From the Sun
Reading 3 Tottenham 1
By ONLINE REPORTER
November 12, 2006
READING ended a run run of five consecutive defeats by coming from behind to beat Tottenham at the Madejski Stadium.
Robbie Keane had given Spurs the lead with a penalty, but goals from Nicky Shorey and Steve Sidwell put The Royals ahead before the break, with Kevin Doyle wrapping up the points late on.
It capped a fine performance from Sidwell, who dominated the midfield with his energy and accurate distribution, bringing to an end Spurs' 10-match unbeaten run.
Spurs went ahead in the 24th minute, with Keane and Hossam Ghaly linking up well.
Keane played Ghaly through and the midfielder was tripped by Ibrahima Sonko, with referee Rob Styles pointing to the penalty spot.
Keane sent Marcus Hahnemann the wrong way and Spurs were ahead.
Reading were level in the 38th minute when Shorey collected the ball from Glen Little 25 yards from goal, took one touch and then unleashed an unstoppable left-footed drive which found the bottom corner.
As their confidence increased, Reading stepped up a gear, taking the lead when Sidwell bundled in Glen Little's corner from close range in first-half injury-time.
Chances proved difficult to come by early in the second half, and Seol was booked for a challenge on Zokora in a congested midfield.
With 23 minutes remaining, Spurs boss Martin Jol responded by taking off Zokora and Lee for Jermain Defoe and Tom Huddlestone.
Reading too made a substitution with Seol was taken off for Leroy Lita, and their's proved to be the more decisive.
Lita flicked on from the goal-kick in the 79th minute, with Doyle finishing low past Robinson.
Defoe hit a post late on but Reading held on for a thoroughly deserved three points.
Reading: Hahnemann, Murty, Sonko, Ingimarsson, Shorey, Little (Gunnarsson 85), Sidwell, Harper, Hunt (Oster 80), Doyle, Ki-Hyeon (Lita 75).
Subs Not Used: Federici, Bikey.
Booked: Ki-Hyeon.
Goals: Shorey 38, Sidwell 45, Doyle 79.
Tottenham: Robinson, Young-Pyo Lee (Defoe 68), King, Dawson, Assou-Ekotto, Lennon, Zokora (Huddlestone 68), Jenas, Ghaly, Keane, Berbatov.
Subs Not Used: Cerny, Murphy, Ziegler.
Booked: Jenas.
Goals: Keane 24 pen.
Att: 24,110
Ref: R Styles (Hampshire).
What the papers say - Spurs
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Royal Fleet
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From Sporting Life
JOL ANGERED BY SPURS DEFEAT
By Mike McGrath, PA Sport
Tottenham boss Martin Jol criticised his side for lacking character as their 10-match unbeaten run was halted by Reading at the Madejski Stadium.
Spurs took the lead through Robbie Keane's 24th-minute penalty but the hosts were ahead by half-time through Nicky Shorey's powerful drive and a close-range finish from the impressive Steve Sidwell.
It was fitting reward for Sidwell, a former Arsenal trainee, who showed his tenacity in midfield throughout as he looked to end Reading's run of five straight defeats.
The 3-1 victory was capped off when Kevin Doyle chased a long kick and finished past Paul Robinson to the delight of most of the record 24,110 crowd.
"At half-time we wanted to put it right but you need personality and character," Jol said.
He added: "It's frustrating, you get angry a bit as well because you can do all the hard work and prepare yourself well.
"If we would have had a good result today everything would be fine - last eight of the Carling Cup, in the UEFA Cup and probably seventh in the league. And you throw it away."
Spurs won away at Reading in a pre-season match before the start of last season but Steve Coppell's men then held an impressive home record until the recent visits of Chelsea and Arsenal.
Jol added: "All credit to them because apart from Arsenal not many teams have won here in the last 12 or more months. But if you make those sort of mistakes you can't win any game.
"So it is good to be back to earth with our feet on the ground and be the team we were before when we had a run of 10 games."
Extending their unbeaten run looked likely when Keane sent Marcus Hahnemann the wrong way from the penalty spot after Ibrahima Sonko had tripped Hossam Ghaly.
"We did okay for the first part of the match, we did everything we had to do - attacked them in the spaces and had a couple of chances and the penalty," Jol said. "After that a couple of players did the wrong things."
Shorey levelled after 38 minutes when Glen Little fed him the ball 25 yards out and the full-back found the bottom corner with a powerful drive.
"We left him and there is normally someone on him," Jol said.
Sidwell levelled when he met Little's corner and bundled home from close range in stoppage time of the first half, with Jol adding: "(Dimitar) Berbatov is in the zone and he left the ball."
Doyle added a third when he chased a Hahnemann kick and finished past Robinson, taking newly-promoted Reading above Spurs in the Premiership table.
However, Coppell said: "It's all about where we finish at the end, that's the be-all and end-all of our season.
"I don't want to highlight of our year to be September, October, November.
"The bottom line remains that if we retain our status in this decision, it will be a far better achievement than gaining promotion last season."
Coppell is pleased with the style of Reading's performances as they look to stay in the top flight.
He added: "That's our way, even if the club doesn't have a huge history in the top flight. There's a Tottenham way of playing, an Arsenal way and a Liverpool way - in our own reserved style there is a Reading style.
"When you're under pressure it's easy to be physical and more direct but we have to resist that to a certain extent."
Meanwhile, Jol has distanced Tottenham from a move for former England captain David Beckham from Spanish giants Real Madrid.
"This is probably the cheapest story ever," Jol said. "Three or four weeks ago we had the same and said 'no' it was rubbish.
"Again, it's rubbish and if it isn't rubbish you can call me a liar."
