Jim D

Everything has gone Reading's way today, absolutely everything. Refeering decisions, run of the ball in every aspect, despite the team selection this game could have been won many times over. Sometimes it just isn't your day and today is one of those days. Reina hasn't had to make a single save all game, their goalkeeper has made countless saves and the woodwork more than once has saved them. The ref was a total homer and I wouldn't be surprised if he wore a Manchester United shirt underneath his jersey. He had a SHOCKER, that stonewall penalty we should have had at 1-1 was the big decision and ultimately it has cost us the game.

I wouldn't say they are a one man team because they have good players all over the park but they are heavily reliant on Ronaldo to create chances and to nick the odd goal now and then. Defensively they are sound but you just wonder if Ronaldo was out for a run of games through injury would they be able to break down teams and score as many goals as they do with him in the side. The title race this season is going to be tight and I can see it going down to the last game. One or two major injuries to KEY players from any of the top 4 sides could be the difference between losing and winning the league, that is how close it is going to be.

Be 1-0 to the Mancs, goal in the last ten minutes.

Interesting to see the Mancs struggle like they did at the beginning of the season. During that time they were both missing Rooney and Ronaldo and here today they were missing again and the Mancs struggled. Does this show the Mancs rely on them heavily or the fact that their squad doesn't have strength in depth?

City's home record is outstanding, shame Reading couldn't hold them out, no matter City won't be in the mix come May.

4 mins of Fergie time.

Here he is in all his glory....

Evra seems to have some immunity from receiving a yellow card, thats twice now hes gone through Davies.

and Ronaldo......hope Ferguson's decision to rest both will come back and bite him on the a***....still a long way to go.

Totally, today's game is still showing our wastefulness in front of goal and that is a major concern. Thankfully Newcastle are that bad, imagine if we were blowing these chances with the scoreline still 0-0 or 1-0.

He is becoming a liability.

Confirmed, no changes from the game against Besiktas.

Does that statement mean the number of goals scored away by the teams playing against each other or across the whole group? So eg 0-1 1-0 Results would be the same number of away goals scored so goes to point d), which is why that 8-0 scoreline could be important. A 0-1 2-1 would put us through?

Fantastic Football!

What has changed? It is great to see us passing the ball along the floor with players moving off the ball. Case now of closing the game out.

Marseille win.

Next 7 games.... Besiktas (CL) H Fulham H Newcastle Utd A FC Porto (CL) H Bolton Wanderers H Reading A Olympique Marseille (CL) A The three Champions League games are all must win and the four league games you could argue are all must win as well since Arsenal, Mancs and Chelsea are starting to pick up the pace. Doesn't get any easier after that we then have the Mancs at home in the League and Chelsea away in the League Cup.

*Crosses fingers*

Personally feel its more to do with not having Agger beside him, Carragher has looked totally out of sorts since Sami has come back in the side. So it looks like it is more of a "partnership" type of thing rather than an "individual" thing.

To be honest I don't think there is a massive gulf between us and the Mancs/a*** in terms of players and how we can play. Rafa recently has gone ultra-negative probably because of the injury to Agger. As a consequence we are forced to sit deep because of Sami's lack of pace, but you look at the last 15 mins of today's game it shows we are capable of playing good football. Problem is we don't do it for the full 90 and that is wholly down to Rafa's cautious tactics for the first 75mins. Anyone who has ambitions of winning the title would not go to Blackburn today play two defensive midfielders and sit on a 0-0 result for 75mins and then decide to "go for it". It is so frustrating because despite the injuries you know we've got a squad who are capable of going to places like this, playing well, being positive and getting a very good result.

Nail on the head.

Exactly, at the same time you can't just rely on your forwards to take THAT one chance during a game, it is just too risky and in fact cautious. If we played like we did for the last 15mins right from the start of the game we would of won that game comfortably. Your forwards will miss chances, its going to happen but you must create enough chances in front of goal so the forwards are more likely to score. We are unbeaten, but the number of draws this season tells you Rafa is far too cautious, the "unbeaten stat" is just papering over the cracks about the negativity shown by the manager. Lost opportunity today, what a chance to get right back into the mix and for 70mins all we intended to do was to shut up shop and keep it tight. Sorry Rafa that type of attitude and play will not win the Premier League.

Mediocre first half performance, negative tactics, one poster has called it correctly, Rafa is more concerned about us not conceding rather than scoring ourselves. Continue to play as we are we will concede, it is just so frustrating because if we showed anything positive in our attacking play we can win this game. Go 4-4-2 Rafa, take Sissoko off for Crouch, play with some more width because most of our play is confined to the middle of the pitch!

We are passing the ball quite well I feel but once we get up to the edge of the area we are totally clueless, there is no intent or penetration in our play to break them down.

Newcastle 1-3 Portsmouth! Only 15mins gone Bitters winning 1-0 Chelsea winning 2-0 and look dangerous.