News and Views
Spanish Pre-Season Friendlies Continue
15 July 2019
By Hob Nob Anyone?
Reading will face Malaga B and Extremadura UD next in their pre-season build up in Spain. The Royals will play both sides in friendlies on Tuesday with half the team playing Malaga B in the morning and the second half of the squad lining up against Extremadura. Malaga B and in the fourth tier of Spanish football with Extremadura, who Reading will play in the evening with a 18:30 kick-off, in the second tier.
The games follow Reading's 1-2 friendly defeat against Sevilla on Saturday evening. After no goals in the first half Novakovich put the Royals ahead before a penalty was scored by the home side with three quarters of the game played. Sevilla then went on to score a late winner.
Reading did well against a strong Sevilla side and again chose to play two different teams in each half, with the second half dedicated to younger members of the squad and those yet to make a real impression on the Reading starting eleven. The first half saw Walker in goal with Moore, McIntyre, Blackett and Howe in defence. Rinomhota, Swift, Olise, Barrow, Loader and Meite made up the rest of the team. The main talking point of the first half was assistant manager Jorge Mendonca getting sent off after protesting to the referee about the treatment of Danny Loader who was subject to some heavy challenges. In the second half Reading's team included Andresson, Watson, Osho, Richards, East, Holsgrove, Frost, Baldock, and Novakovich.
Novakovich was also on the score sheet last week in Reading's 10-0 friendly win over Gibraltar United.
Meanwhile, Reading fans are still waiting to hear if any further players will be added to the squad before the new season. We look set to rely on a much smaller squad with younger players needing to have an impact after the departure of several experienced players. As a result Reading remain one of the favourites for relegation next season, however if Gomes can carry the form through it might be worth betting against - try some lucky 31 tips.
Nelson Oliveira now seems unlikely to sign for Reading after his release by Norwich City. Oliveira had been a strong possibility signing after training with Reading throughout the summer. That followed a successful loan spell at the end of the last season. Instead it is being reported he is set to sign for Greek side AEK Athens.
Discussion On This Story:
10539.4 Miles Away
Trialists playing? New formations / tactics being experimented with? Gives players the freedom in a semi competitive match to try to test themselves without the pressure of judgement being made by fans / on t'internet? The fact that the results really don't matter as long as they're not all loses (like our past 2 seasons)
I agree that I'd love them to be open but understand theres many reasons they wouldn't be.
muirinho
Lol. In which case ignore my post above. If they're streaming the lot then surely there's no good reason it's behind closed doors. Unless it's to keep stadium/policing costs down?
Actually I'd say that's very likely - there's probably required staffing levels etc as soon as you let the public in.
Be interesting to see what pre-season games are lined up for when they come back. so far just the one mentioned at the MS.
Victor Meldrew
Lol. In which case ignore my post above. If they're streaming the lot then surely there's no good reason it's behind closed doors. Unless it's to keep stadium/policing costs down?
Actually I'd say that's very likely - there's probably required staffing levels etc as soon as you let the public in.
Be interesting to see what pre-season games are lined up for when they come back. so far just the one mentioned at the MS.
There won't be a lot of time will there?
muirinho
Actually I'd say that's very likely - there's probably required staffing levels etc as soon as you let the public in.
Be interesting to see what pre-season games are lined up for when they come back. so far just the one mentioned at the MS.
There won't be a lot of time will there?
Yeah, that's what I'm thinking. Like I'm not bothered about whether preseason games abroad are open to the public or not - but I'm wondering are they using extra long trip to ensure there aren't many preseason games with us plebs allowed in at all.
I don't think you'd get the issues about the cost of opening up a stadium for 50 people if we were playing say Charlton, or AFC wimbledon
Also - seriously, are preseason games against European teams as good preparation as preseasons against lower league opposition here?
Sutekh
Club will think they have softened the blow somewhat with at long last a decent home friendly lined up. Should be the biggest crowd we will have all season lol.
Guess behind closed doors enables the club to keep costs down and easily arrange games against local opposition as well as other teams "on tour".
Presumably there'll be a couple of "big name" clubs that they'll play out in Spain and I'd expect at least one if not a couple of games will be subjected to a Tim Dellor commentary.
Hope there'll be a couple of games before they go away though.
Denver Royal
I'm actually thinking (hoping) it might be better? Depending what he wants to work on, maybe foreign opposition was specifically chosen/arranged for that?
It's often said that sending an Academy grad on loan to Lg1 or 2 is pointless, and indeed harmful. Not sure what Gomes and his system(s) would get out of playing L1 or 2 teams?
URZZZZ
I'm actually thinking (hoping) it might be better? Depending what he wants to work on, maybe foreign opposition was specifically chosen/arranged for that?
It's often said that sending an Academy grad on loan to Lg1 or 2 is pointless, and indeed harmful. Not sure what Gomes and his system(s) would get out of playing L1 or 2 teams?
I can see both points of view. Some teams in the Championship play passing football - and hence you'll need that bit of practice against the foreign teams who do try and retain possession
Other teams play smash and grab sort of football - and hence you'll need that bit of practice against the lower league teams who do play similar to that sort of style. I think it's important to get a mixture of both foreign sides/Premier league opponents, and lower league teams who play to sit back, score set pieces etc etc...the likes of Boro and Millwall in the Champ
I do think it's important to get a few wins in pre-season to carry forward some momentum. Even though friendlies contribute to nothing, they can still give a slight indication of how you start a season, a winless pre-season often leads to a winless first few games
I don't think sending Academy graduates to Lg1 or 2 is pointless if you send them to the right team. Of course it's difficult trying to find a team who (a) plays a similar style to us and (b) actually wants our player and is going to actually use them. But at the same time, I'm not sure just getting them to play u23 football is beneficial. For me Championship football > League 1/2 football > U23 football in terms of the speed of the play which is why youngsters can find it difficult at first (Danny Loader etc)
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