He added: "I said two weeks ago that we have (Aaron) Lennon, Ghaly, (Wayne) Routledge on loan so we are fine."
JOL ANGERED BY SPURS DEFEAT
By Mike McGrath, PA Sport
Tottenham boss Martin Jol criticised his side for lacking character as their 10-match unbeaten run was halted by Reading at the Madejski Stadium.
Spurs took the lead through Robbie Keane's 24th-minute penalty but the hosts were ahead by half-time through Nicky Shorey's powerful drive and a close-range finish from the impressive Steve Sidwell.
It was fitting reward for Sidwell, a former Arsenal trainee, who showed his tenacity in midfield throughout as he looked to end Reading's run of five straight defeats.
The 3-1 victory was capped off when Kevin Doyle chased a long kick and finished past Paul Robinson to the delight of most of the record 24,110 crowd.
"At half-time we wanted to put it right but you need personality and character," Jol said.
He added: "It's frustrating, you get angry a bit as well because you can do all the hard work and prepare yourself well.
"If we would have had a good result today everything would be fine - last eight of the Carling Cup, in the UEFA Cup and probably seventh in the league. And you throw it away."
Spurs won away at Reading in a pre-season match before the start of last season but Steve Coppell's men then held an impressive home record until the recent visits of Chelsea and Arsenal.
Jol added: "All credit to them because apart from Arsenal not many teams have won here in the last 12 or more months. But if you make those sort of mistakes you can't win any game.
"So it is good to be back to earth with our feet on the ground and be the team we were before when we had a run of 10 games."
Extending their unbeaten run looked likely when Keane sent Marcus Hahnemann the wrong way from the penalty spot after Ibrahima Sonko had tripped Hossam Ghaly.
"We did okay for the first part of the match, we did everything we had to do - attacked them in the spaces and had a couple of chances and the penalty," Jol said. "After that a couple of players did the wrong things."
Shorey levelled after 38 minutes when Glen Little fed him the ball 25 yards out and the full-back found the bottom corner with a powerful drive.
"We left him and there is normally someone on him," Jol said.
Sidwell levelled when he met Little's corner and bundled home from close range in stoppage time of the first half, with Jol adding: "(Dimitar) Berbatov is in the zone and he left the ball."
Doyle added a third when he chased a Hahnemann kick and finished past Robinson, taking newly-promoted Reading above Spurs in the Premiership table.
However, Coppell said: "It's all about where we finish at the end, that's the be-all and end-all of our season.
"I don't want to highlight of our year to be September, October, November.
"The bottom line remains that if we retain our status in this decision, it will be a far better achievement than gaining promotion last season."
Coppell is pleased with the style of Reading's performances as they look to stay in the top flight.
He added: "That's our way, even if the club doesn't have a huge history in the top flight. There's a Tottenham way of playing, an Arsenal way and a Liverpool way - in our own reserved style there is a Reading style.
"When you're under pressure it's easy to be physical and more direct but we have to resist that to a certain extent."
Meanwhile, Jol has distanced Tottenham from a move for former England captain David Beckham from Spanish giants Real Madrid.
"This is probably the cheapest story ever," Jol said. "Three or four weeks ago we had the same and said 'no' it was rubbish.
"Again, it's rubbish and if it isn't rubbish you can call me a liar."
He added: "I said two weeks ago that we have (Aaron) Lennon, Ghaly, (Wayne) Routledge on loan so we are fine."
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From Sky Sports
Reading made a mockery of the pre-match form to go above a previously in-form Tottenham, after putting Martin Jol's side to the sword 3-1 at the Madejski Stadium.
Tottenham's early dominance of an entertaining affair saw them take a deserved 22nd lead through a Robbie Keane penalty but a lapse in concentration towards the end of the half enabled Reading to profit twice.
Nicky Shorey arrowed a strike past Paul Robinson before on the stroke of half-time, Steve Sidwell ghosted in to put his side into the lead.
Tottenham substitute Jermain Defoe struck the post late on but not before Kevin Doyle had extended the home side's lead with an excellent finish from just inside the area.
The opening rounds of sparring saw Tottenham work a Reading side shorn of belief around the field, as they zipped the ball around with a confidence befitting of their ten-match unbeaten run.
Whilst Reading were full of bluster an obvious lack of confidence was never more so in evidence when after being presented with the first opportunity of the game, Doyle pulled his shot horribly wide.
The home side's ascendancy would, though, prove short-lived as Keane began to drop deep and dictate proceedings with characteristic chutzpah. It was from the Irishman's clever lobbed pass that the busy Hossam Ghaly found himself free down the right but from the midfielder's pull-back, Graeme Murty reacted quickest to put in an important block on Dimitar Berbatov.
Ghaly's next forward foray would prove more rewarding. Again Keane was the architect when a perfectly weighted ball into the Egyptian's path saw Ibrahima Sonko prove less than subtle in his lunge for the ball and a spot-kick was awarded.
Keane stepped up to dispatch with customary aplomb and it looked as though Spurs were more than capable of putting the game to bed, as a neatness to their play saw Reading chase shadows.
However, led from middle by the industrious Sidwell, Reading found themselves heading into the interval as unlikely leaders.
After the ball was shifted from right to left, an advanced Shorey took up possession 20-yards from goal and with an arching precision, his angled drive beat Robinson, who on reflection may be a little disappointed.
Shorey struck in the 37th minute and with Spurs shocked, their woes were exacerbated on the stroke of half-time when some lethargic defending allowed Reading to grab a second.
A Reading corner saw Doyle left criminally free and whilst he failed to make connect with his header, Sidwell did not with a stabbed finish from close range.
If Tottenham were relatively fluid in the first half, what ensued after the interval saw Jol's side struggle to break down a Reading side that looked to have recovered previous lost rhythm.
