Ali Al-Habsi: 5
Not much he could do about the penalty but could have done more to organise his defence for Dembele's opener, while maybe should have got a stronger hand on the attempt. On top of that, Al-Habsi made a meal of several shots straight at him that were spilt and his claiming of further corners didn't do much to inspire confidence. Hopefully just a blip for a man who's been pretty solid in 2016.
Chris Gunter: 6
Usual performance from the Wales international who had some weak moments mixed in with solid defending and useful attacking play. You pretty much know the drill with Gunter by this point.
Anton Ferdinand: 7
The best thing I can say about Anton is that I barely noticed him, which is a good thing in my book. You never had a worry when he was trying to make a tackle, his passing was solid and he didn't give away any stupid fouls. Perfect replacement for McShane and you just wish you could bank on him for 46 games.
Jake Cooper: 5
Perhaps a little harsh to give him a five but it was a very silly penalty to give away when Reading were well on top in the game. Yes he did little else wrong but it was the difference between three and a single point so he has to be marked down in my eyes. As I said in my report I'm certainly behind him in the long-term and you have to hope that the past two games would have taught him some crucial lessons going forward.
Jordan Obita: 5
I've not seen the replay yet but I've got no idea where Obita was when Fredericks was racing through one-on-one against Cooper... Jordan is fine at full-back but he's showing precious little to suggest he's ever going to be an effective player further up the pitch. His delivery from the by-line was average at best and he struggled to make anything happen on the overlap. Not an awful day at the office but we know he's got so much more in his locker.
Michael Hector: 7
If we'd won the game I'd probably bump this one up to an eight but as it is he's still part of a defensive six that have conceded two sloppy goals, so this 7.5 is getting rounded down. Individually Hector was superb, making several big interceptions and getting stuck in when given the chance. His passing was its usual hit and miss affair with delicious balls such as the one that led to the second goal mixed in with overly optimistic Hollywood long-balls.
Oliver Norwood: 6
Set pieces were average, passes were average and defensive work was average. I'll err on the side of generosity here for Olly but the question marks about his ability to influence the game enough in a midfield trio are only going to increase the more games go on without him creating opportunities from open play.
Stephen Quinn: 5
Just not Quinny's day at the office and you couldn't fault Brian for sacrificing him for Rakels. He didn't really let anyone down but like Norwood needed to do more to make things happen.
Ola John: 7
Once again Ola was the man that looked most likely to make something happen. Sure he had a sluggish first 40 but from that point on he was a constant menace and his delivery for the second goal was a joy to watch. To get through 90 minutes for the first time is also a big achievement for the winger.
Hal Robson-Kanu: 7
Not his best game by recent lofty standards but you can't argue with winning and scoring a penalty followed by a goal to put us 2-1 up. His injury just before the break is a big concern and fingers crossed he's back for Friday's cup tie.
Yann Kermorgant: 6
Again I'll be slightly generous to the Frenchman who didn't make the most of his chances but worked tirelessly to create what he could. He's really not best suited to that lone striker role and he's not had time to form any real understanding with Rakels either when he came on. We know what he's capable of but I don't think we'll see it on a regular basis in this formation.
Substitutes
Deniss Rakels: 5
An underwhelming substitute appearance for Deniss who as usual ran around a lot but didn't show the strength needed to really excel in the Championship. Went down far too easily and strayed offside too often. Early days though and hopefully there's much more to come.
Garath McCleary: 5
Where has the McCleary from two years ago gone? Garath doesn't seem to have that burst of pace or moment of trickery that made him such a dynamic and fantastic player during the 13/14 season. Injuries and a lack of regular playing time have to have played a big role but right now he's showing few reasons why he needs to be in the starting XI.
Who was YOUR man of the match? Vote in our poll at the bottom of the page, and leave your thoughts in the comments section.
Season's Ratings (click for a larger version):
