Reading Football Club News: December 2014
Clarke Enjoys Good Festive Return
29 December 2014
By Hob Nob Anyone?
An impressive Reading performance secured a well deserved win against Norwich City, making it 4 points from 2 games in 3 days as the Royals stopped the rot at the Madejski Stadium. For the second time in a month Reading were 2-1 winners over Norwich - our last victory was at Carrow Road at the end of November.
Despite the scoreline it was a convincing Reading that were much the better side against a team chasing promotion, and the score should have been much more comfortable. It was 2-0 to Reading at the break after a well taken Hal Robson-Kanu penalty was followed up by an excellent team effort that ended with Simon Cox smashing the ball into the back of the net.
In the second half Norwich pulled one back as they took advantage of a bizarre refeering decision to allow play to continue when Reading, with ten men on the pitch, were expecting to make a substitution. The Royals responded magnificently to the goal against the run of play and some good football could well have seen us add another as Reading held on for the three points with ease.
Reading would have been worried about letting a two goal lead slip again after Brighton came back from two goals down to draw 2-2 on Boxing Day. Glenn Murray, whose future at Reading remains uncertain, scored two goals inside the opening 26 minutes as Reading raced into the lead. Reading were ahead after just a minute when Hal Robson-Kanu crossed and Murray hit the target. Murray's second goal saw him head home a Norwood free-kick. Reading looked set for the three points until the 90th minute when Brighton stole a share of the points.
Clarke Eyes First Points At Managerless Brighton
24 December 2014
By Hob Nob Anyone?
Steve Clarke will be optimistic of picking up his first points as Reading manager as the Royals travel to 22nd placed Brighton and Hove Albion on Boxing Day.
Like Reading, Brighton are another club going through management transition.
A week after Nigel Adkins was sacked as Reading boss, Brighton parted company with their manager Sami Hyypia after he resigned with Brighton struggling in the relegation
zone. Brighton were tipped for big things this season but survival has become their new target after a run that includes just one win from 18 league games. Brighton
weren't as prepared as Reading for their managers departure and will most likely be under the control of caretaker manager Nathan Jones on Friday.
At the start of the season very few would have thought this would be a crunch game for two sides hoping to avoid the drop. Last season ended with Brighton dramatically taking the last play-off place with a late goal on the last day of the season. Reading drew at home to Burnley, and finished 7th, when a win would have seen them stay above Brighton for a shot at promotion. Brighton missed out on promotion after play-off defeat, and both sides were left hoping for improvement this season.
If Brighton reverse their very poor recent form
and manage to defeat a struggling Reading side then they would remain in the bottom three but would be just three points behind Reading. A Reading defeat could see them drop as low as 21st in the Championship if results go against them. Clarke's single game in charge at Reading did show some positive signs, but in the end Reading still lost 0-1 at home to a side that played the entire second half with ten men. It may be a while before we see any dramatic change under the leadership of the former West Brom manager. Brighton will be hoping that they make an instant rebound under the guidance of their caretaker manager - both sides have plenty to prove. Out of eleven games each, Brighton have won just two games at home while Reading have won just two on the road.
Last season Reading faced Brighton three times - drawing twice in the league and losing 0-1 at Brighton in the FA Cup third round. Those three games only managed to produce a total of three goals, of which the Royals scored just one. That goal came during the 1-1 draw at Brighton in March when Drenthe scored a second half equaliser to earn a share of the points. So two teams under new managers, both struggling in the wrong half of the table, and with a low scoring recent record. It's not really set up to be a classic. Anything could happen but you can't help think it might be worth a few quid on 0-0.
It's a busy festive period as usual with Reading facing Norwich City at home just two days after playing Brighton. We played Norwich just a month ago at their place when we came away with a shock 2-1 victory. It wasn't enough to save Adkins though as Reading could only follow it up with 0-0 home draw with Bolton and that fateful 1-6 reverse at Birmingham City.
Clarke's First Game Ends In Defeat
20 December 2014
By Hob Nob Anyone?
Steve Clarke's first game in charge of the Royals ended in a disappointing defeat as Watford won 0-1 at the Madejski Stadium. The visitors were reduced to ten men just before half time and the teams went in level after the first 45 minutes produced no goals. However, despite hopes that Reading could take advantage of the extra man, it was Watford that picked up the win thanks to a goal with twenty minutes left to play.
Clarke had less than a week to work out his plan for this match after Adkins left on Monday and Clarke was appointed less than 24 hours later. However, despite the limited time available to him Clarke shuffled the team around. Alex Pearce was back in defence, and was named team captain to the expense of Chris Gunter who went on to have a good game. Cooper was back on the bench and only came on at the end to play a late role as centre forward as Reading tried desperate measures to try and force the equaliser. Obita found himself back at left back and the changes felt mostly postive.
