News and Views

Reading Head To QPR As New Season Starts

03 August 2017
By Hob Nob Anyone?

The new Championship season kicks off this weeekend with Reading travelling to QPR for their first game of the new campaign. QPR finished just two points away from relegation last season and will be hoping for a dramatic improvement this season. With financial difficulties and fines hanging over them due to past excessive spending, it has also been a quiet pre-season for QPR. A few players have departed the club with midfielder Josh Scowen joining from Barnsley on a free transfer. The club recently extended the contract of former Reading loan player Jamie Mackie who will hope to feature more consistently this season.

Although Reading and QPR finished at opposite ends of the table, the Royals were only able to collect a point from the two Championship fixtures last season. A 1-1 draw, with the now-departed Danny Williams scoring for the Royals, in October was followed up by a very disappointing 0-1 home defeat in January. A draw appears to be the favourite prediction and wouldn't be a bad return on day one of the new season.

Jaap Stam's choice of starting eleven will be interesting to see. One player who is certain to get his competitive debut is goalkeeper Vito Mannone who signed from Sunderland to replace the departing Ali Al Habsi. Outfield the team is unlikely to be dramatically different to how we finished the last campaign. With injuries up front there is a chance of one of the academy graduates getting a competitive debut, even if only from the bench. Jon Dadi Bodvarsson took a knock in a pre-season friendly but may appear, however Kermorgant is still recovering from injury. Moore and Swift, who both signed new extended contract this week, will start in defence and midfield and find the team built around them. Paul McShane is ruled out as he completes his suspension, while Pelle Clement will be hoping for his Reading debut after joining from Ajax in the summer.

Despite the lack of incoming transfer activity at Reading, fan expectation is certainly much higher than last season. This time a year ago a popular prediction was a mid-table season. The Royals went on to surprise everyone with a third place finish and end up just a few penalty kicks away from promotion back to the Premier League. History has seen Reading follow up play-off disappointment with automatic promotion the following season, and maybe that has driven people to predict promotion in the 2017/2018 season.

A Hob Nob Anyone poll has nearly half of voters predicting promotion either automatically or through the play-offs, although the most popular category is a 7th to 12th placed finish. It's hard to see past another season of Reading "just missing out", whether that means a mid-table finish or more play-off disappointment. Automatic promotion is surely too big an ask with several teams spending big in the Championship and expecting to finish in the top two.

 

Discussion On This Story:

 CountryRoyal

» 30 Jul 2017 02:32

Right, less than a week to go and I can't sleep so thought why don't we get the ball rolling for the first game of 2017/18. On one hand desperately excited, on the other hand thoroughly depressed that I'm not able to go... off to a terrible start for me.

4-0 to QPR.

Only because the last time I was mid flight when we were away in London we lost to Fulham 5-0, so just in keeping with the trend.

Hope you lot going have a cracker and have a drink for me :(

 tidus_mi2

» 30 Jul 2017 04:06

QPR are shit, we'll win 2-0.

 Anonymous

» 30 Jul 2017 08:16

We have been an utter joke In pre season, all our players are injured and we haven't made any good signings at all.

5-0 To qpr. Stam out.

 mumbo-jumbo

» 30 Jul 2017 08:27

I think we'll be 2-0 down at half time, and come back to draw 2-2 , with a late-ish penalty, scored on the rebound

 Hound

» 30 Jul 2017 08:40

1-1 Popa

 Lower West

» 30 Jul 2017 10:48

Need to see the matchday squad first.

 blueroyals

» 30 Jul 2017 10:52

0-0

 Royal_jimmy

» 30 Jul 2017 22:47

Same score as our last few visits.. 1-1

 urz13

» 31 Jul 2017 07:22

1-2 win for us.
Early goal from Popa and a late winner from Smith.

 Anonymous

» 31 Jul 2017 07:40

I don't think we have enough to win.

1-1

 CountryRoyal

» 31 Jul 2017 08:16



Slightly tangential, does anyone know who was the last academy graduate to score a debut goal in the league.

I know Tanner got one in 14/15 but that was in the cup.

 Pepe the Horseman

» 31 Jul 2017 09:30

0-0 (NAP)

 Muskrat

» 31 Jul 2017 09:34

QPR 0 Reading 3. We destroy QPR with a Tour de Force display of slick passing, quick movement and clinical finishing, setting the tone for the season to come. Bodvarsson scores a hat trick on his Royals debut and instantly becomes a cult hero.

 Anonymous

» 31 Jul 2017 10:36

I expect a draw. I also expect QPR to be relegation fodder this coming season.

 Snowball

» 31 Jul 2017 11:02



You left out, "And Snowball wins the lottery"

 BR0B0T

» 31 Jul 2017 11:10



You left out, "And Snowball wins the lottery"

nice...what are you going to spend it on?

 jd82

» 31 Jul 2017 11:10



This..

#foldtheclub

 tidus_mi2

» 31 Jul 2017 11:30

This is all a bit surreal, it feels odd that the season is starting for me as it feels like the club haven't really had a pre-season, at least to me that's what it feels like. We also seems a signing or two short of business for the summer window as well.

 CountryRoyal

» 31 Jul 2017 12:30



As I am now back in for this I'd like to amend my previous prediction. A good start to the new season and potentially looking down on everyone by the end of the weekend.

0-3

 bcubed

» 31 Jul 2017 13:03

1-1
Wells off the bench with the equaliser

 Jackson Corner

» 31 Jul 2017 14:02

1-0 to the fakes yawn

 LWJ

» 31 Jul 2017 15:18


:roll:

 Hound

» 31 Jul 2017 15:37

Do we guess the team in this thread as well? I reckon

Mannone
Gunter - Moore - Ilori - Obita
Joey - Evans - Swift
Beerens - JDB - Popa

Bench: Quinn, Blackett, Smith, Anssi, Kelly, Clement, Mendes

 Gunny Fishcake

» 31 Jul 2017 19:13

Always enjoy QPR away and never seem to get a result, I remember one season we also played them very early in season and it was so hot you couldn't touch the metal cladding in the back row of the top stand as it was so hot.....anyhow will be there again Saturday and would be delighted with a draw...1-1

 Mid Sussex Royal

» 31 Jul 2017 19:22



He's out for a month even if he signs

 Snowflake Royal

» 03 Aug 2017 07:27

1-1 Uninspiring start which shows all the same issues as last year. Swift.

That'll do.

 MoorgateRoyal

» 03 Aug 2017 07:39

Desmond.

 Brum Royal

» 03 Aug 2017 08:56

Standard Hoops derby 1-1 result

 Snowball

» 03 Aug 2017 09:20

Heart thinks it'll be a late winner for us, but 1-1 would be the bet


Odds

20/11 QPR (Sporting Bet)
12/5 Draw (Bet Victor)
15/8 Reading FC (Black Type)


13 draw predictions

3 predict a defeat

4(+2) RFC win


0-5 double d
0-4 Country Royal
0-1 Jackson Corner

2-2 mumbo-jumbo

1-1 Snowball (but I think we might sneak it 1-2 at the death)
1-1 Hound
1-1 Royal_Jimmy
1-1 CountryRoyal (later 3-0)
1-1 bcubed
1-1 Gunny Fishcake
1-1 Snowflake Royal
1-1 Brum Royal

0-0 blueroyals
0-0 Pepe the Horseman
0-0 jd82

draw Jim Royal

3-0 Muskrat
3-0 Country Royal
2-0 tidus_mi2
2-1 urz13

 Anonymous

» 03 Aug 2017 09:26

I'll go for 0-0 if you want to update. Thks.


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