Back from the game - Blackpool

[Schards#2]

Meh

Nice weather

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

Just got back - yet another good start thrown away. Still, managed to get a decent suntan so its not all bad.

First 30 minutes we looked as sharp as I've seen us in a while (its amazing what an early goal can do for the confidence levels) but after they scored their first we retreated into our shells and it was a matter of when and not if the equaliser was coming. At least our lack of a third goal saved the fans from the sight of heathrow royal taking his T-shirt off

CBA to give player ratings so I'll leave that to someone else but thought Karacan looked solid (although its been a long time since we've had such a vertically challenged centre midfield partnership).

Some comedy costumes / headgear on show today - floyd's wig and bunny ears, the sombrero crew, Thunderbirds and some bloke who looked like Al Murray to name but a few. Also daytripping spotteds aplenty (including the erstwhile Silver Fox).

All in all, in a strange way, I actually enjoyed today's game (having written off promotion this season) - which just adds to the frustration of Sky moving the Norwich game to the Monday night

Finally, quote of the day (from a nobber who shall remain nameless)

"Its no coincidence that Lee Hughes' squad number matches the legal limit for drink driving - obviously needs a constant reminder"

[handbags_harris]

I could have started this thread 4 hours ago but decided to leave it to someone who actually gave a flying fcuk about what happened today.

I should have started it.

[The Royal We]

My first post, here goes......

So frustrating! We were in cruise control at 2-0. I can't believe we managed to conspire to throw it away. With Brum and Sheffield drawing this really was our last chance to stake a claim for 2nd wasted.

I thought Tabb and Jem looked good in the middle, with Jem my MOTM. Worked hard, chased everything and showed some bite in the tackle. Kebe and Shunt were both awful. I'm usually a Kebe supporter, but today he looked disinterested from the off. That said, he did feed Kelly for the cross for the second goal.

The two up front worked hard and it was good to see Noel back in the goals.

I've not seen the goal on the TV yet, but it looked although it trickled through Marcus's legs. Other than that Marcus did OK, but I'd still prefer A-Fed in goal.

[The Prisoner]

Not back from the game - just seen the goals on SSN. Had Campbell not bundled in the rebound for their equaliser the guy who hit the bar with an open goal in front of him and Marcus nowhere would have been mighty embarassed......

[Dirk Gently]

What can you say? Another great away trip spoilt by that nasty 90 minutes in the middle of it all.

Kebe had what was probably his poorest game for us, Kitson (when he came on) looked like the fight for promotion was someone else's fight (and not his!) - and once we gave away a stupid goal the confidence visibly ebbed away. SHunt was his usual recent self - huffing and puffing but no end product. Karacan and Kelly did well, as did Bikey, but his loss of concentration when he committed himself led to the second goal.

Oh, and that could well have been the shortest Reading team ever put out - but we still still persisted in playing hoofball!

Also laughable just how one-eyed the Blackpool fans were - howling over virtually anything.

To me the most significant thing was Steve Coppell coming over to wave to the fans - looked like a "goodbye" to me. Has he done that before?

[Rex]

We need height in this team. !!

To actually score early (well actually score for a change) seemed to lift the players. Sadly at 2u up i was hoping for a convincing win. We seemed to sit back , switch off and invite Blackpool onto us. Rashubka looked a twitchy keeper in the first half and we should realistically have completely closed the game off with a third goal. The first Blackpool goal unsettled the team, and we never seemed to step up a gear to go for goal. Ref K Wright seemed to be totally influenced by the home support who were baying for blood all the time we made a challenge.

We never really came close to a third goal and god forbid the team went to challenge for a legitimate ball crossed over towards the keeper a free kick was given.

At ;least the sun was out, the beer cheap and the burgers tasted great.

[Royalee]

Just got in...ruined an otherwise very enjoyable weekend up north to tell the truth. Nice weather and all that...

As for Coppell having the cheek to walk over to us at the end, I cannot wait until he leaves - with every game he stays he's holding us back.

[Ian Royal]

Glad to see Karacan get a game. No Matejovsky?

Can anyone who was there put up player by player review please?

To avoid getting pissed off you all just need to recognise the season is over and see the last few games as an exercise in experience for our players. We're not going up. We'll probably end in the play offs. Big day out at Wembley if we're lucky. Then look forward to seeing what happens next season. Probably without Coppell. Which I'm ok with. He's pretty much achieved what I wanted this season already. It's just a shame we've fallen apart when we could have gone up.

I think it's clear though, that we need a period of stabilisation (this season, maybe next as well) before we can be fit and ready for another big push. I'd rather "slum it" down here for a few seasons (still getting some of our higest league positions ever) than go back up only to just get stuffed and come straight back down. Because if we did that there is no way we wouldn't then slip down the table and be looking at a possible double relegation.

