V Festival 2008: Duffy, Girls Aloud, Ibrahima Sonko

Well it started with a bang… I mean the V festival which I was attending in the mud this weekend just gone, rather than the toothless display against Forest last week for the Royals.

However, I was pleased to see us get a decent home win over the weekend, as my phone struggled for power and reception at Hylands park – 2-0 against Plymouth, who I consider to be a bogey side (well they were one of the only teams to beat us in that exquisite 106 point year)

When I found out that Sonko had scored, I was also pleased. People around me might have thought it was because Duffy was on… I can assure them and you that while I would never poo poo the Welsh songstress, it was the man from Senegal that was got me going. Still it could have been worse, if it had been a Sunday game I would have been screaming just about the same time as Girls Aloud asked "are there any love machines in the audience" – me screaming "YESSSSSSSSSS, GET IN!" might have been perceived as gauche to say the least. (By the way, just to reaffirm my masculine credentials, I did go and see Lenny Kravitz, Kings of Leon and Will Youn…sorry I meant The Feelin… no no wait, I stayed in my tent and listened to MotorHead).

Anyway I digress. 2-0, four points, all is well. Well yes and no. Personally, I’m a little worried about the fact that we have scored two goals, both headed by a defender from corners. Where is that much anticipated diamond partnership between Lita and Doyle? They were muscled out of the game by a very able Notts Forest defence last week (no disgrace there), but I want one of them to start scoring. I worry that having two up front players who are six yard predators might see us playing more long balls and nothing on the deck.

I think we are at our most potent when players like Stephen Hunt and James Harper are running at people – playing it wide for a quick ball into the box or through the defence, utilising the pace of Doyle and Lita. It’s the way we have played when at our best. Obviously Hunt at left back is only a temporary measure, and we will be able to bring him more into the last third of the pitch once a new full back is signed. This will be crucial when Reading are attacking the opposition box. We need to push deeper and further. I love our defence – Sonko’s tough (although always slightly dodgy if the ball goes past him), Ingimarsson is a giant and Murty/Rosenoir are doing well on the right. The trouble (as we all know) is the gap left by Shorey. Arsenal youngster Gibbs on loan? Well that would certainly be in-keeping with what Coppell has been saying – could be a good solution.

Meanwhile, Noel Hunt – I think he needs a start or at least half an hour at the end. Trouble is you don’t want to rock the boat even slightly with Lita and Doyle while the transfer window is open. Lets all sit in a field, holding hands and sing nice, quiet hippy songs together. Kind of like no one did at the V festival. Charlton next… the Master against the Apprentice – Coppell vs Pardew. Come on Lita, show those Premiership vultures what they are missing.

Please...

Mike Hanbidge