Sheffield Wednesday 0-0 Reading: Player Ratings

Emiliano Martinez: 7

The only thing preventing our new goalkeeper from getting a higher score was that he wasn’t tested as much in the second half than in the first. That said his first 45 minutes was up there with the best goalkeeper performances for Reading this season. Everything was handled with such great composure. You cannot underestimate how important his save on 45 minutes was - a goal then and we could have been looking at this game very differently.

Andy Yiadom: 6

Ok so this is the start of a lot of 6/10s you’re going to see. But in truth it was just a 6/10 performance from both teams today. Yiadom attacked well and defended well at times, but at others he got caught out in his own half, played the odd poor pass and wasted a few attacking opportunities. Consistently average day for him.

Liam Moore: 7

I think you’ve got to give your centre back a 7/10 minimum if he helps get a clean sheet away from home. Solid and cleaned up the majority of Wednesday attacks. You can’t say he put an obvious foot wrong and at the end of the day got his job done.

Matt Miazga: 7

See again for Moore. He was part of a defence which looked pretty comfortable for the second game in a row. Wednesday looked threatening until they reached the box, and this was down to great typical centre-back work from the US international and his partner in crime today. He got the basics right and didn’t let his loose pass in the first minute get to him - something Tiago Ilori might have done.

Tyler Blackett: 6

I toyed with giving him a 7 as his defensive duties (until he let the cross reach Reach in the 93rd min due to not closing down quickly enough) were done effectively and efficiently. There were no “Blackett” uh-oh moments. He’s matured, and it’s important for him to have another solid game under his belt. That coming at a ground where, nine months ago, he got himself stupidly sent off, this match demonstrates how he’s grown into his role at the club.

Lewis Baker: 6

A lot of opportunities fell to him and on another day he could have been the goalscoring hero who clinched three points. He broke up play well with Rinomhota and when he got the ball moving in the centre of the park, that saw Reading play some of their best football. It wasn’t consistent enough though and he faded in and out of the game just as much as the next player.

Andy Rinomhota: 6

His solid, understated best. He doesn’t have bad games, only good and average ones, but that solidity is crucial to a team fighting relegation. He goes unnoticed at times but in his role that’s hardly a bad thing.

Garath McCleary: 6

He didn’t do badly enough to warrant a 5 but, at the same time, you didn’t feel his presence on the field was going to be the key that unlocked the Wednesday defence. Not surprising to see him subbed off first but not for want of trying.

Modou Barrow: 6

Surprise! Another 6. You wanted him to cross more but then again who was there to really cross at? He helped drive Reading forward at times and give impetus to our attacks and counters, stretching the defence. Wasted a great chance in the first half and, had he squared it to McCleary, then both players may have been getting 7s. He didn’t and they ultimately get the scores they deserved. Not bad, not great.

Sone Aluko: 6

A pattern emerging here... in the first half as the false nine, he hassled and harried the Wednesday defence when they had the ball - it was great to see and proof that a new Aluko is born. He wasn’t quite cutting enough when he got the ball despite good movement off it. You can’t fault his effort, something that you could previously do in bucketloads. Revolutionised as a player? Not quite. Vastly improved? Yes.

John Swift: 7

I’m giving him a seven as I saw the best of Reading’s attacking play come through him at some point or another. He created space, turned and twisted and moved with the ball in a way that you could see that he wanted to get the game moving in Reading’s favour. Yes, he didn’t quite do enough but I thought this was up there with the better Swift performances this season. Wasteful with set pieces though...

Subs

Yakou Meite: 5

Almost won it when a Wednesday defender sloppily played him in. He couldn’t do much better with his chance though as great quick thinking from Westwood getting out to another the shot meant he realistically couldn’t do much more.

Jon Dadi Bodvarsson: 5

Not utilised enough. He came on at a time when Reading had seemed to accept a draw so found chances at a premium. One good run in injury time, but a lack of support saw the chance go begging. Can’t help but think that we might have done better had he started though.

Callum Harriott: 5

Just not effective enough. A shame but if he continues building up his game in cameos then hopefully he’ll be able to improve overall. However, more performances like that and it would be difficult to see him as part of Gomes’ plans next season should we stay up. Had a great chance to play in Barrow but didn’t look up after a many run which went on a little too long.

Referee: 9

OK I’m going to rate the ref, partly because they don’t get praised enough. He oversaw the game really well and every decision was the right one. He let the game flow and wasn’t really noticeable. After the ref’s performance last weekend it was a breath of fresh air to get a referee who did exactly what’s required of them.

Average: 6.07

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