Reading 0-0 Bolton

Preview: Reading v Bolton

Reading v Bolton Wanderers
Sky Bet Championship
Saturday 6 December 2014
Kick-Off 3pm

SETTING THE SCENE 

Having gone through November unbeaten, Bolton Wanderers travel to Reading this weekend eager to continue their recent run and make amends for last season’s forgettable day at the Madejski Stadium.

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Following a seven-game winless run, the Royals’ form has improved in recent weeks after successive home victories against Blackpool and Rotherham United. However, that was followed by subsequent back-to-back defeats against Charlton Athletic and Cardiff City.

Yet Reading head into the weekend’s fixture having tasted victory in their last match away at Norwich City, ensuring Neil Lennon’s side will not underestimate their opponents heading into Saturday’s tie.

TEAM NEWS

Kevin McNaughton (hamstring) continues to be troubled by injury and will once again miss out.

Adam Bogdan (finger) and David Wheater (back) are both available, having come through 90 minutes unscathed for the Under-21s against Middlesbrough on Monday night.

Mark Davies (knee) and Marc Tierney (leg) remain long-term absentees.

LAST READING XI (v Norwich City, W 2-1)

Federici, Gunter, Kelly, Hector, Cooper, Norwood, Robson-Kanu, Obita, McCleary (Taylor 67), Williams (Blackman 84), Murray (Ferdinand 89)

ONE TO WATCH

Having seen Adam Le Fondre depart for Cardiff City in the summer, Reading chose former Royal Simon Cox as the man they wanted to replace the prolific marksman.

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The Republic of Ireland started his career with the Reading, but joined Swindon Town in January 2008 following a successful loan move.

Signing for West Bromwich Albion in July 2009, Cox helped the Baggies win promotion to the Premier League in his first season with the club, before later leaving for Nottingham Forest in August 2012.

Now back at the Madejski Stadium, Cox has enjoyed an impressive start to his second stint with the Royals, scoring seven goals in 18 league appearances.

MEMORABLE MEETING (Bolton Wanderers 4-3 Reading, 29 May 1995)

The most famous meeting between these two sides came in the 1995 Play-Off Final at Wembley, with promotion to the Premier League up for grabs.

Wanderers found themselves 2-0 down early on after goals from Lee Nogan and Adrian Williams, while Stuart Lovell had also missed a penalty for the Royals just after the hour-mark.

Buoyed by the introduction of Fabian de Freitas as half-time, the Whites fought back however with Owen Coyle halving the deficit with 15 minutes left on the clock, before de Freitas scored a dramatic late equaliser 10 minutes later.

Mixu Paatelainen but Bolton ahead for the first time on the day in the 105th minute, while de Freitas notched his second with just two minutes to go to firmly put the Trotters in the driving seat.

And while there was time for Reading player-manager Jimmy Quinn to net a late consolation, Wanderers held on to secure a famous victory.

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Neil Lennon prepared for Reading test

Ahead of Wanderers’ trip to the Madejski Stadium this weekend, Neil Lennon is confident that his side have all the motivation they need to leave Berkshire with a positive result come full time on Saturday afternoon.

With Wanderers in fine form of late heading into the clash, the manager also believes that there will be an added incentive for a number of players who were involved in last season’s heavy defeat against the Royals.

“The players need to use last year’s result as motivation,” he said in his pre-match press conference. “They need to use the pain and that hurt that I’m sure they had after that game to go there and get a result.

“We are a different team now though. A week is a long time in football, and a year is a lifetime.

“If they need any actual motivation, it will be the fact that Reading are there and there abouts with us in the league table, so this is as big a game as it was last week against Huddersfield.”

The manager also praised his players for their effort in recent weeks, with Lennon pleased by the collective displays of his team of late.

“What has pleased me recently is the commitment of the team,” said Lennon. “They’ve thrown their bodies at things at times and we’re finishing games very well.

“We dominated the last half hour against Huddersfield last time out – I was perhaps a little bit harsh on reflection after the game because in hindsight I thought we played very well, but I’m wanting more.

“In terms of possession, we’re well ahead of the opposition in the last four or five games and I want us to be a little bit more creative in the final third to make more of the possession that we’re having.”

He continued: “We are getting the wins now that we desperately needed, while in terms of performances we have been pleased, particularly with our home form.

“Our away form though has to improve - if we are to have any realistic ambitions of making the play-offs, we need to start winning games away from home.

“That isn’t easy in this division, and what I’ve found in this division is how tight it is,” he explained. “There really is nothing between the teams, so any point or win away from home will be precious going forward.

“I expect Reading to be turning their fortunes around as the season goes on, especially with the manager they have, but hopefully that won’t start against us after their good win at Norwich.

“We have real motivation for the game – we’re trying to look up the table now, but we know it can change very quickly and we’re not getting ahead of ourselves.

“We’ve always tried to instill that mentality, and although we are now winning games, teams around us are doing so as well. It’s such an unpredictable league, so to find a little bit of consistency is good.”

