Reading FC (A) Matchday Thread

[Phoenix]

2 hours ago, Wistaston Ram said:

What is it about Reading that brings out the best in our heading?

It rhymes.

[Ruud Aralliss]

1 hour ago, StrawHillRam said:

Thanks

All I want for my birthday presents are:

1. Successful takeover compete in the next 2 to 3  weeks

2. Rams avoid relegation this season

3. Keep the players we currently have for at least a couple more years

4. Gibson and the Wycombe winker fail in their scavenging and get some bad karma in return

5 Oh and my premium bonds give me a big win

Not much to ask for surely?

1 out of the 5 would be nice

[Phoenix]

That was a pleasing and unexpected result. Our silver wedding anniversary, most of the family round, no chance to check the score.

My daughter's partner, a Cov fan, is quite intrigued in our escape battle, and just as he was leaving, was quite apologetic informing me we were 2-0 down with a few minutes left.

Imagine my surprise, as they say in letters to the Telegraph, when I checked the result a little later.

[strawhillram]

8 minutes ago, Phoenix said:

That was a pleasing and unexpected result. Our silver wedding anniversary, most of the family round, no chance to check the score.

My daughter's partner, a Cov fan, is quite intrigued in our escape battle, and just as he was leaving, was quite apologetic informing me we were 2-0 down with a few minutes left.

Imagine my surprise, as they say in letters to the Telegraph, when I checked the result a little later.

 Congrats on your silver wedding anniversary. Good luck for the next 25 years

[Phoenix]

Thanks

2 hours ago, StrawHillRam said:

 Congrats on your silver wedding anniversary. Good luck for the next 25 years

Thanks for that, Trouble is I'll be 106 by then! (Not my first marriage). Thirty's the next realistic target I guess.

[DavesaRam]

Thanks to all for the birthday wishes, especially the never-say-die Rams! I had a great day, and would have been back home to report in if it wasn't for a guy totalling his TVR Tuscan right in front of us on our way home!

My bestest, Veronica, had suggested we go somewhere for my birthday rather than just fritter it away at home doing not very much, but I suspected nothing because she doesn't do football. Besides, she is awaiting knee replacement surgery so no way could she climb up the terraces and then stand amongst a load of away fans for 90 odd minutes! But she did, and really got into the game! She even observed that we kept using the same tactics every time we attacked - spot on of course. Our preference for playing through the middle was being stifled, so we focussed on the wings and on crosses, so there seems to be a knowledgeable footy gal in there somewhere! Bless her!

With the early flurry, and that save!, I thought that Reading would maybe give us quite a challenge, but like many teams this season, they moved it around well in their own half and approaching our area, but there wasn't a lot of threat to show for it. The stats say that we outperformed them in all areas except for fouls committed. As an aside, despite beating us on fouls, yet again it is Derby who end up with the most yellow cards!

We too moved the ball around, but it was around the majority of the pitch. Sadly, for most of the match we were a bit too reticent when it came to taking a shot. Reading did defend well, and were prepared to throw bodies in the way, and many of our final decisions were not the best choices. And Max Bird, who excelled all over the pitch, let us and himself down two thirds of the way through the second half when he had a golden opportunity to let fly right in front of goal, but passed the ball sideways at the crucial moment and the chance was gone. I suppose he has got to make one or two mistakes, saving the perfect performance for the final, safety-ensuring match of the season where he earns himself his England call up!!!!

Our midfield was very "together" and ran the show, so all Reading had to offer was (a) lump it up to Carroll, (b) lump it up to Carroll and (c) every one play like Carroll. Veronica was concerned at 0 - 1 and then at 0 - 2 that my day out was going to be ruined, but I had already determined that it was going to be a great day out regardless of the score. The Rams don't need to win for us to support them, do they? DTID!!!

I have to admit that I was resigned to defeat after about 70 odd minutes when it seemed that absolutely nothing was working out for us, not matter what we did, and no matter how hard we worked. Yet all the time the pressure was building, especially after Reading had foolishly decided to park the bus and let us come onto them. My daughter looked at me and said "All I want is just 1 goal because we deserve that". Their keeper flapping at the ball gave CKR all he needed to bundle the ball over the line, at which point Naomi said "I meant 2 goals". OK said Curtis, and that was it, the day was done! With hindsight, perhaps she should have asked for the hat-trick!

I had been warned about the ref by a friend who is a fully qualified referee himself, in light of his performance when we played them earlier in the year, and I quote: "Just a heads up...... the ref today is John Busby. His previous Rams game was the 1-0 home win (Fozzy header) against Reading earlier this season. He was roundly criticised for being vastly pro Reading in his decision making. I hope he favours the away side again this time."

Well this time he gave us loads of free kicks, so was obviously aware of Reading's use of the dark arts to stop us building up any momentum. But he failed to throw a few yellows to nip it in the bud. Similarly when their keeper was blatantly wasting time, there were enough offences to warrant two yellow cards (not as if that would happen in any match, with any ref, of course), and his 3 or 4 "strong talkings to" were probably along the lines of "If you don't stop it, I shall be upset, and may even pout a bit". And although Sky reckon that Carroll's elbow to Jags head was unintentional, I must wonder If the 1st half leniency gave him the impression that he could use his elbows if he wanted to?

Apparently after the match the Sky pundits reckoned that Reading were in total control, and that Derby were never really in the match. That is despite their own stats saying the total opposite. We know different, and apart form getting the number of goals our play deserved, we absolutely ran the show.

Veronica pointed out the young guy with the straw coloured hair played really well, and changed where he played on the pitch after the substitutions" - I married well, didn't I? - she was speaking of young Tommo, who would have been my man of the match if it wasn't for Curtis Davis doing what he does best! And Tommo increasingly started trying defence-splitting through balls as the second half wore on, so maybe he has even more in his locker than we thought!

What a team! What a season! What a time to be a Ram!" COME ON YOU RAMS!

Edited January 4, 2022 by DavesaRam

[strawhillram]

44 minutes ago, Phoenix said:

Thanks

Thanks for that, Trouble is I'll be 106 by then! (Not my first marriage). Thirty's the next realistic target I guess.

Enjoy each one as it comes

[jono]

On 03/01/2022 at 21:05, Unlucky Alf said:

I got promoted, Once area 47 ?‍♂️ was closed down I was moved to area 51 where the real Aliens are?

????? I was never good with numbers … where did I get 47 from ? May be that was where they filmed Plan 9 from outer space .. The greatest golden Turkey sci fi movie ever. .. With petrol soaked paper plates standing in for UFO’s and the immortal line that went something like  …. “ it’s murder, and  … someone is responsible”