| Match Thread - A Royal Preseason 09:37 - Jul 27 with 25644 views | Hooping_Mad |
Never done one of these, fully expecting a cricket score.
Nardi hat-trick.
U R's |  |
| Chairman of the Junior Hoilett appreciation society |
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| Match Thread - A Royal Preseason on 17:15 - Jul 27 with 3444 views | mart_Goblin |
| Match Thread - A Royal Preseason on 17:08 - Jul 27 by Stainrod |
We didn't even look that fit. So sluggish. Am not convinced that if you have no one capable of hitting a forward pass in a friendly that you will suddenly find the killer pass - or even a progressive pass - against WBA in a fortnight. |
I totally agree.
I thought we were outmuscled all over the pitch really. Slow with and without the ball.
Again , I’m trying not to go overboard as it’s not the be all and end all but I hope I’m wrong,but some this lot have a fragile mentality and losing games become habit again very easily if old habits take hold.
Hopefully that is an over reaction by me and I totally trust MC of course.
But he’ll be concerned by body language and physicality and general play at the moment . |  | | |
| Match Thread - A Royal Preseason on 17:30 - Jul 27 with 3148 views | daveB |
for all the optimism about next season the squad looks a lot weaker to me especially in midfield and we still don't look like scoring a goal.
Smyth and Lloyd looked promising but Smyth's final ball is still so poor despite getting into some really good positions
We'll need at least 3/4 new additions to match last seasons position imo let alone better it |  | | |
| Match Thread - A Royal Preseason on 17:31 - Jul 27 with 3126 views | izlingtonhoop |
Junior Iz and I got talking yo a young Indian mother (early 30s probably), with her seven year old son, at Swindon station this afternoon. They were on their way to a Hare Krishna festival in Reading (you see).
Draw your own lines as to how our conversation got there, but she has never heard of the Beatles! |  | | |
| Match Thread - A Royal Preseason on 17:33 - Jul 27 with 3100 views | numptydumpty |
Dixon Bonner has to start. Kolli has to start.
Dykes went off injured after ten minutes and he was well over weight too.
Frey is not championship quality
Smyth was lively but it's the last ball or the shot that is still the issue
Colback and Field can not play together
Paal is a poor left back on that showing.
Celar looks fit but got no service.
Amdersen was OK.
Cook was our main playmaker which is wrong.
Nardi is great with his control but thought possibly could have done better with the save.
For me we need another centre forward. Frey and Dykes offer nothing
New left back. If Watford offering £2.4 million for Paal, yes please.
Second half they fell flat after Reading scored.
Wasn't my most enjoyable of days out ... |  |
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| Match Thread - A Royal Preseason on 17:35 - Jul 27 with 3053 views | flynnbo |
| Match Thread - A Royal Preseason on 17:31 - Jul 27 by izlingtonhoop |
Junior Iz and I got talking yo a young Indian mother (early 30s probably), with her seven year old son, at Swindon station this afternoon. They were on their way to a Hare Krishna festival in Reading (you see).
Draw your own lines as to how our conversation got there, but she has never heard of the Beatles! |
Probably blacked out as per the film. |  | | |
| Match Thread - A Royal Preseason on 17:35 - Jul 27 with 3050 views | dmm |
| Match Thread - A Royal Preseason on 17:31 - Jul 27 by izlingtonhoop |
Junior Iz and I got talking yo a young Indian mother (early 30s probably), with her seven year old son, at Swindon station this afternoon. They were on their way to a Hare Krishna festival in Reading (you see).
Draw your own lines as to how our conversation got there, but she has never heard of the Beatles! |
Even George Harrison? |  | | |
| Match Thread - A Royal Preseason on 17:35 - Jul 27 with 3050 views | aston_hoop |
People get what they deserve, myself included, for paying to watch pre-season friendlies! A few systems tried out, a few players tried in different positions. It was poor, of course. But I doubt it will have any bearing on how we start the season. 3 or 4 additions, not least in defensive and attacking midfield positions needed. But we knew that already and the club certainly know it. |  |
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| Match Thread - A Royal Preseason on 17:53 - Jul 27 with 2813 views | PlanetHonneywood |
| Match Thread - A Royal Preseason on 17:31 - Jul 27 by izlingtonhoop |
Junior Iz and I got talking yo a young Indian mother (early 30s probably), with her seven year old son, at Swindon station this afternoon. They were on their way to a Hare Krishna festival in Reading (you see).
