MATCH THREAD: " CARDIFF CITY v READING " MATCH THREAD

CARDIFF CITY v READING
Saturday 2nd October, 3pm
Sky Bet Championship
Cardiff City Stadium 


PAY ON THE DAY FOR BOTH SETS OF FANS



Cardiff City: Smithies; McGuinness, Flint, Nelson, Brown; Bowen, Ralls, Pack; Bacuna, Moore, Giles.

Subs: Phillips, Ng, Bagan, Vaulks, Colwill, Harris, Collins.




Suddenly we have a small squad


What's the latest team news?

Joe Ralls is likely to make his return to the side after he was named on the bench for the defeat by West Brom in midweek.

The Bluebirds don't appear to have any fresh injury concerns, so Lee Tomlin and Isaac Vassell will be the only long-term absentees.





Reading 8 first team players out injured.

Meanwhile, Reading are struggling on the fitness front. Michael Morrison, Tom Holmes, Andy Rinomhota, Tom McIntyre, Femi Azeez, Lucas Joao, Yakou Meite and Felipe Araruna will all be missing.

However, Scott Dann and Liam Moore could return for the Royals.


MICK McCARTHY:


Availability for the Reading game?


"We are alright. We have a small squad of about 22 players and most of them are OK."




TEAM NEWS:


VIRTUALLY A FULL STRENGTH SQUAD

Isaac Vassell and Lee Tomlin are all still out injured and it’s now October.




Can I stream or watch the match on TV?

Available to watch on Cardiff City TV outside of the UK.

The Opposition's Manager - Veljko Paunovic

Veljko Paunovic has been in charge of Reading since last summer. He almost led them to an unexpected play-off place last season.

Before being at Reading, he spent four years as manager at Chicago Fire. He led them to the play-offs in 2017, for the first time in five years.

While in America, he also took charge of the MLS All-Stars in their game against Real Madrid on 2017.

At the start of his coaching career, the Serbian had managed several different levels of his National Team's youth squads.

He managed the Serbian U20 team at the 2015 U20 World Cup and won the competition.

Opposition Dangerous Players  

John Swift has seven goals and five assists in the league this season so is the obvious danger.

Swift, who is in his sixth season with Reading, recently scored a hattrick against QPR.

Previous Meeting 

We drew 1-1 at Reading in April.

Team News - Predicted Line-Ups

Cardiff City: Phillips, McGuinness, Flint, Morrison, Nelson, Brown, Vaulks, Pack, Bacuna, Giles, Collins

Reading: Southwood, Tetek, Yiadom, Laurent, Baba, Dele-Bashiru, Drinkwater, Halilovic, Ejaria, Swift, Puscas

Form - Last Three Competitive Games

Cardiff City 0-4 West Bromwich Albion
Blackburn Rovers 5-1 Cardiff City
Cardiff City 0-1 AFC Bournemouth

Derby County 1-0 Reading
Reading 1-0 Middlesbrough
Fulham 1-2 Reading

Match Odds

Cardiff City - 6/5
Reading - 23/10
Draw - 23/10

Predictions

Post your predictions below 

McCarthy has to win this to keep his job. Even at this early stage of the season I think this game is pivotal. Lose this and we are very much heading into a relegation fight all season. If we score first we will get something from the game, if we go a goal down the atmosphere will be toxic and can't see the players recovering. Sadly it has 0 v 2 written all over it for me and the end of McCarthy.

TEAM NEWS:


VIRTUALLY A FULL STRENGTH SQUAD

Isaac Vassell and Lee Tomlin are all still out injured and it’s now October.

Suddenly we have a small squad





MICK McCARTHY:


Availability for the Reading game?


"We are alright. We have a small squad of about 22 players and most of them are OK."

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Big performance needed today

What's the latest team news?

Joe Ralls is likely to make his return to the side after he was named on the bench for the defeat by West Brom in midweek.

The Bluebirds don't appear to have any fresh injury concerns, so Lee Tomlin and Isaac Vassell will be the only long-term absentees.








Meanwhile, Reading are struggling on the fitness front. Michael Morrison, Tom Holmes, Andy Rinomhota, Tom McIntyre, Femi Azeez, Lucas Joao, Yakou Meite and Felipe Araruna will all be missing.

However, Scott Dann and Liam Moore could return for the Royals.

Cardiff City manager Mick McCarthy:

"We all get a bit wrapped up in what’s needed. We need a performance that we can be proud of and the fans can be proud of. That helps to start turn things around.

"If we don’t and we get beaten it will be the same again and we’ll all be under pressure. I fully understand that. But that doesn't concern me prior to the game.

"I’m looking forward to the game and we can play well, that's what we are aiming for. We want to win the game.









