MATCHWATCH : Sunderland (a)

[Sutekh]

When : Saturday 11th February 2023, 3pm
Where : Stadium of Light, Monkwearmouth, Sunderland, SR5 1SU
Capacity : 49,000

Reading next take their magnificent standing of 23rd in the Championship away table to Sunderland who sit 14th in the Championship home table. This is the longest away trip of the season and I hope the management make it abundantly clear they don’t want to see yet another miserable capitulation of Stoke/Rotherham proportions. Coincidentally Reading are currently rated to have the 23rd best defensive record in the division.

Sunderland have been doing fairly decently so far after promotion last season and have proven to be very useful away from home (they’re 5th in that table) yet a bit “iffy” at home. Hopefully there will be a slight distraction for them as Fulham rock up for them next in the FA Cup. While Reading are still looking for their first league win of 2023 Sunderland have managed it already by beating Middlesbrough 2-0 in their last home game while their last 5 league games have yielded that win and 3 draws so signs that they're an awkward bunch to get the better of but not impossible.

January saw 4 players arrive; Pierre Ekwah from West Ham, Isaac Lihadji from Lille and Joe Anderson from Everton plus the loan signing of Joe Gelhardt from Leeds United. Ellis Simms has sadly returned to Everton after delivering a goal pretty much every other game for the Mackems. This means that 10 goal Ross Stewart will be far the biggest threat, should he experience a miracle recovery from his achilles tendon injury. Midfielders Armad Diallo (7 goals) and Jack Clarke (6 assists) are the next major headaches Reading need to nullify.

In addition to the missing Ross Stewart, Sunderland have major doubt over Dennis Cirkin and will also be without Corry Evans, Elliot Embleton and Lyndon Gooch. Thankfully Mohammed Loum will sit this one out through suspension which solves the "which loanee can't be in the squad question". Andy Carroll will be able to return (and he's likely to get much of the Sunderland fan's attention being ex-Newcastle) along with Navy Sarr but Sam Hutchinson and Liam Moore remain sidelined. Out of favour Ovie Ejaria should be back in contention for a place on the bench.

Referee

David Coote

Previously

04 Sep 22 > Reading 2-1 Stoke City
27 Oct 20 > Blackburn Rovers 2-4 Reading
22 Jul 20 > Reading 1-4 Swansea City
07 July 20 > Reading 0-0 Huddersfield Town
05 Oct 19 > Bristol City 1-0 Reading
13 April 19 > Reading 2-1 Brentford
13 Feb 19 > Reading 2-1 Blackburn Rovers
22 Dec 18 > Reading 0-1 Middlesbrough
14 Apr 18 > Reading 2-2 Sunderland
27 Feb 18 > Nottm Forest 1-1 Reading
11 Dec 17 > Reading 2-2 Cardiff City
23 Sep 17 > Reading 1-1 Hull City
26 Aug 17 > Birmingham City 0-2 Reading
24 Jan 17 > Reading 1-0 Fulham
15 Oct 16 > Queen's Park Rangers 1-1 Reading
15 Mar 16 > Brighton & Hove Albion 1-0 Reading
23 Jan 16 > Reading 1-1 Sheffield Wednesday
19 Sep 15 > Bristol City 0-2 Reading
25 Mar 14 > Reading 1-3 Barnsley

Historically

This is only the 10th league season shared with Sunderland with the first only happening in 1986/87. Of the previous 9 league games in Sunderland Reading have won 3 and lost 4 but have only ever kept 1 clean sheet which was at Roker Park.

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

[Hound]

Been very impressed with Sunderland every time I’ve seen them this year. Best side I’ve watched so expecting absolutely zero other than a comfortable defeat before the big games vs Rotherham and co

Lumley
Yiadom Mbengue Holmes TMc Hoilett/NGW
Hendrick Fornah
Ince Long Casadei

Bouzanis, NGW, Azeez, Ejaria, Sarr/Dann, Joao/Meite, Carroll

[YorkshireRoyal99]

This is going to be a tough game, they've got some good, young attacking talent even without Stewart or Simms, the likes of Clarke, Roberts, Gelhardt and Amad Diallo could cause our defence all sorts of problems. Mbengue has to start for his pace really.

