Nottingham Forest 1-0 Reading: The Alternative View

After the season opener against Derby, there seemed to be a renewed wave of hope around Reading FC. However, after two games and two good performances, we’re bottom of the Championship. The good news? There’s 44 games to go.

However, given who we have played - Derby and Nottingham Forest will likely be in the mix for the play-offs come the end of the season - it shouldn’t come as a huge surprise that although we have performed valiantly, we have come up short. Ultimately both those squads have been expensively put together and a lot more is expected of them than Reading.

Saying that, both games were winnable, and with a bit of luck going our way we could be looking at a whole different picture.

The Forest fans however seem to be pre-occupied with Derby - my dad’s bigger than your dad - and the fact that after 100 years there is the River Trent running next to the ground.

Social

Rivergate

There were 107 responses to that - my favourite

Derby

My dad’s bigger than your dad

Oh good God what’s the definition of a “big club”

This is getting banned... IT’S AUGUST!

Oh wait there was a football game

Attendance police out in force

There are many things that I will say Matt Mills is similar to - Vincent Kompany isn’t of them

Speaking of comebacks

So it’s Real Forest then?

So it’s not Real Forest...

Reading need a song!

This week’s song

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Media

After last week’s over-coverage, this week we are back to no one bothering with us. Leading the way we have Sky Sports who have 1 minute 7 seconds of coverage and, looking at that, we should have got at least two goals. They also go on to say that our back four had given Vito Mannone little to do for most of the afternoon.

The BBC also say that we were unlucky against big-spending Forest, however also do point out that this is our fifth away game without a goal – let alone a win.

Over at Football.London which is this season’s new home for everything Reading (well apart from the The Tilehurst End), they have a load of information around the game, and similarly with the Kimberley and Eastwood Advertiser who have a good write-up of the game.

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Summary

Right, we are two games into the season, and have taken on two good sides. Let’s be realistic - if we had any points there are many people that would see that as a shock. However, good signs are there. Unlike last season the performances are there, and with Liam Moore to come back into this team, along with the loan window still being open, there are good reasons for this not all to be doom and gloom.

With what should be some easier games on the horizon, we should start seeing what Reading are made of. However, the worry as always is getting that first win. The longer it takes the harder it is to break a losing streak and this is one that needs to be broken quickly.

It’s far too early to talk about the tactics, the coach or the squad, but the results need to come. Let’s remember that it’s the start of the season and. contrary to what Leeds, Villa or Forest think, the league is won in May, not August.

Onwards and upwards - we have a break for the Carabao Cup on Tuesday so hopefully in the cup we can kick-start the season.