Reading FC Corner 1 - Matches (previews, live comments & final whistle)

READING 0 CHARLTON ATHLETIC 2


Newly-promoted Charlton moved up to second in the Championship with victory at Reading. George Puscas had two good efforts for the hosts before the break in an even but goalless first half. On-loan Jonathan Leko broke the deadlock soon after half-time when the Charlton forward's deflected effort spun in from the edge of the box. The lead was doubled when Lyle Taylor converted a penalty after Chuks Aneke had been brought down in the area by Pele.


Reading manager Jose Gomes:
"We prepared for the game very well and, in the first half, my players showed our plan was good. We had a good defensive dynamic. We really blocked out Charlton. We created clear goal situations in the first half but we missed them. In the second half, after their goal, it looked like my team was scared because of the things that were happening. That's why I changed my wing-backs and replaced them with more offensive players. With my player changes, this is the magic thing in football. If you play PlayStation and you change the players and you lose, you can repeat the game. Here, we can't. But I don't regret doing it."

MIDDLESBROUGH v READING


14th September 2019 - Championship
Match Preview


Referee: Jones R.  / Venue: Riverside Stadium (Middlesbrough)
 
 
Refreshed from the international break, Middlesbrough return to Championship action in search of a sixth consecutive league victory over Reading. Four of their previous five H2H victories have come by a single-goal margin, three of which were played out at the Riverside Stadium, with each of those ending 2-1. Despite the fact that Middlesbrough were unbeaten in three matches heading into the international break (W1, D2), the ‘Boro’ have dropped more points from winning positions than any other Championship side so far this term (six). Notably, Middlesbrough drew after leading in the game in each of their last two league outings.
So far this season, Reading have only managed to earn points from matches in which they have scored first. Damningly, the ‘Royals’ have only managed an equaliser on one of four occasions that they have gone behind in the league this season. First scorers, but losers, in last season’s corresponding fixture, Reading are unbeaten in two of their three away games so far (W1, D1, L1). However, they are yet to score before half-time, and two of those matches were goalless at the break (HT: D2, L1).

Players to watch: No Championship player has scored more goals since the beginning of 2014/15 as Middlesbrough’s Britt Assombalonga (67). He bagged his 100th overall last time out. Reading midfielder George Pușcaș scored his nation’s only goal in a 1-0 victory over Malta during the international break. Both of his league goals this season have come before half-time.

Stat attack: The Riverside Stadium has seen a joint league-low of four total goals this term (1.33 per match on average). Both sides have received exactly ten bookings across the last six H2Hs (1.67 per match average). With just seven yellow cards (1.17 per match on average), Reading boast the joint-best disciplinary record so far this term.

READING v BLACKBURN ROVERS
21st September 2019 - Championship
Match Preview
Referee: Donohue M. / Venue: Madejski Stadium (Reading)
 
Preview
Following back-to-back league defeats, José Gomes’ Reading are comparably worse off based on points than at this stage of six of the last eight Championship seasons. However, Gomes has won his only prior engagement with Tony Mowbray’s Blackburn (2-1) and will look to extend this record here. Favourites for this, Reading have proven themselves poor value when fancied over the last season. In fact, the ‘Royals’ have won just two of nine home games in which they were bookmakers favourites since the start of last season (W2, D3, L4 - 22.22% win rate).
Mowbray has a woeful record vs Reading as a manager and is coincidentally yet to win in seven prior meetings (D2, L5). Those games haven’t been without entertainment though, as five of those seven matches saw both teams score and over 2.5 goals in the game (3.43 goals per match average). In spite of the high goal scoring history of this fixture, only Brentford league games have produced a lower average of goals per game than Blackburn this season (2.0 per match average). Notably, half of the total goals scored in Blackburn’s away league games were scored between the 31st-45th minute.
 
Players to watch: Reading’s Oviemuno Ejaria has scored two of Reading’s last three league goals; peculiarly, both came in the 71st minute of consecutive matches. Blackburn’s Bradley Dack ended a five-match run in the league without a goal to score in back-to-back games; he was also booked in two of his last four scoring league games.
 
Stat attack: Reading have gone 186 minutes of Championship football without scoring a goal. Tony Mowbray sides have conceded the opening goal in six of seven H2Hs with Reading, the other ended 0-0. Blackburn have not mustered an equalizing goal after going behind twice in away league games this season.

