MATCHWATCH : Sunderland (a)

[Snowflake Royal]

Sounds like Joao, Holmes and Ince are all doubtful for the game, plus Loum is suspended. Time for a free hit and a change of formation and bring in a few youngsters for a late run out.

However, i fully expect the walking wounded to play and we keep with the same boring formation!!! Feeling a repeat of the Rotherham away game coming on.

If Ince is out, maybe we should just save on the travel costs!

Info on injuries etc. from the club is so unreliable anyway. Earlier this week we were told Baba missed out because of the 5 loan player limit in matchday squads. Now apparently he missed out because of tonsilitis. I'm pretty sure we were also told Ejaria was training - now he's out with a knee injury.

If Ince is out, let's give Azeez a chance to shine.

[Royal_jimmy]

The team are flying up from Farnborough tonight so they should be fresh. No excuses, need a good performance if we want any result.

[tidus_mi2]

No confidence at all with our away form, would take a point now.

[South Coast Royal]

No confidence at all with our away form, would take a point now.

The way they played us off the park in the reverse fixture is worrying but this Reading team are capable of surprises (good and bad) so don't give up all hope,

[Royals and Racers]

Carroll starts and Sarr- no Holmes

[tidus_mi2]

Sunderland will run rings around this team.

[Bristol Paul]

Sunderland will run rings around this team.

Looks very poor, no midfield to speak off, another tonking coming I suspect

[Snowflake Royal]

That team selection. *vom*

One genuine midfielder, 6 defenders including our worst wingback.

That's more like throw 10 outfield players at the pitch and hope than a team selection imo.

[Royals and Racers]

Lumley
Yiadom
Sarr
Mbengue
Baba
Hoilett
McIntyre
Hendrick
Ince
Long
Carroll
SUBS
Bouzanis
Dann
Guinness-Walker
Azeez
Casadei
Meite
Joao

[Snowflake Royal]

Presuming we'll shape up as:

.......................Lumley
.......Yiadom, Mbengue, Sarr
Hoilett, .........McIntyre, ......Rahman
.................Hendrick, Ince
..................Carroll, Long.


Left side of defence looks like a calamity, and we'll be lucky to create anything.

[Mid Sussex Royal]

Club has confirmed error in team sheet, Fornah on bench instead of Joao, makes midfield selection even more surprising

This really doesn't look good, no midfield to speak of against one of the best passing sides in the league

[Jinx]

Well, I shan't bother watching this one then, as apparently we have lost already

[Snowflake Royal]

Presuming we'll shape up as:

.......................Lumley
.......Yiadom, Sarr, Mbengue
Hoilett, .........McIntyre, ......Rahman
.................Hendrick, Ince
..................Carroll, Long.


Left side of defence looks like a calamity, and we'll be lucky to create anything.

Close, but Sarr central. Corrected.

[Snowflake Royal]

Low quality first 10. Both teams seem rather error prone.

[Snowflake Royal]

Rahman in a nutshell there. Good work to not only keep the ball in, but keep it away from the defender and make space. Then a terrible cross when he had all the time in the world.

[Snowflake Royal]

If one out of three passes / touches there are weighted right and we're 1 v 1.

[tidus_mi2]

Seem to be doing a good job of turning the Sunderland fans.

[Bristol Paul]

Defensively ok so far, nothing anywhere else. Ince and McIntyre making a good job of giving the ball away cheaply.

[Snowflake Royal]

Low quality stuff, but decent watching.

Sunderland are very unlikely to be that toothless and error prone second half. We couldn’t capitalise on any half chances and were just there to break them game up and slow it down.

Hands up, didn’t see it in his first few games but I get the hype on Mbengue now. His pace is a real asset and his positioning and reading of the game has come on a lot.

Don't like to see McIntyre in midfield, but he's doing a great job. Screening Sarr really well so he's not been put under much pressure. Although probably contributing to the low quality going forward and head tennis.

We're a good touch, pass or lucky bounce away from getting in, but we're not really crafting anything ourselves.

Chances of Sunderland turning up and catching us by surprise for a goal in the first 10 of the second half has to be fairly high.

Rahman not been put under lots of pressure and Mbengue protected him well.

[South Coast Royal]

Those that say that Championship football is exciting (and there are plenty on here) should be made to watch that first half and confirm what excited them.
Time wasting by us from the off (how long before Lumley gets his booking,?), Shane Long not diving very well, Reading playing a sort of 8-0-2, at times a 6-2-2.

Am glad I didn't make the journey but we are still very much in the game and in the general scheme of things a draw would be a good result.