Berbatov powered a header into the throat of Marcus Hahnemann as Spurs put Reading on the back foot but defensively, Jol's charges always looked less than assured.
Doyle and Defoe both had half chances before in the 78th minute the same pair were involved in the game's pivotal moment.
A previous peripheral Aaron Lennon cut inside before playing in Defoe with a cute through ball, but with the whites of the post in his sights, the striker's shot was screwed into the side netting.
Hahnemann launched the resulting goal kick downfield and after substitute Leroy Lita rose above Michael Dawson to flick on, Doyle let the ball run across his body to net in style past Robinson with a low finish.
Defoe struck a post late on as a crestfallen Spurs looked to work their way back but at the game's conclusion, it was Reading who claimed a three point haul that lifts them above their illustrious counterparts and ends a five-match losing run, that had threatened to cast a shadow over their first Premiership campaign.
Reading made a mockery of the pre-match form to go above a previously in-form Tottenham, after putting Martin Jol's side to the sword 3-1 at the Madejski Stadium.
Tottenham's early dominance of an entertaining affair saw them take a deserved 22nd lead through a Robbie Keane penalty but a lapse in concentration towards the end of the half enabled Reading to profit twice.
Nicky Shorey arrowed a strike past Paul Robinson before on the stroke of half-time, Steve Sidwell ghosted in to put his side into the lead.
Tottenham substitute Jermain Defoe struck the post late on but not before Kevin Doyle had extended the home side's lead with an excellent finish from just inside the area.
The opening rounds of sparring saw Tottenham work a Reading side shorn of belief around the field, as they zipped the ball around with a confidence befitting of their ten-match unbeaten run.
Whilst Reading were full of bluster an obvious lack of confidence was never more so in evidence when after being presented with the first opportunity of the game, Doyle pulled his shot horribly wide.
The home side's ascendancy would, though, prove short-lived as Keane began to drop deep and dictate proceedings with characteristic chutzpah. It was from the Irishman's clever lobbed pass that the busy Hossam Ghaly found himself free down the right but from the midfielder's pull-back, Graeme Murty reacted quickest to put in an important block on Dimitar Berbatov.
Ghaly's next forward foray would prove more rewarding. Again Keane was the architect when a perfectly weighted ball into the Egyptian's path saw Ibrahima Sonko prove less than subtle in his lunge for the ball and a spot-kick was awarded.
Keane stepped up to dispatch with customary aplomb and it looked as though Spurs were more than capable of putting the game to bed, as a neatness to their play saw Reading chase shadows.
However, led from middle by the industrious Sidwell, Reading found themselves heading into the interval as unlikely leaders.
After the ball was shifted from right to left, an advanced Shorey took up possession 20-yards from goal and with an arching precision, his angled drive beat Robinson, who on reflection may be a little disappointed.
Shorey struck in the 37th minute and with Spurs shocked, their woes were exacerbated on the stroke of half-time when some lethargic defending allowed Reading to grab a second.
A Reading corner saw Doyle left criminally free and whilst he failed to make connect with his header, Sidwell did not with a stabbed finish from close range.
If Tottenham were relatively fluid in the first half, what ensued after the interval saw Jol's side struggle to break down a Reading side that looked to have recovered previous lost rhythm.
Berbatov powered a header into the throat of Marcus Hahnemann as Spurs put Reading on the back foot but defensively, Jol's charges always looked less than assured.
Doyle and Defoe both had half chances before in the 78th minute the same pair were involved in the game's pivotal moment.
A previous peripheral Aaron Lennon cut inside before playing in Defoe with a cute through ball, but with the whites of the post in his sights, the striker's shot was screwed into the side netting.
Hahnemann launched the resulting goal kick downfield and after substitute Leroy Lita rose above Michael Dawson to flick on, Doyle let the ball run across his body to net in style past Robinson with a low finish.
Defoe struck a post late on as a crestfallen Spurs looked to work their way back but at the game's conclusion, it was Reading who claimed a three point haul that lifts them above their illustrious counterparts and ends a five-match losing run, that had threatened to cast a shadow over their first Premiership campaign.
Royal Fleet From Sporting Life
"The bottom line remains that if we retain our status in this decision, it will be a far better achievement than gaining promotion last season."
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Royal Fleet Meanwhile, Coppell has distanced Reading from a move for former England captain David Beckham from Spanish giants Real Madrid.
"This is probably the cheapest story ever," Coppell said. "Three or four weeks ago we had the same and said 'no' it was rubbish.
"Again, it's rubbish and if it isn't rubbish you can call me a liar."
He added: "I said two weeks ago that we have (Glenn) Little, Seol, (John) Oster in reserve so we are fine."
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The Daily Mail. Resilient Reading leave Jol fuming
By MATT BARLOW
Reading 3 Tottenham 1
Martin Jol was in a dark mood and would not make excuses for his misfiring Tottenham stars after they blew their chance to forge out of mid-table and into contention for Europe. The Spurs boss accused his team of lacking the 'personality' and 'character' necessary to stop their 10-match unbeaten run grinding to a halt at the Madejski Stadium.
They seized the lead through a Robbie Keane penalty, in the 24th minute, but surrendered meekly once Steve Coppell's well-drilled Reading had fought their way into a half-time lead. Left back Nicky Shorey beat Paul Robinson from 25 yards for the equaliser before Dimitar Berbatov and Didier Zokora failed to pick up their men from a corner and allowed Steve Sidwell to pounce before the break.
Jermain Defoe wasted a glorious chance to make it 2-2, after coming off the bench, seconds before Kevin Doyle killed the game with Reading's third. Jol said: 'If you make those sort of mistakes, you don't get anything. Sometimes we want to play neat football instead of fighting for a result.