'We gave them 45 minutes' admits 'upset' Reading boss
 
READING 1 BLACKBURN 2


Jose Gomes felt his side failed to turn up for the opening 45 minutes which proved costly in the defeat to Rovers. Rovers scored early in both halves through Adam Armstrong and Bradley Dack, to establish a two goal lead at the Madejski Stadium. John Swift reduced the arrears just before the hour mark as Reading enjoyed their best spell in the 20 minutes after Dack’s strike. But Gomes was disappointed that it took his side until the second half to build up any ascendancy, feeling the display in the opening 45 minutes was their undoing.


He said: “We prepared all week for this game but we made a very bad start and we gave away a lot of space to our opponent. I was very upset with the players at half-time. We were ready to start the second half with a new spirit, a new energy and then the worst thing that can happen, happened - we conceded a second goal. My players didn’t give up and we created some chances, but it wasn’t enough. We gave them the first 45 minutes and we couldn’t recover. It is hard to win a game when you give 45 minutes to your opponent. But now we need to trust in our players and believe that they will give us the victories we are expecting.”


Gomes led his side to safety last season, including a victory over Rovers when the two sides met in February. With money spent on new additions in the summer, the Royals had targeted a top six push this season, but have taken just seven points from their opening eight games, with this their third successive defeat. And Gomes says they must learn fast to turn their fortunes around.
“When we lose we must catch the responsibility with both hands,” he told his club’s website. “Not say it’s not my responsibility, it’s because of the grass or because of the weather, or this or that. We can learn a lot when we lose. And this is the point. We must learn and show we have learned in the next game. I don’t like cheap words. It’s very easy to talk. So we have to show the things on the pitch. And I am sure we will get the results we need this season. I spoke with my players after the game and we are together in feeling we can turn this situation very soon.”

READING v PRESTON N E
19th October 2019 - Championship
Match Preview
 
Referee: Whitestone D. // Venue: Madejski Stadium (Reading)
 
Claiming just one point from their last six league matches, Reading haven't scored over 1.5 goals in seven straight matches in all competitions. However, having conceded over 1.5 goals in just three of such matches, the 'Royals' will feel an overdue win is on the cards. Despite winning the last three straight H2H meetings against Preston North End by a one-goal margin, Reading have lost two of their last three home league games by two or more goals. Amid their worst start in nine Championship seasons (W2, D2, L7), Reading have seen their opponents score first in all seven of their league defeats, and have gone into the break as losers more than any other Championship team (six).
Leading at the break more times than any other league opponent (six), and scoring first more than any other league team (nine), Preston (W6, D3, L2) are unbeaten in eight consecutive league matches. Scoring in both halves of seven Championship matches, Preston have also seen an average of 2.20 goals scored over five awaydays (total). Considering that the 'Lilywhites' have scored over 1.5 goals in just one of their last nine visits here (W1, D1, L7), the first goal could very well settle this fixture.


Players to watch: Reading's Yakou Meite has two goals this season and was the first goalscorer in these teams' last H2H at the Madejski Stadium. Daniel Johnson continues to impress for Preston and scored a brace last time out to make it seven for the season; he also has two career goals against the hosts.


Stat attack: Reading's last five home league games have produced three or more cautions (two matches have seen dismissals). Preston's last three Championship awaydays have seen under 7.5 corners (total). Reading have conceded the most goals in the league within the first 15 minutes (REA: 0:5 - PRE: 4:0).

QPR v READING


22nd October  2019 - Championship


Match Preview


Goals have certainly been plentiful in QPR’s league matches so far this term. Significantly, QPR’s league fixtures have averaged a Championship-high of 3.5 goals per game, and nine (75%) out of their 12 league matches to date have seen both teams score. When QPR are involved, it is largely the second period when the action tends to arrive, with 71.43% of their goals scored - and 61.90% of their total goals conceded - coming after the interval. The 15 second-half goals that QPR have scored this season is a league-high.

Opponents Reading won last time out to arrest a six-match winless run in the league. However, they possess the worst first-half record in the league, with a terrible goal difference of -5 (GF 0, GA 5) in the first 15 minutes of Championship games, extending to -8 (GF 1, GA 9) over the first 30 minutes. From a goalscoring perspective, however, Reading’s league matches typically come to life in the second half, with 83.33% of their goals scored arriving after the break. In fact, nearly half (five) of the Royals’ 12 goals so far this season have arrived from the 83rd minute onwards.

Players to watch: With three goals in his last two league matches, QPR’s Eberechi Eze has hit five (83.33%) of his six league goals this season in the second half. In the two Championship games that Yakou Méïté (REA) has scored in, his team have lost by an aggregate of: GF 2, GA 7.


