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Town Visit Reading Looking For Revenge at Start of Tough Month
Friday, 9th Sep 2016 06:00

Town take on Reading in this evening’s live Sky game at the start of a tough run of September fixtures looking to avenge last season’s 5-1 defeat at the Madejski Stadium (Sky Sports One/Sky Sports Mix from 7.30pm, kick-off 8pm).

“It is a tough month,” manager Mick McCarthy reflected. “I thought we had a tough start and you tend not to look beyond that first month.

“And now Reading away and we all remember last year Reading away on a Friday night, so we need to address that.

“Derby away, Tuesday night under lights, always tough. And Villa, I don’t know what to expect.

“They’ve signed a lot of good players, spent a lot of money, they were a Premier League team last season, so let’s hope we catch them on the rebound a little bit. Tough month, though.”

September ends with a trip to Leeds United and Brighton and Hove Albion’s visit to Portman Road.

Reflecting on last season’s 5-1 defeat at Reading almost a year ago to the day, McCarthy said the result wasn’t really a reflection of the game as a whole.

“We had more passes, I think, more shots at goal, more attempts, they had six attempts and scored five,” he said. “I don’t think we played particularly badly, we defended badly as a team.

“[Then-Royals manager] Steve Clarke said to me afterwards, ‘That wasn’t a 5-1’. He thought we played well. I don’t want to hear that when I’ve just walked in because we’ve just lost 5-1, but I think that was sincere, I think he was being genuine. It wasn’t a 5-1, but everything they hit went in the net.

“And even after half-time we got back in it and two of the most consistent players, Gerks and Skusey, had a mess-up and it ended up in the net and went to 3-1.

“We’d started the second half really well but it just went on to be one of those days when carnage happens.”

He added: “We weren’t intentionally open. I could tell you exactly why were open but I’m not going to.

“I looked at the game immediately afterwards and we just didn’t have that discipline and we got caught. It wasn’t any intention to be as wide open as that, that’s for sure.”

Tonight’s game sees McCarthy coming up against another former central defender, former Holland international Jaap Stam, who took charge of Reading in the summer.

“He was a top class player playing for arguably the best club in the world, the best team in the world at the time,” McCarthy said. “They were really in their pomp at that stage, Manchester United.

“So, he was a fantastic centre-half for a really good team and a great club and he’s cutting his teeth at management and he seems to have had a decent start.”

The Blues boss believes the Royals, who are currently 15th on seven points, one point and four places behind Town, are starting to get to grips with style of play Stam is trying to instil.

“I think they are settling into the way Jaap Stam wants them to play,” he added. “I saw them play against Wolves and Wolves were all over them and could have beaten them by more than the 2-0 that they did. Their keeper made four one-on-one saves.


“But I’ve seen them since and they drew with Brighton at home two-all, they beat Cardiff [1-0] the day before the international break with a really solid performance that we’ve seen and they just look to be [settling into the way he wants them to play].

“He came in and he’s changed it, he’s doing something different but they’re looking like they’re getting into the swing of things and the way he wants them to play, and they’ve got good players.”

He added: “They are very much possession-based and building from the back and I think that was what they found hard against Wolves.

“I think Wolves went and pressed them and just starting doing it, you’ve got to get that confidence to do it and it looks like they’ve built that confidence. I know it’s only over five or six games, but nevertheless they’re getting better at it, which you’d expect.

“And he’s signed a few players that he knows, Dutch players that he knows can do the job.”

Reflecting on Town’s most recent game, the 1-0 home win against Preston North End before the international break, he was impressed with Brett Pitman’s performance, the former AFC Bournemouth man having come in as a late replacement for Daryl Murphy, who had travelled to Newcastle to complete his £3 million move to the Magpies.

“I thought we played really well against Preston, it was a really good performance and Brett was outstanding,” the Town boss said.

“He’s been busting a gut to get in the team, so I’m not lamenting the fact that Murph’s gone, I’m pleased at the way Brett responded to getting in the team.

“I thought he was excellent and I’m hoping that we can get Besty at his best and then if we do we’ve got good strikers.”

