A Royal Reality Check

Things haven’t been going very well for the Royals recently, so I thought it was time for a reality check and a look at the future.

After two fantastic seasons, finally Reading seem to be running out of steam.

It has been pretty smooth sailing for Reading and their fans in recent years.

After a record breaking promotion run, followed by an excellent first campaign in the top flight, as a Reading fan you’d be forgiven for thinking that the Royals were practically untouchable.

Unfortunately this season has been a big reality check, for the manager, the players, the fans and hopefully the chairman, although I wouldn’t count on it, but that’s a story for another day.

Reading now find themselves just one point off the relegation zone, and are seemingly in free fall after a run of six defeats in a row.

The last time Royals won in fact was the incredible 3-1 win over Liverpool back in December.

Many will point to the dreaded second season syndrome to explain Reading’s dreadful form this season, unfortunately the problems stem much deeper than that.

A lack of ambition, or perhaps a certain amount of naivety, has sadly left the Royals with a considerably weaker side than the team that was promoted two years ago.

Steve Sidwell’s move to Chelsea is a blow that Reading have never recovered from.

With Coppell himself admitting that he believed Sidwell was not going to sign a new contract, it is astonishing that a like-for-like replacement was never lined up.

Instead, the Royals boss kept faith with Brynjar Gunnarsson, a 32 year-old fringe player. Although Bryn has always been a good, solid servant to the Royals, every man and his blind dog could see that he was not going to be able to fill the boots of Steve Sidwell.

The lack of ambition shown by the club has led to two years of positivity and hard work, perhaps completely going to waste.

Reading, waited 135 years to play in the top flight, and last season when they were given that chance, they grasped the opportunity with both hands.

The players worked hard for each other, and the free flowing football, coupled with an organised, structured side, earned the Royals a great deal of respect.

The loss of Sidwell, combined with winger Glen Little being sidelined with a long term injury, has left Reading looking disorganised and shapeless.

The no fear, die hard approach, has been replaced by a nervousness, with an air of inevitability, as the players and fans alike count down the minutes before the opposition get on the score sheet.

The enjoyment, the ambition, and perhaps most importantly the belief has gone from Reading’s game.

After two seasons of having it their own way, the Royals find themselves with an entirely new type of challenge.

It’s easy to play well when things are going your way, but now they need to play well when it matters.

The next few months will be pivotal in the future of Reading Football Club.

Relegation, and lower league obscurity could be beckoning a lá the likes of Swindon and Barnsley.

Survival, and a chance to show just how ambitious this club is, and a serious opportunity to try and reach the next level.

With thirteen games still to play, Reading are by no means doomed, but it is up to the management and perhaps even the fans, to bring back the belief and give the players a much needed confidence boost.

Between now and May, it is going to be a long, hard, relegation battle and it’s time for the fans, the management, the chairman, and more importantly the players, to stand up and be counted.