5 Things: Reading v Nottingham Forest

1. Too many out-of-position players.

Reading's current injury status/squad depth problems has led to key areas filled with players who, when out of position, simply can't hack it. Shaun Cummings may have played a good game at Wigan, but it's becoming apparent that his contribution at left-back is not a positive one. It's obvious to point out, but his right-footedness means that whenever Reading switch the flanks quickly, it breaks down with Cummings. Simply put, he cannot pick up the ball and whip in a cross, without cutting in. This weekend it became clear he's not adequate defensively, with goal-assisting crosses coming from his flank. The replacement is easy, because able-left-back Jordan Obita is equally out of position in central midfield. I really like both these players, and hopefully new recruits such as Oliver Norwood will ease the burden we are currently under.

2. Missing Morro?

Reading have always been very competent in dealing with crosses, but not at Forest. Is this because we have a new weakness exposed in lacking Sean Morrison, or because Forest picked out the far post with great efficiency? Time will tell, but Michael Hector will need time to bed into the back four, and Reading have conceded some poor goals lately.

3. The ex-players curse strikes again.

Michail Antonio had a stuttering time at Reading, and it would be foolish to suggest we shouldn't have sold him. However, he loves to turn it on against The Royals, and punished us with a man-of-the-match performance that left Forest fans drooling. I have my doubts that he's more than a pacey Championship-quality winger, and about the validity of a Forest promotion push, but both player and team exposed Reading.

4. We've seen it all before.

Nigel Adkins' time at Reading has seen plenty of dismal away defeats littered throughout. For every QPR 3-1 or Forest 3-2, there's been a Sheffield Wednesday 2-5 or Forest 0-4. When we're bad, we are bad. With this in mind, it's not time to panic.

5. The majority back the manager, players, and club.

To finish on a positive, across social media and in the crowd, I like to think the majority of fans are well aware of our situation and support the time through it. Aside from a vocal minority (1 guy booing is louder than 1000 silently getting over it), Reading fans know this is a young team getting over a year of financial turmoil, with a manager capable of turning it into a challenging side- he's done it plenty of times before- and a new board investing in the side. On this note, here's Reading fan John Hunt making this point on TV with a typically ignorant QPR-supporting host...