Reading v Wolverhampton Wanderers

[Fluff]

a wins a win

[Terminal Boardom]

I do not like the lack of defensive cover. What happens if either Mills or Pearce pick up an injury or suspension in the first game? What if they both suffer this fate? Not good!

[Maguire]

Mick Gooding gave Floyd Streete a mention tonight

[Plymouth_Royal]

Just Got back.

Wasn't the most exciting game in the world. The ball spent most of the time in the air too!!

Positives...Kebe was awesome. Williams slotted in nicely into the defence. Mills & Pearce!! N.Hunt is back. We played well
Negatives....Gylfi looked like he picked up a knock, Long's touch is still awful and Griffin would have been off in proper game.

Fed - Nothing to do really

Griffin - Committed a lot of fouls and as I said would have been off in a league game
Mills - Fecking Brilliant with Pearce
Pearce - Won everything. Solid as a Rock
Williams - played really well, took a couple of hefty challenges too.

Kebe- was up against the hench elokobi for wolves and made him eat dust.

Karacan - ran his socks off. was everywhere, tried to create things. well played
Boris - usual self but I dont think he will play much this season.
Sig - looked good, again tried to create things. hope he's not injured!!

McAnuff - looked dangerous

Long - not convinced. touch woeful, he doesnt spot an opportunity to get on the end of a cross quick enough. the only good thing he did was win a header that kebe took a gamble on and we won a pen.

Subs - they all did ok. Was particularly impressed with tabb and jake taylor. Tabb was winning everything. Taylor put himself about everywhere and looks a handy player. I think he will be good cover for gylfi.

[handbags_harris]

Well that was pretty decent. Wolves looked somewhat jaded and fat (Elokobi and Ebanks-Blake - twins?). Deserved win, first half generally the better side, deserved lead. Soft penalty, couldn't see the infringement myself but the referee was side on to the play so had much the better view than me. Second half after Wolves rang the half time changes they had much more of an air of physicality about them, but bodes well that we weren't bullied into submission. Individual performances that stood out:

1) Kebe - looked to have Elokobi in his pocket.
2) Long - won his battles more often than not. Only thing lacking is the goals...same old story though.
3) Williams - after my personal review of his Wycombe game, he looked thoroughly decent today, particularly in defence. Would like to see him do more in an attacking sense, but if he's solid in defence that'll do me fine.

In short - happy. You can see we're starting to get it together just at the right time.

[Kitson12]

I'm really looking forward to seeing more of both Taylor and Antonio in a Reading shirt, both impressed me tonight. And let's hope Kebe can keep up what he showed!

[paultheroyal]

Antonio will be a revelation this season

[yappy]

Can only really echo whats been said really. Kebe was immense, defence was solid and overall was a very good team performance. Wolves were barely in the game 1st half, although they did pick up 2nd half. Their goal was a soft one to concede, left the man completely unmarked, but hey-ho its only pre-season and generally it was a very promising performance.

[Dave Gale]

Taylor really got amongst it when he came on, and drew a lot of fouls. He was also unfortunate not to score with a nicely placed shot. He looks promising, as does Antonio who showed a lot of pace.

Kebe caused all kinds of problems, whereas McAnuff was a bit too quiet for me.

I do feel Wolves were very dirty, and performed lots of cynical fouls which they could get away with and not be booked due to the fact its a friendly. Maybe i'm biased, and guess the same could be said for Griffin. Mills looked solid too.

In summary, entertaining game which fills me with confidence for the season, and glad I bothered attending after originally planning to save my money and stay at home.

[floyd__streete]

Mick Gooding gave Floyd Streete a mention tonight

Good old Mick, Flares bar in Newcastle last August we had a beer.

Decent performance from RFC tonight in this all-important fixture. Mills had Doyle in his pocket in the first 45, the full backs had a better evening (although Griffin is a massive hooligan/legend, committed about 5 bookable offences), the wingers again showed their mettle and then their replacements came on and looked more than tidy too. We're looking in half decent nick during these phony, phony wars.

