MATCHWATCH : Fulham (A) sponsored by Steve Clarke's job interview

[RG7Fan]

Who's going?

Me, RG7 jr and 3points will be there, traveling up on GWR's finest.

[Sutekh]

A good run of form for Reading sees a trip to Craven Cottage beckoning. Given the total disaster that was last season really started with the miserable second half performance (2-0 up after 48 minutes, 3-2 down after 55 minutes) that the club served up there last year there is a certain ghost to lay to rest.

Fulham themselves are on a useful but slightly erratic run of form. Erratic because while they're a very difficult side to beat on the road their home form is a bit dodgy with only 1 win in their last 8. Don't get too carried away though as that 1 win was a 5-0 demolition of Huddersfield Town.

Fulham are at near enough full strength with one time Reading loanee Lucas Piazon expected to start after being dropped to the bench last week. Only right back Denis Odoi will be missing after picking up a 5th booking at Brighton.

There will be changes in the team for Reading as Liam Moore serves a 1 game ban for reaching 5 bookings. Presumably this will mean Blackett moving into Moore's position and Stam starting the now fit van den Berg in Blackett's place. I would suggest this is maybe the most likely as Kermorgant is still out so the rest of the ream could remain unchanged from the last couple of games and why change a winning line up too much?

The West Midlands will be providing the services Oliver Langford as the man in black (or green or puce or yellow)



Previously under Mr Langford's auspices

04 Oct 2016 > Portsmouth 2-2 Reading U23 (Checkacrowd Trophy)
27 Sep 2016 > Brentford 4-1 Reading
19 Jan 2016 > Reading 5-2 Huddersfield Town (FAC3R)
16 Dec 2015 > Hull City 2-1 Reading
11 Mar 2014 > Leeds United 2-4 Reading
14 Dec 2013 > Huddersfield Town 0-1 Reading
06 Mar 2012 > Reading 1-0 Portsmouth
27 Aug 2011 > Hull City 1-0 Reading
16 Oct 2010 > Reading 0-1 Swansea City
09 Feb 2010 > Reading 1-0 Plymouth Argyle

Historically

In the league this is the twentieth season Reading have shared with Fulham, it may seem like more to many people as most of those games have been since 1980 and from those 38 games Fulham have managed one more victory than Reading (15 games to 14). In the 19 previous league visits to the Cottage the record is



Funny that the last two of the last three visits there have provided our biggest win and their biggest win (ok, in their case there have been two other 2 goal victories but last season was the most that we've ever conceded there).

[Silver Fox]

Minor pedantry alert, not our last two visits and the 4-2 defeat was 2015

[SCIAG]

Interesting to see who starts in defence tonight - if there's no Dom Hyam then I suspect he'll be involved tomorrow.

[Sutekh]

Reading XI : Habsi, Gunter, Obita, Blackett, McShane, Berg, Evans, Williams, McCleary, Beerens, Samuel

Subs : Moore S, Meite, Harriott, Watson, Kelly, Cooper, Mendes

Fulham XI : Button, Kalas, Fredericks, Ream, Malone, Johansen, Cairney, Martin, McDonald, Ayite, Aluko

Subs : Bettinelli, Madl, Sessegnon, Parker, Piazon, Kebano, Smith

[Whitley Hoops]

We sound a bit nervy so far, hope they can get there heads in the game soon.

[10539.4 Miles Away]

Boo. 1-0 Fulham. We need to get a grip on this one quickly.

[Ian Royal]

Gunter og, blaming the sun.

It sounds like it's been coming. Fulham exploiting space on the flanks?

So far these season we've lost the vast majority of games where we've gone a goal down the first half. If we intend to compete at the top, we need to turn that around and win games from having gone behind. I suspect we'll do very well to gain a point here though.

[BR0B0T]

less than one page on the match thread

TINPOT Club

[sandman]

I'm really beginning to hate Fulham.

[Libertine]

Well that was not the start hoped for...

[Ian Royal]

This is sounding like it could be another 4-1 special.

[windermere_royal]

40 minutes played. not a single shot on or off target yet. looks like the ownership uncertainty is having an effect already..

[Sutekh]

Most common word I'm hearing used with regard to Reading is SLOPPY

Williams took 90 seconds to get himself booked

Gunter rightly or wrongly blamed the sun for an own goal

Evans is hopeless

And the usual load of nothing being created going forward

How the hell have this lot managed to win 5 in a row?

[tidus_mi2]

Absolutely terrible so far but the important thing is it's still only 1-0, just need Stam to give them a right kicking at half time.

[windermere_royal]

just need Stam to give them a right kicking at half time.

If only it was that simple..

[10539.4 Miles Away]

Sometimes I actually wish that Radio Berks (Reading Player) would just go to music at half time. Adie Williams is an idiot. Do you think that the new ownership and enforced changes to the team could be something to do with it? Stop being a contrary prick.

[Avon Royal]

not a single shot on or off target yet. looks like the ownership uncertainty is having an effect already..

"Shoot!"

"Not until I know who the new majority shareholder is mate"

[paultheroyal]

This is so bad. Most disjointed performance of the season. McShane ridiculous booking in two minutes set the tone. To be fair to Fulham their pressing is the best i have seen against us this season.

Obita is getting destroyed down his side and having an awful game.

Van den berg is just bluster and thunder and seemed to lost all control.

Our passing and attacking instinct is non existent.

Beerens got hit first ten mins and now anonymous.

When we did get a free kick... yep you guess it... ten seconds back with al Habsi.

Only saving grace and miracle is that it's only one down at half time. Let's hope stam sorts this shit out and they come firing back out second half attacking towards us.

[10539.4 Miles Away]

not a single shot on or off target yet. looks like the ownership uncertainty is having an effect already..

"Shoot!"

"Not until I know who the new majority shareholder is mate"