SkyBet EFL Championship
at the Madejski Stadium
Reading (0) 0
Birmingham City (0) 0
Attendance: 17,247 (inc. 2,112 away fans)
Point & hope photo gallery: click HERE
Martinez, Gunter (Howe 90), Yiadom, Moore, Miazga, Ejaria, Rinomhota, Baker, Barrett (O’Shea 90), Loader, Olise (Barrow 71)
Unused subs - Baldock, McCleary, Walker, Ezatolahi
Birmingham City:
Camp, Colin, Pedersen, Harding, Roberts, Craig Gardner, Lakin (Davis 74), Mrabti (Maghoma 84), Jota, Vassell (Jutkiewicz 71), Adams
Unused subs - Dacres-Cogley, Mahoney, Gary Gardner, Weaver.
And... it's a wrap!
That is THE66POW's coverage of Birmingham City in the EFL Championship over and done with for the another season...after such an up in the air and wholly unpredictable campaign, on all fronts, it was somewhat ironic, that the forty-sixth game that I have watched in this league since August, saw two teams who had nothing but a fixture obligation left to play for, eek out a goalless draw, that almost ended up being played in the manner of a pre-season testimonial fixture towards the end, when both teams formed a guard of honour to applaud Reading's stoppage-time substitute, John O'Shea, onto the pitch.
After having been sidelined by injury of late, this afternoon marked the former Republic of Ireland defender's last ever game as a professional footballer, after an illustrious career, that began twenty years ago when he made his debut for Manchester United, in a League Cup game at a ground call Villa Park. At least his impressive playing career, that has seen O'Shea pick up 118 full international caps (and 13 more with the Eire U21 team), reached it's conclusion, in far more pleasant surroundings than those where it began.
That is THE66POW's coverage of Birmingham City in the EFL Championship over and done with for the another season...after such an up in the air and wholly unpredictable campaign, on all fronts, it was somewhat ironic, that the forty-sixth game that I have watched in this league since August, saw two teams who had nothing but a fixture obligation left to play for, eek out a goalless draw, that almost ended up being played in the manner of a pre-season testimonial fixture towards the end, when both teams formed a guard of honour to applaud Reading's stoppage-time substitute, John O'Shea, onto the pitch.
The Royals finished the season in twentieth place, while Blues came in at seventeenth, following their recent nine-point deduction.
Reading have only lost once at home since New Years Day, while Birmingham extended their current unbeaten run to seven games. So it was always likely to be a close game... and so it proved to be.
Lee Camp racked up his twelfth clean sheet of the season, which meant that Reading have failed to score against Blues the last five times that they've visited this corner of Royal Berkshire.
It would be fair to say, that even before the groundsman gave the pitch it's final cut of the season, this one probably already had nil-nil written all over it.
The two sides, who both had a liberal coating of a 'squad rotation' look about them, mustered up a combined total of just seven shots on target between them all afternoon.
And while Reading possibly edged the first half percentages and possession-wise, Blues bucked that trend after the interval... and had just about the better of the second half.
Che Adams and Isaac Vassell both had good chances to nick the points for Garry Mink's Blues, but the closest either side came to breaking the deadlock, came in the twentieth minute, when Lee Camp pulled off an outstanding save, to deny Danny Loader.
Welsh international Chris Gunter had broken free on the right, leaving Kristian Pedersen in his wake, before delivering a low ball, right across the face of Blues goal, that Loader connected with and diverted towards Camp's goal, but the Birmingham keeper somehow managed to re-position himself, and dived backwards while scooping the ball away with one hand.
Camp has his critics, but his statistics over the course of the season speak for themselves. It's good to hear that he's developed a cult status among the St. Andrew's faithful, especially those who put in the time and effort (and considerable financial outlay) to follow the team away from home. "Lee Camp, in the middle of our goal!", to the tune of the Madness song: 'Our House', was sung with some gusto again today.
The former Brazilian international Pele, who was sitting in front of me (you weren't sat in the Eamonn Dolan stand... and therefore, as a consequence, you can't dispute my claim), turned around and said: "Fuck me pal! That was better than that world-famous save that Gordon Banks made against me in 1970!", and then asked: "Are all English goalkeepers like that!?", so politely explained to him, that Camp has actually played for Northern Ireland, so he isn't eligible to represent England, but said not to worry about his faux pas because it's quite a common misconception: "Ah, that is Gareth Southgate's loss and a shame for England", replied Edson Arantes do Nascimento (allegedly).
FT: Reading 0 v Birmingham City 0
A draw, particularly a goalless one, was about the right score on the balance of things.
A Reading fan on the shuttle bus back into the town centre, asked if Birmingham would've finished in the play-offs, if it hadn't been for the EFL points deduction 'punishment'. But a quick tally up after referring to the league table, confirms that they would've actually have ended a very tiring (and even draining) campaign, for everybody concerned, in fourteenth place.
Which is a damn sight better end of term scenario, than the previous couple of seasons had to offer... against some massive odds, while Blues had to surmount all manner of obstacles along the way.
If success is to be measured subjectively, then Garry Monk has been doing a great job at St. Andrew's thus far, while laying the foundations in place for further progression next term.
Monk says that he wants to stay with Blues and finish off the job that he and his back up team have started. All told they've achieved each and every one of the targets they set themselves and their players this term.
So now, it is in the hands of the powers that be at St. Andrew's, and it's up to them to decide if they're going to act swiftly, to take all of the required steps, if they want to make sure that they keep the manager and his cohorts onboard for another season, or not.
The Blues manager has stated publicly, though perhaps rather a tad cryptically, that he needs clarity from the board as regards the way forward from here on in. So at the present time, it remains to be seen if any differences of opinion with the club owners will be addressed with immediate effect.
Otherwise... what could possibly go wrong, eh!?
José Manuel Gomes, who was appointed as Reading's manager in mid-season, and steered them away from the relegation zone, is obviously a popular figure at the Madjeski Stadium, given the number of Portuguese flags and shirts on display at the ground today.
The Royals current plight is not too dissimilar to how things were at Birmingham City just a year ago.
Stick with it guys and keep the faith.
Because things can only get better.
