When : Saturday 11th March 2023, 3pm
Where : Madejski Stadium, Reading, RG2 0FL
Capacity : 24,161
Seems every year at about this time Millwall roll up collect 3 points in their charge to fail to make the play offs and we all go home again. Not saying it's a desperate must win game for Reading but it would be nice to stop collecting these home defeat trends before they become millstones.
As usual Millwall are looking quite useful and with a decent wind behind them they could be in the play off mix at the end of it all. The Lions lie 7th in the table and have 2 wins and 2 draws from their last 6 games so are pretty consistent at getting points. Their last 3 away games have seen 1 win, 1 draw and 1 defeat so are more than capable of posing difficult questions of the Reading team.
Twenty six league goals have been scored by midfielder Zian Flemming and striker Tom Bradshaw between them this season, on top of that is the most consistent threat, in more ways than one, of Jake Cooper who has a nasty habit of scoring against Reading so Reading need to develop some suitable treatment and just stop these three from doing what they do best.
Gary Rowett's men have 5 injured; Billy Mitchell, Aidomo Emakhu, Mason Bennet, Tyler Burley and Callum Styles plus have had Oliver Burke, Duncan Watmore and Jamie Shackleton all missing recent games through illness. Reading have Sam Hutchinson missing plus question marks over Yakou Meite which will presumably become clearer at Thursday's pre-match press conference on Thursday. Liam Moore is back to help the defensive options and if he does play I hope the booing idiots, evident on Tuesday, don't reappear as well.
No doubt Reading will go all negative again and struggle as a result esp. as Millwall have had a clear week to rest. Whatever happens it's going to be a hard and difficult game but if Reading could actually be positive about things rather than playing excessive numbers of defenders and players out of position for once then perhaps something hopeful might take place.
Referee
Michael "my annual Reading game" Salisbury
Previously
09 Apr 22 > Reading 1-2 Cardiff City
21 Apr 21 > Luton Town 0-0 Reading
20 Jun 20 > Reading 1-1 Stoke City
21 Dec 19 > Reading 3-0 Derby County
Historically
This will be the 104th league game against Millwall and therefore the 52nd time Reading will have played them at home. Currently it is definitely a case of the home team ruling as Reading have won 29 of those 46 games and lost 14 (more or less the opposite of the games at Millwall).
There is usually a stack of goals between the sides, Reading have netted 96 while Millwall have managed 51.
So it'll be a pretty dull 0-0 then and there’s probably a good few that’d take to stop the rot before the next miserable away trip.
How to follow the game
- Ticket yourself and travel
- Listen to Radio 5 Live and/or a myriad of other radio stations for score flashes
- Ring/text a mate for updates
- Use a RoyalTV subscription
- BBC Radio Berkshire (FM : 104.4, 104.1 or 95.4 depending where you are in the area)