On another day Reading might have got something out of the game after having chances to score. The Royals had far more shots than Watford and also enjoyed far more possession and more corners. Reading were let down by some poor finishing as they rarely tested the Watford goalkeeper. Blackman and Murray both should have scored in the second half. Blackman missed from very close range after he failed to get on a fast low cross. Murray might have done better from a tight angle but his shot across the keeper was narrowly wide of the far post.
Despite the defeat, and the short time since Adkins departure, things did feel different. There were times when Reading returned to the Adkins style of football but the new manager seems certain to bring further change after the dust settles.
Watford At Home For New Manager Clarke
19 December 2014
By Hob Nob Anyone?
New manager Steve Clarke takes charge of his first Reading game this weekend as Watford travel to the Madejski Stadium. Clarke, who took over on Tuesday has had three days to assess his squad and decide who to play and how to approach the game. After attendances have been dwindling at home, the club will be hoping fans turn up to support the team and the new manager, and to take an early glipse as to how things might shape up under Clarke's guidance.
Reading's last two home games were a 0-0 draw against Bolton and a 0-1 defeat against Charlton before that. Home fans have been starved of recent goals or excitement, which might well work in Clarke's favour as he looks to start his reign in a positive fashion. With Watford 6th in the table and Reading 16th, Watford are narrowly favourites for victory with the bookmakers, despite being away from home. That all means that if Reading get anything at all from the game it will be seen as an acceptable start for Clarke. Of course Reading were thrashed 1-6 away at Birmingham last weekend - a result that was snapped up by the club as the trigger to dismiss an unfortunate Nigel Adkins. Clarke will be very keen to avoid a similar result as he openly talks about aiming for promotion this season with the Royals.
Reading have a number of injury doubts and may be without Mackie, Pogrebnyak, and Robson-Kanu. Potential key players Ferdinand and Karacan are both still not match fit and seem unlikely to feature. After last weekend's big defeat Alex Pearce will be hoping to make a return to the starting line-up as players work hard to impress the new manager, Watford have few injury worries as they look to follow up on two straight wins that included a 5-0 thrashing of Fulham - at Fulham - two weeks ago. Last weekend Watford were 2-1 home winners over Wigan. Watford come to Reading with four wins and two draws from their ten away Championship games so far this season.
Out of the last 25 meetings with Watford, the Royals have won 9 and Watford have won 6. Last season Reading were 1-0 winners at Watford while the teams drew 3-3 at the Madejski in August 2013 with Le Fondre on the scoresheet and Karacan getting two goals. Watford needed a last minute equaliser that day to share the points.
Steve Clarke Confirmed As Manager
16 December 2014
By Hob Nob Anyone?
Steve Clarke has been confirmed as the new manager of Reading Football Club. The former West Bromwich Albion was appointed less than 24 hours after the confirmation that Nigel Adkins has been dismissed making it obvious he was already on his way to Reading FC prior to the 1-6 thrashing at Watford on Saturday. Clarke will now be in place ready for Saturday's visit of Watford to the Madejski Stadium.
Clarke joins Reading on a two and a half year contract which will see him under contract until the end of the 2016/2017 season - assuming he lasts that long in the position. In confirming Clarke as manager the club stated: "Steve was our first choice candidate for the manager's role.". His experience, and huge number of connections gained, at Newcastle, Chelsea, West Ham United and West Brom should be to his advantage in the Championship.
After signing his contract with John Madejski Clarke spoke of his delight at joining Reading after a year out of football management: "I am absolutely delighted to be joining Reading Football Club and I look forward to helping the club move in the right direction. A big part of the work ahead is on the training ground and I look forward to meeting the players and getting onto the grass with them. There is real potential here and hopefully exciting times ahead for the supporters."
Clarke has less than four full days to get to know the squad before 16th placed Reading take on 6th placed Watford in a game that has suddenly taken on some meaning. Clarke will be hoping to turn around a poor run that has seen the Royals win just 3 times out of the last 15 attempts. Reading have failed to score in their last two home games - a 0-1 defeat to Charlton and a 0-0 draw against Bolton. Even a Reading goal might be seen as progress.
Steve Clarke - Career Record:
As a player:
1982-1987: St. Mirren (200 games, 7 goals)
1987-1998: Chelsea (330 games, 7 goals)
As an assistant manager:
1998-1999: Newcastle United
2004-2008: Chelsea
2008-2011: West Ham United
2011-2012: Liverpool
As a manager:
1999: Newcastle United (caretaker manager, 1 game: 1 defeat)
2012-2013: West Bromwich Albion (60 games: 19 wins, 15 draws and 26 defeats)
Steve Clarke Lined Up As Manager
16 December 2014
By Hob Nob Anyone?
