MATCHWATCH : Ipswich Town (h) sponsored by just do it!

[Sutekh]

When : Saturday, 28th April 2018, 3pm
Where : Madejski Stadium, Reading, RG2 0FL
Capacity : 24,161

This is it then. Effectively Reading's last game of the season, well the last realistic chance to get any form of pointage anyway. Quite simply the proverbial must win game. Anything other than a win as good as takes the club's destiny out of it's own hands and leaves us all more interested in whatever Bolton, Burton, Birmingham and Barnsley are up to elsewhere (not that many of us haven't been already over the last few weeks anyway).

In Reading's favour though at least Ipswich have nothing to play for, and no permanent manager either after Mick McCarthy left a couple of weeks ago. So just like Sheffield Wednesday Reading will face team that's only got pride and a few players wanting to get themselves into the shop window. However let's hope that that doesn't lead to the same pathetic outcome as at Hillsborough.

And Ipswich are in true end of season from. One win (at home to Barnsley) and 1 draw (at home to Millwall) to show from the last 9 games. Their last away win was 2-1 at Sheffield Wednesday on 6th March and since then they've lost all 5 away games played by one goal scoring just the once in the process.

Reading's catalogue of injuries won't change. Even if Elphick and McShane are declared free from injury their lack of match fitness rather precludes any likely worthwhile contribution other than keeping the bench warm. Add to that the lack of Tyler Blackett reducing Reading's back line to, basically, only three experienced, match fit and available defenders plus youngster Omar Richards.

Ipswich will be missing midfielder Grant Ward through suspension and have injury concerns over Joe Garner, David McGoldrick, and Emyr Huws plus others I believe.

Reading need to take the game to Ipswich from the off, play at a high tempo and get stuck into them. They need to fight and show desire, they need to create a stack of opportunities. So pretty much everything that's been missing from their game all season. The fans too need to repeat the support that was there for the last 3 home games and make a constant wall of POSITIVE noise. Even 90 minutes solid of "Blue Army" will do.

Referee

Referee

Hampshire’s Keith Stroud is up for this one.



Previously with Mr Stroud

02 Dec 2017 > Sunderland 1-3 Reading
04 Nov 2017 > Derby County 2-4 Reading
01 Apr 2017 > Reading 1-0 Leeds United
14 Feb 2017 > Reading 3-2 Brentford
19 Nov 2016 > Reading 3-0 Burton Albion
28 Dec 2015 > Reading 1-2 Brentford
07 Nov 2015 > Cardiff City 2-0 Reading
03 Oct 2015 > Reading 2-0 Middlesbrough
14 Apr 2015 > Reading 0-1 Bournemouth
29 Mar 2014 > Reading 1-1 Huddersfield Town
11 Jan 2014 > Watford 0-1 Reading
13 Aug 2011 > Leicester City 0-2 Reading
03 Apr 2010 > Ipswich Town 2-1 Reading
06 Feb 2010 > Doncaster Rovers 1-2 Reading
29 Dec 2007 > Tottenham Hotspur 6-4 Reading
22 Sep 2007 > Reading 2-1 Wigan Athletic
25 Feb 2006 > Reading 2-1 Preston North End
23 Aug 2005 > Reading 3-1 Swansea City (League Cup)


Historically

There have been 57 previous league games between Reading and Ipswich and generally it's the standard "home team rules the roost".

This particular game is therefore the 29th league visit from the "Tractor Boys" and previously there have been 15 Reading wins, 8 Ipswich wins and 5 draws (all by 1-1) to show for the previous efforts. Goals for and against though are quite close with 45 scored and 39 conceded thanks to several home thrashings amongst the 8 defeats.

How to follow the game

1. Get a ticket and travel
2. Listen to Radio 5 Live and/or a myriad of other radio stations for score flashes
3. Ring/text a mate for updates
4. Use an iFollow subscription
5. BBC Radio Berkshire (FM : 104.4, 104.1 or 95.4 depending where you are in the area)

[massifheed]

Great account of things as always.

This one will simply be down to whether the players want this win or not. There is nothing about Ipswich that means we can't comprehensively give them a beating.

Fan support has been good since PC took over, but that goodwill could come to an end if anything other than a display of 100% effort is put in by everyone.