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Lonergan, Vela, Mills, Dervite, Ream, Pratley, Danns, Feeney, Clayton, Lee, C Davies 

subs: Bogdan, Moxey, Spearing, Mason, Hall, Wheater, Wilkinson

Reading: Federici, Gunter (C), Kelly, Cooper, Hector, Williams, Norwood, Obita, McCleary, Robson-Kanu, Murray

subs: Andersen, Cummings, Pearce, Tshibola, Taylor, Blackman, Cox

Is Wheater still out injured?

bwfc1874 wrote:Directed at the BN by the way not you Karly.

I know what you mean mate.

karlypants wrote:Is Wheater still out injured?

He's on the bench, so I'm guessing not. Bellend.

Natasha Whittam wrote:

karlypants wrote:Is Wheater still out injured?

He's on the bench, so I'm guessing not. Bellend.

I think I'm going blind!

karlypants wrote:

Natasha Whittam wrote:

karlypants wrote:Is Wheater still out injured?

He's on the bench, so I'm guessing not. Bellend.

I think I'm going blind!

Thats because your a little WANKER.

good to see Wilkinson on the bench

A decent point overall. Before the game I'd have been happy with a draw. I just can't help feeling a bit disappointed that we still can't seem to finish our chances and that the ref blew two very big calls, one in each half that should have gone our way. Oh well, after last season's massacre this is a huge improvement. Get a genuine goalscorer in and I think we'd be a top six side for sure.

Played quite well at times, rode our luck at times, still really lacking quality in the final third but we're much better in possession under Lennon already. Vela, Clayton and Connor Wilko all had decent games which bodes well.

Report: Reading 0-0 Bolton

IN BRIEF

Bolton Wanderers posted a point and extended their unbeaten run to five games following a stalemate against Reading at the Madejski Stadium.

After a pedestrian opening half, the game’s best chances came after the interval.

Tim Ream, Darren Pratley and Max Clayton all had half-chances to break the deadlock, whilst the hosts had a goal disallowed.

But in the end both sides were forced to settle for a share of the spoils on a bitterly cold afternoon in Berkshire.

TEAM NEWS

Neil Lennon named the exact same starting line-up for the third game on the spin.

Eidur Gudjohnsen did travel with the squad, but didn’t make the bench with the club still awaiting his international clearance.

FIRST HALF

Bolton saw much of the ball in the early throes, with Lee Chung-Yong and Clayton very much at the forefront of some neat attacking play, but it was the hosts who engineered the game’s first clear chance.

From a Jordan Obita corner, the ball was flicked onto the back post where Glenn Murray backpedalled before heading over the bar.

One bright moment in an otherwise cagey opening half came on 33 minutes.

After a couple of full-blooded challenges in the middle of park from Neil Danns and Pratley, Bolton assumed possession in the shape of Lee.

The South Korean dropped a shoulder to escape the attentions of Chris Gunter and was then sent tumbling on the whitewash of the penalty area – nothing given much to the frustration of the Bolton bench.

Then, with half time fast approaching, Reading once again threatened from a corner kick.

Oliver Norwood’s kick was swung into the area, with a period of pinball ensuing that saw a goal-bound shot from just six yards out blocked by a Reading jersey. Murray’s follow up was closed down by a series of scrambling Bolton defenders.

SECOND HALF

Within minutes of the second period Murray had the ball in the Bolton net following Michael Hector’s knock down, only for an offside flag to cut short the home side’s celebrations.

That disallowed goal seemed to spark the game into life.

From a corner kick Ream’s header worked Adam Federici following Dorian Dervite’s flick on, whilst up the other end Hector lashed wide when unmarked in the Bolton area.

Reading upped the ante and within the space of a minute from two short corners twice came close.

First, Andrew Lonergan superbly flung himself right to tip Murray’s header over the bar before Hector looped a back post header onto the roof of the net.

Conor Wilkinson was then introduced for his senior league debut, taking the place of Craig Davies.

Bolton improved after that period and on the hour mark carved out two opportunities from the right channel.

Some nifty footwork from Clayton saw him skip away from Gunter and fizz a dangerous ball across the face of goal.

And from a similar position Pratley was released by Lee, though his shot skidded marginally wide of the far post.

As the game entered its final stages, both sides committed men forward in an attempt to secure all three points.

Late on Lonergan superbly palmed away Danny Williams’ deflected shot from distance, but ultimately the game would end goalless.

FULL TIME

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I predicted 1-0 to them so I'm happy with a point.  We had more of the play overall but they looked more dangerous going forward. Nowt to complain about. Just lacking some quality at the moment. Now Lennon just needs time and the all important cash to spend.

Lonergan excellent; defence sound; midfield neat, though CYL the only truly creative one; attack toothless. 

In general, very impressed with how much more composed we look on the ball now, with Lon rolling it out to defenders who look assured in possession. Midfield is similarly strong in the tackle and accurate when passing (even Pratley!). Yesterday, though, our attackers were insipid and out-muscled, snatching at the few chances that came along. 

An even game overall and a fair result. The most pleasing thing is the improvement in general play under NL and the way he has built confidence by finding appropriate roles that play to the strengths of each individual.