Reading manager Veljko Paunović:


"We dropped points [against Derby] and we have struggled on the road, but we have to brush it off our shoulders immediately. The hardest thing was to recover the confidence and the style of play. And we recovered that with our recent performances.

"So the damage that this loss does is less. But we know we have to pick up immediately, refocus as soon as possible, because we have another opportunity to earn points on Saturday in Cardiff."

What are the latest betting odds?




Cardiff 1/1

Draw 12/5


Reading 14/5

Match facts:



In all competitions, Cardiff are winless in 11 games against Reading (D7 L4) since a 2-0 home win in November 2015 in the Championship.


Reading are looking to win consecutive away league matches against Cardiff for the first time since October 1988.


Cardiff have lost their last four league games, as many as they had in their previous 28 in the Championship.



Despite beating Fulham 2-1 in September, only Peterborough (0) have earned fewer points away from home in the Championship this season than Reading (3).


Half of Cardiff’s 18 league goals conceded this season have come in their last two games, losing 5-1 at Blackburn and 4-0 at home to West Brom.

Reading have sold over 1,200 tickets

Morrison injured / Kieffer Moore starts

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My only concern, and to me it's as plain as the nose on your face. We have a CB and a Midfielder playing at Wing backs. We have two natural wing backs on the bench??

My only concern, and to me it's as plain as the nose on your face. We have a CB and a Midfielder playing at Wing backs. We have two natural wing backs on the bench??

They are not playing as wingbacks they are playing as fullbacks which they are both very good at

My only concern, and to me it's as plain as the nose on your face. We have a CB and a Midfielder playing at Wing backs. We have two natural wing backs on the bench??

They are not playing as wingbacks they are playing as fullbacks which they are both very good at

Ps they are both center halfs none are midfielders

My only concern, and to me it's as plain as the nose on your face. We have a CB and a Midfielder playing at Wing backs. We have two natural wing backs on the bench??

They are not playing as wingbacks they are playing as fullbacks which they are both very good at

Ps they are both center halfs none are midfielders

I'm thinking 3 at the back with Brown and Bowen as wing backs me? If your going 442, then it's gotta be Nelson and Brown as full backsof which I would say neither are capable.

My only concern, and to me it's as plain as the nose on your face. We have a CB and a Midfielder playing at Wing backs. We have two natural wing backs on the bench??

They are not playing as wingbacks they are playing as fullbacks which they are both very good at

Ps they are both center halfs none are midfielders

I'm thinking 3 at the back with Brown and Bowen as wing backs me? If your going 442, then it's gotta be Nelson and Brown as full backsof which I would say neither are capable.

Man of the match on Tuesday was Mguinness

We playing a back 5 or 4? Csnt work it out.

BLUEBIRDS

A minute's applause for Len Ashurst
There will be a minute's applause held for Len Ashurst before today's match.

The former Bluebirds manager sadly passed away last week.

Another virtual empty stadium

Over 1,500 Reading fans

Ejaria flicks it past Flint and the defender has to claw his way back to make a last-ditch tackle before the Royals man pulled the trigger.

Bacuna has a shot from the ocrner of the box but it is blocked. It falls to Brown but his cross is collected.

Giles hots the byline and sends in a cross, but Moore cannot get on the end of it.

Nice start for City.

We need a goal as we are yet to score a first half goal in the Championship this season

Smithies rolls the ball out to Marlon Pack and there are ironic cheers from the Canton Stand...

CARDIFF CITY v READING
Saturday 2nd October, 3pm
Sky Bet Championship
Cardiff City Stadium 






Can I stream or watch the match on TV?

Available to watch on Cardiff City TV outside of the UK.

:

Except in the USA where you need ESPN+ today if you have it, if there's anyone besides me watching from there.

Yiadom sends in an awkward cross and McGuinness has to chest behind for a corner.

Moore clears for City though.

My only concern, and to me it's as plain as the nose on your face. We have a CB and a Midfielder playing at Wing backs. We have two natural wing backs on the bench??

They are not playing as wingbacks they are playing as fullbacks which they are both very good at

Ps they are both center halfs none are midfielders

I'm thinking 3 at the back with Brown and Bowen as wing backs me? If your going 442, then it's gotta be Nelson and Brown as full backsof which I would say neither are capable.

Man of the match on Tuesday was Mguinness

Bacuna lofts a cross in from the left and Moore gets a head on it, but it balloons over the bar. Goal kick.

Terrific defensive work from Pack. He loses the ball in the middle but tracks Puscas all the way before sliding in to dispossess him.

Smithies then throws the ball out to Ralls on the left, which is met with more cheers from the supporters!