MATCHWATCH : Norwich City (a)

[Sutekh]

When : Friday, 30th December 2022, 7.45pm
Where : Carrow Road, Norwich, NR1 1JE
Capacity : 27,220

Another Friday night game for Reading and all you can say is that it can’t be much worse than the last 3 Friday night games for the club which have seen Reading lose 3 times and churn out some pretty stinky and pathetic performances, the advantage this one has though is that it’s NOT on the &£#@£&!# telly.

This is the last game of the calendar year for Reading (who have won just 16 of the previous 48 games played during 2022) and sees them actually doing ok in the league currently really given all the off field problems - have to say that getting a point out of this awkward trek in the Christmas/new year no man’s land would be a real good result for Reading while the whole 3 points would be quite some delayed Xmas present.

Norwich are 5th in the table currently, equal on points with Reading who are now 8th with just Reading’s really awful goal difference (-6) justifying the positioning. A win for Reading in this one will lift them to 4th in the table a point behind Blackburn at least for the best part of 24 hours anyway.

Thirteen games ago Norwich got a point at the SCL and that seems to have heralded a collapse in form for them as those 13 games have returned maximum points on just 3 occasions and 12 points overall so it seems the Canaries have temporarily been seconded down the proverbial coal mine and Reading will be hoping to help develop a new seam to keep them down there rather than send them back up to the surface too early.

As a result of the East Anglian collapse in form, Dean Smith was sacked after the Canaries crashed 2-1 at 10 man Luton on Boxing Day (a change which means Paul Ince is now the 7th longest serving manager in the Championship!). So yet again this season Reading face a team with a new management dynamic and while the caretaker team of Steve Weaver (head of development) and Allan Russell (set-piece coach) are unlikely to get the gig permanently it’s likely to give some lift around Carrow Road.

Despite the poor form Norwich still have a very talented and dangerous squad of players. Goal threats come from Finnish international Teemu Pukki and, new kid on the block, US international Joshua Sargent who has actually scored more that Pukki so far ( 9 v 8 ). Tim Krul (though Angus Gunn is being preferred as keeper currently), Max Aarons and Grant Hanley are very handy defensively and in midfield Aaron Ramsay (no not that one), Todd Cantwell and Kenny McLean are proving highly useful though generally Norwich seem to have been a little unsettled in that area with numerous players making around 8/9 appearances plus a similar number as substitutes. Bench threats come in the form of Onel Hernandez and Jordan Hugill.

Norwich will be missing Jakob Sorensen, Sam Byram and Jon Rowe, in addition there are doubts over Aaron Ramsey and Todd Cantwell. If all goes well (i.e. Hutchinson is finally available and no reactions from Tuesday) then Reading will have an injury list that, after the last two years or more, is a thing of beauty with just THREE crocks in Tyrese Fornah (head) Liam Moore (knees) and Ove Ejaria (knee).

Referee

David “one Reading win in the last nine games” Webb

Previously

04 Nov 2022 > Reading 1-2 Preston North End
17 Sep 2022 > Wigan Athletic 0-1 Reading
30 Jul 2022 > Blackpool 1-0 Reading
02 Apr 2021 > Barnsley 1-1 Reading
11 Dec 2021 > West Bromwich Albion 1-0 Reading
21 Aug 2021 > Coventry City 2-1 Reading
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

There have been 75 league games between Norwich and Reading which makes this game the 38th league visit to the Canaries. Of the previous 37, 10 have resulted in wins for Reading while 18 games have gone the way of Delia’s boys. There have only been 2 goalless games in those previous 37 so odds are there will be some picking the ball out of the back of the net to be done by at least one keeper......

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. Ticket yourself and travel
4. Use a RoyalTV subscription
5. BBC Radio Berkshire (FM : 104.4, 104.1 or 95.4 depending where you are in the area)

[Royal_jimmy]

The great win yesterday means this fixture and West Brom are both free hits.

I have a ticket and was looking forward to this game but now I'm dreading it now Dean Smith has gone. We must score first if we are to get anything out of it.

I'd pick the same team as Swansea for this one. But keep Baba Rahman on the bench!

[Hound]

Thanks Sutekh

On red button this one I believe

Basically got to do what we did against Swansea. Fight hard, be aggressive, take our chances

Think it may be an idea to freshen things up a little. Carroll back on the bench maybe (though he played well last night), maybe NGW in on the LHS but that prob won’t happen. Hoilett a rest maybe

[Sutekh]

Thanks Sutekh

On red button this one I believe

Basically got to do what we did against Swansea. Fight hard, be aggressive, take our chances

Think it may be an idea to freshen things up a little. Carroll back on the bench maybe (though he played well last night), maybe NGW in on the LHS but that prob won’t happen. Hoilett a rest maybe

Thanks, yes it is on the red button service, didn’t consider that given it was a Thursday then a Friday nighter!

