*** Official City Vs Reading Match Thread ***

[Swales4ever]

so, no mention on MotD to the famous winning grit, never_say_never, die_hard U***d spirit, for the Champions?

surprisingly?

[london blue 2]

It wasnt a penalty, nor was it a foul by Barry for the goal. Mcdermott, a manager who knows his days are numbered, is seeing what he wants to see.

As for us, god we were poor. The performance was flat, the atmosphere in the ground was flat but somehow we got out of jail. Lets hope we make that 3 points very important by winning at Sunderland now - as we have no margin for error we have to win there.

McDermott said that a draw was the LEAST they deserved. Shows how deluded he is.

The only thing wrong with the performance was the lack of an early break through.

[Michael Brookes]

stonewall foul from Barry. Its ridiculous how much hang time he got, even Michael Jordan would be impressed

[Peter Doherty (AGAIG)]

stonewall foul from Barry. Its ridiculous how much hang time he got, even Michael Jordan would be impressed

Bollocks, with all due respect. He jumped for the ball, the defender gave him a 'back', nothing to feel guilty about here....

[Pretty Boy Lee]

stonewall foul from Barry. Its ridiculous how much hang time he got, even Michael Jordan would be impressed

So what was the defender doing then?

[Ted Hughes]

Barry saved our season there.

It wouldn't surprise me if rags slipped up v Swansea now. Would be a typical football kind of outcome. Had we dropped those points, rags would have made us pay but now, it wouldn't surprise me at all if they fucked up.

[Pretty Boy Lee]

Barry saved our season there.

It wouldn't surprise me if rags slipped up v Swansea now. Would be a typical football kind of outcome. Had we dropped those points, rags would have made us pay but now, it wouldn't surprise me at all if they fucked up.

I think that's a tad Ott considering last season, but I'm glad we don't have to find out

[john@staustell]

stonewall foul from Barry. Its ridiculous how much hang time he got, even Michael Jordan would be impressed

Personally I thought it was a foul. BUT when you let the opposition in your half all match and have 26% possession or something, you invite it, and nothing at all was given to us earlier in the match several times, when maybe it should have been. That's the game.

'Forward' pundits on TV today will say the defender should have made it his anyway.

[1an3]

After I yelled when Barry scored, I though 'ooh err' and that it had looked dodgy. Saw the replay on the screens far away, and thought it was one of them sometimes you win, sometimes you lose.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

stonewall foul from Barry. Its ridiculous how much hang time he got, even Michael Jordan would be impressed

Personally I thought it was a foul. BUT when you let the opposition in your half all match and have 26% possession or something, you invite it, and nothing at all was given to us earlier in the match several times, when maybe it should have been. That's the game.

'Forward' pundits on TV today will say the defender should have made it his anyway.

I was worried it would be given as a foul but I don't think it should have been and that us reinforced every time I have seen it since. Shorey made the wrong decision in not trying to go for the header.If he had we might not have scored but by standing his ground and even making a back for Barry he got it all wrong..

Delighted for Barry that he has now done what I see him do in training every week.

[walmai]

Barry didn't foul shorey he fucking jumped and shorey backed into him hoping for the whistle. If he would of stood the fuck up or gone for the ball he would of cleared it and they would of got a very well deserved point for the hard work they put in defending.

Ivanovic did precisely the same thing to us recently.

As a defender, if you're not going to jump at all for a winnable cross, you've clearly decided to risk it for a decision from the ref.

Its poor tactical play and, if coaches are instructing their players to do that, they've got only themselves to blame.

A perfectly well-won goal, on both occasions.

[Tokyo Blue]

I was worried it would be given as a foul but I don't think it should have been and that us reinforced every time I have seen it since. Shorey made the wrong decision in not trying to go for the header.If he had we might not have scored but by standing his ground and even making a back for Barry he got it all wrong..

Delighted for Barry that he has now done what I see him do in training every week.

I agree with this. Shorey backed into him and then ducked, which is why Gaz Barry went over him. If Shorey had jumped, he'd have won the header easily. Good. You don't defend by trying to win free-kicks; you clear the ball.

[london blue 2]

Barry didn't foul shorey he fucking jumped and shorey backed into him hoping for the whistle. If he would of stood the fuck up or gone for the ball he would of cleared it and they would of got a very well deserved point for the hard work they put in defending.

Ivanovic did precisely the same thing to us recently.

As a defender, if you're not going to jump at all for a winnable cross, you've clearly decided to risk it for a decision from the ref.

Its poor tactical play and, if coaches are instructing their players to do that, they've got only themselves to blame.

A perfectly well-won goal, on both occasions.

Yeah I saw that, Carlton cole goal right? I thought we'll done ref at the time. You can always tell by the defenders reaction and both ivanovic and shorey looked like they knew they'd cocked up.

