News and Views
Pre-Season Starts With Win At Boreham
11 July 2016
By Hob Nob Anyone?
Reading started their pre-season campaign with a 5-0 victory over Boreham Wood yesterday. Midfielder George Evans gave Reading a half time lead before the Royals cruised to victory with two goals from Tariqe Fosu, one from Deniss Rakels and one from Liam Kelly who wrapped up the victory. Reading started with a strong team, and dominated the game, against a side that struggled at the wrong end of the National League last season.
The fixture allowed Jaap Stam to try out most of his team that will have a chance of seeing some first team action this season. Van den Berg and Gravenberch both saw some action, while Mendes was at the game but not in the playing squad. Second half scorers Fosu and Kelly were both introduced at the break before Stam made eight further changes just inside the second half to bring on a group of youngsters, replacing more experienced players in the squad. Stam would have been pleased with the outcome as his young side, introduced at 2-0, went on to add three further goals.
Reading Squad: Al-Habsi, Ward, Watson, Obita, Cooper, McShane, Griffin, Kelly, Van den Berg, McCleary, Evans, Stacey, Barrett, Tanner, Kermorgant, Williams, Rakels, Fosu, Samuel, Gravenberch, Dickie, Jules.
Discussion On This Story:
Gdmorris86
Hi All Royal Fans.
We all at Boreham Wood are looking forward to welcoming you to Meadow Park this coming Saturday.
We have been informed that it will be a full first team squad that Jaap Stam is bringing.
Hopefully as many of you will come as possible. We like to think we have great facilities which you will enjoy for a non league club and have a great playing surface.
Prices for the friendly are as follows;
ADULTS £12
OAPS £10
UNDER 16’s £6
UNDER 12’s £3
The gallery suite bar will be open before and after for anyone fancying a pre or post match drink.
We all at Boreham Wood are looking forward to welcoming you to Meadow Park this coming Saturday.
We have been informed that it will be a full first team squad that Jaap Stam is bringing.
Hopefully as many of you will come as possible. We like to think we have great facilities which you will enjoy for a non league club and have a great playing surface.
Prices for the friendly are as follows;
ADULTS £12
OAPS £10
UNDER 16’s £6
UNDER 12’s £3
The gallery suite bar will be open before and after for anyone fancying a pre or post match drink.
Sutekh
+1
I think so as there isnt any pricing on our OS, will this be segregated ?
Hardly, it's a pre season friendly against a non league side. There won't be more than 1000 there - and probably nearer 700.
For the record Boreham also play Brentford on the Friday night before and Peterborough on the Monday night after.
Anonymous
+1
I think so as there isnt any pricing on our OS, will this be segregated ?
Hardly, it's a pre season friendly against a non league side. There won't be more than 1000 there - and probably nearer 700.
For the record Boreham also play Brentford on the Friday night before and Peterborough on the Monday night after.
Wooshhhh
Sutekh
0-1 at HT
Evans the scorer with a well taken shot just before the break (44')
Formation more of a 4-1-2-3
Berg is big but lively and goes looking for the ball a lot
Mcleary liveliest attacker and had two good shots, Cormorant found the target as well with good header but a terrific save from Sam Beasant (Dave's son) kept it out
Very mobile and plenty of movement from Reading, no long ball yet and Habsi throwing / passing it short to play it out from the back
Boreham very workmanlike without threatening too much (one Yakubu - yes it's him - effort right at Habsi)
Most surprising squad wise for Reading is that Bond is not involved at all. Ward is the spare keeper. Presuming that must be due to injury or illness....
Evans the scorer with a well taken shot just before the break (44')
Formation more of a 4-1-2-3
Berg is big but lively and goes looking for the ball a lot
Mcleary liveliest attacker and had two good shots, Cormorant found the target as well with good header but a terrific save from Sam Beasant (Dave's son) kept it out
Very mobile and plenty of movement from Reading, no long ball yet and Habsi throwing / passing it short to play it out from the back
Boreham very workmanlike without threatening too much (one Yakubu - yes it's him - effort right at Habsi)
Most surprising squad wise for Reading is that Bond is not involved at all. Ward is the spare keeper. Presuming that must be due to injury or illness....
Sutekh
at that line up.We really need to get this Tshibola deal done so we can try and flesh out the squad a bit more.
Tannoy man here lied and said the second half line up was as per above but instead it's just the two changes as I edited
More excitement as Rakels has just chipped their keeper to make it 0-2
Sutekh
And here comes a flotilla of subs for Reading...
Samuel, Gravenbirch (remember Floyd Streete - the player - he's that size), Jules, Stacey, Dickie, Barrett, Griffin and Tanner are all on. Only Habsi wasn't changed.
