MATCHWATCH : West Bromwich Albion (h) sponsored by Neil Clement

[Sutekh]

When : Wednesday, 12th February 2020, 8pm
Where : Madejski Stadium, Reading, RG2 0FL
Capacity : 24,161


Top of the table WBA next, just what you want on the back of a run 6 winless league games where, to be honest, the performances have largely been less than impressive.

That said though, West Brom had fallen into a run of poor performances themselves with 1 league win in 8 before their 2-0 win at Millwall on Sunday so there might be chance for Reading to step up and make their mark but hopefully not in the way they did against the last bunch in poor form that rocked up to the Madejski.

Charlie Austin (8), Matt Phillips (7) and our old favourite Hal Robson-Kanu (7) lead WBA’s goal scoring records this season and that firepower has been increased with the signing of Kamil Grosicki from Hull in January (their other signing in the window was Cardiff’s Lee Peltier) so defensive organisation is going to be a must If Reading are going to get any success.

WBA have Gareth Barry on the verge of returning from a calf injury, defender Nathan Ferguson is out with a knee problem and Kieran Gibbs and Grady Diangana are also unlikely to be fit enough to play. At Reading players are starting to go down like ninepins. In addition to Boye, Miazga and Joao you can now add various problems for Loader, McIntyre, Gunter, Moore and Obita not to mention Yiadom not yet being quite ready to return plus Araruna and Masika who, while fit, have hardly had much time to integrate properly in training with games coming thick and fast as they are. Then there’s the disappearance of Olise for the last couple of weeks so I presume he is also crocked in some way.

So this game is going to take some careful consideration from the management and certainly call on more of the squad to fill the available places.

Lastly, as it’s a scheduled midweek game, it is available on the old red button - if you have a Sky Sports subscription.

Referee

Still looking for a Reading win is Matthew Donohue. This will be his 4th Reading attempt this season as the search goes on - but at least it looks like he is getting better at it.

Previously

11 Dec 19 > Barnsley 1-1 Reading
21 Sep 19 > Reading 1-2 Blackburn Rovers
10 Aug 19 > Hull City 1-0 Reading

Historically

This is the seventeenth league season shared with WBA and so far it’s all square all round with 5 wins each and 6 draws.

WBA, though, have only failed to score on 2 occasions while Reading have failed to score on 3 occasions so it all rather suggests there are goals to be had in this one so let’s hope they turn up in abundance for the home team.

How to follow the game

1. Get a ticket and travel to the Mad Stad
2. Listen to Radio 5 Live and/or a myriad of other radio stations for score flashes
3. Ring/text a mate for updates
4. Use an iFollow subscription
5. BBC Radio Berkshire (FM : 104.4, 104.1 or 95.4 depending where you are in the area)
6. Red button

[URZZZZ]

Rafael

Araruna
Morrison
Moore
Blackett

McCleary
Rinomhota
Pele
Ejaria

Baldock
Meite

Walker Richards/ Yiadom Adam Swift Timbe Aluko Puscas

Give Swift a much needed break. Would also sit Obita out because he’s played quite a lot of football recently

[windermereROYAL]

Rafael.

Yiadom
Morrison.
Moore.
Blackett.
Richards.

Pele.
Ejaria
Swift
Rino

Meite.

I reckon we will see something similar to the Leeds game, defend for our lives and try to hit them on the break.

[Singing Defective]

Look forward to this, so will make the effort to turn up. Hopefully there will be more or at least as many Reading fans as WBA ones...

[Snowflake Royal]

Cabral
Araruna, Morrison, Moore, Richards
McCleary, Rinomhota, Swift, Obita
Meite, Baldock

Walker, Yiadom, Blackett, Ejaria, Adam, Puscas, Timbe

[morganb]

Cabral
Araruna, Morrison, Moore, Richards
McCleary, Rinomhota, Swift, Obita
Meite, Baldock

Walker, Yiadom, Blackett, Ejaria, Adam, Puscas, Timbe

Just a couple of thoughts:

Doubt Obita will start/play as he was reported to have tight hamstrings after the Hull game.

Do you really think Pele will be nowhere?

Is Bowen a brave enough man to drop Ejaria (I know this is being discussed elsewhere)?

The right back spot is Blackett's to lose - didn't think he did that badly on Saturday and Richards wasn't exactly a revelation off the bench.

[Snowflake Royal]

Just a couple of thoughts:

Doubt Obita will start/play as he was reported to have tight hamstrings after the Hull game.

I think he was taken off as a precaution, so I'm hopeful he can recover, but that's certainly a clear possibility. According to Bowen he was feeling them before and played anyway.

Do you really think Pele will be nowhere?

It's what I'd do, rather than what I think Bowen will do. The last couple of times I've seen Pele he's been sloppy. I'm also well documented in thinking he's better suited to just sitting and protecting the defence, a role that is easy to have in a three man midfield, much less so than in a two man one. As for the bench, 3 midfielders are excessive and Ejaria is a must to bring on trickery, whilst Adam brings experience. I could see an argument for Pele over Adam

Is Bowen a brave enough man to drop Ejaria (I know this is being discussed elsewhere)?

I don't think he will, not because he isn't brave, but because he has a different opinion to me.

