The season starts now

The most frustrating soundbite of Reading’s season has been rolled out once more following the permanent appointment of caretaker boss Brian McDermott, this time referring to tomorrows home clash with Barnsley, but this time it was said was meaning. The 48-year-old knows that there is already pressure on him to produce the league results that will claw the Royals towards safety and, as one of the few sides defeated this season, it provides a good opportunity for McDermott to mark his slate.

The new man has already had five league games to prove his worth and only managed two points from them. However the improved performances, coupled of course with those all important FA cup wins, was evidence enough though for his chairman to give him his first chance as a manager. If the former manager, Brendan Rodgers, was allowed to declare the first five professional games of his reign to still be ‘pre-season’ then so should Brian McDermott, whose Reading career will truly begin in front of the watching eyes of the Madejski Stadium come 3pm tomorrow afternoon.

McDermott has begun to stamp his influence on the club already. Three new signings have joined the ranks, Khizanishvili and Griffin on loan from Premier League clubs and Icelandic striker Thorvaldsson finally put pen to paper having been courted since Steve Coppell was in charge. The team have reverted to a 4-4-2 and the line-up is more settled. Two important players have also returned to the side; tigerish midefield Jem Karacan along with Rodgers much-maligned signing Matt Mills, who has finally started to look like the player he threatened to be following his £2m move in the summer.

He may not be every fans choice, given his low-key status and the potential options that were available as a replacement for Brendan Rodgers, but he has earned his chance in the hotseat. Whilst this supporter can’t deny that he would feel more comfortable in the hands of a more experienced man, Gareth Southgate being the name that springs to mind, I am more than willing to give McDermott a fair chance. The football has improved, the decision-making seems more rational and the players appear fitter than earlier in the season. He has proved that he has what it takes to win football matches. If he can begin his reign with a win against Barnsley, then truly, the season starts now.

Reading vs Nottingham Forest preview

It’s almost time! The long ‘summer’ wait will soon be over, with the Championship kicking off it’s new season tonight and Brendan Rodgers leading his team out for the first time in a professional game tomorrow afternoon. There is a sense of deja vu about the fixture; this time last year we began our season against the same opposition, playing out a 0-0 draw at the City Ground, but this time we’ll be looking to kick off with a win. This was a result that evaded us last season, with Forest beating us 1-0 in the return fixture courtesy of a last-minute sinker in the midst of mediocre mid-season.

Things could scarcely be more different this time around. Five of the starting eleven of last years opener are no longer with the club. Two more are not expected to be here come September. Many established players have gone and been replaced, largely, with the fruits of the academy. Karacan, Federici, Henry, Robson-Kanu, Davies and Alex Pearce are all expected to feature much more heavily than they did last time around. Of those that started at the City Ground, only Rosenior, Kebe and Matejovsky can be expected to do so again this time around.

Nottingham Forest have also had a reshuffle over the past year. Colin Calderwood was replaced in the hotseat by Billy Davies, who has done a good job so far. Dexter Blackstock will be a good signing for them and should get them amongst the goals and general predictions expect them to do better than last time around. I’d be tempted to agree that mid-table is a realistic position for Forest to finish.

Reading are missing several key players. Andre Bikey is serving a five-match suspension, while Harper and Stephen Hunt face fitness tests on groin injuries. Noel Hunt and Matejovsky may also miss out. Forest are without Guy Moussi, who was a monster against us this time last year, and James Perch, who I’ll admit to not having heard of. I’d expect us to line up something like this:

Federici
Rosenior
Pearce (c)
Cisse
Bertrand
Karacan
Tabb
Davies
Kebe
Robson-Kanu
Long

Prediction: I’m going to plump for a winning start for Brendan Rodgers, although it won’t come easily. If I were a betting man, and I am, my money would be on a 2-1 win to the Royals. We may go behind, but the faith in youth will pay off with a goal from Robson-Kanu to equalise and a Long winner towards the end.