Draw your own lines as to how our conversation got there, but she has never heard of the Beatles! |
Well, not in this life! |  |
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| Match Thread - A Royal Preseason on 17:59 - Jul 27 with 2738 views | numptydumpty |
For me we need a decent left sided defender, perhaps another attacking central midfielder, is Varane a defensive centre mid, not sure, another wide player, don't mind which side and unlikely to happen, another centre forward.
If we could get rid of Dykes and Paal for £6 million total, I personally would snap that up.
Frey, I think was a panic buy, but I just think he is a lower league player, zero pace, which is his main fault.
Three but hopefully four incoming but for me some promise with Kolli and Lloyd, which is the biggest plus sign, so far.
I loved watching that from the Reading stands !!!
At least , it wasn't raining !!! | |
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| Match Thread - A Royal Preseason on 18:09 - Jul 27 with 2593 views | dmm |
| Match Thread - A Royal Preseason on 17:59 - Jul 27 by numptydumpty |
For me we need a decent left sided defender, perhaps another attacking central midfielder, is Varane a defensive centre mid, not sure, another wide player, don't mind which side and unlikely to happen, another centre forward.
If we could get rid of Dykes and Paal for £6 million total, I personally would snap that up.
Frey, I think was a panic buy, but I just think he is a lower league player, zero pace, which is his main fault.
Three but hopefully four incoming but for me some promise with Kolli and Lloyd, which is the biggest plus sign, so far.
I loved watching that from the Reading stands !!!
At least , it wasn't raining !!! |
I'm not sure why you're so negative about Paal. He's at least a steady Eddie if not more.
Varane is an 8 not a 6. I'd like to see him signed if we can get him. | | | |
| Match Thread - A Royal Preseason on 18:11 - Jul 27 with 2561 views | Rangersw12 |
| Match Thread - A Royal Preseason on 17:59 - Jul 27 by numptydumpty |
For me we need a decent left sided defender, perhaps another attacking central midfielder, is Varane a defensive centre mid, not sure, another wide player, don't mind which side and unlikely to happen, another centre forward.
If we could get rid of Dykes and Paal for £6 million total, I personally would snap that up.
Frey, I think was a panic buy, but I just think he is a lower league player, zero pace, which is his main fault.
Three but hopefully four incoming but for me some promise with Kolli and Lloyd, which is the biggest plus sign, so far.
I loved watching that from the Reading stands !!!
At least , it wasn't raining !!! |
Thought Lloyd was pretty poor tbh , gave the ball away too many times and should have scored if it wasn't for an awful first touch
If Frey isn't Championship standard ( your words ) then Lloyd is even further behind and needs to be loaned out | | | |
| Match Thread - A Royal Preseason on 18:18 - Jul 27 with 2485 views | Stainrod |
Colback wins whatever the opposite of MoTM is. Why do so many of our midfielders somehow believe they have done their job and earned their wages if they simply tap the same ball back to the defender in the same way that they received the ball? Is it that Jack is not confident enough to turn? Or can't be bothered? Or is unfit? Or isn't coached? Its not like the Reading press was so intense or of such high standard that this was impossible, surely? If that is the poverty of his intent not deserving of a starting place IMHO. | | | |
| Match Thread - A Royal Preseason on 18:21 - Jul 27 with 2461 views | numptydumpty |
| Match Thread - A Royal Preseason on 18:11 - Jul 27 by Rangersw12 |
Thought Lloyd was pretty poor tbh , gave the ball away too many times and should have scored if it wasn't for an awful first touch
If Frey isn't Championship standard ( your words ) then Lloyd is even further behind and needs to be loaned out |
Lloyd is a young player at the start of his career.
Frey is in the middle of his career and won't improve much.
Lloyd clearly can
Both this friendly and last week against Tottenham, Paal has been the proverbial full back on toast. Dunne superior to him on the other side amd it's not his natural position.
If Watford offer £2.5 million upwards, that's an excellent deal for us, provided we can get a replacement who is a better defender | |
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| Match Thread - A Royal Preseason on 18:34 - Jul 27 with 2342 views | dutch |
Just back, not a great day out, but never is at Reading, Warning there about a new ground in the middle of nowhere. Loftus Road feels like heaven by comparrison. Don't read too much into that performance, no Ilias, little impetus. But we do need a central mid who can drive forward and another winger. That defence has not suddenly become terrible, it is going forward we need work. | | | |
| Match Thread - A Royal Preseason on 18:37 - Jul 27 with 2302 views | Boston |
| Match Thread - A Royal Preseason on 17:31 - Jul 27 by izlingtonhoop |
Junior Iz and I got talking yo a young Indian mother (early 30s probably), with her seven year old son, at Swindon station this afternoon. They were on their way to a Hare Krishna festival in Reading (you see).
