Another trip beckons on a Saturday afternoon. This time the destination of the once mighty Nottingham Forest. Last time Reading travelled away on a Saturday to a team beginning with the letters “NO” is best forgotten so I’ll only mention it needlessly, just now, in this paragraph.
The “tricky trees” are not having the best of times at the moment and struggling to avoid another sojourn in Division 3 (or whatever name it was masquerading under then). Their current form sees them on one win from eight games. However that one win was at home to Huddersfield and when you consider they have also beaten Brighton, Leeds and Newcastle plus gained a draw with Fulham all at home it all rather points to the fact this is not going to be an easy game.
As an aside, a long time ago, Reading were consigned to that very division by a late van Hooijdonk goal so it would be rather nice to give a little payback on that and make their struggle that bit harder.
Forest will be without loanee striker Ross McCormack who recently underwent an operation to remove 5 cysts from his jaw. Manager Mark Warburton will also weigh up whether to opt for Michael Mancienne or Matt Mills in defence.
Reading. Same old faces still missing though Berg may get a place on the bench. Evans and Ilori both recently returned to the squad and have strengthened those defensive options – and who knows perhaps even McShane may not be too far away. Expectation though is that Jaap will perm another variation from the players he’s been using most recently though.
Referee
For the fourth time this season, County Durham’s Geoff Eltringham steps up to oversee Reading’s immediate playing future
Previously
17 Mar 2017 > Sheffield Wednesday 0-2 Reading
04 Feb 2017 > Ipswich Town 2-2 Reading
13 Dec 2016 > Leeds United 2-0 Reading
02 Apr 2016 > Bolton Wanderers 0-1 Reading
12 Dec 2015 > Preston North End 1-0 Reading
07 Apr 2015 > Blackpool 1-1 Reading
23 Nov 2013 > Blackburn Rovers 0-0 Reading
14 Feb 2012 > Derby County 0-1 Reading
Historically
For the nineteenth time Reading head to the City ground for a league battle. Of the previous eighteen battles Reading have lost on ten occasions and won just five. Reading have only kept two clean sheets in those games and one of those was a goalless draw. Goal wise Reading have scored nineteen and conceded thirty-six.
