Down down deeper and down

No not status quo, the status quo we speak of is the state of mind.

Following an appalling season, the bitter pill of relegation was made easier to swallow by the expected turnaround in both management and style of play.

Looks like we peaked in the first half against Watford, since going ahead and completely commanding the game, we hit the proverbial bar of soap.

Surrendered a two goal lead, to snatch a draw, which we only deserved on our first half performance.

One step down, we travel to Blackpool, and by all accounts it is not will we win but by how many. Wrong, played a dire game and a costly defensive error meant nil points.

Last night we were thrashed 6-0 to Peterborough United, not another step down, but a club now sky diving from  above into the depths of despair, free falling without a parachute (apart from the wad of cash in the sky rocket, from BPL) We have been mugging people off, and now the players and all the staff are mugging the fans off.

Read today, Adkins read the team the riot act last night.

Not good enough, sell, sack suspend or do what you like, but if this is not a watershed moment, people in responsibility should do one.

As for those fans who travelled last night should all be named, by the club as they both publicly apologise and perhaps those players that turned out last night, form a guard of honour  as they applaud them onto the pitch at the next home fixture.

The jury are starting to take their seats with Adkins, I do hope he can turn this sorry mess around.

Fact,  one win in five games.

 Fact, Conceded nine goals since we last scored

Fact, from second favourites for promotion, four games in we have slide to fith

Fact, 13th in the league

Reading 3-3 Watford

Finally in all the years of watching Reading play football, a good game against Watford, and we even got a point, where we almost snatched a defeat from victory.

This was a classic game of two half's some of the football played by Reading was of the calibre we had seldom witnessed before. Good flowing football. controlled possession, closing down in all areas of the pitch. Good value for their 2-0 lead at half time.

The second half saw Watford on the the pitch early and eager to kick off, attacking the end housed by the three and half thousand travelling fans, impressive for Watford. Once the Royals were on the pitch the game could commence.

Like all games at 2-0 the next goal is vital, and Watford struck the first blow, but before they had finished celebrating, Karajan had restored the two goal advantage to make it 3-1

Watford were now bossing the game, Reading looking stretched, tired and out of shape, Watford were going for it, and got their reward with a penalty on the 76th minute. Called by the linesmen who had been subjected to abuse in the early moments of the match for what they thought was a bad call. But he stood statue style with his flag draped across his chest.

At 3-2 Reading now looked like a team of strangers, and not knowing which way to turn or chase, a couple of fine saves from McCarthy and a goal line clearance was keeping the Royals in the lead. But before we were told how much added time was to be added on a long range shot was deflected and the onrushing two Watford players were half a yard quicker than our defence 3-3

After the extra time was played out it remained 3-3; for the neutral this was a good game that had lots of action incident and excitement. For the Watford fans it was like a victory, for some Reading fans they acted like it was a defeat.

For me it was a good game to watch, good atmosphere and feel like it was money well spent.

Somehow from the reactions of Nigel Adkins and his assistant, there were going to be some players having their ears warmed after this result.

Far more positives than negatives, clearly work in progress.

As once said by Steve Coppell the table doesn't lie and we will finish where we deserve to finish.

Did note that we have now dropped to fourth favourites in the promotion odds.

MOM Drenthe; Exciting to watch with great skills and willingness to get a result, would have been a different result had he stayed on the pitch

Table toppers Watford coming to the Madstad

Saturday we host Watford for our second home game. They stumbled in the play offs last year after having been close to automatic promotion, condemned for their misuse of a loophole in the loan system.

Saturday they come to the Madstad, table toppers and on the back of a 6-1 win over Bournemouth.

This fixture is one I dislike, in all the years of following Readingfc there has never been a good game played, difficult to sum up in a few words, but it always seems dour and not very exciting.

Given the close proximity there has never been much of a local rivalry, not sure either team is excited to bothered by the other. The signing of Brendan Rogers  stirred the pot a little, but outside of the two clubs barely even a ripple was noticed. Though the ghost goal brought feelings to a Luke warm tepid temperature.

So on a positive we meet as two unbeaten teams, one top, the other seeking a return to the Premiership, both teams with managers who want to play exciting football. So this has the recipe and all the ingredients for an exciting game, or will history remained unchanged.

Reading need to be making more impact on the game especially in the first half, both against Ipswich and Bolton we were fortunate not to be more than one goal down.