[Norfolk Royal]

Good news. The new Norwich caretaker manager thinks they should be beating ‘teams like Reading.’ One for the dressing room wall.

https://twitter.com/pinkun/status/16083 ... m3z3RcKadA

[Hound]

They should be tbf

Whether they will or not though…

[Royal_jimmy]

Prutton thinks we'll win so that's us not winning then!

[YorkshireRoyal99]

I can just see this game having a similar outcome to the West Brom game earlier in the season. A good side with good players underperforming but get the result against us. It's obviously going to be a difficult game, but anything we get from this game is a bonus.

Not sure how many changes we will make given we played on Tuesday and we are playing in a couple of days time, so the team is quite hard to pick. I feel like Joao and Rahman will come back into the team though.

[Mr Optimist]

Good news. The new Norwich caretaker manager thinks they should be beating ‘teams like Reading.’ One for the dressing room wall.

https://twitter.com/pinkun/status/16083 ... m3z3RcKadA

With all due respect to interim managers like Allan Russell, who the oxf*rd is Allan Russell?

[Sutekh]

Good news. The new Norwich caretaker manager thinks they should be beating ‘teams like Reading.’ One for the dressing room wall.

https://twitter.com/pinkun/status/16083 ... m3z3RcKadA

With all due respect to interim managers like Allan Russell, who the oxf*rd is Allan Russell?

He is the Norwich City set-piece coach, he is joint caretaker with Steve Weaver who is normally the academy development manager.

Also, expect a minute’s applause before the game following the passing of Pele.

[Loafer]

If we lose, Ince has to go

We need a shakeup in the new year

[Royal_jimmy]

Karbota will like that we we'll be able to bring Parky in

[Royal_jimmy]

Good news. The new Norwich caretaker manager thinks they should be beating ‘teams like Reading.’ One for the dressing room wall.

https://twitter.com/pinkun/status/16083 ... m3z3RcKadA

With all due respect to interim managers like Allan Russell, who the oxf*rd is Allan Russell?

We should pin that on the door in our dressing room tonight to get the players fired up

[Nameless]

Good news. The new Norwich caretaker manager thinks they should be beating ‘teams like Reading.’ One for the dressing room wall.

https://twitter.com/pinkun/status/16083 ... m3z3RcKadA

With all due respect to interim managers like Allan Russell, who the oxf*rd is Allan Russell?

We should pin that on the door in our dressing room tonight to get the players fired up

A club with multiple seasons of parachute payments should be beating a club under a 2 year transfer embargo though.
Our rag tag bunch of misfits don’t seem to need much firing up.

[Royal_jimmy]

With all due respect to interim managers like Allan Russell, who the oxf*rd is Allan Russell?

We should pin that on the door in our dressing room tonight to get the players fired up

A club with multiple seasons of parachute payments should be beating a club under a 2 year transfer embargo though.
Our rag tag bunch of misfits don’t seem to need much firing up.

Aye and a team who we probably would have had if we had a full strength team out at our own place.

[YorkshireRoyal99]

Good news. The new Norwich caretaker manager thinks they should be beating ‘teams like Reading.’ One for the dressing room wall.

https://twitter.com/pinkun/status/16083 ... m3z3RcKadA

With all due respect to interim managers like Allan Russell, who the oxf*rd is Allan Russell?

Spent 4 years in the England senior set up as an attacking coach between 2017-2021 before moving to be Aberdeen's assistant for a year. He left the England set up after he admitted he allowed his younger brother to drive his car uninsured.

He was recognised by Southgate as a major factor to England's set piece success during this period. Not a bad CV to have really at 42.

[karbota]

Karbota will like that we we'll be able to bring Parky in

Yes indeed, Tom Ince has done a good interim job, but unless we get on a good FA cup run or make the playoffs he is toast. Parky on the other hand is a proven winner and would double the gates.

[AthleticoSpizz]

If we lose, Ince has to go

We need a shakeup in the new year

you really don’t do yourself any favours do you kid?

[Loafer]

If we lose, Ince has to go

We need a shakeup in the new year

you really don’t do yourself any favours do you kid?

i should stop drinking

[Nameless]

Karbota will like that we we'll be able to bring Parky in

Yes indeed, Tom Ince has done a good interim job, but unless we get on a good FA cup run or make the playoffs he is toast. Parky on the other hand is a proven winner and would double the gates.

You are suggesting Parky takes over on the right wing (irony overload).
Suspect Parky was never as quick as Tom, and certainly not really likely to want to get his boots on again.

As for doubling the gates, are you proposing we extend the stadium ?