[Jackson Corner]

I went not expecting much and from that point of view they didn't let me down. We did at least score and shock horror we did it again only to throw it all away with a dreadful 2nd half performance. The players just aren't up to it simple as, I don't blame Coppell some of those players should take a good hard look at themselves. The season just can't end soon enough.

[glass half full]

My first post, here goes......

So frustrating! We were in cruise control at 2-0. I can't believe we managed to conspire to throw it away. With Brum and Sheffield drawing this really was our last chance to stake a claim for 2nd wasted.

I thought Tabb and Jem looked good in the middle, with Jem my MOTM. Worked hard, chased everything and showed some bite in the tackle. Kebe and Shunt were both awful. I'm usually a Kebe supporter, but today he looked disinterested from the off. That said, he did feed Kelly for the cross for the second goal.

The two up front worked hard and it was good to see Noel back in the goals.

I've not seen the goal on the TV yet, but it looked although it trickled through Marcus's legs. Other than that Marcus did OK, but I'd still prefer A-Fed in goal.

Thanks for this. Hope we have some more posts from you soon.

[CMRoyal]

Coppell coming over to applaud? Giving thanks for those making the long trip, I guess.

A really good first quarter - couldn't help thinking the future's bright with Tabb and Karacan beavering away in midfield, Kelly showing Rosey how to overlap and cross, and Noely causing all kinds of havoc up front. But the central defence looked soft throughout and the wingers were appalling. And so it came to pass that we gave away two silly scrappy goals and the new formation struggled to go up the extra gear. Two points dropped but the second half-decent performance in succession. Could we be slowly edging into form for the playoffs? We live in hope.

USA - 6: distribution a bit better than Friday, couldn't do much on the goals
Kelly - 7: still prone to error, but gaining in confidence and decision making
Doobs - 5: wobbly, inaccurate in his distribution
Bikey - 6: has nearly completely lost the dominance of early season; seems disinterested
Stretch - 7: same old same old solidity. That he's nailed on player of the season without having to put in one 9 out of 10 performance all season says it all really
Kebe - 5: bereft of confidence
Tabb - 7: such a neat player, and brave too
Karacan - 7: energetic and tough-tackling, got into the box regularly, and was rewarded with a goal. Still prone to dwell on the ball, though
S Hunt - 6: never gives less than 100% but his final ball is terrible. Dead ball delivery good in first-half though
Long - 6: didn't do much wrong but didn't really get into the game
N Hunt - 8: a welcome return, but unable to sustain early threat

The less said about Kitson and Little the better. To think we saw the loss of these players at the start of the season as a bad thing...

[The Real Sandhurst Royal]

Blackpool - The biggest rip off in the championship this season.

£27 for a ticket to sit on an open terraced temporary stand
£3.50 for a programme.

The FA needs to step in a regulate prices because Blackpool are ripping off the fans.

[Royal_Belly]

Just got in...ruined an otherwise very enjoyable weekend up north to tell the truth. Nice weather and all that...

As for Coppell having the cheek to walk over to us at the end, I cannot wait until he leaves - with every game he stays he's holding us back.

You really are a plonker aren't you! How dare the maanger come over and applaud the fans to thank them for travelling and spending their hard earned money and time week in week out!

[Turns8]

Just got in...ruined an otherwise very enjoyable weekend up north to tell the truth. Nice weather and all that...

As for Coppell having the cheek to walk over to us at the end, I cannot wait until he leaves - with every game he stays he's holding us back.

You are such a great fan looks like you have your wish though as he will be gone by 2:30 this arvo....so do pray tell, just who exactly you can see coming in and leading us forward...

[bobby1413]

looks like you have your wish though as he will be gone by 2:30 this arvo....so do pray tell, just who exactly you can see coming in and leading us forward...

eh?

[cmonurz]

Just got in...ruined an otherwise very enjoyable weekend up north to tell the truth. Nice weather and all that...

As for Coppell having the cheek to walk over to us at the end, I cannot wait until he leaves - with every game he stays he's holding us back.

You are such a great fan looks like you have your wish though as he will be gone by 2:30 this arvo....so do pray tell, just who exactly you can see coming in and leading us forward...

TBF I made the same mistake when I first read that thread this morning.

[Royal Lady]

@ Turns!!

Agreed about prices of the stand - it's criminal.

I caught the sun and sat next to AFers all game. Skillz.

[papereyes]

There are some genuinely witless people out there, aren't there.

[Alan Partridge]

:lol: @ Turns!!

Agreed about prices of the stand - it's criminal.

I caught the sun and sat next to AFers all game. Skillz.

I would have thought that to be the ideal place for a bit of shade!!