back from the game - Cardiff (H)

Re: Back from the game - Cardiff (H)

Re: Back from the game - Cardiff (H)

Re: Back from the game - Cardiff (H)

Re: Back from the game - Cardiff (H)

Re: Back from the game - Cardiff (H)

Re: Back from the game - Cardiff (H)

Re: Back from the game - Cardiff (H)

Re: Back from the game - Cardiff (H)

Re: Back from the game - Cardiff (H)

Re: Back from the game - Cardiff (H)

Who is online