MATCHWATCH : Rotherham United (a)

[Sutekh]

When : Saturday October 5 2024, 3pm
Where : New York Stadium, New York Way, Rotherham, S60 1AH
Capacity : 12,021

Next up is a visit to see what Steve Evans is doing at Rotherham since departing Stevenage.

Rotherham were relegated from the Championship last season after 2 seasons of struggling which is pretty usual fare for them as they seem to be too good for the third tier but not ever quite good enough to establish themselves in the second. This season may change that though if their start is anything to go by as they've not really impressed and are currently languishing in 17th after only 2 wins.

At home they've managed to beat Huddersfield but have lost to Brum and dropped points to Burton and Bristol. They currently either score twice in home games or don't score at all. While all that sounds like something hopeful for Reading it should be remembered that Reading faced similar odds at Bolton (who hadn't even scored at home) and got done 5-2. Reading go there on the back of what seems to be yet another rapidly developing **** away record with 0 wins from 3 games and 9 conceded already.

After being relegated Rotherham brought in 11 players on free transfers plus another 3 on loan. The biggest capture was that of Peterborough striker Johnson Clarke-Harris who appears to be the one signing that's clicked as he's bagged 3 of the Millers 7 league goals so far. Therefore it's not too difficult to determine what the main threat will be on Saturday.

Yiadom, Pereira and Dorsett will all still be missing so Button will continue in goal while Selles will have to make the usual decision on which right back to ask to fill in at left back.

Referee

Ben Toner

Previously

01 Apr 24 > Bolton Wanderers 5-2 Reading
06 Jan 18 > Stevenage 0-0 Reading (FA Cup)

Historically

This will be the 26th league game with Rotherham in Rotherham. Of the previous trips Reading have won 6 and lost 10 with 9 drawn. There has only been 1 goalless draw to date so expectation is there should be some form of net rippling happening in this one.

Since Rotherham moved a little bit down the road from Millmoor to their nice new shiny plastic arena Reading have won 2, drawn 2 and lost 2 but always managed to score, except on the last visit when they were embarrassingly walloped 4-0. Think that last visit is a rather sad indictment of what to expect from many Reading away trips these days being as the current run is 1 win from the last 8 away league games.

How to follow the game

1. Ticket yourself up and make the long trek to the game (or shorter trek if you live up north)
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)

[Mr Angry]

I would absolutely take a draw right now.

[WestYorksRoyal]

I know they haven't started well, but this is absolutely a tough game.

Though reading comments on their win last night at Cambridge and it sounds dire. Some fans are angry they nicked the win as it buys Evans more time. Sounds similar to Ince ball.

[Royal_jimmy]

We're a great side at home and had a lot of success but away we need to toughen up and become harder to beat. Won't come easy against a likely physical Rotherham team.

I'd take a draw but it's a winnable game, arguably the easiest away fixture we've had so far.

[Snowflake Royal]

Not one for Garcia. Evans will have his team bully the arse off him.

[morganb]

Not one for Garcia. Evans will have his team bully the arse off him.

Guess that slightly depends on what breed of referee Ben Toner is - is he very picky, blowing up for the slightest infringement, or will he let thuggery and "gamesmanship" win the day? If the former then playing Garcia (assuming fit) might be the best option

[Hound]

Wouldn’t be against Dean starting this one and Mbengue going to fb

Also would 100% play savage over Elliot

[tidus_mi2]

Probably the perfect time to play Rotherham away, inconsistent and haven't sacked Evans yet.

[AthleticoSpizz]

Don't be so sure about that.

Our bogey team have only lost one of their last six league games

[traff]

Not one for Garcia. Evans will have his team bully the arse off him.

Guess that slightly depends on what breed of referee Ben Toner is - is he very picky, blowing up for the slightest infringement, or will he let thuggery and "gamesmanship" win the day? If the former then playing Garcia (assuming fit) might be the best option

Remember thinking he was a real homer in the April game at Bolton, but was a big crowd that day and we did get stuffed!
Agree that they will be physical and worry about Kelvin E in these types of games away, seems to shrink.
I would like to see Kelvin A at left-back, really hope Mbengue is fully fit as appeared to be limping at times on Tuesday.

[Crowbar6753]

Without wanting to sound like a broken record, yes, we played ok last night but we still have too many square pegs in round holes!! Garcia came in and played his natural position last night and what a difference to Dorsett, Yes, Dorsett is a bigger unit but Garcia looked far more composed positionally and was a natural going forward. The same can be said of Abrefa when he came on as RB in the second half.
The downside being these two are still kids and cannot start every game this season just yet.

I'm itching to see Craig in his natural position which will then move Wing further up the pitch into his natural position!! We are playing good football with an unbalanced team, imagine the potential when they all play in their natural positions!!

Unfortunately we have our hands tied due to the current circumstances and hopefully sometime soon this mare will be over and we can get some cover in to allow these changes to happen.

[Snowflake Royal]

Not one for Garcia. Evans will have his team bully the arse off him.

