MATCHWATCH : Millwall (a) sponsored by first half goal search

[Sutekh]

When : Tuesday 26th September, 7.45pm
Where : The Den, London, SE16 3LN
Capacity : 20,146
Away Stand : North Stand (usually the upper tier)
What might I see in the area : Absolutely no intimidation of any kind whatsoever

So Jaap takes his merry boys on another short trip, this time to the delights of Bermondsey to complete all but one of the 4 matches you'd call Reading's local away games this season - and it's only mid September!

Millwall have started their season better than Reading by 1 point but then they have played 1 more game so the sides would look to be evenly matched at this stage of the season. However Millwall at The Den may well suggest otherwise as they have already beaten Norwich 4-0 and early pacesetters Leeds by 1-0 so this match is not exactly what I would have chosen for Reading given their current apparent shambolic form.

The Londoners will be without the suspended Lee Gregory and the injured Tom Elliott while Reading have added Jordan Obita to those out injured and current thoughts are that Obita will be out for quite some time. Barrow is still injured, Kermorgant too and then there's the mysterious case of Bacuna not being involved v Hull which perhaps suggests he too is injured. The problem is, from what I have seen so far, Barrow and Bacuna do add something to Reading and do make the team much more of a threat while without them Reading just don't look that good.

Referee

Making the long trip down from West Yorkshire will be Andrew Madley who also took charge of Reading at Preston a month or so ago.



Previous

19 Aug 2017 > Preston North End 1-0 Reading
04 Mar 2017 > Reading 2-1 Wolverhampton Wanderers
17 Aug 2016 > Newcastle United 4-1 Reading
07 May 2016 > Blackburn Rovers 3-1 Reading
03 Dec 2015 > Reading 0-1 Queen's Park Rangers
29 Aug 2015 > Brentford 1-3 Reading
25 Apr 2015 > Reading 0-2 Brentford
15 Jan 2015 > Milwall 0-0 Reading
05 Apr 2014 > Charlton Athletic 0-1 Reading
25 Jan 2014 > Ipswich Town 2-0 Reading

Historically

This will be the 93rd league game against Millwall and therefore the 47th time Reading will have trekked across to South East London. Currently it is definitely a case of the home team ruling as Millwall have won more than half of those league games (24) to Reading's tally of just 10. There is also a tendency to concede goals like they're going out of fashion at Millwall with Reading's 37 strikes being well and truly mauled by Millwall's 73 efforts. To cap it all Reading are on one of those runs against Millwall which has seen them remain unbeaten since August 2004, a total of 12 games in all competitions so I think we can all guess what this outcome will be - anyone take a point now?

How to follow the game

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

[windermereROYAL]

Reading talk on twitter just came up with this little gem.
Reading are unbeaten in their last 12 games against Millwall, a run stretching over 12 years (W8 D4). #readingfc.

Before that they came up with we have won our last 7 games against Bristol city. 0-1
And we have won all three previous league cup encounters against Swansea. 0-2

[bracksroyal10]

We need a win and I think Stam needs a win tonight or the doubters are going to start to come out. Downfall of the Dutch a lot of the time unfortunately ...arrogant and set in their ways as you saw with LVG at Utd

Hoping the boys put in a confident performance, Dadi gets another goal and more importantly we start playing with some purpose

[Hound]

I agree, some pretty unpleasant sentiment will be knocking around for the international break if we don't get at least 3 points from the next 2 games

Appaz Millwall have the lowest possession percentage in the division, and we have the highest. So think the game will be pretty predictable. Hopefully go 3 at the back, and I'd like to see Bacuna come back in, and would very much like to see Barrow in the squad

[Sutekh]

And then there's the Jake Cooper factor on this one. Bound to play a blinder tonight.

[John Smith]

I'm really surprised by some of the comments on here. Millwall are dreadful - will probably get relegated, and are not as good as us. We will thrash them.

Support the team, support the manager and stop taking him for granted.

[Bunny1885]

I'm really surprised by some of the comments on here. Millwall are dreadful - will probably get relegated, and are not as good as us. We will thrash them.

Support the team, support the manager and stop taking him for granted.

I don't think we are dreadful at all - and I have watched a hell of a lot of second tier football in my time as a Millwall fan (over 20 seasons of it). In fact we look exactly what we currently are, a battling mid-table side that will nick a few decent points away (Bristol City, QPR & Preston) and give some of the more fancied sides a bloody nose at home (Norwich, Leeds).

Under no circumstances can I see us getting relegated from a division than contains Bolton Wanderers & their car crash of a club, or the likes of Sunderland or Birmingham City, with their disaffected squads and clueless owners. We are too organised & have too much team spirit for that. I have only seen us outplayed in one match so far this season, and that was away to a very decent looking Wolves side. Even then we only lost 1-0 & could have nicked a point - having played with ten men for half an hour.

