Reading FC Match Report: 2012/2013 Season - Premier League
SWANSEA 2 READING 2
Reading: P Pogrebnyak (31 mins), N Hunt (44 mins).
Swansea: Michu (71 mins), Routledge (78 mins).
It is something of a barometer of our progress - or lack thereof - thus far this season that a two goal lead blown in the final twenty minutes of the match is rather ludicrously referred to as "a point gained" by the manager in his post-match comments. Such a mentality in the dug-out can only develop a mindset within the playing squad that so long as there is a hard-work ethic on the field then our very many deficiencies in seemingly most areas of the park can be overcome simply by rolling up our sleeves and grinding. The sad fact is that Reading players worked themselves into the ground, managing only 29% of the possession on the day and but for a generous piece of refereeing from the usually unsympathetic Mike Dean would have come home from Wales without absolutely nothing to share for their usual honest endeavours once again.
The last time Reading met Swansea it was a famous ocassion on which one side fouind themselves in a seemingly unassailable position at half time only to be hanging on for dear life during the second half. This time the boot was on the other foot as Reading saw unlikely and unfamiliar daylight at the break. By the end though they were hanging on for a point which was more like daylight robbery. Alex McCarthy had a blinder. Within the opening quarter of an hour, our young 'keeper set the tone for an impressive personal display by firstly tipping over Graham's looping header and then denying Routledge's stabbed effort after a typically fluid Swansea move sliced Reading open. This felt like the first 45 minutes of Wembley 2011 with the Swans cutting through us seemingly at will but on this ocassion Reading took both of the presentable chances which came their way before the break and duly led.
Unlike against Newcasle last weekend when we were on the front-foot throughout, our wingers on this ocassion looked as disinterested as a Liberal Democrat party conference delegate and they contributed very little between them other than McAnuff's through-ball on the half hour which Pogrebnyak hit first time with a fierce but saveable angled drive. Swansea 'keeper Worm made a real hash of his first piece of work of the afternoon and the ball slipped under his body. So impressive last season in the Premier League, on the evidence of the uncertainty he showed throughout this particular afternoon it could perhaps be a case of 'the Worm that turned'. The away support felt felt even more sheepish by half time as McCarthy's long punted freekick caused chaos with firstly Kebe and then Hunt failing to get a decisive touch before an ambitious effort on goal from outside the box was deflected to the feet of Hunt once more and the game of pinball was concluded with an instinctive firmly struck arcing effort into the far corner. It was perhaps appropriate on our trip to Wales that we were enjoying a 'Rarebit' of luck but Reading were frankly unworthy 2-0 leaders at the break and they now had to take full advantage of their position.
What they failed to do however in that second half was retain meaningful possession. Against a side coming off the back of 3 league losses on the spin and whose confidence will have been fading fast given their failure to turn their first half pressure into an advantage, we utterly lacked the guile and composure to keep hold of the ball in order to frustrate the home side and see out the afternoon. Tabb and Karacan is a curious choice for a midfield partnership, both are little ankle-biters who will commit to every challenge but neither is the most able in terms of retaining possession. Consequently we found Swansea passing the ball in neat triangles in front of us, trying to pick their killer passes for Dyer and Routledge and the relentless pressure eventually told. Before the implosion though we had the McCarthy show; a right footed reaction-save to deny Moore after Gorkss was familiarly left for dead, a Moore free-header pushed onto the inside of the upright - again, where was Gorkss? - and an excellent low one-handed save round the post to deny Ki. Adam who?
The goal was coming and you felt that once Swansea got one then the tiring, hard-running Reading team would likely concede two or three. The first came about following a free kick rolled out to the right flank, we gamley attempted to apply pressure but Swansea eventually worked the ball back to Routledge whose first time cross was deflected through sheer weight of Reading bodies behind the ball and Michu reacted first to plunge an unstoppable header home. It took less than ten minutes for the inevitable equaliser to arrive. It was sloppy play from Kebe giving away possession - we have seen this time and time again from him - and a neat one-two between Routledge and Moore resulted in the former striding clear to smash past McCarthy. We had - one way or another - stood firm for so long but for the third time in our six league games we had lallowed a lead slip. Not good enough, and very few teams will survive such profligacy at this punishing level.
Generously, referee Dean waved away a loud handball penalty shout against a guilty-looking Shorey, but to be fair to Reading they generally rallied somewhat in the closing dozen minutes and had the better chances on the break. From an HRK cross Worm once again flapped and Karacan turned a header towards goal which was turned away off the line ultimately rather comfortably by Wales captain Williams. The unimpressive Kebe snatched at a half chance in the dying seconds and substitute Roberts contributed little other than a petulant booking for quibbling over the precise location of a freekick. The opportunity had been wasted of recording that first win and with it pulling Swansea down into the thickening mire at the bottom. At the end of a hardworking afternoon in the Land of my Fathers we frankly look farther away than ever from a three point haul.
Neil Maskell