Reading Football Club News: December 2020
Reading Hold Out For Point At Swansea
30 December 2020
By Hob Nob Anyone?
Reading rode their luck at times this evening at The Liberty stadium against in from Swansea but Veljko Paunovic's selection and tactics produced a performance which earned his team a valuable point which keeps them in the top six. Still deprived of key players, The Royals played with real desire and team spirit from start to finish. It was not pretty to watch, but with 'keeper Raphael in outstanding form and some resolute and disciplined defending, Reading kept a clean sheet and even had a chance to win the game near the end. Taking four points from the last two games with so many players unavailable is an impressive achievement.
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Reading Continue Slide Down Table
19 December 2020
By Hob Nob Anyone?
The outcome of this game was decided within the first thirty minutes with a good Brentford side taking full advantage of some poor defending and a dreadful goalkeeping error by Raphael to race into an early three goal lead. A more spirited showing and a headed goal from substitute Aluko in the second half maintained a respectable score line, but in truth Reading never looked likely to recover from their poor start. There was no lack of fight and spirit in this defeat but the errors keep coming thick and fast and have proved costly in recent games. Reading have now slipped out of the top six, and the sooner the players currently out of action due to injury return, the better. Read More...
Injury Hit Royals Suffer Narrow Defeat
16 December 2020
By Hob Nob Anyone?
Norwich moved three points clear at the top of the Championship with this narrow victory over Reading at the Madejski Stadium this evening, but for Reading fans the performance of their team was of greater significance. Deprived of their leading strikers, Veljko Paunovic put together a team which provided stubborn opposition for a City team considered to be one of the leading contenders to win the title. Paunovic's tactics and selection almost paid off. An uncharacteristic error by Andy Rinomhota gifted City an early goal. Reading's response was swift, and with aid of a strike by Ejaria which deflected off Olise, the Royals were level three minutes later. Pukki scored the winner early in the second half from the penalty spot after Aarons was brought down by Moore. In a late flurry Reading forced three corners in stoppage time and it took a very good save from McGovern to prevent Olise's free kick from dipping under the bar. Had it gone in nobody could argue Reading did not deserve a point. Certainly not the Reading fans who applauded their team off the pitch at full time. Read More...
Poor Start Sees Royals Defeated At Home
09 December 2020
By Hob Nob Anyone?
Reading paid the price for a lack lustre first half performance against a well organised and physical Birmingham City side. It was a poor first half showing from the Royals in every respect. There was a marked lack of energy and creativity in midfield with Joao and Meite tightly marked Reading failed to register a shot on target before half time. The Royals defence were practising social distancing around their own penalty area and City's Toral took full advantage scoring two goals from the edge of the box leaving Reading an uphill task in the second half. Ejaria and Olise were disappointing to say the least. Revitalised by the introduction of Samedo and Esteves, Meite reduced the lead with a close range finish and then won a penalty. Joao capped an indifferent performance by failing to tuck a way the spot kick and Reading lost the momentum gained from the goal even though Dean's dismissal in conceding the penalty had reduced City to ten men for the last twenty minutes. City continued to waste time at every opportunity and broke up the play with incessant fouls all over the pitch and comfortably saw out the ten additional minutes of stoppage time to claim the points.
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Two Thousand Fans Watch Royals Cruise To Win
05 December 2020
By Hob Nob Anyone?
Reading marked the fans return to the Madjeski Stadium for the for the first time in nine months with a comfortable home win curtesy of goals from Lucas Joao and Michael Morrison. There may have only been two thousand fans inside the ground but that was enough to generate the match day atmosphere Reading fans and players have been missing for such a long time. Manager Veljko Paunovic came on to the pitch to greet the fans before kick-off and was given an understandably warm reception. Only sixteen minutes had elapsed before Reading scored the first goal witnessed by home fans since the first lockdown in March. Having been denied three penalties, and experienced unpunished red card offences against them in their previous game, referee Gavin Ward redressed the balance when Yates was his hand to clear a Holmes header off the line. Ward was sent off and Joao calmly slotted home his fourteenth goal of the season. It was just the start Reading needed the mark the occasion. Read More...
Frustrating Night As 10 Man Wednesday Hold Reading
02 December 2020
By Hob Nob Anyone?
On an incredibly frustrating evening at Hillsborough Reading were basically denied a victory, which would have seen them go a point clear at the top of the Championship, over ten men Sheffield Wednesday by possibly the most incompetent display of refereeing we are likely to see in the Championship this season. It is common to see referees to get penalty decisions wrong but rare for at least three, or possibly four, such clear cut incidents to go unpunished in one half of football. It should not have mattered however, given the number of chances Reading created to win the game. Bad luck, resolute defending, and poor finishing also played their part as Reading dominated possession from start to finish, but could not find the quality in front of goal to overcome a Wednesday side camped in their own half for most of the game. Read More...