MATCHWATCH : Fulham (a)

[Sutekh]

When : Saturday 18th September 2021, 3pm
Where : Craven Cottage, Stevenage Road, London, SW6 6HH
Capacity : 19,000


Reading take their poor start to the season and miserable away record to Craven Cottage next. About the only thing good you can say about this is that at least this fixture is out of the way relatively early in the season, however getting a serious stuffing is not good at any stage of a season.

Fulham at least play a day later than Reading (at Birmingham on Wednesday) so just perhaps there might be a slim chance of fatigue in their first team to help even things up just a teensy bit. Their season so far has more or less been a catalogue of victories aside from an odd hiccup at Blackpool last weekend. Mitrovic and Carvalho are already regularly amongst the goals so what there is remaining of Reading’s defensive prowess is going to be more than a little bit stretched in this game.

Expectation for this one is a very heavy defeat esp. with Mitrovic being rather good and at 6’2” is bound to be more than a challenge for Reading’s zonal marking at set pieces. But stranger things have happened in football and just perhaps Reading can hang on in there and get a point.

Fulham are actually expected to be without Carvalho but, don’t worry, Harry Wilson will be back after missing the aforementioned hiccup.

Reading’s injury list gets longer after each game with both Rafael and Moore added to the catalogue of woe in the last week. In addition to the ever lengthening injury list it would seem that Scott Dann and Danny Drinkwater aren’t yet even fit enough to sit on the bench (despite DD having played in Chelsea’s preseason) so you have to begin to wonder why on earth they’ve been brought to the club.

Referee

Steve Martin

Previously

13 Mar 2021 > Nottingham Forest 1-1 Reading
22 Jul 2020 > Reading 1-4 Swansea City
07 July 2020 > Reading 0-0 Huddersfield Town
05 Oct 2019 > Bristol City 1-0 Reading
13 Apr 2019 > Reading 2-1 Brentford
13 Feb 2019 > Reading 2-1 Blackburn Rovers
22 Dec 2018 > Reading 0-1 Middlesbrough
14 Apr 2018 > Reading 2-2 Sunderland
27 Feb 2018 > Nottm Forest 1-1 Reading
11 Dec 2017 > Reading 2-2 Cardiff City
23 Sep 2017 > Reading 1-1 Hull City
26 Aug 2017 > Birmingham City 0-2 Reading
24 Jan 2017 > Reading 1-0 Fulham
15 Oct 2016 > Queen's Park Rangers 1-1 Reading
15 Mar 2016 > Brighton & Hove Albion 1-0 Reading
23 Jan 2016 > Reading 1-1 Sheffield Wednesday
19 Sep 2015 > Bristol City 0-2 Reading
25 Mar 2014 > Reading 1-3 Barnsley

Historically

In the league this is the twenty third season Reading have shared with Fulham, it may seem like more to many people as most of those games have been since 1980. From those 44 previous league games Fulham have managed more victories than Reading (18 games to 16). In the 22 previous league visits to the Cottage the record is ok with 6 wins, 5 draws and 11 defeats.

How to follow the game

1. Get a ticket and travel
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 a RoyalsTV subscription (presuming you can get the commentary working at all)
5. BBC Radio Berkshire (FM : 104.4, 104.1 or 95.4 depending where you are in the area)

[CountryRoyal]

Not really adding anything but I never knew Craven Cottage was only 19k capacity. I always that it was more than that for some reason.

Anyway we’re gonna get tonked.

[Orion1871]

Mitrovic loves a back post header, we're going to get a battering.

[NathStPaul]

Think we can go there and get something.

[Stranded]

Expected a battering last time we went there and we won 2-1 - expecting a battering again and will take the same result.

[royalp-we]

Not really adding anything but I never knew Craven Cottage was only 19k capacity. I always that it was more than that for some reason.

Anyway we’re gonna get tonked.

Will be around 29,000 once their new stand is complete. They’ve been building for a few years now.

Anyway, if we give Fulham the space we gave to Peterborough for 60mins it could get very ugly. Need to match their intensity from the first whistle, not just 10-15 mins of brilliance, or we may aswell not turn up.

[Sutekh]

Personally hope that Southwood keeps his place but then I think is he ready to face the likes of Mitrovic et al but then I remember McCarthy v Liverpool and this game is one everyone expects Reading to get hammered in so what is there to lose? Guess it might come down to how much of a “confidence” player he is - though I expect Rafael will return either way.

[tidus_mi2]

Providing we don't get absolutely hammered this is the closest thing to a free hit we'll probably get all season. Maybe the stars will align and we'll pull off a shock.

[Coppells Lost Coat]

Wouldn't mind Southwood keeping his place, be a bit of a kick in the teeth to give him the one game, we win then Rafa comes in for the loss...it will seem a bit backward mentally to take.

Free hit this one, i expect our defenders to be shown how ruthless top strikers are in this league. But i bet they are relishing the battle (hopefully). I would take anything other than a thrashing tbh. If we can keep it down to 2-0 would be good.

