How do you think you’ve fared this season. Has it played out how you were expecting?
The Prisoner: I didn’t think we’d be so wet. We look like a Championship side trying to get away with it each week. Being “well organised” and “trying hard” are not good enough at this level. Incapable of keeping the ball.
TBM: Its actually better, we’re not bottom.
BonBoh: To be honest, I was happy with the way we started but our 3-2 defeat at Wigan last year knocked our confidence. We went to Villa afraid to concede a goal when they were there for the taking. We ended up losing 1-0 and were in the early stages of a run of 7 defeats. That little stint pretty much stuffed us this season. Still, confidence and belief was restored with a good win against West Ham and it really turned our fortunes. We have been seeing the Royals I’d expected to see this season since Christmas. The problem is we cannot afford to have many ‘bad day at the office’ games such as the defeat by Wigan last Saturday as we have our backs to the wall.
There are always certain players in teams that get the majority of the media praise and I would say this has mainly been Adam Le Fondre, despite spending a lot of the time on the bench. How do you rate him?
Royalclapper: Great finisher. Always willing to come on and sniff out a goal from the bench when called upon. Not suited to the lone striker role though.
RoyallyFcuked: I really rate him. Natural goalscorers will score goals at any level given the chances and that is what he is. He takes most of the chances we give him (which isn’t many), put him in a decent PL side where he is getting loads of chances then he will score a shed load of goals.
AirRaidSiren: He will always score goals, no matter what team he is in. Good squad player and I hope we do keep him next season where he will score bag fulls of goals for us in the Championship.
Are there any players that haven’t been getting the praise they deserve from the media and even your own fan base this season?
SPARTA: Most have been very disappointing to be honest. Pearce has been solid at the back, but his contract dispute and some ridiculous excuses for dropping him have cost us a number of times. We’re a far better side with him in the team, and the stats prove it.. but you tell McDermott and Hammond that..
Readingfanman: Plenty. Pearce is one, Mariappa another.
melonhead: Leigertwood and Mcanuff have been scapegoated by some of the fans, when they are probably two of our more consistent performers.
The way I’ve seen it, so far your Reading team have had highs and lows. Until recently, you were in a good spell but the most recent result to Wigan must have dampened spirits. What are your thoughts on your chances of survival?
TBM: Slim…..lose to Villa and we’re all but down, as we have Utd/Liverpool/City/Arsenal all to play.
maffff: Not great. Could be worse.
Ian Royal: Our chances of survival are reasonable, plenty of games left and only one point in it. But it looks like three from four and Wigan are the master survivalists. We look pretty clueless a lot of the time, so whilst the opportunity is there, I can’t see us successfully taking it. At least we’re in the position of making a fight of it now though, at Xmas it looked like it would have been all but a formality by now.
Le Fondre was the man to undo Everton at the Madejski Stadium in November. What other threats should we be looking for in the reverse fixture at Goodison on Saturday?
BonBoh: Our set-piece plays. We’ll be dull and ugly but will look to get free-kicks in dangerous areas and look to get the goals that way. We’ll hopefully steal a point or three.
Royalclapper: Set pieces, like most underdog teams.
Ian Royal: Kebe – he’s a mercurial winger who is sometimes sublime and at other times ridiculous. Akpan – the only midfielder we have who has an eye for goal and the drive to attack through the centre.
melonhead: jimmy kebe is the only player in our team with any real flair, who can create stuff from nothing.
What do you think of your manager Brain McDermott?
Readingfanman: Smart, but extremely naive. Rapidly getting more and more frustrating.
melonhead: the blokes a legend. to be even in with a chance of staying up with the cheapest squad in the prem by some way shows how good he is.
SPARTA: Nicest guy you’ll probably find in football, and it’s cost him with a number of player fallouts. Poor tactics, negative formations, swamps the side with defennsive midfielders and no attacking creative central midfielders, and all in all very frustrated and let down. It’s hard to critisise him, we all love him, but I can’t help but feel someone with more experience at this level is needed.
Moving on to Everton…
How do you think we have fared this season?
BonBoh: Almost as per usual. You had a good start (for once) but have been a bit indifferent in between. You’re normally unplayable at this time of the year and charge up the table. The Royals will give you a nice opportunity to crack on this weekend if we capitulate (as a result of the Wigan defeat). If you beat us I think you’ll come 5th. If we get any kind of result, you may only realistically have 6th to aim for.
Royally Fcuked: You have done well again, I remember in the early Moyes years you used to have a good season then a bad one, but now he has consistently got you finishing in the Top 8
SPARTA: Solid side as always. Top manager. Need another two decent strikers and you’d push the top four. Likeable club too!
Who do you think will be the biggest threat to your Royals side in the upcoming game?
maffff: Anichebe.
AirRaidSiren: Baines.
The Prisoner: Fellaini.
Royalclapper: Anyone except Tim Howard.
What is your opinion of David Moyes and what do you make of the job he has done for Everton?
Ian Royal: Fantastic. I don’t think there’s anyone who could have done a better job for you.
Royalclapper: Good manager. He’s done a cracking job considering the resources he has in comparison with the other top sides. Maybe bottles it slightly when the team should be going all out but most other clubs would gladly take him.
Readingfanman: Very good job, can’t see how it’s sustainable after he leaves.
Where do you think us Toffee’s will finish come the end of the season?
TBM: 6th
AirRaidSiren: 5th
The Prisoner: 4th-6th
Royalclapper: Above Liverpool.
Finally, predictions for the game?
maffff: 3-0.
melonhead: would kill for a draw. 2-2.
The Prisoner: 4-0 Everton.
Readingfanman: 3-0 Everton, and I’d be surprised if we have more than 2 shots on target.
TBM: 4-0 Everton.
SPARTA: Depends if you’ve got your scoring boots on. 3-0 home win.
AirRaidSiren: 3-0 Home win.
Ian Royal: 3-1 Home win.
BonBoh: Hmm, either 3-1 Everton win or 1-1 draw. It all depends on our approach to the game.
Royalclapper: 2-0 Everton.
Royally Fcuked: For some reason I’ve got a feeling that we will get a result, I’m going to the game, so we best do! Still I’m going to say 2-1 to Everton.
View the Talking to the Enemy Thread here on The Everton Forum: https://www.theevertonforum.co.uk/thread4726.html#post89269