Recap: Quite A Week

Two wins. The manager’s stayed. Two players off. Five points off the top with a game in hand. All in a week’s work for our boys.

Reading 1-0 Burnley
A week ago on Friday, we faced Burnley on Sky Sports at the Madejski. Fortunately, it was a cracking game for the cameras, with chances flying at either end. Federici once more was outstanding, and has had me stumped for words. I want to write something bad about him, but the guy’s just fucking brilliant. He kept out Charlie Austin and Jay Rodriguez twice, and ensured we kept the slender win. Up the other end Jason Roberts did his thang, scoring a third in four games. He’s yet to score a clean goal though, they’ve all been scuffed, but hey. Jobi and Jimmy ran the wings, and we ran the game out. Fantastic.

McDermott to Wolves
I was so sure that our Brian would stay that I rather confidently claimed on Twitter I’d pass a pint glass around Y26 and drink the pissy contents if he left. Imagine my rather increasing heartrate then when odds were slashed to as low as 2/1 for him come Tuesday night. There were differing reports from across the country’s media, but it was announced on Thursday that Brian had signed a new three-and-a-half year deal, and that the club had been working on this for a few weeks. Contrary to some reports, he hadn’t travelled up to Molineux to speak with Wolves, and cryptically, Brian claimed Anton Zingarevich said something to him which convinced him to stay. Maybe he promised Brian a slice of his wife, we’ll never know. It’s excellent news nevertheless, McDermott’s skills should not be underestimated.

Loaned out
Are our boys Michail Antonio and Mathieu Manset. Antonio has gone to League One challengers Sheffield Wednesday, made his debut in the Steel City Derby and was involved in the winning goal. Good lad. Manset’s loan is slightly different. He’s gone off to Shanghai Shenhua for the rest of the season, to join Nicolas Anelka in attack. Who’d have thunk it? The loaned fee is rumoured to be around £750k, more than we paid to get him from Hereford. Brian has admitted Manny was keen for the move, and I’m happy with it. He won’t get a look in here, and if there’s a possibility for a permanent deal at the end of it, take it and run.

Middlesborough 0-2 Reading
Oh my word. Don’t tell anyone, but automatic promotion isn’t a mere dream anymore. We’re five points off Southampton at the top with a game in hand. Occupation of third position is giddy, but there’s still only 4 points keeping us in the playoffs. However, the game on Saturday epitomised the winning philosophy of the team. We were beaten for possession, and probably chances on target, but Hunt and Harte gave us an invaluable win against a team that also has a decent chance of going up this year. A long corner knocked back by Pearce allowed Hunt to poke the ball into the net early on. Federici once more was fantastic, getting his body behind several long efforts from the ‘Boro players. The game was of a high intensity, and we dug in until Harte had an opportunity from 30 yards which he duly took. 2-0 away was no mean feat, and I just keep thinking of Norwich last year. C’mon boys.

Category: Game Recaps