Royals Start Season With 1-0 Home Win

By Alex Bower

"It was very good to watch, that's what we're aiming for. I know you probably can't do that against every team and this is only the start. There is a lot of hard work ahead and we're not there yet- and they've done very well in pre-season."- Reading FC Manager Jaap Stam

"You need confidence and a victory gives you confidence for the next few games. I think we started off well and that's a boost for us. We believe in ourselves and we have to keep on believing. This start will definitely help."- Reading FC Player Joey van den Berg

"We're disappointed but it's a lesson to learn. We knew Reading were going to play high-risk football and if it comes off, it's all well and good. But when we did our job, we got into some good areas."- Preston North End Manager Simon Grayson

Jaap Stam and his Reading side got the new 2016/17 Championship season off to an ideal start on Saturday afternoon. Midfielder John Swift scored on his debut for the club- having signed from Chelsea during the transfer window- and handed Reading a 1-0 at the Madejski Stadium.

Following the departure of Oliver Norwood only a matter of days before the start of the season, Stam's first team choice became all the more interesting. Predictably Ali Al-Habsi started in goal, with Chris Gunter and Jordan Obita as full-backs. Somewhat surprisingly, partnering Paul McShane at centre-back was Joey van den Berg- Who after his chaotic performance against AFC Bournemouth could have been moved forward to cover Norwood's position. Instead George Evans, Danny Williams and John Swift filled the three central midfield positions, with Roy Beerens making his debut out wide with Garath McCleary. Deniss Rakels was subsequently asked to play up top as the sole striker.

After an emotional and perfectly delivered tribute to Eamonn Dolan before kick-off, the game started with Reading on top from the off. Preston's tactic of sitting deep was also immediately clear. McCleary presented the Royals with their first opportunity of the game after just five minutes but his drilled cross could not be turned in by Obita. Throughout the first half, Preston were well off the pace and often could only watch as Reading tried to pass the ball around their two compact lines of four. The away side thought they had the upper hand when Jermaine Beckford applied the finish from close range but the play was pulled back for a Joe Garner handball.
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Reading 1 Preston North End 0 - Full match report and fan opinion

From the Discussion

PI PieEater 6 Aug 2016 · 8:03pm

In summary a really good result in a game we completely dominated and should have won by 2 or 3. Rakels missed what looked to be a sitter but as it turned out it didn't matter. We played some really nice football with Williams in particular impressing, Evans and Swift also had good games - it's not often you can say that about our midfield. Swift took his chance well. Joey still looks like a red card liability but wasnt really tested. I think he was a good choice over Cooper as Preston only had Beckford up front, I'll try not to get carried away - as Preston really weren't very good - but we have the makings of a decent team.
TR The Real Sandhurst Royal 6 Aug 2016 · 8:20pm

Great result today. the possession football we played in the 1st half was the best I have seen from a Reading team. Swift looks a great signing as does Berrens. William MOTM .
RW royalp-we 6 Aug 2016 · 8:25pm

One game without Norwood and we score from a corner :wink:
RW royalp-we 6 Aug 2016 · 8:26pm

BFTG and very excited for what's to come. I can see Beerens, Mcleary & Harriott tearing up some full backs this season. You can see clearly see the style of play and why Stam has brought in who he has. There were areas of the pitch covered which hadn't been covered with such good interplay for quite some time. FB's and Widemen did very well and swift got between the lines a few times, it was good to watch. A great big oxf*rd you to the fans shouting 'forward' today and groaning - I guess we'll always have them in the crowd. We almost got caught once or twice; but we created some good chances ourselves. We could; and should have won… More →
WE Westwood52 6 Aug 2016 · 8:31pm

