Alarm Bells Ring at Reading

“You don`t what you`re doing!” That refrain seems to have been heard often at football grounds this season. Bolton fans were the first, as Sammy Lee brought off Andy O`Brien at Birmingham. Next up, were the pot bellied hordes at Newcastle, enraged that Sam Allardyce`s side weren`t playing like Brazil. How we laughed! Reading supporters were the latest on Saturday. The taunt was directed at the match officials, who it was felt should have ruled Bolton`s second goal offside, but it could just as well have applied to the home team.

The visitors` goals were well taken. Kevin Nolan showed much improved pace and agility to get on the end of Kevin Davies`s header and Heidar Helguson finished neatly (from an onside position) but it`s fair to say that both players benefitted from slack marking.

It seems a far cry from last season. Then, Reading passed the ball well, got players forward to support attacks and put plenty of men behind the ball when losing possession. In short, the basics were right. At the weekend, whilst they enjoyed periods of dominance at the start of each half, attacking ideas were in short supply. Ultimately, Bolton`s victory was comfortable.

Things will be more relaxed at the Reebok. Whilst there is still work to do, there`s a feeling that a corner has been turned with the first away victory of the season, especially as it comes at the expense of a fellow struggler. Gretar Steinsson has settled in more quickly than foreign players usually do in English football, and Gary Cahill`s debut was more than promising. In attack, El Hadji Diouf is back from the Africa Cup of Nations, and Ricardo Vaz Te and Helguson have recovered from long-term injury. Whilst neither of the latter two come close to compensating for the loss of Nicolas Anelka, at least there`ll be competition amongst the strikers. The game at the weekend against Portsmouth will be pivotal. A loss and the Wanderers will still be looking over their shoulder. The first back-to-back victory since last Easter and the side can at last look upwards.