Everton v Reading 2/9/08 [R]

Oh no this do not look good. Doyle is down.

Phew.... now his is up on his feet. That is one thing we cannot afford...injuries.

 

38th minute:

This game is back and forth with no real shape. Reading seem to have a slight advantage at this point. Everton just looks flat which is good for us. Superman seems to have brought some life to the back line which is a welcome change.

 

Halftime:

Reading has the edge but have not capitalized on several chances. The game not had much flow and the Reading back line has been frustrating to Everton. Hahnemann has been well protected and hasn't had to make the saves like in the previous couple of matches. Everton's best chance came right before half from a corner. This game is anyone's for the taking and Reading needs to push up more and pressure the Everton defense. One point would be nice but 3 points is really needed and possible in this one.

 

Everton 1-0 on a close one from Jagielka. Was he offside, too close to call. Poor defense by Reading on that one. Hopefully this won't kill our spirit.

 

FT Everton 1-0

If the ship isn't righted soon, we'll be looking at playing Derby again next year in the Championship League

 

Once again a tale of too little...too late.

I think what killed their spirits was Madejski not willing to spend more than three pence in the transfer window. Hopefully the celebrities he brings to matches won't mind seeing Reading play Swansea.

We needed an established right winger and right back. Not to mention that injecting some new players into the mix would have produced exactly the sort of momentum they need right now to pick up some points.

 

FT

Another bad loss for Reading. Reading have to be one of the unluckiest teams in the EPL. The ball just seems to always bounce the other way. They made one mistake on defense and it cost them the game. I suppose that is what makes the EPL the best league in the world. It is so frustrating to see them lose close game after close game. This is now 7 games in a row they have lost and I don't see any hope at this point. They play well but cannot get a result. Relegation really worries me at this point. Derby and Fulham lost today as well but Birmingham have drawn and now we are in the relegation zone because of goal differential. If the season ended today we would be relegated. I don't know what can be done. It is almost unfair because Reading is a good team and deserves to be in the EPL but if we can't get a result than we haven't earned it.

The positives from the game was the spurt that Kebe gave when he was subbed in. He nearly got a goal if not for a great defensive play by Jagielka who was definitely the man of the match. Hunt was his usual self giving 110% and challenging everything that came his way. Long came in and gave some spark but it was too little to late.

The negatives were that another mistake by the back line cost us another game. The back line was solid overall but that one mistake erased that effort. Kitson was virtually invisible in the front as he made no difference in this game and was eventually subbed in favor of Long. Other than that is was a solid performance but an unlucky result.

Our next game is in 2 weeks at the Mad Stad vs. Aston Villa and they have been playing very well as of late. I am not confident we can get a result against them either. I am trying to maintain some confindence in the team but the ball needs to bounce our way a little so we can break this losing streak. At this point nothing else can be said. We need to win every game and get ahead of the other teams in our part of the table. Derby is as good as done and Fulham seems just as unlucky as we are so they have little hope as well. We need to take advantage of every opportunity in order to remain in the EPL. It won't be given to us that is for sure.

 

A tough loss for so, but for me it was a bit hopeful. Watching the game, I remember thinking that Reading, all game, did not look like a Championship side. True, they did not seem like a Champion's League club either, but definitely gave Everton, a very good side this year, a run for their money. However, it does worry me that the look of the side means nothing if we can't get the results. I have to agree with Laudy that we must be the unluckiest club in the Premiership right now, they seem to put their best effort in and deserve the result, but just don't get it due to one small mistake or unlucky bounce.

Our next month provide a few chances for some points. Aston Villa has been good as of late, but I think they are beatable, especially if we play as well as we have against Chelsea, Man U, or even some of this last game. Away to Middlesbrough gives us a chance for points, but it's certainly not a sure victory or even a sure draw. Then we have Manchester City at home, in which a very good showing could give us a result, and then away to Liverpool, which I really don't know if we can expect too much from. Overall, some good showings and we could get back to mid-table, but if we stay on this unlucky streak we could have trouble.