Draw your own lines as to how our conversation got there, but she has never heard of the Beatles! |
We'll, one a life sentence, think the other three might have been killed, so it's the distant past for a thirty year old. | |
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| Match Thread - A Royal Preseason on 19:12 - Jul 27 with 2017 views | Juzzie |
Just back. Nice day out with the kids at their first away game spoilt by 90 mins of football in between.
Can’t say much more than already said. Fans turned up, players didn’t (and yes, i know it’s a friendly). Smyth our most lively player and was constantly hacked down by different Reading players. Paal most disappointing. Everyone else in between were ‘meh’. |  | | |
| Match Thread - A Royal Preseason on 19:19 - Jul 27 with 1959 views | 1JD |
| Match Thread - A Royal Preseason on 18:37 - Jul 27 by Boston |
We'll, one a life sentence, think the other three might have been killed, so it's the distant past for a thirty year old. |
Reading set up to contain us, and we could not break them down. A good exercise as Marti says. The CM pairing of Colback and Field performed a” wall pass” exhibition - as in, the centre back passes you the ball, and you pass it straight back to him, going precisely nowhere. Much like watching England being masterminded by Declan Rice.
Marti surely knows our CM is incapable of playing the way he wants. a. Playing out, and assuming they might do that, b. Playing through. Neither of which we can do with the current combination. Whether the decision makers know that is up for debate. I felt there were a few “messages” from Marti today to the hierarchy - Lyndon Dykes at left wing, and Liam Morrison at CM, for instance.
Smyth, as ever, premier league approach play, Sunday league end product. What an enigma. Excellent impact sub, but not a starter. Lloyd promising in fits and spurts, but raw. Kolli impressive again, but one has to wonder why he has been allowed to enter the last year of his deal. Squad currently looks weaker than last year - No Hayden, and no Willock, both are top end championship / lower end prem quality players. You can’t take both out of the starting 11 and not replace them if we want to move forward. Hopefully more deals to be done. Bit of a reality check today. | | | |
| Match Thread - A Royal Preseason on 19:21 - Jul 27 with 1943 views | dmm |
| Match Thread - A Royal Preseason on 18:21 - Jul 27 by numptydumpty |
Lloyd is a young player at the start of his career.
Frey is in the middle of his career and won't improve much.
Lloyd clearly can
Both this friendly and last week against Tottenham, Paal has been the proverbial full back on toast. Dunne superior to him on the other side amd it's not his natural position.
If Watford offer £2.5 million upwards, that's an excellent deal for us, provided we can get a replacement who is a better defender |
Frey is 30 years old. Hardly in the middle of his career! | | | |
| Match Thread - A Royal Preseason on 19:35 - Jul 27 with 1847 views | Wilkinswatercarrier |
Loads of questions rather than answers after that. | | | |
| Match Thread - A Royal Preseason on 20:18 - Jul 27 with 1604 views | numptydumpty |
| Match Thread - A Royal Preseason on 19:21 - Jul 27 by dmm |
Frey is 30 years old. Hardly in the middle of his career! |
I was responding to someone who said Lloyd was worse than Frey.
I thought he was older but thought he was 28. The guy said Lloyd was worse. Was trying arrange point Lloyd just starting out to be criticising him after about his fifth or sixth first team game is madness. Think he has shown promise myself. But like Atmstrong should be loaned our at the right time, ie now, which Armstrong wasn't.
If Frey is 30, I can't see any reason why somehow we wouldn't wish to ship him out for the rest of his contract. Hope it's not too long left. Think he is difficult to sell | |
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| Match Thread - A Royal Preseason on 20:19 - Jul 27 with 1599 views | davman |
| Match Thread - A Royal Preseason on 18:09 - Jul 27 by dmm |
I'm not sure why you're so negative about Paal. He's at least a steady Eddie if not more.
Varane is an 8 not a 6. I'd like to see him signed if we can get him. |
Sorry, matey, but I am at the end of my tether with Paal. He is no a steady Eddie, he is a poor player with an excellent touch and good energy and fitness.