Since the substitutions, Reading are playing 3 at the back; Gravenbirch, Dickie and I think Jules but I'm not yet up on names to faces with many of the younger players
And as I type, Fosu finishes a good cross to make it 0-3 which is actually against the recent run of play.
Samuel, Gravenbirch (remember Floyd Streete - the player - he's that size), Jules, Stacey, Dickie, Barrett, Griffin and Tanner are all on. Only Habsi wasn't changed.
Since the substitutions, Reading are playing 3 at the back; Gravenbirch, Dickie and I think Jules but I'm not yet up on names to faces with many of the younger players
And as I type, Fosu finishes a good cross to make it 0-3 which is actually against the recent run of play.
sandman
at that line up.We really need to get this Tshibola deal done so we can try and flesh out the squad a bit more.
We are missing Gunter, Norwood, Quinn and the new French lad.
Indeed. Still doesn't leave us with much squad depth and there isn't a game changer in those four that you mentioned who can come off the bench and turn a match in our favour.
In fact, if you bring Gunter back in that just drops another inexperienced player back to the bench and weakens it further.
Sutekh
Ok girls and boys....
Nice stuff to watch but then this was a pre-season friendly v a Borehamwood team who had played v Brentford last night and also play Peterborough on Monday so dont think we can read too much into it but as a first work out for the squad it was worthwhile.
No long ball was the first think that sunk in, can't even recall a goalkick being wellied up the pitch by Reading. Everything was short passing and pretty much pass and move rather than last season's pass and run away so there are stirrings happening.
McShane was damaged in the first 10 minutes after a clash with an opponent (no malice intended just a clumsy challenge from a Boreham player from what i could see). McShane had to go off for about 10 minutes to be bandaged up but played on ok when he reappeared so wouldnt expect any after effects despite the 5 minute delay in the game to treat him.
Joey filled in in the centre of defence and my observations of him is that he is big. He's like Cooper only with a bit of height displaced to reappear as width, not the sort youd want to run into. He actually looked quite useful - always moving and looking to start something (with the ball that is, rather than an opponent). Cleaned up well and largely sat in front of the back 4 but often forayed out wide left and right to get things going. Definitely a defnsive central midfielder.
The other highlight of the first half was McLeary who manged to hit two terrific shots which were unlucky not to go in being a little wide/high of the goal.
The Cormorant swooped to head the ball nicely into the corner at one point but a fantastic save from Dave Beasant's son stopped it more or less right on the line.
Goal arrived in 44 minutes from the boot of Evans just inside the penalty box. He had been showing some nice movement throughout the first half so was good reward for that.
Still struggling a little going forward with that final pass, more concerned with passing and moving but then Boreham did sit rather deep for nearly all the first half and let Reading try to play around or through them.
Second half saw Joey and Garath replaced by Fosu (playing wide right until about the 70th minutes) and Kelly. Kelly is seriously good. Kelly is going to have a very very bright future if he can be nurtured in the right way. He looks like a 13 year old and is only slight in build so you think he's going to be mullered by opponents but he held is own with ease and scored with a good free kick in about the 80th minute. Obviously a good half in a pre season doesnt mean he's ready but if he gets regular game time this summer and still holds his own then we've got a player who we should look to build a team around.
Rakels scored with a neat chip on 55 mins or so. He had a decent game and showed plenty of pace and movement.
The proverbial flotilla of subs appeared at the hour mark and we went to 3 at the back (Dickie, Gravenbirch and - i think - Zac Jules). Gravenbirch is like Floyd Streete. Big, squat and powerful. Should scare the life out of less physical opponents. Did ok seemed to marshal things at the back successfully but need more time watching him to get a decent picture.
Once Fosu switched to the left Reading came cack to life and scored three times, twice through Fosu with two opportune strikes. Didnt quite set the world alight like he did at Derby but still looking promising.
Overall there is something bright at the club snd definite in the right road but obviously need more preseason games to see actual progression
Habsi 7 - largely nothing to do other than stop a Yakubu "special" hit straight at him
Watson 7 - not a lot to do defensive but supported attack well
Mcshane 8 - got forward a fair bit with the ball, gave his all as youd expect of him
Cooper 7 - not to much to do but some assured passing and calm when pressurised
Obita 8 - got forward well
Van den Berg 8 - looks useful, definite someone you'll like if he can turn in the same performances when the stakes matter
Williams 7 - seemed to be a little more controlled, not quite so much of the random runs not passing to anyone
Evans 8 - got about the pitch a lot and used the ball well
Rakels 7 - committed to chase everything still, made a nuisance of himself and took his only real opportunity well
Kermorgant 7 - unlucky with his header, linked things well
McLeary 8 - two really wicked runs resulting in two excellent shots
Best of the subs
Fosu 8 - did well
Kelly 9 - best player out there
Samuel 7 - got himself about a bit, had a nice shot just wide
Gravenbirch 7 - watching him takes me back to 3 division no nonsense affairs v Port Vale
Stacey 7
Dickie 7
Jules 7
Tanner 7
Barret 7
Griffin 7
Odd that of that squad Kuhl, Bond and Keown were not involved so i am presuming that they are carrying injuries currently.
