FA Cup: Tottenham Hotspur 2-2 Reading

[funster]

We really paid for missed chances in this game. We really did. A replay is of little help now as the fixture pile-up begins.

Hang on..... we were here last season as well!

For yesterday's game I dragged myself out of my sickbed. OK, that's a slight exaggeration, but the pre-Christmas illness was back and it was touch'n'go for a couple of days during the week to see if I could make it. The chest x-ray the doctor sent me for last week didn't bode well, but I made it.

I met my mate Patrick at Liverpool Street for a couple of pre-game beers. When we were at Reading last year we saw a capitulation that led to a rather humbling defeat. That day Patrick's mate Hammy - a Reading supporter - also came to the game, and bizarrely he'd managed to get a ticket from the Reading ticket office on the morning of yesterday's match! An indicator of how seriously they're taking the FA Cup.

Further indication came from Steve Coppell's team selection. Much like last year against United he fielded a vastly under-strength squad. Eight or nine changes from the Premier League game a week earlier. Conversely we fielded what is possibly our strongest side. As I surveyed the starting eleven it was striking that this would probably have been the exact same starting eleven that Martin Jol would have picked as his strongest team. There's probably one, maybe two exceptions we would now make - Bale would certainly be starting if he was fit, and you could argue that Huddlestone would be better off partnering either Zokora or Jenas in the middle. He has a far greater range of passing than either of the more defensively minded pairing that started yesterday.

Really though, none of it should have mattered. We should have won this tie by two or three such were the chances that we created. For the first ten minutes Reading couldn't even get a touch on the ball. Although they began to get back into the game slowly we should've been ahead when Berbatov slid a cross over the ground to Keane, unmarked, on the edge of the six yard box, only for Keane to inexplicably push the shot wide. It was a worse miss than the one from similar position last week.

Even more inexplicably we fell behind in bizarre circumstances. A Reading free-kick only just inside the Spurs half by the touchline and the first thing that came to my mind - "Oh dear, set piece, let's see how we deal with this.....". I bet when Hunt struck it his first thought was he'd overhit it. An easy save for Robbo. Or so it seemed. He caught it, unchallenged. Took one step back. Then another, and another and in my head I said "Oh no". I couldn't believe it. Unchallenged, Robbo had just carried the ball over the line to gift Reading the lead in a game they hadn't ever been in. On a scale of howlers this was right up there with them. Patrick was incredulous that the assistant had awarded it but I think the crowd behind the goal were split pretty much 50:50. Half bemused that Robbo had done what he had, half still not believing that the ball had crossed.

It was at this point that I decided I had to take a leak. Several pre-game beers were sitting a bit too heavy and relief was required. I don't often go to the pub before home games and one of the reasons is I don't particularly like to have to excuse myself during the match. You pay enough for the bloody ticket, you may as well see the whole game! As I emptied my bladder - too much detail for some I'm sure, but you may as well hear it warts an' all! - a cheer went up and we'd equalised. Missed the whole thing! It was Berbatov, a questionable offside according to Patrick, but we weren't going to complain. I think, having seen the replays, it wasn't offside at all. The Reading defender nearest the right side of their penalty area was too deep and played Berbatov onside. Scores level, and who else but Berbatov against Reading?!

It was a daft scoreline at half-time given the total dominance we'd had. Reading had created pretty much nothing and it was really very obvious that Coppell had sent out a second string. The fact that we'd failed to capitalise on our dominance was shocking - particularly given the Keane miss early on. We retired for another beer - again, something I don't really do at home games! - and missed the start of the second half.

In fact, we missed the penalty award! Bloody hell! Heading back to our seats we saw Berbatov had stepped up to take it. Probably no surprise given the two missed penalties from Keane in recent weeks. No mistake from Berbatov. Lifted and wide of Federici in the Reading goal and, at last, deservedly ahead. It was similar to the penalties we all know Keane can, and certainly used to, take. Nice to see we have more than one player capable of netting from the spot.

From here on it looked inconceivable that we'd fail to go through. The chances still came with Lennon particularly proving a constant threat. Keane was withdrawn for Taarabt - exciting prospect. Seeing Taarabt play for near enough half an hour was entertaining. He didn't disappoint, although he didn't get into the game as much as he had against Fulham on Boxing Day. When he did pick the ball up and run with it he beat Reading players easily. He got one shot off, although it was a bit weak and didn't really cause any problems for Federici.

We really should have put this game to bed. The worst miss of the second half came from Berbatov. An easier chance for his second consecutive hat-trick against Reading he could not have asked for. Lennon did excellently down the right to beat a couple of defenders in the box and square for Berbatov who really should have wrapped it up for us. Instead, he trod on the ball. I can't put it any more kindly than that. The goal at his mercy and he trod on the ball!

My how we were to pay. As we continued to pile on the pressure, we won a corner that was cleared to the edge of the box where Malbranque should have picked it up comfortably to keep the attack going. Instead he failed to get to the ball cleanly and Reading broke quickly. Lita cut inside from the left in the eighteen yard box and fired in a low shot that Robbo got down to well to save but the first player to the rebound was bloody Hunt and he slotted in from a tightish angle.

