Eurosport - Mon, 26 Oct 19:11:00 2009
Reading slumped to a fourth consecutive defeat as they lost 1-0 to Leicester City despite dominating their Championship clash at the Madejski Stadium.
Martyn Waghorn's first-half header made it 15 without victory at home for the Royals, who have only scored twice in their own backyard this season.
It was a bizarre loss for Reading, who missed chance after chance and dominated possession but were unable to capitalise on a generous Leicester back-line.
Simon Church was most profligate in front of goal, while striker partner Grzegorz Rasiak toiled manfully but was unable to get the break his side's build-up play deserved.
Reading's night was typified by one miss in particular.
On 25 minutes, Jobi McAnuff's low drive rattled off the inside of the post and fell back into his path: the winger's return ball zipped across the face of goal and took a touch off a Leicester defender to fly inches wide of the far post as referee Keith Hill signalled for a goal kick.
Leicester, meanwhile, sat back and rode their luck, and their goal was in keeping with their evening: in the last minute of the first half, slack marking at a corner allowed on-loan Sunderland striker Waghorn (pictured right) to flick the ball from the near post, across Adam Federici and into the far left-hand corner.
Before conceding, Reading went close through Rasiak, Marek Matejovsky and, on four occasions, Church.
The Wales striker scuffed three first-half finishes wide and saw one well blocked by Chris Weale.
The Foxes, on the other hand, had two half-chances when Matt Fryatt drilled wide and Paul Gallagher fired just over, and after taking the lead almost grabbed a second when Fryatt raced clean through but was denied by a good save from Australian Federici.
It was more of the same in the second half, with Church putting a 49th-minute chance wide when McAnuff found him unmarked 12 yards out.
Two minutes later Fryatt was again denied by the chest of Federici, but the rest of the half saw incessant Royals pressure not matched by a finish.
Just after the hour mark, Rasiak latched on to Ryan Bertrand's through ball and sent an inviting low ball beyond Weale across the face of goal but there was no-one placed to finish, even when Jimmy Kebe picked up the loose ball and replicated the pass from the right.
Only Wayne Brown's bravely-placed head prevented Brian Howard from netting a scorcher from the edge of the box, while defener Matt Mills put over from close range after a smart short-corner routine caught Leicester napping.
Kebe saw another deadly low ball across the face of goal go unfinished after Jack Hobbs missed his clearance, but the ball spun beyond Rasiak and out.
The closing minutes saw Reading tire and their guests go close with two counters, Oakley and Federici shooting inches wide, as Leicester stretched their unbeaten record to five games to climb to fifth, three points off Newcastle in top spot.
Reading languish in the drop zone as the pressure mounts on manager Brendan Rodgers.
Comment 14 - 33 of 33
I was going to write my usual moans and complaints but it isn't worth it. I just can't be bothered any more, Reading is going down into Div 1 and there is nothing we can do about it. I still Love my old team, Reading will always be my number 1 team no matter what they do, they have been right the way down to the bottom of the old Div 4 and climbed back up to the Premiership and now are sliding down once more. One thing you can say about Reading they are never stactic, they go up and down like a yoyo. They will bounce back again one day. I hope that I will still be alive to see them once again in the Premiership. My dear old Mum & Dad followed Reading all their lives and never lived to see them in the Premiership, Mum did see them go into the old Div 2 before it changed to the Championship. Come o URZzzzzz. Come on the Biscuit Men, as we use to call them in the 50's. They have been called some names over the years, I love Reading Football Club.
For christ sake Rodgers do the honourable thing and resign, 65% of the supporters dont want you, and never will accept you, you are nothing but a little boy lost in a big pond. Your signings are Rubbish, team selections a mystery, and any one with any sense would realise that they are out of there depth. The only reason you were appointed is that you were so far up Hammonds back side that you nearly disappeared, and that is why Hammond should also go, he was worried that if he tried to bring in a quility manager they would have far more knowledge than him and he would probably loose his job, with Rodgers he was safe . Rodgers done nothing at Chelsea reserves, Watford were never going to go down anyway, so why was it thought he could manage Reading. For Christ sake Madjeski get this club back on a correct footing sack Rodgers and Hammond appoint Steve Copell as Director of Football and let him find a quality manager not someone still in nappies.