Stat attack: QPR have conceded at least two goals in each of their last three home league games, and in four out of six (66.67%) overall this season. QPR are unbeaten in the last four league H2Hs on home turf, with the visitors failing to score in the last two. Reading have been leading at half-time in the league just once this season (8.33% of their matches).

READING v MILLWALL
2nd November 2019 - Championship
Match Preview
 
A 2-2 away draw at QPR in the last Championship round saw Reading boss Mark Bowen collect four points from his first two league matches at the Berkshire club’s helm. In turn, the ‘Royals’ have now picked up six of their 12 points at home this season, but only one side has picked up less on home turf so far. In addition to that, Reading have lost both halves more times at home than any other league team this campaign (three), while winning just one of their previous five Championship H2Hs (W1, D1, L3).
Visiting coach Gary Rowett has never lost a Championship game away at Reading (W2, D3), overseeing a clean sheet for the side under his command in three of those five trips. That noted, Rowett has drawn his last three league trips to Reading’s ground (with different clubs) whilst failing to score first in all three stalemates. The visitors are well-placed to defy their manager’s recent record here though, having scored two goals in each of their last four Championship outings, while netting in both halves in the last three.


Players to watch: First-goalscorer for Reading more times than any other player this season, George Puscas has netted all of his league goals (three) so far before half-time. Tom Bradshaw has scored five of his six league goals in his last six appearances for Millwall, netting between the 31st-45th minute period in three of his last four games for the ‘Lions’.


Stat attack: Each of Reading’s last three home league games have seen them score one goal in the second half of play. Millwall have seen both sides score in each of their last three Championship away fixtures. Since the start of the 2018/19 campaign, Millwall have won just six league matches in the role of outsiders (W6, D10, L18).

3 THINGS WE LEARNED ABOUT READING IN THEIR 2-1 VICTORY OVER MILLWALL ON SATURDAY

https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/3-things-we-learned-about-reading-in-their-2-1-victory-over-millwall-on-saturday

READING v WATFORD

Reading have a 100% record this Championship campaign so far, with all three wins witnessing the ‘Royals’ score exactly two goals. In fact whilst Reading have failed to score within the first 30 minutes in any of their three league games, they’ve still netted the opener each time.

The hosts have been leading or drawing at HT in 19 of their last 24 Championship home fixtures (HT: W6, D13, L5). In 14 of those matches Reading failed to score before HT, and so it’s little surprise that the most common time for Reading to score here since the start of last season has been after the 75th minute, which is when they’ve scored 28.57% of their home league goals.

Recently-relegated Watford have settled into Championship life with two wins and a draw and are yet to concede this season. Furthemore, all three league games this term have seen no second-half goal, and subsequently the HT result has been mirrored at FT each time.

Although the visitors are still looking for their first Championship away goal this season, they should travel with confidence as they’ve scored first in four of the last five league H2Hs held here (W2, D3) and haven’t lost an away H2H since January 2009. Even so, the ‘Hornets’ have some work to do as they haven’t won an away league game since January earlier this year (D2, L7).

Players to watch: Reading’s Yakou Méïté has scored two league goals across his previous five Championship outings. His last three league strikes were netted between the 60th and 70th minute.

Midfielder Ken Sema has assisted both of Watford’s Championship goals so far, and has scored their only competitive away goal this season.

Hot stat: Since the start of last season, Watford have conceded more league goals (15) from the 76th minute to FT than any other 15 minute interval.

MIDDLESBOROUGH v READING

Neil Warnock’s Middlesbrough enjoyed a solid start to the league campaign given the calibre of opponents thus far (W1, D2, L1). Notably though, Warnock’s appointment has given their often lacklustre games a breath of air, with eight of 12 league games since seeing both teams score (W5, D2, L5), in comparison to 17 of the previous 38. The 2-1 victory last time out here was Middlesbrough’s first home league win under Warnock at the fifth attempt (W1, D1, L3). The Boro head into this as favourites, although they have not been convincing across the last 19 home league games when fancied. Indeed, they own just a 31.58% win-rate (W6, D7, L6) when favoured to win, and failed to keep a clean sheet in the last nine (W1, D4, L4).

Visiting Reading enjoy a perfect start to Championship life under new manager Veljko Paunović (W4), and their perfect four-game start puts them at least seven points better off than at this stage of any of their second-tier campaigns across the last decade. Moreover, they scored the opening goal in all league victories so far. Reading are in a minority of sides who picked up more than half of their points since the start of last season away from home (54.41%). As such, they will not mind their underdog status as they boast a: W10, D7, L8, record as away outsiders since 2019/20 (68% W/D rate). Notably, six of those victories came without reply whilst just two saw them overturn a deficit.

