When : Tuesday, 10th April 2018, 7.45pm
Where : Craven Cottage, Stevenage Road, London, SW6 6HH
Capacity : 25,678
Away Stand : River side of the Putney End
What might I see in the area : “Diddy” David Hamilton
So back to business with this little plum of an away trip. Again Reading have won a home game by using their one shot on target well and just like last week find themselves paired with a visit to a team challenging for promotion. Only this week it’s serious.
Fulham are the form outfit of the division and are extremely difficult opponents. Since getting some mugs to buy Aluko they’ve also been able to find the consistency that wasn’t quite with them last season. They are currently 3rd just two points behind Colin though have played one game more.
Their current run is quite amazing. They last lost a league game way back in 2017 when their December visit to Sunderland resulted in a 1-0 defeat, since then it’s a case of played 19, won 15 and drawn 4. Their last home defeat in the league was back at the end of October to Bristol City and since then they’ve won 11 and drawn 2 of their league games at the Cottage
Compare that to Reading’s mighty records of 3 wins in 22 league games and 2 wins from the last 26 league away games played on a Tuesday/Wednesday night. Therefore this is expected to be the proverbial turkey shoot and no doubt some on here will be repeating the “we’re doomed” aftermath of the Villa game last week.
Fulham will also see this as a chance to settle a score after Reading ended their season for them last year when everyone in the world wanted Fulham to go up (apparently).
Reading will be without all the usual faces that have been missing for quite some time, though Dave Edwards will be back. Blackett may also have recovered enough from his injury. Fulham would seem to be at full strength so not even a crumb of comfort to be had there.
Referee
Lancashire’s PL referee Lee Mason has been given this one
Previously
22 Apr 15 > Reading 0-1 Birmingham City
02 Feb 13 > Reading 2-1 Sunderland
22 Aug 12 > Chelsea 4-2 Reading
Historically
Not much has changed since the last league visit to Fulham which was a long long time ago. Well for a team that actually turned up that is.
Basically recent league form at the Cottage is horrendous. In the last 135 minutes of football played there Reading have scored 1 and let in 9 which works out at a rate of a goal being conceded roughly every 15 minutes.
So very probably not much change there then. But at least all the pressure will be on them.
In the 20 league games played there Reading have lost 50% and won just 25%. If you look at just cup games there have been 4 previous trips there and there has been one win for Reading and a draw (in the League Cup) and a draw and defeat in the FA Cup so on that basis alone it’s anyone’s game.
But then it was 1-1 in the play off semi on the last visit
How to follow the game
- Get a ticket and travel
- Listen to Radio 5 Live and/or a myriad of other radio stations for score flashes
- Ring/text a mate for updates
- Use an iFollow subscription
- BBC Radio Berkshire (FM : 104.4, 104.1 or 95.4 depending where you are in the area)
Other games to follow
Bolton v Millwall
Bristol City v Birmingham
Burton v Hull
Ipswich v Barnsley
Sunderland v Norwich