Lumley
Holmes Mbengue McIntyre
Yiadom Hendrick Fornah Rahman
Ince Casadei
Carroll

Subs: Bouzanis, NGW, Dann, Azeez, Meite, Joao, Long.

That's what I'd go for - although it leaves us a bit light for midfield cover on the bench so suspect that either one of Casadei or Fornah will drop to the bench and then one of Meite, Azeez, Joao or Long will come into the side.

Difficult game, very poor away record, but it's the Championship so anything can happen. Plenty of aerial threat in our squad from set plays so that could be our route to winning the game.

[Nameless]

Do they really have a player called Armadillo ?

[Snowflake Royal]

Reckon Ince will go:

........................Lumley
......Mbengue, Holmes, McIntyre
Yiadom, .........Casadei, .........Hoilett
..............Hendrick......, Ince
....................Carroll, Long


Personally be very tempted to switch our shape up big time. And I'd like to see Fornah slot in, but not sure where as he's not as defensive as Loum and is never displacing Ince or Hendrick

[Coppells Lost Coat]

Reckon Ince will go:

........................Lumley
......Mbengue, Holmes, McIntyre
Yiadom, .........Casadei, .........Hoilett
..............Hendrick......, Ince
....................Carroll, Long


Personally be very tempted to switch our shape up big time. And I'd like to see Fornah slot in, but not sure where as he's not as defensive as Loum and is never displacing Ince or Hendrick

Like the look of this team. But Meite in for Carroll and I think thats amore cohesive team. No point playing AC if you're not putting balls in the box for him to attack, Meite can do flick ons to Long and chase down much harder. But i suspect AC will go straight back in.
Also still not sure where Casadei naturally plays so will assume holding CM is right?

[Snowflake Royal]

Reckon Ince will go:

........................Lumley
......Mbengue, Holmes, McIntyre
Yiadom, .........Casadei, .........Hoilett
..............Hendrick......, Ince
....................Carroll, Long


Personally be very tempted to switch our shape up big time. And I'd like to see Fornah slot in, but not sure where as he's not as defensive as Loum and is never displacing Ince or Hendrick

Like the look of this team. But Meite in for Carroll and I think thats amore cohesive team. No point playing AC if you're not putting balls in the box for him to attack, Meite can do flick ons to Long and chase down much harder. But i suspect AC will go straight back in.
Also still not sure where Casadei naturally plays so will assume holding CM is right?

I think Carroll's better at bringing others in to the game than Meite, and seems to be first choice. But hard to pick from the forwards for sure.

Don't know on Casadei. But he's big, strong and seems to like a challenge. I thought he looked to have more of the holding attributes than Fornah or Hendrick from his debut.

[URZZZZ]

Would go with:

Lumley

Yiadom
Holmes
Mbengue

Hoilett
Hendrick
McIntyre
Fornah
Guinness Walker

Long
Ince

Bouzanis, Dann, Rahman, Casedei, Azeez, Carroll, Meite

Wouldn’t be surprised to see Rahman back into the starting XI for this one unfortunately with Loum suspended, no conundrum over which loanee to drop

[Sutekh]

Don't know on Casadei. But he's big, strong and seems to like a challenge. I thought he looked to have more of the holding attributes than Fornah or Hendrick from his debut.

JLow got some lowdown on Casadei from a Chelsea expert :

For his age he [Casadei] is physically imposing and is a true threat in the air, he's far too good for youth football and some will say this loan has come six months too late for him.

One major bonus is how quickly he has settled in England after moving from Italy. He's a goalscoring midfielder but due to his physicality can very much be a box-to-box player too. He is prone to shooting from long range which can be entertaining (see his goal vs Peterborough) but may frustrate fans if it's in the wrong spaces. Seeing how he adapts to the pressures of a senior campaign will be intriguing.

Apparently he has already managed to get himself sent off in a game so can probably handle himself.

