Reading 0-4 Ipswich Town: Player Ratings

One of those games where Reading were just so depressingly awful that it’s hard to find much objective difference between the players. No-one was good (obviously, hence the scoreline), but some players were marginally less dreadful than others, so let’s crack on.

Vito Mannone: 4

Beaten far too easily at his near post by Spence for the second, and gifted Ipswich the third goal with a horrendous clearance that cannoned straight back off Sears, allowing that player to tap in. Made a few decent saves in the first half, didn’t have a huge amount to do on the whole apart from picking the ball out of his own net.

Chris Gunter: 4

Put Mannone under pressure for the third with a weak back-header. Sloppy on the whole, but not helped by being pushed out to left back after Richards’ substitution.

Tiago Ilori: 4

Less at fault defensively than his teammates, looked fine in the first half before shifting to right back in the second, where he understandably didn’t offer much attacking-wise.

Liam Moore: 4

Completely lost Martyn Waghorn for the opener, although Elphick also arguably at blame for the same goal. Didn’t close down his man for the fourth.

Omar Richards: 5

Looked decent enough in his 49 minutes on the pitch before being replaced by Elphick, giving Reading a wide option down the left on a few occasions.

Sone Aluko: 4

Fluffed a sitter in the second half, probably his only major involvement in the game. Set pieces poor.

John Swift: 3

Gave the ball away constantly, didn’t impose himself on the game physically and wasn’t creative enough. Denied by the ‘keeper’s finger tips with a glorious chance at 0-0, but shouldn’t have given the goalie any opportunity to make the save.

Liam Kelly: 4

Worked hard off the ball, and tried to make things happen when he was in possession, but looked uncomfortable in an unfamiliar two-man midfield and didn’t dictate the tempo as we’d like.

Modou Barrow: 5

Probably Reading’s best attacking outlet with his pace down the left, creating the odd chance, but lacked that edge of quality in the final third.

Jon Dadi Bodvarsson: 5

Missed a great chance in the first half to give Reading the lead, but put in a top cross that Swift couldn’t convert in the second. On the whole, isolated but worked hard.

Yann Kermorgant: 4

Minimal attacking impact on the game - not effective.

Subs

Tommy Elphick: 3

Gave possession away in embarrassingly weak fashion for the fourth goal, having also arguably been at fault for the opener.

Chris Martin and Sam Smith: N/A

Both came on after about 82 minutes to replace Yann and Dadi in a vain attempt at Reading getting something out of the game. Not enough time to have an impact.

Average: 4.08

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