'In the second half we had almost 70 per cent of possession and nothing happened. We had too many players below par - not everybody, but too many. Most of these guys had a rest last midweek. 'We knew at half-time the result was getting away from us and we wanted to put it right. But you need personality and character. We didn't show either.' Defoe, who woke to find Sven Goran Eriksson criticising him again yesterday, did his best to prove the former England coach right after coming off the bench.
The Spurs striker is in Steve McClaren's squad for Wednesday's friendly but he is desperate for a goal to restore his shattered confidence. He came on for the last 22 minutes and immediately had the chance to equalise when Aaron Lennon, who was otherwise very quiet, threaded a pass through Reading's defence. Defoe was only an inch wide but, within seconds, Doyle got the better of Ledley King and drove Reading's third past Robinson.
Defoe's misery continued when he hit a post in the closing minutes. Jol said: 'Instead of scoring the equaliser, we go to 3-1. Hopefully, Jermain will put them away again in the future but he hasn't this season. He hasn't been scoring from the first day.'
It took only seven days for the euphoria of beating Chelsea to drain from Tottenham's system. They are in the quarter-finals of the Carling Cup, they have started well in the UEFA Cup and a win at Reading would have hoisted them towards the business end of the Premiership. But their domestic away form has been miserable.
Keane's penalty was only their second league goal away from White Hart Lane this season - the first was an own goal by Aston Villa's Juan Pablo Angel. Keane sent keeper Marcus Hahnemann the wrong way after Ibrahima Sonko had clattered Hossam Ghaly. The Egyptian rolled theatrically but Sonko's heavy challenge was clumsy and mistimed. Referee Rob Styles was right to award a penalty but Reading's Madejski record crowd of 24,110 responded with a chorus of: 'You're worse than Graham Poll.'
Reading equalised through Shorey, a boyhood Arsenal fan, who joined the attack to collect a pass from Glen Little and beat Robinson with a drive from 25 yards. Spurs buckled after that goal. Their assurance vanished, Reading lifted their tempo and stole into the lead as Jol's team lost total concentration in first-half stoppage-time. The marking was virtually non-existent as Little swung a left-wing corner into the area, Zokora kicked at fresh air with a desperate bid to clear and Sidwell arrived to tap the ball in from close range. Sidwell, another Arsenal fan who joined Reading from the Gunners, epitomises his team's approach to their debut Premiership season. He grafts tirelessly and wins the ball but possesses the technique and vision to stitch passing patterns together in centre midfield.
Coppell said: 'Our club do not have a huge history in the top flight but, just as Tottenham play the Tottenham way and Arsenal and Liverpool have their ways of playing, there's the Reading way of doing things. 'When you're under pressure it's easy to be over-physical and more direct, but we have to restrict it.'
By MATT BARLOW
Reading 3 Tottenham 1
Martin Jol was in a dark mood and would not make excuses for his misfiring Tottenham stars after they blew their chance to forge out of mid-table and into contention for Europe. The Spurs boss accused his team of lacking the 'personality' and 'character' necessary to stop their 10-match unbeaten run grinding to a halt at the Madejski Stadium.
They seized the lead through a Robbie Keane penalty, in the 24th minute, but surrendered meekly once Steve Coppell's well-drilled Reading had fought their way into a half-time lead. Left back Nicky Shorey beat Paul Robinson from 25 yards for the equaliser before Dimitar Berbatov and Didier Zokora failed to pick up their men from a corner and allowed Steve Sidwell to pounce before the break.
Jermain Defoe wasted a glorious chance to make it 2-2, after coming off the bench, seconds before Kevin Doyle killed the game with Reading's third. Jol said: 'If you make those sort of mistakes, you don't get anything. Sometimes we want to play neat football instead of fighting for a result.
'In the second half we had almost 70 per cent of possession and nothing happened. We had too many players below par - not everybody, but too many. Most of these guys had a rest last midweek. 'We knew at half-time the result was getting away from us and we wanted to put it right. But you need personality and character. We didn't show either.' Defoe, who woke to find Sven Goran Eriksson criticising him again yesterday, did his best to prove the former England coach right after coming off the bench.
The Spurs striker is in Steve McClaren's squad for Wednesday's friendly but he is desperate for a goal to restore his shattered confidence. He came on for the last 22 minutes and immediately had the chance to equalise when Aaron Lennon, who was otherwise very quiet, threaded a pass through Reading's defence. Defoe was only an inch wide but, within seconds, Doyle got the better of Ledley King and drove Reading's third past Robinson.
Defoe's misery continued when he hit a post in the closing minutes. Jol said: 'Instead of scoring the equaliser, we go to 3-1. Hopefully, Jermain will put them away again in the future but he hasn't this season. He hasn't been scoring from the first day.'
It took only seven days for the euphoria of beating Chelsea to drain from Tottenham's system. They are in the quarter-finals of the Carling Cup, they have started well in the UEFA Cup and a win at Reading would have hoisted them towards the business end of the Premiership. But their domestic away form has been miserable.
Keane's penalty was only their second league goal away from White Hart Lane this season - the first was an own goal by Aston Villa's Juan Pablo Angel. Keane sent keeper Marcus Hahnemann the wrong way after Ibrahima Sonko had clattered Hossam Ghaly. The Egyptian rolled theatrically but Sonko's heavy challenge was clumsy and mistimed. Referee Rob Styles was right to award a penalty but Reading's Madejski record crowd of 24,110 responded with a chorus of: 'You're worse than Graham Poll.'
