Southampton v Reading (Friendly)

[Row Z Royal]

I'm correcting people's spelling grammar, which is even more infinitely interesting still.

Over 25,000 posts - and this game is still more interesting than anything you've posted.

The game's probably more interesting than this bant.

[Dickie Davies]

3 - 2, Church header.

[Royal With Cheese]

I'm correcting people's spelling grammar, which is even more infinitely interesting still.

Over 25,000 posts - and this game is still more interesting than anything you've posted.

The game's probably more interesting than this bant.

'greed.

[Dickie Davies]

4 - 2, Antonio.

[rhroyal]

Decent result, they're almost certs to come up this season. I refuse to read too much into pre-season though. All I would say is that we've had games to challenge the team sufficiently and we appear to have come through without too many injuries.

[Maquisard]

oxf*rd oxf*rd oxf*rd oxf*rd -- I've been putting money on a 4-2 win (almost*) every game for years. If they've used up all their 4-2s for this season, I'll be cranky.

*I missed a 4-2 win a season or two ago grumpgrumpgrump

[Four Of Clubs]

Can't find any coverage of this.
BBC RB are broadcasting live coverage, but - bizzarely - have blocked internet coverage from 3pm "due to contractual reasons." I can't believe that they are barred from commentating on pre-season friendlies?

... not only that - they only seemed to mention it in passing after the game too.
I was driving home from an NL match and tried listening in at about 17:30 ish. They had the big Radio Baaarkshire 'Reading Rewind' build up cobblers - followed by about 30 secs comment from Brian McD - a fairly tentative list of goalscorers - then immediately started wittering on about Athletics, Cricket, Grand Prix and Frog Trampling - no reruns of goal descriptions; no comments from Mick 'n Tim ; no phone calls/texts from fans slagging off ShLong for getting himself injured etc etc - nowt!

[winchester_royal]

Things we learnt from today:

We badly need a new CB in before the end of August.

Antonio >>>>>>>>>> HRK

If Kebe leaves we are oxf*rd.

[strap]

Things we learnt from today:

We badly need a new CB in before the end of August.

Antonio >>>>>>>>>> HRK

If Kebe leaves we are oxf*rd.

Am assuming from your name that you went to the game and so you are commenting from a position of strength?

If so, fear not, the £3.5M we'll pick up for Feds and McAnuff before 31st Aug will allow 500k to be spent on Zurab, and Kebe isn't going back to France until his contract is up at the end of this season.

Hope that lowers your BP a bit.

[winchester_royal]

Things we learnt from today:

We badly need a new CB in before the end of August.

Antonio >>>>>>>>>> HRK

If Kebe leaves we are oxf*rd.

Am assuming from your name that you went to the game and so you are commenting from a position of strength?

If so, fear not, the £3.5M we'll pick up for Feds and McAnuff before 31st Aug will allow 500k to be spent on Zurab, and Kebe isn't going back to France until his contract is up at the end of this season.

Hope that lowers your BP a bit.

Yep, I did attend, and we were very average until Antonio came on and we switched McAnuff to the left.

Not sure about losing Jobi though .....we'll struggle unless we keep both him and Kebe.

[Z175]

kebe, please GOD no. groin strain that might miss next Saturday, not very likely. I don't think ive seen a less injured player! bmcd doesn't sound convincing about him either, blatantly Jimmy's in wolverhampton right now. mcanuff, the sig, id swap. it all for the real Jimmy kebe please tell me last season is not the end!

[Ozymandias]

Kebe, please yes you mean, surely ?

[Super Kevin Bremner!]

I saw Kebe in town at 3am this morning. Being the dribbling wreck that I was I decided NOT to speak to him.

[Rev Algenon Stickleback H]

2nd and 4th goals from yesterday

[Forbury Lion]

I didn't even realise we had a game and forgot about the Wolves match so didn't go to either... still, I guess the club saved a few pennies on advertising these matches.

[Royalee]

Went yesterday - we were poor for the first 65 minutes and very good for the final 25 once Karacan and Taylor came on. Taylor didn't touch the ball much and didn't make too big an impact although Karacan turned the game and must start next week - Tabb and Howard just don't work.

Church summed up for me why he's a better option than Long with his clever runs, good holding up of the ball and deserved his goals

Robson-Kanu needs to sort his final ball out, he's got all the ability but lets himself down with that

McAnuff looked far more dangerous on the left than the right, prime example of which was him cutting in to cross the ball for Church's second

Long was pants - poor runs, poor touch, not impressed

Howard and Tabb doesn't work, we passed the ball far better once Karacan was on - he HAS to start

Was very impressed with Antonio when he came on - looks to have benefitted a lot from that loan spell there and gets his head up more, brilliant bit of skill when he flicked it past 2 players on the right late on, deserved his goal

At the back I wasn't convinced - Federici flapped a few times and I like what I see of McCarthy, Pearce and Mills need to talk more

Williams did alright, I like him

[Royal Rother]

Subuteo ref.

[handbags_harris]

...Tabb and Howard just don't work.

Not quite sure that's entirely true. It certainly was in the period they played yesterday in yesterday's isolated non-competitive game but a quick look at the raw facts of when they were playing together in midfield last season suggests otherwise:

P 12.5 + 2 Cup
W 8 +1 Cup
D 3
L 2.5 + 1 Cup
F 29 + 5 Cup
A 11 + 6 Cup

The half game is Forest away after Cisse was subbed and Howard came on. We lost the game but played like a completely different team 2nd half and were very unlucky to come away with nothing.

Within those statistics are comprehensive wins against PNE, Peterborough Utd, Bristol City, Derby County and Sheffield Wednesday. We also beat, deservedly, ground out, or luckily, against Leicester City, QPR, and West Brom in the cup. The two defeats came against Newcastle Utd and Watford, the latter being particularly forgettable.

Anyway, my own opinion is that Howard and Tabb, I feel, compliment each other superbly well and would be my first choice pairing. They offer the guile, workrate, and defensive ability that you want from two deep-lying central midfielders. The only thing they really lack is height.

That's my own opinion anyway.

[Ian Royal]

Good to hear Antonio apparently having an affect.

Looks like McD is going to start Long, although I personally think that's a mistake. Have him kicking his heals on the subs bench building up a desire over the first couple of months whilst Churchy gets a well deserved go at it would be my preference.

Then if need be Long comes in needing to prove something, whereas starting the season I think he'll be more prone to complacency and coasting.

Otherwise I'm very happy with all other options and McD's first choice team. Although as said above, we could do with a centreback in to cover/come in ahead of Pearce.

As for Tabb, I'm not sure he's the sort of player that's likely to play at quite the same level in a friendly, as he is in a competitive match. Him or Karacan, for me, is a bit of a toss up based on all I've seen of them. Both plenty good enough.

[richierock]

A few points from me:
1 - I hope Church starts in place of Long next week as I think he's more in form - although Long was the victim of an outrageous assault by the Sampton CB which left him concussed - the other guy pretended to be injured as well, of course.
2 - Hunt N. came and sat in the crowd for 20 mins or so - seemed only too happy to chat and pose for pics. He then persuaded the stewards to let him go over to the dugout at 1/2 time.
3 - Do you think if Sonko hadn't already signed for Portsmouth he would have been good to sign as CB cover?
4 - McD and Mils had another quite animated and shouty conversation while still on the pitch after the final whistle - lots of arm waving.
5 - it should be Antonio had an "effect", not "affect" - the standard of spelling and grammar on this board is atrocious. Yes I'm a 'newbie', but I've already been told to "oxf*rd off" thankyou.