MATCHWATCH : Bristol City (h)

[Sutekh]

When : Tuesday 17th August 2021, 8pm
Where : Select Car Leasing Stadium, Reading, RG2 0FL
Capacity : 24,161


Next up after a bright start on Saturday is a visit from Bristol City. Bristol are not doing too well so far with 1 point at home on the opening day to show for their efforts, but this run trails back into last season as they ended with 11 league games that didn’t work out too well for them, consequently I would imagine the heat is starting to rise for Nigel Pearson.

Danger man for City is Nakhi Wells who we are used to being a right pain in the posterior whenever he turns up so there is going to be a certain amount of worry if Reading can’t get themselves organised properly. In addition I’ve always rated their keeper (Daniel Bentley) so is going to be a challenge for whoever gets to provide Reading’s strikeforce.

Reading are already suffering with their standard injury crisis with Araruna and Ejaria out and no updates as to when they’ll be back plus Meite gone for the season and now Joao to add to the list of worries. If Joao is out then Puscas and Azeez up front is the obvious solution and hopefully that might bring the best out of Puscas if he gets to play in a partnership.

Possibly Reading may complete the signing of free agent Yuri Ribeiro in time for the game but anyone else arriving is unlikely.

Referee

Andy “3 2-1 defeats on the trot” Woolmer

Previously

17 Mar 21 > Birmingham City 2-1 Reading
13 Feb 21 > Reading 1-2 Millwall
14 Jul 20 > Reading 1-2 Middlesbrough
15 Feb 20 > Sheffield Wednesday 0-3 Reading
09 Nov 19 > Reading 3-0 Luton Town
01 Oct 19 > Reading 1-4 Fulham
19 Jan 19 > Derby County 2-0 Reading
18 Oct 16 > Reading 1-2 Aston Villa
27 Aug 16 > Cardiff City 0-1 Reading
23 Aug 14 > Nottingham Forest 4-0 Reading
08 Apr 14 > Bournemouth 3-1 Reading
29 Oct 11 > Crystal Palace 0-0 Reading
12 Apr 11 > Scunthorpe United 0-2 Reading
15 Apr 10 > Reading 3-0 Coventry City
16 Sep 08 > Reading 6-0 Sheffield Wednesday
17 Sep 05 > Reading 1-0 Crewe Alexandra

Historically

This will be the 97th time the two teams have met in the league. Pretty even down the years with 40 wins to the Biscuitmen and 38 to the Robins with 18 draws. At home Reading have 25 wins to 13 defeats (10 draws) and have netted on 77 occasions while conceding 64.

How to follow the game

1. Get a ticket
2. Listen to Radio 5 Live and/or a myriad of other radio stations for score flashes
3. Ring/text a mate for updates
4. Use a RoyalsTV subscription (audio only)
5. BBC Radio Berkshire (FM : 104.4, 104.1 or 95.4 depending where you are in the area)

[NathStPaul]

Andy Woolmer is an extremely poor match official.

[tidus_mi2]

Looking at their forum they seem to be bemoaning the fact we are now only offering half the South Stand to away fans and one person keeps bringing up the point that we are losing potential money when we're struggling financially.

So for any Brizzle fans lurking:
Having our singing section next to the away fans has been a great benefit to suppressing the away fan noise and boosting the home atmosphere.
We aren't struggling financially, our owners are loaded, we've just been oxf*rd stupid and smashed FFP rules.
A few clubs selling out the away end isn't going to make a noticeable difference to our FFP situation.

[Snowflake Royal]

Yep. An extra 1200 away fans in 5 games a season is (6000) <<<<<< attracting 300+ extra of our own more excitable fans to a singing section to improve the atmosphere in 20 games a season (6000)

[tmesis]

I think if the club, right now, could choose between 3 points and an extra £40k in ticket money, they'd take the 3 points. Of course having our fans in that section is hardly a guarantee that we'll win.

[John Smith]

I'm trying to buy a ticket but am greeted with this bullshit: Your selection leaves the row with single vacant seats that are isolated. Please amend your selection so that other people can find adjacent seats for themselves.

Fück is this?!

[leon]

I'm trying to buy a ticket but am greeted with this bullshit: Your selection leaves the row with single vacant seats that are isolated. Please amend your selection so that other people can find adjacent seats for themselves.

Fück is this?!

They think you’re a cnut?

[tmesis]

I'm trying to buy a ticket but am greeted with this bullshit: Your selection leaves the row with single vacant seats that are isolated. Please amend your selection so that other people can find adjacent seats for themselves.

Fück is this?!

A lot of booking sites are like that.
If there was a row that had three free seats next to each other, they don't want you booking the middle seat of the three, as it stops people looking for two together from being able to sit there.

That said, I've seen ones before where there have been two free at the end of a row, and they've objected to me buying the end seat for that very reason, even though booking the other free seat, next to somebody, wouldn't make any difference.

[Sutekh]

Note that the game is NOT on the red button service as Reading have rejected Sky’s coverage :

https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/foo ... on-3786507

[Sutekh]

I'm trying to buy a ticket but am greeted with this bullshit: Your selection leaves the row with single vacant seats that are isolated. Please amend your selection so that other people can find adjacent seats for themselves.

Fück is this?!

I’ve seen this sort of cr@p before when booking for events at some sites. You either have to book earlier, try another seat location or try and speak to an actual human being in the associated ticket office.

[The Cube]

Note that the game is NOT on the red button service as Reading have rejected Sky’s coverage :

https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/foo ... on-3786507

That article is about a match 18 months ago.

[Sutekh]

Note that the game is NOT on the red button service as Reading have rejected Sky’s coverage :

https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/foo ... on-3786507

That article is about a match 18 months ago.

[NathStPaul]

Lucas Joao out for "a number of weeks".

Well now is your time George Puscas, time to step up. Having a run of games can only help him but I worry he will be asked to play a role he just cannot do.

[Hound]

poor news

had hoped we'd have Ribeiro tied up by now as well tbh.

[Hendo]

Thats a shame, thought he looked pretty sharp on Saturday.

[Stranded]

Not surprising news really, Joao needs to get his shoulder sorted but a shame as he looked sharp at the weekend and a goal would have helped potentially springboard him on to another good season - hopefully "weeks out" is around 4 as he could then be back for after the international break.

Guess Puscas has to start tonight and if so would expect us to have him and Azeez playing off each other, which could be very effective with Swift behind in a 3-5-2

Rafael

Morrisson
Moore
McIntyre

Yiadom
Rinohomta
Laurent
Swift
Bristow

Puscas
Azeez

Leaves us with just a 17 yo striker on the bench, so any subs are likely to see a change in formation but that's still not a bad first 11.

Of course if Ejaria is fit then we could look at a 5-2-3/3-4-3 with Swift/Ejaria working off Azeez.

[Pepe the Horseman]

Lucas Joao out for "a number of weeks".

Well now is your time George Puscas, time to step up. Having a run of games can only help him but I worry he will be asked to play a role he just cannot do.

He did ok when called upon last year. Think people are judging him harshly on Tuesday's game, where it was just him and a load of kids. Hopefully having Azeez close to him could bring out the best in him. Hat-trick incoming.

[Jagermesiter1871]

So is tonights game on red button?

[NathStPaul]

So is tonights game on red button?

Nope.

https://www.skysports.com/football-fixtures

[John Smith]

I'm trying to buy a ticket but am greeted with this bullshit: Your selection leaves the row with single vacant seats that are isolated. Please amend your selection so that other people can find adjacent seats for themselves.

Fück is this?!

They think you’re a cnut?

Everything OK mate?