• Support Wokingham Today
  • Get the print edition
  • Sign up for our daily newsletter
Saturday, June 14, 2025
Wokingham.Today
  • HOME
  • MY AREA
    • All
    • Arborfield
    • Barkham
    • Beech Hill
    • Binfield
    • Bracknell
    • Charvil
    • Crowthorne
    • Earley
    • Emmbrook
    • Finchampstead
    • Grazeley
    • Henley
    • Hurst
    • Lower Earley
    • Norreys
    • Reading
    • Remenham
    • Riseley
    • Shinfield
    • Sindlesham
    • Sonning
    • Spencers Wood
    • Swallowfield
    • Three Mile Cross
    • Twyford
    • Wargrave
    • Winnersh
    • Wokingham
    • Wokingham Without
    • Woodley
    • Woosehill
    • Yateley
    TRIPPS Removals is launching a new Moving Stories campaign, which will recognise and celebrate individuals across Berkshire who make a difference in their communities. Picture: Tripps Removals

    Berkshire heroes to be celebrated with Moving Stories awards

    The annual summer garden party.

    Blandy & Blandy celebrates successful year

    Arborfield garden centre Henry Street will celebrate 40 years of growing in July. Picture: Henry Street Garden Centre

    Henry Street Garden Centre celebrates 40 years

    Members of CLASP enjoyed a week of activities and events for Learning Disability Week, ensuring that they were heard and seen. Picture: CLASP

    CLASP members will be Seen, Heard and Valued in June

    The event is at Dinton Pastures Country Park..

    Celebrating dads with free family fun day

    Hurst

    Hurst residents fight against plans to build homes on green field

    Lucky Saint

    How Dads can get a free Father’s Day pint in Wokingham on Sunday

    Bungalow in Finchampstead, Billing Avenue

    Bungalow in Finchampstead left in ruins following large explosion as man arrested on suspicion of arson

    More than 6,000 people are expected to attend the event.

    Woodley Carnival returns on Saturday

  • SPORT
    • All
    • Binfield FC
    • Reading FC
    Amadou Mbengue

    Championship clubs circle to sign Reading FC defender Amadou Mbengue

    Reading FC

    Reading FC appoint new goalkeeper coach

    Yakou Meite

    Reading FC fans favourite released by Cardiff City

    Noise and floodlighting would impact the location, it was argued. Pic: Andrew Batt.

    Earley sports pitch plans in the floodlight

    Berkshire Football awards.

    Football in Berkshire shortlist revealed

    Chem Campbell

    Reading FC miss out on transfer target to fellow League One club

    Mark Bowen

    Former head of football at Reading FC lands new job

    Peter Markwick

    It’s top of the championship for Wokingham racing driver

    1871 EVENTS PRESENTS: Jimmy Quinn

    Reading FC legend Jimmy Quinn to share his memories of title success and Wembley heartbreak

  • READING FC
  • COMMUNITY
    TRIPPS Removals is launching a new Moving Stories campaign, which will recognise and celebrate individuals across Berkshire who make a difference in their communities. Picture: Tripps Removals

    Berkshire heroes to be celebrated with Moving Stories awards

    Arborfield garden centre Henry Street will celebrate 40 years of growing in July. Picture: Henry Street Garden Centre

    Henry Street Garden Centre celebrates 40 years

    Members of CLASP enjoyed a week of activities and events for Learning Disability Week, ensuring that they were heard and seen. Picture: CLASP

    CLASP members will be Seen, Heard and Valued in June

    The event is at Dinton Pastures Country Park..

    Celebrating dads with free family fun day

    More than 6,000 people are expected to attend the event.

    Woodley Carnival returns on Saturday

    A series of short horror films made by local filmmakers will be shown at Reading's Biscuit Factory on July 17. Picture: Alexander Krivitskiy via Unsplash

    Local filmmakers bring spooky horror shorts to Reading Biscuit Factory

    A new initiative from People Planet Pint members hopes to see Wokingham become a plastic-free zone. Picture: Tanvi Sharma via Unsplash

    Naturally speaking: Hopes for a plastic-free Wokingham

    The summer show is happening on Saturday.

    Vote for your favourites at Twyford summer show

    BWCB, here in rehearsal, will perform a night of movie music in July. Picture BWCB

    Enjoy a film music night for charity

  • LIFESTYLE
    • All
    • Food
    • Health
    • Obituaries
    • People
    Members of CLASP enjoyed a week of activities and events for Learning Disability Week, ensuring that they were heard and seen. Picture: CLASP

    CLASP members will be Seen, Heard and Valued in June

    The event is at Dinton Pastures Country Park..

