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Reading at home match day thread


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Under the Ashton Gate lights it’s Reading at 745 pm. Yes, it’s on the red button and Robins TV.

Here is some important travel information for tonight:

RAIL: Buses will replace trains for all post-match departures from Parson Street with additional vehicles provided to support the 22.26 departure (calling at stations towards Weston-super-Mare and Taunton) and the 23.16 (calling at stations towards Exeter). Please visit www.gwr.com for full information.

BUS: Fans travelling from within Bristol are advised to use the new AG3 service from Temple Meads, Broadmead and The Centre. The AG3 connects with bus routes from across the city and is also suitable for those arriving in Bristol by train or bus.

For those travelling from outside Bristol, free parking is available at the Portway and Brislington Park & Ride sites with the AG1 and AG2 matchday bus services.

These subsidised services offer return travel from just £2.12 per person. Tickets are valid across the First Bus Bristol Zone so you can connect to other services without paying extra.

More information including tickets, pricing and stop details are available here. 

The match programme: https://robinstv.bcfc.co.uk/digital-matchday-programme/

Tonights opponents have never really recovered from a sluggish start to the season, picking up only four points from their first six games. To be successful with a small squad this season Reading needed to keep everyone out of the treatment room. Most of this season has been played with more than 10 first teamers out injured.

Back in August we won 3-2 at their place, here are the highlights: https://www.bcfc.co.uk/news/highlights-reading-2-3-bristol-city/ so a win today would give us our second double of the season.

The head to head stats are very close, over the years we have won 40, lost 41 and drawn 20.

Reading are nicknamed The Royals, due to Reading's location in the Royal County of Berkshire, though they were previously known as the Biscuitmen, due to the town's association with Huntley and Palmers. Established in 1871, the club is one of the oldest teams in England, but they did not join The Football League until 1920, and had never played in the top tier of English football league system before the 2006–07 season. The club played at Elm Park for 102 years between 1896 and 1998 when the club moved to the new Madejski Stadium, which is named after the club's co-chairman Sir John Madejski.

They finished 7th last season but are something of a basket-case, this Guardian article from January paints the picture well: https://www.theguardian.com/football/football-league-blog/2022/jan/18/how-reading-hit-crisis-point-on-and-off-the-pitch-championship

They were deducted six points in November as a result of exceeding the EFL’s Profit and Sustainability limits. A further six point penalty has been suspended until 2022-23. This will be applied if the club cannot fulfil an agreed business plan going forward. At the time owner Mr Dai Yongge said, “As the owner of your club, I am naturally dismayed and disappointed to accept the punishment issued by the EFL. And as a fan, I too am hurt by a deduction of six points this season. However, my determination to succeed has not diminished but has amplified. My team and I believe this settlement is just and will still enable us to be competitive as a football club this season and beyond. So, in the short-term, our aim is to fight for every point there is to fight for this season. In the long-term, we pledge to fix the issues of the past and together build a club capable of competing with the very best and challenging for honours. But we can only do that with your support, so I would like to personally thank you for your loyalty to your club! It is truly appreciated by all who cheer on the Royals.”

Their fans are to protest against the club's ownership, with a protest planned for 1pm next Saturday, February 12, two hours before the team is due to kick off their Championship fixture with Coventry City at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.

Given the relatively short distance down the M4 and despite their grumbles, it being midweek and their dire situation there will likely be a reasonable following of their faithful followers. They may actually sell out of their away allocation of 1,047 tickets.

Their Romanian striker George Puscas left the club on transfer deadline day to return to Italy and sign for Serie B side Pisa where he is now on loan for the rest of the season. Andy Carroll joined West Bromwich Albion on a free transfer until the end of the season after his deal with Reading expired. On deadline day Liam Moore joined Stoke on loan and has made it known he would be interested in a long-term stay with the Potters. Tom Ince (son of former England midfielder Paul Ince) headed the other way as part of the deal. Ince is left-footed and began his career as a left winger. However, when he joined Blackpool, he was often deployed on the right, either as a winger or an inside forward, cutting in on his favoured left foot. He has also played more centrally as an attacking midfielder or forward. His main attributes are his pace, acceleration and skill on the ball. He has said that he enjoys "exciting people, scoring goals, creating goals" and is "not one of those old fashioned wingers who just gets crosses in, I like to create things, show bits of magic." Let’s hope he doesn’t get any crosses in tonight!  Yakou Meite and Tom McIntyre are returning from injury and both played for their U23s earlier this week, but won't be ready for tonight.

They are currently in 21st place on 22 points (after 28 games) they’d be in the same place even if they’d not received the points reduction. They have conceded 55 goals (one more than us) which is the worst (along with Posh) record in the league.  The Royals are currently on a run of just two wins in their last 16 Championship fixtures.

As for us with our ridiculous inconsistency and our Dracula approach (cowering from crosses) meaning we too often demonstrate our inability to defend crosses, NP might well shuffle his small pack, so we might just see Bentley, Williams and even Wells starting, at the expense of O’Leary, O’Dowda and Martin.

The referee tonight is Oliver Langford who has given out a total of 54 yellow cards and one red (Joe Allen when we played Stoke) in 14 Championship games, an average of 3.9 per game.

Here’s an entertaining and informative extract from their match day thread:

City’s form isn’t great. The Robins have clocked up 2 wins and 2 draws in the last 9 league games, which is obviously better than Reading’s 5 points from their last 9 league games, but still less than a point a game and therefore would be worrying for the City supporters if it wasn’t for the ineptitude of sides like Reading. So there is some hope that Reading might be able to at least match City and the fact Bristol haven’t kept a clean sheet in the last 10 will give some encouragement.

