MATCHWATCH : Swansea City (a) sponsored by a no pressure game

[Sutekh]

When : Wednesday 30th December 2020, 8pm
Where : Liberty Stadium, Morfa, Swansea, SA1 2FA
Capacity : 21,088


Reading’s injury ravaged squad now partakes of the last game of 2020 with a trip to the far west of Wales for a very difficult visit to Swansea City. It’s difficult to see any upside to this with the game being a) live on Sky (just 4 wins from the last 19 games on Sky since August 2017), b) a midweek evening away fixture (just 3 wins from 39 outings since 2014 and all 3 of those wins coming against teams beginning with ‘B’) and c) played by a Reading squad that has recently been struggling to find experienced fit players.

The Swans are in seriously good form at the moment with 6 wins and 2 draws from their last 10 games. They have suffered only 1 home defeat so far (to Huddersfield back in October) so it will take what could only be seen as a minor miracle for Reading to avoid a pointless excursion on Wednesday.

Andre Ayew and Jamal Lowe are about as potent a forward line as you can get in the Championship and really must be starved of the ball by Reading’s midfield to give a chance of the aforementioned miracle. Not only that but Reading will also need to penetrate a defence, marshalled by the likes of Connor Roberts and Jake Bidwell, that has kept 5 clean sheets in their last 6 games so Reading will definitely need to bring some form of attack with them for the game.

As ever Reading’s opponents do not appear to have too much to worry about injury wise. Swansea have a doubt over Kyle Naughton (hamstring) and Morgan Gibbs-White misses out with a broken foot. Reading should have Swift (presuming no adverse effects after Saturday) and possibly Joao back in contention but are still without; Araruna, Yiadom, Meite, Gibson, Puscas, Moore and Richards and, with the club’s luck so far, no doubt we’ll find a couple of others out of it (maybe McIntyre, Semedo?) just before this one kicks off.

Referee

David Webb

Previously

30 Oct 2020 > Coventry City 3-2 Reading
26 Sep 2020 > Cardiff City 1-2 Reading
20 Oct 2018 > Reading 3-1 Millwall
29 Nov 2014 > Norwich City 1-2 Reading
24 Aug 2013 > Blackpool 1-0 Reading
01 Nov 2011 > Nottingham Forest 1-0 Reading
05 Dec 2009 > Sheffield Wednesday 0-2 Reading

Historically

This will be the 35th league visit to Swansea who have been consistent opponents stretching all the way back to 1920. In that time there have been 9 wins for Reading and 17 wins for the Swans. There have been only 2 goalless draws in that run but Reading have had a tendency to “come a cropper real good” on several visits, esp. in the 1960s when the club conceded 5 goals on three consecutive visits. That said, though, the biggest win was Reading’s 6-1 hammering of Swansea back in 1989, of all seasons.

However Reading are still looking for their first league win at the Liberty Stadium being on a run of LDLDLD at the moment, so looks like another reason to be afraid of this one.

How to follow the game

1. It’s on Sky
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 (audio only)
5. BBC Radio Berkshire (FM : 104.4, 104.1 or 95.4 depending where you are in the area)

[Royal_jimmy]

We really need to turn our dogshit record v Swansea around.

We've not beaten them in any game since 2008. This is our record since we beat them 4-0 at home under Steve Coppell.

W0 D5 L8 F8 A24

Going to be tough in this one too I feel. A draw would be a fantastic result with the injuries we have. Need to play better than we have been, especially in possession as Swansea will hurt us otherwise.

[Zip]

Yep our record over the past decade against Swansea has been appalling. Time for payback but unless Joao is back it looks like another defeat against them.

[NewCorkSeth]

I had no idea our record against Swansea was that bad. That is genuinely awful.

Christ.

[Stranded]

Might as well just start focusing on the Huddersfield game tbh.

[Snowflake Royal]

Might as well just start focusing on the Huddersfield game tbh.

Yep, they're on a pretty darn good run at the moment with just an aberration away at Derby.

Play for a draw and if we keep it tight see if we can sneak something, but focus has to be on getting a result against Huddersfield.

