As I am sure all RFC fans I am gutted that we lost today but to look at some of the comments and you would think we had already been relegated. Yes losing 6 goals is disappointing but the spirit of the lads is fantastic. Lets look at the facts.
1/ We have a team of good honest professionals - few of whom would ever have had a chance to play in the PL unless via promotion.
2/ Since promotion the team have done fantastically well to finish 8th last year and 13th currently.
3/ Almost every week we are playing against many world class players like Berbatov that cost millions. Reading will never be able to afford the likes of Berbatov without a Russian Billionaire Chairman.
4/ The reason we have seen 7-4 and 6-4 away games is largely because of the great spirit of the team. On Boxing Day Spurs destroyed Fulham 5-1 and yet Fulham drew at Birmingham today. When you go to places like Spurs you are supposed to lose a goal - give up - defend to make the score respectable and lose 2-0 if you are lucky or 5-1 if you are Fulham. Reading on the other hand never know when they are beaten and keep going forward to try to equalise and then win the game.
Well I for one love that spirit - we should be proud to support a team with that much "never give up" guts. Frankly I would rather we give it a go and lose 6-4 than defend for our lives and lose 2-0 without a shot on target.
5/ We are still 13th - we are scoring goals for fun and yes we all know we are conceding too many. BUT we have only let in one goal in each of the last 5 games so overall the defence has improved massively since earlier in the season.
Come on guys - have a little faith. I for one believe we can turn this round and get a rare win over Pompey on New Years Day.
SANTA'S FACTORY, North Pole (Agencies) - An Imperial Stormtrooper commando broke into Santa's Factory on the North Pole yesterday evening, killing an undetermined number of elves, arresting the owner and confiscating his sled. Joe Kwazansky, local spokesman for the Evil Galactic Empire in Los Angeles, appeared in a press conference this morning confirming the rumors of an Imperial takeover of Christmas' celebrations. "The Emperor wants to assure His subjects that Xmas will continue as planned. The pug-nosed fatso, however, will pay for his crimes," Mr. Kwazansky said amid the palpable shock in the press corps. Apparently, the arrest has occurred in connection with earlier reports on the manufacturing and stealth placement of Weapons of Mass Destruction ...
more here
Reading chalked up their second draw of the season and their first point since October 27th in a 1-1 draw at home to Middlesbrough.
Reading would not have been disappointed to see the back of November. In the eleventh month, Reading added no points to their precarious and of course unlucky total of thirteen. A Monday night home defeat at the hands of league leaders Arsenal was sandwiched between two defeats on the road at Fulham and Manchester City. The visit of Middlesbrough to the Madejski Stadium gave Reading their first point since the end of October following a 1-1 draw with the Teesiders. However it is hard to not feel disappointed that the draw wasn’t a victory.
Steve Coppell issued a mantra in the post match press conference, when he rightly surmised that every point in the Premier League was precious. The precious point should have been three, especially after Reading still held a 1-0 lead going into the final seven minutes. Dave Kitson had given Reading the lead in the 54th minute with a magnificent lob that cleared Ross Turnbull in the Middlesbrough goal and looped into the net.
Kitson’s goal coming shortly after half time, was in response to a first half that had produced little. The visitors had the best chance in the first period when Jeremie Aliadeiere shot forced Marcus Hahnemann into pushing the ball wide of the goal. Adam Johnson followed up by placing the ball though Hahnemann’s legs only to see the ball strike a post and land in the grateful arms of the Reading goalkeeper.
Reading wanted to grab further goals but was unable to find the decisive formula to kill the game. Kevin Doyle tried a run and shot but only succeeded in putting the ball wide of the target. Kitson could have got a second from a Nicky Shorey free kick but directed a powerful header over the crossbar. Reading were carving out limited opportunities, but were weary of the threat posed by the visiting team who were beginning to play on the break with patience and purpose. Aliadere and Johnson were certainly finding dangerous positions on the flanks.
At the same time, the tension and pressure of the game was starting to spill over. Jonathan Woodgate and Stephen Hunt became tangled, leading to a melee in the corner of the pitch below where I sit. The bad tempered atmosphere also got to Hahnemann and Ibrahima Sonko who took part in a furious row just moments after the first bout, following a defensive mix-up between goal-keeper and central defender. Reading were doing all they could to keep their heads, but so too were Middlesbrough.
Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate made two changes and took off Woodgate and Dong Gook Lee, replacing them with Robert Huth and Tuncay Sanli. The substitutions proved inspired. Sanli headed the equaliser past Hahnemann after he connected with Luke Young’s cross from the right wing. Middlesbrough had got a draw, with Reading’s disappointment tangible in the early December air.
A draw at home may be seen as disappointing, especially as Middlesbrough have slipped into the bottom three after the results around the country went against them. However, to get a point following three defeats is a lot better than another loss. Reading is getting goals over all and with Dave Kitson and Kevin Doyle looking a decent partnership all is not loss. The Reading side may lack a touch of confidence, but do not lack spirit. The results will come and the corner will be turned. Patience and common sense are required to do so. In Steve Coppell Reading have nobody better to deliver such qualities I hope ......
