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Cardiff City Fans Verdict: Top Six Slips Further Away

How the fans reacted to the key talking points after another poor result for the Royals.

By harry.chafer
/ new
PA Images via Getty Images

Friday night was the first time in a very long time when I hadn’t been nervous for a game. I have now well and truly resigned myself to the fact that we are going to be the team who misses out on the play-offs, and I know a lot of the Reading faithful will be joining me with that mindset.

With that said though, there is still a glimmer of hope of making the play offs, but against Cardiff - in the first half in particular - we were playing as if the players were already on the beach.

There was no urgency or quality and yet again we really, really struggled to break down a team who were quite happy to sit in front of us in a well organised defensive structure - one of the key recurring themes from the season.

For the majority it was a game between two teams that thought they had nothing to play for, which is the most disappointing aspect from my point of view. It’s one thing losing out on the play offs but to do it with a whimper would be even worse.

Here’s how the fans reacted after the game. Spoiler alert, they weren’t very happen yet again...

Tom Holmes

Even though the overriding emotion from the Loyal Royals was understandably one of frustration and anger, there was space to throw some praise the way of Tom Holmes.

No one could’ve expected Holmes to become such a key member of the squad this season. He’s mainly been used as cover for Yiadom at right back, however he has moved back to his favoured central position in recent weeks, and has been our best player in that time.

He is sure to be a big part of our back four next season to, and put in another performance to prove that against the Bluebirds on Friday...

First Half

The whole 90minutes wasn’t the best let’s be honest, but in the first half in particular we looked clueless, lacked ideas and, more worryingly, lacked any kind of urgency.

It was the kind of game that two mid table clubs would be playing out at this stage of the season, not ones chasing the play offs. Yes, our chances are slim of making the play offs but you’ve got to give it everything nonetheless - and i think the fans felt that that was not the case in the opening 45 minutes.

Here’s what they had to say, it's not pretty reading...

Top six gone?

If this wasn’t the general consensus before the Cardiff game, it definitely is now. It was a must win game, and we didn’t win it. You could see from the players reaction at the end of the game how they’re feeling too.

It’s even worse when you look at how it’s got to this point. I wouldn’t go as far as saying we haven’t put up a fight, but we as fans expect and deserve a lot better than what we’ve been given in the last couple of months, it’s not been good enough and the players have been punished for it.

It’s a gutting feeling, as you can tell from these tweets...

Conclusion

It was a poor evening for Reading, and one that may well and truly have squashed the top-six dream which was already decreasing by the day.

With that being said though, as I write this Coventry have just beat Barnsley 2-0 - leaving us four points off with four games to go. Stranger things have happened, and it’s not over until the fat lady sings as they say.

It’s the hope that kills you isn't it?

URZ

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