    Celebrating dads with free family fun day

    More than 6,000 people are expected to attend the event.

    Woodley Carnival returns on Saturday

    A new initiative from People Planet Pint members hopes to see Wokingham become a plastic-free zone. Picture: Tanvi Sharma via Unsplash

    Naturally speaking: Hopes for a plastic-free Wokingham

    The summer show is happening on Saturday.

    Vote for your favourites at Twyford summer show

    The Eco Skills Learning Centre at Pudding Lane was launched on Saturday. Pictures: Emma Merchant

    New Eco Skills Centre launches in Arborfield

    Interactive games hosted by Climate Fresk will offer a fun way to better understand climate change and biodiversity. Here Elizabeth Corse explains the games to visitors. Picture: Emma Merchant

    Love games and the planet?

    MP Yuam Yang outside the takeaway.

    MP says sorry for social media post

    The restaurant promises to be a 'vibrant' location and social hub.

    Date set for new restaurant opening

  • WHAT’S ON
    • All
    • Arts
    • Entertainment
    More than 6,000 people are expected to attend the event.

    Woodley Carnival returns on Saturday

    A series of short horror films made by local filmmakers will be shown at Reading's Biscuit Factory on July 17. Picture: Alexander Krivitskiy via Unsplash

    Local filmmakers bring spooky horror shorts to Reading Biscuit Factory

    The summer show is happening on Saturday.

    Vote for your favourites at Twyford summer show

    Steam railways

    Steam specials to depart from Reading in railway’s 200th year

    BWCB, here in rehearsal, will perform a night of movie music in July. Picture BWCB

    Enjoy a film music night for charity

    An afternoon of jazz and afternoon tea will raise funds for The Cowshed in July. Picture: Zeno Aras via Unsplash

    Uplifting July jazz afternoon promises to fizz in Waltham St Lawrence

    The Bucket List Wishes Summer Festival is taking place at Highfield Park, Hook, from 2.30pm-10.30pm on Saturday, July 5.

    Bucket List Wishes Summer Festival to return in July

    1871 EVENTS PRESENTS: Jimmy Quinn

    Reading FC legend Jimmy Quinn to share his memories of title success and Wembley heartbreak

    Hillbilly Moon Explosion

    Swiss rockabilly band Hillbilly Moon Explosion to perform at Face Bar in Reading next month

  • JOBS
  • ADVERTISE
  • CONTACT
No Result
View All Result
Wokingham.Today
No Result
View All Result
Home Sport

TILEHURST END: Reading should think twice before bringing Lewis Baker back

by Simeon Pickup
December 12, 2019
in Sport
Lewis Baker is hauled back e

Lewis Baker (Pic by Steve Smyth)

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

It emerged recently that former Reading loanee Lewis Baker is unhappy at his current club, Fortuna Dusseldorf. Baker joined the Bundesliga club in the summer for the duration of the season, again in search of the game time he’s not been given by parent club Chelsea, but it’s not been happy sailing for him. 

The midfielder has barely played recently, despite a pretty promising start in Germany, and is believed to be upset at his situation. Few can blame him – he’s a promising 24 year-old, needs to settle at a club to properly kick on in his career, and wanted to do that with Fortuna. 

Given the success of other Englishmen in the Bundesliga in recent years, like Jadon Sancho at Borussia Dortmund and to a lesser degree former Reading man Reece Oxford at FC Augsburg, Baker’s career choice made sense.

Of course, plenty of Royals fans wanted Baker to have committed his future to Reading, such was his impact last season. Eventually settling as a deep-lying playmaker at the base of a three-man midfield, after initially playing further forwards, Baker’s technical ability and passing range stood out. 

Such players are difficult to find. Having someone capable of getting on the ball in front of the defence, getting their head up and either playing an incisive forward pass or simply picking the right teammate out to retain possession, is valuable in any system. 

So, if Reading did get the opportunity to bring back Baker, it’s a no-brainer right? Not quite.

Related posts

Championship clubs circle to sign Reading FC defender Amadou Mbengue

Reading FC appoint new goalkeeper coach

On paper, his aforementioned qualities are ones that few others in the squad have – perhaps with the exception of the injured John Swift – and he’s at least at the level of other players in Reading’s midfield. But how would we fit him into that midfield?

