MATCHWATCH : Blackburn Rovers (h)

[Sutekh]

When : Saturday 19 March 2022, 3pm
Where : Madejski Stadium, Reading, RG2 0FL
Capacity : 24,161

Blackburn’s team bus is scheduled to turn up next, be good if it didn’t contain any players but that’s probably a little on the unlikely side. However Reading did actually play well in the second half at Bournemouth so perhaps there’s a chance the club are on a roll at last and that if Blackburn do bring some players that Reading might at least make a game of it even though they’ve not won a home game on a Saturday since 16 October.

Tony Mowbray’s boys are on the slide, or possibly were on the slide as they did win last time out. A great run of victories at the end of last year lifted them into the automatic promotion places for a while but since a win at Cardiff in January it’s slipped a bit and their current form is 2 wins and 5 defeats from 10 and no goals away from Ewood in the last 616 minutes (almost 7 games). So I think we all know where that stat is likely to lead….

Blackburn have netted 48 in the league and Chilean international Ben Brereton is responsible for 20 of them so it’s pretty clear where Reading’s attention would need to be if it wasn’t for an ankle injury. And perhaps that’s been Rovers’ problem as the next forward threat is Sam Gallagher (and then I seem to recall he always does well when playing against the Biscuit boys) but he’s only managed 7 in 20 apps as Rovers’ second highest scorer. After Sam, Tyrhys Dolan and Reda Khadra seem to be doing quite well in the Blackburn midfield so will offer additional threat.

Other than the aforementioned Brereton, Blackburn will be without Ian Poveda, Tayo Edun and Ryan Nyambe while Reading should have John Swift back in the ranks and, touchwood, may actually be looking at an injury list where really it’s only Baba Rahman that’s out from what would be considered the usual senior squad members.

Referee

James Linington

Previously

15 Jan 22 > Middlesbrough 2-1 Reading
09 Apr 21 > Watford 2-0 Reading
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

Reading hadn't played a league game against Blackburn until a 1-1 draw on Saturday 1st December 1979. Since then there's been a further 11 visits from the Rovers and it's a case of 5 wins to Reading and 3 to Blackburn. Apart from one game, things have tended to be very close affairs with a goal deciding it or more than likely no goals happening whatsoever.

How to follow the game

1. Ticket up and go
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 RoyalTV subscription
5. BBC Radio Berkshire (FM : 104.4, 104.1 or 95.4 depending where you are in the area)

[Hound]

Tough team selection this

Guess it’ll be much the same as the starting 11. Holmes/Morro doesn’t fill me with confidence but neither does Dann particularly

Swift prob bench at best if he hasn’t been well

Wasn’t convinced by Laurent in the number 10 spot but guess he’ll prob leave as is for this one

Be nice if Baba made a quick recovery as don’t like McIntyre at LB very much

[NathStPaul]

Would like us to change system, try something a bit different.

Nyland

Morrison
Dann
McIntyre

Yiadom
Laurent
Dele Bashiru
Rinomhota
Hoilett

Meite
Ince

[YorkshireRoyal99]

Wouldn't be against changing system, I just don't think it will happen.

I wouldn't play Laurent as a 10, he's not a 10. We don't have to play a 4-2-3-1, we can just play a 4-3-3 and allow Drinkwater to sit potentially and then have Rino and Laurent press them in the midfield and be really aggressive. They are a physical team, if we let them get hold of the ball they'll just walk away with the win. If we get after them, we give ourselves a much better chance. I'd potentially even rotate Drinkwater with TDB if we needed energy in midfield and have one of Rino or Laurent sitting, preferably the former, and then have one of those two and TDB pressing.

The important thing is can we be brave and get after them. Joao won't press from the front, but if we can press them when in goes into the middle third, that would help us.

Nyland
Yiadom Morrison Holmes McIntyre
Rino
Laurent TDB
Ince Joao Ejaria

Would be my team. I don't think much will change from last night. I'd say even Drinkwater will play in the midfield, unless Swift is fit again.

[Hound]

Don’t think Ince rates TDB does he? Barely got a minute since he came

Shame as his energy would be useful. Would be happy enough with him coming into replace Drinkwater and having a 3 man midfield of him, Rino and Laurent (basically your team above) but don’t think it’ll happen

[YorkshireRoyal99]

No I don't think he does either. It's justified in a way because I'm not sure where TDB's best position is, but no doubt if we wanted to play a pressing game in the midfield his energy would be a reason to play him.

I don't think it will happen, but that's what I'd go with if Swift isn't fit.

[Hound]

I think he’d be an effective 10. Press well and put Laurent further back

[NathStPaul]

We need as much energy as humanly possible imo, players who are prepared to chase back. Dele Bashiru is a bit of a headless chicken at times but he is high energy.

[windermereROYAL]

Hard to read this game tbh, Blackburn could hardly buy a goal until last night (3 in 12) then they come up against WRDC who are shit on the road and score 3 headers.
Will it give them much needed confidence or will they revert to type?

