Joel Pereira: 6
Had the ball kicked out of his hands by Rotherham’s forward in the 76th minute and won a free kick from this, after using his footwork and body well to cut out the danger from the forward sniffing at a chance on the left of Reading’s box.
Quite literally I have no other notes for his day today. Everything he had to do was very routine otherwise, and he was not at fault for the goal.
Ryan Nyambe: 4
Went totally missing for the Rotherham opening goal, being caught out of position. Took a poor touch when receiving the ball in space, up the field on the right in the 30th minute and conceded a throw in and a good attacking opportunity with it.
Poor over-hit cross in the 49th minute. Not entirely sure how he was allowed to stay on the pitch for the entire game. This was comfortably his worst showing in a Reading shirt, and has visibly regressed under Richardson’s coaching – worrying so, given he is one of “Richardson’s boys”.
Finley Burns: 5
Unlucky to concede a foul and a free kick In the 22nd minute but it led to nothing. Caught flat footed by the through-ball that led to Rotherham’s opener but he was not helped by the open midfield in front of him and Nyambe going missing.
Had a header at the Rotherham goal near the end of the first half from a Wing free kick but was unable to direct it on target. In the second half, seemed to go missing when Rotherham’s effort hit the bar in the 65th minute.
Seems to be the shell of the player we had on our hands at the start of the season, and probably needs to go somewhere else now where he feels loved and trusted by a manager who would rather do without his services and isn’t shy about showing it.
Paudie O’Connor: 5
Some smart early touches and passes into the midfield. However, his lack of pace was exposed for the Rotherham counter that led to the goal and he was unable to get back to prevent the goal.
In the second half, he seemed to go missing when Rotherham’s effort hit the bar in the 65th minute. It was far from his worst day today but, given the quality of the opposition, he needed to assert his dominance far more.
Jeriel Dorsett: 5
Formed part of a good passing triangle with Lane and Roberts on the left in the 36th minute that led to a Kyerewaa shot that was well saved. Struggled to deal with the Rotherham winger in the 42nd minute.
He was the catalyst for the attacking move in 47th minute that led to Reading’s equaliser, collecting the ball on the left and passing the ball up the pitch to find Lane in space.
Gave the ball away in the 72nd minute on the left, which led to Rotherham intercepting it and getting a shot away. Seemed to pick up an unpleasant knee injury in the 83rd minute, by pure bad luck. Subbed off for Matt Ritchie, pushing Roberts into left back.
Like O’Connor, it was far from his worst day today but, given the quality of the opposition, he needed to assert his dominance far more.
Haydon Roberts: 6
Not a great free kick delivery in the 14th minute from deep. Good link up play with Lane that led to Lane’s shot in the 31st minute. Formed part of a good passing triangle with Lane and Dorsett on the left in the 36th minute that led to a Kyerewaa shot that was well saved.
Great pass to set Lane free down the left in the 38th minute. Great run through the middle in the 43rd minute to get the ball much further up the pitch, but was unable to find Kyerewaa with the pass.
Moved to left back after Dorsett went off injured. Shortly after, went down injured himself and received attention off the pitch, then picked up a yellow card by bringing himself back on without consent from the ref. Subbed off for Kelvin Abrefa in the 88th minute, likely linked to the injury break.
Generally seemed like one of the only Reading players willing to pick up the ball and run with it and put Rotherham under any kind of direct pressure.
Daniel Kyerewaa: 6
Got off a good shot in the 36th minute after receiving a pass in the box from Roberts, which was well saved by the Rotherham goalkeeper.
Timed his run well into the Rotherham box to find space and meet Lane’s cross to convert the ball smartly, with his weaker left foot, to level the scores. Generally started the second half looking a lot more lively, likely helped by the change in shape which saw him play wider than in the first half.
Good cross in the 53rd minute which the keeper had to do well to catch, but no Reading player was there in the box to challenge for it unfortunately.
Made a great run down the right and cut inside in the 60th minute but made the wrong choice to shoot rather than put in a cross that led a corner.
His impact fizzled out in the second half of the second half, possibly owing to the fact that Reading just didn’t seem to want to be competitive today. However, overall, was probably Reading’s best on the day. This is possibly also damning by faint praise.