Reading equalised through Shorey, a boyhood Arsenal fan, who joined the attack to collect a pass from Glen Little and beat Robinson with a drive from 25 yards. Spurs buckled after that goal. Their assurance vanished, Reading lifted their tempo and stole into the lead as Jol's team lost total concentration in first-half stoppage-time. The marking was virtually non-existent as Little swung a left-wing corner into the area, Zokora kicked at fresh air with a desperate bid to clear and Sidwell arrived to tap the ball in from close range. Sidwell, another Arsenal fan who joined Reading from the Gunners, epitomises his team's approach to their debut Premiership season. He grafts tirelessly and wins the ball but possesses the technique and vision to stitch passing patterns together in centre midfield.
Coppell said: 'Our club do not have a huge history in the top flight but, just as Tottenham play the Tottenham way and Arsenal and Liverpool have their ways of playing, there's the Reading way of doing things. 'When you're under pressure it's easy to be over-physical and more direct, but we have to restrict it.'
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The Times
Madejski lovin' it
By Russell Kempson
Reading’s chairman is relishing the future of his team in the Premiership
AS JOHN MADEJSKI MADE HIS USUAL pre-match visit to the home team’s dressing-room, Thierry Henry appeared. The Arsenal captain shook the hand of the Reading chairman, an act of courteous spontaneity. For Madejski — multimillionaire, mega mover and shaker, fervent philanthropist and friend of the stars and celebrities — it was a moving moment. Indelible. “I didn’t ask to shake his hand, but he just smiled, walked over and shook (my hand),â€
Madejski lovin' it
By Russell Kempson
Reading’s chairman is relishing the future of his team in the Premiership
AS JOHN MADEJSKI MADE HIS USUAL pre-match visit to the home team’s dressing-room, Thierry Henry appeared. The Arsenal captain shook the hand of the Reading chairman, an act of courteous spontaneity. For Madejski — multimillionaire, mega mover and shaker, fervent philanthropist and friend of the stars and celebrities — it was a moving moment. Indelible. “I didn’t ask to shake his hand, but he just smiled, walked over and shook (my hand),â€
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Royal Fleet From Sky Sports
After the ball was shifted from right to left, an advanced Shorey took up possession 20-yards from goal and with an arching precision, his angled drive beat Robinson, who on reflection may be a little disappointed.
Did anyone else think Robinson, the England No1 Goalkeeper, was awful? Especially for our first and third...
M4 Junction 11 The Daily Mail. Resilient Reading leave Jol fuming
By MATT BARLOW
Reading 3 Tottenham 1
...
The Spurs striker is in Steve McClaren's squad for Wednesday's friendly but he is desperate for a goal to restore his shattered confidence. He came on for the last 22 minutes and immediately had the chance to equalise when Aaron Lennon, who was otherwise very quiet, threaded a pass through Reading's defence. Defoe was only an inch wide but, within seconds, Doyle got the better of Ledley King and drove Reading's third past Robinson.
...
Excuse me!
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MartinRdgM4 Junction 11 The Daily Mail. Resilient Reading leave Jol fuming
By MATT BARLOW
Reading 3 Tottenham 1
...
The Spurs striker is in Steve McClaren's squad for Wednesday's friendly but he is desperate for a goal to restore his shattered confidence. He came on for the last 22 minutes and immediately had the chance to equalise when Aaron Lennon, who was otherwise very quiet, threaded a pass through Reading's defence. Defoe was only an inch wide but, within seconds, Doyle got the better of Ledley King and drove Reading's third past Robinson.
...
Excuse me!
It was !!
an inch is this big ... right
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M4 Junction 11MartinRdgM4 Junction 11 The Daily Mail. Resilient Reading leave Jol fuming
By MATT BARLOW
Reading 3 Tottenham 1
...
The Spurs striker is in Steve McClaren's squad for Wednesday's friendly but he is desperate for a goal to restore his shattered confidence. He came on for the last 22 minutes and immediately had the chance to equalise when Aaron Lennon, who was otherwise very quiet, threaded a pass through Reading's defence. Defoe was only an inch wide but, within seconds, Doyle got the better of Ledley King and drove Reading's third past Robinson.
...
Excuse me!
It was !!
an inch is this big ... right
i think he means 'an inch tall'
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Reading 3 Tottenham Hotspur 1: Angry Jol questions Spurs' appetite for battle
By Conrad Leach
Published: 13 November 2006
Will the real Tottenham please stand up? Winners against the champions, Chelsea, last week, Martin Jol's side succumbed all too easily yesterday against a Reading side whose confidence showed no signs of having subsided despite their recent run of bad results. Anyone would think Spurs need an opponent unfairly sent off or a goal to be dubiously disallowed. What they really need is a cure for their travel sickness.
This was the Londoners' first defeat in 11 games but continued their poor form of failing to win on the road in the League this season. Then, in response to news that Spurs would move for David Beckham next summer, Jol said those reports were "rubbish." He did not use that adjective for his side's performance here at the Madejski Stadium but he did question some of his players' desire to fight. "Too many players were below par and it's frustrating. Sometimes you play neat football instead of fighting for a result.
"You need players with character and personality." Having out-thought Reading in the opening phase, which led to their only goal, they were subsequently outplayed by their hosts and out-thought by Jol's counterpart, Steve Coppell.
There had been little threat from either side when Spurs suddenly showed some purpose around the penalty area. Robbie Keane flicked a low, first-time pass into the feet of Hossam Ghaly, who was trailed by Ibrahima Sonko. The Reading central defender attempted to nick the ball away but caught the Egyptian midfielder instead. Keane notched up his first League goal of the season as he dispatched the penalty with aplomb, low to Marcus Hahnemann's right, with the American wrong-footed.
The home fans' reaction was to berate the referee, Rob Styles, with chants of "You're worse than Graham Poll." However, the home side came up with a better riposte 15 minutes later.