Now, a lot of reports have suggested Robbo was at fault. I don't agree. I simply can't on this one. The obvious thing for Lita to do was to hit it to Robbo's left because that's where his momentum was taking him. Instead he fired it the other side and Robbo did very well to get down and parry. The fact was that none of our defenders went with Hunt as he ran in completely unchallenged to pick the ball up and equalise. Thinking about it, I wonder whether Hunt may have been offside when Lita hit the shot. Dunno. Would need to look at the replays again, but sad fact of the matter was that we were now on the back foot.

Huddlestone was thrown on to presumably give us a better range of passing from central midfield, but didn't last long. I couldn't see the incident as it was at the other end of the ground by the away fans, but he was red carded. After the game Hammy said he couldn't work out what the red card was for, but another of Patrick's mates (Andy) who'd been in the Reading end (Spurs fan - poor sod!) said it was for a headbutt, but there was absolutely no contact. Intent then. Can you be sent off for that? Having watched the replay, a very poor decision. How that ends up with a red card is beyond me. Hammy and Andy did say though that the assistant on that side who had really been responsible for the decision, had had a shocking game. Say no more.

There wasn't really too much action after that. We really did pay for missed chances. We dominated, we created, we should've scored four or five. As it turns out we now have to go to Reading for a replay - a repeat of this stage last season when we had to take Cardiff back to the Lane after an awful third round tie in Wales.

I'd like to think that if Coppell continues with his focus on the Premier League and plays a second string again on Tuesday week, that Ramos will not allow for the same mistakes to be made. Fingers crossed I'll be there to see it. For those who don't know, the Chelsea game in the league's been brought forward to the Saturday as a result.

Positives from yesterday? I survived without my state of health suffering too much - I think! King was at his most assured yet. He got through the whole game and his influence across the back four is clear for all to see. It is a much more solid unit. OK, so it wasn't the same Reading team that scored four times in the League, but even taking that into consideration, this was a far better defensive performance than we've been treated to for some time. Berbatov was great in the first half and large parts of the second. Jenas played really well in the middle, chasing down pretty much everything and getting stuck in. Lennon had a very good game. Menacing with this runs and despite some poor delivery, his effort should have been rewarded with Berbatov scoring his third.

Ah well, at least we're still in the draw. Be interesting to see who we get on Monday. Usual rules apply, home tie is first priority, then we've got to make sure we're in the fourth round! Oh, and the small matter of a League Cup semi-final at The Emirates and a Premier League game at Chelsea in between times thrown in for good measure.

Here we go again!

[RiverWire]

Great report mate yet again, know how you feel with the sicknessi can hardly move at the moment its a real downer when im suppose to be going away on business on tuesday for the week (and i have to go no matter what), as for the match well i didnt see it nor did i listen to it in the end, i did however manage to sit and watch skysports news for the whole match and saw the goals after it , one goal sticks in my head more than the others and i wish it was berbatov's first but yet again yes it's robbo's own goal, do we all think he will be our keeper by the end of the season ? hmm im not sure.

I also agree with someone else that has written something in another post about where is Defoe ? surely if berba is off then we should be making sure defoe is more than match fit ! unless another world class striker is coming to the lane ?

[funster]

The Robbo goal was..... well, I think I've expressed my disbelief enough in the match report mate! I think a new keeper will be on the shopping list for the summer. That's the first time I've said it since we signed Robbo!

As for Defoe and the Berbatov situation..... really, who knows? His agent is stirring things up quite publicly, but Fergie's already said he'll be making no signings in January. Would suggest that Berbatov could be leaving in the summer. Whether its to OT or elsewhere, can't say. Unless we have a stonking good second half of the season, rocket up the League and win a couple of cups, I couldn't blame Berbatov for wanting to move on.

Defoe, well, maybe he'll stick it out. Especially now that he's sacked Sky Andrew as his agent and taken on..... wait for it..... Mitchell Thomas! Yes, you read right, Mitchell Thomas. The one and only!

[Beats]

Good report as ever Funster.

I still haven't seen their first goal, not sure if I want to...

I'll believe Berbatov is leaving when I see it. The speculation has been going on too long with nothing actually happening. If he goes I'm sure we can cope, saying that I'd rather he stayed!

[yidno1]

Great report on the match, pretty much summed it up specialy all the dissapointed people returning to their seats after a marathon wait for the toilets at half time meant lots missed the penatly by Berba.

As for the Robbo goal I was right inline with the goal in the East Stand and could see clearly it hadnt all crossed the line FFS, the linesman who I must admit took severe abouse fromt that point on by me was NOT however inlineso couldnt judge 100% if indeed it had crossed the line.
But I agree now with the negative Robbo remarks, I love the guy but hes costing us far to many matches the second Reading scorred he should have done so much better with it instead he could only parrying it out to the Pikey Hunt!!!