Any ‘sightings’ at the game?

[Branston Pickle 3,656]

I’m not expecting anything just yet, but wondered whether there may have been a prospective new employee seen watching on tonight.  I dare say we’d not recognise several of the options but others would stick out (Bruce, Wilder, Parker).

[kick it off 1,948]

Bruce was in the directors box a couple of rows behind Delia. Was clear as day on the TV feed, about 57mins into the game.

I'm praying it won't pan out but writing appears to be on the wall.

[canarydan23 4,060]

1 minute ago, kick it off said:

Bruce was in the directors box a couple of rows behind Delia. Was clear as day on the TV feed, about 57mins into the game.

I'm praying it won't pan out but writing appears to be on the wall.

Can't be true. There were still pies available at half time.

[City 101 83]

May have been in the dugout Alan Russell now 2/1 second fav just behind Wagner at 7/4.

[alex_ncfc 662]

Someone rang CanaryCall and suggested Alan Curbishley or Alan Pardew. 

Had to be a p*ss take. 

[Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man 3,820]

7 minutes ago, City 101 said:

May have been in the dugout Alan Russell now 2/1 second fav just behind Wagner at 7/4.

I bloody hope not. The football tonight was different from under Smith, but I wouldn't say it was any improvement.

[Midlands Yellow 3,976]

Mello spotted Nutty. 

[kick it off 1,948]

Just now, Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man said:

I bloody hope not. The football tonight was different from under Smith, but I wouldn't say it was any improvement.

It was a clear improvement, but there's no way in hell we would appoint him.

[Midlands Yellow 3,976]

3 minutes ago, alex_ncfc said:

Someone rang CanaryCall and suggested Alan Curbishley or Alan Pardew. 

Had to be a p*ss take. 

George Graham for me. 

[Hucks6 169]

Yes my son in the Barclay

[Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man 3,820]

1 minute ago, kick it off said:

It was a clear improvement, but there's no way in hell we would appoint him.

More energy, more direct and a higher tempo but an awful lot of aimless long balls into the channels. Elements of Pulis/McCarthy-ball, and we'd be moaning no end if we were to see this for five or ten games in a row. 

It only seems like an improvement because Smith played poor football with no urgency or plan, and the higher tempo tonight at least makes it look better on the surface.

[kick it off 1,948]

1 minute ago, Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man said:

More energy, more direct and a higher tempo but an awful lot of aimless long balls into the channels. Elements of Pulis/McCarthy-ball, and we'd be moaning no end if we were to see this for five or ten games in a row. 

It only seems like an improvement because Smith played poor football with no urgency or plan, and the higher tempo tonight at least makes it look better on the surface.

Agree to a point, but we caused problems and looked threatening. We dominated possession for a lot of the game and not just by passing it between Gunn and the CBs. The early balls into the box had Reading worried several times and our passing was generally better and as you say tempo was improved. We looked like we had a purpose rather than having just turned up for a kick about. The aimless balls weren't a highlight, but seemed less frequent today. I would say it was markedly improved, not just because of the tempo. 

I wouldn't want to watch that every week but seems harsh to say that wasn't a much improved performance (albeit the bar was very low).

[Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man 3,820]

2 minutes ago, kick it off said:

Agree to a point, but we caused problems and looked threatening. We dominated possession for a lot of the game and not just by passing it between Gunn and the CBs. The early balls into the box had Reading worried several times and our passing was generally better and as you say tempo was improved. We looked like we had a purpose rather than having just turned up for a kick about. The aimless balls weren't a highlight, but seemed less frequent today. I would say it was markedly improved, not just because of the tempo. 

I wouldn't want to watch that every week but seems harsh to say that wasn't a much improved performance (albeit the bar was very low).

Yeah, I get what you're saying, but the vast majority of those crosses or balls over the top were easily dealt with by Reading's big defenders. I would've preferred to see a little more patience, with the ball worked to Sara and Nuñez in dangerous areas, rather than low percentage balls chipped over the defenders' heads for Pukki, Sargent and Idah to chase down.

[TheGunnShow 5,940]

To be fair, for a team with little confidence, pretty passing patterns are more likely to fail as technique is not yet lubricated by confidence. Get it in the channels, get it well away from goal and compete hard for the second balls. Sometimes you just have to go right back to the fundamentals and start again.

[Nuff Said 5,129]

Of a winger? No.

[yellowrider120 762]

40 minutes ago, Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man said:

More energy, more direct and a higher tempo but an awful lot of aimless long balls into the channels. Elements of Pulis/McCarthy-ball, and we'd be moaning no end if we were to see this for five or ten games in a row. 

It only seems like an improvement because Smith played poor football with no urgency or plan, and the higher tempo tonight at least makes it look better on the surface.

Absolutely right. That and coupled with the fact that there was no depressing air of negativity, jeers and boos made the impression of improvement. Any 'improvement' was marginal at best. 

[Nexus_Canary 1,016]

Have a word with yourselves. "marginal at best"
We looked far more comfortable in attack and actually stringed some passes together going forward.
Given that Smith killed the morale the team did really well considering confidence is probably in scare supply.
1-1 to the referee, given that Reading had a bunch of 16 stone 6'4 chaps running about they didn't half go down easily. 

Get behind them ffs.

[Capt. Pants 4,226]

We would have lost that game under a Smith no question but we handled  Carroll pretty well. Ref couldn't wait to give them a pen as  they could/should have had a pen in the first 5 mins. Likewise we should have had one when Idah was hauled to the ground.