[Allyh84]

Federici 7
Griffin 8
Williams 6
Pearce 6
Mills 7
Gunnarsson 6
Karacan 6
Sigurdsson 8
Kebe 7
McAnuff 7
Long 6

Subs

McCarthy 8 (Made a cracking save from close range)
Church 5 (he played?)
Taylor 7
Robson-Kanu 5 (again, he played?)
N Hunt 6

A few of the ratings may be a bit harsh, but a lot of the match I just spent chatting with my mate due to a quiet stadium.

Overall a decent performance though!

[Plymouth_Royal]

Federici 7
Griffin 8
Williams 6
Pearce 6
Mills 7
Gunnarsson 6
Karacan 6
Sigurdsson 8
Kebe 7
McAnuff 7
Long 6

Subs

McCarthy 8 (Made a cracking save from close range)
Church 5 (he played?)
Taylor 7
Robson-Kanu 5 (again, he played?)
N Hunt 6

A few of the ratings may be a bit harsh, but a lot of the match I just spent chatting with my mate due to a quiet stadium.

Overall a decent performance though!

did you not see hrk nuts halford, dick him aagain, help williams by tracking his man and generally trying to make an impression
McCarthy made one save. how that constitues an 8 i'll never know.

Oh and where's antonio who scored the fecking goal you douche.

[winchester_royal]

Decent performance, but oxf*rd me was that 2nd half tedious, referee just would not stop blowing his bloody whistle.

Anyway, not a huge amount to add to what's been said, but I was impressed by young Taylor, looks very composed on the ball and has a decent amount of pace.

Of course it goes without saying that Kebe is the biggest legend in football atm...

[NR_Royal]

Just got back. We looked promising, if not amazing against a side which looks like they'll struggle this season.

Kebe looked immense. Everytime he got the ball we looked dangerous. Antonio looked fast, strong and scored (although I missed the build up to his goal!)

Long looked shocking. Did absolutely nothing for the team....Hunt seemed alright, Church did nothing but we need a striker IMO.

Keepers looked safe, Mills and Pearce couldn't be broken down. Defence was solid despite their poor goal.

Williams looked decent but I'm not convinced yet about his positioning - he took a few heavy tackles for the team.

The Sig had a decent game, but nothing special today apart from the pen.

Karacan/Gunnarsson didn't do too much as most play was on the wings, but both did well.

Taylor didn't get to do too much but didn't look shit.

Oh and Griffin for England!

[PlasticRoyale]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9BIqSkH ... _embedded#! the goals- defo not a pen

Antonio is a brother

[Pseud O'Nym]

I left with a huge feeling of relief. I'd had this horrible feeling that Kebe's performances last season might turn out to just been a dream.

Can't see how anyone could score McAnuff above Kebe, he looked good when he had the ball, but he didn't have it half as much.
Edited to add: Oops, sorry, nobody did! I misread it.

I didn't think Pearce looked all that good myself.

[Kitson12]

I didn't think Pearce looked all that good myself.

What did he do wrong? If anything I think he was better than Mills.

[Pseud O'Nym]

I didn't think Pearce looked all that good myself.

What did he do wrong? If anything I think he was better than Mills.

I thought he was responsible for some aimless hoofs when not really under pressure to do so. Tbf maybe it was Mills, I know he was guilty of the worst one, they occurred mainly first half and I was the other end of the pitch in Y25.

[Barry the bird boggler]

Usual case of name calling from the Wolves lot....

http://www.wolvesforum.co.uk/showthread.php?8100-Deluded-Reading-fans.

And a game perpective

http://www.wolvesforum.co.uk/showthread.php?8102-anyone-got-any-news-on-the-reading-game-tonight-please.

[Barry the bird boggler]

And before anyone gets carried away with last night's result - it was just a meaningless, pointless friendly with no bearing or indication on the season to come.

After Blackpool, Wolves are still my favourites for relegation from the Premiership though.