MATCHWATCH : Barnsley (h) sponsored by dour northern battles

[Sutekh]

Reading return the Madejski Stadium to face another awkward challenge, this time from a fairly useful Barnsley who are lurking just outside the playoffs and have a good away record in recent games with 3 wins out of their last 4 trips. I presume they'll come down and try and hassle Reading into their usual panic ridden defensive mistakes from the start rather than just plonk the bus, bulldozer and whatever else they have in front of the goal and wait for a breakaway.

So the standard cliche dictates Reading need to be patient (well they're quite good any that, in fact rather too good at times) and work hard for one and all to get something from this as turning up expecting them to just... well you know the rest.

Reading will be without; Paul McShane, Daniss Rakels, Callum Harriott, Stephen Quinn, Tiago Ilori and Joey van den Berg. Barnsley have new signing Alex Mowatt serving the second game of a three match. Aidy White and Adam Jackson are also out (one is injured the other is unwell). They could give a full debut to ex Swansea striker Ryan Hedges who was signed on transfer deadline day.

And Garath McCleary will be hoping to complete a full 90 minutes rather than 30 minutes or so he managed at Oakwell...

Referee

Lancashire's Darren Bond will be taking ownership of the match day whistle and notebook on his first trip to the Madejski



Previous games

13 Aug 16 > Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-0 Reading
14 Mar 2015 > Watford 4-1 Reading
30 Aug 2014 > Middlesbrough 0-1 Reading

Historically

Making their 33rd league trip to Reading, Barnsley will be looking for their third successive victory at the ground, yet they've only won 6 of the previous 32 games in total compared to Reading's 17 victories. Of the 9 league draws in Reading, 7 of them have finished 0-0 and rather interestingly Reading have scored in every game they've won

[genome]

rather interestingly Reading have scored in every game they've won

No shit

[Stockport Royal]

Sutekh > Michael Owen

[tidus_mi2]

I wonder if he meant "scored first"

[genome]

I wonder if he meant "scored first"

Not true though

http://www.royals.org/matdoc/290809.html

[tidus_mi2]

I wonder if he meant "scored first"

Not true though

http://www.royals.org/matdoc/290809.html

Ok, then I concur with the Michael Owen comment.

[Sutekh]

Oh the irony of it all

[Sutekh]

Reading XI : Habsi, Gunter, Obita, Blackett, Moore, Evans, Williams, Kelly, Beerens, Kermorgant

Subs : Jaakkola, Swift, Meite, Popa, Watson, Oxford, Grabban

Where is Mutch? I'm presuming he's ill or injured

Barnsley XI : Davies, Jones, Yiadom, Robers, Macdonald, Watkins, Scowan, James, Hammill, Bradshaw, Williams

Subs : Townsend, Elder, Moncur, Kent, Hedges, Armstrong, Evans

Note that Angus Macdonald is an ex Reading youngster

Presume Reading are going with a straight 4-3-3

[Ian Royal]

Reading XI : Habsi, Gunter, Obita, Blackett, Moore, Evans, Williams, Kelly, Beerens, Kermorgant

Subs : Jaakkola, Swift, Meite, Popa, Watson, Oxford, Grabban

Where is Mutch? I'm presuming he's ill or injured

Barnsley XI : Davies, Jones, Yiadom, Robers, Macdonald, Watkins, Scowan, James, Hammill, Bradshaw, Williams

Subs : Townsend, Elder, Moncur, Kent, Hedges, Armstrong, Evans

Note that Angus Macdonald is an ex Reading youngster

Presume Reading are going with a straight 4-3-3

That's only 10 players... I'm assuming you missed McCleary (checked and that's right)

So presumably one of

........................AAH
Gunter, Moore, Blackett, Obita
.........Williams, Evans, Kelly
..McCleary, Kermorgant, Beerens

or

...........................AAH
............Gunter, Moore, Blackett

With one of McCleary, Williams or Beerens playing RWB and the other two in midfield and partnering Kermit.

EDIT: Whoscored.com (not necessarily accurate) have it as 3-4-2-1

AAH
Gunter, Moore, Blackett
Williams, Kelly, Evans, Obita
Beerens, McCleary
Kermorgant

Now changed to 4-2-3-1 - clearly they're just guessing
Gunter, Moore, Blackett, Obita
Williams Evans
McCleary, Kelly, Beerens
Kermorgant

[Ian Royal]

This is all a bit dull listening.

[Emeraldroyal]

This is all a bit dull listening.

Agreed. Win ugly that will do.

[Libertine]

HT sub. Grabban on for Kelly.

[stealthpapes]

This is all a bit dull listening.

11 posts by 1618

DOUR

[Libertine]

Tykes just hit the woodwork.

[i_kingsley]

whoo hooo im on the first page
thats a first for me


very dull on this site
is it that dull at the game

[Ian Royal]

There have been chances at both ends, but no one can finish.

Gunter just went down in the box, ref waves play on.

Other than that it all sounds a bit plod along in the middle.

We go close again, but can't tuck away a rebound from the first shot.

Then Barnsley break and Hammil shoots over the bar.

[Libertine]

Popa makes his debut coming on for McCleary...

[Melton Royal]

Popa on for McCleary

[Ian Royal]

Well this seems emphatically 0-0.

Obviously we're going to even out the results mixture after very few draws.

Another pen shout turned down (Dim and Mick say no, unlike the earlier one).

[BonBoh]

two goals now please!
1 for Royals
1 for fake hoops

would be a perfect day.