Reading v Ipswich Town
English Football League Cup – 2nd Round
Tuesday 29th August 2023 – 20:00
Select Car Leasing Stadium
Pre-Match Thoughts Mike
They say all good things must come to end and so it proved Saturday past as Town's long unbeaten run came to an end at the hands of Leeds Utd. I am not gonna lie but I found it hard to deal with such has been the length of time since our last reverse, nigh on Seven Months to be exact and it all felt so alien to me, I wasn't upset, angry or anything negative, just not being familiar with the feeling for such a long time meant I had no idea how to take it all in.
Let's get one thing straight though, losing at home to Leeds in a Seven Goal thriller is nothing to be disillusioned about, a Seventy Million strike force and a team dotted with Premier League quality players was always going to be a real test and to say we stood up to it well would not be exaggerating at all. Of course there are lessons to be learned, especially where some of our defending is concerned, Four mistakes, albeit not howlers by any means, were all punished with some aplomb and on another day we probably get away with some of them.
It is hard to be critical of a team that scored over 100 Goals last season and who have hit the ground running in that department this season too, we did score Three in this game after all !!! But if that early chance for Wes Burns had been converted just after we had gone ahead I am convinced we would be sitting here with a Twelve point, One Hundred percent record and still top of the table, fine margins indeed.
There were spells in the game where we looked like we were finally being exposed to the step up in quality, none more so than that mental Ten Minute spell where their big boys converted the Three real chances that came their way, yes for that short time we looked a little bit star struck as we battled to come to terms with a team finally taking it to us. To our credit once we readjusted and settled down we gave as good as we got and like Kieran McKenna said after the game I felt over the entire game we were slightly the better side with everything taken into consideration. We were never going to go week after week winning every game, it's foolish to think otherwise and as I said before losing this One in such a tight game is nothing to be disappointed about at all, had we been stuffed and looking out of depth then maybe but that was never the case.
I always try to have a sneaky peak at our opponents forum after every game and to say the Leeds fans were very complimentary is a compliment indeed, "the best team we have played so far" "unlucky not to take something from the game" "caused us lots of problems" "will not lose to many teams at home this year" just some of the comments that stick in the memory, I think it is fair to say we are not doing too much wrong and with a lot of teams to come who are not blessed with the Leeds firepower we will win a lot of games and hold our own.
The game itself was a great spectacle and filled with incident, goals galore and other chances missed created a great advert for the Championship and the reception the players got at the full time whistle was pleasing as they deserved it, no negativity at all as far as I could tell which is no more than they deserved, we have always said it is how we react to defeat that will define how well we do as defeats will undoubtedly come which is why Saturday's home encounter with Cardiff City really has to be seen as a game we expect to win, that scenario would see us on Twelve points from a possible Fifteen, a great start in anyone's book.
I think special mention should go to Kayden Jackson who for me did an excellent job Saturday in a position that is clearly not his favourite, nor is it One that many Town fans want to see him in but credit to the boss who clearly flagged up an area where Kayden could possibly exploit their weakness and this he did with a hand in Town's opening Two goals that on another day would have set us on the road to victory.
Of course this week we have the small matter of the Transfer window closing and all the obscene non sense that goes with it, McKenna has stated he would still like Two or Three additions to the squad so it could be a busy few days at the club, a Striker, Centre Back and another Wide player seem to be the recognised areas of concern, if concern is the right word but will we get our targets ? Personally I am not sure we will se much change as McKenna will only bring in players who will improve on what we already have and that is not so easy to do these days. Rak-Sakyi keeps being mentioned and interestingly he has not gone anywhere yet despite it being said Leicester City were hot on his heels, Palace seem keen to keep him but have admitted the final decision is down to the player himself, I don't know why but if we are to bring in an exciting player this week I just get the feeling it could be him.
With the League being our priority some see the Carabao Cup as nothing more than a hindrance so not too many will be excited as we head to League One reading FC Tuesday evening for a Second Round tie, as I said in the last round this cup does serve a purpose where players getting game time is concerned and I am sure the likes of Edmundson, Williams, Slicker, Baggott, Ladapo, Evans, Taylor, Hutchinson and co will all be chomping at the bit to show what they do and give the gaffer some food for thought where the first team is concerned.
We have the strength in depth to win this even though we will probably make Eleven changes and winning is the best possible formula for success no matter what the competition is, add to that the dunderhead brigade will be out in force should we lose Two in a row, sitting by their keyboards preparing the drivel as we speak so I feel a win here is important for several reasons.
While it is impossible to predict with any confidence I can see Town having enough in the locker to progress to the Third round, quite how seriously Reading take it too is anyone's guess so this really is just having a stab in the dark where the outcome is concerned. I will stick with a Town win by either 2-0 or 2-1 and a place in the Third round draw. Norwich up next, how good would that be !!!! COYB'S
The Opposition – Reading - Honours
League
Second Division / Championship
Champions: 2005–06, 2011–12
Third Division South / Third Division
Champions: 1925–26 (South), 1985–86, 1993–94
Runners-up: 2001–02
Fourth Division / League Two
Champions: 1978–79
Promoted: 1975–76, 1983–84
Cup
Full Members' Cup
Winners: 1987–88
London War Cup
Winners: 1941
Third Division South Cup
Winners: 1938
The Manager – Rubén Sellés
Head to Head
Match Referee – Lewis Smith
READING 0 IPSWICH TOWN 2
What are these? Hungry for more games, thirsty for wins? 
Great stuff. 
Humphries