While Pitman seems certain to keep his place in what’s again likely to be a front three, McCarthy confirmed that Tommy Smith will be again be starting in an unchanged back four having replaced Adam Webster for the Preston match.

How has summer signing Webster, who had started the first four Championship games of the season, taken his omission? “I haven’t seen him for a week, to be fair. And I’m not unduly concerned about that. I explain my reasons behind it and, you know what, I was fully justified as it turned out, the way the game panned out.

“And we won 1-0. When I make decisions and we win I don’t really go away and think about how I’ve dealt with somebody.

“What about Tommy? Go back the other way. What about Tommy when I told him he wasn’t playing? We beat Derby in the last game of the season, we drew with Middlesbrough, we beat the MK Dons, we’d had a really good run and I left him out.

“That’s the way it is, I make decisions and they’ve got to accept it. They might not like it but they’ve got to accept it. And when you win, they’ve got to accept it even more, it makes my job a lot easier.”

McCarthy seems likely to field an unchanged XI with Christophe Berra joining Smith at the heart of the defence, skipper Luke Chambers at right-back, Jonas Knudsen at left-back and Bartosz Bialkowski in goal.

In central midfield, Cole Skuse seems likely to be joined by Jonathan Douglas and Kevin Bru, although Teddy Bishop might be in the running for the Mauritius international’s spot having played 90 minutes for the U23s on Monday.

Up front, four-goal top scorer Grant Ward will be on the right and Freddie Sears - whose goalless streak has stretched to 32 matches - on the left of Pitman.

New signings Best and Tom Lawrence are likely to be among the subs, as will midfielder Conor Grant, who is back after his groin problem.

Still missing are David McGoldrick (ankle) and Luke Hyam (knee), while recent loan re-signing Jonny Williams also has an ankle problem which will prevent him from making his fourth Town debut until October.

Royals boss Stam will be looking for his side to pick up their first Championship home win since the opening day of the season.

“Ipswich are a good team and a tough side,” he told the official Reading website. “They work very hard to pick up results and that’s what they’ve done so far this season, so it’s going to be an interesting game. “We want to get a win, we’re going to go for it, it’s not going to be easy but we’ll see at the end of the game.”

The Dutchman isn’t anticipating a repeat of last year’s scoreline: “It’s not going to be the same. The score doesn’t matter to me as long as we win.”

Reading midfielder John Swift has had a slight hamstring injury but is back in training and could be involved against the Blues.

The Royals have no new injury worries with Stephen Quinn, Paul McShane, Chris Gunter, Sandro Wieser and Garath McCleary all returning to the club OK after international duty.

Striker Deniss Rakels is a long-term absentee having undergone ankle surgery, while midfielder Yakou Meite is a couple of weeks away from a return to action after damaging ankle ligaments.

Town have just about had the better of the Royals historically, winning 24 times (23 in the league), drawing nine (nine) and losing 22 (22).

Last time the teams met, at Portman Road in February, Town climbed back into the top six and extended their extraordinary record of Tuesday night home victories to 16 as an 89th minute Brett Pitman goal saw them to a 2-1 victory over the Royals.

After a lacklustre first half Ryan Fraser put the Blues in front on 57, Reading sub Garath McCleary equalised from the spot before Pitman’s late winner.

In September last year at the Madejski Stadium, Orlando Sa’s hat-trick saw Reading to a 5-1 victory over the Blues, their heaviest defeat for nearly three years.

Sa put the home side ahead in the seventh minute, Freddie Sears equalised soon afterwards before the Portuguese frontman made it 2-1 at the break.

In the second half Nick Blackman made it 3-1 and Sa completed his hat-trick before Oliver Norwood lashed in a late fifth.

Reading midfielder Stephen Quinn is the younger brother of ex-Blue Alan, while Town manager McCarthy has previously confirmed that he targeted Reading striker Yann Kermorgant when he joined Bournemouth from Charlton in January 2014.

Former Chelsea midfielder John Swift had a trial with Town in November 2014, while Dutch midfielder Joey van den Berg similarly spent time with the Blues in September 2006.