Absolutely flattered to deceive the second half of the season and in pre-season. Been crap tbf. |  |
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| Match Thread - A Royal Preseason on 20:28 - Jul 27 with 1527 views | stainrods_elbow |
| Match Thread - A Royal Preseason on 19:19 - Jul 27 by 1JD |
Reading set up to contain us, and we could not break them down. A good exercise as Marti says. The CM pairing of Colback and Field performed a” wall pass” exhibition - as in, the centre back passes you the ball, and you pass it straight back to him, going precisely nowhere. Much like watching England being masterminded by Declan Rice.
Marti surely knows our CM is incapable of playing the way he wants. a. Playing out, and assuming they might do that, b. Playing through. Neither of which we can do with the current combination. Whether the decision makers know that is up for debate. I felt there were a few “messages” from Marti today to the hierarchy - Lyndon Dykes at left wing, and Liam Morrison at CM, for instance.
Smyth, as ever, premier league approach play, Sunday league end product. What an enigma. Excellent impact sub, but not a starter. Lloyd promising in fits and spurts, but raw. Kolli impressive again, but one has to wonder why he has been allowed to enter the last year of his deal. Squad currently looks weaker than last year - No Hayden, and no Willock, both are top end championship / lower end prem quality players. You can’t take both out of the starting 11 and not replace them if we want to move forward. Hopefully more deals to be done. Bit of a reality check today. |
A 'good exercise'? In finding out we can't create, break down lower league teams set up to stifle us, and (still) can't score goals - is that what you mean? Colour me stupid, but that just makes the coaching staff look like astonishingly slow learners.
It also worries me to hear Marti is sending 'messages' to the hierarchy by wilfully playing people out of position - what would be the point of doing either? It's the manager's job to improve the squad, find a way of playing that is effective and plays to everyone's strengths, and not try to pull the wool over fans' eyes. He did pretty well with what he had for the best part of last season, but has to prove himself all over again this season, and I hope he can. Right now, I think we're more likely to be in another relegation batthe than worrying the playoffs. We look like goal-shy mediocrities, frankly, with one or two promising youngsters who may break through one day.
Btw, Smyth isn't an 'enigma' - he's a likeable third rate winger with a bit of pace who lacks guile and end product. [Post edited 27 Jul 20:43]
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| Match Thread - A Royal Preseason on 20:29 - Jul 27 with 1538 views | cheeseydane |
Didnt see the game, but maybe the absence of Chair, Willock, Hayden and Armstrong from the squad that finished last season is having a bigger effect than anticipated. |  |
| Technology advances, unfortunately humans do not. |
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| Match Thread - A Royal Preseason on 20:38 - Jul 27 with 1449 views | Gus_iom |
| Match Thread - A Royal Preseason on 20:29 - Jul 27 by cheeseydane |
Didnt see the game, but maybe the absence of Chair, Willock, Hayden and Armstrong from the squad that finished last season is having a bigger effect than anticipated. |
We don't really know where we're at yet, what Cifuentes wants from each game.
I bet .managers would be happy to have all friendlies played behind closed doors! | | | |
| Match Thread - A Royal Preseason on 20:39 - Jul 27 with 1441 views | 1JD |
| Match Thread - A Royal Preseason on 20:28 - Jul 27 by stainrods_elbow |
A 'good exercise'? In finding out we can't create, break down lower league teams set up to stifle us, and (still) can't score goals - is that what you mean? Colour me stupid, but that just makes the coaching staff look like astonishingly slow learners.
It also worries me to hear Marti is sending 'messages' to the hierarchy by wilfully playing people out of position - what would be the point of doing either? It's the manager's job to improve the squad, find a way of playing that is effective and plays to everyone's strengths, and not try to pull the wool over fans' eyes. He did pretty well with what he had for the best part of last season, but has to prove himself all over again this season, and I hope he can. Right now, I think we're more likely to be in another relegation batthe than worrying the playoffs. We look like goal-shy mediocrities, frankly, with one or two promising youngsters who may break through one day.
Btw, Smyth isn't an 'enigma' - he's a likeable third rate winger with a bit of pace who lacks guile and end product. [Post edited 27 Jul 20:43]
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A good exercise in terms of knowing where we are at, and what we are lacking.
I believe MC knows what we need, but perhaps the powers that be might not. For example, you might have people at the club saying the CM is fine, but in MCs eyes, it is not. And in my eyes, it certainly is not. You can’t play the ways he wants to play with the current set of CM players and combinations.
Agree on Smyth - enigma was being kind. He’s infuriating and not at the level required, but he’s a good impact sub off the bench. | | | |
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