Players to watch: Chuba Akpom could become the first Boro player since 1919 to score in each of his first three appearances for the club following his running start. Lucas João scored five of Reading’s ten goals in all competitions so far this term, including one in both of their away league victories.

Hot stat: Neil Warnock boasts a poor 24% career win-rate against Reading (W6, D5, L14), with four of his last five fixture defeats coming without reply.

READING 1 WYCOMBE 0

Lucas Joao netted a superb individual goal to send Reading three points clear at the top of the Championship with victory against Wycombe. A fifth win in six games for the hosts was hard-fought as Wycombe pushed right to the end for an equaliser in a bid to earn their first Championship point.

Fred Onyedinma twice went close for the Chairboys late on, with Reading goalkeeper Rafael palming away a fierce shot on the turn. But Joao provided the definitive moment just past the hour mark when he latched on to Liam Moore's long ball into the penalty box before chesting it down and finishing confidently past Ryan Allsop.

Reading go outright top of the Championship for the first time this season after Middlesbrough, the only team to take points off them so far this campaign, beat Bristol City 1-0 at Ashton Gate. Veljko Paunovic has now overseen three home league wins and three clean sheets since taking charge at the Madejski Stadium.

READING v ROTHERHAM 

Reading may just be dreaming of Premier League football next year after an undefeated league start (W5, D1) which has seen them concede just one league goal. That record is all the more remarkable, given that they have failed to outshoot any of their opponents so far, and have actually attempted the fewest number of shots in the division (41). The hosts often save their best for later on in home fixtures, which has seen them score three of their four home league goals inside the final 30 minutes of the match. That said, goals usually come at a premium in home matches for the ‘Royals’, and they have scored over 1.5 in just seven of their previous eight home Championship matches.
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Things haven’t started as well for newly-promoted Rotherham, who have managed just one league victory (W1, D3, L2). There’s been plenty of late drama in their matches, with over half (54.55%) of their goals scored or conceded arriving after the 75th minute. They’ve also scored two goals in this segment across the previous two H2H fixtures vs Reading. Just one of Rotherham’s six league matches played so far have produced over 2.5 match goals. However, their fixtures this season have contributed to a run of both teams scoring in ten of their previous 12 competitive matches.
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Players to watch: 
Reading’s Lucas João has already scored six competitive goals this season, and four of those efforts arrived after half-time. Although Freddie Ladapo has just one goal to his name so far this season, he did score 17 competitive goals in the last campaign for Rotherham, 11 of which came on the road.
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Hot stat: 
Reading’s average of two yellow cards per league game is the joint-highest in the Championship so far.

BLACKBURN v READING
Championship

Following Blackburn Rovers’ 4-0 win at Coventry last time out, they have now scored more Championship goals than any other team this season (2.29 on average per league game). It comes as no surprise then that their fixtures have averaged a league-high 3.29 match goals per game so far, with 71.43% of their Championship fixtures producing over 2.5 goals. The hosts are unbeaten at HT in their last four home league games (HT: W2, D2), and that appears likely again here considering the last two H2Hs saw Blackburn lead by a one-goal margin at the break. It’s no wonder then that Blackburn are favourites here, a tag in which they boast an impressive 86.36% unbeaten rate as a Championship home favourite since the start of last season (W10, D9, L3).

Ahead of this round, table toppers Reading are just one of two Championship teams to have avoided a league loss this season (W6, D1). The ‘Royals’ are enjoying their best start to a league season since 2005/06 - a season that Reading went on to win the league and register the highest-ever points total in a professional English league season (106). Yet to concede before HT this season on the road (HT: W1, D2), Reading still travel here as outsiders. Yet the visitors boast an encouraging 69.23% unbeaten rate as a Championship away outsider since the start of last season (W10, D8, L8).

Players to watch: Blackburn forward Adam Armstrong has three previous career goals vs Reading. Two of his four away league goals this season arrived after the 70th minute. Reading’s Lucas João has two previous career goals vs Blackburn. Both of those arrived after the 60th minute, just like 75% of his league goals this season.

Hot stat: The last five Championship H2Hs held here have featured over 3.5 goals, and four saw both teams score before HT!