[JoeyJoeJoeJnrShabadoo]

thanks

[Tilehurstsouthbank]

Great account of things as always.

This one will simply be down to whether the players want this win or not. There is nothing about Ipswich that means we can't comprehensively give them a beating.

Fan support has been good since PC took over, but that goodwill could come to an end if anything other than a display of 100% effort is put in by everyone.

This. I think a lot of fans will be happy not only to see that back of this season, but a lot of the players too.

[TiagoIlori]

Also worth noting we are safe if Burton/Bolton and Barnsley lose. Barnsley still really worry me despite how bad they’ve been, Bolton not so much

[windermereROYAL]

Also worth noting we are safe if Burton/Bolton and Barnsley lose. Barnsley still really worry me despite how bad they’ve been, Bolton not so much

Have a nice sleep tonight, a team that`s only won 8 games all season that got dicked by a 17th place team already on the beach that you are expecting them to beat 2 teams battling out for a play-off spot. if they fail to win either of these games we are already safe, even if we lose both games.

[Sutekh]

Are we all ready for the lap of appreciation afterwards.

[72 bus]

Are we all ready for the lap of appreciation afterwards.

Appreciation for what ?

[LUX]

[CountryRoyal]

There is nothing about Ipswich that means we can't comprehensively give them a beating.

Apart from the fact that we are largely incapable of beating anyone, let alone ‘comprehensively’.

[massifheed]

There is nothing about Ipswich that means we can't comprehensively give them a beating.

Apart from the fact that we are largely incapable of beating anyone, let alone ‘comprehensively’.

There is that.

[genome]

When was the last time we utterly and truly destroyed someone?

Ipswich in 2015?

[Old Man Andrews]

When was the last time we utterly and truly destroyed someone?

Ipswich in 2015?

Not sure if it counts but we smashed Walsall in the cup in 2016 I think?

[CountryRoyal]

When was the last time we utterly and truly destroyed someone?

Ipswich in 2015?

Spin off thread?

What’s our biggest margin of victory in recent times? I’m stuck at 6. 7-1 v Bolton 13/14 and 6-0 v Posh 09/10. Are there others?

[genome]

When was the last time we utterly and truly destroyed someone?

Ipswich in 2015?

Spin off thread?

What’s our biggest margin of victory in recent times? I’m stuck at 6. 7-1 v Bolton 13/14 and 6-0 v Posh 09/10. Are there others?

6-0 against Wednesday in 2008... nothing more than 6 I don't think. I was actually slightly annoyed when Bolton got their consolation goal in the 7-1

[Hound]

Sounds like Elphick is back for this (on the bench I expect). Slight chance Mendes might be on the bench, but reckon it will be Smith and Yann as the back up strikers. Harriott and McShane def out.

[Sutekh]

To confirm, Tommy Elphick will more than likely be available to play some part against Ipswich, if required.

McShane still out.

For the record, Paul Clement has said there will NOT be a mass clearout in the summer but there will be departures. First one confirmed is Stephen Quinn who is now looking at options outside football.

[double d]

This will be a win

[tidus_mi2]

To confirm, Tommy Elphick will more than likely be available to play some part against Ipswich, if required.

McShane still out.

For the record, Paul Clement has said there will NOT be a mass clearout in the summer but there will be departures. First one confirmed is Stephen Quinn who is now looking at options outside football.

As it should be, even before FFP you can't change an entire squad and expect to hit the ground running the following season and now with FFP, there is no way we could make wholesale changes to the squad and stay within FFP.

[genome]

To confirm, Tommy Elphick will more than likely be available to play some part against Ipswich, if required.

McShane still out.

For the record, Paul Clement has said there will NOT be a mass clearout in the summer but there will be departures. First one confirmed is Stephen Quinn who is now looking at options outside football.

As it should be, even before FFP you can't change an entire squad and expect to hit the ground running the following season and now with FFP, there is no way we could make wholesale changes to the squad and stay within FFP.

It's based on net profit/loss, right? If our clearout means we were to sell Liam Moore, I'd imagine we'd not have any problem with FFP.

But anyway, as I said in another post, I don't think we need wholesale changes. There are a raft of players in the reserves we can get rid of (Wieser, Rakels, Mendes etc) but I don't think the first team needs more than 3 or 4 quality players to come in.