Five Things From Reading’s Tale Of Two Halves Against Burton Albion
Reading looked more comfortable before the break against Burton than after it, but still got the win over the line, as Bobbins writes.
Slippers
On paper this fixture would have one where three points would have been expected, we can’t pretend otherwise. A struggling Burton Albion team that hadn’t won a single game this season should easily be put to the sword, right?
Well, yes and no. In some regard it was almost a neat and tidy, pipe and slippers type game until we conceded a somewhat sloppy consolation goal near the end.
It was a distinct tale of two halves where we blew Burton away in the first half but struggled to find the fluidity in the second. That said, we still had some very decent performances and from some unlikely sources, too.
Dividends
Up until now, Chem Campbell has had a shaky start to his career with the Royals. Neither doing anything outstanding to get fans off their feet but not downright awful either. He rectified that with two well taken goals, the second being the pick of the bunch that was very much in the mould of what the rest of the team have been pulling off since the ideas of Ruben Selles have proved dividends.
Otherwise, there were a few glimpses here and there of him that hopefully show he’s starting to settle in. If he can continue to put himself in good positions that garner more goals, then who’s to quibble?
The only negative, and this isn’t solely an issue for Campbell, is that his fitness seemed to drop off markedly in the second half. So far that’s been a trait of his games, but that will improve as the season progresses.
Brave
But the player who really caught the eye and attention was Andre Garcia in the troublesome left-back position. The question of who would fill in to replace the injured Jeriel Dorsett, who himself isn’t really a proper left-back, has been up for discussion.
In the previous home fixture against Huddersfield Town, Kelvin Abrefa was deployed and definitely had his struggles. But mostly they weren’t really his fault, being a right-back asked to play the role of a left-back but without having the right configuration of feet to be able to do it. His natural tendency to pass back inside stifled the play.
That said, it was a surprise to see the very young Garcia put in for his first League One start. But if you’re going to blood a youngster then playing against a side near the very bottom of the table is quite a canny move.
And didn’t he do well? Brave in possession, strong enough against his larger opponents, tenacious, unfazed by being launched into the fray, but most of all, he seems to know what to do and when at the right times. It didn’t always come off - that’s to be expected - but his ability to see a pass, even if it doesn’t appear to be the most obvious one, is a cracking trait to have.
At just 16 he’s got a lot to learn, but as I wrote in my Woking match report in pre-season, he’s definitely progressing nicely. If you haven’t seen him yet, imagine Ben Elliott in full-back form and that’s a very rough description of what kind of player he is. If Garcia follows the trajectory of what he’s shown so far, then we could have a special player on our hands.
He’s not yet the permanent answer to the thorny left-back problem - he’s still got a lot of physical development to mature into. He will have issues with taller wide men who could cause problems for him, but he’s shown already that he’s not overawed by his lack of build. His ability on the ball, however, is one that he does surpass the likes of Dorsett and Abrefa, already. Quite a frightening thought!
Tangled
Otherwise, it was a game where we could and should have been out of sight in the first half. Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan had moments when his decision-making was slightly less than optimal. As is usual for him his feet don’t quite match up to what the head has imagined, often getting tangled up when a simple pass would do.
There are times when it works a treat and he’s able to use those skills in his repertoire to great effect, but on occasion he struggles for consistency. Like Garcia, he’s still young and has plenty to learn. Some issues can be coached out of him, but there’s still plenty that needs to be taken onboard, too.
Almost the opposite can be said of Amadou Mbengue, who now seems to have shrugged off those early years of immaturity and is now blossoming into a very fine defender indeed. The way he throws himself into challenges now shows that he’s a player who’s very much enjoying his game and how it is progressing. There is a growing maturity that’s come from the increased responsibility of defending with yet another very young player in Tyler Bindon.
He’s still Amadou, though. He’s still playful, boisterous and comedic at times, but he’s now reliable whereas previously you never really knew what version of Mbengue was going to turn up. Now, he’s a force, a proper powerhouse of a defender that chucks himself into everything and relishes it. You truly love to see it.
Joy
That win moved us up a smidge in the table and six points clear of the relegation zone. Looking up the table, we’re just two points off the play-off positions, which is a bit exciting but daunting at the same time. We almost had a positive goal difference too, but Albion spoiled that with their late goal.
At this point, it could be said we’ve got about 25% of the wins we need to avoid the murky depths of relegation and about the same percentage in points required, too, and it’s only October.
If we can just replicate some of our outstanding home form on the road, then there’ll be little to worry about. But this is Reading Football Club: we never know what’s to come next or which form it’s going to take.
Well, we do, it’s Rotherham United away. What joy!