Reading v Derby County

[SamUltraRam]

1986/87 Arthur Cox slow start - improve in Autumn - result promotion

1995/96 Jim Smith slow start - improve in Autumn - result promotion

2006/07 Billy Davies !! slow start - improve in Autumn - result promotion

 

Just saying like, keep the faith

[froggg]

Just how tragic is the Reading fan base?

[Inglorius]

Play nicely chaps, lets discuss the points raised without any personal stuff.

Inglorius, you seem very unhappy about the league position, it seems harsh after 7 games tbh.

I wouldn't say I'm very unhappy I just don't think it's a fair return that's all but not going to labour that point anymore am more unhappy about a debate degenerating into playground silliness to be honest 

[harryram]

You didnt justify how £20 million on transfer fees to yield 10th spot is a good return

are you for real??? £10 million of the spending has played in 2 games and we have won both these games!!!! How about less time moaning and get back to your maths homework as obviously you need it as we are 7 points from second place aren't we?????

[Manc Ram]

I was at the game tonight and in my opinion I thought before the game against a team who won 5-1 on their last outing we would struglle. They started full of confidence and our defensive performance took the steam out of them and in truth the game looked 0-0 alover at 11v11. We played with more fluency after the break and link play was sometimes really good. I didnt see the sending off as it was right in the corner away to our left. I thought Shackle was on thin ice as refs sometimes like to even things up. I still think we need to put more pressure on the ball and pay with a bit more pace. Their attendance was prety shockingly low. the fact they have a specific loathing for Swindon amused me for some reason.

[Oxram]

It's Hendrick that's my concern. I had it as an unfortunate coincidence before tonight but it's yet another game where the goal has gone our way with him off the pitch.

With Hendrick on the pitch we have 1-0 down to Middlesbrough, 2-1 down to Leeds,  1-0 down to Preston, 2-1 down to Portsmouth and 1-1 against Charlton, 0-0 against Bolton ( equivalent to 2pts)

Without Hendrick we have a 1-0 up against Middlesbrough, 1-1 draw with Birmingham, 2-0 up against Preston and a 1-0 against Reading tonight. ( equivalent to 10pts)

I know it's not an exact thing and different game situations but it's not great. I might be wrong as I haven't double checked but I think the only time we have been behind in a game without Hendrick is at Birmingham.

[Inglorius]

are you for real??? £10 million of the spending has played in 2 games and we have won both these games!!!! How about less time moaning and get back to your maths homework as obviously you need it as we are 7 points from second place aren't we?????

I would love to deconstruct that whole paragraph and recast it into some semblance of meaning I think you've got some chewing gum stuck on your keyboard over the exclamation and question marks

[Inverurie Ram]

Am not sure how anyone could put a positive spin on our league position given our huge transfer outlays so far, our league position does not justify spending circa £20 million on transfer fees

Inglorious why the fear? We are Super Derby County and we have Super Paul Clement and are climbing fast up the table.

We won, enjoy it.

"To the childhood I lost, replaced by the fear"

http://youtu.be/l_LLQT0fUWY

 

 

[North_Stand_Ram]

Moaning ?

 

Jason Shackell and Richard Keogh were immense tonight. 

[eddie]

Moaning ?

 

Jason Shackell and Richard Keogh were immense tonight. 

Agreed.

I never thought that we looked in danger of conceding tonight - and after the sending-off, it was more than likely going to be a second win on the road.

Like I said after Saturday's win at Preston, the result was everything - and I've got a feeling that we will see off Burnley too.

 

[harryram]

I would love to deconstruct that whole paragraph and recast it into some semblance of meaning I think you've got some chewing gum stuck on your keyboard over the exclamation and question marks

Deconstruct what you like pal and recast it if it makes you feel better and lets semblance that in the last two away games in less than 72 hours we have picked up 6 points out of 6!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[SillyBilly]

Just how tragic is the Reading fan base?

Bit harsh that pic as the other stand to the immediate right is pretty much packed out. But yeah, not great support.

[Posh Ram]

Bit harsh that pic as the other stand to the immediate right is pretty much packed out. But yeah, not great support.

The other stand to the right were quite good value as well I thought, not the usual library atmosphere.

Impressed with Butterfield. Christie looks a lot better. Thought Johnson was crap, but he was playing in a difficult position. Hanson really impressed me after coming on; would play him instead of Hendrick next game. Ince was a bit hot and cold but took his chance well, would keep him in the side for the next match.

Overall, a decent performance although a bit of a shame that it took a freak red card for us to dominate the game. That being said we look very solid at the back, and I think the attack is still a work in progress. When that work is completed we'll be comfortably top 6, pushing top two.

[i-Ram]

Good 3 points.

Quality of football from both teams though was generally poor to be frank.

Keogh and Shackell looked very secure throughout, and Carson did everything that was needed, but I would question anyone who gives anyone higher than 6/10 after those 3.

