Vote For Your March Reading FC Player Of The Month

In alphabetical order...

Jon Dadi Bodvarsson

Average rating: 6.00 (3 appearances); Man of the Match awards: 1st (Leeds H), 1st (Wolves A)

With Yann Kermorgant struggling to find fitness and Chris Martin being ‘ill’ for a suspiciously long period in March, Jon Dadi Bodvarsson found himself as Reading’s only senior striker for most of last month, before he too picked up an injury, preventing him from playing any part against Norwich or QPR. But his contribution could not be faulted before that, in terms of work rate anyway, and he recorded the month’s highest average rating out of anyone in the squad. The Icelander netted just the one goal, against Leeds, to reach double figures for the campaign, but certainly one of his best attributes as a lone frontman is his link up play and ability to hold the ball up for others.

Pelle Clement

Average rating: 5.50 (4 appearances); Man of the Match awards: 2nd (Leeds H), 3rd (Bolton H), 3rd (Norwich A)

Whilst Pelle Clement may be the only one of the candidates not to have won a Man of the Match award last month, he did feature the most frequently in the top three of our vote out of anyone in the squad, so he must have been doing something right. Much like Bodvarsson, Clement showed himself as one of the most hard working members of the team, as well as incredibly versatile. From full-back to centre midfielder to winger, he filled in competently wherever he was needed. The former Ajax man’s performances also meant that he was called up to the Netherlands’ Under-21 squad for the first time in March, featuring against Andorra during the international break.

Liam Kelly

Average rating: 5.67 (3 appearances); Man of the Match awards: 1st (Norwich A)

In a month where he turned down the opportunity to play for the Republic of Ireland due to hopes of still playing for England, Liam Kelly showed why he’s certainly ready for international football, but at the same time why he is unlikely to ever play for the Three Lions. The 22-year-old tends to start games very well before before dropping off, as was the case against both Bolton and Leeds - against the latter he won the ball back well in the lead up to Bodvarsson’s goal. Undoubtedly Kelly’s best game of the month was the defeat at Norwich, where he scored his sixth goal of the season with an excellent finish through a crowd of bodies before the break, and then set up fellow academy graduate Sam Smith with a superb cross in the second half.

Liam Moore

Average rating: 5.80 (5 appearances); Man of the Match awards: 1st (QPR H)

For most of March, Liam Moore cut a frustrated figure in Reading’s defence as we leaked two goals against Leeds and three against both Wolves and Norwich. Certainly not the powerhouse we saw last season, but still a calming ever-present at the back and one of the most passionate players in the team. Moore’s desire and commitment to the cause can rarely be faulted, and that was highlighted in the 1-0 win over QPR in Paul Clement’s first game in charge. The former Leicester man was a key figure in the Royals’ backs to the wall defending and was never afraid to put his body on the line as we held out for a first clean sheet in over two months. Furthermore, Moore was the only one of the candidates to play in this solitary win of the month.

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