MATCHWATCH : Watford (a)

[Sutekh]

When : Friday 9th April 2021, 7.45pm
Where : Vicarage Road, Watford, WD18 0ER
Capacity : 22,200


Biggest game of the season next, a trip up the road to Watford. Trouble is that, at the moment, in this run-in Reading have no leeway, no cushion to buffer the likely dropping of points in games like this and with Barnsley and Bournemouth both with home games on Saturday things could become a whole lot different for the Biscuitmen by Sunday.

Watford are on the sort of run that Reading started the season with having racked up 10 wins and a draw from their last 12 games, consequently they are now odds on to join Norwich in an instant return to the PL. In addition to their current run the home form of the Hornets is the best in the division with only 2 defeats (to Cardiff and QPR) and 16 victories from 20 attempts, also those 20 games have seen them concede just 12 goals so it’s going to take quite a special effort from Reading to leave the ground with any form of pointage.

Ismailia Sarr is the star man, still being linked with a summer move to Liverpool or ManU, he is leading the Watford scoring charts with 10 goals from 35 appearances and if doesn’t manage to score Joao Pedro needs to be carefully sidelined from the game to stop adding to his 9 goals. Tom Cleverly and Nathanial Chalobah will cause problems from midfield so Reading are going to need to match them and more to ensure there is some service to Joao and/or Puscas and/or Meite.

Troy Deeney is injured, so there is some little respite, but Reading are once again being hampered by injuries with McIntyre, Araruna and Morrison all out and Richards a concern after limping off v Derby. John Swift is apparently now back in training this week so may well get a place on the bench on Friday.

Referee

James Linington

Previously

06 Mar 21 > Reading 3-0 Sheffield Wednesday
29 Jan 21 > Reading 3-1 Bournemouth
04 Jul 20 > Luton Town 0-5 Reading
28 Jan 20 > Reading 0-1 Bristol City
26 Dec 19 > Reading 1-0 Queens Park Rangers
03 Aug 19 > Reading 1-3 Sheffield Wednesday
08 Dec 18 > Reading 0-2 Sheffield United
03 Nov 18 > Reading 3-2 Bristol City
06 Mar 18 > Reading 1-1 Bolton Wanderers
02 Jan 18 > Reading 0-2 Birmingham City
09 Sep 17 > Reading 0-1 Bristol City
08 Apr 17 > Norwich City 7-1 Reading
24 Sep 16 > Reading 1-0 Huddersfield Town
21 Nov 15 > Reading 2-1 Bolton Wanderers
02 May 15 > Derby County 0-3 Reading
28 Dec 14 > Reading 2-1 Norwich City
21 Nov 14 > Cardiff City 2-1 Reading
12 Aug 14 > Reading 3-1 Newport County (League Cup)
10 Sep 11 > Reading 0-2 Watford
30 Apr 11 > Coventry City 0-0 Reading
22 Jan 11 > Reading 1-1 Hull City
02 May 10 > Reading 4-0 Preston North End
30 Jan 10 > Reading 1-0 Barnsley

Historically

This is another of the "should be but isn't" derbies. Watford is around 40 miles from Reading and the two clubs have been fairly regular opponents down the years with this being the 51st season shared together. Before this season the two clubs were inseparable with 39 league wins each.

As with the reverse fixture for Watford, this fixture is the proverbial graveyard for Reading with Vicarage Road being one of the worst places the club has to go to play league games. Of the the 50 previous visits Reading have just 9 wins to show for their efforts while Watford have won 31 times. In addition Reading have had a tendency to concede goals there like it’s going out out of fashion having let in 93 which is almost 2 a game while Watford’s defence has only been breached on 33 occasions.

Therefore it will take quite something to reverse the general trend of misery that comes with this league fixture so perhaps we can all be relieved that it isn’t revered as a derby game.

How to follow the game

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

[windermereROYAL]

We will go 4th with a win here. And it`s live on sky ports so I believe that means no ifollow.

[Stranded]

Don't know why but think we will get something from this one - maybe just a point but think we'll get something.

Just 5 defeats from 20 on the road for us, so we tend to get something away from home.

Watford have 19 clean sheets, we have 16. 0-0 then.

[Sutekh]

We will go 4th with a win here. And it`s live on sky ports so I believe that means no ifollow.

Yes, forgot about that. iFollow is audio only as Reading look to improve on their 0 wins from 7 previous away games on SKY this season.

[Royals and Racers]

Live on SKY 403

[Jackson Corner]

Everything points to a home win and it will be. Out of the top six come Saturday night.

[Nameless]

Everything points to a home win and it will be. Out of the top six come Saturday night.

No, some things point to a home win, others don’t. And whatever pointy stuff is going on nothing is certain.
How much stuff was point d at Sheffield Wed sticking 5 past Cardiff ?

[tidus_mi2]

We have a decent enough away record 7th overall but of course Watford have a ridiculously good home record, the best in the league. Not much we can do, it's the situation we find ourselves in and there's no reason we can't get a positive result.

[Snowflake Royal]

Don't know why but think we will get something from this one - maybe just a point but think we'll get something.

Just 5 defeats from 20 on the road for us, so we tend to get something away from home.

Watford have 19 clean sheets, we have 16. 0-0 then.

Watford's form is WWWWWWD.

Very few teams can keep up that sort of winning pace and I'd expect them to drop a few more points in the next 2 or 3 games. So as good a time as any to be playing them.