Good that Ince scored, it will hopefully help him because again tonight he didn't seem at the races, and it will be good to have Thorne back so Johnson can play further forward on the left - he did a job tonight, and he had a couple of nice drifted through balls to Fozzy, but he was a bit shaky at times. 

Bit concerned that we still don't appear to be getting anyone close enough, consistently, to Martin. Russell and Ince were rarely close to him, but strangely too many times we played without width. The one time we got someone close to Martin in the box we scored.

With Thorne back I think 442 suits us best, or 4132 if you like, and against Burnley if I were to make changes I would probably rest Christie, bring Thorne in for Hendrick, play Johnson, Butters and Ince in front of Thorne, and have a front two of Martin and Weimann.

Good 3 points.

[mcsilks]

Reading through this thread, I find it rather sad how anything negative about our performance albeit a winning performance is slated and ridiculed.

I was not at the game but from the sounds of it, we were poor tonight and hanging on a little against 10 men. 

I want to hear opinions from those who were at the game. I want to hear how we played. I want a true account, not some account written so as not to upset those among who think DCFC are against criticism just because they get 3 points. 

If Derby play badly, win or lose, fans have the right to moan...particularly when we have spent 20M in the transfer market in order to improve results and performance.

Can you imagine how little we would learn if Clement had the same rather immature approach?

[Colm]

Just got back, pretty tired so not read anything yet! Pretty poor game tbf.

Very even game, I'd say the first half Reading were the better side, atmosphere from our fans throughout was pretty poor although I dont think either team really gave much to sing about. Really dull first half, didn't see the sending off.

Ince's goal was probably one of our only chances in the game although having said that both sides rarely created any real goal scoring opportunities, everything was snuffed out by each defense.

Second half, once we scored they were all over us, definitely didn't feel like 11 v 10! Really glad we got the 1-0 because there were no opportunities for us to get the second and it seemed like Reading had the better goalscoring opportunities in the second half. Seemed like we were happy to sit back on the 1-0 rather than go for more against 10 men.

On the positive side it looked like our defence was pretty solid, although in terms of creating chances it seemed like we couldn't seem to keep the ball and create a chance at times.

Once we brought Bent on it seemed like we were really against it, he didn't really help much, really felt like they had the extra man.

On the positive side it was a really good result coming away with a win against a reading side that had just won 5-1 against ipswich on friday. The team really need to start thinking positively and moving the ball quicker as all of our passes were easily read and marked by Reading to easily intercept. Lots of improvement needed for Burnley, Really hope the tom ince goal gives him some confidence to go on and kick-start his season to score a few more for us.as he was shocking before the goal.

UTR.

[The Scarlet Pimpernel]

I went. We were very good defensively. The whole back 5 were solid and pretty much won us the game. I thought we were very lack lustre and ponderous in our forward play. I will take the 3 points all day long but we are as yet far from the finished article. Not sure if it's playing to orders or just plain laziness but we are not "at it" going forward.

[Duracell]

I just don't get why we're meant to be Barcelona straight out of the block just because we spent money? If that's the way it works, you might as well just give the money to the Football Leauge instead and ask to be promoted without playing any matches.

We're so early into the season that you'll forget what's even happened in these matches by the end of April. Who doesn't even count the Clough parts of the 2013/14 season as part of that season? In our collective minds, we seemed to start from 0 again in October that season.

I don't want to be drawn into the age-old "right to moan" arguments, and I think people do have a right to criticise and protest - just why now? How long have you been watching football to expect success just to appear overnight, without any sort of struggle along the way?

Where we are now doesn't matter. It matters where we are in May, and a slow start might be part of that. Remember when we beat Bournemouth 2-0 last season, at home? Some belittled it as an unconvincing win against ten men who might trouble the play-offs. Wasn't obvious from their form up to that point that they were going to win the league - in fact, have a look at where that defeat left Bournemouth here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/29320604

But where Bournemouth were after 10 games at the end of September counted for little in the end. It was a chapter in the story, but it's not the story itself.

This "I'd expect us to be above mid-table" thing is an absolute nonsense. It's just applying unnecessary pressure on a team trying to gel and a manager attempting to lean. Whatever next? "For £20m, I'd expect it not to be 0-0 after 10 minutes".

We spent £20m to get us into the top 2. Not to be in the top half of the table in September. There's ages yet - you could sleep with your missus tonight, conceive a child, watch the beautiful process of child birth and take the child home for the first time before you find out where we finish.

[Cam the Ram]

http://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/football/competitions/championship/9993026/reading-0-1-derby

 

[Mr Tibbs]

I hate this instant attitude in football. When has splashing the cash ever guaranteed anything instantly in football? There are a lot more factors that will contribute to us winning the league than this 20 million pound tag that's been thrown around.

7 games in for crying out loud. Thankfully Mel has his head screwed on properly and knows we're in it for the long haul, may it be this season, next season..

Good win, decent start now. Started to look like we had a little hangover from last season but we've hopefully put any doubt to bed with these back to back wins. Onto the next one.