Reading have lost recently against Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and Portsmouth and picked up just four points from their last six games and, given the way Coppell lauded his opponents in the programme, there was the impression another defeat was coming.
Reading failed to support Kevin Doyle, their only genuine striker in their starting line-up, while Seol Ki-Hyeon, nominally his partner, was dropping deep to pick up the ball on the flanks. With little support from midfield, there was no pressure on the visiting back four.
Then up popped Nicky Shorey. If the midfield had been guilty of staying too deep, the left-back - an Arsenal supporter who truly enjoyed his moment here - took the chance to wander up and duly grabbed his unexpected reward. Glen Little found his team-mate 30 yards out and with no pressure, Shorey moved up and struck his shot low past Paul Robinson, who was slow to get across, although partially unsighted by Michael Dawson. The home fans want Shorey to receive England recognition, something Coppell does not want.
"I like working with my players," he said. "When they get called up they go away for a few days."
Steve Sidwell had been as guilty as any of his fellow midfielders in not pushing up, but when Reading then had a corner in first-half stoppage time he made his presence felt. From Little's delivery, Sidwell was unmarked as he ran in and volleyed past Robinson from six yards.
Yet despite giving the hosts the lea,d the truly pivotal part of the match arrived in the 79th minute. In the space of 40 seconds, Jol's men could have drawn level yet they suddenly found themselves two goals down and in deeper trouble.
Shortly after Jermain Defoe's introduction as a substitute, Aaron Lennon found him with a clever pass inside Shorey but Defoe could only hit the side netting. From the ensuing goal-kick, Leroy Lita outjumped Michael Dawson and Doyle picked up the leftovers. Holding off Ledley King, his shot beat Robinson low to his left and Coppell confessed to feeling "huge relief" on seeing that strike go in.
For Coppell, whose Royals, in front of a record home crowd, leapfrogged Spurs in the table, this was not the crowning moment of the season. He said: "There were a lot of pleasing aspects but I take very little pride from this." His opposite number, long since departed, would have agreed with that.
Goals: Keane pen (23) 0-1; Shorey (38) 1-1; Sidwell (45) 2-1; Doyle (79) 3-1.
Reading (4-4-2): Hahnemann; Murty, Sonko, Ingimarsson, Shorey; Little (Gunnarsson, 86), Sidwell, Harper, Hunt (Oster, 80); Seol (Lita, 75), Doyle. Substitutes not used: Federici (gk), Bikey.
Tottenham Hotspur (4-4-2): Robinson; Lee (Defoe, 68), Dawson, King, Assou-Ekotto; Lennon, Jenas, Zokora (Huddlestone, 68), Ghaly; Berbatov, Keane. Substitutes not used: Cerny (gk), Murphy, Ziegler.
Referee: R Styles (Hampshire).
Booked: Reading Seol; Tottenham Jenas.
Man of the match: Sidwell.
Attendance: 24,110.
Will the real Tottenham please stand up? Winners against the champions, Chelsea, last week, Martin Jol's side succumbed all too easily yesterday against a Reading side whose confidence showed no signs of having subsided despite their recent run of bad results. Anyone would think Spurs need an opponent unfairly sent off or a goal to be dubiously disallowed. What they really need is a cure for their travel sickness.
This was the Londoners' first defeat in 11 games but continued their poor form of failing to win on the road in the League this season. Then, in response to news that Spurs would move for David Beckham next summer, Jol said those reports were "rubbish." He did not use that adjective for his side's performance here at the Madejski Stadium but he did question some of his players' desire to fight. "Too many players were below par and it's frustrating. Sometimes you play neat football instead of fighting for a result.
"You need players with character and personality." Having out-thought Reading in the opening phase, which led to their only goal, they were subsequently outplayed by their hosts and out-thought by Jol's counterpart, Steve Coppell.
There had been little threat from either side when Spurs suddenly showed some purpose around the penalty area. Robbie Keane flicked a low, first-time pass into the feet of Hossam Ghaly, who was trailed by Ibrahima Sonko. The Reading central defender attempted to nick the ball away but caught the Egyptian midfielder instead. Keane notched up his first League goal of the season as he dispatched the penalty with aplomb, low to Marcus Hahnemann's right, with the American wrong-footed.
The home fans' reaction was to berate the referee, Rob Styles, with chants of "You're worse than Graham Poll." However, the home side came up with a better riposte 15 minutes later.
Reading have lost recently against Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and Portsmouth and picked up just four points from their last six games and, given the way Coppell lauded his opponents in the programme, there was the impression another defeat was coming.
Reading failed to support Kevin Doyle, their only genuine striker in their starting line-up, while Seol Ki-Hyeon, nominally his partner, was dropping deep to pick up the ball on the flanks. With little support from midfield, there was no pressure on the visiting back four.
Then up popped Nicky Shorey. If the midfield had been guilty of staying too deep, the left-back - an Arsenal supporter who truly enjoyed his moment here - took the chance to wander up and duly grabbed his unexpected reward. Glen Little found his team-mate 30 yards out and with no pressure, Shorey moved up and struck his shot low past Paul Robinson, who was slow to get across, although partially unsighted by Michael Dawson. The home fans want Shorey to receive England recognition, something Coppell does not want.
By Conrad Leach
Published: 13 November 2006
Will the real Tottenham please stand up? Winners against the champions, Chelsea, last week, Martin Jol's side succumbed all too easily yesterday against a Reading side whose confidence showed no signs of having subsided despite their recent run of bad results. Anyone would think Spurs need an opponent unfairly sent off or a goal to be dubiously disallowed. What they really need is a cure for their travel sickness.
