Birmingham 0-1 Reading: Six Things We Learnt

Swift celebrates late winner – bbc.co.uk

John Swift’s late goal gave smooth-passing Reading a 1-0 win at St Andrew’s – but what have we learnt from the game?

Blues must get their pressing right

In the first 35 minutes, Birmingham couldn’t implement a pressing game. For spells, they often dropped off their opponents, afraid to put a tackle in. Egged on by angry home fans, they at times went to the other extreme of recklessly closing down Ali Al-Habsi without tactical consideration.

Reading’s clever passing

The Omani stopper exploited the above with impressive distribution. He often played high balls to the right touchline for Daniel Williams to flick it inwards. Because Birmingham’s players had been trying to press the keeper, Reading’s midfielders such as the impressive Liam Kelly then had acres of space. With slick one and two touch play they would glide into the final third, dazzle an anonymous Stephen Gleeson and create numerous openings.

Reading can be more clinical

Creating chances was not Reading’s problem for much of the first half, instead it was converting them into serious tests for goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak. Early on, the Pole made a fingertip save from Garath McCleary, who caused problems for Jonathan Grounds down the right. However, there were occasions when the wide man drilled a cross in and nobody was in an advanced enough position to profit.

Meite made a difference

This may be explained by the fact Reading started with no recognized centre-forward. In the absence of top scorer Yann Kermorgant, Jaap Stam favoured an ‘orthodox’ 3-3-4-0 formation. A quiet start to the second half suggested the Royals could be punished for missing a clinical edge, but the man who changed the game in their favour was Yakou Meite. A winger by trade, Meite added pace and power up top and occupied Michael Morrison, forcing Birmingham’s defence further back. The substitute would soon play an indirect part in the eventual winner.

Reading used wide areas well

McCleary faded after a bright 35 minutes, perhaps due to the switch in direction of play. In the second half, Reading targeted the left side of the pitch in an attempt to isolate the defensively vulnerable Josh Dacres-Cogley. John Swift instigated second half attacks on that side, as Roy Beerens and Jordan Obita grew in influence. The latter’s cross, helped by the diversion of Meite’s presence, found it’s way to Swift who tapped home at the back-post.

Birmingham need more than effort

When Reading attacked, they did so with acute precision. When Birmingham attacked, there was an element of desperation. Kerim Frei’s pace and skill earnt him the official man-of-the-match award, but the new boy’s end product left a little to be desired. Although, his near-post cross from the left in a positive start to the second half for Blues could have led to a goal for Lukas Jutkiewicz, but the often isolated striker stumbled at the crucial moment. Fellow recent addition Craig Gardner showed flashes of promise in the second half, his long-range drive stinging the palms of Al-Habsi.

The effort was there from Blues, but they are a long way off the free-flowing side Gianfranco Zola wants to create. To do so, he may need a full pre-season of tactical transition – Stam’s Reading side at least showed what the results of that can be.