Reading vs Fulham- The preview!

[Jacob Potter]

Reading and Fulham head into their 6th game of the season with both sides under performing in the league this season. Reading are currently in 15th place with 2 wins from 5, while their opponents Fulham currently sit in a poorly placed 23rd after picking up a single point against Cardiff City last weekend. The last time these 2 teams met was in the in the last month of the Premier League when already relegated Reading came out 4-2 winners with Hal Robson-Kanu (2), Adam Le Fondre and Jem Karacan scoring for Reading and a Bryan Ruiz double for Fulham.

The main reason for Reading's low league position is due to the incredible amount of injuries they currently have to their first team squad. They currently have 12 injured players which include Anton Ferdinand, Stephen Kelly, Danny Williams, Danny Guthrie, Jem Karacan, Garath McCleary, Pavel Pogrebnyak, Hal Robson-Kanu, Shaun Cummings, Nick Blackman and Aaron Tshibola. The majority of these players won't be fit in time for the Fulham match with only Danny Guthrie, Stephen Kelly and Anton Ferdinand the only players who have a slim chance of returning to the squad for the match.
Fulham on the other hand only have 1 injury which is Adam Taggart who looks set to miss out for the match. They also have new signing Matt Smith who arrived from Championship club Leeds and looks set to lead the line with former team mate Ross McCormack.

Reading are expecting to line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation with Jordan Obita staying at Left Back with Shaun Cummings still out injured. Aaron Kuhl looks set to keep his place in the side with Oliver Norwood likely to partner him in the middle after an impressive performance during the 1-0 win over Middlesborough last week. I expect to see new signing Glenn Murray come straight into the side in place of Ryan Edwards with Simon Cox being played in a wider role on the wing. Jamie Mackie also looks set to retain his place in the side after also impressing in the win over Middlesborough.
Fulham look set to name an unchanged side apart from Matt Smith who will be pushing for a start. I expect to see him replace youngster Cauley Woodrow in the side.

I'm going for a 3-2 win for Reading who will have momentum after picking up a vital win against Middlesborough in their last league fixture.

 

[_mostlybobbins]

A bit early for a preview!

 

[Jake Bannister]

I was thinking the same thing, how has Cox performed for you so far? (Apart from being awful against us)

 

[_mostlybobbins]

I don't think he was alone in being awful in a Reading shirt that day! But he's doing quite well consider we don't have a semblance of a functioning midfield yet. He's playing behind Pogrebnyak (and probably behind Murray for the foreseeable future now we have him on board) and he's been good at picking up the pieces, well, scraps, from midfield. He's scored a couple, including the winner at the weekend against Boro though. He does work hard for the team, which is exactly what we need. Where he fits when we do have our midfield back (and Mackie too) remains to be seen.

 

[Jake Bannister]

He wasn't really that bad for us, top scorer last season (One of a few that didn't get injured), but he was more bad than good, lazy, scuffed his shots 9/10, doesn't know the offside rule, but Mackie is the complete opposite and I'm actually quite sad we let him go even if it's just a loan, works hard and even if he is playing bad he'll admit it and move on.

 

[_mostlybobbins]

Yes, Mackie does seem to be a grafter, yet we all knew that from seeing him at QPR and Plymouth before that. It's nice to see him gee up his fellow squad members like he's been there for years. Should do well for us, but again, not quite sure where his best position is. Where did Mackie operate for you guys?

 

[Jake Bannister]

Yes, Mackie does seem to be a grafter, yet we all knew that from seeing him at QPR and Plymouth before that. It's nice to see him gee up his fellow squad members like he's been there for years. Should do well for us, but again, not quite sure where his best position is. Where did Mackie operate for you guys?

Mainly on the wing, was the odd game where he played up front or behind the striker, he's definitely best out wide though, puts in a good cross as well.