Struggled with his long kicks today in the first half, particularly with the wind against him. Often seeing them go out of play. Wasn\u2019t quick enough to adapt to the conditions of the first half.<\/p>\n
Saved an unjustly awarded free-kick in the 67th minute, which nobody will be more relieved about than an unfairly penalised Dorsett.<\/p>\n
Mishandled a deep, in-swinging free kick in the 78th minute and dropped the ball almost on the line. He was fortunate that Huddersfield weren\u2019t alert to this and he was able to claim this quickly before any more damage was done.<\/p>\n
Almost immediately made up for this in the 79th minute with two unbelievable point-blank saves from Huddersfield: both headers in the six-yard box. He was on course for a 5\/10 today prior to this.<\/p>\n
Fantastic punch from a deep Huddersfield free-kick which cleared the ball well out of the area, in the 92nd minute. Followed this up by a little bit of time wasting to allow for a Reading substitution.<\/p>\n
I appreciate this is a bit of a mixed message of a review for Pereira\u2019s performance. I think the takeaway here is that, when it matters, he really will step up.<\/p>\n
Won headers throughout the first half. Picked up a yellow card in the 24th minute somewhat unfairly on the edge of the area.<\/p>\n
Attempted cross to Long Kelvin in the box in the 56th minute. Unfortunate to concede a free-kick in the 78th minute, after being fouled. Nearly led to a goal, owing to a nervy bit of Pereira goalkeeping.<\/p>\n
Didn\u2019t have a huge amount to do today and spent most of his day comfortably soaking up pressure. He did, however, look susceptible to a line-breaking ball, given he didn\u2019t have the pace to intercept this.<\/p>\n
I think the three-at-the-back shape is largely the right one for this side, but it does seem to leave that gap of space behind the three centre-backs and two wing-backs for this type of ball to be played.<\/p>\n
Good ball out wide to Kyerewaa in the 11th minute but then fortunate to have a foul flagged in the 12th minute when Huddersfield had a goal ruled out. Dez needed to be more switched on.<\/p>\n
Reasonable interception\/block on the edge of the area to diffuse a Huddersfield counter. Beaten for both headers in the 79th minute that forced two great Pereira saves.<\/p>\n
Lost the ball to a Huddersfield attack to set up a counter-attack that fortunately led to nothing in the 89th minute.<\/p>\n
Big tackle in the area in the 95th minute to stop a dangerous-looking Huddersfield attack. This tackle was so good, it\u2019s earned him an extra point.<\/p>\n
He really didn\u2019t have a brilliant day today, other than this tackle. I was hoping I could conclude Dez\u2019 summary there but\u2026 then was caught ball-watching for the Huddersfield goal in the 96th minute, to then lose that point earned. Grumble.<\/p>\n
Arghhh I don\u2019t know\u2026 I think just about a 6?<\/p>\n
The Dorsett Sandwich of the first half: made a mess of receiving a pass from Pereira, letting the ball run out for a throw-in, in the ninth minute. Then cleared a corner with a header in the 27th minute.<\/p>\n
Slid in to block a low cross in the 33rd minute to get the ball away for a corner. Then caught out with a ball into the space between him on the left of the back three and Kyerewaa as a wing-back close to the end of the half.<\/p>\n
Started a good passing triangle in the 56th minute, playing a ball to Charlie Savage, to start an attacking phase of play down the left.<\/p>\n
Fortunate to only concede a free-kick in the 66th minute. However, the fortune was because it should never have been a free-kick – nor a yellow – and could have been an even more incorrectly awarded penalty. The free-kick was saved.<\/p>\n
In reality: he did brilliantly to read the play and cut across the back line to the right-hand side of the pitch to stand up the Huddersfield attacker.<\/p>\n
Won a header from a free-kick in the 70th minute but was unfortunate to head it back into the box into a more dangerous position.<\/p>\n
Beaten for both headers in the 79th minute that forced two great Pereira saves. Subbed off for Paddy Lane in the 83rd minute.<\/p>\n
Read the play well to support the defence with a through ball that broke their lines in the 27th minute, but the ball out to find Liam Fraser was poor and easily intercepted. Fortunately, this didn\u2019t cost us.<\/p>\n
Great run down the right and fantastic cross in the 53rd minute. Good covering run and clearance in the 72nd minute.<\/p>\n
We didn\u2019t feel so susceptible down the right of the pitch today, and I think a lot of this owed to Nyambe. I\u2019ve said this before but it\u2019s worth repeating: the way he uses his body to protect the ball is brilliant.<\/p>\n
Hit a long ball forward in the sixth minute that got caught in the air and found nobody. Good, low long ball down the right wing to find Doyle in the 13th minute.<\/p>\n
