v
READING
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NPOWER CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
Upton Park, London
April 1, 2011 – 1500 BST
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So, the clocks have changed to British Summer Time and itai??i??s that time of the season where games take on a bigger importance than usual; none more important for second place Reading than Saturdayai??i??s trip to Upton park to face third place West Ham United.
As things stand, the Royals have a point advantage over the Hammers with West Ham just one goal better off on goal difference following West Hamai??i??s win at Peterborough on Tuesday night, which was there game in hand.Ai??Reading are on a superb run. Despite a recent draw at Doncaster and a loss at Peterborough, Brian McDermottai??i??s side have won an incredible fifteen of their last nineteen games, which have led them to climb into the automatic promotion spots.
West Ham have struggled recently, particularly with their home form. Sam Allardyceai??i??s sideai??i??s last five games have resulted in draws and the local faithful arenai??i??t the easiest to please with a certain expectation of an instant return to the Premier League. However, they are unbeaten in eleven games. Reading meanwhile are exceeding expectations again and will want to avoid the play-offs after last yearai??i??s defeat in the final to Swansea.
So, what do the visitors need to do to continue their good form? Well, a huge boost would be the return of Jason Roberts whose hamstring injury situation is being kept quiet by the management but he could return to the starting line-up. If not, then Benik Afobe will partner Noel Hunt up front. The Arsenal loan signing will have benefited from a week of training with the squad to try to understand the way they play but it will still be a big ask of the young striker.
If West Ham do play long balls to the front man or the front pairing, then that will surely favour Readingai??i??s centre back pairing of Alex Pearce and Kasper Gorkss. They may not be the quickest but they make up for it with other attributes like strength and awareness. West Ham, meanwhile, have their own problems and are waiting to see if center back Abdoulaye Faye is fit to play.
Jimmy Kebe may be set for an interesting afternoon. In the reverse fixture, Jack Collison was sent off after going in late into the Malian winger, when he pulled his socks up to taunt his opponents while he had possession of the ball. Royals were cruising at 2-0 and playing against ten men. Whether the West ham players have Kebe down as a marked man remains to be seen but the fans will surely let him know what they thought of his antics in December. It will be interesting to see if Kebe goes into his shell should this happen or if he rises up against the abuse.
A Reading win would of course move the Royals four points clear of their rivals and keep the pressure up on Southampton above them, who play straight after at Blackpool but it would be far from over. Reading still have away games at Southampton, Brighton and Birmingham on the final day. The two latter teams are involved in a huge race to get into the play-offs and will not be easy opponents at all.
Meanwhile, at home, they face Leeds who are chasing a play-off place, Nottingham Forest who are by no means safe despite recent improvements and a Crystal Palace side who may be more dangerous than expected when having nothing to play for. Fans will hope they do win those home games considering they are on a run of six straight wins at the Madejski Stadium.
West Ham, who employ former Reading defensive coach Wally Downes in their ranks, meanwhile have three play-off chasing sides at home in Birmingham, Brighton and Hull on the final day. They would hope to win at a Barnsley side who are simply waiting for their season to be over and a Bristol City side in free fall. Their penultimate game is at Leicester but where they will stand in the play-off race remains to be seen. Regardless, the Hammers have equaled their record of most away wins in a season and will hope to go past it in those remaining three games.
If either of these sides wins, then it could have a huge psychological impact on the remaining games. Neither side has the easiest fixture list remaining but a win at this stage, let alone against your promotion rivals will be huge. Reading fans are on a wave of euphoria at the moment with attendances climbing as the season draws to a conclusion but their toughest tests may yet be to come. West Ham fans have expectancy and nervousness, but it should make for a fantastic atmosphere at Upton Park.
Play-offs would no longer feel like an achievement for either of them. The final phase of the fight for automatic promotion begins now.
—
Written by guest author Jamie Harden
Ai??You can follow Jamie on twitter @MrCompo
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