 

Reading really have got to get a grip. Coppell is to layed back and needs to tighten things up. It is so so sad to watch a good team piss their hard work away. It took the over 100 years of the clubs history to get to the top flight and now we got only 1 man who gives it his all every game (Hunt) the rest seem to fall asleep. Sonko has been Rubbish. How can this can be the same man the we used to sing "Sonko is Superman ", he's bloody hopeless and stand around like a statue half the time.
Lets face it "we're going down, we're going down, we going ,Readings going down"
I'd love to say other wise but it's the truth, and the way we are playing we're going to get eaten alive in the Championship and probably do a Leeds. Time to Move on Coppell and bring in a decent magician to perform a miracal, pity Tommy Coppers dead he would have brilliant.

 

While I can agree that some change may be in order, your pessimistic view is bit out of touch. I also agree that Hunt has been the only clear cut player that is leaving it all on the field I can't truly say that the others are "falling asleep". Today's game was depressing as a whole but the team showed heart and determination against a tough home side. I can't say for sure that this team won't be relegated but they are better than you say. Sonko really helped today and his size added another dimension that has been missing. He did make some mistakes but overall he was no better or worse than anyone else. I agree with Coppell that if they play the way they did today the results will come. We don't have to win every game we just have to keep ahead of Derby, Fulham, and Birmingham.

As far as replacing Coppell, that is one of the most ridiculous and stupid comments I have heard in a long time.

 

2 things:

1. Corners & crosses, corners & crosses, corners & crosses, corners & crosses, corners & crosses, corners & crosses, corners & crosses...
I hope to God that Reading spend a good deal of their time before Aston Villa working on their friggin corners AND crosses. What I'm saying is that they could use a bit of improvement there.

2. As for Reading's future in the Prem, IF they can play the rest of the season like they did v Everton (Man U, Chelsea, i.e., NOT Bolton) they have a very good chance of staying up. Their schedule is, by far, the easiest of the bottom 8 (Fulham actually has a relatively easy schedule as well). I have to assume Derby is done (past performance, future schedule, sorry boys). If you look at the next 5 or 6 in the table and their remaining games... I have to say Bolton is in a world of hurt and wonder if their January signings will be enough. Wigan also has a tough road to the finish. Maybe I'm grasping at straws, but I think we have a good chance of finishing in front of 2 of Fulham, Birmingham, Wigan and Bolton.

3. (OK 3 things) I think, barring injury, we've seen Convey start his last game this season.

 

As bad as Convey played in the USA-Mexico game, I think you are right. To be honest, I am beginning to wonder if the knee injury that he had last year is a "career ending" injury because he's just not looked good since the injury.

 

When Convey went out a second time last year on that same knee I was saying that I thought he was done then and everyone thought I was nutz. Once you get a serious knee injury you are never the same again. That is just the way it is. The sad part is he was just finding his place. He can come home and make a good living in MLS, but his days as a top international are done.

 

I'm not ready to completely write Convey off - just sentimental I guess. I think he will continue to work on improving - he seems to work himself into teams. I'm hopeful he'll keep a spot on the bench, maybe get some confidence back on the Reserve team and make a good run this summer in WCQ games and be ready to fight for a starting spot next season.

 

Convey did not look good at all in the last couple of games including the U.S. game. I hope it is not too serious. Regardless of the injury, with the introduction of Matejovsky I think Convey was the odd man out. Hunt isn't losing any time and Harper doesn't look to be moving anywhere. It seems that Coppell would rather us Oster at this point. I can't say I agree but if Convey is at all injured then we need to let him heal and come back stronger.

 

Agreed, Convey should work at getting back up to fitness especially considering Beasley is out with an injury and who on earth knows what is going on with Mapp.

Anyone else seen the Kebe is our version of Henry article on Sky?

He's only on 10 minutes and he's drawing those kind of comparisons. So either its the fact that Everton were exhausted from being on the wrong end of keep away or....