Good long ball forward against the wind in the 31st minute, just unable to find Long Kelvin.<\/p>\n
Started the passing move that led to the penalty being awarded and dispatched a confident penalty in the 44th minute. Poor free-kick at the start of the second half, playing with the wind in his favour and should have done better.<\/p>\n
Had a shot blocked from the edge of the area in the 81st minute. Good interception in the 89th minute near the edge of the area. Not sure if it was an intentional long \u201choof\u201d of a shot on goal in the 91st minute but the Huddersfield \u2018keeper was ready for it.<\/p>\n
Made a key clearance while Reading were under pressure in the 25th minute. Literally no other notes today.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s notable, however, that we looked shakier on the left side of the pitch today than we did on the right, so you do have to question his input for the defensive transitions.<\/p>\n
Received a ball from Williams in the 11th minute and cut into the Huddersfield box, but unable to beat his man.<\/p>\n
Ran wide to set up Doyle for his shot in the 39th minute. Did well to win the header from a Savage free-kick, unfortunate not to be able to play in anyone with the header.<\/p>\n
Good interception in the 48th minute but had no space to run into so used his game intelligence to play a safe, backwards pass.<\/p>\n
Subbed off for Haydon Roberts in the 77th minute. All in all, he didn\u2019t contribute a huge amount defensively but also didn\u2019t really need to.<\/p>\n
Huddersfield only got more dangerous later on in the game, after he came off. Looked brighter in attack than he did against Wigan, so it\u2019s good to see he\u2019s gradually finding his way back to pre-injury form.<\/p>\n
An initial injury doubt after coming off against Wigan Athletic, so it was great to see him return today.<\/p>\n
Lost an early shoulder-to-shoulder on the halfway line. Great interception on the halfway line to start an attacking phase of play. Good left-footed shot from a Reading counter in the 39th minute, which was blocked.<\/p>\n
Good pass to play in Kyerewaa on the left but slightly overhit the pass in the 49th minute. However, it was a good passing movement around the halfway line.<\/p>\n
As is customary, he didn\u2019t complete a full 90 minutes and was subbed off for Matt Ritchie in the 83rd.<\/p>\n
Won the penalty in the 42nd minute after being wiped out inside the area trying to claim the rebound from Long Kelvin\u2019s saved shot.<\/p>\n
Picked up a yellow card after the goal for delaying the restart, which was a silly one to concede. Involved in a good passing triangle in the 56th minute to start an attacking phase of play down the left.<\/p>\n
Good link-up play with Kyerewaa on the left throughout the second half. Cleared the ball in the 89th minute but not far enough, which teed up a shot from Huddersfield just out of the area which fortunately sailed well over.<\/p>\n
Subbed off for Andy Yiadom in the 93rd minute, with the intention to help shut out the game in the final moments. Hmm.<\/p>\n
Tough to grade Long Kelvin today.<\/p>\n
He didn\u2019t have a huge amount of service as Reading nominally looked to sit deeper and soak up pressure, but often did provide good movement across both sides of the pitch to make himself available to receive an outball, and was unlucky not to score in the first half, when he made a great run into the box from a Wing pass in the 42nd minute, seeing it well saved.<\/p>\n
Great link-up play in the 64th minute, twice dropping a bit deeper to bridge the attack and midfield and keep the play moving.<\/p>\n
Conceded a free-kick on the right wing in the 74th minute imposing himself on the Huddersfield defender, which is always nice to see.<\/p>\n
Somewhat unfortunately subbed off for Will Keane in the 83rd minute.<\/p>\n
Subbed on for Daniel Kyerewaa in the 77th minute. Caught ball-watching for the Huddersfield goal in the 96th minute and this seemed to be his only notable contribution.<\/p>\n
Perhaps unfortunate that, by this time of the game, Reading basically gave up on attacking, but you also feel that his ball-carrying capability could and should have been utilised to give us a much-needed outlet.<\/p>\n
Subbed on for Long Kelvin in the 83rd minute in a direct swap. This will not surprise you to read that he offered, and subsequently did, absolutely nothing.<\/p>\n
Subbed on for Kamari Doyle in the 83rd minute in a direct swap. Also did nothing.<\/p>\n
Subbed on for Jeriel Dorsett in the 83rd minute, moving Roberts into the back three. And that\u2019s a hat-trick for the subs: he did nothing today.<\/p>\n
Subbed on for Charlie Savage in the 93rd minute to help shut out the game in the final moments until, well, we didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n
No fault can be attributed to Yiadom for this though, and he didn\u2019t really have any time to make an impression on the game.<\/p>\n