Joel Pereira: 8
Good low block from a dangerous effort from Northampton Town in the 21st minute and a great save from a Northampton attacker’s effort in the 45th, getting down low to his right to put the ball out for a corner. Otherwise, a relatively untroubled first half.
Much more active in the second half, doing well to beat away a cross into the box in the 72nd minute and making a good punch away in the 93rd minute after O’Connor’s poor clearing header.
This was followed by two great saves in the 94th minute from
dangerous Northampton shots, not helped by O’Connor charging out of the box and to try and win the ball and leaving Reading short of aerial presence. Then made a couple more claims from crosses in extra time.
People will talk about Wing today, and rightly so, but Pereira was equally as important to keeping the balance in our favour.
Ryan Nyambe: 6
Strong shoulder to prevent a Northampton attacker breaking through in the 14th minute and demonstrated strong defending on the edge of the Reading area to block off the Northampton attacker and win a free-kick in the 53rd minute.
Unspectacular, but solid. Subbed off for Finley Burns in the 88th minute.
Paudie O’Connor: 6
A really mixed bag of a performance from O’Connor today. He miskicked an effort to clear off the line in the 22nd minute but played a good diagonal ball to Roberts in the 32nd from deep.
In the second half, O’Connor did well to block off the Northampton forward bearing down on goal in the 69th minute and provided another good block in the 80th minute.
However, O’Connor lost the Northampton forward in the 85th minute to give Northampton a free header which the forward missed from close out and Reading were very fortunate to not have been punished by this.
O:Connor did no favours for Pereira in the 94th minute by charging out of the box and not being present to support the defensive line with Northampton attacking.
Jeriel Dorsett: 5
Similar to O’Connor, Dorsett had a real mixed bag of a performance today, starting with Dorsett having an effort that hit the post in the 11th minute from a Savage corner.
There was a poor touch that led to Northampton’s forward putting him under pressure. As ever, he fell over when scrambling to redeem himself, but the opportunity only ended up as a throw-in for us in the 15th minute.
Redeemed himself somewhat by cutting out a Northampton break in the 18th minute and then clearing off the line in the 22nd minute, after O’Connor failed to do so.
However, he switched off in the 45th minute to allow the Northampton attacker to get behind him and didn’t seem to be busting a gut to make up the ground either. Fortunately, Pereira was on hand to get him out of trouble.
Had a quieter second half but demonstrated his occasional capability with the ball at his feet with a good pass to Doyle in the 74th minute to start a Reading break and stood up well in the 96th to hold off a Northampton forward, showing good strength.
This felt like the kind of game that would have been ideal for Benn Ward to have been introduced as a substitute for Dorsett. However, this didn’t happen.
Overall, he hasn’t been incredibly consistent in the heart of defence and, with Ward arriving and Derrick Williams to come back from injury, his time as a starter could be drawing to a close.
Haydon Roberts: 6
I don’t have many notes on Roberts today, but I think we already know what to expect from him: good outlet in attack but not expected to contribute as much defensively.
This was demonstrated by his standout moments being a great cross in the 12th minute that Marriott just couldn’t get on the end of, and a dangerous low cross into the box to find Doyle in the 43rd.
There seems to be a good relationship developing between Roberts and Doyle on that left-hand side of the pitch.
Lewis Wing: 8
A good showing from Wing today, both defensively and offensively.
In terms of defensive work, he did well to cut out a Northampton break in the 19th minute and provided an excellent block in the 40th minute from a dangerous, fizzed free-kick down the right-hand side channel when the Reading defence’s high line got caught out.
In the second half, he provided good near-post defending to put the ball out for a corner in the 73rd minute.
He did once get himself caught in possession in the middle of the park in the 42nd minute, which led to a Northampton attack – as you know from the scoreline though, it led to nothing.
Obviously, the two main talking points about his day will be the two assists.
The first was a fantastic ball from deep over the top of the Northampton defence to find Marriott for the opener in the 55th minute. The second was another great ball: a cross on the right to find Will Keane for Reading’s second in the 58th minute.
His output for these two goals was, ultimately, the difference between the two sides today. Northampton probably deserved a lot more from the game, but Wing’s quality in attack and Pereira’s quality in goal were influential in an otherwise low-key showing.
Phil Catchpole also noted during the commentary that Wing is the highest point-scorer in EFL Fantasy Football, which shows how good he is in attacking phases.
Charlie Savage: 5
A very quiet day for Savage today. He didn’t do a lot wrong, but he didn’t do a lot, generally speaking.
His main contribution came from set pieces, and an example of this was a great corner in the 11th minute that led to a Dorsett attempt that hit the post.
