Coppell out!

[Berry]

We should all get behind the team, until the fat lady finally has her say, at the moment she is merely warming up her vocal chords, there is still 30 odd points to play for, I say hold your wagons nobbers!!

[Vision]

Well a full squad in the cup and a play off game is just a shade more exciting than trying to win at home to Birmingham. Im failing to see the point of us being in the Premiership if [a] we publically state we dont want to be in Europe and [b] we publically state we dont want to be in the FA Cup, and Id be very surprised that, with so little difference for the outcome for Reading FC in coming 17th and 18th, there will be any real push to avoid relegation. The real fear with coming 17th is that we have the very real possibility of repeating the utter joy that following Reading has been this year into the 2008-2009 season.

A) I'm not sure we have ever publicly stated we don't want to be in Europe unless you count turning down an Intertoto place as a public statement that we never want to be in Eiurope.

B) I'm also not sure we have publicly stated we don't want to be in the FA Cup either unless you count a player who was never going to play in it saying he's not bothered as conclusive proof.

I do know what you mean in terms of adding some excitement to quite possibly the dullest club in the top flight but the way i look at it (and i realise i'm probably in the minority) is that every time our collection of Orient,Cork,Cambridge,Brentford,York etc etc misfits compete with multi-millionaire, molly coddled prima donnas is as much a blow for the romance of football as any so-called cup giant killing that others might suggest. Its only the last couple of months that we've really struggled to compete with clubs/teams with so much more money and prestige.

OK, some elaboration - maybe its best clarified as 'Weve never shown that weve wanted to get into Europe'. We had a glorious opportunity last year that somehow we didnt take, as we competed with two other teams (Portsmouth and Bolton) who also seemed to want to muck up their European Qualification by losing consistently, until it came down to a game at home to Watford. We played this game to a background of Coppell complaining that we wouldnt have the squad for a European campaign, and that we would rather not, thank you, as itll ruin our survival campain. Yes, I am still a bit bitter about that Watford game, especially as we languish in 18th without a European Campaign

As for the FA Cup - well, OK, Im paraphrasing Kitson - you have me there, but Im also taking clues from team selection. I was actually looking forward to the Spurs cup draw, given our recent league game with them, but then, disappointingly, it was Hunt + 10 others. Again, another game of little interest.

Come on, give this poor supporter something to remember from this season! There must have been one game of note. Maybe that win that took us to 12th for a week - remember that?

If all else fails Reading 3-1 Liverpool.

Come on, we couldn't beat Watford when we were raping the rest of the Championship regardless of any pre-match comments from Coppell. You're right to suggest Coppell was wary but that doesn't mean players that have played in all 4 divisions would turn their noses up at European football.

The FA Cup (and League Cup for that matter) are interesting because our performances in those games in the last 2 seasons with a supposedly inferior team have actually been of a higher standard than the average league performance with a supposedly better side.

Thats the thing i would criticise Coppell for above all others is that there are players in this squad that could have been used to much greater effect than he has done.

Bottom line is we're Reading and alongside Premiership clubs we are always likely to look dull particularly with Coppell in charge. However i doubt this conversation would ever have taken place without him.

[Vision]

A) I'm not sure we have ever publicly stated we don't want to be in Europe unless you count turning down an Intertoto place as a public statement that we never want to be in Eiurope.

B) I'm also not sure we have publicly stated we don't want to be in the FA Cup either unless you count a player who was never going to play in it saying he's not bothered as conclusive proof.

I do know what you mean in terms of adding some excitement to quite possibly the dullest club in the top flight but the way i look at it (and i realise i'm probably in the minority) is that every time our collection of Orient,Cork,Cambridge,Brentford,York etc etc misfits compete with multi-millionaire, molly coddled prima donnas is as much a blow for the romance of football as any so-called cup giant killing that others might suggest. Its only the last couple of months that we've really struggled to compete with clubs/teams with so much more money and prestige.

Exactly Vision. The sad thing is this year everyone, including the press, has forgotten where we have come from and who we have used to get here. This has meant a loss of interest from the side of the press (i.e Reading deserve to be in the prem who cares if we cover them) and a chronic lack of perspective from us the fans. We can still do it though and then we'll see what happens.