Reading FC verdict: The game where fans can really start to believe the dream is well and truly on


Some analysis of the key talking points from Tuesday night's 4-2 win over Blackburn


https://www.getreading.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/reading-fc-verdict-game-fans-19177694

COVENTRY CITY v READING


31st October 2020 - Championship

Coventry City host Reading for the first time in the league since 2011, as the ‘Sky Blues’ look to win their first H2H in ten league encounters (D5, L5). Interestingly, seven of those meetings featured under 2.5 goals after Coventry failed to score in six of those ten H2Hs. However things look a little different in 2020/21, with Coventry’s fixtures averaging 2.75 match goals per Championship game - the division’s third highest such average. The hosts are looking to avoid losing consecutive home league games for the first time since March 2017, but of some concern is the fact home boss Mark Robins has never won a game against Reading (D1, L4). On top of that, Coventry now possess the Championship’s worst home defence after leaking an average of 2.5 goals per home fixture so far.

League-leaders Reading (W7, D1) are enjoying the best start to a Championship season since QPR in 2010/11. With 15 more points than what they had at this stage last season, the ‘Royals’ have scored multiple goals in five of their eight league games so far. However since the start of last season, Reading have lost exactly half of the league fixtures they’ve played versus newly-promoted teams (W3, D1, L4). The visitors’ have scored the division’s third highest away goal average (2.0 per fixture). However, some of their good work could be undone if Reading’s growing vulnerability in the final minutes is not addressed, as the away side have leaked 66.67% of their conceded away goals after the 60th minute.

Players to watch: Matthew Godden is responsible for scoring half of Coventry’s six league goals this term. All three strikes arrived between the 31st minute and HT. Reading forward Yakou Méïté has scored the opener in all three league games he has netted in this season.

Hot stat: There’s been 3+ yellow cards in each of the previous five Championship H2Hs.

COVENTRY 3 READING 2

Royals boss Veljko Paunovic was pleased with his side's effort and a lot of what he saw in the performance at St Andrew's this evening. But naturally he was disappointed to suffer defeat for the first time as Reading manager.

"Today it hurts. It is difficult when you lose," he said. "But we will recover. We have a very good spirit within the players and the staff and we want to keep fostering that. So we are not going to let anyone get down after tonight's defeat - because small defeats lead to big victories. And our guys gave everything. All the non-negotiables were there to see - never give up, fight until the end, always do your best. So attitude-wise I think we had a very good game. Technically, we did very well with the ball. And defensively we did well too - except for defending the shots from outside of the box. They cost us. But we pushed until the end for an equaliser. That is the mentality we want in our team. When we win we say we can improve. And when we lose you have to acknowledge you can improve too. There are no excuses, only possibilities to keep learning and growing as a team...and improving. Nobody is happy when you lose. But I want to tell out fans that we will recover and get back to the winning streak as soon as possible. And hopefully that will be the next game. The Royals face Preston at home on Wednesday night next...before Stoke City come to Madejski Stadium on Saturday. Two home games for the Royals on the horizon. We have a very busy stretch now and with two games at home we want to immediately erase what is behind us and focus on the next game. For that, it is going to be important to recover our bodies and our minds. Tonight, we lost. But we had a pretty good game. We had possession, we created opportunities and we scored two goals on the road - which is never easy. So there are some things we can be satisfied with and others we can improve on and do better."

READING v NOTTM FOREST


Championship -  5 December 2020
 
Unbeaten in three matches, Reading have conceded 2.25 goals per match on average since their last shutout eight games ago (W2, D2, L4). Whilst the ‘Royals’ conceded first last time out for the fifth fixture in this run, this season, Reading have scored first in the joint-second most league matches (FT: W8, L1). Four consecutive games at the Madejski Stadium have produced over 2.5 match goals, but Reading’s 3-1 win last time at home was the first league fixture here this season to see both teams score. Additionally, whilst four of their seven home league matches have stood level at HT, none have yet ended so.


Nottingham Forest have scored just 0.70 average goals from their last ten league games (W2, D4, L4) and are winless and goalless for four consecutive matches. But goals could be restricted here, as Forest’s last five H2Hs have each seen under 2.5 match goals, as have 86.67% of Forest’s last 15 league matches. The ‘Reds’ have won just 15.79% of their 19 competitive away matches in 2020 (W3, D7, L9), and have scored just three goals from their last ten away trips (in all competitions). Unfortunately for Forest, they’ve only drawn consecutive matches here once in their history and have won just two of their last 15 visits to Reading (D5, L8).


Players to watch:
Reading’s ten-goal Lucas João has scored for four games running and 70.0% of his goals arrived in the second half; João also has one second-half career H2H goal. Forest’s Lyle Taylor has four goals this season but is yet to score an away goal, that said, Taylor scored an 80th minute penalty at Reading last season (for Charlton).


Hot stat:
Forest manager Chris Hughton has his joint second-most career wins versus Reading (W6, D3, L3).