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When : Tuesday 18th October 2022, 7.45pm
Where : Swansea.com Stadium, Morfa, Swansea, SA1 2FA
Capacity : 21,088
Reading take their odd season to Swansea on Saturday amidst a pile of problems. Firstly form is getting a bit iffy with a decent but flawed performance at QPR being followed up with a very quiet and thoroughly disappointing no show v WBA. Secondly, once again injury (and now illness) is putting paid to any attempt to keep the side fresh not to mention the obvious loss of key players. Thirdly this game is away from home and scheduled for a Tuesday against a team beginning with S and Reading just don’t win this sort of game - the last away midweek win against a side not beginning with B was at Leeds in April 2014, some 50 (FIFTY) games ago.
So there’s going to have to be a lot of work and preparation for this one not least to kill the threat posed by Oliver Ntcham who seems to be building a very decent run of form for himself recently. Rumoured Reading target Jay Fulton seems to be driving midfield and defender Kyle Naughton is always someone to watch.
Swansea started the season indifferently but have picked up a great deal recently with their 4-0 setback at Burnley being their first reverse in 5 games having won the 4 games previous to that so this is going to be as hard as it can get.
Reading have 8 crocks plus the manager and Lumley both ill. Ejaria though may return after a precautionary rest on Saturday. Lumley may also be able to return depending how quickly he can shake off the “whatever it is, but definitely not you know what”. Swansea have one injury problem which will see Liam Walsh ruled out of the game, however Joel Piroe is suspended having been dismissed at Burnley for violent conduct (though Swansea are considering an appeal depending on what they see when they review the footage).
Finally, this game is on the red button.
Referee
James “never had a Reading game before and this is also my first season umpiring at this level” Bell
Previously
n/a
Historically
This will be the 37th league visit to Swansea who have been consistent opponents stretching all the way back to 1920. In that time there have been 10 wins for Reading and 17 wins for the Swans. There have been only 3 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 1989/90!
How to follow the game
- Get a ticket and go
- 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 (audio only)
- SKY Red button
- BBC Radio Berkshire (FM : 104.4, 104.1 or 95.4 depending where you are in the area)