I think the attitude we should have from now on is the attitude of the dancing Derby fans shown on motd2 on Sunday. If we're going down let's enjoy being in the prem for the next couple of months, if we stay up that's all the better. Let's put a bit of joy back into our and the team's hearts. We are a small team after all and have no god-given right to be in this division.

You'll see me at Liverpool proud to cheer on the lads even if we lose...

We've been the architects of our own downfall in that respect though. We've had a much more circumspect attitude to things than our predominantly fearless approach of last season. I think Coppell's been influenced too much by a couple of early season drubbings and caution has taken over an awful lot of his preferred team.

If we're going to stay up then i doubt goal difference is going to help us so for me i'd risk the odd hammering in the remaining games and just attack from the first whistle in every game. if we can win 4/5 games 3-2 it wont matter a jot if we lose a couple by 3 or 4 goals.

[Archie's penalty]

If all else fails Reading 3-1 Liverpool.

Come on, we couldn't beat Watford when we were raping the rest of the Championship regardless of any pre-match comments from Coppell. You're right to suggest Coppell was wary but that doesn't mean players that have played in all 4 divisions would turn their noses up at European football.

The FA Cup (and League Cup for that matter) are interesting because our performances in those games in the last 2 seasons with a supposedly inferior team have actually been of a higher standard than the average league performance with a supposedly better side.

Thats the thing i would criticise Coppell for above all others is that there are players in this squad that could have been used to much greater effect than he has done.

Bottom line is we're Reading and alongside Premiership clubs we are always likely to look dull particularly with Coppell in charge. However i doubt this conversation would ever have taken place without him.

I don't think we are that dull. In what way do you think this is the case? Sure we don't have that many creative players but we have given a lot of top teams scares and have played a part in two of the most dramatic games of the season...

[Hoop Blah]

I don't think we are that dull. In what way do you think this is the case? Sure we don't have that many creative players but we have given a lot of top teams scares and have played a part in two of the most dramatic games of the season...

We're a lot more dull than we were last season because we just don't seem to be able to, or possibly want to, attack teams anymore. Quite often we were described as a breath of fresh air because of our cavalier attitude. I don't think that's been the case this season.

We were also a 'story' last season because we were new. Now we're just seen as another little team playing amoungst the glamourous big boys. For an outsider that makes us a dull prospect these days.

[Archie's penalty]

A) I'm not sure we have ever publicly stated we don't want to be in Europe unless you count turning down an Intertoto place as a public statement that we never want to be in Eiurope.

B) I'm also not sure we have publicly stated we don't want to be in the FA Cup either unless you count a player who was never going to play in it saying he's not bothered as conclusive proof.

I do know what you mean in terms of adding some excitement to quite possibly the dullest club in the top flight but the way i look at it (and i realise i'm probably in the minority) is that every time our collection of Orient,Cork,Cambridge,Brentford,York etc etc misfits compete with multi-millionaire, molly coddled prima donnas is as much a blow for the romance of football as any so-called cup giant killing that others might suggest. Its only the last couple of months that we've really struggled to compete with clubs/teams with so much more money and prestige.

Exactly Vision. The sad thing is this year everyone, including the press, has forgotten where we have come from and who we have used to get here. This has meant a loss of interest from the side of the press (i.e Reading deserve to be in the prem who cares if we cover them) and a chronic lack of perspective from us the fans. We can still do it though and then we'll see what happens.

I think the attitude we should have from now on is the attitude of the dancing Derby fans shown on motd2 on Sunday. If we're going down let's enjoy being in the prem for the next couple of months, if we stay up that's all the better. Let's put a bit of joy back into our and the team's hearts. We are a small team after all and have no god-given right to be in this division.

You'll see me at Liverpool proud to cheer on the lads even if we lose...

We've been the architects of our own downfall in that respect though. We've had a much more circumspect attitude to things than our predominantly fearless approach of last season. I think Coppell's been influenced too much by a couple of early season drubbings and caution has taken over an awful lot of his preferred team.

