02 March 2015
By Alex Bower
Another home match, another day of disappointment. The latest match at the
Madejski saw Reading slump to 18th in the table following their second
consecutive 3-0 loss, this time to the currently in-form Nottingham Forest. The
result means that Reading have now lost three home matches on the trot. One
particularly damning statistic is that Reading have now failed to score in seven
of the last nine home games. In those same seven games, Reading have
conceded eight goals.
With pressure increasing on the squad even before the kick-off against Forest,
the signs coming into the game were not promising. Simon Cox in particular
was seemingly coming under some criticism for his lack of goals of late and was
quoted as saying that he and Pavel Pogrebnyak have struggled to build up a
partnership since the departure of Glenn Murray. With Cox and Pogrebnyak
being the best chance Reading have up front to get a goal, it was not
something that Reading fans wanted to hear.
"We need some people to step up to the mark and start scoring goals."
-- Steve Clarke
The starting lineup was, however, a promising one. Gunter returned from
injury, to give a man of the match performance for the Royals, and other
members of the squad who were rested against Huddersfield mid-week were
brought back in. Clarke did his bit by putting out a squad that on paper would
be strong enough to compete with Forest. Reading did that and more for the
first half, with two chances for Cox not being dispatched and an effort from
Garath McCleary being cleared off the line. Had one of these chances found
the back of the net, perhaps the end result would have gone Reading's way.
Alas, they did not and instead Reading were on the wrong side of two
beautifully struck goals. Ben Osborn and Gary Gardner were behind the two
long-range efforts which highlighted a quality that Reading seem to currently
lack. Whether it is down to the current level of confidence around camp or
shooting ability, apart from Chalobah on the odd occasion, Reading do not
seem to have that player who is willing to run at a defence and at least test the
keeper from distance. Reading fans know what players like McCleary are
capable of, but it is simply something that has not come to fruition in recent
games. Far too often Reading players seem to get the ball into a half decent
position, only to slow the play down, pass the ball back into the defence and
boot it down the pitch if pressured. If Reading should learn one thing from the
Forest players it is to be braver in front of goal. Overall, it could be said that
the Forest team didn't win because they were better as such. Instead they
have members of their squad who were simply happy and confident enough to
take it on themselves and have a go.
With a much improved atmosphere (despite the stewarding debacle) and a
promising starting lineup, the list of options to blame for Reading's poor form
is getting ever shorter. Having now lost four of the last five matches, Steve
Clarke will have to find an answer to the long running problem of why Reading
can't seem to score and fast.
While Reading seem to be struggling to find the
net, one young loanee does not seem to be having such issues. Many fans are
currently calling for Dominic Samuel to be recalled from his loan spell with
Coventry City, where he has currently scored four goals in six appearances.
While recalling him so early on is probably not the best idea for his
progression, the current form of the Reading forwards makes it an option well
worth considering. What is clear is that with the quarter-final match away to
Bradford coming up in just a matter of days, the Reading performance in front
of goal is an almighty concern.
Another home match, another day of disappointment. The latest match at the
Madejski saw Reading slump to 18th in the table following their second
consecutive 3-0 loss, this time to the currently in-form Nottingham Forest. The
result means that Reading have now lost three home matches on the trot. One
particularly damning statistic is that Reading have now failed to score in seven
of the last nine home games. In those same seven games, Reading have
conceded eight goals.
<br/><br/>
With pressure increasing on the squad even before the kick-off against Forest,
the signs coming into the game were not promising. Simon Cox in particular
was seemingly coming under some criticism for his lack of goals of late and was
quoted as saying that he and Pavel Pogrebnyak have struggled to build up a
partnership since the departure of Glenn Murray. With Cox and Pogrebnyak
being the best chance Reading have up front to get a goal, it was not
something that Reading fans wanted to hear.
<br/><br/>
<em>"We need some people to step up to the mark and start scoring goals."</em><br/>
-- Steve Clarke
<br/><br/>
The starting lineup was, however, a promising one. Gunter returned from
injury, to give a man of the match performance for the Royals, and other
members of the squad who were rested against Huddersfield mid-week were
brought back in. Clarke did his bit by putting out a squad that on paper would
be strong enough to compete with Forest. Reading did that and more for the
first half, with two chances for Cox not being dispatched and an effort from
Garath McCleary being cleared off the line. Had one of these chances found
the back of the net, perhaps the end result would have gone Reading's way.
<br/><br/>
Alas, they did not and instead Reading were on the wrong side of two
beautifully struck goals. Ben Osborn and Gary Gardner were behind the two
long-range efforts which highlighted a quality that Reading seem to currently
lack. Whether it is down to the current level of confidence around camp or
shooting ability, apart from Chalobah on the odd occasion, Reading do not
seem to have that player who is willing to run at a defence and at least test the
keeper from distance. Reading fans know what players like McCleary are
capable of, but it is simply something that has not come to fruition in recent
games. Far too often Reading players seem to get the ball into a half decent
position, only to slow the play down, pass the ball back into the defence and
boot it down the pitch if pressured. If Reading should learn one thing from the
Forest players it is to be braver in front of goal. Overall, it could be said that
the Forest team didn't win because they were better as such. Instead they
have members of their squad who were simply happy and confident enough to
take it on themselves and have a go.
<br/><br/>
With a much improved atmosphere (despite the stewarding debacle) and a
promising starting lineup, the list of options to blame for Reading's poor form
is getting ever shorter. Having now lost four of the last five matches, Steve
Clarke will have to find an answer to the long running problem of why Reading
can't seem to score and fast.
<br/><br/>
While Reading seem to be struggling to find the
net, one young loanee does not seem to be having such issues. Many fans are
currently calling for Dominic Samuel to be recalled from his loan spell with
Coventry City, where he has currently scored four goals in six appearances.
While recalling him so early on is probably not the best idea for his
progression, the current form of the Reading forwards makes it an option well
worth considering. What is clear is that with the quarter-final match away to
Bradford coming up in just a matter of days, the Reading performance in front
of goal is an almighty concern.
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