Lewis Wing: 4
Passing was a mixed bag in the early stages of the game. Went missing as Rotherham were given too much time in midfield to launch a counter attack for their opening goal. Overall, had a very subdued first half.
Shockingly bad looped pass out to Nyambe on the right which drifted out for a throw in in the 53rd minute. Poor free kick in the 74th minute, although from deep, he struggled to get it past the first man.
Played a decent looking pass through the lines to try and find Kyerewaa which caught out Rotherham’s back line, but he misjudged the angle and it went harmlessly through to the goal keeper.
The game just completely passed him by today. A very disappointing showing and you do wonder if the lethargy shown by those around him is reflects badly on his ability to motivate those around him as captain.
Liam Fraser: 5
Some tidy passes around the back line in the first half. Needed to do more to move the ball further up the pitch, but whenever he had the ball, he rarely seemed to have options in front of him to pass to in the first half.
A frustrating game because you wanted to see him take more risks with his passing to get the ball up the pitch or try to carry the ball further up himself rather than sitting deep. Overall, he didn’t do much wrong. However, nor did he do much at all. And therein lies the problem.
Paddy Lane: 5
Good cross from the right after a free kick delivery in the 16th minute, but Reading were unable to make the most of it.
Made a breakthrough to run at the goal in the 27th minute after receiving a through-ball. However, looked off balance and out of confidence, with a stuttering run and went down far too easily under pressure to try and win a penalty, which was correctly not awarded.
Had a shot, possibly a mishit cross, in the 31st minute from the left of the Rotherham box that fizzed wide. Formed part of a good passing triangle with Dorsett and Roberts on the left in the 36th minute that led to a Kyerewaa shot that was well saved.
Poor cross in the 38th minute after being found in space down the left. Needed to do better.
Great touch, movement and pass to get the ball into the box to find Kyerewaa for the equaliser. Good shot from the right in the 61st minute which the goalkeeper saved comfortably, but seemed to look more comfortable playing as a number 10 in the second half.
Subbed off for Emmanuel Osho in the 82nd minute. Overall, he was very poor in the first half but after the shape change in the second half to bring him into the number 10 role in a 4-2-3-1, he seemed a different player – all to the good for Reading.
So much so, it was somewhat surprising to see him go off, given that there were more glaring problems on the pitch in the second half than his contributions.
Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan: 4
Put himself about, being physical. However, seemed to be off his game today. Great through ball to Lane in the 27th minute which deserved better. Generally had a very quiet first half, mostly due to the lack of service. Which will shock nobody.
Got more service in the second half but wasn’t able to capitalise on any of it. Received a great lofted pass from Wing in the 59th minute through the middle and on the inside edge of the Rotherham box. However, his first touch was poor/non-existent and the chance died. Held up play well in the 64th minute but miscued the ball forward to Kyerewaa which he wasn’t able to reach.
Unfortunate double whammy in the 77th minute when caught offside by a Lane pass and mishitting his own pass back to Roberts out of play. Subbed off for Sean Patton in the 88th minute and should have come off far sooner, quite frankly.
Subs
Emmanuel Osho: N/A
Subbbed on for Paddy Lane in the 82nd minute, far too late to be given any time to make any impact. Won a free kick in the 90th minute on the right wing by being a nuisance whilst up against three Rotherham players and still managing to break away and get his shirt pulled.
Not given much time to make an impact but looked energetic. Should have been brought on earlier, and probably offered the most from of the substitutions made but that’s not exactly saying much.
Matt Ritchie: N/A
Subbed on for the injured Dorsett in the 84th minute, moving to the left wing with Haydon Roberts going to left back. There will be question marks about why he wasn’t brought on sooner to change the game.
Contributed a free kick delivery and that’s about all he had time to be able to do.
Sean Patton: N/A
Subbed on for Kelvin Ehibatiomhan in the 88th minute, around 30 minutes too late. But hey, Richardson gives youth a chance because look! He gave Patton two minutes to make an impact. Sigh.
Kelvin Abrefa: N/A
Subbed on for Haydon Roberts in the 88th minute and took up a position as a left back.
Average: 5/10
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