Joel Pereira: 6
Literally nothing to do in the first half with no shots from Wigan Athletic. As I’ve said in other player ratings pieces: that’s exactly what you want to be able to say about your goalkeeper.
He had a little bit more to do in the second half but, all things considered, the defence in front of him had things covered.
Pereira came alive in extra time with a fantastic save in the 92nd minute from a dangerous shot that looked destined to go into the top corner. In the 94th minute, El Gato followed this
up by claiming a deep Wigan cross calmly.
Ryan Nyambe: 6
If I could summarise the back line today, two words would cover it: absolutely fine. However, I need to expand upon this, so expand upon this I will.
Nyambe’s only bad moment arrived in the first minute of the game when he was beaten by a ball over the top, but he recovered to make a clearance. His physical strength is something that helped him here and we possibly underestimate the difference it makes during games.
His other notable defensive action in the game also happened in the first half, with a good block from a Wigan cross in the 26th minute to clear it for a corner.
Later in the first half, he got forward well to receive a Savage pass but his cross was deflected.
He was subbed off for Andy Yiadom in the 87th minute after having a quietly effective game.
Paudie O’Connor: 7
Much like Nyambe, he was absolutely fine and had his worst moment in the first stages of the game, in his case playing a poor ball down the right wing to send the ball out for a throw-in, in the seventh minute.
However, it only got better from here. O’Connor held up the Wigan winger and showed strength as the wide man slipped, allowing him to win the ball and clear it out to safety later in the first half. He also clashed heads with Dorsett defending a corner in the 27th minute. No surprises who came out the better from that “duel”.
Great long ball out in the 33rd minute to find a roaming Doyle on the right wing. Largely, very little to do in the first half.
Had more to do in the second half, with Wigan needing to find a goal, and continued to keep them at arm’s length. However, he still find time to support in the attacking phases, winning the header from Paddy Lane’s looping cross to set up Long Kelvin’s second and Reading’s third.
Derrick Williams: 6
Played a great low, long ball forward to find Savage and create a good Reading attacking move during the first half. Other than that, literally no notes for him before the break as he had very little to do, with most defensive actions being covered by O’Connor. And that’s just fine.
He was more active in the second half and was a little shakier than usual today. Two moments to summarise this were a loose short pass out to nobody early in the second half to concede a throw-in and being caught napping for a Wigan goal that was ruled out for offside.
However, like his defensive colleagues, he was largely just fine today and that’s all right.
Jeriel Dorsett: 6
He tried to find Daniel Kyerewaa with a ball down the left but overhit it slightly, a little before the mid-point of the first half. However, credit for the intention to get the ball forward.
Dorsett lashed heads with O’Connor defending a corner in the 27th minute. Again, no surprises who came out the better from that “duel”, with Dorsett’s downtime giving the teams their customary mid-half tactical instruction break.
Generally, he didn’t have much actual defending to do in the first half. That’s absolutely fine, and it surely will have been a confidence-builder for him.
Attacked a Savage corner brilliantly in the 59th minute but wasn’t able to get it on target. He was also another one who was caught napping for a Wigan goal that was ruled out for offside. However, given it was offside, this is inconsequential.
Lewis Wing: 7
If I were going to summarise Wing’s day – and I suppose that’s kind of my job, to do exactly that – I’d say he was quietly very effective. His first action was a defensive interception in the first minute, later followed by a good ball to the edge of the box to find Doyle on the right for the first goal.
Wing pushed up in the 14th minute to snuff out a poor Wigan pass outside the box, and make a driving run from the right and cutting into the middle and getting a low shot away with his weaker left, which was comfortably saved. However, great to see the intention. Who knew he did left-footed outside-of-the-box efforts too?
In the second half, his ability to read the play and make a good interception led to Lane’s first shot of the game. He later picked his way through the edge of the Wigan box and just couldn’t seem to get a shot away, which was unfortunate, given you felt that any shot would have been a fourth goal for Reading; he was eventually crowded out.
Picked out a great ball to find Long Kelvin in the 76th minute, but Long Kelvin was offside. Possibly – though I can’t be 100% sure, he may have been part of the group that was caught napping for the Wigan goal which was ruled out for offside. However, again, this was inconsequential due to the offside.
Liam Fraser: 6
Quietly effective as well, though his game today was centred around defensive actions. Fraser made a good interception to spring a counter-attack around the halfway line that broke down in the fifth minute, combining the two types of phases of play well.
Drifted out to the left of the Reading box in the 40th minute to offer great defensive cover, holding up the Wigan right winger’s attempt to run deeper into the box and get a cross off, blocking the eventual attempt for a throw-in. Other than this, he didn’t have much else to do in the first half, which is positive, albeit more owing to a blunt Wigan than anything else.
More active in the second half, with some tidy defensive play and also helping to knit together passing triangles on the deeper left of the pitch for Reading. Good defensive block in the 72nd minute.
Kamari Doyle: 7
Doyle’s best game as a Reading player. Can we play Wigan every week, please?
He made a run from a Savage pass and had a blocked effort early doors, which showed exactly what his mission plan for the day was. He contributed a good run and cross for the assist in the ninth minute.