[URZZZZ]

Rafael (really is last chance now)

Esteves
Holmes
Morrison
McIntyre

Laurent
Rinomhota

Olise
Swift
Ejaria (another one who shouldn’t be far off being “rested”/dropped)

Baldock


Southwood Watson Dorsett Bristow East Onen Semedo Aluko Melvin Lambert

[Jackson Corner]

13 games and a couple of pre season game’s you can throw in. They really are the new Bury(older fans will know what I mean.) their really is nothing that suggests we will get anything from this game. I will take a 2-0 defeat now.

[Sutekh]

Olise reported a tight hamstring after Brentford. Apparently he could have played v Luton if he had to but the club decided not to start him and with Swift on his way back Olise may well also take a bench seat v Swansea to be sure things have recovered as much as possible for the New Year.

[Nameless]

Olise reported a tight hamstring after Brentford. Apparently he could have played v Luton if he had to but the club decided not to start him and with Swift on his way back Olise may well also take a bench seat v Swansea to be sure things have recovered as much as possible for the New Year.

Very convenient minor injury. Not bad enough to fail a medical presumably ?

[Snowflake Royal]

Bit worried about McIntyre up against a decent RWer... Roberts has 2 goals and 4 assists so no slouch. Tom's a touch on the slow side and has been known to jump in with the odd clumsy challenge.

Be tempted to switch it around to Bristow in for Esteves so we've got someone a little quicker on the left. Juggling the defence is rarely clever though. And Bristow is very raw.

Play for the draw here I think. Swansea would be a tough game with everyone fit, let alone the semi-reserve side we currently have.

[Nameless]

Bit worried about McIntyre up against a decent RWer... Roberts has 2 goals and 4 assists so no slouch. Tom's a touch on the slow side and has been known to jump in with the odd clumsy challenge.

Be tempted to switch it around to Bristow in for Esteves so we've got someone a little quicker on the left. Juggling the defence is rarely clever though. And Bristow is very raw.

Play for the draw here I think. Swansea would be a tough game with everyone fit, let alone the semi-reserve side we currently have.

So would you basically move everyone one spot to the right, Esteves drops off the far side and Bristow comes on fromthe left ?
Some benefits there (Morrison back on his favoured side, left footed CB on the left, RB probably stronger defensively, keeps McIntyre in the side). Big risk factor is whether Bristow is ready which only VP can decide.

[LUX]

I will take a 2-0 defeat now.

Lolwut.

[Nameless]

I will take a 2-0 defeat now.

Lolwut.

Indeed, on what basis would anyone think accepting a defeat before the game was a good thing ! Sounds like we have a Brexit special advisor on the board....

[Snowflake Royal]

Bit worried about McIntyre up against a decent RWer... Roberts has 2 goals and 4 assists so no slouch. Tom's a touch on the slow side and has been known to jump in with the odd clumsy challenge.

Be tempted to switch it around to Bristow in for Esteves so we've got someone a little quicker on the left. Juggling the defence is rarely clever though. And Bristow is very raw.

Play for the draw here I think. Swansea would be a tough game with everyone fit, let alone the semi-reserve side we currently have.

So would you basically move everyone one spot to the right, Esteves drops off the far side and Bristow comes on fromthe left ?
Some benefits there (Morrison back on his favoured side, left footed CB on the left, RB probably stronger defensively, keeps McIntyre in the side). Big risk factor is whether Bristow is ready which only VP can decide.

Yep, that's the idea.

I'd rather see our young fullback get a go than someone else's who has been rather underwhelming. And who really struggles with positioning, and I feel Swansea are likely to be well placed to exploit that.


Of course that's a very slow centre of defence, so can't play a high line.

But yeah. Fluff it.

...................Southwood
Holmes, Morrison, McIntyre, Bristow
...................Rino, Laurent
Aluko, .............Swift, .................Olise
.......................Baldock

[Nameless]

I wouldn’t drop Rafael, but a side benefit of playing Southwood is he’s a good athlete and can play with his feet. He would probably offer more in terms of playing the sweeper role.

[Rusty royal]

Just a side note! This game is the first on a newly laid pitch, I hope it's been tacked down properly.

[Zip]

Just a side note! This game is the first on a newly laid pitch, I hope it's been tacked down properly.

Happy New Year Rusty.

[windermereROYAL]

Looking at our record against them before 2008, Swansea won 3 of the previous 20 games.

[Nameless]

Don’t think they are the team we have the worst record against.
Am I right that we have lost every game we have ever played against Arsenal ?