Reading v Aston Villa Pre-Match Thread

[Chico Hamilton III]

I always used to think of Reading as a relatively new club

Only realised a few years ago how old they actually are.

Anyway, I think we'll win. It'll be torture but we'll win, 2-1

[maigrait]

2-1 to the mighty mighty villa... we all know its going to go to the last game of the season - so we will be handed a brief glimmer of hope...

[Ads]

I always used to think of Reading as a relatively new club

Only realised a few years ago how old they actually are.

Anyway, I think we'll win. It'll be torture but we'll win, 2-1

Its surprising isn't it?

Can you imagine 142 of being a bland, non-entity with no rivals? I mean even the Noses have a reason to live through their hate of us. But Reading… what’s the point? 

[PaulWinch again]

West Ham was fairly routine. They had one spell at the start of the first half and then two minutes after the 90 was up where they forced a decent save from Brad, which lead to a corner and another decent save.

West Ham compete with Reading for most abysmal side to visit Villa Park. They had about three chances between them in 180 minutes at B6.

Yeah but that's it we were under real pressure right at the end. We never seem to cruise to wins, I think that's half our problems we don't get 'comfortable' victories.

[PaulWinch again]

Paul Lambert on season finale.



Paul Lambert has called for Villa to be ruthless in the final survival run-in.

Boss Lambert has been delighted with the performances over the past few weeks, with a host of dynamic displays since January.

But the manager has bemoaned the concession of late goals against West Brom, Everton and Arsenal.

Lambert wants his team to show a killer instinct between now and the end of the season as they look to see out games and pick up the vital points needed.

Writing in the News & Record, he said: "The tempo of play, the movement and endeavour - and the energy and sheer will to win - have been very much in evidence for a number of weeks now.

"The consistency of our performances is very encouraging as we get deeper into the final third of the season.

"There are 30 points to play for, which is a hell of a lot of football in which to compete between now and the middle of May.

"If we continue to play the way we're playing, results will come. I'm sure of that.

"The fact is that we are where we are but we've learnt plenty over the course of the campaign so far and the most important lesson has been the necessity to see the games through. It's essential in an unforgiving league.

"Too many times we've seized the advantage in games only to be pegged back.

"You have to see it out when you get into that position. It's that simple."

The performances have been ok nothing more, look at the points return. If we were performing that well we'd win. We can't look just at our attacking play, it's also the defence. The reason we're not winning games is because at least one area of the team is not performing at any given time.

[eamonn]

We'll scrape home and do the Harlem Shake en masse with Eastie and Mazrim leading proceedings.

[DrGonzo]

1 Le Fondre 78,  -  2  Benteke 25, 52

[supertom]

They've just conceded six goals in two games and they're below us in the league.

The big difference for us is having Benteke. That aside, they look more like a team than we do. And again, they've nothing much to lose. Everyone expected them to be in this position.
We shouldn't be. I think on the whole, since the turn of the year, you'd struggle to say that we've been better than anyone in this league.

[eamonn]

We've been playing like a midtable side since the 46th minute against Newcastle. Long may it continue.

[Simon Ward]

A squeeky bum scruffy win to us!

[andyaston]

We've been playing like a midtable side since the 46th minute against Newcastle. Long may it continue.

Hit the nail on the head there.

[PaulWinch again]

We've been playing like a midtable side since the 46th minute against Newcastle. Long may it continue.

Problem is we need better than a midtable team's form to be certain of survival. We could well need to win half our games, and that's top end of the league form.

[PaulTheVillan]

West Ham was fairly routine. They had one spell at the start of the first half and then two minutes after the 90 was up where they forced a decent save from Brad, which lead to a corner and another decent save.

West Ham compete with Reading for most abysmal side to visit Villa Park. They had about three chances between them in 180 minutes at B6.

Yeah but that's it we were under real pressure right at the end. We never seem to cruise to wins, I think that's half our problems we don't get 'comfortable' victories.

  It was similar under MON against teams around us

[eamonn]

We've been playing like a midtable side since the 46th minute against Newcastle. Long may it continue.

Problem is we need better than a midtable team's form to be certain of survival. We could well need to win half our games, and that's top end of the league form.

I know you've been consistent with saying 5 wins are required but we draw a lot so 4 wins or even 3 with five draws could be enough.

[eastie]

We'll scrape home and do the Harlem Shake en masse with Eastie and Mazrim leading proceedings.

Much prefer the old fashioned conga or Hokey Cokey if you don't mind?