Vote For Your October 2019 Player Of The Month

October was a month of change for Reading, as Jose Gomes was ditched after 10 months as manager and replaced by Mark Bowen who made the leap from his sporting director role.

The first two games of the month, Gomes’s final two fixtures, ended in defeats to Fulham and Bristol City. While Reading were convincingly and deservedly beaten 4-1 by a clinical Cottagers side, they were perhaps unlucky to walk away from Ashton Gate empty-handed.

The start of Bowen’s reign meanwhile has been rather positive, in comparison to the vitriolic reaction to his appointment. Victory was secured in the 98th minute in his opening game against Preston, before the Royals twice came from behind to secure a 2-2 draw at QPR. There was of course meant to be a fifth game in October, but last weekend’s visit to Nottingham Forest was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.

So based on our player ratings from the four games played, we’ve put together the below four-man shortlist for October’s Player of the Month. We’ve excluded those who played fewer than three games so that it’s only those who appeared regularly that are in contention.

In alphabetical order...

Ovie Ejaria

Average rating: 6.50 (4 appearances)

Man of the match awards: Bristol City A (1st), Preston H (1st), QPR A (1st)

Oozes class. Named our Player of the Month in August, Ejaria was back to his brilliant best in October as he picked up the Man of the Match award in three of the four matches to take his tally to the season to five. The Liverpool loanee dictated the play against Bristol City and Preston with his slick footwork and excellent passing range, proving to be Reading’s best creative threat throughout. Against QPR, he assisted George Puscas’s goal with a delightful through ball that signified his quality.

Yakou Meite

Average rating: 5.67 (3 appearances)

Man of the match awards: Fulham H (1st), Bristol City A (3rd)

Photo by Alex Davidson/Getty Images

Earned three starts in a row for the first time this season, and showed why he is still a valuable option to have in the squad. No other Reading player has more goals than Meite this season, who netted his fourth of the campaign against Fulham. While it may have been a consolation with the game long over, it was a thunderbolt of a strike that will definitely be a goal of the season contender. Despite chances not being at a premium, you can’t fault Meite’s work rate whenever he plays.

Matt Miazga

Average rating: 5.67 (3 appearances)

Man of the match awards: Bristol City A (2nd), Preston H (3rd)

Miazga was the only member of Reading’s backline not to be part of the horror showing against Fulham, so that instantly makes him October’s best defender. QPR performance aside, he was solid upon his return to the team and is definitely the Royals’ best option in the right centre-back slot in a back three. Grabbed his first goal for the club in dramatic style, scoring the winner in the 98th minute against Preston to spark scenes of wild scenes of celebration in Mark Bowen’s first game in charge.

Andy Yiadom

Average rating: 6.25 (4 appearances)

Man of the match awards: Preston H (2nd), QPR A (2nd)

Photo by Zac Goodwin/EMPICS/PA Images via Getty Images

Came second in September’s poll, so will be hoping to go one better on this occasion. After being exposed on multiple occasions against Fulham, Yiadom was noticeably better defensively for the rest of the month whilst still retaining his attacking threat. The Ghanaian international is one of Reading’s most creative outlets, with his constant runs up and down the right flank unlucky not to end in a goal or assist before he eventually provided the cross for Sam Baldock’s equaliser against QPR.

Vote for your player of the month

Use the poll below to vote for your October 2019 player of the month. If it doesn’t show up, you can go through this link right here.