Derby v Reading

[JJH]

What a sad end to the season, and probably to McClaren's reign.

 

[slaphead]

I swear Appiah has played for every football league club already.

And most of non-league.

 

[mistermagic]

Sky coverage just adds to the pressure. We'll gift Reading a couple of goals, and we'll miss out on the playoffs.

Yay.

Derby 1-2 Reading

Poor Rammy.

 

[Mr Elmo]

Piss off football.

 

[Madejski]

We only won 5 away games all season - Norwich, Middlesbrough, Ipswich, Wolves and Derby.

So based on that Brentford must be annoyed we're not in the playoffs...

 

[M Dogg]

Amazing!

 

[Luke_1884]

Who's genuinely surprised?

Been coming for months, our realistic predictions don't look so pessimistic now!

 

[MagpieBee]

I was completely wrong in predicting this game, and I don't care one bit!!

Unlucky boys, you'll be up there again next year, injuries got you this time around

 

[Abertawe]

I love to see Derby failing.

 

[Rammy]

We all told you, you bastards!

That performance though was diabolical. We looked like the team with nothing to play for, not Reading.

 

[Madejski]

Have to say i'm surprised how well we coped without Pogrebnyak and Mackie, who have largely been our biggest attacking threats the second half of the season.

Part of it down to a fantastic debut by Fosu, one of the best Reading debuts i've seen in a while. Only missing a goal which he so nearly had. Eleventh academy player to make a first team debut this season, wouldn't be that controversial to suggest that we could field an eleven of players next season that came through the academy.

 

[Dazza]

I think we might get a cheeky result here (please do check me for drug usage after this post). The players (I hope) would not like to end the season on such a pathetic note as has been the case in recent weeks.

Well you were spot on with that prediction.Should have asked you what the lottery numbers were going to be.As for the game it was good to have some pace up front.Good performance from Appiah.Fosu looks a very good prospect.Just needs to look up and pass instead of trying to beat everyone but i expect he will learn over time.Last couple of games Norwood has looked very impressive.

Maybe i am being optimistic or i had too many cans of Strongbow on the train back but i can see us in or around the playoff places next season.Hopefully Clarke will have some money to invest rather than having to sell too many players.I would keep Federici, Pearce and Karacan.

 

[Madejski]

Challenging playoffs isn't that much out of the question really. The league is so tight that only a few good signings can turn it around. Think we need 2 strikers and a winger for next season, with at least one of the strikers having a decent amount of pace. Don't think Appiah has been that good, but he has certainly showed what a striker with a bit of pace can do for us, gives us a completely different option when attacking. Not expecting too much though, still got a few too many players on high wages that will be holding us back for a year. Progress, more youth players developing and no worries of relegation would be a good season for me.

I would definitely want to keep Federici and Karacan. Pearce i'm not fussed with, thought his limitations showed today as a very average Championship defender. If Clarke reckons he can find better than i'm willing to let him go. Federici deserves a new contract just for keeping us up this season - admittedly still needs a wage cut.

Glad this season is over, been a long long slog. But then, here we are moaning about a really bad season where we finished 19th in the second tier of English football and got to the FA Cup semi-finals. Would be strange to ask a Reading fan 20 years ago that this would constitute a poor season and they would call me crazy.

 

[Destruction]

Glad to see Ince fucking England off really did wonders for his club career.

 

[TractorBoys]

Thank you for this result, we partied like we were the ones that were 3-0 up when that news trickled through.

 

[The Southbank]

A few more performances like this wouldn't go amiss next season.

 

[Rammy]

It's funny how fans of teams seem to be delighted with a rare great performance against us. Was it really? Did they really raise their game against us, or were we just woeful?

I'd go with the latter on most occassions, and certainly yesterday.

Leeds fans were the funniest. When they beat us at Elland Road, a lot of them genuinely believed they were one of the best teams in the division and would go on to win the league.

 

[Mansfield_Ram]

Where does all the bitterness against Derby come from? Last season we were the neutrals favourites. Now everyone and his dog seems intent on loving our calapse!

 

[Dazza]

A few more performances like this wouldn't go amiss next season.

Maybe next season we will start beating the sides around mid table and bottom half.Our results against the top sides this season were fairly good. 6 points against Norwich and Ipswich.4 from Middlesbrough and yet only 1 from Wigan and none from Huddersfield.

 

[Dazza]

Thank you for this result, we partied like we were the ones that were 3-0 up when that news trickled through.

Least we could do after taking 6 points from you.No idea why but got a feeling Ipswich may turn Norwich over in the semi final.

 

[TractorBoys]

Least we could do after taking 6 points from you.

I'll happily take that trade!

Edit; and your prediction too for that matter!

 

[Madejski]

Maybe next season we will start beating the sides around mid table and bottom half.Our results against the top sides this season were fairly good. 6 points against Norwich and Ipswich.4 from Middlesbrough and yet only 1 from Wigan and none from Huddersfield.

24 points against the top eight clubs, 6 points against the middle eight, 21 points against the bottom third. Definite room for improvement there. If we were as good against the rest of the league as the top clubs this season we would have made 71 points and had a comfortable 9th placed finish.. Amazing that our record against Blackburn, Birmingham, Cardiff, Charlton, Sheffield Weds, Forest, Leeds and Huddersfield was played 16, won 1, drew 3, lost 12... Shouldn't be too hard to better that.

Still don't think it'll take much to transform us into a top half club again. Need a good Summer but I have faith that we'll get the business done early enough this time without the financial stresses of the last few years, particularly last year.

 

[The Southbank]

Keeping Hector, Pearce, Chalobah, Williams and Federici will be the most important thing the club does this summer. Chalobah would be the biggest asset out of that lot, but the club should really bust a gut to sign him. I can't see Karacan staying, which is a real shame. One or two of the youngsters have looked promising, more action for them next season would be very beneficial.

 

[Madejski]

Pearce? If it wasn't his passion* for the club I really wouldn't be bothered. Very limited Championship defender who has been on the decline for years. Clarke probably knows a good CB and I hope he can find the perfect partner for Hector over the Summer. Agree on the rest. Sign two strikers and a winger, try to clear all of the players who won't play next season so the youth can form as able backup. We don't need major surgery to the side, just the right exits and right replacements. Which is where I feel that a longer Summer will help us. Last Summer because of the financial problems we weren't even able to start business until a week or two before the season was due tos tart, meaning our top targets would probably have gone elsewhere already.


*passion that didn't really come into his head when he thought Prem teams were calling a couple of years ago.

 

[Dazza]

Can't see Chalobah staying on a permanent basis.Maybe a season loan deal.Hope Wiliams stays but the guy needs to work on his discipline.Too many times this season he has picked up needless bookings.I'm in too minds about Pearce.In our last promotion season he was outstanding but the last few seasons and especially this he has been well off the pace.We do have Jake Copper who is a talented kid.