Considering the current first-team picks – Andy Rinomhota, Swift and Ovie Ejaria – which of them drops out? Rinomhota was 2018/19’s player of the season and provides vital defensive balance, while one of Swift or Ejaria could well take the award in 2019/20 due to the impressive creativity they’ve shown.

Baker is certainly ahead of reserves Pele and Charlie Adam, although each of them provide useful defensive cover and experience respectively. But Baker wouldn’t be here to play second fiddle – he’d have to start.

Assuming none of the main three are injured, that means dropping one of Swift or Ejaria – not a wise decision – or changing the entire balance of the midfield to make a 4-4-2 diamond. That could well work, but would risk a lack of width and the full backs being exposed – all for the sake of fitting the team around Baker.

These aren’t minor issues – they’re ones that will surely face Mark Bowen if Baker does return, and they could negate any positive impact the loanee would have on the pitch. None of this is to say that Reading shouldn’t try to bring Baker back under any circumstances – but they should properly consider that transfer before doing so. 

Keep up to date by signing up for our daily newsletter

We don’t spam we only send our newsletter to people who have requested it.

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Tags: championshipChelseaChelsea Football ClubFootballLewis BakerMadejski StadiumMark BowenreadingReading FCReading Football ClubSky Bet ChampionshipTilehurst End
Previous Post

Reading Rockets 78-75 Bradford Dragons: Academy stars shine in victory

Next Post

VOTE 2019: The results – live blog from the count

FOLLOW US

POPULAR THIS WEEK

One Step Behind will perform at Wokingham Music Club on Friday, June 13. Picture: WMC

Last chance to go mad at Wokingham Music Club

June 8, 2025
The property will become the company?s headquarters and training centre.

Global leader moves in at Winnersh Triangle

June 12, 2025
Party in the Park 2025. Pic by Stewart Turkington.

Rain didn’t dampen party spirits as Elms Field hosts Wokingham’s Party in the Park

June 11, 2025
TRIPPS Removals is launching a new Moving Stories campaign, which will recognise and celebrate individuals across Berkshire who make a difference in their communities. Picture: Tripps Removals

Berkshire heroes to be celebrated with Moving Stories awards

June 14, 2025
One of the trees off Easthampstead Road. Pic: Andrew Batt.

‘Safety’ cited for footpath closures

June 10, 2025
Ascot Top Hats is based in Wokingham.

Ten tips for a top day at Royal Ascot

June 10, 2025

ABOUT US

Wokingham Today is dedicated to providing news online across the whole of the Borough of Wokingham. It is a Social Enterprise, existing to support the various communities in Wokingham Borough.

Wokingham.Today is a Social Enterprise and aims to ensure that everyone within the Borough has free access to independent and up-to-date news. However, providing this service is not without costs. If you are able to, please make a contribution to support our work.

CONTACT US

[email protected]

Keep up to date with our daily newsletter

We don’t spam we only send our newsletter to people that have subscribed

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

  • Support Us
  • Book Advertising
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Get the Print Edition
  • Sign up for our daily newsletter

The Wokingham Paper Ltd publications are regulated by IPSO – the Independent Press Standards Organisation.
If you have a complaint about a  The Wokingham Paper Ltd  publication in print or online, you should, in the first instance, contact the publication concerned, email: [email protected], or telephone: 0118 327 2662. If it is not resolved to your satisfaction, you should contact IPSO by telephone: 0300 123 2220, or visit its website: www.ipso.co.uk. Members of the public are welcome to contact IPSO at any time if they are not sure how to proceed, or need advice on how to frame a complaint.

No Result
View All Result
  • HOME
  • MY AREA
    • Arborfield
    • Barkham
    • Beech Hill
    • Binfield
    • Bracknell
    • Charvil
    • Crowthorne
    • Earley
    • Emmbrook
    • Finchampstead
    • Grazeley
    • Henley
    • Hurst
    • Lower Earley
    • Norreys
    • Reading
    • Remenham
  • COMMUNITY
  • LIFESTYLE
  • SPORT
  • READING FC
  • OBITUARIES
  • WHAT’S ON
  • JOBS
  • PHOTOS
  • ADVERTISE WITH US
  • CONTACT US
  • WHERE TO GET THE PRINT EDITION
  • SUPPORT US

© 2022 - The Wokingham Paper Ltd - All Right Reserved.