In addition to being shown in the UK on Sky Sports One, the match is on the new subscription-free Sky Sports Mix channel.

Tonight’s referee is Jeremy Simpson from Lancashire, who will taking charge of the Blues for the first time.

Simpson, who has previously officiated in three Reading games, has shown 24 yellow cards and no red in five games so far this season.

Squad from: Bialkowski, Gerken, Chambers (c), Emmanuel, Knudsen, Kenlock, Berra, T Smith, Webster, Digby, Skuse, Douglas, Bru, Bishop, Grant, Ward, Lawrence, Sears, Pitman, Best, Varney.


Photo: TWTD



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prebbs007 added 06:27 - Sep 9
Webster is our most expensive purchase he is the future and should be in the team. Bishop gas to play as does Connor Grant, Lawrence should be on the left. Douglas must not start nor should Sears. 32 games without a goal !!! If Bart let in 3 for 32 games in a row he would be dropped. Freddie needs to be left out he's so out of form.

Bart
Chambers Webster Berra Knudsen
Skuse
Ward Grant Bish Lawrence
Pitts
0

ChrisFelix added 07:33 - Sep 9
I hope the main difference this season is our goal keeper. The only thing consistent about Gerken is his inability to control his box
4

Keaneish added 07:33 - Sep 9
Webster has made far more mistakes than he has done good things Prebs.
6

prebbs007 added 08:02 - Sep 9
Possibly you're right Keanish BUT he's not going to learn sitting on the bench. To get to the level needed he has to play. Otherwise why did we spend the best part of £1m on him ?
2

Letchworth_Blue added 08:13 - Sep 9
Oh dear, all the creativity left on the bench while skuse, Douglas and bru start.
2

Burnzee1991 added 08:48 - Sep 9
Webster will come good in time, I have no doubt he will get game time either, the last thing you want is to knock his confidence when he keeps making these little mistakes it's a big leap in the standard required from him. Missing a couple of matches won't hurt.

Lineup should be IMO

Bart
Chambo Smith Berra Knudsen
Bishop Skuse Douglas
Ward Pitman Grant

Sears has played more minutes than any other attacking Town player so far this season!! I think firing him on the pitch from the bench could give him the confidence he needs, he looks fed up bless him I have a real soft spot for Sears as I don't blame him for his lack of form we haven't been playing him correctly.

Will be good to see the new lad Lawrence and possibly even Best come on second half. I think this is a game we need to win looking at the rest of the fixtures this month. I am not a Douglas fan but since he has been playing with more attacking intent I have seen a massive improvement. Bru needs to be dropped he has been far from form when I've seen him this year to be playing Bru over Bishop is madness unless it is because we are trying not to put too much on Bishop (injury careful so to speak)

Excited for tonight and glad Smith is back in the team! anyone who says Webster is the future or Ipswich is right to a degree but Tommy is only 26! The future of the Town back 4 is Smith and Webster but Berra has been too good to be dropped especially when silencing Cameron Jerome all game against the budgies don't think he let him win a single header!

COYB these destroy Reading after last time!! Ward hat-trick ;-)

2

Surco72 added 09:11 - Sep 9
Looking remarkably like the team we played with for the majority of last season taking shape at least Gerken is not starting .
I agree with Keanish in that I don't think Webster has proved he is at this standard yet and Smith is the better option .The biggest issue is as always with good wingers attacking our full backs .
Also if Bishop cannot break into a team playing Skuse / Douglas and Bru in the midfield there is something wrong , he needs to start centre midfield .And if we have signed two left wingers / midfielders then play one above Sears who is a forward
Must be looking for at least a point from tonight but going for more would be nice especially as MM is now going to change his style as Murphy has gone !!
3

Ferguson added 09:13 - Sep 9
Sorry Fred, but if I was picking the 11 it would be Best to start and you'd be on the bench tonight alongside Lawrence. to give us fresh legs and some options up front with 20 to go

Anyway. What do I know ?

