Coventry City 3-2 Reading: Player Ratings

How we graded the players in a poor performance as the Royals slipped to their first league defeat of the season.

Rafael: 5

Had to do better with Coventry’s third goal, which effectively killed the game off. A long-range shot was swerving but straight at him, and his attempt to parry it was too weak to keep the shot out.

Tomas Esteves: 5

Showed some nice technical ability, but poor decision making and mostly wasteful end product. His best moment in the final third was a cross for Joao that was taken off his compatriot’s head just before he could nod it in. Lost Biamou at the back post, allowing the Coventry man to hit the crossbar from close range just before it was 2-1.

Michael Morrison: 5

Not as dominating at the back as he usually is. Caught out a little bit with the cross in the build-up to the opener, allowing the Coventry man to receive the ball and turn.

Liam Moore: 5

Nothing disastrously bad but, similar to Morrison, not as commanding as we’ve come to expect. Put in a strong block from a long-range effort in the first half.

Omar Richards: 6

One of Reading’s brighter performers on the night. Looked more confident in possession than most and pushed up on the left-hand side well.

Andy Rinomhota: 5

Not really a game for Rino. As the more advanced of Reading’s deep-lying two, he needed to get into the game higher up, but didn’t have the range of passing to do so.

Josh Laurent: 5

Caught ball watching for Gustavo Hamer’s opener - ironically, it came from the same position just outside the box as Laurent’s strike at Blackburn. Didn’t protect Reading’s defence as well as he has done previously, and didn’t offer too much progressive play when on the ball, especially given Reading’s possession.

Sone Aluko: 5

One of Reading’s brighter players in the early stages, roaming across the pitch well to pop up in different areas. Almost set up Olise with a low ball across the face of goal that the youngster didn’t attack. Faded badly in the second half, although he did force a decent save with a free kick from just outside the area.

Alfa Semedo: 5

Played as Reading’s number ten on the night but didn’t come up with enough. To be fair he’s better in a deeper position, rather than as a dedicated playmaker behind the lone striker, and because of that he looked ineffective. Lacked the guile or ideas to create chances.

Michael Olise: 5

Like Aluko, he looked brighter in the first half but faded. Almost gifted Coventry a second goal when his square pass in his own third was easily cut out. Unlucky to be taken off for Puscas in the second half given that he looked like having more creativity to unpick the home side.

Lucas Joao: 7

An odd game for Joao, who scored a brilliant individual goal but also let some great chances slip. Really should have buried a one-on-one he had in the first half just before Coventry made it 1-0, and could have got Reading back into the game late on too. Torn between a 6 and 7 because of that contrast, but I’ll round him seeing as he - albeit inadvertently - got an assist for Puscas’ consolation.

Subs

George Puscas: 6

Halved the deficit late on with a nice finish from a tight angle. Should have come on earlier to give Reading more firepower.

Tom McIntyre: 6

Didn’t have too much to do in the 10+ minutes he was on the pitch, but slotted in at centre half in Moore’s absence well enough.

Average: 5.38/10

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