Reading delivered a much needed confidence boost for the team and fans alike with a 2-0 home victory over a poor Birmingham City in the first round of the League Cup. Reading's first win of the season was comfortable enough thanks to two good goals - one in the first half from Yakou Meite and a stunning second half free kick from the boot of John Swift. In the end this was a straight forward victory with Reading enjoying the better of the match and looking solid for their win without ever looking over impressive apart from two well taken goals.
Paul Clement made changes for this League Cup game but the changes weren't over dramatic and the starting eleven was clearly a very strong side rather than a reserve team. Sam Walker got his first start in goal and Moore was finally recalled to the side after his summer transfer drama. Swift was back in the team after sitting it out during our weekend league defeat at Nottingham Forest. Up front we started with both Baldock and McNulty with Bodvarsson ending as an unused substitute.
McNulty should be pleased with his performance that included setting up the first goal with an excellent ball to Meite. Overall we were not particularly strong up front but the defence was again impressive with sold performances from the back four. Defensively we clearly have plenty of options now Moore clearly up for the challenge and there was even time to O'Shea to make an appearance from the bench late on and show he can still do a job. In goal Walker did nothing wrong and should provide some competition for Manone.
League Cup first round games are miles away from the demands of a League game, but there were plenty of positives for Reading to take into their home fixture with Bolton on Saturday. Clement clearly has a good squad to pick from and options to pick from in nearly every position. It may be early days but three points are a must on Saturday against a side that Reading should expect to beat if they are to do anything this season. Before that we have the interest of the second round draw that takes place on Thursday.
Reading Get First Win Of The Season
From the Discussion
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LW Lower West 14 Aug 2018 · 11:31pm
Enjoyed the game with lots of positives to take from the performance. Seems to be a unity in the squad coupled with leadership. Opposition very poor. Job done, a major confidence boost. Roll on round 2.
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AR Armadillo Roadkill 14 Aug 2018 · 11:48pm
An OK performance against the second string of one of the weaker Championship teams. For much of the second half Reading were ineffective, retreating into a Stam like shell of sitting deep and playing countless pointless cross field passes. Overall a justified result, but not the wholly convincing win we might have hoped for. But a win is a win. For positives, look to Yiadom who is just class. Was surprised to hear Adie Williams on BBCRB criticise Ilori, who I thought was excellent - Williams was the professional footballer and a centre back to boot so I will defer to his judgement. Meite was excellent - all tricks and strength.…
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OO Only one Trevor Morley 14 Aug 2018 · 11:54pm
Unlike previous poster I though McNulty was excellent tonight. A really clever player who always added something positive with every touch and who has that bit of extra vision. On a night when he didn’t have many clear cut chances he still made a reading by his vision and work rate. his ball for meite was world class and showed excellent awareness and unselfishness to pass to Baldock who should have scored. More to come from McNulty I think.
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AN Anonymous 15 Aug 2018 · 1:23am
Very happy with what I saw and loved that starting line up, really clicked.
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RD Rea Ding 15 Aug 2018 · 2:26am
Went into this game with little excitement yet it proved to be very enjoyable. Good all round team performance and 2 nice goals against pretty feeble opposition. Bring on saturday and a decent draw on thursday :?
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HO Hound 15 Aug 2018 · 7:20am
It’s games like last night that show How desperately poor we had become last year. Was a genuine pleasure to watch the full backs bomb forward, the forwards causing problems and pressing, Swift running his backside off for 90m and some fast attacking play. The whole atmosphere in the crowd was much more positive and supportive Brum were to$$ but bar a dodgy period of 15mins at the start of the second half we were well on top. Should have won by 3 or 4 really and Baldock missed a sitter that his overall performance deserved Walker looked solid and made a couple of good saves Yiadom is great. 1st half particularly he was superb…
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ES Esteban 15 Aug 2018 · 7:24am
Unlike previous poster I though McNulty was excellent tonight. A really clever player who always added something positive with every touch and who has that bit of extra vision. On a night when he didn’t have many clear cut chances he still made a reading by his vision and work rate. his ball for meite was world class and showed excellent awareness and unselfishness to pass to Baldock who should have scored. More to come from McNulty I think. Agree with this. Played in between the lines and made it difficult for their defenders to pick him up. Used the ball well. I was right in line with the chance he gave Baldock. I think he was…
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PB Pandoras Box 15 Aug 2018 · 8:37am
In another vein of BFTG. Why were there SO many first timers there last night? The haribo brigade. Was it that the £3-£7 ticket made it a better prospect than Chessington or Alton Towers? Loads of disinterested parents, many who knew less about football as a game than they knew about Reading. Special thumbs up to the tw@t directly behind me, who in the loudest voice extolled the virtues of the best way to book a holiday, Spanish holidays in general, his kid’s holiday booking, purple bricks, zoopla, Lower Earley, Tilehurst, fish and chip shops in the area, Didn’t comment on the game once and then decided that Reading were not going…