When : Saturday 21 August 2021, 3pm
Where : Coventry Building Society Arena, Phoenix Way, Rowleys Green, Coventry, CV6 6GE
Capacity : 32,753
The second away game of the season is a trip to the midlands to face a Coventry team now based back in Coventry. Coventry City should now remain at their ground for the next 10 years at least unless the club builds another new stadium in the meantime (plans are apparently afoot for a stadium near the University of Warwick to the south of the city).
Former Brighton & Hove Albion Swede Victor Gyökeres appears to be the main threat for Coventry so far, especially in the dying moments of halves having hit an 81st minute equaliser v Forest in Coventry’s opening day win. However it doesn’t always go his way as he missed a 93rd minute penalty at Barnsley last Saturday condemning Coventry to their first defeat of the season but then he scored in first half injury time to get the 3 points at Blackpool this week. In addition to Gyökeres‘ permanent acquisition in the summer Coventry have brought in Jake Clarke-Salter and Ian Maatsen both on loan from Chelsea to improve their defensive vulnerabilities so reckon on another difficult game.
Reading’s injuries continue with Joao, Ejaria, Meite and Araruna all goners so unless some magic is worked in the transfer market then the team will continue to fall short of options. That said the problems largely seem to be defensive, especially with serious issues at set pieces, so you can probably guess what Reading will be up to defensively in this game! Let’s hope Ribeiro can be signed in time to at least give better balance to the back 4 (and just how long does it take for the FL to approve these things?).
Odd fact. Reading hold the record for the fastest goal scored by a visiting team to the “Ricoh” arena. Grzegorz Rasiak netted after 27 seconds of a 3-1 Reading win back in 2009 (Coventry’s record at the stadium is 19.5 seconds).
Referee
David “did this fixture last year” Webb
Previously
20 Feb 2021 > Reading 0-2 Middlesbrough
30 Dec 2020 > Swansea City 0-0 Reading
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
25 seasons shared with Coventry since first crossing swords in the league back on Christmas Day in 1931.
The 25 league visits to play away against the Sky Blues has seen 4 wins, 9 draws and 12 defeats so not exactly brilliant so far
How to follow the game
- Get a ticket and travel
- Listen to Radio 5 Live and/or a myriad of other radio stations for score flashes
- Ring/text a mate for updates
- Use a RoyalsTV subscription
- BBC Radio Berkshire (FM : 104.4, 104.1 or 95.4 depending where you are in the area)