I would also be very surprised if anyone thrashed us at The Den under Neil Harris. In fact, we have only lost 12 home league games in the 56 home games he has been in charge of. Harris recognises that being tough to beat at home is at the very core of Millwall DNA. This is a club that have gone unbeaten at home for an entire season in the Football League on 5 separate occasions & once went 59 consecutive home league games without defeat. Even when we moved to the 'new' Den the only league defeat we suffered in the first 18 months was ironically the first ever game against Southend United.

[Bunny1885]

And then there's the Jake Cooper factor on this one. Bound to play a blinder tonight.

Has been back-up thus far to Hutchinson & Webster.

[leon]

I'm really surprised by some of the comments on here. Millwall are dreadful - will probably get relegated, and are not as good as us. We will thrash them.

Support the team, support the manager and stop taking him for granted.

I don't think we are dreadful at all - and I have watched a hell of a lot of second tier football in my time as a Millwall fan (over 20 seasons of it). In fact we look exactly what we currently are, a battling mid-table side that will nick a few decent points away (Bristol City, QPR & Preston) and give some of the more fancied sides a bloody nose at home (Norwich, Leeds).

Under no circumstances can I see us getting relegated from a division than contains Bolton Wanderers & their car crash of a club, or the likes of Sunderland or Birmingham City, with their disaffected squads and clueless owners. We are too organised & have too much team spirit for that. I have only seen us outplayed in one match so far this season, and that was away to a very decent looking Wolves side. Even then we only lost 1-0 & could have nicked a point - having played with ten men for half an hour.

I would also be very surprised if anyone thrashed us at The Den under Neil Harris. In fact, we have only lost 12 home league games in the 56 home games he has been in charge of. Harris recognises that being tough to beat at home is at the very core of Millwall DNA. This is a club that have gone unbeaten at home for an entire season in the Football League on 5 separate occasions & once went 59 consecutive home league games without defeat. Even when we moved to the 'new' Den the only league defeat we suffered in the first 18 months was ironically the first ever game against Southend United.

I went to a wedding in Southend once. Neil Harris was there, on crutches.

[Hound]

I'm really surprised by some of the comments on here. Millwall are dreadful - will probably get relegated, and are not as good as us. We will thrash them.

Support the team, support the manager and stop taking him for granted.

I don't think we are dreadful at all - and I have watched a hell of a lot of second tier football in my time as a Millwall fan (over 20 seasons of it). In fact we look exactly what we currently are, a battling mid-table side that will nick a few decent points away (Bristol City, QPR & Preston) and give some of the more fancied sides a bloody nose at home (Norwich, Leeds).

Under no circumstances can I see us getting relegated from a division than contains Bolton Wanderers & their car crash of a club, or the likes of Sunderland or Birmingham City, with their disaffected squads and clueless owners. We are too organised & have too much team spirit for that. I have only seen us outplayed in one match so far this season, and that was away to a very decent looking Wolves side. Even then we only lost 1-0 & could have nicked a point - having played with ten men for half an hour.

I would also be very surprised if anyone thrashed us at The Den under Neil Harris. In fact, we have only lost 12 home league games in the 56 home games he has been in charge of. Harris recognises that being tough to beat at home is at the very core of Millwall DNA. This is a club that have gone unbeaten at home for an entire season in the Football League on 5 separate occasions & once went 59 consecutive home league games without defeat. Even when we moved to the 'new' Den the only league defeat we suffered in the first 18 months was ironically the first ever game against Southend United.

I suspect, bar John Smith, you are preaching to the converted

[genome]

we have only lost 12 home league games in the 56 home games he has been in charge of.

That's not hugely impressive, Stam has been in charge of 31 home games and only lost 3 home league games.

[genome]

Expect us to have a metric shit-ton of the ball tonight

The Lions are averaging the fewest possession in Championship games this season (39%), while opponents Reading average the most (62%).

[Bunny1885]

we have only lost 12 home league games in the 56 home games he has been in charge of.

That's not hugely impressive, Stam has been in charge of 31 home games and only lost 3 home league games.

It is when you consider he had to take over from that lunatic Holloway & the mess he left us in, bombing out of the Championship with a squad of disinterested has beens and never weres.

Another way of looking at it, is it is 5 defeats in 35 home matches ever since he started to mould the team in his own image (as a similar comparison to Stam's time in charge). Those other 7 defeats coming in a period where we were fighting relegation and Harris was then trying to completely rebuild the squad.

[Bunny1885]

Expect us to have a metric shit-ton of the ball tonight

The Lions are averaging the fewest possession in Championship games this season (39%), while opponents Reading average the most (62%).

Indeed, we like to hit teams on the break.

Norwich had 73% possession when we beat them 4-0.

[NewCorkSeth]

I expect a win that will be more comfortable than the score suggests tonight. I cant see us not conceding so I went for 2-1 to us. I reckon the goal against us will be a minor defensive error after either a set piece or an attack down our left hand side and that it should have been totally avoidable with some proper defensive structure.

