MATCHWATCH : Cheltenham Town (h)

[Sutekh]

When : Tuesday August 15 2023, 8pm
Where : SCL Stadium, Reading, RG2 0FL
Capacity : 24,161

Next up is a first ever league visit from Cheltenham Town who will be hoping to help Reading maintain both their 100% league record as well as their club record run of 15 league games without a win.

Cheltenham will be aided in their attempt by the presence of Luke Southwood who will probably demonstrate being the only keeper on the pitch to defy Reading's supremely efficient attacking prowess. Cheltenham, like their hosts, also have 100% start to the season but have leaked 4 league goals to Readings 2 in addition they still seek a first goal of the season and were amongst many pundits tips for relegation before a ball was even kicked so Reading really need to wake up for this one.

Possibly the best known player on the Cheltenham books is the former Brum, Hull and Derby defender Curtis Davies who is now 38 and joined in the summer on a free transfer. Following the departure of Alfie May to Charlton for £250000 in the close season it's hard to see where Cheltenham are going to pose a threat from but then I'm sure Reading's defence will be clever enough to help out in that respect.

Reading will be without Sam Smith (thigh), Amadou Mbengue (concussion) and Ovie Ejaria (knee) but there really should be enough remaining options to make sure these players are not missed.

Referee

Benjamin "David" Speedie (surely can't be as bad as the two referees already seen in the league this season)

Previously

No previous games

Historically

Reading have won 3 of the previous 4 games against Cheltenham but all of them were in the FA Cup with the last meeting being a dire struggle by Reading to get through an FA Cup 3rd Round replay at Elm Park about 25 years ago when Trevor Morley and Tutti Frutti saved Reading's blushes in a 2-1 win.

How to follow the game

1. Get a ticket and travel to the game
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 RoyalsTV subscription
5. BBC Radio Berkshire (FM : 104.4, 104.1 or 95.4 depending where you are in the area)

[Sutekh]

Reckon there'll be a hybrid team of youngsters and experience in this one. First thing I'd try is dumping the useless defence so something like...

Button
Abrefa Abbey Dean Carson
Savage Rushesha
Wing Knibbs
Vickers WiFi

Subs: BBC, Carroll, Hutchinson, Camara, Yiadom, Holmes, McIntyre

But the club really could do with with adding additional striking options in the remainder of this transfer window.

[NathStPaul]

He's going to play Carroll I reckon. In fact it wouldn't shock me if he kept the same team.

[Orion1871]

Congratulations to Cheltenham on their first point(s) of the season.

[South Coast Royal]

Reckon there'll be a hybrid team of youngsters and experience in this one. First thing I'd try is dumping the useless defence so something like...

Button
Abrefa Abbey Dean Carson
Savage Rushesha
Wing Knibbs
Vickers WiFi

Subs: BBC, Carroll, Hutchinson, Camara, Yiadom, Holmes, McIntyre

But the club really could do with with adding additional striking options in the remainder of this transfer window.

That team looks a bit physically lightweight but we haven't done much with a more heavyweight line-up so why not?

[Hound]

Would definitely make changes

Bit harsh dropping NGW who was prob our best against pV (low bar obvs). Assuming Abrefa is injured. Not sure where Rushesha and Craig were tbh

Button
Yiadom Dean Abbey Carson
Knibbs Wing Savage NGW
Ehibhatiomhan Carroll

Cbc, Craig, Rushesha, Vickers, McIntyre, Bindon, Camara

[Snowflake Royal]

......................Button
Yiadom, Abbey, McIntyre, Carson
.................Wing..Savage
...Camara.....Knibbs.........NGW
...............Ehibhatiomhan

Not too many changes at once. I want to see us play simple, and try to keep to playing triangles and multiple passes on at once.

McIntyre should be looking for simple passes into feet of Wing or Carson. With the occasional long straight one along the ground to Knibbs coming short or diagonal into the channel for Camara or Kelvin.

Wing should already be looking for the same sort of pass in to Camara or Knibbs. Etc

Carson should already be looking for the pass inside to Savage or down the line to NGW. Etc

None of this utter turd of McIntyre, Holmes, McIntyre, Button, Holmes, Savage, Holmes, Yiadom, Savage, McIntyre, Button, hoof.

[Royal_jimmy]

We should win but knowing us anything is possible. Anything less isn't acceptable
Let's score early and get into their faces.

