Stats Corner: Reading’s Season So Far In Numbers

The first block of fixtures are done, with Reading firmly in mid-table after a solid but unspectacular start to the season. As a bit of fun, and because I need things to write about while we’re on an international break, I’ve had a look for some of the more interesting Royals-related stats from the campaign so far.

Unless stated otherwise, all the numbers below come from WhoScored. You can find Reading’s page on that website here, and the Championship here. Note that there’s a minimum appearances filter for all of the player-related stats from WhoScored (except ‘100’) as follows: “Only players with total appearances greater than the average number of appearances in Championship are displayed.”

1.3 - Reading’s goals per game rate is significantly up on Jose Gomes’ spell last season (0.91) and 2018/19 as a whole (1.06).

1.7 - Liam Moore is joint-third for most blocks per game in the Championship.

3.3 - No player in the division dribbles more (per game) than Ovie Ejaria.

3.4 - Only three players shoot more often per game than George Puscas. Jarrod Bowen, Patrick Bamford and Sergi Canos are all on 3.7.

3.6 - Lucas Joao controls the ball badly more often than any other Championship player.

4 - John Swift is tied with Jonny Williams of Charlton Athletic at the top of the Championship’s assists table.

Photo by Bradley Collyer/PA Images via Getty Images

5 - The number of competitive minutes Andrija Novakovich was given before being sold to Frosinone Calcio. All came in the 3-1 defeat to Sheffield Wednesday.

6.6 - Michael Morrison makes the third most clearances per game in the Championship.

7 - No second-tier side has been booked fewer times than Reading. Stoke City and Brentford are also on 7 yellow cards.

10 - The number of first-team signings Reading made in the summer. That’s the third-biggest intake in one summer transfer window in the last 10 years. 2015/16 and 2016/17 were first and second respectively.

11.7 - Reading are top of the league for dribbles per game - driven in particular by Ejaria (3.3) and Andy Yiadom (2).

23 - John Swift has made more chances than anyone else in the Championship. Leeds United’s Mateusz Klich is next on 17.

28 - Reading have used this number of players in all competitions so far. That includes one academy debut (Akin Odimayo) and two squad members that left the club after making an appearance on opening day (Andrija Novakovich and Modou Barrow).

50.3 - Despite Jose Gomes’ reputation as a possession-oriented manager, Reading come 15th for average possession.

55 - Josh Barrett registers a goal or assist just under each hour he plays. Having set up Yakou Meite on the opening day of the season, he scored twice against Plymouth Argyle in the League Cup (Transfermarkt).

60.3 - The percentage of Reading’s 2018/19 squad that was still on the books for this season - calculated by league minutes.

Ben Mayhew (Experimental361)

80.5 - Only four sides pass the ball more accurately than Reading. Our average is beaten by Fulham, West Brom, Leeds United and Derby County.

100 - Michael Olise is one of 11 second-tier players to have completed every single one of their passes, although none of them have played more than 40 minutes. While the other 10 only made a few passes, Olise completed 17 in 25 minutes against Sheffield Wednesday.

540 - Liam Moore is the only member of the squad to play every minute of Reading’s league campaign so far.

703 - The number of days Jordan Obita was out injured for - between the ill-fated game against Hull City and his return at Plymouth Argyle.

728 - Reading’s win at Huddersfield Town put them into the top half of the table for the first time in almost two years.