Derby County Fans Verdict: Loyal Royals Rue Controversial Defeat
Harry rounds up the reaction of the fans after a frustrating defeat to the Rams.
Well, I think you can all guess what was on the top of the agenda for the fans on Tuesday evening.
I mentioned in my match report that there’s every chance we go on to lose the game, and Paul Warne, the Derby manager, was right in saying that the hosts created enough chances to win. But to lose it the way we did, with the decisions that went against us, is a kick in the teeth.
It feels a little like the world is against us at the moment...
Joel Pereira
Let's start with a positive, and Pereira’s performance was certainly one. He’s had to wait a long, long time for his chance in the league and on the whole he took it. He made some really good saves and was unfortunate to concede the penalty.
Ruben Selles has a big decision to make on Saturday. If David Button only missed out with illness then you’d expect him to be back for the Cambridge United game, but it seems the fans want Pereira to keep his place...
Pereira should start Saturday IMO. #readingfc
— Rich. (@Rich_sharman) March 13, 2024
Wanted to give credit to Joel Pereira.
— Lewis Radbourne (@lewisradbourne1) March 13, 2024
We’ve been crying out for him to play in recent weeks, and he took his chance.
Made some very good saves and was comfortable with the ball at his feet, didn’t feel nervy with him between the sticks at all.#readingfc
Outstanding performance from Pereira. Poor refereeing. #readingfc
— Az (@Rahza_27) March 12, 2024
Pereira easily done enough to keep his spot.
— Guilty, I support Reading. (@Reading106) March 12, 2024
Couple of brilliant saves and commands the box (I'm not really sure what this means but you have to say it about good keepers )#Readingfc
I think Pereira has had a brilliant game, shouldn’t have been a penalty. Hoping he keeps number 1 #readingfc
— Joshua Lamb (@lambeyyy1871) March 12, 2024
Joel Pereira's performance has been a massive positive. Diabolical penalty against him. But he's been assured, comfortable with the ball at his feet and some excellent saves. #readingfc
— Lalo Escőbar (@razor5edge) March 12, 2024
Pereira is amazing #readingfc
— sachh (@s4chhhh) March 12, 2024
Result aside, Joel had a solid game. Very unlucky with the pen but his confidence dealing with crosses and 1v1s is far superior to buttons at the moment. #readingfc pic.twitter.com/4dzdogwcoH
— Alex (@Pickettlickett) March 12, 2024
David Button would have saved everything that Joel Pereira has saved…
— Greg Double (@Dubstep1988) March 12, 2024
…but I reckon Pereira’s proactivity has reduced the amount of saves he’s had to make.
Twice he’s come a long way to claim balls comfortably, I suspect Button would have still been on his line. #readingfc
The referee
This is the clear and obvious (pardon the pun) talking point from Tuesday night.
I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: I’m not saying the reason we lost is the referee - we could well have lost with 11 men on the pitch and not conceding the penalty. However, our job was made a hell of a lot harder by our captain being given an utterly embarrassing second yellow card.
And Pereira was clumsy coming out the way he did for the penalty, but replays show Dwight Gayle clearly handballed it away from the ‘keeper. The fans were rightly fuming after the game...
The ref going into the Derby changing room at the end of the game #readingfc #dcfc pic.twitter.com/vQHOYB1SBt
— Lalo Escőbar (@razor5edge) March 12, 2024
EFL want us down I’m convinced. Gayle way offside for the first, handballs the ball for the foul given as a pen and then Hourihane diving for to get Yiadom sent off. The ref didn’t hesitate for any of those decisions it’s a shambles that we have these against us weekly #readingfc
— alex ☯︎ #sellbeforewedai (@royalex_B) March 12, 2024
Just got back .... I'm still absolutely fuming. Haven't seen the replays but two yellows given only after uproar from fans; a pen that I thought should have been our freekick for handball; and Yids getting sent off becase someone fell over. #efl briefing refs, then. #readingfc
— ajb1871 (@RDG1871) March 13, 2024
We go again Saturday, Back the boys, really bad ref last night but there is nothing we can do now, lets keep positive #Readingfc
— Natho (@RFCNatho) March 13, 2024
The ref has ruined the game. That is not a penalty and never a red.
— Rich. (@Rich_sharman) March 12, 2024
Derby have been better than us and deserve the lead, but the ref is an utter joke.
I want a Selles red card - give it to the ref after the whistle #readingfc
#readingfc I'm not even just saying this because I'm mad at the loss.
— Daniel (@F0rmulaOneFan) March 12, 2024
Search up this ref and you'll see everyone going on about his decisions.
The EFL need to hire people who are competant with the rules of the game, this is rigged
Hard loss to take that. Ref absolutely against us #readingfc
— Mike Stagg (@bulbasaur1871) March 12, 2024
A brave and plucky #readingfc performance. A truly shocking referee. Not often I'm genuinely angry at an official but this one royally screwed us over, in a time where we don't need anything else going against us. It's hard enough as it is, let alone with a bent ref in charge.
— Anthony Kendrick (@AJKendrick) March 12, 2024
I’m still fuming after last night & I tend to be more lenient on refs than your average fan. He was an absolute disgrace #readingfc
— Jeff H (@jphallett7) March 13, 2024
The worst bit is, from this angle you can see how close the ref is. 10 yards at most. As a professional referee, if you can’t see from 10 yards no contact has been made, you shouldn’t be in that position of power. Help him out @Specsavers #readingfc https://t.co/YQsDS8BXEn
— Jonathan Lara (@jonathan_lara) March 13, 2024
Conclusion
Just a really annoying, gut-punching defeat. The team worked their socks off as they usually do, but had no real way of hurting the hosts and couldn’t find any kind of quality in the final third. Throw the absolutely god-awful decisions from the referee into it and it makes it all even worse.
Now we're without our captain for a huge game against Cambridge, and have suffered another loss where we really don’t need to.
It’s us against the world it seems, but hey, who cares? Let's give it a good crack on Saturday. URZ.