[Mase]

Every other ref in the Prem would have given that as a foul. Dean is a decent ref who doesn't lick anyone's arse.

I remember being at wembers for the cup semi against the rags. Dean gave them a free kick for something and I shouting "well done Mike! You've been their best player today!!"

2 minutes later he sent off Scholes and I was made to look like a right tit (not for the first time).

[Mase]

Blue Moon Dallas enjoyed Barry's winner! Get in.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1T3gP2ex52g">YouTube Link</a>

Quality!!

[Spurge]

McDermott complaining that he didn't get anything from the game. How do you deserve anything if you come to play a team in your own half and have a rare attack?
You can say you defended well, but that does not translate into deserving a point or anymore.
Well done Baz, a bit of grit and bravery won us that. Keep it going city.
Happy Christmas all.

Ok on McDermot first - the goal he felt was a foul on Shorey he needsto take another look at. He should be havin' a pop at his sub as he is culpable for Barry's winner. He bottled it 'a la samir' in a defensive wall. Secondly the pen he claimed was no way a pen and Perace pulling Yaya's shirt in the first half in the box was more deserving of a 'decision'

That said I can't agree with your sntiment about not deserving something for playing in your own half. Defending is as much about the game as attacking, McDermot knew an open approach to the game would be footballing suicide and tactically he was spot on and credit to his team for the discipline and concentration they showed. Against a team like us who can open up a defence in a blink of an eye it was quite a performance for 90 minutes.

Thats the problem for Reading they did a job for 90 mins but forgot about injury time.

[Ted Hughes]

Barry saved our season there.

It wouldn't surprise me if rags slipped up v Swansea now. Would be a typical football kind of outcome. Had we dropped those points, rags would have made us pay but now, it wouldn't surprise me at all if they fucked up.

I think that's a tad Ott considering last season, but I'm glad we don't have to find out

Last season could happen again; we get 8 points behind the rags & they fuck up & we play a blinder. We could get 12 points behind them & they fuck up, of course it's not impossible. How likely is it though ? How often does it happen ?

Are we going to win every single game we play ? We have to catch the rags and also equal & better them in all the other games not just catch them for 3 games. They have been to City & Everton. We have to go to Arse, Goodison & the swamp. We never win at Arse or Goodison.

Last season we put 6 past them on their ground & had a home game we needed to win, this season they beat us on ours & have a home game they may only need to draw. They have Van Persie, we have 4 currently misfiring strikers.

Imo, this Christmas period is crucial. If we can pull back a few points we are in business & they will have last season on their minds & be under pressure; it would kill them to do that again.

If we slip further behind however, I recon the 8 points will become 12 & it's us who will crack.

[Risby]

Ok on McDermot first - the goal he felt was a foul on Shorey he needsto take another look at. He should be havin' a pop at his sub as he is culpable for Barry's winner. He bottled it 'a la samir' in a defensive wall. Secondly the pen he claimed was no way a pen and Perace pulling Yaya's shirt in the first half in the box was more deserving of a 'decision'

That said I can't agree with your sntiment about not deserving something for playing in your own half. Defending is as much about the game as attacking, McDermot knew an open approach to the game would be footballing suicide and tactically he was spot on and credit to his team for the discipline and concentration they showed. Against a team like us who can open up a defence in a blink of an eye it was quite a performance for 90 minutes.

Thats the problem for Reading they did a job for 90 mins but forgot about injury time.

Completely agree, defending is as important as attacking. But you can't plan to defend in your own half for a full 90 minutes and hope to get something from the game. By doing that, the best you can hope for is a draw.
What he should have done is gone for it because it was a free match in a way. There would have been no expectation to come to us and win, so he could have gone all out and at least tried. If he lost, he lost. But he lost trying.
Yesterday was a gutsy performance from Reading, I applaud that, but mostly I saw a team that had no intent on going forward and a team that will struggle if they try to play that way against the bigger teams in the league.

[Swales4ever]

Every other ref in the Prem would have given that as a foul. Dean is a decent ref who doesn't lick anyone's arse.

I remember being at wembers for the cup semi against the rags. Dean gave them a free kick for something and I shouting "well done Mike! You've been their best player today!!"

2 minutes later he sent off Scholes and I was made to look like a right tit (not for the first time).

Again, do You honestly think that every other ref in the Prem would have given that as a foul, against the Rags at the Swamp or against the Dippers at Anfield?
I think not, aside to the fact that I am convinced that, if anyone's that was Shorey's foul for backing in.

[Cocacolajojo1]

The diagonal ball from Milner to Dzeko that preceded the goal was A+ imo. God I hope Milner can remain injuryfree now and claim a permanent place in the starting eleven.