No news on a strickercoming in, and still no signs of Pogrebnyak moving on, and in the local press statements such as we don't want to put the club in a bad place by overspending, is getting to be the annual statement. One has to say that the commercial side is still that of a club that has not moved on since our days at Elm Park, harsh, but given the potential earnings and rewards that have been within touching distance, still eludes us.

Heart says 

a close, exciting game won in the dying moments by the Royals

Head says

Poor game to watch through the eyes of a Royal,where we lacked promise in the final third which cost us the match, and questions murmured again about strategy on signings.

Reading 2-1 Ipswich Town

The season, begins today, news from the radio is that Sean Morrison is Captain and Jobi is relegated to the bench. Well lets see how it pans out, under the changing skies in the Madstad.

Concern is aired around me that a centre back partnership of Morrison and Pearce is too slow and square, and Alfie up front on his own is not a big change from last season.

From the kick off Royals look solid and are quick to make a few chances, but after ten minutes or so a familiar diagonal ball cross field was being used too many times and becoming predictable. Not for the first time visitors to the Madstad sensed there was something in the game for them, and through indecisive defending former Royal Jay Tabb see his initial shot come back yo him to bury it into the net. Fair play to him he celebrated his goal with enthusiasm and his team mates. Too many times you see players who do not want to celebrate scoring against their old clubs, a feat of scoring was never achieved as a Royal, so good luck to him.

Now the grumblings and impatient s was emanating from the home crowd. The predictable cross field ball was not working, Pearce incapable of a forward short pass, Kanu less and less effective.

Then came the effective switch of McCleary and Kanu and half time approaching, Alfie nods a cross in from the left, despite the close attentions of two defenders dwarfing him. Cue celebrations, fans on their feet singing clapping and dancing, music interrupts and changes the tempo of celebrations, music after a goal worked with Tom Hark, but not music associated with darts.

The second half began with the Royals playing a more progressive game, and with the Tractor Boys failing to close him down, a long range shot from Gutherie, reported to be deflected, looped over the Town keeper, cue music and celebrations. 

Then Ipswich came in search for an equaliser, and gradually all in the ground now accepted that the die had been cast as the final minutes were drawing to a close. 

In the final minute of normal time, out come the forth official to advise the crowd how much time was to be added. SIX, the whole crowd were aghast, suddenly Ipswich could see a barn door opening before their eyes, and the Royals suddenly in full retreat to salvage what they had.

The game concluded, as it had stood in the 89th minute, the Royals were the victors, the visitors feeling hard done by, but should have been a little more ambitious when they had Reading on the rack.

Concern at the performances of Kanu, Pearce, Pog especially.

A positive start to their Royals career for Bridge, Drenthe and Williams, consistency will be their 

greatest judge, but I liked what I saw.

Adkins made a change in the first half, which brought the Royals out of their slumber, but I did not see the high tempo one touch passing which I was expecting

For the Royals to get automatic promotion this performance fell way short, at best it was a mid-table performance, but no one ever won promotion on their first game.

URZ

A bit of a worry

So as the season is about to begin I notice today that we have slipped to third favourites to promotion behind Queens Park Rangers and Bolton Wanderers, yet the local paper "Get Reading"lists us as favourites in an article today.

Now on-line I read from and article from "The Telegraph" we are to kick off the season amid a threat of investigation by the government into their finances. TSI as the Parent Company need to provide information on cash flow, which has been outstanding since 1st March 2013. There are claims and counter claims between interested parties, over validity of exemptions for disclosure.

So is this the reason that we have failed to make any marquee signings, and with the previous Manager being singled out for failing to spend monies available, allegedly. Yet opportunities have been there to improve the quality of the squad, have not been taken up.

If this season does not pan out as hoped/expected, it will not be the blame of the supporters, players, manager or training staff, the blame will sit at the door of  Anton Zingarevich and John Madejski.

Despite the above, tonight after work I will purchase my replica shirt and look forward with increasing inpatients to the game tomorrow.

My heart says we will win and set the Championship alight with stylish flowing attacking football with commentators salivating the wonders of Adkins team, and how rosy the future is for the Royals.

Sadly my head says that we will be lucky to get a draw at best and the air will be filled with disgruntled groans at the full time whistle, about what could have or should have been.

My only plea to the owners is please do not stitch this club up, and stop making us doubt your intentions, and take us on an incredible and unforgettable journey, for the right reasons.

URZ