Finally, Jaap Stam seems to be just about what you'd want from a manager. Visible and very vocal throughout, getting players to move and encouraging them, also always patrolling his technical area. Looks like our players are going to be motivated whether they like it or not!
Nice stuff to watch but then this was a pre-season friendly v a Borehamwood team who had played v Brentford last night and also play Peterborough on Monday so dont think we can read too much into it but as a first work out for the squad it was worthwhile.
No long ball was the first think that sunk in, can't even recall a goalkick being wellied up the pitch by Reading. Everything was short passing and pretty much pass and move rather than last season's pass and run away so there are stirrings happening.
McShane was damaged in the first 10 minutes after a clash with an opponent (no malice intended just a clumsy challenge from a Boreham player from what i could see). McShane had to go off for about 10 minutes to be bandaged up but played on ok when he reappeared so wouldnt expect any after effects despite the 5 minute delay in the game to treat him.
Joey filled in in the centre of defence and my observations of him is that he is big. He's like Cooper only with a bit of height displaced to reappear as width, not the sort youd want to run into. He actually looked quite useful - always moving and looking to start something (with the ball that is, rather than an opponent). Cleaned up well and largely sat in front of the back 4 but often forayed out wide left and right to get things going. Definitely a defnsive central midfielder.
The other highlight of the first half was McLeary who manged to hit two terrific shots which were unlucky not to go in being a little wide/high of the goal.
The Cormorant swooped to head the ball nicely into the corner at one point but a fantastic save from Dave Beasant's son stopped it more or less right on the line.
Goal arrived in 44 minutes from the boot of Evans just inside the penalty box. He had been showing some nice movement throughout the first half so was good reward for that.
Still struggling a little going forward with that final pass, more concerned with passing and moving but then Boreham did sit rather deep for nearly all the first half and let Reading try to play around or through them.
Second half saw Joey and Garath replaced by Fosu (playing wide right until about the 70th minutes) and Kelly. Kelly is seriously good. Kelly is going to have a very very bright future if he can be nurtured in the right way. He looks like a 13 year old and is only slight in build so you think he's going to be mullered by opponents but he held is own with ease and scored with a good free kick in about the 80th minute. Obviously a good half in a pre season doesnt mean he's ready but if he gets regular game time this summer and still holds his own then we've got a player who we should look to build a team around.
Rakels scored with a neat chip on 55 mins or so. He had a decent game and showed plenty of pace and movement.
The proverbial flotilla of subs appeared at the hour mark and we went to 3 at the back (Dickie, Gravenbirch and - i think - Zac Jules). Gravenbirch is like Floyd Streete. Big, squat and powerful. Should scare the life out of less physical opponents. Did ok seemed to marshal things at the back successfully but need more time watching him to get a decent picture.
Once Fosu switched to the left Reading came cack to life and scored three times, twice through Fosu with two opportune strikes. Didnt quite set the world alight like he did at Derby but still looking promising.
Overall there is something bright at the club snd definite in the right road but obviously need more preseason games to see actual progression
Habsi 7 - largely nothing to do other than stop a Yakubu "special" hit straight at him
Watson 7 - not a lot to do defensive but supported attack well
Mcshane 8 - got forward a fair bit with the ball, gave his all as youd expect of him
Cooper 7 - not to much to do but some assured passing and calm when pressurised
Obita 8 - got forward well
Van den Berg 8 - looks useful, definite someone you'll like if he can turn in the same performances when the stakes matter
Williams 7 - seemed to be a little more controlled, not quite so much of the random runs not passing to anyone
Evans 8 - got about the pitch a lot and used the ball well
Rakels 7 - committed to chase everything still, made a nuisance of himself and took his only real opportunity well
Kermorgant 7 - unlucky with his header, linked things well
McLeary 8 - two really wicked runs resulting in two excellent shots
Best of the subs
Fosu 8 - did well
Kelly 9 - best player out there
Samuel 7 - got himself about a bit, had a nice shot just wide
Gravenbirch 7 - watching him takes me back to 3 division no nonsense affairs v Port Vale
Stacey 7
Dickie 7
Jules 7
Tanner 7
Barret 7
Griffin 7
Odd that of that squad Kuhl, Bond and Keown were not involved so i am presuming that they are carrying injuries currently.
Finally, Jaap Stam seems to be just about what you'd want from a manager. Visible and very vocal throughout, getting players to move and encouraging them, also always patrolling his technical area. Looks like our players are going to be motivated whether they like it or not!
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