Generally, Doyle started the game brightly on the right, looking a threat and doing well to provide a good outlet. A pleasant surprise, given that his better days on the pitch prior to this have always been more central.
Doyle then made another great run down the right to get a loose ball from a Wigan header. Looked to have missed the passing opportunity to Long Kelvin who was calling out for it at the back post but cleverly slipped an onrushing Savage in to create the second goal.
Broke free down the right after his first touch from an O’Connor long ball left the Wigan left-back flat-footed and was given the advantage after being fouled to put a great, teasing ball into the box which was unlucky not to result in a goal.
Took the ball from Ehibhatiomhan’s feet after his run into the box in the 36th minute but put the shot wide.
Subbed off for Lane at half-time – unclear why, given this was probably his best half of football this season. Hopefully not an injury and only a precautionary measure.
Charlie Savage: 7
Much more like the Savage of old: he was a lot more comfortable higher up the pitch today.
Examples of this were when he played a good ball to find Doyle in the middle to release him into space (it didn’t lead to anything) and being in place to receive a good Williams pass up the pitch to play through Nyambe running up the right.
He made a great run to provide Doyle a passing option into the box after his run, and his cross to pick out the back-post movement of Long Kelvin was blocked and deflected in for the second goal.
Savage also fancied getting in among the goals and took a long-range effort from outside of the box, but it sailed well over. It’s just nice to see him getting those kind of efforts away, as it’s been a while.
Played a good pass just after the halfway line to set Long Kelvin on a run. Just caught offside at the end of the first half when breaking through to receive a ball over the top into space.
Savage was part of the passing movement in the early second half that led to Lane’s first shot. Set up a Dorsett header from a corner.
Great shot from Savage in the 90th minute in the Wigan box that was nearly a goal, the “nearly” owing to a great save from the Wigan ‘keeper.
Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan: 8
A really effective day leading the line today, and even helped defensively on occasion when he dropped deep early on to help provide an option on the left for Reading to play the ball out of Wigan pressure.
Timed the run brilliantly to meet the Doyle cross in the middle in the ninth minute for Reading’s opener, scoring (again) with a header to demonstrate the progress he is making.
Made his presence known for the second goal – again, a sign of his growth that defenders are worried when he’s hovering around the box that he can be a distraction to create space for movement from others, in this case, Savage.
Confident run from a Savage pass in the 36th minute, beating a couple of Wigan defenders. Unable to make enough space to take a shot after getting into the box and had the ball taken from his feet by Doyle. However, this was all about the run he made, and notable given it feels like forever since he’s has the confidence to make such a run, especially through the middle.
Finished the first half by taking a shot from outside of the box, which was deflected for a corner.
In the second half, Long Kelvin was part of the passing movement in the early second half that led to Lane’s first shot.
The peak moment for the second half obviously came from when he scored Reading’s scrappy third from an O’Connor header via a Lane cross, but once again, he was in the right place at the right time.
Caught offside from a Wing through ball into space in the 76th minute. Almost snuck in to claim a loose ball to get a shot away in the 79th minute. Got a headed effort away which went slightly wide in the 82nd minute, from a Roberts cross.
Subbed off for Will Keane to a deserved loud applause in the 87th minute.
Daniel Kyerewaa: 5
The TL;DR here is that he’s clearly working his way back from injury, so let’s just temper the expectations. He was fine without doing much of note.
Kyerewaa did make an early run down the left, but he was blocked early on by Wigan defenders, who doubled up on him – because people still remember that he carries a threat, despite the lengthy injury lay-off.
He timed his run well into the box to meet a low cross from Doyle in the 33rd minute, but was unable to convert when in space to score a goal.
Possibly played in Long Kelvin for his deflected shot at the end of the first half, but (honestly) I didn’t quite catch it.
Subbed off (as you’d expect) for Haydon Roberts (which you wouldn’t have expected) in the 78th minute. With Randell Williams out for the rest of the season, this was a timely boost for us.
Subs
Paddy Lane: 6
Subbed on for Doyle in a direct change to go on the right wing at half-time.
Took a ball on the edge of the area and had a shot early on in the second half, which sailed over.
Received a Savage corner on the left of the box and put in a good, looping cross to the back post to find O’Connor which led to Reading’s third. Generally looked a threat, but didn’t get much of the ball out to him on the right today.
Haydon Roberts: 6
Subbed on for Kyerewaa in the 78th minute, seemingly into an attacking role on the left wing.
Great run down the left to put in a cross for Long Kelvin which may have been a little bit behind the striker, which ended up just wide in the 82nd minute. Earlier on, I think he also got a header away at the Wigan goal but I am not 100% sure.
Another one that you feel happy to see back, given that Benn Ward’s out for the season. Whether we see him play as a winger or a full-back is a whole other question, but today he was absolutely fine.
Andy Yiadom: N/A
Subbed on for Nyambe in a direct swap in the 87th minute. No notes.
Will Keane: N/A
Subbed on for Ehibhatiomhan in a direct swap in the 87th minute.
Keane was too slow to react to a rebound from Savage’s saved shot in the 90th minute, but no notes other than this as Reading were happy to soak up pressure and see out the game.
Average: 6.38/10
Who was your MOTM against Wigan? Vote through this link.
