After Wednesday night’s match against Brentford, Reading are set to play seven games in 22 days between the Millwall game on Saturday and the clash between the Royals and Sheffield Wednesday at the Madejski on March 6.
In summary, that is a daunting number of games to play in such a short amount of time. For us fans, it’s fantastic and gives us plenty of action to watch and digest over the next month. For the players, there will always be the risk of picking up injuries and this is something that has ravaged us at times so far this season with a more compact fixture list due to Covid disruption.
Despite this, the players have responded well to these setbacks and are currently thriving even without their captain Liam Moore, with Tom McIntyre filling in well and doing a fantastic job alongside Michael Morrison.
There was one player’s absence we did struggle with, however. That player is Lucas Joao, one of the top goalscorers in the Championship and the most complete striker Reading have had in many years, proving to be just as effective as Yann Kermorgant who fired the club to a playoff final.
In Joao’s five-game absence at the back end of 2020, we lost two of those matches, only managed to pick up a late winner at Queen’s Park Rangers through Michael Olise’s world-class goal, failed to score at the Liberty Stadium against Swansea City and struggled to put the game to bed against Luton Town despite a good first-half performance.
If one match could sum up the difference he truly makes to this team, it has to be the game when he returned to the first-team squad against Huddersfield Town, in the first fixture of 2021. After going behind early on, the Portuguese forward scored twice in the second half to turn the tie around and win the Royals all three points that day.
Not only are his goals valuable but also his contributions across the pitch, holding the ball up well and bringing Reading’s other attacking threats into play. The man is a menace to Championship defenders and for me, is the most valuable player in Berkshire.
Yes, Josh Laurent and Andy Rinomhota play an invaluable role in the centre of the park and yes, Michael Morrison has shown real leadership this season with and without Liam Moore – but there is no chance we would be in the position we are now in without the presence of Joao up top.
With George Puscas out for a while with a groin problem, Sam Baldock understandably not cutting the mustard on his own up front and Nahum Melvin-Lambert seemingly not being trusted at Championship level just yet, another injury to the 27-year-old could be detrimental to our season.
Joao has been a regular patient in the treatment room since his arrival in Berkshire back in the summer of 2019, now is not the time for him to sustain another injury!
Yakou Meite can play up front in all fairness, that is true. But this would ideally be a short term option if needed because we need the French winger’s threat out wide as a different option to Ovie Ejaria,
John Swift and Michael Olise, who would all want to play more centrally in their heart of hearts.
At the time this week’s edition went to print, Joao remains a fully fit member of the first team squad. Long may it continue and who knows, perhaps his availability could be the difference between promotion and falling short this season?
By Adam Jones