But on the flip side, we do have the players to hurt Fulham, so getting anything from this game would not be out of the question. I really hate Fulham fans, worst in the league by a long shot, so seeing them crying is always a bonus.

[tidus_mi2]

I long for a team that includes Swift in this form with an on form Joao and Meite, we wouldn't even have to worry about defence at that point. Joao will play again this season so hopefully he can come back firing.

[Royal_jimmy]

Can we put 10 men behind the ball and try get a 0-0

[NathStPaul]

Can we put 10 men behind the ball and try get a 0-0

No.

[Hound]

think I'd bring in Hoilett for AH, Holmes for Moore and otherwise same team that started. Hopefully Dann, DD and Rino fit enough for the bench

prob get smashed though tbh. Not that I think Fulham are especially good, but can see them scoring plenty passed us still

[NathStPaul]

think I'd bring in Hoilett for AH, Holmes for Moore and otherwise same team that started. Hopefully Dann, DD and Rino fit enough for the bench

prob get smashed though tbh. Not that I think Fulham are especially good, but can see them scoring plenty passed us still

Nobody hopes for this. He is shit enough on a spaz forum let alone as a professional footballer.

[Stranded]

think I'd bring in Hoilett for AH, Holmes for Moore and otherwise same team that started. Hopefully Dann, DD and Rino fit enough for the bench

prob get smashed though tbh. Not that I think Fulham are especially good, but can see them scoring plenty passed us still

Have a Fulham supporting mate who went to Blackpool last week - he said they were absolutely awful - clearly they reacted on Weds but they have the ability to put in a shocker - like the team above though. I felt a lot calmer with Holmes in the middle of defence - didn't do anything spectacular but read the game well and just cut stuff out and cleared lines. Hoilett's first touch esp. on high balls was superb as was his leap to win a couple of headers - was also always looking for a ball to the striker - could be key when we may not have too much ball tomorrow.

[Snowflake Royal]

think I'd bring in Hoilett for AH, Holmes for Moore and otherwise same team that started. Hopefully Dann, DD and Rino fit enough for the bench

prob get smashed though tbh. Not that I think Fulham are especially good, but can see them scoring plenty passed us still

Have a Fulham supporting mate who went to Blackpool last week - he said they were absolutely awful - clearly they reacted on Weds but they have the ability to put in a shocker - like the team above though. I felt a lot calmer with Holmes in the middle of defence - didn't do anything spectacular but read the game well and just cut stuff out and cleared lines. Hoilett's first touch esp. on high balls was superb as was his leap to win a couple of headers - was also always looking for a ball to the striker - could be key when we may not have too much ball tomorrow.

Hoilett so far has looked great for 10 minutes, shit for 10 minutes, shit all game and good for 15 minutes.

I want to see him looking consistently good off the bench before he gets another start.

[Hound]

AH was pretty rubbish against Peterborough tbh

Not sure I’d start him in this one. In fact I know I wouldn’t

[NathStPaul]

AH was pretty rubbish against Peterborough tbh

Not sure I’d start him in this one. In fact I know I wouldn’t

Yep, he didn't offer anything and we looked far better when he went off. I think he should only play when Swift can't. Hoilett comes in for AH against Fulham.

[Snowflake Royal]

I thought he was adequate.

I'd drop Ejaria first.

I thought AH was going to be the second coming a couple of weeks ago.

[Stranded]

think I'd bring in Hoilett for AH, Holmes for Moore and otherwise same team that started. Hopefully Dann, DD and Rino fit enough for the bench

prob get smashed though tbh. Not that I think Fulham are especially good, but can see them scoring plenty passed us still

Have a Fulham supporting mate who went to Blackpool last week - he said they were absolutely awful - clearly they reacted on Weds but they have the ability to put in a shocker - like the team above though. I felt a lot calmer with Holmes in the middle of defence - didn't do anything spectacular but read the game well and just cut stuff out and cleared lines. Hoilett's first touch esp. on high balls was superb as was his leap to win a couple of headers - was also always looking for a ball to the striker - could be key when we may not have too much ball tomorrow.

Hoilett so far has looked great for 10 minutes, shit for 10 minutes, shit all game and good for 15 minutes.

I want to see him looking consistently good off the bench before he gets another start.

That's a massive ask for a player to do in his position when games will be in different positions and he may be given a different role. For example, he was used as an attacking player on Tuesday to freshen it up as Halilovic was getting tired and less effective - in the next game he might be brought on to fulfil a different role i.e. he may be asked to be more defensive as we hold on to a 1-0 lead for 10 mins - he won't look like he's played as well but may have done his job well.

His 30 mins on Tuesday show he is worth another start as he won't weaken the attacking options and allows one of Ejaria or Halilovic to not have to play 3 in a week, when both are coming off either a period of isolation or a non-existant pre-season.