Another point to avoid relegation, but we're looking at play-offs at best so doesn't matter if we are 6th now or the last game of the season.

 

[City 2nd 191]

9 hours ago, kick it off said:

Bruce was in the directors box a couple of rows behind Delia. Was clear as day on the TV feed, about 57mins into the game.

I'm praying it won't pan out but writing appears to be on the wall.

Hardly surprising. ‘Breaking news’ from Northeast, where my father lives, (who is a Mackem) city have ‘opened talks’ with Steve Bruce. You are right!

Edited December 31, 2022 by City 2nd

[dylanisabaddog 4,914]

10 minutes ago, City 2nd said:

Hardly surprising. ‘Breaking news’ from Northeast, where my father lives, (who is a Mackem) city have ‘opened talks’ with Steve Bruce. You are right!

I've heard the same from a somewhat incredulous Geordie cousin! It's a rumour that's doing the rounds up there. 

What a truly terrifying thought 

[City 2nd 191]

Just now, dylanisabaddog said:

I've heard the same from a somewhat incredulous Geordie cousin! It's a rumour that's doing the rounds up there. 

What a truly terrifying thought 

Agreed. Trouble is city don’t have money. Every side Bruce has managed have financial problems, apart from Newcastle of course, whose Saudi money is doing wonders! Such an appointment would see the demise of Delia and MWJ for sure. I do hope it’s a wind up!, 
trouble is he was in attendance last night! 

[Newtopia 517]

It is hard to imagine an appointment who would be less inspiring, equally I do not react in the same way as I would if John Terry was announced.  Tbh I see him in a similiar mould to Smith

[Terminally Yellow 2,448]

People expecting a sea change in playing style and philosophy and all our problems to have gone away in the three days since Smith was sacked are living on cloud cuckoo land.

We can all agree there were things that were far better. And old errors which reared their ugly head too. 

A step forward. Hoping the progress will continue ahead of the Watford game.

[Terminally Yellow 2,448]

Oh, and it won't be Steve Bruce. Everyone knows that. 

[canarycop 206]

Webber said the next appointment would be someone who can bring  the fans and club together. That ain't Steve Bruce. I would really like to see someone like Schumacher or another young up and coming manager who has something to prove. Robins or Martin would be ok but I really feel we need to move away from the old boys act. Whoever it is needs to be given time and patience to build an lasting legacy and not ruin things a la Smith following Farke

[kick it off 1,948]

1 hour ago, Terminally Yellow said:

Oh, and it won't be Steve Bruce. Everyone knows that. 

Bruce wasn't really there, I was taking the ****.

Just thought I'd clarify.

[yellowrider120 762]

11 hours ago, Nexus_Canary said:

Have a word with yourselves. "marginal at best"
We looked far more comfortable in attack and actually stringed some passes together going forward.
Given that Smith killed the morale the team did really well considering confidence is probably in scare supply.
1-1 to the referee, given that Reading had a bunch of 16 stone 6'4 chaps running about they didn't half go down easily. 

Get behind them ffs.

That's fair comment. However I thought Reading were very poor and a bunch of spoilers for the most part. We picked up second half but I saw nothing before that to make me think we can trouble the top six. Once again Sarge was played wide right! He looked well out of the game there whilst Sara and Nunez were passengers. Sara picked up after the break and a great strike from Idah. Seen the replays and AR is right, no way is that a penalty as the guy stands on Dowells foot and then throws himself to the floor.

[deltic31 13]

12 hours ago, kick it off said:

Bruce was in the directors box a couple of rows behind Delia. Was clear as day on the TV feed, about 57mins into the game.

I'm praying it won't pan out but writing appears to be on the wall.

If it’s Bruce they will loose a lot of season tickets!

[yellowrider120 762]

19 minutes ago, deltic31 said:

If it’s Bruce they will loose a lot of season tickets!

It was a 'wind up' from the boy Kick it Off apparently so we may be able to breathe a sigh of relief!! 

[Nexus_Canary 1,016]

43 minutes ago, yellowrider120 said:

That's fair comment. However I thought Reading were very poor and a bunch of spoilers for the most part. We picked up second half but I saw nothing before that to make me think we can trouble the top six. Once again Sarge was played wide right! He looked well out of the game there whilst Sara and Nunez were passengers. Sara picked up after the break and a great strike from Idah. Seen the replays and AR is right, no way is that a penalty as the guy stands on Dowells foot and then throws himself to the floor.

Your right considering as a fan we can see that teams like reading full of slabs of meat just set up to time waste and spoil, why can't refs see it?!

It seems like the prem is big money blow your opponents away 

And the champ is just about cheating and clogging your way to a smash and grab

It must be quite boring to watch as a fan? 

I'd far rather see passing movement then win the league through grinding out 1-0 

I guess the dream is a mix of the two, we have never really had the gamesmanship down outside of individual players like holty. I guess cantwell tries it but looks like a **** and is found out.

Is it something psychological? Like a big guy going down could only have been bought down given his size? 

But given cantwell and the idea he's known for it Andy Carroll has made a career at a higher level than cantwell of flopping around like an oversized salmon but seems to get away with it.

Also re the game as I'm thinking that nasty tackle on Aaron's I think could have been a red card, studs up late through the player owch.

 

Edited December 31, 2022 by Nexus_Canary