Personally think Reading should try and cause Sunderland some problems from the off to unsettle them. Therefore think both Obi-Wan and Azeez should start this one.

Lumley
Yiadom Holmes Sarr McIntyre NGW
Hendrick Casadei
Azeez Carroll Ince

Subs - Bouzanis, Fornah, Ejaria, Long, Joao, Dann, Mbengue

See about 1.44 in

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KK6gA81Me2Y

[Coppells Lost Coat]

I think Carroll's better at bringing others in to the game than Meite, and seems to be first choice. But hard to pick from the forwards for sure.

Don't know on Casadei. But he's big, strong and seems to like a challenge. I thought he looked to have more of the holding attributes than Fornah or Hendrick from his debut.

I get what you are saying, however having him on the pitch just means the entire team just punt it to Carroll as the tactic, bypassing the midfield and he is too isolated. The football is turgid enough as it is under Ince - just think we can play better with out him in the team, makes players think about the pass rather than hoof it to the big man job done.
Also having a front 2 with a combined age of 70 just feels wrong.

[Snowflake Royal]

I think Carroll's better at bringing others in to the game than Meite, and seems to be first choice. But hard to pick from the forwards for sure.

Don't know on Casadei. But he's big, strong and seems to like a challenge. I thought he looked to have more of the holding attributes than Fornah or Hendrick from his debut.

I get what you are saying, however having him on the pitch just means the entire team just punt it to Carroll as the tactic, bypassing the midfield and he is too isolated. The football is turgid enough as it is under Ince - just think we can play better with out him in the team, makes players think about the pass rather than hoof it to the big man job done.
Also having a front 2 with a combined age of 70 just feels wrong.

Certainly a factor, though I'd hope good instruction could help that, and with Long alongside and Ince able to join them there's no excuse for him to be isolated.

[Crowbar6753]

Good ole 4-2-3-1 for this game:

Lumley

Yiadom Holmes Mbengue McIntyre

Casedei Hendrick

Meite Ince Azeez

Long

[SCIAG]

Think we'll win this 18-0.

Or maybe lose 3-0. Not sure.

[Royal_jimmy]

Sunderland are a funny side. One of the best in the league on their day but are prone to a shocker. Lets hope they have an off day.

I'd be happy with a point. Performance had to be better than on Saturday or we'll lose

[Hendo]

Thought they were very good when we played them at home, although we were equally bad.

[Coppells Lost Coat]

Thought they were very good when we played them at home, although we were equally bad.

I think that game was one of the worst applications of a tactic I have seen - punting long balls for Joao to challenge for was pathetic to watch.
Hopefully we will have more luck with the tactic of booting it up top this time with Carroll up there and Batth might actually have to work to win headers. I bet McIntyre is looking forward to seeing Roberts again.

[John Smith]

They had a tough game last night and think they’ll be tired. We will do them

[Crowbar6753]

Sounds like Joao, Holmes and Ince are all doubtful for the game, plus Loum is suspended. Time for a free hit and a change of formation and bring in a few youngsters for a late run out.

However, i fully expect the walking wounded to play and we keep with the same boring formation!!! Feeling a repeat of the Rotherham away game coming on.

[RoyalBlue]

Sounds like Joao, Holmes and Ince are all doubtful for the game, plus Loum is suspended. Time for a free hit and a change of formation and bring in a few youngsters for a late run out.

However, i fully expect the walking wounded to play and we keep with the same boring formation!!! Feeling a repeat of the Rotherham away game coming on.

If Ince is out, maybe we should just save on the travel costs!

Info on injuries etc. from the club is so unreliable anyway. Earlier this week we were told Baba missed out because of the 5 loan player limit in matchday squads. Now apparently he missed out because of tonsilitis. I'm pretty sure we were also told Ejaria was training - now he's out with a knee injury.

[Snowflake Royal]

Thought they were very good when we played them at home, although we were equally bad.

I thought they were good end of ordinary with exceptional finishing on the day.

But a lot of people were impressed so maybe I missed something.