Reading vs Charlton - 11/18/06 - Pre/During/Post Match [r]

[Postmaster]

Saturday, November 18, 2006
Reading v Charlton @ Madejski Stadium

CLUB GP W L D PTS GD
Reading 12 5 6 1 16 -5 (11th)
Charlton 12 2 8 2 8 -9 (last)

Charlton's Recent League Results
Oct/Nov '06 HOME SCORE AWAY
Mon. 16 Fulham 2 - 1 Charlton (L)
Sat. 21 Charlton 0 - 0 Watford (D)
Sat. 28 Newcastle 0 - 0 Charlton (D)
Sat. 4 Charlton 1 - 0 Man City (W)
Sat. 11 Wigan 3 - 2 Charlton (L)

Player Status
Reading: Convey to miss Charlton game but Kitson continues to progress well (http://www.readingfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News/NewsDetail/0,,10306~928078,00.html)
Charlton: Bent withdraws from England squad (http://www.cafc.co.uk/newsview.ink?nid=29937&newstype=n)

Charlton's Management Situation
Dowie sacked after internal review (http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=391702&cc=5901)
Varney: Dowie a mistake (http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=391812&cc=5901)
Varney hails 'exceptional' Reed after Dowie departure (http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=391741&cc=5901)
From Reading Site (http://www.readingfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News/NewsDetail/0,,10306~927572,00.html)
Other Articles at Charlton's Site (http://www.cafc.co.uk/)

Having an opponent's management in disarray can be a help. [edit...However], now that the move has been made, players will have something to prove.

Mod: Please add an [R].

[Pablo Chicago]

It's the players that have something to prove that bothers me. They've proven they can score on the road (albeit Fulham & Wigan). I just don't want the Royals to take 'em too lightly, especially when this represents our best opportunity to pick up another 3 points.

[mschofield]

I don't think Reading will take anyone in the prem too lightly. charlton, after, has a history there versus Reading's 12 games. Don't know that they had any more to prove than they did last week. Reed is looking at managing his first ever game at the professional level, right? I do think Charlton is better than they've played thus far, but not sure I see them turning their season around in week one, on the road. In any case, Reading came through the murderers row (if hotspurs are included, which they would have been pre-season) with four points, which was about as many as thought possible. IMO, they need nine points in the coming run of five matches, and at their best they could pick up more. But they need three here. To me, this match means more than the Arse, chels, ManU matches, where points are a bonus. To me, these games, against Charlton, Watford, Newcastle, rovers, are, because of a great start, the most important of the season. I think Reading see's them that way, as well. Not one will be easy, but all can be won, and Reading need to win as many of the can be won matches as possible.

[rms5555]

I can't see Reading looking past anyone after this last skid. We need every point that we can grab. Looking at the glass half full, if you take away the own goal to Chelsea and the late goal to ManU and we are 2 points out of a Europe calling. Looking at it half empty we are now looking up at the top half of the table and only 7 points out of the regulation zone. BTW, if anyone is interested Reading is 3-3-2 against Charlton dating back to 1994, but we haven't played them since 1998 so it doesn't reflect the current teams at all, but there is some history there.

[olegunnar]

Boy this is a weird feeling, expecting three points from a match. I feel like a Man Utd supporter or something.

[louis09]

I just got Setanta and did not see the game listed. I also did not see the game on FSC this weekend I thought between the both channels we would see all EPL games?

[mschofield]

I just got Setanta and did not see the game listed. I also did not see the game on FSC this weekend I thought between the both channels we would see all EPL games?
To be fair, when they were setting up the tv sched pre-season, I doubt they were thinking, oooh, look at that one. I mean, on here we were, but then few shared our enthusiasm. More now, I'd think, with Reading's season looking all right.

[prvev]

Luckily, the post-new year's TV schedule isn't set yet (I think), so we may be seeing more of Reading. Hopefully.

Anyway, this is an important match. Against a team below you, at home. One we should be able to win (which I agree, seems weird now), but certainly won't be easy..none will be this year.

[louis09]

Do you think Eddie Johnson will be in attendance at this fixture?

No Convey or Kitson for this one.

