So, being stuck in Peterborough - the home of nightmares for Reading fans - I had my first foray into the world of Reading Player to listen to the beautiful Tim Dellor and Mick Gooding narrate today's match hosting a Birmingham side who seemed to have kicked into gear in the last week, hammering Sheffield Wednesday 4-1 - all the goals from on-loan youngster Jesse Lingard - before beating holders Swansea in the League Cup 3-1 during midweek. Reading on the other hand had no mid-week game after being knocked out in the opening round, but since then the Royals have picked up 10 points from 12, and only conceded once. Birmingham's only away points were picked up against Yeovil, a 1-0 win, and they also drew 3-3 at Huish Park, before winning 3-2 on penalties. This then, should all make for a fairly easy Reading win.
And, it was. In the first half Birmingham hardly threatened the Reading defence, and a free-kick from Danny Guthrie found its way directly into the net. Almost the exact same time into the second half Danny Guthrie popped up again, with another free-kick to make the game safe, a 2-0 win. By the sounds of it though, it's still a worry that we haven't (really) scored from open play, especially against this kind of side. Guthrie's definitely justifying why he should have been more involved last year though.
Birmingham did seem to come out brighter in the second half but they couldn't find a way through the solid Reading defence and Alex McCarthy was, in truth, never really tested. Even when the towering Nikola Zigic was thrown on late in the game to try and grab a goal they seemed to lack something going forward.
Something that was levelled at Reading after the transfer window shut without the addition of a new striker. The transfer saga featuring Billy Sharp was finally settled this week, though, as the striker completed his loan deal to the club until January. He was only on the bench, however, as the match-winner from last week, Pogrebnyak, partnered the man-of-the-moment from last Wednesday, Adam Le Fondre, playing in a more traditional 4-4-2.
I don't want to go into much more detail without having seen the match but 13 points from 15, with some very winnable matches in the future makes for a very rosy future. Are the side finally clicking with Adkins way of playing?
And, it was. In the first half Birmingham hardly threatened the Reading defence, and a free-kick from Danny Guthrie found its way directly into the net. Almost the exact same time into the second half Danny Guthrie popped up again, with another free-kick to make the game safe, a 2-0 win. By the sounds of it though, it's still a worry that we haven't (really) scored from open play, especially against this kind of side. Guthrie's definitely justifying why he should have been more involved last year though.
Birmingham did seem to come out brighter in the second half but they couldn't find a way through the solid Reading defence and Alex McCarthy was, in truth, never really tested. Even when the towering Nikola Zigic was thrown on late in the game to try and grab a goal they seemed to lack something going forward.
Something that was levelled at Reading after the transfer window shut without the addition of a new striker. The transfer saga featuring Billy Sharp was finally settled this week, though, as the striker completed his loan deal to the club until January. He was only on the bench, however, as the match-winner from last week, Pogrebnyak, partnered the man-of-the-moment from last Wednesday, Adam Le Fondre, playing in a more traditional 4-4-2.
I don't want to go into much more detail without having seen the match but 13 points from 15, with some very winnable matches in the future makes for a very rosy future. Are the side finally clicking with Adkins way of playing?
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