Most deflated you've felt after a match

[M-U-R-T-Y]

We all know the feeling of emptiness, deflation, depression that you've felt after a particularly bad performance or result. Now I'm usually a happy-go-lucky, optimistic RTG supporter, but on Saturday I felt exactly this, wondering how on earth we could have managed to lose to Barnsley at home with such a gutless and toothless performance, just only a few months after being one post's width away from a return to the big time.

So my question is, barring the obvious (play offs/final defeats/relegations) what is the most deflated you've felt after a match?

To lighten the mood, you may also answer the opposite question.

[Avon Royal]

wondering how on earth we could have managed to lose to Barnsley at home with such a gutless and toothless performance, just only a few months after being one post's width away from a return to the big time.

I hope you weren't wondering for too LONG.

[M-U-R-T-Y]

Such a run of the mills response.

[Tony Le Mesmer]

You thought Saturday was "Gutless and Toothless"??? And you came away from just about the most non discript game of the season feeling deflated?? I felt like that going, not leaving.

And not quite sure how we were a post width away from Promotion either.

Apart from that, gr8 thred

[Elliott]

End of the 08/09 season... We'd spend the whole of the second half of the season in decline and hadn't won at home for what seemed like ever. Yet SOMEHOW, we still had a chance to go up on the final day of the season. All we had to do was win at home to Birmingham (and hope Sheff Utd didn't beat palace away IIRC?). Everyone was nervous, everyone knew our home form had been terrible, and yet somehow there was hope that we could return to the prem at the first time of asking. We lost 2-1 and had to watch the South Stand celebrate madly as they got promoted at our expense. And to top it off, Palace had held Sheff Utd. Gutted. Oh, and then we went on to lose both matches against Burnley, who also went on to get promoted.

On the up side, Gylfi's extra time pearler against WBA in the cup to send us into the quarter finals for the first time in 80+ years (?!) was a pretty sweet moment

[The Prisoner]

Tranmere 6 Reading 0.

Think we were 5 or 6 nil down before half time.

1997?

That was pretty demoralising.

[T.R.O.L.I.]

1997 is correct.

Incidentally, the following Saturday we won 2-0 at Fratton Park - and we haven't won a game there since.

[M-U-R-T-Y]

You thought Saturday was "Gutless and Toothless"???

Yes.

And you came away from just about the most non discript game of the season feeling deflated??

Yes.

And not quite sure how we were a post width away from Promotion either.

Getting back to 3-3, it would take a pretty monumentous effort from both teams for us not to have ended up winning. Then again, it's Reading.

[T.R.O.L.I.]

Don't tend to feel "deflated" for too long after any defeat however the play-off final v Walsall was pretty soul destroying.

Floyd's postings on this subject (either on here or his blog - can't remember where) are very eloquent.

[M-U-R-T-Y]

That would be an interesting read. Remember bawling my eyes out at that game! Although I was only 12. I thought we were destined for victory, Cardiff drowned in a sea of blue and white, and the occasional red pimple.

[Terminal Boardom]

Don't tend to feel "deflated" for too long after any defeat however the play-off final v Walsall was pretty soul destroying.

Floyd's postings on this subject (either on here or his blog - can't remember where) are very eloquent.

Even though I was out of the country at the time, this was a game that I felt was a nailed on win. I was so convinced that even the possibility of defeat did not enter my mind. I recall listening on line in an internet cafe. Joy at martin Butler's extra time strike turned to stunned silence and numbness as Walsall scored two.

When I got home I was in a daze. I could not genuinely believe what I had heard. I was sure that there had been some sort of fault with the broadcast. My ex-wife's sister offered the immortal pearl of wisdom "Don't worry, there's always next time". This was met with a tirade of abuse and vitriol. I picked up the car keys, drove into town and drank very heavily for the next 8 hours. Got home at 5, drove into work for 9, ignored everyone and went home at 3 in a particularly foul mood.

I oxf*rd hate the play-offs!

[Tony Le Mesmer]

You thought Saturday was "Gutless and Toothless"???

Yes.

And you came away from just about the most non discript game of the season feeling deflated??

Yes.

And not quite sure how we were a post width away from Promotion either.

Getting back to 3-3, it would take a pretty monumentous effort from both teams for us not to have ended up winning. Then again, it's Reading.

A lot to learn pal. not a good performance at all, but Toothless and Gutless it most certainly was not. An equaliser at Wemberley would most likely have just added to the pain of defeat. We ran out of puff after that.

[Schards#2]

Luton away circa Jan 2000

Deservedly lost 1-3, no wins in 13 games, 22nd in the third tier, getting gates at home circa 6,000, no obvious reason why things were going to get any better.

I'm glad I don't care as much now as I did back then.

[M-U-R-T-Y]

A lot to learn pal. not a good performance at all, but Toothless and Gutless it most certainly was not. An equaliser at Wemberley would most likely have just added to the pain of defeat. We ran out of puff after that.

A bit patronising, and from my view of the game we were gutless, lacked energy. And if getting 3 penalties and missing two of them isn't toothless then I need a new dictionary.

And nicely cynical of you!

[handbags_harris]

Difficult to say really, there have been some absolutely desperate performances or valiant failures in my relatively short time following Reading - 22 years. Saturday's game wasn't one of them. The following games all gave me a horrible sinking feeling afterwards though:

29 May 1995 - Bolton Wanderers 4-3 Reading.
16 August 1997 - Reading 0-1 Swindon Town.
17 March 1998 - Oxford United 3-0 Reading***.
16 January 1999 - Reading 0-6 Bristol Rovers.
15 January 2000 - Reading 0-0 Cambridge United.
27 May 2001 - Reading 2-3 Walsall.
8 May 2005 - Wigan Athletic 3-1 Reading.
29 September 2007 - Portsmouth 7-4 Reading.
29 December 2007 - Tottenham Hotspur 6-4 Reading.
11 May 2008 - Derby County 0-4 Reading.
3 May 2009 - Reading 1-2 Birmingham City.
12 May 2009 - Reading 0-2 Burnley.
7 March 2010 - Reading 2-4 Aston Villa.

*** M-U-R-T-Y, why do you consider Saturday's defeat gutless? That game doesn't even register with the gutlessness shown by the likes of Colgan, Legg, Davies, Lambert, O'Neill etc...

[Bandini]

The pre-Christmas FAC3 defeat away to Plymouth. Long. way. for. nothing.

[Fox Talbot]

RDg 1 Barnsley 2 - 2011, it's up there
Rdg 0 Spurs 1 - last home PL game (ever?)
Oxfrod 3 Rdg 0 - 1997
Rdg 0 Boro 1 (Cane) 1997
Rdg 0 Luton 1 - 1970
Walsall PO Final

I'd bette r stop there.

[WoodleyRoyal]

reading 0 bristol rovers 6 ht 0-0 truley awfull a cureton hatrick i believe?

[Magicman]

Two occasions spring to mind
Opening day 2005 against Plymouth as at the end it looked like another long season of frustration
Vs Arsenal 2006 lost 0-4 at home, you wait ages for something and then realise that although you appear to be in the same league you are in fact further behind than you ever imagined

[Focher]

only 1 game has really got to me in 25 years, Walsall play off final 2001.

The rest, its only a game.