So, soon after the unanticipated success of a season watching the (false) third best team in the Championship comes the small matter of the play offs and a double header with Fulham Football Club.
Fulham are being lauded in every quarter it seems as the team everyone wants to go up. Suits me fine, alleviate some of the pressure from an obviously very poor Reading side that struggled badly and should only have just avoided relegation. At least that what it seems a lot of the media and pundits would have you believe. And as for the betting companies….
As ever Reading will do this by going “under the radar”. They will hide in the dark shadows and lurk unconvincingly in various corners of the pitch to let Fulham sparkle and shine brightly before administering a swift kick in the ears and disappearing off to Wembley.
Let’s also not forget that Reading don’t do play-offs by half, they either give a brilliant account of themselves and crash in the semis or make the final and get kicked in the teeth after deserving so much more
Sadly Fulham have a full strength squad available. But then so do Reading with only Callum Harriott totally out of contention.
Referee
Lately of the PL group of referees, Warwickshire’s Stuart Attwell will be keeping everything in line
Previously
19 Aug 14 > Reading 1-2 Huddersfield Town
29 Nov 13 > Nottingham Forest 2-3 Reading
25 Feb 12 > Middlesbrough 0-2 Reading
20 Sep 08 > Watford 2-2 Reading
10 Aug 08 > Nottingham Forest 0-0 Reading
Historically
Not much has changed since the last visit to Fulham which was a long long time ago. Well for a team that actually turned up that is.
Basically recent form at the Cottage is horrendous. In the last 135 minutes of football played there Reading have scored 1 and let in 9 which works out at a rate of a goal being conceded roughly every 15 minutes.
So at least there isn’t a lot to live up to and a good deal that needs to be put right.
In the 20 league games played there Reading have lost 50% and won just 25%. If you look at just cup games there have been 4 previous trips there and there has been one win for Reading and a draw (in the League Cup) and a draw and defeat in the FA Cup so on that basis alone it’s anyone’s game.