The right back spot is Blackett's to lose - didn't think he did that badly on Saturday and Richards wasn't exactly a revelation off the bench.

Left back, but I knew you meant that. Blackett is leaving. He's not significantly better than Obita or Richards. Richards is the only definite future, so let's see what he can do so we can plan for next season.

On top of that Bowen has said we have few fit CBs, so why risk all three that are available starting each game? Plus Moore is currently carrying 2 injuries (shoulder and foot)

[morganb]

Thanks. I've always thought that a guess the starting line-up/bench would make a good weekly prediction competition, as everyone has their own opinions of who should and shouldn't be in the match day squad. (Not that I'm volunteering to run one mind!)

[Snowflake Royal]

Thanks. I've always thought that a guess the starting line-up/bench would make a good weekly prediction competition, as everyone has their own opinions of who should and shouldn't be in the match day squad. (Not that I'm volunteering to run one mind!)

These last few years no one would get many points.... Coppell, on the other hand, made it easy.

[Old Man Andrews]

Ian still obsessed with Steve Coppell..... give it up chump.

[JimmytheJim]

Ian still obsessed with Steve Coppell..... give it up chump.

Keep trying mate.

[URZZZZ]

Thanks. I've always thought that a guess the starting line-up/bench would make a good weekly prediction competition, as everyone has their own opinions of who should and shouldn't be in the match day squad. (Not that I'm volunteering to run one mind!)

These last few years no one would get many points.... Coppell, on the other hand, made it easy.

Stam's were a bit more straightforward to predict. If fit, you'd generally expect to see Al Habsi, Gunter, Moore, McShane, Williams, Joey, McCleary, Kermorgant and Beerens there with Obita/Blackett rotated and Evans/Swift/Kelly rotated too

Even in his second season, you still generally expected to see a core of 8/9 players there each week

Adkins, Clarke, even Gomes' were a lot harder to guess

[NewCorkSeth]

-------------------------Rafael
Araruna---Morrison---Moore---Richards
-------------Pele---Rinomhota---Adam
-------------Meite---Puscas---Baldock

Rest Swift and Ejaria. Have Adam ping long balls for Baldock to chase, get Meite and Puscas in the box, Richards sat deep to ping in crosses, Rinomhota to shuttle the ball up the pitch, rest of team to defend.

[Old Man Andrews]

-------------------------Rafael
Araruna---Morrison---Moore---Richards
-------------Pele---Rinomhota---Adam
-------------Meite---Puscas---Baldock

Rest Swift and Ejaria. Have Adam ping long balls for Baldock to chase, get Meite and Puscas in the box, Richards sat deep to ping in crosses, Rinomhota to shuttle the ball up the pitch, rest of team to defend.

Rest our two most creative players?

[NewCorkSeth]

-------------------------Rafael
Araruna---Morrison---Moore---Richards
-------------Pele---Rinomhota---Adam
-------------Meite---Puscas---Baldock

Rest Swift and Ejaria. Have Adam ping long balls for Baldock to chase, get Meite and Puscas in the box, Richards sat deep to ping in crosses, Rinomhota to shuttle the ball up the pitch, rest of team to defend.

Rest our two most creative players?

Yeah, oxf*rd it. Playing the best team in the league and all.

[morganb]

-------------------------Rafael
Araruna---Morrison---Moore---Richards
-------------Pele---Rinomhota---Adam
-------------Meite---Puscas---Baldock

Rest Swift and Ejaria. Have Adam ping long balls for Baldock to chase, get Meite and Puscas in the box, Richards sat deep to ping in crosses, Rinomhota to shuttle the ball up the pitch, rest of team to defend.

Rest our two most creative players?

Yeah, oxf*rd it. Playing the best team in the league and all.

Thought we were playing West Brom not Leeds

[Old Man Andrews]

Rest our two most creative players?

Yeah, oxf*rd it. Playing the best team in the league and all.

Thought we were playing West Brom not Leeds

Exactly, well put.

I think sitting back and allowing WBA to attack at will would be an error. We are in a position where we won't be going up and we won't be going down, we have nothing to lose in a game against one of the top sides. I'd prefer us to have a real go at them and lose than sit back and take it lying down.

[NewCorkSeth]

Yeah, oxf*rd it. Playing the best team in the league and all.

Thought we were playing West Brom not Leeds

Exactly, well put.

I think sitting back and allowing WBA to attack at will would be an error. We are in a position where we won't be going up and we won't be going down, we have nothing to lose in a game against one of the top sides. I'd prefer us to have a real go at them and lose than sit back and take it lying down.

Ahh cmon. I didnt say sit back. I gave clear attacking instructions.

[Old Man Andrews]

Thought we were playing West Brom not Leeds

Exactly, well put.

I think sitting back and allowing WBA to attack at will would be an error. We are in a position where we won't be going up and we won't be going down, we have nothing to lose in a game against one of the top sides. I'd prefer us to have a real go at them and lose than sit back and take it lying down.

Ahh cmon. I didnt say sit back. I gave clear attacking instructions.

Oh that wasn't directed at your comments, that was just a personal preference for Wednesday.

[JoeyJoeJoeJnrShabadoo]

thanks