This was the Londoners' first defeat in 11 games but continued their poor form of failing to win on the road in the League this season. Then, in response to news that Spurs would move for David Beckham next summer, Jol said those reports were "rubbish." He did not use that adjective for his side's performance here at the Madejski Stadium but he did question some of his players' desire to fight. "Too many players were below par and it's frustrating. Sometimes you play neat football instead of fighting for a result.
"You need players with character and personality." Having out-thought Reading in the opening phase, which led to their only goal, they were subsequently outplayed by their hosts and out-thought by Jol's counterpart, Steve Coppell.
There had been little threat from either side when Spurs suddenly showed some purpose around the penalty area. Robbie Keane flicked a low, first-time pass into the feet of Hossam Ghaly, who was trailed by Ibrahima Sonko. The Reading central defender attempted to nick the ball away but caught the Egyptian midfielder instead. Keane notched up his first League goal of the season as he dispatched the penalty with aplomb, low to Marcus Hahnemann's right, with the American wrong-footed.
The home fans' reaction was to berate the referee, Rob Styles, with chants of "You're worse than Graham Poll." However, the home side came up with a better riposte 15 minutes later.
Reading have lost recently against Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and Portsmouth and picked up just four points from their last six games and, given the way Coppell lauded his opponents in the programme, there was the impression another defeat was coming.
Reading failed to support Kevin Doyle, their only genuine striker in their starting line-up, while Seol Ki-Hyeon, nominally his partner, was dropping deep to pick up the ball on the flanks. With little support from midfield, there was no pressure on the visiting back four.
Then up popped Nicky Shorey. If the midfield had been guilty of staying too deep, the left-back - an Arsenal supporter who truly enjoyed his moment here - took the chance to wander up and duly grabbed his unexpected reward. Glen Little found his team-mate 30 yards out and with no pressure, Shorey moved up and struck his shot low past Paul Robinson, who was slow to get across, although partially unsighted by Michael Dawson. The home fans want Shorey to receive England recognition, something Coppell does not want.
"I like working with my players," he said. "When they get called up they go away for a few days."
Steve Sidwell had been as guilty as any of his fellow midfielders in not pushing up, but when Reading then had a corner in first-half stoppage time he made his presence felt. From Little's delivery, Sidwell was unmarked as he ran in and volleyed past Robinson from six yards.
Yet despite giving the hosts the lea,d the truly pivotal part of the match arrived in the 79th minute. In the space of 40 seconds, Jol's men could have drawn level yet they suddenly found themselves two goals down and in deeper trouble.
Shortly after Jermain Defoe's introduction as a substitute, Aaron Lennon found him with a clever pass inside Shorey but Defoe could only hit the side netting. From the ensuing goal-kick, Leroy Lita outjumped Michael Dawson and Doyle picked up the leftovers. Holding off Ledley King, his shot beat Robinson low to his left and Coppell confessed to feeling "huge relief" on seeing that strike go in.
For Coppell, whose Royals, in front of a record home crowd, leapfrogged Spurs in the table, this was not the crowning moment of the season. He said: "There were a lot of pleasing aspects but I take very little pride from this." His opposite number, long since departed, would have agreed with that.
Goals: Keane pen (23) 0-1; Shorey (38) 1-1; Sidwell (45) 2-1; Doyle (79) 3-1.
Reading (4-4-2): Hahnemann; Murty, Sonko, Ingimarsson, Shorey; Little (Gunnarsson, 86), Sidwell, Harper, Hunt (Oster, 80); Seol (Lita, 75), Doyle. Substitutes not used: Federici (gk), Bikey.
Tottenham Hotspur (4-4-2): Robinson; Lee (Defoe, 68), Dawson, King, Assou-Ekotto; Lennon, Jenas, Zokora (Huddlestone, 68), Ghaly; Berbatov, Keane. Substitutes not used: Cerny (gk), Murphy, Ziegler.
Referee: R Styles (Hampshire).
Booked: Reading Seol; Tottenham Jenas.
Man of the match: Sidwell.
Attendance: 24,110.
Will the real Tottenham please stand up? Winners against the champions, Chelsea, last week, Martin Jol's side succumbed all too easily yesterday against a Reading side whose confidence showed no signs of having subsided despite their recent run of bad results. Anyone would think Spurs need an opponent unfairly sent off or a goal to be dubiously disallowed. What they really need is a cure for their travel sickness.
This was the Londoners' first defeat in 11 games but continued their poor form of failing to win on the road in the League this season. Then, in response to news that Spurs would move for David Beckham next summer, Jol said those reports were "rubbish." He did not use that adjective for his side's performance here at the Madejski Stadium but he did question some of his players' desire to fight. "Too many players were below par and it's frustrating. Sometimes you play neat football instead of fighting for a result.
"You need players with character and personality." Having out-thought Reading in the opening phase, which led to their only goal, they were subsequently outplayed by their hosts and out-thought by Jol's counterpart, Steve Coppell.
There had been little threat from either side when Spurs suddenly showed some purpose around the penalty area. Robbie Keane flicked a low, first-time pass into the feet of Hossam Ghaly, who was trailed by Ibrahima Sonko. The Reading central defender attempted to nick the ball away but caught the Egyptian midfielder instead. Keane notched up his first League goal of the season as he dispatched the penalty with aplomb, low to Marcus Hahnemann's right, with the American wrong-footed.
The home fans' reaction was to berate the referee, Rob Styles, with chants of "You're worse than Graham Poll." However, the home side came up with a better riposte 15 minutes later.
Reading have lost recently against Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and Portsmouth and picked up just four points from their last six games and, given the way Coppell lauded his opponents in the programme, there was the impression another defeat was coming.