[URZZZZ]

Should be a good game this - given our struggles (particularly at home) and Blackburn’s struggles the last couple of months (particularly away) both teams will see this as a very winnable game for their respective aims

Would stick with the same XI - Drinkwater hasn’t been very good but is a better option than TDB

[Stranded]

Hard to read this game tbh, Blackburn could hardly buy a goal until last night (3 in 12) then they come up against WRDC who are shit on the road and score 3 headers.
Will it give them much needed confidence or will they revert to type?

Away from home, they managed 5 goals since 1st November (11 games) and only 1 in the past 7 games - conversely they have only let in 6 in the past 7. We should show no fear here and should get at them from the get go as an early goal for us could be massive. On the other side, if we go 1-0 down, then it may well be game over.

[Weymouth Royal]

I can't see anything but a loss here, but you never know. We'll need a stubborn and committed performance, and hope to nick something on the break. My eyes will be on what Barnsley are doing, and hoping we match or better it.

[Snowflake Royal]

Can't imagine we'll see much change after a very good result.

Maybe Ejaria and Hoilett swapped to keep them both fresh with the games thick and fast this week.

Maybe Swift for Laurent / Rino... too much to hope it would be Drinkwater.

Positives are, Joao hasn't scored for a couple games and at his strike rate that must mean he's due another flurry soon.

[John Smith]

Don’t think Ince rates TDB does he? Barely got a minute since he came

Shame as his energy would be useful. Would be happy enough with him coming into replace Drinkwater and having a 3 man midfield of him, Rino and Laurent (basically your team above) but don’t think it’ll happen

Dele-Bashiru is terrible

[YorkshireRoyal99]

I can't see anything but a loss here, but you never know. We'll need a stubborn and committed performance, and hope to nick something on the break. My eyes will be on what Barnsley are doing, and hoping we match or better it.

I thought this about Bournemouth and we managed to outperform them for large parts as well as take a point.

Blackburn are not as good as Bournemouth and have been on a bad run of form in the grand scheme of things. They will take confidence from Wednesday into Saturday of course, but I don't think it's a given they will turn us over, particularly if we turn out like we did on Tuesday.

[South Coast Royal]

I can't see anything but a loss here, but you never know. We'll need a stubborn and committed performance, and hope to nick something on the break. My eyes will be on what Barnsley are doing, and hoping we match or better it.

I thought this about Bournemouth and we managed to outperform them for large parts as well as take a point.

Blackburn are not as good as Bournemouth and have been on a bad run of form in the grand scheme of things. They will take confidence from Wednesday into Saturday of course, but I don't think it's a given they will turn us over, particularly if we turn out like we did on Tuesday.

The most worrying factor is that Blackburn scored 3 from headers the other night.
Bournemouth don't go the aerial route and do let other teams play so I expect a totally different game, much more like the Millwall game.

A game that we really do need to get something from and hopefully Swift will be there to bring some purposeful creativity and I don't want to see Holmes and Morrison having so much of the ball.

[Mr Optimist]

I’m a big fan of Tyrhys Dolan for them, great busy little player with quick feet. He worries with me running at our defence. Sam Gallagher and Bradley Dack also seem to regularly score against us. It will be a tough ask, but the crazy thing about the situation we are in as that we have quality in our side too, so there is no reason why we can’t get a good result if we play well.

It would be good to have Swifty back and hopefully Ovie finding some form, thought he had a decent game on Tuesday and it was always going to take him a few games to get back up to full speed.

Even a draw wouldn’t be a disaster if Derby and Barnsley lose. As Snowball mentioned, if Sheffield United can give Barnsley a bit of a shoeing and we draw then we would be 3 points above and with similar goal differences ahead of the six pointer at Oakwell after the international break.

[Stranded]

I’m a big fan of Tyrhys Dolan for them, great busy little player with quick feet. He worries with me running at our defence. Sam Gallagher and Bradley Dack also seem to regularly score against us. It will be a tough ask, but the crazy thing about the situation we are in as that we have quality in our side too, so there is no reason why we can’t get a good result if we play well.

It would be good to have Swifty back and hopefully Ovie finding some form, thought he had a decent game on Tuesday and it was always going to take him a few games to get back up to full speed.

Even a draw wouldn’t be a disaster if Derby and Barnsley lose. As Snowball mentioned, if Sheffield United can give Barnsley a bit of a shoeing and we draw then we would be 3 points above and with similar goal differences ahead of the six pointer at Oakwell after the international break.

Gallagher has a decent record against us, 3 goals and 2 assists in 9 games (W4 D1 L4).

Dack has just 1 goal against us & no assists and has lost 2 of his 3 games against us. Same as Dolan.

Don't think Dack will start on Saturday but could be a danger off the bench.

[Hound]

Always though Gallagher looks decent whenever he plays against us - not just for his goals record

Surprised he’s a bit on the fringes at times up there

[YorkshireRoyal99]

Gallagher will always be a threat against us, particularly this season, as he's a powerful forward and they've got some good players in behind him with the likes of Giles and Rothwell for example who can put good deliveries in towards him as well. They will always be a threat on paper, but I'm just hoping they end up in a similar way to us last season, where they've just fallen away.

We could take the initiative in this game though, as they've moved away from a more possession-based style in favour of a counter attacking style of play. Whilst having the ball and being on the front foot suits their style of play, I also feel it's where we are at our best as well. 3 points here would be absolutely vital at this stage of the season.