Sent Off From The Bench

New manager, new Reading. Right? Wrong. The same frailties were further emphasised by Watford's loss of a man in first half stoppage time, with Reading still unable find a goal at home. The Royals now haven't scored at home in a month and a half since Simon Cox's goal just after the hour mark against Rotherham. Games against Charlton, Watford, and Bolton have only produced two goals in total, with Reading scoring neither. Not being able to make games I've been relying on reports from family, and based off those it seems like business as usual at the Madejski. Obita being pushed back to left back, with Blackman coming in in front of him was exactly what I've been calling for, and in the first minute it almost proved fruitful, with a delicious cross from Blackman being volleyed over by Murray at the back post. With the good coming down the left it's hard to see why so much of our focus was down the right. Gunter, admittedly freed up without the captaincy,...

After the dismissal of Brian McDermott in March 2013 the obvious candidate was Nigel Adkins, who had been fired in his own slightly outrageous circumstances from Southampton but a couple of months earlier. He faced an impossible task saving us from relegation back to the Championship, but over the summer the rebuilding started for his first, and only full season in charge. Undoubtedly promises made to him by Zingarevich never materialised, and glamour signing Royston Drenthe hinted at the manager not being the one completely in charge. Equally the loss of club talisman Jimmy Kébé just days after a 6-0 hammering in the League Cup away at Peterborough wasn't the start anybody wanted. Despite the setbacks Reading mounted a spirited play-off challenge, but failed to get over the line missing out on the final day of the season with scenes that we'd all rather forget. The hangover from last season never really lifted, with attendances down and, again, having key members of t...