Impressive 1st half then it fell away 2nd half-badly in the last 20 minutes or so. You could at least discern what system Stam was trying to operate & in the 1st half it worked really well & we should have been 3 up. Lets hope the falling away in the 2nd half was down to fatigue and the heat-it was bloody hot. Al Habsi: 6 One great save and most of the time comfortable with being on the ball so much-couple of rickets however 2nd half. Gunter : 6 Usual mixed bag-bit of finesse at times would help Chris? Obita : 6 Pretty good-lets hope he is not out for long. McShane : 5 Bit scruffy at times defensively. Joey : 7 First time I have… More →
NA Nameless 6 Aug 2016 · 8:39pm

Have to say I'm glad I didn't go to the game you watched ! But then we all have opinions .... Just to pick up one comment, I thought Watson looked very relaxed and comfortable, used the ball well, got forward and if he was selected to start the next game I don't think it would be an issue.. And just to pick up on another, I thought Evans looked excellent. Hit some passes that were at least on a par with what Norwood offered but also did lots of work as well. Not sure what Norwood would have added if he'd been there instead of Evans.
VM Victor Meldrew 6 Aug 2016 · 8:42pm

How good does it feel to win a game? Both sides missed sitters but it was a decent game on a sunny Summer afternoon in Berkshire and the traffic wasn't too bad coming up from the coast. Having seen a bit of Swift last season playing further forward for Brentford I was surprised to see him playing more or less as an orthodox midfielder but it worked even if Rekels had little support. Both wingers IMHO were good and great to see GMac showing that he can still do it and on his day is one of the best wingers in the Championship. Good imagination from those involved in the goal and the new players all showed promise. Some ratings:- Al-7… More →
IY If you still hate Futcher 6 Aug 2016 · 9:00pm

First half, Preston just sat back and allowed AAH to play the ball out without pressing the receiver. In the Adkins era this would have resulted in several places across the back 4 and then an aimless punt upfield and possession being lost. Instead today we moved them around and worked space to pass forward with purpose. We worked a number of opportunities down either flank but no one could get meaningful contact to finish. Obviously the goal was an exception to this with a corner being played in along the ground for Swift to steer into the top corner, a well worked move off the training ground but a very poor goal to concede.… More →
SC SCIAG 6 Aug 2016 · 9:16pm

A calm and assured performance. We need to do better in the final third, but we'll keep picking up points if we play like that every week. Special mentions to Williams, who probably had his best game in a Reading shirt, and Watson, who looked perfectly comfortable.
HH Huckleberry Hound 6 Aug 2016 · 9:28pm

Very encouraging performance, especially first half. Some good link-up play down both wings. Nicely worked goal. Obviously from the training ground, including the blocking of defenders to give Swift the space to score. We still need a proper striker to bury the sort of chance that Denis missed. The new respect laws seemed to work quite well. The only time the ref got a bit of pressure (when he was booking Evans?) he very quietly also booked their no.3. Long may that continue.
RG Royal Ginger 6 Aug 2016 · 9:30pm

Swift excellent, Williams MOTM, Gunter looking a cut above too (whoever it was above who wasn't impressed by him has it very wrong). Gunter and Obita were pushed very high and McShane and VDB were pushed extremely wide. That will catch us out at some point, but that's ok if the offensive benefits outweigh it. There was a Norwood hangover. The hole he normally stood in to recieve the ball off the CBs was just empty today. McShane is never going to be an 'on the ball sort of guy', and looked very uncomfortable today. Not convinced by the centre backs. Beerens grew into the game, first half he was exciting without being effective, but… More →
MA marlowuk 6 Aug 2016 · 9:39pm

Let's not get carried away but this is a different Reading team and it shows bags of promise. The pre-season games showed that Stam wanted us to play a passing game and that was evident from the match today. Optimism must be tempered by the memory of Steve Clarke's Reading making a similarly impressive start to last season but, somehow, this feels different. Maybe it's the lack of so many loanees; or maybe the presence of a manager who seems to have a plan? The first half in particular was a joy to watch - quick and incisive inter-passing up front and a desire to play the ball out from defence on the grass. The players, too, seemed… More →

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