MATCHWATCH : Rotherham United (h) sponsored by not counting chickens

[Sutekh]

As much as nearly everyone was saying the trip to Villa was a nailed on away disaster for Reading people are saying the Rotherham game is a nailed on home banker. Yet, as Reading proved Saturday by upsetting the former evaluation, the unexpected does happen and usually all too frequently in the game of football.

So take nothing for granted in this one even with Rotherham's away record which currently reads played 21 and lost 20 with the other game being a draw at Ipswich in late October. And if you still want proof then remember Reading failing to beat 8 man Yeovil at home....

With the game being so soon after the Villa match knowing whether there are any more injuries for Reading to deal with is difficult and us mere fans won't know anything until kick off. Expectation though much the same as for Saturday with McShane still being out but Berg being back in contention for a place. It was also good to see Evans and Ilori make the bench so at least Jaap has some options and he will change things again, most likely returning Kermorgant and McCleary to the starting XI as well as possibly Evans in place of Mendes, Popa and Kelly.

Rotherham have doubts over Joe Newell and Lee Frecklington but have had the extra day of recovery since Friday's home draw - their first return of any points for 10 games - with Birmingham.

Referee

Taking to the middle for some high profile legislating will be Lancashire's Chris Kavanagh



13 Sep 2016 > Reading 0-0 Birmingham City
16 Aug 2015 > Reading 0-0 Leeds United

So in his short career with Reading there has been no goals scored by either team Let's hope that changes in favour of Reading

Historically

One of those fixtures that aptly proves the maxim that you tend to win at home and lose away. There have been 20 previous league games in Reading between these two and Reading do have rather the better of things with 13 wins to 1 scoring 31 and conceding 13.

Let's hope everyone is professional and doesn't take things for granted as bogging this one up would probably even eclipse the shambles that turned up at Norwich.

[Royal_jimmy]

I expect it'll be a bit of a breeze but Rotherham will be stubborn and try make it difficult. Even still I think we should approach them the same as our other home games. If we score early then it'll be a thumping win but if they frustrate us then we should stay behind the team.

We never annihilate teams anymore so will go for 3-0.

Did you know that Rotherham have never scored against us at the Mad Stad? Hope it's not an omen

[windermereROYAL]

Did you know that Rotherham have never scored against us at the Mad Stad? Hope it's not an omen

Apart from last season you mean?

[CountryRoyal]

Hard fought scrappy 1-0.

It would be so Reading to lose though.

[Royal_jimmy]

Did you know that Rotherham have never scored against us at the Mad Stad? Hope it's not an omen

Apart from last season you mean?

We won 1-0 last season

[windermereROYAL]

Did you know that Rotherham have never scored against us at the Mad Stad? Hope it's not an omen

Apart from last season you mean?

We won 1-0 last season

My bad. i was looking at the away fixture. lost 2-1

[CountryRoyal]

Apart from last season you mean?

We won 1-0 last season

My bad. i was looking at the away fixture. lost 2-1

Pretty sure the away fixture was 1-1 with the Blackman screamer, season before was the 2-1 which kept them up.

Damn you for making me remember how bad that game was.

[Hound]

To be fair to them they've stayed in games recently and not had too many thrashings. They ran Huddersfield and Fulham close recently

Still I think we'll win fairly comfortably. Good management by Stam to rest a few yesterday and we've players who can come in and freshen things up

[CountryRoyal]

To be fair to them they've stayed in games recently and not had too many thrashings. They ran Huddersfield and Fulham close recently

Still I think we'll win fairly comfortably. Good management by Stam to rest a few yesterday and we've players who can come in and freshen things up

By all accounts should have beaten Birmingham, though that's not saying a lot. Just the solitary point on the road for them all season - and that's only because it's actually legislation that the only result Ipswich are allowed to partake in is a draw.

We "should" win handsomely but I have a nagging suspicion we'll make hard work of it.

[Royal_jimmy]

We won 1-0 last season

My bad. i was looking at the away fixture. lost 2-1

Pretty sure the away fixture was 1-1 with the Blackman screamer, season before was the 2-1 which kept them up.

Damn you for making me remember how bad that game was.

I was at the 2-1 defeat too. That was funny

[strap]

The last time Rotherham beat us at EP/MS was in May 1977, 3-0. Since then they have visited us 15 times, and drawn 4, lost 11. The last time they scored at ours was a solitary goal when we won 3-1 in Sept 1992!

Of their last 11 games they have lost 10 and drawn one.

Clearly tomorrow will be a 2-0 win to Rotherham! Judas bet on correct score at Sky Bet is 50/1 - got to be worth a flutter!!

Oh, and apropos nothing at all, Steve Death holds the RFC record appearance total v Rotherham with 16, and we didn't play them ever until March 1969. Since then we've met 44 times.

[From Despair To Where?]

I actually think there's a fair bit of pressure on us in this game. It's the home banker to end all home bankers and there really won't be any excuses for not winning.

Score early and I think we will run up a big win, otherwise a scrappy, nail biting 1-0.

[CountryRoyal]

Disrespectful to refer to this one as a potential banana skin?

[seahawk10]

We got this. 2-0 to the Royals.

[Royal_jimmy]

To be fair to them they've stayed in games recently and not had too many thrashings. They ran Huddersfield and Fulham close recently

Still I think we'll win fairly comfortably. Good management by Stam to rest a few yesterday and we've players who can come in and freshen things up

They've conceded 5 twice in recent months though including 5-0 at Cardiff and 5-1 at QPR

[Royal_jimmy]

If we win today and Fulham lose then only one more point will confirm our playoff place. Meanwhile if they draw and we win then we need to better their result next Saturday to confirm our spot a few days early. I expect us to wrap up a place on Saturday

[genome]

Why am I more nervous about this game than I was about Villa?

[CountryRoyal]

If we win today and Fulham lose then only one more point will confirm our playoff place. Meanwhile if they draw and we win then we need to better their result next Saturday to confirm our spot a few days early. I expect us to wrap up a place on Saturday

Assuming we win and Fulham lose we can confirm our place today if Wednesday fail to beat QPR.

[The Informant]

I can't be arsed to go to this but i am because I'm a fan.

No doubt we'll only need one stand open for it.

Dullest good season we've ever had

[Sutekh]

If we win today and Fulham lose then only one more point will confirm our playoff place. Meanwhile if they draw and we win then we need to better their result next Saturday to confirm our spot a few days early. I expect us to wrap up a place on Saturday

If both Fulham (home to Villa) and Sheff Wed (at QPR) lose today Huddersfield and Reading will both be guaranteed a play off place irrespective of their results for the rest of the season.