I literally only have two more notes about his day: Savage gave the ball away in the middle of the park in the 29th minute, which led to a Northampton chance, and he picked up the first yellow card of the game in the 52nd minute.
Subbed off in the 62nd minute for Liam Fraser.
Paddy Lane: 5
For full disclosure, I think the set-up today didn’t favour Lane. Also, for full disclosure, I’m not 100% sure but I think he, maybe, was the person to have played a long ball to Marriott in the ninth minute to provide what I recall as our first opening in the first half.
He later linked up well with Wing in the 39th minute to provide the set-up for Wing to cross the ball into the box. Lane also contributed a good header at the far post in the 47th minute to meet a deep Roberts cross, but no-one was there to meet the header.
Lane made a great run to get on the end of a deep pass from Marriott in the 51st minute, but was unable to get the shot on target due to the tight marking from Northampton.
Subbed off for Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan in the 74th minute.
Will Keane: 5
Not a great day for Keane but he still managed to get a goal. I think this (the “not a great day” element) is partly owing to him playing as a 10 rather than as a centre-forward.
He struggled to get involved in the first half, with a poor pass to Kamari Doyle in the 23rd minute, which went out of play instead of being a dangerous break for us, and he missed a free header from a Doyle cross in the 28th minute, after making a good run into the box to find the space.
Keane also played a long ball to Marriott in the 76th minute which was overhit.
However, what Keane did do was to get on the end of an excellent Wing cross in the 58th minute by breaking free from the Northampton marking with a good header, although Wing’s cross made it easy work for him.
Subbed off for Andy Yiadom in the 88th minute as Reading went to a back five.
Kamari Doyle: 5
Doyle struggled to make an impression on the game today. He gave the ball away that led to Northampton’s first shot in the 21st minute but later provided a good cross in the 28th minute to find Keane at the back post.
Doyle did well to win the ball on the left but the cross was poor in the 33rd minute and he had an attempt on goal saved by the goalkeeper from the Roberts cross in the 43rd minute.
He was caught offside in the 61st minute and subbed off for Matt Ritchie in the 74th minute. However, as a positive, he does seem to be forming a good relationship with Roberts on the left.
Jack Marriott: 6
First attempt on goal in the ninth minute came from a long Lane (I think?) pass after taking the ball down well, and demonstrated some good defending – an often over-looked quality of his game – by blocking a Northampton effort just before the line to prevent a goal and put it out for a corner in the 22nd minute.
There was also a great playermaker ball in the 51st minute to find Lane from deep. Perhaps putting Marriott in as a 10 and Keane as mine would make more sense? Food for thought.
Fantastic finish on his weaker left from a looping Wing ball over the top in the 55th minute, made possible by his ability to find the space between the two Northampton centre-backs. It was great centre-forward play.
Played in Ehibhatiomhan in the 82nd minute from a good Fraser pass. Good shot in the 84th minute but it was an easy save for the ‘keeper. Overall, a very typical Marriott performance: contributed defensively, worked off scraps and occasionally dropped deep to play in others and topping it all off with a goal.
Subs
Liam Fraser: 6
Subbed on for Charlie Savage in the 62nd minute.
He was tidy with his play today and notable for some good passing movements from deep. Two examples of this were a great pass to Ritchie on the left to set up a crossing opportunity in the 78th minute, followed by a good ball to find Marriott on the edge of the Northampton area in the 82nd minute.
Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan: 5
Subbed on for Lane in the 74th minute.
Picked up the ball on the edge of the area in the 82nd minute but just ran into the Northampton defenders and fell over. Also supported the defence in the 84th minute by tracking back and making a block.
Didn’t offer much, but in fairness, at the stage of the game when his introduction was made, he didn’t really need to.
Matt Ritchie: 5
Subbed on for Doyle in the 74th minute.
A good cross in the 78th minute from a Fraser pass but couldn’t find a Reading player in the box. Not sure if he did anything else, but I suspect his remit was more about helping the side to see out the game than anything else.
Andy Yiadom: N/A
Subbed on for Will Keane in the 88th minute and therefore, following TTE laws as old as time, doesn’t qualify for a rating.
Picked up a yellow card in the 92nd minute for taking too long to take a throw in. Won a header with a Northampton attacker lurking to put the ball out for a corner in the 93rd minute.
Finley Burns: N/A
Subbed on for Nyambe in the 88th minute, as Reading went to a back five. Doesn’t qualify for a rating owing to the lateness of his introduction, but it was nice to see him on the pitch.
Average: 5.78/10
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