Reading are set to reveal former West Brom manager Steve Clarke as the new manager following yesterday's sacking of Nigel Adkins. The quick appointment, and lack of
announcement of any caretaker manager, indicates that Clarke was already lined up before Adkin's dismissal - and conversations were probably well underway before the 1-6 defeat at Birmingham that were used to trigger the management changes.
It is a full year since Clarke was sacked as West Bromwich Albion manager after winning 19 games from 60 in charge.
A run of four straight defeats was enough to cost him his job on 14 December 2013 with West Brom two points outside the bottom three.
2013 was a bad year for Clarke after his side managed just seven wins from 34 Premier League games in the year.
However, the 2012/2013 season saw West Brom finish eighth in the Premier League and was seen as an excellent campaign. Clarke took over at West Brom after
Roy Hodgson left to become the new England manager and left behind an impressive side.
Steve Clarke's 60 games at West Brom, and a single defeat as caretaker manager at Newcastle in 1999, remain his only managerial experience. However he was assistant manager at Chelsea, West Ham and Liverpool. His 60 games as manager included 15 draws and 26 defeats. Clarke's career as a player spanned 16 years and saw him make 200 appearances for St. Mirren in Scotland and 330 for Chelsea.
Nigel Adkins Is Sacked
15 December 2014
By Hob Nob Anyone?
Reading have sacked manager Nigel Adkins after an inconsistent Championship season finished, for Adkins, with a 1-6 thrashing at Birmingham City on Saturday. At the final whistle on Saturday the travelling fans made their opinion heard with boos and chants of "Adkins Out". However, despite the lack of support from the fans in recent weeks, his departure still feels a shock after the lack of communication from the new Thai owners.
Adkins took over from Brian McDermott in the 2012/2013 season with the club already looking doomed to relegation. Adkins, who became manager in March 2013, couldn't save the Royals from the drop. The following season Reading were challenging for a play-off finish, only to finish seventh on the last day of the season after failing to beat Burnley. After a serious lack of investment from the club owners the Royals have limped along this season and Adkins has struggled to get the team playing how he would like. Reading sit in sixteenth place in the table, closer to relegation than the play-offs in what appears set to be a mid-table season.
Adkins took charge of 80 games as Reading manager, but lost more games that he won. He guided Reading to 29 victories, 31 defeats and 20 draws.
In a short statement this evening, the club confirmed that Adkins has left the club and his assistants have also been sacked:
"The board of Reading Football Club have this afternoon relieved Manager Nigel Adkins of his duties.
The Club met with Nigel in person today and we would like to place on permanent record our thanks to him for his hard work and diligence since his appointment in March 2013.
Following this weekend's 6-1 defeat at Birmingham, the board feel that a change in Manager is necessary, with the club 16th in the Sky Bet Championship.
As part of this process, Assistant Manager Andy Crosby and First Team Coach Dean Wilkins will also be leaving the club, and we would also like to thank them for their efforts."
The board of Reading Football Club are committed to taking this club forward and will make a further announcement to our supporters in due course.
Nigel Adkins responded to his dismissal with a message singling out his management team that also have been shown the door by Reading FC:
"Thank you to everyone for your support in my time at Reading FC especially Andy Crosby + Dean Wilkins."
Discussion on who should become the next Reading FC manager is already well under way. Whoever is the new manager they face a very difficult task to appease the fans and club owners with a very limited budget.
Royals Thrashed At Birmingham
14 December 2014
By Hob Nob Anyone?
Reading's defensive problems were back on full show as the Royals were thrashed 1-6 away at Birmingham City. The huge defeat saw Birmingham City overturn the goal difference and move a place above Reading as the Royals sunk to 16th. Nigel Adkins will certainly be feeling the pressure now after such a dramatic collapse, against
a team that started the weekend in 19th place, was followed by chants of "Adkins Out" from the travelling fans. As Reading continue to struggle against opposition around them in the table the signs do not look good for any major recovery. Mid-table would appear to be the most likely, perhaps most optimistic, outcome for this season at a time when home crowds are dropping off, the new owners remain a mystery and the lack of investment may be set to continue.
Again it wasn't as one sided as the scoreline suggested. The Royals had more five more shots than Birmingham's 11. However Reading managed to get just four on target compared to Birmingham's seven. The home side made the most of their chances - no more so than Demarai Gray who scored a first half hat-trick to make it 1-4 at half time and ensure there was no way back for Reading. The Royals were two goals down after eleven minutes but a Glenn Murray header on nineteen minutes, with Reading well in the game, built up some hope that Reading could recover. Any optimism was short lived. After the break it was immediately 1-5 as it became just a case of seeing how many more of their chances Birmingham would score. Thankfully they settled for six with the last goal on sixty minutes.
