Oh look, it’s another game against Leeds United. And there could well be another two on the horizon in May just for good measure. Deep joy. Hate home games with Leeds as they are usually so drab, lifeless and extremely difficult to get anything out of.
Expecting them to appear, sling about 7 or 8 across the back all being thoroughly well marshalled and by their Swedish colossus Pontus Jansson and look for the clichéd breakaway header from Chris Wood.
To top it all the game is on the telly which is likely to be another thorn in the possibility of getting a decent performance and/or entertaining game.
Sadly it would seem they have a full strength squad to select from while Reading will still be missing the usuals; Ilori, Harriott, Quinn etc. Rakels could be back to strengthen the bench and one would hope that Paul McShane is fit again to add a bit more organisation to the defence.
There, now I’ve said that here’s hoping to a rip roaring belter of game with plenty of action and end to end thrills with Reading coming out on top and instilling a tad of worry into the opposition in the event of any post league season shenanigans. We know they’re capable of it once and a while so why not Saturday, esp. after the utterly pathetic showing they gave in West Yorkshire which should have left the players anxious to prove themselves.
Referee
Hampshire’s Keith Stroud will once again be enacting his unique performance piece of “decisions to a cacophony of shrill piping sounds”
Previously
14 Feb 2017 > Reading 3-2 Brentford
19 Nov 2016 > Reading 3-0 Burton Albion
28 Dec 2015 > Reading 1-2 Brentford
07 Nov 2015 > Cardiff City 2-0 Reading
03 Oct 2015 > Reading 2-0 Middlesbrough
14 Apr 2015 > Reading 0-1 Bournemouth
29 Mar 2014 > Reading 1-1 Huddersfield Town
11 Jan 2014 > Watford 0-1 Reading
13 Aug 2011 > Leicester City 0-2 Reading
03 Apr 2010 > Ipswich Town 2-1 Reading
06 Feb 2010 > Doncaster Rovers 1-2 Reading
29 Dec 2007 > Tottenham Hotspur 6-4 Reading
22 Sep 2007 > Reading 2-1 Wigan Athletic
25 Feb 2006 > Reading 2-1 Preston North End
23 Aug 2005 > Reading 3-1 Swansea City (League Cup)
Historically
Just 21 league games played so far and all of them (except the first two games played way back in 1927/28) have been since 1986.
Of the 10 home games played so far Reading and Leeds have both managed 3 wins with 4 draws. Looking at the previous results, why anyone would want to bother putting it on telly is a complete mystery as this symmetry continues in a lack of goals. Both clubs only managing 7 strikes each in the 10 games.
Recent form for Leeds is rather useful though with them having avoided defeat since Cardiff did them over on 11th February. Since then they’ve won 4 and drawn 3 of 7 games played and haven’t conceded in their last 2 games either. However, Reading are on a 100% run of 1 win from 1 game and no goals conceded so Leeds should be warned.
). I can assume that two teams in the playoffs will produce an entertaining game right?