Agree we need a hybrid team. I'd actually be in favour of playing 2 strikers as it's Cheltenham but Carroll was poor yesterday.

[blythspartan]

I think we’ll start with virtually the same team. We’ll look good for the first 20 minutes but won’t score. They’ll sneak a goal just after halftime and we won’t find a way to break them down.

Tbh, I am expecting it to take a while before the team gels and these days my expectations are very low. Plus, we could be under another embargo soon.

[Jerry St Clair]

Was at Cheltenham v Bolton yesterday. Cheltenham got absolutely battered and couldn't get anywhere near the Trotters who look ominously good. Not really surprising as Cheltenham have the lowest budget in the league. Last year Alfie May was our highest earner on something like £120k a year.

Curtis Davies had an absolute stinker but, generally, Cheltenham's defence is a strong point. Lewis Freestone, Sean Long and Will Ferry are all solid L1 defenders (Ferry, if he plays as he's had an injury, is the biggest attacking threat from wing back).

It's up front where the problems are. Keena, Street and Goodwin are all development players. Hard workers but still learning. And they get no service from a midfield completely devoid of any creativity. Consequently, expect Wade Elliott to set Cheltenham up to try and frustrate.

And, if you'll forgive the personal indulgence, I'll be in the away end on Tuesday which will be properly weird after 20 years home and away with Reading at Elm Park and the Madejski. I've barely been to a Reading game since 2009, and have been pretty regular at Whaddon Road for the past decade. Have no idea how I'll feel on the day, but my son is definitely a Cheltenham-boy so that's what swung it.

[YorkshireRoyal99]

......................Button
Yiadom, Abbey, McIntyre, Carson
.................Wing..Savage
...Camara.....Knibbs.........NGW
...............Ehibhatiomhan

Not too many changes at once. I want to see us play simple, and try to keep to playing triangles and multiple passes on at once.

McIntyre should be looking for simple passes into feet of Wing or Carson. With the occasional long straight one along the ground to Knibbs coming short or diagonal into the channel for Camara or Kelvin.

Wing should already be looking for the same sort of pass in to Camara or Knibbs. Etc

Carson should already be looking for the pass inside to Savage or down the line to NGW. Etc

None of this utter turd of McIntyre, Holmes, McIntyre, Button, Holmes, Savage, Holmes, Yiadom, Savage, McIntyre, Button, hoof.

I'd be tempted to put Vickers just in behind Ehib and have Knibbs back out wide. Knibbs has been a bright spark (retrospectively speaking) so far this season out there, I wouldn't be too inclined to change that as such and would still have NGW at LB for now.

Would definitely say that Carroll and Azeez's place are precarious in the team at the minute. I'd personally have Dean over Abbey, if only for a bit of experience. If McIntyre was to leave for the Champ, would not be adverse to seeing Abbey in the team, possibly Dorsett as he hasn't had much of a look in yet and has something to prove.

[Royal_jimmy]

I bet Southwood plays a blinder against us

[Orion1871]

I bet Southwood plays a blinder against us

Unlikely. That would require us to actually have shots on target.

[Royal_jimmy]

I bet Southwood plays a blinder against us

Unlikely. That would require us to actually have shots on target.

Includes being physical and collecting crosses not making saves

[Sutekh]

I bet Southwood plays a blinder against us

Unlikely. That would require us to actually have shots on target.

Includes being physical and collecting crosses not making saves

Same issue, Reading would have to actually put crosses into the box.

[Sutekh]

Is there going to be any protest "doings" at this game?

[NathStPaul]

Is there going to be any protest "doings" at this game?

Of course not, busted flush.

[Stranded]

No disrespect to Cheltenham at all but we simply have to win this game and ideally win it by a couple of clear goals - anything less than a home win and the atmosphere will really begin to turn on the team, which is the last thing we need.

[RG30]

We're a shade of odds on in a fairly illiquid market on the Betfair exchange so yes anything other than a home win would be a major disappointment.

[blythspartan]

No disrespect to Cheltenham at all but we simply have to win this game and ideally win it by a couple of clear goals - anything less than a home win and the atmosphere will really begin to turn on the team, which is the last thing we need.

I hope you’re right but unless Selles is brave with his team selection, I can only see us getting a draw at best.

The more senior members of our squad don’t look fit enough to play the way Selles wants to play. I am not going to judge until we’ve played 10+ games, but the recent transfer news has dampened most of my expectations.