clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Reading FC Loan Report: November 5, 2013

Well the loan report has been on hiatus for a little while but it's back with a bang as one centre back smashes in a 20-yard screamer, a midfielder makes waves in the A-League and another young defender makes a great start to life at Basingstoke.

Matthew Lewis

Michael Hector - Aberdeen (SPFL Premiership) Appearances:12 Goals: 1

Hector bounced back from an October that saw just two appearances to score a fantastic long-range strike in Aberdeen's 4-0 win over Partick on Monday night.

Hector struck from outside the box in the second half and has been highly rated by the club and their fans. Manager Derek McInnes admitted at the start of October that he was unsure if the centre-back's loan deal would be extended past January and given our recent struggles you feel Hector has a decent chance of breaking into the first team.


****

Mikkel Andersen - Randers (Danish Superliga) Appearances: 10 Clean Sheets: 1

It's been a tricky season for the young Danish goalkeeper, with Randers currently seventh out of 12 in the Danish Superliga and just three points off the relegation places. Andersen has started 10 times this season but has managed just 1 clean sheet for the struggling side.

I really hope he can come back and make an impact at Reading but right now he does seem expendable with such a glut of good young 'keepers at the Madejski Stadium.

****

Daniel Carrico - Sevilla (Liga BBVA) Appearances: 6  Goals 1

The Carricotron 2000 has recently overcome an injury (I'll hold for your surprise there..) to feature in Sevilla's last six games. Carrico has mainly been used as a defender but will want to forget a 7-3 hammering by Real Madrid that saw Bale and Ronaldo rip his team apart.

****

Nick Arnold - Wycombe Wanderers (SkyBet League Two) Appearances: 10

It's been a year of mixed fortunes so far for the 22 year old right-back who's been in and out of the Wycombe team this season, and is now missing through injury.

Fans opinion on Arnold seems to be pretty divided though recently it's sadly erred towards the negative. There's no link friendly way to represent it but go here and then type Arnold in the search box and you'll get the idea.

Still, at just 22 and in his first proper loan spell there's no reason to write him off, however given our glut of right backs it's hard to see him making a major impact with the club in the foreseeable future.

****

Matt Partridge - Basingstoke Town (Conference South) Appearances: 6 Goals: 2

I remember following Partridge's progress on last year's loan report while he was with Bognor and thinking that perhaps he could be a prospect that does well under the radar to challenge for a place back at Reading. Once again the centre back is having another promising loan season at Basingstoke, where he's scored twice in six games to help Jason Bristow's side into the Conference South Play-off Places. His only blemish was a red card against Dover at the weekend.  Having only turned 19 in October, I really do have hopes that he could be a good asset for the club in years to come.

I asked John Boyman who covers Basingstoke for the Basingstoke Gazette about Partridge and he was similarly positive.

Looks a good prospect. Quick, strong and composed on the ball. Good at linking defence and midfield.

Will probably end up a holding midfielder but he's scored a few goals in his time here. Shame he got sent off on Saturday.

He's defo the best loan player Reading have sent here recently but it's a big jump from Conference South to Championship.

****

Ryan Edwards - Perth Glory (Australian A-League) Appearances: 4 Goals 0

19-year-old Aussie Ryan Edwards has started in all four games for Perth Glory in the A-League this season, helping his side to fourth place in the early standings. Playing alongside his brother and former Royal Cameron, and managed by Dad Alistair has been getting some much needed playing time and with some good reviews from his time with Australia's Under 19's, he's another promising young midfielder that will no doubt be hoping to catch the attention of Nigel Adkins.

***

Karl Sheppard - Shamrock Rovers (League of Ireland) Appearances: 26 Goals: 5

Being a summer league, the League of Ireland has now ended, with Sheppard's side Shamrock ending the campaign in fifth place. There was good news for the striker on a personal level after he was awarded the young player of the year award. Sadly he was forced to miss the last couple of games after breaking a finger which would probably delay any return to training with the Royals.

After a bit of a miserable two years since joining Reading, I hope he gets a decent crack in training to impress Nigel Adkins and given our general lack of striking options he's now got one final crack at making it with the club before his contract expires in the summer.