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You've got to feel a bit sorry for Reading Captain Paul McShane. The defender has only just returned following wrist surgery and now Reading manager Jaap Stam has confirmed McShane will be out for a 'couple of games' due to a small calf tear.
It's yet another blow in Stam's quest to build a more solid defence, following news that Tiago Ilori and Joey van den Berg will also both be out until the end of February with ligament and hamstring problems respectively.
The trio's injury absence and Jake Cooper's loan move to Millwall has meant that Chris Gunter has been drafted into the centre of the defence, but while he did OK in Tuesday's win at Birmingham, the reports from today's 2-2 draw at Ipswich have been far less kind.
Those struggles could lead to Reece Oxford coming into the backline for Saturday's home game with Barnsley, otherwise it's all looking a bit thin on the ground for the Reading manager right now.
Fingers crossed McShane comes back fully fit and raring to go. If he is indeed out for two games, he'll miss home games with Barnsley and Brentford, putting his return around the Huddersfield away game... so no pressure there at all Paul.