I fancy a point. But it'll be tough.

[Stranded]

Everything points to a home win and it will be. Out of the top six come Saturday night.

Very possible but as we've already beaten them we should go there with dome confidence. We are good enough to get a result but will need a top performance.

[Millsy]

So much unfounded concern with us playing Watford.

People forget we don't actually need to get the ball into the goal for us to be awarded one.

Something to do with being the royal county.

[Snowflake Royal]

Everything points to a home win and it will be. Out of the top six come Saturday night.

Very possible but as we've already beaten them we should go there with dome confidence. We are good enough to get a result but will need a top performance.

It's getting to the point Jackson Corner either needs to go on suicide watch or is trying to pull off the most subtle, long running reverse cmonurzing there has ever been.

[tidus_mi2]

Hopefully Joao finally getting a goal will see him back into form just when we need him to be.

[NewCorkSeth]

Don't know why but think we will get something from this one - maybe just a point but think we'll get something.

Just 5 defeats from 20 on the road for us, so we tend to get something away from home.

Watford have 19 clean sheets, we have 16. 0-0 then.

Watford's form is WWWWWWD.

Very few teams can keep up that sort of winning pace and I'd expect them to drop a few more points in the next 2 or 3 games. So as good a time as any to be playing them.

I fancy a point. But it'll be tough.

I think like this a lot too but it is a bit of a fallacy isn't it? Inductive reasoning at the very least.

Good team Watford. I'm not overly nervous about it for some reason. Maybe that will hit me on Friday. I think we have enough about us to match them. Team seems to be in good spirit too.

[Snowflake Royal]

Don't know why but think we will get something from this one - maybe just a point but think we'll get something.

Just 5 defeats from 20 on the road for us, so we tend to get something away from home.

Watford have 19 clean sheets, we have 16. 0-0 then.

Watford's form is WWWWWWD.

Very few teams can keep up that sort of winning pace and I'd expect them to drop a few more points in the next 2 or 3 games. So as good a time as any to be playing them.

I fancy a point. But it'll be tough.

I think like this a lot too but it is a bit of a fallacy isn't it? Inductive reasoning at the very least.

Good team Watford. I'm not overly nervous about it for some reason. Maybe that will hit me on Friday. I think we have enough about us to match them. Team seems to be in good spirit too.

Look at the league this season. Brentford, Bournemouth, Swansea, Cardiff, Barnsley... all had great win streaks then faltered.

Look at 106ers, they 'only' won 10 in a row.

Check out top teams longest unbeaten or winning streaks at the tail end of the season. I doubt you'll find they stretch into 8 - 12 games often.

[Millsy]

Typical Reading, we play best when clear underdogs and there haven't been too many times this season that's applied.

So a 3-0 thomping win is not off the cards.

[NewCorkSeth]

Watford's form is WWWWWWD.

Very few teams can keep up that sort of winning pace and I'd expect them to drop a few more points in the next 2 or 3 games. So as good a time as any to be playing them.

I fancy a point. But it'll be tough.

I think like this a lot too but it is a bit of a fallacy isn't it? Inductive reasoning at the very least.

Good team Watford. I'm not overly nervous about it for some reason. Maybe that will hit me on Friday. I think we have enough about us to match them. Team seems to be in good spirit too.

Look at the league this season. Brentford, Bournemouth, Swansea, Cardiff, Barnsley... all had great win streaks then faltered.

Look at 106ers, they 'only' won 10 in a row.

Check out top teams longest unbeaten or winning streaks at the tail end of the season. I doubt you'll find they stretch into 8 - 12 games often.

Yeah. That's what I mean. Inductive reasoning. "No team has gone on a run this long this season therefore no team will". Don't get me wrong I think that way too I'm just saying it's not actually logical despite it often being true.

It's one of those, it's true until it isn't, things.

[Snowflake Royal]

I think like this a lot too but it is a bit of a fallacy isn't it? Inductive reasoning at the very least.

Good team Watford. I'm not overly nervous about it for some reason. Maybe that will hit me on Friday. I think we have enough about us to match them. Team seems to be in good spirit too.

Look at the league this season. Brentford, Bournemouth, Swansea, Cardiff, Barnsley... all had great win streaks then faltered.

Look at 106ers, they 'only' won 10 in a row.

Check out top teams longest unbeaten or winning streaks at the tail end of the season. I doubt you'll find they stretch into 8 - 12 games often.

Yeah. That's what I mean. Inductive reasoning. "No team has gone on a run this long this season therefore no team will". Don't get me wrong I think that way too I'm just saying it's not actually logical despite it often being true.

It's one of those, it's true until it isn't, things.

It's not no team will, it's that the probability is that Watford won't.

[Hound]

Prob best not to over think the form thing really. They've been grinding out results well and not conceding too many. They may relax a bit too much with Brentford and co faltering though. We might want it that little bit more etc - all sorts to take into account

Anyway, will certainly be tough. Has a feel of a 1-0 one way or the other.

[Stranded]

Prob best not to over think the form thing really. They've been grinding out results well and not conceding too many. They may relax a bit too much with Brentford and co faltering though. We might want it that little bit more etc - all sorts to take into account

Anyway, will certainly be tough. Has a feel of a 1-0 one way or the other.

Aye of those 9 wins, 6 have been by a goal and last home game they needed an OG to beat Wednesday 1-0 and were poor at Boro. So yeah, we are favourites to lose but they can be got at and certainly stopped from playing.