Guess that slightly depends on what breed of referee Ben Toner is - is he very picky, blowing up for the slightest infringement, or will he let thuggery and "gamesmanship" win the day? If the former then playing Garcia (assuming fit) might be the best option

Remember thinking he was a real homer in the April game at Bolton, but was a big crowd that day and we did get stuffed!
Agree that they will be physical and worry about Kelvin E in these types of games away, seems to shrink.
I would like to see Kelvin A at left-back, really hope Mbengue is fully fit as appeared to be limping at times on Tuesday.

Mbengue limps every game. And any game we're winning has frequent cramp issues.

It's impact stuff or gamesmanship for the most part.

[traff]

Guess that slightly depends on what breed of referee Ben Toner is - is he very picky, blowing up for the slightest infringement, or will he let thuggery and "gamesmanship" win the day? If the former then playing Garcia (assuming fit) might be the best option

Remember thinking he was a real homer in the April game at Bolton, but was a big crowd that day and we did get stuffed!
Agree that they will be physical and worry about Kelvin E in these types of games away, seems to shrink.
I would like to see Kelvin A at left-back, really hope Mbengue is fully fit as appeared to be limping at times on Tuesday.

Mbengue limps every game. And any game we're winning has frequent cramp issues.

It's impact stuff or gamesmanship for the most part.

agreed but this looked like a muscle/ groin strain early on

[mikey_1871]

Remember thinking he was a real homer in the April game at Bolton, but was a big crowd that day and we did get stuffed!
Agree that they will be physical and worry about Kelvin E in these types of games away, seems to shrink.
I would like to see Kelvin A at left-back, really hope Mbengue is fully fit as appeared to be limping at times on Tuesday.

Mbengue limps every game. And any game we're winning has frequent cramp issues.

It's impact stuff or gamesmanship for the most part.

agreed but this looked like a muscle/ groin strain early on

Yeah he did go down early on and limped occasionally after that. Hopefully pulls up fine and was just a bit of gamesmanship later on

[Sutekh]

Probably the perfect time to play Rotherham away, inconsistent and haven't sacked Evans yet.

Rotherham will also be feeling on the up after winning at Cambridge on Tuesday as it was their first away win since winning 1-0 at Sheffield United on 8 November 2022 (a period of 694 days or 1 year 10 months and 24 days). It also saw only their 6th away goal in the last 12 away fixtures.

[Sutekh]

Not one for Garcia. Evans will have his team bully the arse off him.

Guess that slightly depends on what breed of referee Ben Toner is - is he very picky, blowing up for the slightest infringement, or will he let thuggery and "gamesmanship" win the day? If the former then playing Garcia (assuming fit) might be the best option

Toner's record last season was 164 bookings and 2 dismissals in 34 games. So far this season he's booked 45 in 9 games. Would suggest to me that he's on the lenient side, but then we all know what the standard of officiating is like at this level.

[skipper]

Not one for Garcia. Evans will have his team bully the arse off him.

Guess that slightly depends on what breed of referee Ben Toner is - is he very picky, blowing up for the slightest infringement, or will he let thuggery and "gamesmanship" win the day? If the former then playing Garcia (assuming fit) might be the best option

Toner's record last season was 164 bookings and 2 dismissals in 34 games. So far this season he's booked 45 in 9 games. Would suggest to me that he's on the lenient side, but then we all know what the standard of officiating is like at this level.

Lenient? That's still 5 per game. Seems about right/a lot to me. I literally have no basis for my conclusion. How many yellows in a game is normal?

[Sutekh]

Guess that slightly depends on what breed of referee Ben Toner is - is he very picky, blowing up for the slightest infringement, or will he let thuggery and "gamesmanship" win the day? If the former then playing Garcia (assuming fit) might be the best option

Toner's record last season was 164 bookings and 2 dismissals in 34 games. So far this season he's booked 45 in 9 games. Would suggest to me that he's on the lenient side, but then we all know what the standard of officiating is like at this level.

Lenient? That's still 5 per game. Seems about right/a lot to me. I literally have no basis for my conclusion. How many yellows in a game is normal?

Lenient in the sense he books a bit but but then rarely follows up with a red, so likely to prefer warning players for second or third offences. Given various edicts from the authorities 4-5 cards a game seems fairly normal these days (e.g. the ref we got Tuesday is averaging over 4 bookings a game and has already sent 2 off this season).

[traff]

Toner's record last season was 164 bookings and 2 dismissals in 34 games. So far this season he's booked 45 in 9 games. Would suggest to me that he's on the lenient side, but then we all know what the standard of officiating is like at this level.

Lenient? That's still 5 per game. Seems about right/a lot to me. I literally have no basis for my conclusion. How many yellows in a game is normal?

Lenient in the sense he books a bit but but then rarely follows up with a red, so likely to prefer warning players for second or third offences. Given various edicts from the authorities 4-5 cards a game seems fairly normal these days (e.g. the ref we got Tuesday is averaging over 4 bookings a game and has already sent 2 off this season).

one for travelling and the other for three strikes

[Sutekh]

I believe there will be a debut for the third kit on Saturday