1-2 to the Town. COYB !
2

Currie10 added 09:27 - Sep 9
I'd probably argue I'd rather Webster in the side than not, however he gave away a pen at Wolves and was at fault for Brentford's first goal. Not the biggest Smith fan ever as he lets the ball bounce at times and his decision making isn't always the best / plus distribution however clean sheet vs Preston so it's a nice decision for Mick to make. Pressure for positions at last.

Would love Bishop to start but don't feel he's fully ready, Bru needs to up it and boy Freddy needs to perform tonight.

COYB.
3

Ferguson added 09:51 - Sep 9
Forgot to add....

And it IS a tough month - but we go into it ABOVE the Budgies.....

Any trolls out there ? Diddums.
1

Mr_Evans added 10:35 - Sep 9
Bishop won't start as he played nearly 90mins for the u23's this week.
1

BackTheBlues added 10:46 - Sep 9
Webster made some mistakes true but was outstanding vs Nodge!

I'd be dropping Berra and playing Smith and Webster - Webster has the ability to bring the ball out from the back!

As for Dougie - well 3 games a go I lost my patience with the man and said he needed to go... can't deny him his last couple of performances though - best I've seen from him arguably!

But Bish needs to be starting! He's had his rest against Preston now get him back in the team!!!
1

jas0999 added 12:14 - Sep 9
Tough month yes, but equally as so called promotion contenders, a month where we should be more than capable of holding our own and beating teams - starting with an average Reading side.
3

gosblue added 12:29 - Sep 9
Bartz is awesome atm. Geeken is ok as backup.
Webster is learning the ropes and with MM, Chambers, Smith and Berra looking after him, he couldn't be in better hands. He'll get his chance but he's not ready yet. Our most improved players so far: Douglas and Knudson, who'd have thought it. Bishop and Bru both need to learn when and when not to put a foot in as refs are a bit overzealous with cards these days. Both will get plenty of game time this season.
Team for tonight: whatever Mick says it is. And they'll play where they're told to play 2-1 Town COYB
2

TimmyH added 12:32 - Sep 9
Fancy we might scrape a win tonight, certainly can't see a similar result to last season. Glad Smith is back in the starting line up and hopefully Lawrence will start too.
1

GiveusaWave added 12:41 - Sep 9
If we are gunning for top 6, we should be getting a point at the least.
1

BlueMachines added 12:58 - Sep 9
Where is Harry from Bath?!?!?!?
1

Elto added 13:13 - Sep 9
Bath I would guess.
5

Seasider added 13:53 - Sep 9
Blue Machines,he was on the other day.Click on 'This Could be the start of something Good-Notes.

Re this evenings game,knowing Mick he will start without any of his new acquisitions;but I should like to see them come on later.

Mick has brought in so many players during the nearly 4 years in charge,some of whom hardly get a kick in the first team ie the now departed Stewart and Malarcyk.

I do hope the new intake will get a chance to influence things this season;but fear that he will never drop Chambers or Skues unless they are injured.
3

InMickWeTrust added 15:57 - Sep 9
Really will be disappointed if Mick sticks with Sears on the wing tonight when he's clearly been so out of form since playing there.

If he's going to start Sears, then we need to move to a 4-4-2. Personally I'd like to see something like this start:

Bart
Chambo Smith Berra Knudsen
Bru Skuse Bish/Dougie
Ward Pitman Grant/Lawrey

Thoughts?
1

prebsa added 15:59 - Sep 9
I'm sorry but Lawrence has to start ahead of Sears! He is completely out of form and out of luck!
1

Razor added 17:28 - Sep 9
It would be just typical if he started non of the 2 new signings available-----and so annoying and frustrating---PLAY THEM!!
0

thebeat added 17:57 - Sep 9
Bart
Chambers Smith Berra Knudsen
Skuse Grant
Ward Bishop Lawrence
Pitman

Sears needs a rest and to be brought back as a striker.
0

therein61 added 18:40 - Sep 9
Mick stated that our loss(hammering!) last year was down to poor defending and what's he done gifting Reading the same unbalanced back 4 that cost us dearly last season
0


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