Pre-season friendlies

[Avon Royal]

Would be nice to see us score a goal against an English team.

Can't really blame anyone for that today.

[windermere_royal]

Would be nice to see us score a goal against an English team.

Not going to happen today is it.

[Clyde1998]

Would be nice to see us score a goal against an English team.

We're not playing an English team

[higher]

If Neymar da Silva doesn't quite click with Mr Messi @ Barca praps one of them would like a wee run out with us

[2.8 lita injection]

Taxi for me.

Anyway Swansea are Spanish.

[Gordons Cumming]

I wish they'd hurry up with these other players Anton is promising us.......................

[higher]

Attendance: 6,810

[windermere_royal]

And still waiting for our first home goal under NA, watch out Ipswich

[paultheroyal]

Attendance 6810
Akpan our best player yet missed two clear cut chances.
Players running at our defence still a worry.
Lack of real attacking threat real concern.
Drenthe will be frustrating to watch.

Good night.

[higher]

Toot F/t 0-3 124 urz attacks to Swans 76.. well,well,well bach isnt it!!

[Gordons Cumming]

Did we keep possession of the ball better?

[paultheroyal]

Possession and passing better but not great. Happy with concept but link up play to Le Fondre is shocking. That's what they need to work on.

[paulholsgrove83]

From what I've seen today I can't see how we can justify being favourites for promotion, another striker is a must and quite possibly another attacking midfielder.

[winchester_royal]

Plenty of nice retention, but need to be much more clinical in both final thirds. Much work still to be done, no reason to start slitting wrists just yet though

[SydenhamRoyal]

Plenty of nice retention, but need to be much more clinical in both final thirds. Much work still to be done, no reason to start slitting wrists just yet though

But, being back from the game myself, I am now pretty convinced that wrist slitting time will come

[LoyalRoyal22]

Last season everybody agreed we needed a new striker and some creativity in the middle. The signings we have made look to be quality but Drenthe is a winger and we still very much need another forward and somebody to play in behind the forward. The club have sucked you into positivity with the signings so far, but do not seem intent on completing the squad.

Personally I feel top6 would be realistic, but don't think we will win the league, which Anton has publicly stated is the objective.

[Ouroboros]

Only a friendly but no end product from us.

A couple of City fans I was speaking to thought Glasgow Rangers were a better side than us. A little bit worrying.

Stating the obvious, we need a proven striker.

Were we playing without Pog or Alf?

Or aren't they proven?

One extra striker does not a team make.

ALF is a great impact striker.

Is the Pog proven for Reading?

Only a friendly, so not getting to bothered about it.

Lol@ a UEFA cup winner needing to prove themselves to Reading fans.

[Clyde1998]

Were we playing without Pog or Alf?

Or aren't they proven?

One extra striker does not a team make.

ALF is a great impact striker.

Is the Pog proven for Reading?

Only a friendly, so not getting to bothered about it.

Lol@ a UEFA cup winner needing to prove themselves to Reading fans.

He didn't play in the final - he was suspended

[fruits]

I am totally confused. Normally before the first game of the season I am clear as to what we will
do during the season, usually I more or less get it right.

This pre season we seem well short of a team that will win the Championship.scoring goals is going to be a big
problem.
Alf great goalscorer but is not a line leader.
The Pog looks like a man who can´t wait to get away.
Drenthe will be frustrating.
HRK might come to the rescue.
Kebe , the perpetual sicknote.
Roberts even if he comes back is a year older and it takes a player his age a long time to recover his form from being out of the game for so long.

Perhaps Doyle is the answer.

I see the Brendan Rodgers situation rearing its ugly head , with us playing a lot of pretty football but with no end result.
We have a very difficult start to the season and could be outside the top 12 by the end of September, will the shout be out for Adkin´s head or will we be more patient and give him a season to prove himself?.

Looking at the above depresses me totally , then I remember Adkins great record as a manager who has done really well everywhere he has been.

It is going to be interesting to see how the season plans out,half of me sees us securing a play off place, the other half sees us struggling to be in the top half.

Time will tell I have great confidence in Adkins and his team and am sure that he will have us up there at the top of the league at season end.

Just hope my worst fears are not realised.

[marcusopp]

Look you bell ends, there's another game tomorrow.
I admit, the scoreline is concerning, but we still haven't fielded our strongest XI yet, and no doubt we'll improve throughout the season as Adkins' tactics become more familiar with the players.
I assume our strongest XI will be something like this;
McCarthy/ Feds
Kelly
Bridge
Marriappa
Pearce
Williams/ Karacan
Guthrie
Kebe
Drenthe
McAnuff
Le Fondre
Which leaves a very strong bench. Just a matter of getting games under the belt and gelling and we should be fine.