Nigel Adkins, famous for taking the positives, summed it up as "very, very close in terms of the game". However it did admit "...but it wasn't in terms of the scoreline."
Reading Face Nineteenth Placed Birmingham
12 December 2014
By Hob Nob Anyone?
Reading face another game against opposition below them in the Championship as they travel to Birmingham City this weekend.
City are three points behind Reading in 19th place and only a huge win for them at St. Andrews would see them move ahead of the Royals.
Birmingham have had a poor season so far but had been on a small revival until that hit the buffers when they lost 1-0 to Blackpool last weekend. That was their first
defeat in six matches, while Reading have only won once in the last four attempts. Out of the last 14 matches in all competitions we have won only three times and just once away from home.
Reading limped to a disappointing 0-0 home draw against Bolton last weekend. The first half was very uneventful and although Reading might have scored a winner in the
second half, and had a goal ruled out for off-side, another low crowd at the Madejski Stadium remained very subdued. There's not much Christmas cheer at Reading as Reading appear unable to escape a midtable position with limited funds to be available before the next transfer window closes. Reading's inconsistancy seems unending and it's difficult to predict what might happen at Birmingham against a team that struggles at home. Pavel Pogrebnyak, Anton Ferdinand and Jamie Mackie are all likely to miss the game and Hal Robson-Kanu is also a doubt.
Recent history against Birmingham is strongly in our favour - we've won six out of our last nine encounters. Last season Reading collected six points from Birmingham with a 2-0 win at home and a 2-1 at their place. The 2-1 win last March saw Jobi McAnuff score a goal in each half to seal the victory. Back then Reading were sixth in the table and still had hopes of promotion - our ambitions seem much more limited this time around.
Huddersfield Drawn In FA Cup
08 December 2014
By Hob Nob Anyone?
Reading avoided Premier League and lower league opposition, and have been drawn away to Huddersfield Town in the third round of the FA Cup. The tie is unlikely to excite either set of supporters with both sides next to each other - mid-table in the Championship. The game is likely to take place at the John Smith's Stadium on Saturday 3rd January 2015.
The last cup meeting between the two sides was a League Cup third round tie in October 2003 when Reading were 1-0 home winners thanks to a late Nicky Forster goal. Earlier this season we lost 1-2 at home to Huddersfield and are due to play them again, away in the end, towards the end of February.
No Goals As Bolton Visit
06 December 2014
By Hob Nob Anyone?
Bolton's recent run of form under new manager Neil Lennon indicated this would not be an easy match to win, and so it proved; although it has to be said Reading tactically played into their hands in the first half and failed to make the most of their chances in the second. The official attendance was again over 15000, but with so many season ticket holders not turning up the actual figure was surely much lower. The atmosphere was quiet and subdued from the start and there was little in the first half to rouse the crowd. Nigel Adkins started with the same eleven from last week's successful visit to Norwich which meant a second start for Cooper. The young centre back again had an impact in both penalty areas with his prowess in the air. Read More...
Defensive Choices For Adkins As Bolton Visit
05 December 2014
By Hob Nob Anyone?
Bolton are the visitors to the Madejski Stadium this weekend as the Royals try and follow up their shock away victory at Norwich City last weekend.
We were all predicting a defeat for Reading at Norwich, but the inclusion of Jake Cooper in defence in place of the suspended Alex Pearce made all the difference for Reading.
Cooper had a fantastic game in defence and scored the two vital goals with well taken headers to secure a 2-1 away win. The three points couldn't have come at a better
time for Reading when a defeat would have seen us drop to just outside the bottom three.
Alex Pearce will be back from suspension - so it will be very interesting to see how the defence shapes up after Cooper's game at Norwich. You would think, comparing
the last performances of Pearce and Cooper side by side that Adkins would stick with Cooper and see what he can do with the reward of an extended run in the side. Pearce
should perhaps find himself on the bench but could still make a start if Adkins shuffles the centre back pairing. Injury prone Anton Ferdindand at least makes it a little
bit easier for the manager as he is unlikely to be involved due to his latest injury.
The win at Norwich made sure Reading lie three points ahead of Bolton who will also be nervously looking over their shoulder at the relegation positions.
Bolton have lost seven games on the road in the league already this season and have picked up just four points from their travels with a win and a draw.
Reading will be hoping to repeat our last result against Bolton. Last season the Royals were 7-1 home winners - thanks to a 21 minute first half hattrick from Adam
Le Fondre. Pogrebnyak, Gorkss, Akpan and Blackman were the other scorers on that day fast approaching a year ago. Pogrebnyak is unlikely to be on the score sheet this
time as he is expected to be out of action with a calf injury, while Nick Blackman should be on the bench.
Over the past 20 years Reading have played Bolton 11 times with both teams winning five games. The average score over those matches comes out at Reading 2 Bolton 2.