West Brom 1-1 Reading: The Alternative View

Reading followed up the Cardiff City game with a trip to another side fancied for promotion in West Brom. The #Baggies are another team that has heavily recruited in the summer, and the expectations are high.

After last season’s mauling at the Hawthorns and #ReadingFC’s record there, the Royals faithful could have approached this with trepidation, but the display put in by the team and in particular the three centre backs was a marvel to behold. They were a wall that, for 87 minutes, kept a spirited and energetic Baggies team at arm’s length.

The home fans were surprisingly complementary towards Reading’s performance on the whole, which is actually refreshing to see. However, as always the standard of refereeing was called into question, and the usual “if we can’t beat Reading at home...” does appear.

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Social

Yawn...

Um... what?

Wow I hope so!

Well they’re ambitious...

Really... maybe if they didn’t go down for a pen all the time they might get a shot on target!

Ooooooooooh

You wanna see some of the ones we have had!

Thank you!

Really, really good I think is the answer!

We are really good, never mind ‘looked’...

The penalty call that wasn’t a penalty you mean?

Awe shucks...

Austin pushed him before he got “barged over”

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Media

A little more than usual on the game, which is good as gives me something to comment on…

Starting with the highlights, Sky have a whopping 2 minutes 3 seconds of coverage - with commentary this time. As you would guess, a lot of it centres around Ejaria, but I do think he’s a little unlucky with the penalty. Their write-up is actually decent and we do get credit for the draw…

Similarly down at the BBC they seem to give the Baggies the better of it, but do redeem themselves by saying that the Baggies were grateful to get a point.

Going international for a moment and All Nigeria Soccer have a bit of coverage, mainly due to Ejaria and Ajayi playing in the same game. Not really a lot in it that’s different to Sky or BBC but hey, I will take it.

Back on these shores and Gabriel Sutton of the Football Lab has his “Six Things” column. It’s not a bad summary of the game, with him expecting us to get to the 50 point mark a lot quicker than predicted.

HITC run with the criticism that Sam Johnstone got for Ejaria scoring a worldy... Really, c’mon Baggies, there wasn’t a huge amount he could do.

Interesting side show, with The Boot Room running an article with comments from the Rangers fans around Ejaria’s performance, and the lack of it in Scotland. Maybe that’s what happens when he plays for a decent team...

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Closing thoughts

Ejaria once again delivered an attacking masterclass. Even if his lunge at the end gave the penalty away, his development has come on leaps and bounds since he first appeared at Reading and it’s a clear demonstration of the impact that Gomes and the coaching team are having on the younger players at the club.

The same can be said of Omar Richards. Now, I know that I haven’t been his biggest fan, but this 3-5-2 system suits him down to the ground, and remembering that we have Jordan Obita and Tyler Blackett to come back does demonstrate the strength we will have.

Credit also has to be given in bucket loads to the three at the back system. Gomes has obviously looked at his options and, as with putting Moore back on the left, has decided to fit the system into the players rather than the players into the system, which is something that previous Reading managers haven’t grasped.

While I don’t think that we will be challenging near the top of the league, keeping this side together and strengthening in the next two transfer windows will then turn this team hopefully into contenders.

As they say, small steps. This team has made huge progress from last season though and long may it continue!