Sometimes it\u2019s more telling to judge a side not by looking at how bad it is at its worst, but instead what it\u2019s capable of at its realistic best.<\/p>\n
And it feels like we saw both sides of the equation today at Exeter City. Reading were frightfully ineffective and dull in the first half – so exactly in keeping with what we\u2019d previously seen – but did manage to get distinctly better after the break.<\/p>\n
The problem is though: that second 45 really wasn\u2019t that great. Reading were overall OK-ish, able to fashion (and miss) a couple of quality chances in one pretty strong spell, but unable to sustain any momentum later on or convincingly push for a winner in the final stages.<\/p>\n
But even that second 45 felt like an achievement. There was little in the way of clear tactical wins, of repeatable moves from a well coached side. The two best Reading chances came from a long ball down the channel and low cross, and a corner that fell kindly.<\/p>\n
So then, not progress really, the sign of a side actually getting substantially better, but a poor team just about managing to eke out a bit more quality. Is this really the best we have? Unfortunately it seems so.<\/p>\n
We\u2019re 11 games into the league season now and have won just twice. A tally of 11 points puts Reading fourth from bottom: League Two-bound.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s a glorious sunset out of the window as I write this on the train home. Apt timing really: it\u2019s time for sunset on the Noel Hunt era too.<\/p>\n
Hunt earned a crack at the job this season after surpassing expectations in 2024\/25, and has had a fair chance to get this team on the right track. Although some players took longer to arrive, there\u2019s no adequate excuse for recent performances in quality or preparation time of his players.<\/p>\n
The consistent evidence, sadly, is that he\u2019s just not up to the job. I hate to say that: like many others I\u2019m sure, I desperately wanted this to work out for him. But Reading have played 17 times in all competitions this season now and put in a convincingly good performance\u2026 what, once? That win at Portsmouth feels an awfully long time ago.<\/p>\n
Sorry Noel, but it\u2019s time to go.<\/p>\n
I said in my Mansfield Town match report that Reading were poor despite Hunt getting his starting lineup bang on, and I had no complaints about his selection today either.<\/p>\n
Paudie O\u2019Connor and Matt Ritchie made their first starts of the season, coming in for Jeriel Dorsett and Daniel Kyerewaa respectively. Mark O\u2019Mahony missed out due to international duty, but the returning Andy Yiadom was involved for the second time this week.<\/p>\n
Reading (4-2-3-1): Pereira; Ahmed, Burns, O\u2019Connor, Jacob; Wing, Savage; Ritchie, Doyle, Lane; Marriott<\/p>\n
Subs: Stevens, Yiadom, Abrefa, Stickland, Elliott, Kyerewaa, Ehibhatiomhan<\/p>\n
Full marks to the first half for efficiency: all the interesting moments were squeezed in before the 12th minute.<\/p>\n
First, after six minutes, Jack Marriott converted Reading\u2019s only shot on target before the break for 0-1. Not at the end of a well constructed move, but by opportunistically getting on the end of a loose Exeter header and steering home.<\/p>\n
They all count, quality strikers sniff out those chances ruthlessly and Marriott deserves credit for the goal. But when your best moment of creativity in a half of football comes from the opposition\u2019s waywardness, that\u2019s worrying.<\/p>\n