(From the EEB League One preview given to Scunthorpe Irn-Bru.net July 21 2008)
Which team do you want to beat the most, and why?
Leyton Orient. And we were a few seconds from doing it last season. We might have eclipsed them many times re final league position but those buggers from the East End seem to have some death sign over us when we eventually come up against them. I can't remember when we last beat them at home, where we always seem to be on top but just can't get the result! Forget Essex rivals Colchester, it's Borient I want and I want them this season!
The EEB Marks out of 10:
Federici - 8; Looks very capable, worth someone stepping on Big Steve's ankle in training. (Joking!) A smart kicking technique which allows him to find the length of the pitch with a ball that never seems to get higher than three yards off the ground! Picked up playing Aussie rules no doubt.
Francis - 6; In another life Simon played on the right wing not right back. Looks far more comfortable going forward and a real concern when we play tougher opposition.
Clarke - 7; Made work for himself on occasions but gave everything and a clean sheet is just that.
Barrett - 7; Not many clear chances for the O's and Captain Adam gave his all to keep it that way as ever. Dodgy runs forward though.
Harding - 7; Usual classy performance showing more attacking qualities than we've seen especially in the first half when we dominated.
Betsy - 7; Another curate's egg of a game but on the whole gets in good positions, uses his body strength well and his cross for the first goal was perfection.
Christophe - 7; Crikey, this guy is strong, dropping into a central defensive position when Captain Adam went off for a while. Shows flashes of real class but body co-ordination needs to be worked on!
Sawyer - 9; Last week I let Dougie nick the M-O-M, the new Daddy deserves it after this game. Covers every blade of the Roots Hall grass while taking his goal brilliantly, picking the precise spot in the corner of the goal. Start talking to his agent about post-January Tilly.
Robson-Kanu - 7; Welcome back Hal, should never have been dropped. As when he came on at Crewe looked at home in the left wing position and a player of great skill for one so young. The future looks bright for Reading, as it will for us if we can keep him.
Barnard - 7; The good Lord is smiling again. This was more like it, a goal within the first minute helps of course but the work rate was back up to a high level and those first touch passes were coming off again.
Freedman - 8; Dougie, Dougie, Dougie. A pass of Premiership quality to set up Betsy and Barnard for the first, leaps like Orca getting fed at Seaworld to nod down for Sawyer to grab the second, in the right place, again, to score the third. Add to that his work rate, intelligent running off the ball, quality of his passes, constant advice to the rest of the team, and you've not got a bad player. The ovation when he went off said it all.
Subs: Grant (for Robson-Kanu 73) - 7; Made a nuisance of himself in more ways than one to help close out the game.
McCormack (for Sawyer 74) - 6; Not often I see a standing ovation for a player coming on! Welcome back Macca.
Revell (for Freedman 74) - 6; Given his chance to save Dougie's legs from further punishment and ran around to good effect.
Which team do you want to beat the most, and why?
Leyton Orient. And we were a few seconds from doing it last season. We might have eclipsed them many times re final league position but those buggers from the East End seem to have some death sign over us when we eventually come up against them. I can't remember when we last beat them at home, where we always seem to be on top but just can't get the result! Forget Essex rivals Colchester, it's Borient I want and I want them this season!
The EEB Marks out of 10:
Federici - 8; Looks very capable, worth someone stepping on Big Steve's ankle in training. (Joking!) A smart kicking technique which allows him to find the length of the pitch with a ball that never seems to get higher than three yards off the ground! Picked up playing Aussie rules no doubt.
Francis - 6; In another life Simon played on the right wing not right back. Looks far more comfortable going forward and a real concern when we play tougher opposition.
Clarke - 7; Made work for himself on occasions but gave everything and a clean sheet is just that.
Barrett - 7; Not many clear chances for the O's and Captain Adam gave his all to keep it that way as ever. Dodgy runs forward though.
Harding - 7; Usual classy performance showing more attacking qualities than we've seen especially in the first half when we dominated.
Betsy - 7; Another curate's egg of a game but on the whole gets in good positions, uses his body strength well and his cross for the first goal was perfection.
Christophe - 7; Crikey, this guy is strong, dropping into a central defensive position when Captain Adam went off for a while. Shows flashes of real class but body co-ordination needs to be worked on!
Sawyer - 9; Last week I let Dougie nick the M-O-M, the new Daddy deserves it after this game. Covers every blade of the Roots Hall grass while taking his goal brilliantly, picking the precise spot in the corner of the goal. Start talking to his agent about post-January Tilly.
Robson-Kanu - 7; Welcome back Hal, should never have been dropped. As when he came on at Crewe looked at home in the left wing position and a player of great skill for one so young. The future looks bright for Reading, as it will for us if we can keep him.
Barnard - 7; The good Lord is smiling again. This was more like it, a goal within the first minute helps of course but the work rate was back up to a high level and those first touch passes were coming off again.
Freedman - 8; Dougie, Dougie, Dougie. A pass of Premiership quality to set up Betsy and Barnard for the first, leaps like Orca getting fed at Seaworld to nod down for Sawyer to grab the second, in the right place, again, to score the third. Add to that his work rate, intelligent running off the ball, quality of his passes, constant advice to the rest of the team, and you've not got a bad player. The ovation when he went off said it all.
Subs: Grant (for Robson-Kanu 73) - 7; Made a nuisance of himself in more ways than one to help close out the game.
McCormack (for Sawyer 74) - 6; Not often I see a standing ovation for a player coming on! Welcome back Macca.
Revell (for Freedman 74) - 6; Given his chance to save Dougie's legs from further punishment and ran around to good effect.
EEB