Sadly for Reading though City can be very potent in attack as the 22 goal forward line of Andreas Weimann (14) and Chris Martin (8) goes to prove.

The other issue with this game is Reading’s utterly appalling away league record in midweek fixtures which currently stands at 4 wins from 46 attempts over the last 7 years. However the brighter news is that all 4 of those wins were at teams beginning with the letter B; Birmingham, Burton, Blackburn and Bristol City - but then will the fact the Reading have already won at City in that run mean it won't happen again?

If we lose this then we may as well give up. Bristol City's season is more or less over. They won't go up or go down, very little for them to get excited about. We also have a much better team than them on paper imo, it is about time the players show it on the pitch.

Reading

  • They marked the 150th anniversary of their formation on Christmas Day 2021. If you are interested in their history here’s a link: https://www.readingfc.co.uk/history/our-story/
  • Well known fans include Damian Green (politician), Chris Tarrant, Kate Winslet, Ricky Gervais and Irwin Sparkes (the lead singer of The Hoosiers.)
  • Believe it or not the Dyslexia Research Trust is based in Reading!
  • The Madejski Stadium represents some real value for money as the location that it was built on, a closed landfill site, was believed to have been purchased for £1 under the agreement they would develop the A33 relief road.

Fellow-Reds sing loudly and proudly. Support Bristol City Football Club on the way to the game, at the game and after the game and from wherever you are around the world. COYR!

 

 

 

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This is a six pointer however you look at it. If we win then we really can begin to relax in respect of being dragged into a battle. Too many teams have a superior GD and games in hand .

We are more than capable of getting the points if everyone turns up and we're due another one of those performances that gives hope for the future rather than fear of the present.

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@Jerseybeanyou had to mention the referee - Oliver Langford.  A poor ref, but to give him a bit of credit he has improved a bit in the last 18 months.  Maybe a year without crowds have him a lift.

Reading still have some good players, Joao especially if he is over his injury issues - and he likes playing City.  But Liam Moore leaving, resulting in Tom Holmes partnering Michael Morrison does leave them exposed.  Moore was a v.good Champ CB, although recent months fans felt he’d chucked the towel in.

3 points are there for the taking, but I think it’s gonna be classicly underwhelming match. Got a draw written over it I think.

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1 hour ago, Marina's Rolls Royce said:

This is a six pointer however you look at it. If we win then we really can begin to relax in respect of being dragged into a battle. Too many teams have a superior GD and games in hand .

We are more than capable of getting the points if everyone turns up and we're due another one of those performances that gives hope for the future rather than fear of the present.

Is it? If we lose we will be 11 or 14 points clear of the relgation zone, though the otib meltdown will be entertaining.

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9 minutes ago, Fordy62 said:

Looking forward to this. Tore my calf playing squash last night so all plans for three days off are out of the window and a holiday for half term to Disneyland Paris looks out of the window too!

Need something to cheer me up. I should really know not to rely on City shouldn’t I?! ?‍♂️ 

Ouch! Hopefully a speedy recovery mate.

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I wouldn't go as far as to say that this is a "6 pointer" or a "must win game" from a relegation perspective (at least not for us - we should be safe).

However, it is a game that we should be winning IMO. Reading are in catastrophic form and have been accused by some of lacking commitment to the cause - quite reminiscent of us this time last season.

After a disappointing points return from Blackpool, PNE, and Luton, this is a good opportunity to put down a marker and show that we're a midtable side, rather than a bottom third side. 

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27 minutes ago, Supersonic Robin said:

I wouldn't go as far as to say that this is a "6 pointer" or a "must win game" from a relegation perspective (at least not for us - we should be safe).

However, it is a game that we should be winning IMO. Reading are in catastrophic form and have been accused by some of lacking commitment to the cause - quite reminiscent of us this time last season.

After a disappointing points return from Blackpool, PNE, and Luton, this is a good opportunity to put down a marker and show that we're a midtable side, rather than a bottom third side. 

Cardiff v Peterborough tonight too.

I predict a draw in both games.

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This is a game where the result is all. Win and we are looking good for a comfortable end to the season. 
Lose and it’s psychologically very damaging however it’s dressed up.

We all know that any Championship team can nick a goal, get awarded a penalty ( except us ) or drop a cobbler in defence. 
We just need to maintain our progress and confidence levels. 
No easy matches. I think the first goal will settle it.

 

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1 hour ago, Fordy62 said:

Looking forward to this. Tore my calf playing squash last night so all plans for three days off are out of the window and a holiday for half term to Disneyland Paris looks out of the window too!

Need something to cheer me up. I should really know not to rely on City shouldn’t I?! ?‍♂️ 

Wishing you a speedy recovery Fordy62 as you say factoring City into your rehab ain’t a great idea, COYR! 

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24 minutes ago, Tafkarmlf said:

Hope for a win tonight and a return to Preston/Luton style dominant games. 

Istr that it was vs Reading at home and loss that did for Holden. 

Another loss tonight maybe problematic and may result in change. 

Reading Vs Derby on Sat I think, so tonight is a must win. 

Hopefully we enact that hammering we've been promising 

COYR

 

Followed next Wednesday by Peterborough v Reading. Their next 3 games are massive. It's up to us to keep them at arm's length tonight and not give them any momentum for their following games 

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32 minutes ago, Tafkarmlf said:

Hope for a win tonight and a return to Preston/Luton style dominant games. 

Istr that it was vs Reading at home and loss that did for Holden. 

Another loss tonight maybe problematic and may result in change. 

Reading Vs Derby on Sat I think, so tonight is a must win. 

Hopefully we enact that hammering we've been promising 

COYR

 

Overly dramatic but cling on to that hope, if you must. 

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