I Imagine the starting line-up/formation will not be different from the last game as I believe Stams response to our under performance thus far will be to stick with the system and show loyalty to the players. A risky move considering how many fans he appears to be losing the faith of. I think it might pay off in the long run as we are much better than we have been but I do think a change in team shape is necessary.

Hopefully, if any changes are made, McCleary gets a rest as he has not looked anywhere near his usual, criminally under-rated self. I would love to see Evans in for JVDB (provided hes not injured?) and JDB starting up front but I doubt it'll happen..

Ideal formation for me tonight? We're playing a weak team and maybe shouldn't experiment when in dire need of 3 points (both for morale and league position) but I would like a change to:

------------------Mannone
Gunter--McShane--Moore--Blackett
-----------------Kelly---Evans
Aluko----------Clement---------Beerens
-----------------Bodvarson

Hopefully Swift makes it off the bench.

(obviously there are injured players I would prefer to see in certain positions: Obita, Bacuna, Barrow)

[windermereROYAL]

I'm really surprised by some of the comments on here. Millwall are dreadful - will probably get relegated, and are not as good as us. We will thrash them.

Support the team, support the manager and stop taking him for granted.

I don't think we are dreadful at all - and I have watched a hell of a lot of second tier football in my time as a Millwall fan (over 20 seasons of it). In fact we look exactly what we currently are, a battling mid-table side that will nick a few decent points away (Bristol City, QPR & Preston) and give some of the more fancied sides a bloody nose at home (Norwich, Leeds).

Under no circumstances can I see us getting relegated from a division than contains Bolton Wanderers & their car crash of a club, or the likes of Sunderland or Birmingham City, with their disaffected squads and clueless owners. We are too organised & have too much team spirit for that. I have only seen us outplayed in one match so far this season, and that was away to a very decent looking Wolves side. Even then we only lost 1-0 & could have nicked a point - having played with ten men for half an hour.

I would also be very surprised if anyone thrashed us at The Den under Neil Harris. In fact, we have only lost 12 home league games in the 56 home games he has been in charge of. Harris recognises that being tough to beat at home is at the very core of Millwall DNA. This is a club that have gone unbeaten at home for an entire season in the Football League on 5 separate occasions & once went 59 consecutive home league games without defeat. Even when we moved to the 'new' Den the only league defeat we suffered in the first 18 months was ironically the first ever game against Southend United.

I went to a wedding in Southend once. Neil Harris was there, on crutches.

You do know he had and beat cancer? I`m not sure if that is connected to it or not.

[leon]

I don't think we are dreadful at all - and I have watched a hell of a lot of second tier football in my time as a Millwall fan (over 20 seasons of it). In fact we look exactly what we currently are, a battling mid-table side that will nick a few decent points away (Bristol City, QPR & Preston) and give some of the more fancied sides a bloody nose at home (Norwich, Leeds).

Under no circumstances can I see us getting relegated from a division than contains Bolton Wanderers & their car crash of a club, or the likes of Sunderland or Birmingham City, with their disaffected squads and clueless owners. We are too organised & have too much team spirit for that. I have only seen us outplayed in one match so far this season, and that was away to a very decent looking Wolves side. Even then we only lost 1-0 & could have nicked a point - having played with ten men for half an hour.

I would also be very surprised if anyone thrashed us at The Den under Neil Harris. In fact, we have only lost 12 home league games in the 56 home games he has been in charge of. Harris recognises that being tough to beat at home is at the very core of Millwall DNA. This is a club that have gone unbeaten at home for an entire season in the Football League on 5 separate occasions & once went 59 consecutive home league games without defeat. Even when we moved to the 'new' Den the only league defeat we suffered in the first 18 months was ironically the first ever game against Southend United.

I went to a wedding in Southend once. Neil Harris was there, on crutches.

You do know he had and beat cancer? I`m not sure if that is connected to it or not.

No, he'd had a leg operation.

[Hound]

would like to see

Mannone
Gunter Ilori McShane Moore Blackett
Kelly Edwards
Bacuna
Aluko Dadi

McCleary, Beerens, Anssi, Popa, Clement, Joey, Swift

Probably missing someone obvious from that lot mind you. This presuming Obita isn't fit. Barrow for Popa if he is fit.

edit: yeah missing Evans - always forget him. Evans in for Clement/Popa

[leon]

would like to see

Mannone
Gunter Ilori McShane Moore Blackett
Kelly Edwards
Bacuna
Aluko Dadi

McCleary, Beerens, Anssi, Popa, Clement, Joey, Swift

Probably missing someone obvious from that lot mind you. This presuming Obita isn't fit. Barrow for Popa if he is fit.

edit: yeah missing Evans - always forget him. Evans in for Clement/Popa

Evans in for Beerens

[Snowflake Royal]

Expect us to have a metric shit-ton of the ball tonight

The Lions are averaging the fewest possession in Championship games this season (39%), while opponents Reading average the most (62%).

"Fewest possession"?