[mschofield]

19 points. I'm starting to feel very, very positive about staying up. Gonna have some pretty big offers for Doyle to turn away, though.
During the City-fulham match, heard announcers talking about either cookie or psycho's plan for the year, and part one was being on 20 points by Christmas. Having played every top team in the prem, we're on pace for mid-50s. This year is looking better than I'd imagined.
As for things we learned in this match, Hunt, whose endeavor is, mostly, not rewarded against top teams can make a n impact against the lower teams.
I'd think right now the position is his to lose, and that Convey will struggle to find his way back into the starting lineup. Coming back from injury, he probably expected that. And he could be a real asset as a 70 minute sub in some matches.
Seol gives us another option at target, which is great to know.
We've got to re-sign Sids, now that the door is open again.
And Murty makes a huge difference.

[RichardL]

As Reading’s premiership voyage of discovery entered the previously uncharted waters of an expected victory, the question was whether managerless Charlton would steam ahead, or if they’d be a rudderless ship as so often managerless clubs are, not that when Iain Dowie’s hand had been on the tiller it had been much use at guiding through stormy waters. With games such as this, it’s the prospect of a comparatively easy 3 points that becomes the mermaid to lure errant sailors onto the rocks, and it could have been the story today, had Charlton not clearly had the wind taken from their sails long ago.

It was an intriguing performance. Reading haven’t had the upper had in a match to this degree since the days of the Championship, which unless Charlton new boss can turn them around, is where they are heading, but Reading struggled to turn superiority into goals. The approach play was good enough, with the passing slicker than an 1950s gent’s hairstyle, but with only one player up front, with Seol again floating about in a kind if vague forward position, options were often more limited than the electronic section of a soviet-era department store. What Seol does give Reading up front, that the other fit options lack, is heading ability. It was this that brought the first goal in the 18th minute. It was initiated by Hunt, again on the left, giving a performance more feverish than a ward full of cholera victims, audaciously backheeling to Shorey. Shorey curled in a peach of a cross for Seol, and he buried to perfection from six yards to complete a goal of such beauty you could put a silk sash on it and call it Miss World.

Little then went very close, cutting a shot back across goal, but just past the post with Carson beaten, and doyle had the next best chance, but from a similar position as his goal against Spurs, but on the opposite side, he had the opposite outcome, with it going safely to the keeper. There was still time for Hunt to have two efforts at goal with made you wonder if he’d heard the click of a rifle’s safety catch being released just as he shot as they only troubled low flying birds rather than the Charlton goal.

If Hunt and Sonko have been affected by the Death threats and relating news that’s been raked up again like the leaves in Reading’s streets haven’t, then they didn’t show it. Both played well. Sonko was majestic at the back, but was sporting a new haircut. Rumours that he also now leaves the ground wearing a false glasses and moustache set have yet to be confirmed.

One thing that’s inevitable in games like this is the after half time Charlton were bound to have a good spell. Sadly for their suffering fans, as the game panned out it became clear their only chance of seeing good spell would be to nip out early and get a Harry Potter film from Blockbuster, as they surrendered so meekly as to make you suspect they were trying to inherit their share of the earth a tad early. The result was that in spells the second half got more scrappy than derelict junkyard, but just as you were beginning to suspect that surely Charlton must, on law of averages at least, create a decent chance sooner or later, Reading put the game beyond doubt.

If the first goal was a beauty, the second was more of an ugly sister. It was Sidwell who first went to the ball, but his shot was rather mis-hit, but it kindly fell to Doyle who eased it over Carson to seal the points.

In the end it was more comfortable that a night wrapped up with fluffy pillows and a 12 tog duvet, and although there will certainly be colder nights ahead, Reading currently look to have enough about them to stave off any chills the winter will bring.

[aguy2die4]

Very good game for Reading. They played as a Team, well organised and lot of passing. They were very comfortable in the 1st half and Seol's goal underlined that: Hunt ran several steps into the left hand corner with the ball, did a lovely back pass to Shorey who crossed it into the box, Seol had beaten his marker, Fortune, a long time ago and leaped high (it was indeed a good distance above the ground) and headed it in clean, beating Carson, once a England NT prospect.