If we're going to stay up then i doubt goal difference is going to help us so for me i'd risk the odd hammering in the remaining games and just attack from the first whistle in every game. if we can win 4/5 games 3-2 it wont matter a jot if we lose a couple by 3 or 4 goals.

I agree. Coppell's selections against Arsenal at home and Villa away being the obvious examples. I also think the best way to go down this year is fighting and attacking like we did last year. Let's go for it and see what happens...

[Vision]

I don't think we are that dull. In what way do you think this is the case? Sure we don't have that many creative players but we have given a lot of top teams scares and have played a part in two of the most dramatic games of the season...

We're a lot more dull than we were last season because we just don't seem to be able to, or possibly want to, attack teams anymore. Quite often we were described as a breath of fresh air because of our cavalier attitude. I don't think that's been the case this season.

We were also a 'story' last season because we were new. Now we're just seen as another little team playing amoungst the glamourous big boys. For an outsider that makes us a dull prospect these days.

Agreed and i do think Coppell has been scarred by a couple of the beatings. I quite enjoyed the Spurs 4-6 in a way because i always felt we were in the game (as opposed to the Pompey 4-7 ) but however entertaining the spectacle that sort of result is highly embarrassing for a manager, even the winning one to a lesser degree obviously.

[3 veesinarow]

Birmingham are undefeated in their last 3 league games. Admittedly one was against Derby, and they lost to Sunderland before that but they've also got two draws out of Arsenal plus narrow 1-0 defeats to Chelsea and Man Utd since the new year.

Us on the other hand have lost every league game of 2008 and have looked pretty incapable of creating a decent chance let alone scoring a goal.

OK, but one win out of Liverpool is worth more than two draws out of Arsenal and their narrow defeats to Chelsea and Man U since the New Year are matched by OUR narrow defeats to Chelsea and Man U since the New Year, all of which count for nothing, anyway, so what's the comparison there? The fact is, we've lost eight in a row and yet are still only ONE point below Birmingham which they gained with a fortunate penalty on Saturday. Their current form might be better than ours - frankly, Derby's is better than ours at the moment - but why can't that change on a sixpence? It's frigging hard work at the moment, but it can change.

[Hoop Blah]

Birmingham are undefeated in their last 3 league games. Admittedly one was against Derby, and they lost to Sunderland before that but they've also got two draws out of Arsenal plus narrow 1-0 defeats to Chelsea and Man Utd since the new year.

Us on the other hand have lost every league game of 2008 and have looked pretty incapable of creating a decent chance let alone scoring a goal.

OK, but one win out of Liverpool is worth more than two draws out of Arsenal and their narrow defeats to Chelsea and Man U since the New Year are matched by OUR narrow defeats to Chelsea and Man U since the New Year, all of which count for nothing, anyway, so what's the comparison there? The fact is, we've lost eight in a row and yet are still only ONE point below Birmingham which they gained with a fortunate penalty on Saturday. Their current form might be better than ours - frankly, Derby's is better than ours at the moment - but why can't that change on a sixpence? It's frigging hard work at the moment, but it can change.

Unfortunately our win against Liverpool was almost 3 months ago!

Yes we've had a couple of good performances in our run of defeats, but the fact of the matter is that we've lost 8 on the spin whilst Birmingham have scraped 3 points from their last 3 games AND had some narrow defeats (not really sure on how their performances have compared). I know which recent record I would rather have.

Their form is better than ours.

[Scarface]

If we were 10 points adrift I could understand this speculation - but we are effectively 2 points adrift (as we have a worse goal difference than Brum) and they have a much harder run in than us.

When I fill in the PL predictor the bottom 7 sides all fail to get 36 points so we don't need to get loads of points to stay up.

I am sure SC will keep us up. Have some faith people.

This cracks me up. So we need 36 points, which is another 14 points. What is there in the current form to suggest we'll get say 5 more wins ? It's laughable mate I'm sorry.

