Thinking ahead to our game together this coming Saturday and I wondered if I could have a few views from yourselves to inform the members on our Reading 'Royals Rendezvous' forum - guaranteed absolutely no 'wind ups' on our side. I'd just like to point you all towards a few ideas. These will really help us. Any snippet reproduced will always be fully credited by showing your forum and member name. Just a few basic easy things, here goes: A] ** As we speak there are certain similarities between Cardiff and Reading; both making a claim to premier football recently, and both with manager and behind the scenes changes to take account of. For the interested neutral fan, how would you briefly sum up the boardroom side of things at present? B] ** How is your squad clicking together this season? Please take us through a few; any who should Reading particularly fear (OK, I know you're tempted but don't just say 'everyone'!!), and I must ask, how is 'Alfie' doing? - for most of us a sad day when he departed (and now our problems are principally in attack!) ... C] ** How strong do you see the general level of the Championship this season? Any surprise teams to you, for good or bad? Your thoughts - both head and heart - as to the CARDIFF CITY second half of the season? D] **Just wondered, any special matches you remember between Cardiff and Reading? - we've met 60 times now (Cardiff slightly has the edge)! E] ** Our recent time in Reading has been a bit turbulent; Russian owner Zingarevich to Thai owners: Nigel Adkins to Steve Clarke. If you know something about Clarke, how would you rate him? F] ** So on to the weekend game? How do you see the match going? By all means leave a prediction here even if you've given it or will give it in another thread! Cheers, and many thanks in advance for any contributions daib0, and the team on "RR"
A) Our boardroom ? Hard too say Tan has been absent for most of this season, though he brought In Slade. Looks like we are getting rid of most of our higher earners. Has Tan lost faith ? who knows. Glad to be back in Blue, best thing he has done but the spoilers will jump onto another bandwagon. B) This season we have had 2 managers who both don't seem to know their best team, change for change sake. As for ALF, runs about like a headless chicken and has lost his goal scoring powers. He's missed some sitters. C) The Championship is the hardest league in my opinion bottom can beat top and the do regularly, surprise teams for me are Ipswich at the top and Brighton at the bottom. Would love to see Leeds & Wigan go down. As for Cardiff ? it looks like mid table for us. D) Matches ? 2008/09 FA Cup we won 2-0 McCormack & Ledley getting the goals 2011 Play offs we lost 3-0 at home nightmare Long twice and McAnuff. I think our keeper was your MOTM. E) Don't know a lot about Clarke but seems to be a decent enough championship manager. F) Prediction another Cardiff bore fest but a 2-1 win for the Bluebirds
A] ** As we speak there are certain similarities between Cardiff and Reading; both making a claim to premier football recently, and both with manager and behind the scenes changes to take account of. For the interested neutral fan, how would you briefly sum up the boardroom side of things at present? There is no boardroom to speak of. The club is run by an owner who has total control over everything. B] ** How is your squad clicking together this season? Please take us through a few; any who should Reading particularly fear (OK, I know you're tempted but don't just say 'everyone'!!), and I must ask, how is 'Alfie' doing? - for most of us a sad day when he departed (and now our problems are principally in attack!) ... Reading have nobody to fear especially from their cast off Le Fondre who could not hit the proverbial from 5 paces. If you think Alfie is good then perhaps we have a chance because the bloke for us is utter garbage. C] ** How strong do you see the general level of the Championship this season? Any surprise teams to you, for good or bad? Your thoughts - both head and heart - as to the CARDIFF CITY second half of the season? The Championship is possibly the weakest in living memory witnessed by the fact that clubs like Bournemouth and Brentford are doing well and two of the 3 relegated clubs are dire. D] **Just wondered, any special matches you remember between Cardiff and Reading? - we've met 60 times now (Cardiff slightly has the edge)! None. E] ** Our recent time in Reading has been a bit turbulent; Russian owner Zingarevich to Thai owners: Nigel Adkins to Steve Clarke. If you know something about Clarke, how would you rate him? I know little about Clarke other than he was unlucky to get sacked by West Brom. Clarke has to be better than the clown we have in charge. How would Reading feel if a manager who has spent 20 years in charge of teams in the lower leagues and has won nothing is their new man. I would go so far as to say in the many years I have been following the club Slade's appointment has been the most baffling of all. F] ** So on to the weekend game? How do you see the match going? By all means leave a prediction here even if you've given it or will give it in another thread! I think Reading will score first and another before half time. Cardiff will recover slightly in the second half scoring one just before the end. Final Score 2-1. The most predictable events are that Reading will dominate possession (as we struggle to get up to 40 % in virtually every game), that ALF will play despite being utterly useless in every game he plays and that the match will be dire to watch as have been all our games this season.