Of course the fact that Reading faced the current bottom of the league Charlton with manager and player injury troubles had something to do with it. But there was always the chance for Reading to lose points in a game in which they should secure all 3 points at least on paper. However, 5min into the game you could see it was Reading's day. The Addicks were in total disarray in the back with no midfield. Hunt, by no means a skilled player, managed to find space with ease just by running with the ball enthusiastically. Seol had the Fortune totally beaten the whole game (Fortune later got a yellow card for his frustrations and gave away a freekick in a dangerous position) and not only that he drew defenders away from Doyle by the masses. Murty was great giving Reading's defence the anchor it lacked so much in his injury absence. The newly clean shaven Sonko was great again despite the death threats (perhaps he shaved his head to look even more menacing as a warning to would be attackers, lol)

Sidwell good distribution, Little good on the right wing.

In the 2nd half Charlton, who had once written the handbook on how to stay up in the Premiership, had improved. Yet Reading was still more or less in the driving seat even then. The score on a more lucky day could have been 4-0. Hunt missed two sitters, Doyle and Seol miss hit a great opporuntiy each, Hunt was bundled down in the box, which could have been a PK, there was also that Sonko handball that could have been a PK, and the ref Graham Poll, stopped play instead of playing advantage when Dolye was making a run for goal.

I always knew Seol was going to score with a head. It was a matter of time ever since Coppell put him up front with Doyle. You see, I don’t know if you guys noticed but when Seol was playing right wing, whenever there was a corner, he would often position himself outside the box and looked for the loose balls and did not look to head it in by positioning himself inside the box. But with his position change to the frontline, his job now is to draw defenders off Doyle, go out to the wing once in a while to cross the ball in, weave his magic through the centre, link up with Dolye through the middle (two very good skilled passes today, one with a header on to the path of Doyle right through the middle), and also now to receive the crosses from the wings (as opposed to be the one making them) and head the ball in to the net.

As Koreano and Ycash already mentioned that’s 1 goal from his left foot, 1 from his right and now one from his head to add to his two assists.

So it shows Seol can play successfully in two positions in the EPL, play right wing and up front. But where is he going to stay in the long term? Little who had been under the shadow of Seol recently, got his chance to play right wing and is showing he deserves to start. Seol has moved up to shadow Doyle instead of Lita. And when Kitson comes back, it probably be Kitson & Dolye combination, not to mention Doyle is scoring well (6 goals and he scored in the recent international as well for Ireland against San Marino). Is Seol going back to play right wing? Or is Coppell going to deploy him in a 3rd position on the left wing? As lovable as Hunt is, he is not a premier level player in terms of skill. In terms of commitment and love of the game he is up there, but that’s not enough. Today was his best game so far, but that was because Charlton played like a Championship side whose ranks they might join next year. What about Bobby Convey? Injured right now. Once he is ready to play he wont be able to walk into his old position of left wing. He not only has Hunt contend with but possibly Seol. Still in terms of skill Convey is way better crosser than Hunt, and when he regains match fitness I see Convey starting again. This leaves Seol being an option in 3 positions, which Coppell can play around with to suit his game strategy and formation for different opposition.

Then there is the question of who Coppell is going to buy this January. One thing for sure it sure is interesting times for Reading. Two wins and 6 points after that spell of defeats. Gold dust.

If Reading can play like this again and again, they sure will be well ahead of schedule in guranteeing themselves a place in the Premiership next season before Christmas. Knock on wood couple of times and knock on it a few more just to make sure.

[prvev]

Good win. Not much to say, other than I'm very happy with the 19 points right now and that it was a good performance. Hunt was great, other than his inability to finish. His backheel to Shorey surprised the hell out of me. Of all of the chances throughout the game, the two that were scored on may have been the ones I least expected a goal from.