SC did a great job and we all knew this season would be tougher. However I am convinced we had the basis of decent squad, and with a better transfer policy this year we could of easily finsihed above the bottom 6 or 7 teams. The when things started to go pear shaped he's then been far to reluctant to drop players, so this is why I lay full blame on Coppell for the current situation and thus I couldn't give a shit at what he achieved before. I don't want the club to go down and I don't believe the current manager has the stomach nor motivational qualities for a relegation fight.

Who would I bring in......Well I couldn't care less if it was fcuking Ian Dowie at the moment, at least it would be a change at the helm, which might freshen things up a bit.

[Stranded]

As 3Vs said, but despite all that if we do somehow win at Boro a the weekend and Brum don't win against Spurs we're back above them. It still really is too tight to call.

We need a bit of luck from somewhere a flukey goal for a 2-1 win or one clean sheet and the confidence could well come back.

Before this run, we had a 5 game unbeaten run, picking up 9 points. Something similar soon would be massive.

[Scarface]

As 3Vs said, but despite all that if we do somehow win at Boro a the weekend and Brum don't win against Spurs we're back above them. It still really is too tight to call.

We need a bit of luck from somewhere a flukey goal for a 2-1 win or one clean sheet and the confidence could well come back.

Before this run, we had a 5 game unbeaten run, picking up 9 points. Something similar soon would be massive.

Agreed mate, but because of this run Coppell must now start tinkering until we happen to hit on a team that wins. He's shown faith with certain players and they haven't repaid him.

[Stranded]

And I tend to think he will now.

The let's get rid, don't care who we get point of view is basically a disaster waiting to happen - it will at worst change nothing or we could end up like Fulham, stay up just but sacking the new guy after a poor start to the next season and being in an even worse position and £20m+ lighter.

Yes our form says that we may find it hard to stay up at the mo but as I've just said prior to this run we were undefeated in 5, hardly signposted an 8 game losing streak?

Wigan had a very similar run last season, did they get rid, no, did they go down, no.

[3 veesinarow]

Their current form might be better than ours

Their form is better than ours.

I believe I said that as well.

My argument is that points gained do actually count across the whole season and not just in games this year. Two draws against Arsenal in recent weeks is good current form, but one win against Liverpool three months ago is worth more over the season.

I know which I'd rather have.

[STAR Liaison]

I think the attitude we should have from now on is the attitude of the dancing Derby fans shown on motd2 on Sunday. If we're going down let's enjoy being in the prem for the next couple of months, if we stay up that's all the better. Let's put a bit of joy back into our and the team's hearts. We are a small team after all and have no god-given right to be in this division.

Quite agree that our attitude from now on should be to enjoy the football and maybe that carefree attitude will help lift the pressure off the players. It seems to me they are all desperate and that extra tension does nothing to help their performance.

Other than that on a personal note I firmly believe we should enjoy our time here as, after all, if the STG brigade are right we will only ever see Reading in 11 more premier league games so lets go and enjoy them.

One other thing - think on the this:
"Worrying won't take the hurt out of tomorrow but it can take the joy out of today"

[Hoop Blah]

Their current form might be better than ours

Their form is better than ours.

I believe I said that as well.

My argument is that points gained do actually count across the whole season and not just in games this year. Two draws against Arsenal in recent weeks is good current form, but one win against Liverpool three months ago is worth more over the season.

I know which I'd rather have.

My original reply was after someone said we were looking more likely to win a game than Birmingham were (or words to that effect).

I'd rather be in Birminghams shoes right now because they more likely to pick up points than us. Our win three months ago, although vital in gaining us an unlikely 3 points, won't help us get a win in the next few games. Birminghams current form is a positive for them and indicates they might get more out of the next few games than us.

I obvioulsy hope that changes pretty quickly.

[exileinleeds]

2 defeats at home...can't score, can't play against a 5 man midfield...

Discuss.


Oh- and he sends all the players that can score out on loan where they score loads...until they come back.

[SteveRoyal]

You made it instead.

[hellopremiership]

2 defeats at home

Not really a serious problem yet is it?

[exileinleeds]

Well I didn't want the big boys to pick on you!