FRom Ollie
I can sit here all nice and smug about the Leicester away win but Leicester still have issue's to be solved. I think depth in squad to maintain form through the season is the key and if quality drop's out quality must replace. For sure Mr. Pearson is happy but after Chrimbo when the games start turning into relegation and promotion dog fights its all about stamina and squad depth. And by the way, Leicester may have a problem with the latter. For Reading your biggest enemy now is confidence.
Colin H
Good post m8, but u said you was't gonna get all mouthy bout reading then u did at the end lol Leicester r doin well this year though, i thought they would.
Congratulations to Leicester. Unlike some of the posters on this thread though, Im not going to get all mouthy about the why's and wherefores of Readings current situation.
For all of those Leicester fans crowing about how poorly Reading are playing this season, yep you're right..but then Im sure you lot have got a lot of experience seeing your own side not playing to their full potential so you're used to hearing the abuse from past experience ;-)
As for the comments about the atmosphere being poor at Home games... are you suprised? Doesn't take a genius to work out that when your side is playing with all the skill of a group of confused lemmngs chasing a bubble around a tumble dryer, then morale MAY indeed be a bit low.
Rodgers Out.
if you want to wipe your a** on your rivals google football toilet paper, you can get Celtic, Rangers, Man U, Liverpool, Arsenal, Spurs, Sunderland, Newcastle, Birmingham and Villa toilet paper
Jman
Priksin never started 2 fire until after xmas, a strange kind of player, he did show some prospect towards the end with us so must admit i would of rather him stayed, specially as he's only a bench warmer now. But we got a good replacement now and a bit of cash so not all bad.
lol serves you right, roger's wasn't proven 2 b a good manager, watford just had 2 good a team 2 go down last year, not a great team but 1 that shouldn't of got relegated, it wasn't anything roger's done, even he's connections failed and he only brought in rubbish chelski youngsters, but thanks 4 taking jobi he couldn't hit a barn door.
Oh by the Way , Who is the luckiest Player on earth ?????? Got be Tommy Smith, how close did he come to signing for Brenda ??? ... he must have a black cat somewhere lol
surely thats it for Brenda, Want come nick M -M from your sauce of managers ??? ok .. £20mil .. then he's yours ... hahahaha
Reading fc and all its fans are rubbish the madjeski stadium has the worst atmosphere i have ever witnessed at a stadium they still sing the same songs like blue army, army yeah right. you cant sell all your best players and a wicked manager and expect to be the same. I went there and sat with the reading supporters when i saw liverpool in the carling cup all i got was hassle and threats even though i said nothing didnt even wear a liverpool shirt. READING I HOPE YOU GET RELEGATED AND BY THE WAY STOP PARKING OUTSIDE MY HOUSE.
I said at the start of the season......Nicky Hammond turned John Mad over by telling him his buddy Rodgers was a good manager. He was a @#$% player...he is an even worse person so how in hell can he be a manager of a club like Reading. All this rubbish we played well...well i have watched them and can say he is in a dream world.No passion no aggressive and idea at all. Get rid of him and Nicky hammond for doing the old pals act and get a manager in that has backbone
Someone remind me how much money reading paid Watford for rodgers services ?
**snigger**
bring back branfoot
rodgers should be sacked
As a Black Cats fan, it's nice to see our young striker doing so well while on loan to you. I definitely think that Marty is a good prospectfor the future, and hope he continues to score goals for Leicester. Our Academy of Light seems to be producing a few good young players, which any club would be pleased about.
WHO CARES ABOUT??? MY BOYFRIEND THINKS THE SAME WITH ME. HE IS EIGHT YEAR OLDER THAN ME. LOL. WE MET ONLINE AT AGELESSMATCH C O M, A NICE AND FREE PLACE FOR YOUNGER WOMEN AND OLDER MEN, OR OLER WOMEN AND YOUNGER MEN TO INTERACT WITH EACH OTHER.
Reading players and staff, go and read story books better. Can't play soccer!!!
yea leiceter won again...sad though becoz the royals lose again
Any watford fans reading, Were you pleased to see priskin go aswell? Or did you want him to stay?
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