[Pablo Chicago]

It sucks that we couldn't post here during the match. Fine time for BigSoccer to do an upgrade. I thought Sunday was the slow day :confused:

I listened to the match and ended up posting updates to some of my mates in a Leeds chat room. Apparently my pro-Reading commentary offended some of the Leeds faithful. ;)

[superdave]

19 points. I'm starting to feel very, very positive about staying up.
Not to go OT, but in the YA forum, I made a comment about how Reading is a sort of ongoing experiment on the theory that there are players who have NEVER been in the Prem or equivalent league who could step into the starting lineup of a midtable Prem team and contribute, and that managers who sign Andy Cole and Paul Dickov and Keith Gillespie are lazy and stupid and are wasting money. You pointed out that ALL of Reading's opening day lineup were making their Prem debut, and so far as I know, none of them ever started in the Bundesliga or Serie A, etc.

That theory is looking stronger and stronger.

And I have to say that Watford's showing after the injury to the one player on their team I thought was really good is a bit of support, too. With King, that team wouldn't be in the relegation zone.

[prvev]

Our only player who had played real "bigtime" club football up until this season was Seol, who was with Anderlecht when they went to the Champions League. Actually, he may not have played for them in it at all. I'm not sure.

Anyway, the theory does look right to me. Although I hope clubs keep on bringing in below average-mediocre experienced players, so Reading can keep getting the Kevin Doyles of the world.

[Pablo Chicago]

Not to go OT, but in the YA forum, I made a comment about how Reading is a sort of ongoing experiment on the theory that there are players who have NEVER been in the Prem or equivalent league who could step into the starting lineup of a midtable Prem team and contribute, and that managers who sign Andy Cole and Paul Dickov and Keith Gillespie are lazy and stupid and are wasting money. You pointed out that ALL of Reading's opening day lineup were making their Prem debut, and so far as I know, none of them ever started in the Bundesliga or Serie A, etc.


Interesting theory. I hope MLS clubs subscribe to it now theat they've got some extra pocket change. I'd hate to see MLS turn into the European Pensioners All-Star league.

[T_Rock]

It sucks that we couldn't post here during the match. Fine time for BigSoccer to do an upgrade. I thought Sunday was the slow day :confused:

I agree. I had to listen online, as well. Listening online is a pretty bad way to have to follow a match, but without BS as well.....

I thought this was a soccer-site. Why would they go down on match-day for so many leagues? My theory is that the people who do the maintenance have other jobs and had to get it done on the weekend.

Anyway, sounded like a dominating performance by Reading. A good sign that they "beat the teams the are supposed to beat."

[prvev]

I got to watch it on a stream that took me about an hour before the game to figure out. It started working for me exactly at kickoff. I was quite happy. I would have posted it here if the site hadn't gone down when it did. Do agree that it was an odd time for the site to go down, but I guess they have their reasons.

[RichardL]

Not to go OT, but in the YA forum, I made a comment about how Reading is a sort of ongoing experiment on the theory that there are players who have NEVER been in the Prem or equivalent league who could step into the starting lineup of a midtable Prem team and contribute, and that managers who sign Andy Cole and Paul Dickov and Keith Gillespie are lazy and stupid and are wasting money. You pointed out that ALL of Reading's opening day lineup were making their Prem debut, and so far as I know, none of them ever started in the Bundesliga or Serie A, etc.
.

One problem is that championship managers ask almost absurdly large sums for their players if premiership clubs call. As promising as Freddie Eastwood might be, for example, is gambling on him worth the £2.5 million or so that Southend might ask?

The style of play between the championship and premiership is different, and there's more to it than just a better standard of player. A manager has to be savvy enough to look at why a player like Doyle can be a success, but a player like Lita, who was heavily tipped by many to shine in the premiership, struggles to do so.

Why is it that Murty, thought by many to be the weakest of the back four and a player that might be given a runaround by better wingers, looking like a vital part of the team?

It should also be noted that none of the players, other than Seol, were signed with the premiership directly in mind. Had there not been the release clause in Doyle's contract, one can only speculate what Cork might have asked, and whether Reading would have been willing to pay.

Had Cambridge United not had business acumen that would have embarrassed Apple Corps. Kitson would not have arrived for such a low fee - and his is still, as yet, unproven in the top division.

The key really is to be able to judge if a player has what it takes to make the step up. If you can't do that then "playing it safe" is probably what you'll end up doing.