Reading failed to support Kevin Doyle, their only genuine striker in their starting line-up, while Seol Ki-Hyeon, nominally his partner, was dropping deep to pick up the ball on the flanks. With little support from midfield, there was no pressure on the visiting back four.
Then up popped Nicky Shorey. If the midfield had been guilty of staying too deep, the left-back - an Arsenal supporter who truly enjoyed his moment here - took the chance to wander up and duly grabbed his unexpected reward. Glen Little found his team-mate 30 yards out and with no pressure, Shorey moved up and struck his shot low past Paul Robinson, who was slow to get across, although partially unsighted by Michael Dawson. The home fans want Shorey to receive England recognition, something Coppell does not want.
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comeonthebiscuitmen
- Member
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Royal RotherRoyal Rother I wonder how many mentions of Defoe hitting the post and how many of Lita?
So far Defoe 3-0 Lita.
4-0
4-1
Thank you to the Mirror
13 November 2006
ROYAL SLYNESS
BARCLAYS PREMIERSHIP Coppell's artisans out-think and outplay Jol's Tottenham aristocrats
By Neil Mcleman
Reading 3
Tottenham 1
IN a Premiership season full of bad language, and worse behaviour, there is a good news story going on at the Madejski Stadium.
In front of a record home crowd creating an old-fashioned atmosphere, the nouveau riche Royals ran up their best ever top-flight win yesterday to climb above traditional aristocrats Spurs in the Premiership table.
But it is the style of the successful start for last season's runaway Championship winners which is good for the English game. A modest, quietly-spoken manager gets his squad of honest professionals playing football the right way.
No surrounding and pressuring referees, no boring long ball tactics, no disciplinary problems. But lots of admirers. After five successive defeats and only one goal in their last four Premiership games, the temptation must have been to abandon principle in pursuit of points yesterday.
But instead they chose to outthink and outplay Tottenham - with Steve Sidwell outstanding in midfield - to gain what boss Steve Coppell described as a "massive win". It is proof that sometimes the good guys can come first.
"That is our way," said the former England winger. "The club have not got a huge history in the top flight but like there is a Tottenham way of playing, an Arsenal way and a Liverpool way, in our own reserved style there is a Reading way. There is a way we like to do things.
"When you are under pressure it is easy to become over-physical and become a bit more direct. But we have to resist that to a certain extent and play in the right areas."
Yet no-one could have predicted this result halfway through the first-half. Reading began brightly but Tottenham, with only Pascal Chimbonda missing from the team which beat Chelsea seven days previously, soon gained control.
Hossam Ghaly created one chance with a surging run into the home box only for the returning captain Graeme Murty to block Dimitar Berbatov's shot.
But the warning was not heeded and after 23 minutes, the Egyptian midfielder again broke forward onto a Robbie Keane pass only to be upended by Ibrahima Sonko for a clear penalty. Keane stepped forward to score his first Premiership goal of the season - and Tottenham's first strike away in this campaign apart from Juan Pablo Angel's own goal at Aston Villa. But instead of pressing home their advantage, Tottenham were too easily undone by sloppy errors at the other end.
After 38 minutes, Arsenal fan Nicky Shorey was not closed down by Michael Dawson 25 yards out and the left-back unleashed a stunning shot that flew past Paul Robinson.
And in first-half stoppage time Spurs gift-wrapped another. A Glenn Little corner evaded Berbatov and Didier Zokora and an unmarked Sidwell bundled home from four yards.
Spurs were criminally poor at the back but also lacked any guile going forward. Jol acted after 68 minutes with Jermain Defoe and Tom Huddlestone coming on for Young Pyo-Lee and Zokora.
England striker Defoe had a great chance to draw his side level when Lennon sent him through on goal after 78 minutes, but he drove his shot into the side netting - and from Marcus Hahnemann's resulting goalkick Reading killed off the game. Substitute Leroy Lita flicked on the clearance for Kevin Doyle to beat Robinson with a left-foot shot for his fifth goal of the season.
"It is a fine balance whether to stick with what you have got or go for more and it was a huge relief when the third goal went in," said Coppell.
"For the firepower they have got I thought we did well to restrain them. There were a lot of pleasing aspects to the game, the performance and the result."
In a late Spurs flurry, Defoe hit the post again and Berbatov scooped over from six yards out.
But Lita also hit the woodwork and Reading were worthy of their two-goal margin, and of climbing above Tottenham into 11th place in the Premiership. But don't expect Coppell to get carried away with extravagant hyperbole. That is not the way of this club.
"At the moment it means very little. It is all about where we finish at the end," he insisted. "That is the be all and end all of our season. I don't want the highlight of our season to be September, October and November.
"If we retain our status it will be without a doubt a far better achievement than getting up."
43% POSSESSION 57%
4 SHOTS ON TARGET 4
7 SHOTS OFF TARGET 7
2 OFFSIDES 5
7 CORNERS 2
14 FOULS 7
1 YELLOW CARDS 1
0 RED CARDS 0
ATTENDANCE: 24,110
MAN OF THE MATCH: Sidwell
TEAMS AND RATINGS
READING: Hahnemann 7, Murty 8, Sonko 6, Ingimarsson 6, Shorey 8, Little 7 (Gunnarsson 85), Sidwell 8, Harper 7, Hunt 6 (Oster 80), Doyle 7, Ki-Hyeon 5 (Lita 75, 7).
TOTTENHAM: Robinson 6, Young-Pyo Lee 6 (Defoe 68, 4), King 6, Dawson 5, Assou - Ekotto 6, Lennon 7, Zokora 5 (Huddlestone 68, 5), Jenas 6, Ghaly 7, Keane 7, Berbatov 7.
Referee: ROB STYLES
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SpaceCruiser
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