What about the negatives though Whoops? To be honest I've not answered as you'd get a similar, very depressed, response from me. I would have had to have put the boot into Alf a bit more though, he's got to be the worst striker we've persisted with. Please keep a spare space on the bus and take the ****er home with you.
I don't disbelieve what you say about Alfie, but what a shame, he was a firm favourite at Reading ... AND produced the goods
One for the memory, anyone here over 90? Thanks to Old Royals Stuff @OldRoyalsStuff FA Cup semi final, Cardiff City 3 @ReadingFC 0, Molineux, 1927. Pictures show Reading having a go at the City goal. please log in to view this image please log in to view this image
daib0 Don't know if word has got through to Reading but the main junction for your road travellers to leave the M4 for our ground will be closed on Saturday. They are making major changes to Junction 33 and are closing it this weekend. As a result you will probably be directed off at J's 29, 30 or 32 (no number 31) and have to make your way either through the city centre or be diverted to the south of the city and Cardiff Bay. Either way it will add to your journey time so best advise all to leave 30 minutes earlier at least - or get the train!!! Please circulate to your fans. Cardiff City say Reading have sold 1,600 out of 2,000 tickets so far so close to a sell out by Saturday. Total tickets sold are around 9,000 so not a great home support likely. May even be a very unhappy bunch if John Brayford is sold to Sheff United as rumoured.
cheers, I had made mention of it on "RR" but your description is more complete, will pass on ... and what a dizzy day today for Reading, here's a resume: League Two side AFC Wimbledon have signed Reading striker Craig Tanner on loan until the end of the season. The move comes after the 20-year-old signed a new contract with the Royals, which will keep him at the Madejski Stadium until the summer of 2017. Tanner made his debut for Reading in August and has scored one goal in five appearances for the Berkshire club. Reading, who are 18th in the Championship, have the option of recalling Tanner after a month. AFC Wimbledon manager Neal Ardley said their scouting reports showed Tanner was "one of the best young talents around". He told the club website: "With the qualities and talent that Craig has, we believe he could be an exciting player who can cope with the demands at this level." Nathaniel Chalobah signs on loan from Chelsea: Royals' boss says the versatile midfielder will add a lot to his squad at Madejski StadiumSteve Clarke believes Reading fans will enjoy watching Nathaniel Chalobah during the second half of the season. Chalobah, who has joined on loan from Chelsea, is a player that Clarke has known ever since his time as Jose Mourinho’s assistant at Stamford Bridge. Reading’s boss has followed his career closely and says the versatile 20-year-old will add a lot to his squad at Madejski Stadium. Chalobah will go straight into the squad for Saturday’s trip to Cardiff in the FA Cup, providing all the formalities are lodged with the FA before 12pm on Friday. The Royals have completed the short-term signing of Slovenian left back Jure Travner. Travner has been training with the club for a few weeks, and has agreed a contract until the end of the season, taking squad number 29. The deal was finalised in December - just prior to Steve Clarke’s arrival at the club - but it has taken until now for international clearance to be received after Jure left his previous club Baku in Azerbaijan. The 29-year-old is a former Slovenian Under 21 international, and he has played for NK Celje, St Mirren and Ludogorets among others, scoring against Lazio at the Stadio Olimpico in the Europa League while with Mura 05. WOW!!
If Reading would like Le Fondre back then today it was announced we are open to offers. Given our propensity to pay through the roof for players and then sell them for a knock down price ALF could prove to be a bargain for the right club. We are most definitely the wrong club because, as said previously, he has been a disaster for us.
Chalobah was superb for Watford is our promotion season. Not sure what he's done since but he's exactly the sort of cm we should have been looking at. I'm guessing the fact he's never played for Yeovil, Rotherham or milwall would have been a deal breaker for our low level manager anyway.
