Can Reading bounce back from the 3-0 mauling against Bolton last weekend, Steve Coppell will certainly be hoping to. A morale boasting, all be it extremely hard fought Carling Cup win during the week will have helped.
Reading have made a good start to the season, even if the League table might not show this. Not much separates Reading and West Ham, so this will be a hard fought match, and West Ham will be looking for revenge after last season’s 6-0 drubbing.
Vital Quotes:
West Ham goalkeeper Rob Green “I’ve conceded 11 goals in two games and three minutes and ruptured my groin once in the past three occasions I’ve played there.
“But it’s a good chance to put something to bed and it’s just one of those things
“It just so happens that the past three occasions I’ve played there haven’t been too great for me.
‘In the bigger scheme of things it’s another away game and a tough game at that. I’m sure once the game starts that’ll all be gone and forgotten.”
Reading manager Steve Coppell “That result (6-0 win over West Ham last season) was totally unexpected. We’d had Man Utd and Chelsea in the previous games, so you don’t expect that from the third game jammed in like that. But that’s the beauty of football.
“In many ways we don’t want to talk about it, it won’t be any help to us.
“If anything, it’s a hindrance, a huge motivation for West Ham and everyone playing that day.”
Reading Team News:
Murty’s hamstring and Shorey, after a knee injury, both look like returning, but West Ham are still trying to sign Shorey. Long is a doubt again and Ki-Hyeon, Oster and Little are out.
Player to watch: Leroy Lita
Lita returned for a cameo rule last weekend, and started and virtually finished the Carling Cup win, scoring the only goal of the match. Lita is always a danger so will be again.
West Ham Team News:
Ashton is back in the West Ham squad, but Dyer’s broken leg will see him our for the season. Ljungberg and Parker are still likely to miss out.
Player to watch: Craig Bellamy
The Welshman scored his first West Ham goal last week, so that might open the floodgates, just hopefully not this weekend.
Match Facts & Stats
Reading have not suffered back-to-back defeats in 10 Premier League matches, so after defeat to Bolton last week they will be looking to keep this record in tact.
West Ham have never won at Reading, and are yet to score a Premier League goal against them, so these will be a further two facts Reading will also want to keep in tact.
Ref Watch:
Howard Webb (Yorkshire)
Match Prediction:
We will not see another 6-0 Reading win, but Reading could win this match, and will certainly believe they can, so I will go for a Reading win.
Next Fixtures
Sunderland @ the Stadium of Light a week Saturday, 15:00, after the international break.
It wont be another 6-0, but there will be goals. Reading will win though.
Or not…
Indeed, or maybe not. Credit to West Ham you totally deserved to win, and it could have easily been a reversal of last seasons 6-0 thumping you lot got.